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FEATURE
DVD&BD
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Check out the other hilarious titles in the Comedy promotion at
until 30th July 2017
FLYING HIGH
This satire of the corny
Airport
disaster films of
the ‘70s is a masterclass in how to construct a
genuinely hilarious spoof film. Few would argue
its status as one of the all-time great comedy
classics – and one of the most quotable. Hands
up if you've ever responded on occasion with
the lines “Don’t call me Shirley” or “Looks like I
picked the wrong week to give up smoking”.
A FISH CALLED WANDA
Monty Python alumni John Cleese and Michael
Palin join Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline for
this comedy crime caper. Cleese’s screenplay
successfully blends British and American humour,
highlighting the quirks specific to both styles, while
Ealing comedy veteran Charles Crichton calls the
shots. The result has the feel of a traditional ‘50s
Brit-com, albeit with Americans behaving badly.
THIS IS SPINAL TAP
Marty Di Bergi’s attempt to capture the sights,
sounds and smells of a British rock band on the
road is the quintessential mockumentary. Rob
Reiner’s debut feature is so authentically crafted –
from the group’s look, sound and backstage banter,
to the original songs – that many thought the
band were real. Indeed, a number of real life rock
luminaries found it all a little too close to home.
NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION
We bet you’re already humming Lindsay
Buckingham’s theme tune 'Holiday Road' as fond
memories of the Griswolds' inaugural holiday
come flooding back.
Vacation
sports a champion
‘80s pedigree – it’s written by John Hughes
(from his story for the Nat Lampoon magazine),
directed by Harold Ramis, and stars Chevy
Chase. A bona fide classic from that decade.
THE 40-YEAR-OLD-VIRGIN
If Kevin Smith invented the slacker comedy with
romantic allusions, affable characters, acerbic
dialogue and gross-out moments, then Judd
Apatow refined the formula for a whole new
generation. This is a prime example – a blokes'
rom-com that’s surprisingly more warmhearted,
honest and sentimental than it is crass. Did we
mention it’s also extremely funny?
TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE
"America, F... Yeah!" Even more relevant today
than when it was released back in 2004, this
cheeky adult puppet show is wrong on so
many levels and guaranteed to bring tears to
your eyes, with no strings attached. Make sure
you check out the Uncut Version for maximum
hilarity. The perfect appetiser to Trey Parker and
Matt Stone's
The Book of Mormon
.
BLAZING SADDLES
Baked beans and a campfire inevitably spring
to mind at the mere mention of Mel Brooks’s
legendary western spoof. Rude, crude, wacky,
anachronistic and anarchic, the film's lowbrow
humour delivered high end results for Brooks,
and this comedy trailblazer remains a glorious
time capsule from an era when political
correctness didn’t exist.
GROUNDHOG DAY
This life-affirming comedy boasts a brilliant 'what-if?'
premise, a dash of romance, and Bill Murray in his
best form since
Ghostbusters
. The time-loop device
might be nothing new to sci-fi, but
Groundhog
Day
nails the more absurd possibilities and
consequences. Directed by Harold Ramis, the title
has become part of the everyday vernacular, and the
film certainly demands repeated viewings.
JB is having a laugh this month with a huge selection of comedy titles on offer.
Of course comedy is a matter of personal taste, so there's something to satisfy
every sense of humour.With so much to choose from, let's get you started with
eight films that belong in every comedy collection.
Curator
Scott Hocking