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768 lines
38 KiB
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The Comic Strip Presents Episode Guide
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Here is a listing of the short films shown under the general title
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"The Comic Strip Presents"
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Version 5.0 11/94
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Additions/Corrections to: michaels@jake.chem.unsw.EDU.AU or
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michaels@cumulus.csd.unsw.EDU.AU
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As far as I can make out, this version of the guide has a complete listing of
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all Comic Strips Presents episodes to date. Unless I have made major errors or
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omissions (your feedback is appreciated), this should be the last version of
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the guide until the next Comic Strip series is produced.
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The Comic Strip gets its name from a Stage show/revue of the same name which
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ran from Oct 1980 to July 1981 and starred the regulars that appear in the TV
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Comic Strip films (Richardson, Sayle, Planer, Mayall, Edmondson, French and
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Saunders among others).
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Year Title Writer
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1982 Five go Mad in Dorsett Richardson, Richens
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Spoof of the "Famous Five" childrens adventure books by Enid
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Blyton. Lots ham and turkey sandwiches, heaps of tomatoes,
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fresh lettuce and lashings of ginger beer.
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Anne: Look! Timmy's [the dog] fallen over.
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George: Oh Crikey, he's been poisoned!
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Julian: Never mind George, we'll get another.
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1983 War Richardson, Richens
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Britain is invaded by the Russians - along with lot of really
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weird characters, like a US general who is really short on
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soldiering skills, mad mexican gunslingers, a special forces
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commando team who are all blind, and paratroops who think
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parachutes are for sissies. This episode is more a series
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of surreal vignettes based on standard war movie themes (eg
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a POW camp & escape committee) or scenes from particular
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war movies (eg Russian roulette from 'The Deer Hunter')
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Radio Announcer: OK, Right, uh we've just heard that the Warsaw
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Pact countries uh invaded Surrey at dawn this
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morning, so there may be delays on
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cross-channel ferries OK.
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Japanese Prison Camp Officer: My name is Kiri, - Harry Kiri!
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Ha ha old samuri joke.
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Donald/Miguel: They think that Miguel's just a stupid peasant.
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They say, hahaha, Miguel's got flared trousers!
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They say Miguel's got no CSEs!
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1983 The Beat Generation Richardson, Richens
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Sendup of trendy 1960's films. Filmed in B&W.
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1983 Bad News Tour Edmondson
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A-la "This is Spinal Tap" Rockumentary.
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Follow Vim Fuego, Den Dennis, Colin Grigson and Spider Webb
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on tour as the heavy metal band 'Bad News'. (Well, not so much
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on tour, more like driving to the Roxy in Grantham for a
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gig.) It is a masterful tour-de-force of the cinema-verite
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documentary style.
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Vim: I could play 'Stairway to Heaven' when I was 12. Jimmy
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Page didn't actually write it 'till he was 22. I think
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that says quite a lot.
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Spider: [whisper] This is it. Just cry like I told you to or
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you won't get paid.
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Girl: Ohhhh Noooo Spider, don't leave me, not now.
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Spider: Chicks huh! See ya doll.
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Vim: [voice over] Spider used to have this really big drug
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problem - you know, he couldn't get enough! That's
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probably why he is like he is, you know, completely crazed.
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Vim: We'd be as rich as the Stones of we sold as many records
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as them.
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Vim: Life on the road is a lot more interesting than working in
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a factory. I mean you do a lot more driving for a start!
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1983 Summer School French, Saunders
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Recreate everyday life in a paleolithic village as part of an
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anthropologist's research project while on your summer break
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from University.
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Nick: Beth, I want you to know that what you and I are about to
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do is all in the course of duty. Yeah, like, we must take
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on the responsibility of research, yeah?
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Beth: Yes, I do see what you mean, but there is a snag.
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Nick: What's that?
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Beth: I'm having my P. E. R. I. O. D. so I think we should
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wait a few days. It's a bit mucky you know!
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Nick: Pernod ?
