Customer Reviews

French & Saunders: At the Movies

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"French and Saunders" are Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, two incredibly talented British comedic actresses/writers. This collection of spoofs and skits comes courtesy of the BBC.

While featuring several movie spoofs ("Misery", "Silence of the Lambs", "Thelma and Louise", etc) that is not the only genre lampooned by these gifted writers/actors.

In addition to films, they also try their hand at spoofing music videos (their take on Guns-n-Roses "November Rain", with Jennifer Saunders taking on the Axl role and Dawn French that of Slash, is absolutely hysterical), fashion models, high-brow mini-series (Upstairs Downstairs), the Royals, etc.

Of the film spoofs, the "Thelma and Louise" and "Silence of the Lambs" parodies stands out, as does a priceless take on "Star Wars:Phantom Menace". The "Star Wars" spoof is part of the BONUS selections on this DVD.

With tongue firmly in cheek, these two woman break down the fourth wall barrier and often interact out of character with each other, with uproarius results.

Among other topics, they turn their sharp wit to comment on the obvious superiority of Princess Diana over Sarah Ferguson (the DVD is dated 1994, which explains why the "Star Wars" skit is considered BONUS material) and how supermodel Jerry Hall "has it all".

The skits and lampoons here are right on the money, with detailed sets reproductions and props (many an inside joke on props are peppered throughout). Details count with any parody and are much appreciated here - From the costumes, down to the uncanny reproduction of Sigourney Weaver's voice (as portrayed by Jennifer Saunders) in the "Aliens" parody.

Jennifer Saunders has a gift with voices. She does not impersonate so much as interpret nuance (as Clarice in "Silence of the Lambs" and as Ripley in "Aliens").

As for pure, comedy sketches? If anyone has ever been inundated with mail order catalogs, there is an absolutely laugh-out-loud skit which centers around two women who have obviously purchased every catalog item ever produced.

This is an excellent, funny collection and one that you'll enjoy watching and watching again. I think once you've experienced the comic talents of these two very funny women, you'll be looking for additional "French and Saunders" collections.

Note please that I believe this DVD contains different material than the VHS tape, as there is no spoof on "The Exorcist" as indicated in some of the other reviews.

A quick rundown of some topics covered : "Misery", commercial spoofs, "November Rain" music video, Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson, Jackie and Joan Collins, "Aliens", "American Gladiators", The Mama's and the Papa's music video, "Silence of the Lambs", catalog fans, Jerry Hall, "Thelma and Louise", "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace".

For the inside-joke fan, watch for references of Dawn French and windows or panes of glass.

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders are undoubtedly one of Britains' most talented and popular comic duos. There are no limitations to their talents. They simply are unique!!

This thoroughly excellent video features French and Saunders spoofs of many classic movies such as THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THELMA AND LOUISE, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, MISERY and THE EXORCIST. After watching these spoofs you will never be able to take any of the films seriously again! Its absolutley hilarious from beginning to end with its razor sharp wit and magnificent comic playing from all of the cast involved. Particuarly good spoofs are WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, the take off of IN BED WITH MADONNA and the totally hilarious THE EXORCIST. Packed full of fun and laughs this video is essential to any comedy collection. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

This DVD is wonderful. It has all the sketches I remember from the early 90's plus a huge amount of bonus footage; Star Wars Movie sketches. Alot of the humor relates to British things like a sketch making fun of a famous tights (panty ho's) commerical. Or my personal favourite, House of Idiot.
Any one who remembers the "House of Eliott" will love this one. To top that off, three of the cast from House of Eliott make an appearance (Bea, Evy and Tilly)
I watched this with my little sister and she didn't get much of it at all as it's so dated and related to current events of the time it was made.
Still worth watching though!!

Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders emerged on the British comedy scene as one of the new crop of performers who began at the "Comic Strip" club. This clan produced great TV comedy throughout the '80s & '90s, much to America's indifference: "The Young Ones (the most successful of the bunch stateside)," "The Comic Strip Presents...," "Bottom," "Filthy, Rich, & Catflap," and "French & Saunders." Then, Jennifer Saunders wrote and starred in a program based on a sketch from a "French & Saunders" show called "Absolutely Fabulous." Of course, it became an worldwide hit and put Saunders on the map. "AbFab" is unquestionably brilliant and Edina Monsoon a fantastic creation but the fact that Yanks love "AbFab" while remaining ignorant of "French & Saunders" is like having people love John Cleese's "Fawlty Towers" while never having seen his work in "Monty Python's Flying Circus." "French & Saunders," being a sketch show, covers a wider range of subjects and humor than "AbFab" and reveals Dawn French as a formidable talent on her own and a perfect compliment to Saunders. Many of the shows parody popular films and musical acts and, while some pieces may be very dry, others are rather vulgar and savage. Personally, I think these shows are greater than "AbFab" in that there is so much more in them - including the full breadth of Saunders talent (both women have an endless stream of diverse characters inside them). Grab this disc and discover what they already know overseas: that French & Saunders are the greatest comedy team of the past 20 years!

Loved the take-offs of such movies as, Aliens, Misery and especially, Silence of the Lambs! Kudos to French & Saunders for their irreverent, and sometimes vicious view of movies and actors that take themselves seriously, in movies that are anything but!

Clever, funny and very entertaining writing and performances from these two extremely talented women. What a pleasure that we in the US can be treated to their work! The movie spoofs are SO funny and I pick up on even more funny lines, etc. I didn't see on previous viewings - probably because I was laughing so much! Dawn French doing a southern accent...a riot. Very highly-recommended!

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders are comedy geniuses. That said, this disc is not quite as good as "Gentlemen Prefer..." BUT there is a 30 minute bonus special of sketches that is better than the special on "Gentlemen Prefer..." It includes the hilarious 'Phantom Menace' take-off. These specials are not on the VHS versions, so if you have the tapes, you may want to buy these anyway. Or rent them. Whatever you want.

so, so, so, funny, funny, great fun, amazing talent. would recommend to anyone. such brilliant writing. great fan of both entertainers.

The Guns and Roses segment was priceless...I will never watch "Silence of the Lambs" the same again after the humour that Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders put into it... These 2 women are extremely talented and beyond funny....

Sometimes French and Saunders are so dry you almost miss the joke, but at other times they're hilariously over-the-top. Most of the time, though, they're spot on, making you laugh at things you never knew would be funny. Though there are many superb movie parodies in this video, it's at its funniest when the two of them are just being themselves, having a (hilariously) intense conversation about Princess Di's superiority to Fergie. Even better, though, may be their genius parody of the life story of the Collins sisters, Jackie and Joan: Dawn, as Jackie, seems capable of moving only her lower lip, while Joan brings the same combination of glassiness and near-hysteria to everything from being offered the lead role in DYNASTY ("Aaron who?" she intones into the phone, blankly) to lusting after "that cheeky, clownish, Cockney fellow" Anthony Newley.