Search - The League of Gentlemen: The Complete Series 1 on DVD

Samuel K. (Solvanda)
Reviewed on 11/25/2018...

Three men dress up for all the roles, kind of like Monty Python or Little Britain. The situational absurdities here however, are pushed way way way and over the cliff. Some of this is actually quite cringe worthy, and definitely will not be everyone's cup of tea. Though if you prefer your coffee as pure unadulterated diesel fuel poison, then perhaps you may also prefer this very black and dark as night British comedy. I know I do. My wife and I rewatch these episodes quite often, and several lines have become catch phrases around the house. Give it a try. You'll either laugh out loud or you melon will melt! These three genius blokes have gone on to create a few other shows too, which are most likely only available Region 2.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Absolutely Hilarious

R. Ruiz | San Francisco, CA | 01/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of those DVDs I put in again and again. I knew absolutely nothing about it when I bought it except I was told that it was hilarious. The first time I viewed I didn't even realize that such a diverse group of characters was, for the most part, played by three very funny, very talented, very well made-up comics, and I still don't know how one transforms into the puffy nutty third-rate businessman. While not every characterization or group of characters are hilarious (I don't much care for the businessmen nor the Greek Pops and his newsvending sons -- boring, to me), the rest are incredible. I especially like Edward and Tubbs and Pauline and her "job seekers," and how can you go wrong with a butcher named H. Briss and a pair of prize frogs named Sonny and Cher? :) Then there's Dr. Chinnery the unlucky veterinarian and Barbara the pre-op transsexual cab driver and the ultra-anal retentive aunt and uncle and their two demonic twins in the mythical and askew town of Royston Vasey. So much more -- don't miss it! WHY OH WHY is there no release in the U.S. of Series 2, the 2000 special, and Series 3? Everyone who has seen this finds it hilarious."

Ignore all the BBC crap you usually see on PBS...

Steve Pendlebury | Brit now living in VA, USA | 09/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unless you have been lucky enough to catch the League Of Gentlemen series on Comedy Central, or, indeed, are a Brit like me who caught it on BBC 2 last year and this, you probably won't be bothered risking your hard-earned on this vid. If you stopped reading my review here I wouldn't blame you either. But please read on.Ok, it's comedy, but what *kind* of comedy is it?It's a very, VERY black comedy, presented in mini serial format. Based around a somewhat inward-looking village in Northern England called Royston Vasey, the series follows Royston Vasey's rather odd inhabitants, very similar to that of a soap opera. Nothing groundbreaking so far, I know. But what makes this series stand out from the crowd of other BBC also-rans ("Keeping Up Appearances" and "One Foot In The Grave" spring instantly to mind) is the quality of the show. Each episode plays out with all the cinematographic flair of a classic movie. A major contributing factor in this would be the use of 35mm camerawork throughout. The original musical score runs almost the whole length of each 28 minute episode and changes to reflect the situation onscreen, often quite upbeat, but every so often rather sinister. The comedic acting is absoultely brilliant. The League's three actors (the 4th member is the producer) have obviously spent countless hours watching classic horror films, as each of them delivers line after line of hilarious dialogue, overshadowed by sinister expression, and over-play.The three actors play all the characters - A voodoo-like circus ringmaster, a German homosexual tour guide with murderous tendancies; a bizarre, almost creature-like, shopkeeper and his even stranger wife; the butcher who's most popular product, his "Special Stuff", is an addictive and secret 'something' only shared amongst a few of the villagefolk; a Job Centre Restart Officer who wallows in her ability to downput her 'Jobseekers'; the Cab driver - a big hairy bear of a man who wears a hot pink mini-dress and stilettos... etc etc...This Vid/DVD I would only recommend if you have in the past laughed at something you knew deep down you really shouldn't have. It's that way.If you are the above kind of person, though, You won't find anything, comedy-wise at least, as cutting edge or refreshingly new and entertaining as this.If you do buy this, you'll want to tell your friends to come over and see it for themselves before the end of the first episode. I guarantee it."

Not sure whether you are local, then buy LoG.?...

Digby Christian | San Francisco Bay Area, USA | 05/22/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"... the new miracle cure all from the BBC.Okay .. onto the review:-Once I got past my horror at discovering a laughter soundtrack (very annoying but faded away into the background of my perception with repeated listening) and no dvd option to play the thing without this track, I began simply to enjoy.It's not pure comedy. It has pathos, drama and visceral horror. This is not comedy as U.S. network tv knows it. It's almost not comedy as British broadcast tv knows it. I rarely guffawed and slapped my thighs with the hilarity of it all. A little bit more than my comedic neurons were engaged. The acting ability of the players is at a Sopranos level or better, and it's "just" a comedy, and they each play, god, maybe five different fully developed characters each. I'm frankly a wee bit intimidated by the talent of these blokes. Even if you hate it, you won't soon forget it. No matter how extensive your DVD collection you will have *nothing* like The League of Gentlemen in it.Buy, beg, borrow or steal this disc. (Especially if you thought, like me, that you had comedic talent yourself. After watching this you'll probably go, "oh s**t", and go back to your day job.)Footnote: The DVD extra's of deleted scenes was a nice compensation for the awful laughter track - some of these scenes are "unaccompanied". At least two of these scenes are as good as the best stuff from the series."