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1983 Five go Mad on Mescalin Richardson, Richens
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More Famous 5 adventures. It was to have been a pleasant summer
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holiday, but Uncle Quentin (the well known scientist and
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homosexual) has escaped from prison.
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Julian: [talking about a waitress] What a queer girl.
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Anne: I think she looks cheap.
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George: Yes, and mentally retarded.
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Julian: I wouldn't be suprised if she came from a broken home.
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What do you say Dick?
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Dick: Yes....Or maybe shes adopted. That's more likely.
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1984 Dirty Movie Mayall, Edmondson
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A proprieter of a small cinema gets a dirty movie. Will he
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be able to pass it off as a 9am screening of "The Sound of
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Muzak" [sic], or will his wife, the mailman, a traffic warden,
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the police, or a pet lobster come between him and his movie.
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Mailman Bean: I was just trying to see this film.
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Sargeant Peter: I bet you were, I bet you were, you dirty
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bastard!
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PC Nigel: Ohhh! I get it! dirty bastard - dirty film, right?
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Sarge: Now then, whats your name?
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PC: Nigel!
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Sarge: Not you Nigel - you!
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Mailman: Mr Bean
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Sarge: It's a funny name for a lobster!
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PC: Sarge, He's not a lobster Sarge.
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Sarge: I know, I'm trying to disorientate him.
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PC: Don't do that, you'll get him confused.
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Sarge: Thats what I'm trying to do!
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PC: Ohhh, I get it.
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[PC Nigel smashes mailman in the face]
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PC: There, that's confused him!
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Sarge: Now get up. And that is just a warning!
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Mailman: A warning about what exactly?
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Sarge: A warning about....Tell him Nigel.
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PC: That is just a warning about what its like to get smashed
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in the face SONNY!
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Sarge: Don't you forget it!
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1984 Susie Richardson, Richens
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Randy schoolteacher meets drug-sodden pop star.
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1984 A Fistfull of Travellers' Cheques Richardson, Richens, Mayall
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Recreate Spaghetti Westerns (while on holiday in Spain).
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Meet the hitchhiker from hell and a psychotic matador
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along the way. Features Miguel - the mad Mexican from 'War'.
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Ticket Collector: Tickets! [gets ticket] Ehh What's this gringo?
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Carlos: It's a Euro-Rover - old man.
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Miguel: [ding] Hey, double B and B for one night capitan.
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Hotel Bastardos Manager: Get your hands off my counter tourist
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filth!
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Miguel: I think I like this place. Make that two weeks.
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Hotel Bastardos Manager: If you wanta soft toilet paper you go
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to Hotel Gayboy. You whinging Pommies.
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[Miguel and Carlos facing each other, Western showdown style]
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Carlos: You start the row.
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Miguel: I went first last time!
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Carlos: No you didn't.
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Miguel - Carlos: Did; Didn't; Did; Didn't; Did
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Carlos: *Did-not!* Sorry, have we started yet?
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Miguel: 'Course I have you great tosser.
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Carlos: Allright. Start again.
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Miguel: You calling me a liar?
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Carlos: Yes!
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Miguel: Well then, you're going to die.
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1984 Gino - Full Story and Pics Richardson, Richens
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Gino, on the run from the police, teams up with Angie.
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Together they meet a number of unusual characters, ranging
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from a psychotic divorcee to a murdering housewife.
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Max: My wife says I'm crazy and ought to be locked up;
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perhaps she's right! God she's beautiful! Wish I could
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see her. She won't let me in the house without a lawyer.
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I mean, is thats not a proper marriage is it? ...
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It's the nights I can't take. It was allright at first,
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I stayed with friends. But you know what it's like when
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you start falling over and frightening the children.
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1984 Eddie Monsoon - A Life Edmondson
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Bio of a South African TV host who's a perverted deviant, a
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lush, and very violent.
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Interesting facts: (1) There was to have been an Eddie Monsoon
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episode in series 1, but it was not made due to proposed
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content. Makes you wonder, if the stuff in this Eddie Monsoon
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episode was acceptable, what was the content of the unmade
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episode! The quote below is a reference to this "banned"
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episode. Michael White who plays himself as a TV producer is
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the actual producer of the Comic Strip Presents.
