Customer Reviews

This Mitchell and Webb Book

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found the book delightful. I particularly enjoyed the "How to Cope With..." chapters.
Mitchell and Webb are clearly the brightest comedians of their generation. In the tradition of Monty Python, they have the ability to combine truth and nonsense in a way that consistently produces laughter. For those of us who appreciate a darker, more cerebral form of humour, Mitchell and Webb are a tonic against what is generally on offer.

I found this show on BBC America by mistake, and loved it. Yes, Monty Python rears its silly head again and again (and again), but who cares? Nice to see it come back. Like Python the "skits" are not done like a Carol Burnett show, but with high production. A CSI (I hate those shows!) parody with cavemen, has the look of "Quest for Fire". A parody of 1700's sensibility is shot in one of the many amazing estates that dot England like Starbucks in the States. And the two guys are wonderful. In fact one reoccurring bit of a writer talking to a "creative" executive about his story is genius. So I was excited to get this book. The Monty Python books always seemed as good as the shows, why not this? And there are some good things. However, bottom line... it doesn't translate like Python. They don't have the graphic artist genius of Terry Gilliam for example to keep the style and feel of the show. And most of it, just isn't all that funny. But if you need a nice "bathroom" novel for yourself, and especially for the guest water closet, you could do worse!

Not only is this book very funny, it is so "deluxe" that it's actually a lot BETTER made than I thought it would be! (How often can you say that about something you buy?) It's an oversize hardback that is "schoolbook style" -- meaning there is no paper dust jacket, because the art is printed directly on the glossy outer cover. Inside, the production is really lavish, with color and pix throughout -- even more elaborate than the great Monty Python books of yesteryear. Mitchell and Webb fans will love it!

Like most BBC products, especially those wonderful DVDs of Mitchelll and Webb, this book is also region coded. You wont be able to read this on region 1 eyeballs. Perhaps in a secret attempt to keep americans away! Get region coding for US BBC so I can watch these guys!

For anyone who's known and loved That Mitchell and Webb Look for many years or just for those who like a laugh, i highly recommend this book. It is set out in the style of The Mighty Book of Boosh so those who love that type of thrown together comedy look this is the book for them. Hilarious.

The pieces in the book are hit or miss; 50% are good, but it feels as if they phoned in the rest. If you are a huge fan of their shows like me, you might want this book as part of your collection. It is also a good coffee table book. You might find whom among the people you know are also fans of Mitchell and Webb when they find this book on your shelf.