Synopsis:

When it comes to Tongue-in-cheek humor, Benny Hill is the first name that comes to mind. My introduction to Benny Hill "101" came by way of PBS. "Yes, Prime Minister", "The Goodies", "Are You Being Served?", "Keeping up with Appearances", "Butterflies Are Free" and "Benny Hill" were all staples of the British comedy wave that took America's Public Broadcasting Stations by storm in the mid seventies. Edgier, and definitely far more liberal in the nudity and "blue" language and innuendo departments, these "Brit" comedies were/are a welcome change from the traditional American fare. In the two discs of this collection, six hours of the "best" of Benny Hill have been assembled. Including a 50-minute documentary on the man himself entitled, "Benny Hill, The World's Favorite Clown". In describing Benny's Humor for the uninitiated, I'd have to say that it's outlandishly funny, extremely silly and terribly clever all at the same time. The combination of sound effects, double entendre after double entendre, sexual innuendo and Benny's look of genuine amazement as the events onscreen unfold, all go to create the most wonderful 30-minutes of television viewing I can remember!

Audio/Video:

The audio is presented in its original mono platform and the video is presented in its original full-frame OAR. The colors are generally rich and well saturated and overall, both the audio and video make a very pleasant presentation.

Extras:

I'd have to say that the 50-minute documentary on the life of Benny Hill is very nicely done. Among the treasure trove of information on the life and career of Benny Hill, some of the most interesting quips came from not only interviews with Hill himself but, from his cohorts and friends such s Michael Caine, Mickey Rooney, Burt Reynolds, and Walter Cronkite. (The last one definitely threw me!) Benny's career began at the BBC with him in the role of a sketch comic. When his genius was unleashed on the captive TV audience, his success was assured and Benny Hill started down a road of mirth and merriment that would indeed make him one of the most recognizable faces and certainly one of the funniest men on the planet. His raucous humor coupled with a generally salacious show brought praise from most however, he wasn't a hit with the feminist movement. (And understandably so.) While Benny Hill can be seen in 140 Countries around the globe, his show was successfully banned from British airways due to the efforts of "Her Majesty's" Feminist Movement. To this day, you cannot watch Benny Hill in the UK. In any event, Benny was not that easily deterred and he continued to perform and write sketch comedy until his death on, April 20, 1992. An estimated 10 million pound estate was left (roughly 14 million dollars) as well as the never-ending laughter of those who still greatly enjoy his shows.

Overall:

I can't believe that he's been gone since 1992! His humor is timeless and no matter how many times you may have seen a particular sketch, seeing them again brings about the same "Belly jiggling" guffaws and screams as though it's your very first time! This two-disc collection has assembled some of the best moments of Benny Hill and they just never seem to lose any of the flavor he gave them, 20-plus years ago! Highly Recommended