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(2) This is the origin of the name of Jennifer Saunders
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character in Absolutely Fabulous, Edwina Monsoon (Jennifer
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Saunders is married to Adrian Edmonson). (3) "Eddie Monsoon" is
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a bastardized version of Adrian Edmondson's surname, this is
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because the Eddie Monsoon character is, as Adrian himself has
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said, based on his personality when he is pissed.
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Eddie: I mean Channel 4 is *the* channel for child porn and
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homosexuals and I had both in my show. So why'd you have
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to go and ban it, just like that?
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Michael White: Eddie! If you'd really want to know..
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Eddie: Yes I do
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Michael: Then shutup and listen. The only reasons we had for
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not transmitting "Back to normal with Eddie Monsoon"
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are that it was obscene, libellous and in my opinion
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an offense to humanity.
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1984 Slags Saunders
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Set in a seedy futuristic, Bladerunner-like world, with shades
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of the B grade 'Surf Nazis must die' we hear of "The Slags", a
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gang into violence, and their war with "The Hawaiians", a gang
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into niceness.
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[Circular saw blade narrowly misses Ace's head]
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Street Urchin: Can we have our starflinger back Mister?
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Ace: When I was your age - I wouldn't have missed!
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Ricky: I want you to know, that we never touch anybody with
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hate. We're only fighting for what is nice.
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1984 The Bullshitters (1) Richardson, Allen
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Sendup of "The Professionals", an action series about secret
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servicemen. Lots of shouting 'Lets go' and 'Cover me' while
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running around dressed only in leather jackets and underpants.
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Bonehead: The camera's running -the sound's rolling- I've got
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to get inside that car. What's the first thing I
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do - Troy?
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Troy: Start the engine, sir?
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Bonehead: No! Anybody - Quickly, come along.
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Chuck: Door acting sir?
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Bonehead: Very good, well done Chuck. All right, what's the
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first thing I do with this door handle, Stig?
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Stig: Press it down sir?
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Bonehead: No! I do not press it down. The first thing you do
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with a door handle is you do not look at it. Now
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this is a good opportunity for a nice profile shot,
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use it! You might not get another opportunity.
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Plenty of looking up and down that street
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-international terrorists are in town- the TV tough
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guy never does what -Wayne?
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Wayne: Locks his car sir.
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Bonehead: And why?
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Chuck: Wasting film sir.
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1986 Consuela French, Saunders
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Hitchcock suspense movie sendup, based on 'Rebecca'. Will
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the changes brought about by a new mistress of the house be
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welcomed by the maid Consuela?
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Jessica: I don't want to keep you from your duties Consuela,
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I shall just pop into the village and pick up John's
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shoes from the cobblers.
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Consuela: I've taken care of that madam. They're in his
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wardrobe.
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Jessica: Oh good...well, I shall get some flowers to arrange
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then, the house looks so drab.
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Consuela: I did that this morning madam.
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Jessica: Thank you Consuela. Then I shall be able to go out
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this afternoon and sketch some ducks.
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Consuela: Took the liberty madam. [Holds up a drawing of
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a duck]
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1986 Private Enterprise Edmondson
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Small time crim, nicks a demo recording of a band and touts it
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as his own work. What do you know, the song is a success! What
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can he do when they start to arrange gigs and press conferences
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for the non-existant band?
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Keith: Look at it this way Brian; most people who do arson have
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got some huge psychological problem, and they get
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nothing out of it except maybe an erection. Whereas we
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stand to make two hundered quid cancellation fee.
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Brian: I think I'd rather have an erection.
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Keith: Well, with a bit of luck, we might get both!
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1988 The Strike Richardson, Richens
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The filming of the (Hollywood) adaptation of a book about the
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miners strike of 1985. Includes excerpts from the film "Strike:
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The Bloodbath Begins". What if Arthur Scargill - played by Al
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Pacino worked during the strike, and his wife - played by
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Merryl Streep had an unusual fixation on oranges!
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Paul: Uhhm excuse me Mr Goldstein, the whole point of the
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story is that the miners are on strike. It's the miners
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strike, and that means the mines are closed-they're not
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working.
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Goldstein: So you're saying that this Scarface..
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Verity: Scargill
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Goldstein: Scargill-schmargill, you're saying that this guy,
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the hunky hero, the head of the miners, you're
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saying that he's too chicken-shit scared to go
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down the mine and dig out Merryl Streep!
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Bernard: I'm sorry, what's Merryl Streep got to do with it?
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Goldstein: I dunno, she's available in July.
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1988 More Bad News Edmondson
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The return of the heavy metal band Bad News, 5 years on, for
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a reunion record deal and concert. They actually perform live
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in front of 70,000 in the 'Monsters of Rock' show at Castle
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Donnington. I believe to get into their roles, Edmondson (Vim),
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Planer (Den), Mayall (Colin) and Richardson (Spider) actually
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toured and played a few gigs as all (except Mayall) can
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play their instruments. Includes the other 'Monsters' bands
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voicing their opinions of Bad News (Motorhead, Def Leppard,
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Scorpion and Ozzie Ozborne).
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See also the CD section at the end of this guide.
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Vim: Den, Den, That amp is pathetic. You couldn't amplify a
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fart through that!
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Den: Yeah well, Gail's kid's gerbils been using it as a
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toilet for the last 3 years.
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Den: [outside the recording studio toilet] Ohhhh, This is
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really great. Just imagine, I could've just dumped in the
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same bog as Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, or Lemmy or Ozzie
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Osborne. Who has been here?
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Documentary Maker: [Murmer murmer]
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Den: BANANARAMA!
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1988 Mr Jolly Lives Next Door Edmondson, Mayall, Rivron
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Drunkards running an escort agency live above an off-license
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and next to a psychopathic hit man (whose also into little
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fluffy toys). They get his contract to kill Nicholas Parsons
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(game show host in the UK) believing it to mean they have to
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literally 'take out' Parsons (and show him a good time).
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Rik: And she said: 'Well I don't think you're a fishmonger, I
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think you've done a plop in the wrong lavatory!'
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Ade: Hey Nicholas look, I can light my fart! [zzzrrrppt-whoomph]
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Nicholas Parsons: What exactly [cough cough] was your winning
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slogan?
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Rik: Never ever bloody anything ever!
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Nick: And that was your winning slogan?
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Rik: That's the one Nikky. I've lived my life by that rule!
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Ade: Nicholas, I wonder if I can light my burps? [bbrrroooapp]
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Nick: I would like to spend an evening with Nicholas Parsons
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because "never ever ever bloody anything ever".
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Rik: You're pissed aren't you Nicholas?
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1988 The Yob Allen, Peacock
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Based on the movie "The Fly". What if an artistic, sensitive
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new age guy (but a wuss), who directs video clips for a living,
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was crossed with a neo-nazi hooligan via a cerebral transfer
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teleport? Features the band UB-40.
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Michael: The first clue was the bone structure. Indented
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forehead, slightly Neaderthal brain casing, squarish
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jaw. All hereditary signs of the introduction of
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Norman blood into the Anglo-Saxon strain - 1066
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William the Conquerer. They settled in London; they
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were the first modern Londoners really.
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Debs: After that it was relatively simple. By scraping the
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faeces that were left in the pod and taking samples
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from the London sewerage plant we were able to discern
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the exact district he came from.
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Michael: Barnett!
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Debs: So we knew we were looking for a yob from Barnett.
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Victoria: Brilliant!
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Michael: Not really, just the appliance of science.
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Victoria: And how did you find Patrick?
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Debs: Oh, we saw his picture in Vogue magazine.
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1988 Didn't You Kill my Brother? Sayle, Melville, Stafford
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Sayle plays identical twins, Carl and Sterling Moss. Together
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they ran a series of protection rackets, gambling clubs and
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dress hire shops - until one was busted. Now Carl is a reformed
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con and the most highly academically qualified person in
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Britain. Sterling however, is still an unreformed, bicycle
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stealing criminal.
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Ms Sneak: If I catch you making things you'll be back inside
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pissing in a tin pot before you can say "Amnesty
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International". Carl, you're going to be an
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unstructured activities coordinator.
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Carl: Perhaps I could stay at the released offenders hostel
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at Redbridge?
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Ms Sneak: Carl, you're a free man; you're *not* going anywhere.
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Carl: Hello there Laura, how old are you then?
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Laura: Physically I'm 8 but my teacher says I have the
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emotional maturity of a 40 year old woman, so don't
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patronise me right!
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Carl: Right? All right then Ashley, hows it going mate?
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Ashley: Sod off you nosey bastard!
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Ms Sneak: Ashley's rather hyperactive I'm afraid. He was born
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while I was running the London Marathon. He came 10th.
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Ashley [whisper]: Sorry. We've been forced to be unmannerly.
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Laura [whisper]: Is there any way you could have us taken
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into care?
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Mrs Moss: You should always put a dead badger on a head wound.
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1988 Funseekers Planer, Lucie
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Looks at package holidays for the 18-30's for Sun, Sea and Sex.
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What if, shock-horror, one of the funseekers was an ancient 34!
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There is also some sort of surreal tie-in to a local inhabitant
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who is an unwed mother-to-be.
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The early Comic Strips (up-to Funseekers) were made for Channel 4 England,
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they are now made for BBC2. Generally these later Comic Strips are not as
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interesting as the early shows. Thanks to Paul Rhodes, Stu Hamlin, Mark Moir,
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and Pasters for the details of the early BBC2 episodes.
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1990 South Atlantic Raiders Richardson and Richens
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(This episode is shown in two parts)
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Ham radio operator loses contact with his new found,
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long-distance girlfriend who is based on the Falkland Islands.
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Naturally, he believes the reason for the lost contact is that
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the Falklands have been re-invaded by the Argentinians. So he
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and his friend set off down to the South Atlantic to rescue
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her. Mind you, simply getting some money together to finance
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the operation and leaving Britain is an adventure in itself.
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Rollo: How much combat experience have we all had?
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Billy: 'S not necessary. Killings instinctive, as long as you
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hate people enough and watch the right films.
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"First Blood" were good, errr, then they done "Rambo"
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but it were a bit commercial for my taste.
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Rollo: How about you Stan?
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Stan: Well, I don't like "Rambo" either.
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Passenger: I'll have a Bloody Mary.
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Billy: We've only got bloody Lager!
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1990 GLC Richardson and Richens
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From J R Goldstein, the same producer who brought you "Strike:
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The Bloodbath Begins", comes another Hollywood adaptation of an
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event in the life of left wing politics in Britain, "GLC: The
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Carnage Continues". Starring Charles Bronson as Ken Livingstone,
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Lee Van Cleef as Tony Benn, Cher as Joan Ruddock, and
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introducing Bridget Neilson as Margaret 'Ice Maiden' Thatcher.
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Music by Kate Bush.
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Alec [at the film's premiere]: Earlier on this evening I spoke
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to one of the stars of GLC, Charles Bronson, who plays
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the part of Ken Livingstone.
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Bronson: Its a story about an ordinary guy whose wife and
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family get wiped out by these creeps so naturally he
|
|
has to follow them and wipe them out one at a time in
|
|
a prolonged and very cruel way.
|
|
Alec: I see, thank you. And what next for Bronson?
|
|
Bronson: Well we've got a new twist next time. We're doing a
|
|
film about a guy whose wife and family aren't wiped
|
|
out, but who decides to go after creeps just the same.
|
|
|
|
1990 Oxford Richardson and Richens
|
|
Oxford University, traditionally a nursery for spies of all
|
|
nationalities and political persuasions (who obtain a good
|
|
grounding in the principles of comedic timing and the poetry
|
|
of Lord Byron into the bargain). Music by The Pretenders.
|
|
|
|
Steve: I went to Russia for assessment and, because of my
|
|
natural comic timing, I was sent to the KGB comendy
|
|
training camp in Minsk. When I returned to the west I
|
|
realized, like so many other Soviet trained comics, that
|
|
if my cover as a comedian was to hold, not only did I
|
|
have to be hilariously funny but a paranoid manic
|
|
depressive as well!
|
|
Caroline: My God! Just like Tony Hancock, and Peter Sellers,
|
|
and John Cleese!
|
|
Professor: KGB are very thorough Caroline. What did they use
|
|
Steven? Ego inflating drugs? Adulation treatment?
|
|
|
|
1990 Spaghetti Hoops Richardson and Richens
|
|
A farce loosely based on the (a?) Italian banking crisis of
|
|
the late 80's. Anyhow, a crisis involving Italian banks,
|
|
bankers, embezzlement, and the Freemasons. Filmed in B&W.
|
|
|
|
Bertoli: There's absolutely no way I'd drop him in it.
|
|
Inspector: Do you know what we will do to you if you don't
|
|
start "spreading the pasta"?
|
|
Bertoli: What will you do?
|
|
Inspector: We will do...."things" to you.
|
|
Bertoli: What things?
|
|
Inspector: Can't tell you that yet, because they're too
|
|
horrible to talk about.
|
|
Policeman 1: And we haven't had our breakfast yet!
|
|
Policeman 2: More croissant Inspector?
|
|
Inspector: No, more cake. And be very generous with the cream.
|
|
Policeman 3: Leave room for your five course lunch won't you,
|
|
you evil policeman you.
|
|
Inspector: Right. Lets start the torture.
|
|
|
|
1990 Les Dogs Richardson and Richens
|
|
Britain ruled by a military dictator; car accidents; a
|
|
wedding reception; a shootout - then it starts to get weird!
|
|
If you want to see musician Kate Bush, in her acting debut,
|
|
licked by a chocolate smeared yobbo this is the episode for
|
|
you. Music by 'Les Dogs'
|
|
|
|
Bride's Mother: It would help to lighten the atmosphere if you
|
|
could start playing your music now.
|
|
Les Dogs band leader: No.
|
|
Bride's Mother: Look, they're not firing in; in your direction.
|
|
All the shots are going across the room so
|
|
you're quite safe. Please, it would help, and
|
|
we *have* booked you.
|
|
|
|
1991 The Crying Game Allen, Richardson
|
|
Football (soccer) player Roy Brush, and the tabloid press.
|
|
|
|
Butcher: Well we're very happy that at last someone has seen
|
|
sense and is promoting British meat. It just goes to
|
|
show that if British bangers are good enough for
|
|
Brush, then they're good enough for Britain.
|
|
Scum Editor: Sausage debate, the big sausage, the bad
|
|
sausage, the burned sausage?
|
|
Janet: The good, the bad and the sausage?
|
|
Scum Editor: Yeah, "The Great Sausage War!" right, subtitle
|
|
"Looney veggies slam Brush". Scum editorial "Shuddup
|
|
says Scum, leave our bangers alone" Right I want 20
|
|
things you never knew about sausages. Janet I want
|
|
another of your fabulous competitions.
|
|
Janet: Insult a veggie and win a Roy Brush sizzler T-shirt.
|
|
|
|
1991 Demonella Bartel, Dennen
|
|
Sheet music publisher makes deal with the devil (deviless ?)
|
|
for most catchy song ever.
|
|
|
|
Sid Vicious [in Hell]: Oi! Oscar, I really like your gear man.
|
|
Oscar Wilde: Thank you Mr Vicious. Your good taste in clothes
|
|
is exceeded only by my own in everything else.
|
|
Sid Vicious: Piss off fruit.
|
|
|
|
1991 Jealosy Coltrane, Fullarton
|
|
About an insanely jealous husband, with some transvestitism.
|
|
|
|
1992 Wild Turkey Richardson, Richens
|
|
What if the Christmas turkey fights back?
|
|
|
|
1992 The Red Nose of Courage Richardson and Richens
|
|
(a special shown the night of the 1992 general election)
|
|
John Major runs away from the circus to become a Tory MP.
|
|
However, a circus accident neccessitates his recall. Can
|
|
he juggle (pun intended - and the answer is no, he isn't a
|
|
very good clown) his job of being a circus clown with that of
|
|
Prime Minister? To give Major a love interest, the part of
|
|
leader of the (Labour) opposition is not played by Neil
|
|
Kinnock, but by his wife Glenys Kinnock -watch for their
|
|
sizzling love scenes! BTW The credits show that the original
|
|
music for this episode was co-written by Spider Webb, one of
|
|
the members of Bad News.
|
|
|
|
John Major's Dad: You're useless. You can't juggle, you can't
|
|
ride a horse, you're no good on the highwire 'cause you're
|
|
afraid of heights. The elephants all hate you. You can't
|
|
throw a knife, you can't breath fire. We can't even fire
|
|
you out of a cannon without you getting a nosebleed or
|
|
screaming that you've gone deaf. You've got absolutely
|
|
no circus skills whatsoever. You're a failure and a
|
|
disgrace to our ancient circus family. You're good for
|
|
nothing John Major.
|
|
|
|
Major: For years I had secretly dreamed of working in a bank
|
|
or a tax office. So I headed vaguely in the direction
|
|
of the city. Already I was entering an enchanting world
|
|
of stationery and office equipment. This was my
|
|
Disneyland! Binders, A4 filing, A2 and A6, reciept books
|
|
and rulers and propelling pencils, calculators.....
|
|
|
|
1993 Detectives on the Edge of a
|
|
Nervous Breakdown Allen, Richardson
|
|
Sendup of cop shows like "Spencer", "The Sweeny" and
|
|
"The Professionals". Someone is killing all the 80's and
|
|
90's style of TV cop. Who is best equipped to solve this
|
|
baffling case? None other than the 70's style of TV cop!
|
|
Includes DI Spanker, Shouting George from the Weiny, and the
|
|
return of Bonehead and Foyle as "The Bullshitters"
|
|
|
|
George: I'm a 10 Gov a day copper...
|
|
I'm going to be calling you Gov all day long. It's
|
|
all I know and all you need to know! GOV.
|
|
|
|
1993 Gregory: Diary of a Nutcase Richardson, Richens
|
|
Home video diary of psychopathic hopeful Gregory,
|
|
interlaced with a sendup of "Silence of the Lambs"
|
|
|
|
Gregory: Guess what I'm doing? I'm building a torture chamber.
|
|
I got these bricks off a building site -cost me about
|
|
300 quid. And there's the sand and the cement and the
|
|
hire of the mixer. I mean it all adds up!
|
|
|
|
1993 Queen of the Wild Frontier Richardson, Richens
|
|
A simple farm girl in the untamed wilds of the north of England
|
|
and her quest for a husband. So what could be more ideal
|
|
than having a couple of escaped prisoners hiding out on the
|
|
farm, surely at least one is a potential husband.
|
|
|
|
Fiona: Ummm, how would you describe me? Am I 'A' shy, 'B'
|
|
reserved, 'C' outgoing, 'D' vivaceous ?
|
|
Susie: How about smelly?
|
|
Fiona: No, it has to be one of these four. Five, your figure:
|
|
hips-yes, bust-yes, waist-no, legs-two, hair-yes.
|
|
Susie: What are you doing?
|
|
Fiona: Computer dating. Cuts out all the fuss, 25 quid and
|
|
they get you a husband...
|
|
Describe yourself; Uhhhmm Hill farmer. Good with
|
|
horses. Virgin--I think!
|
|
Susie: You're not making yourself sound very interesting.
|
|
Fiona: Well that doesn't matter. I'm sending them your
|
|
photo anyway. How about that nude one of you in Greece?
|
|
|
|
1993 Space Virgins from Planet Sex Richardson, Richens
|
|
Send up of B-grade sci-fi movies. Features James Blonde
|
|
secret agent extraordinaire.
|
|
|
|
Needle: We are fast approaching our 200 year breeding cycle.
|
|
Gaynor: Yes, where we will be producing over 100 babies a
|
|
week each.
|
|
|
|
Movies:
|
|
|
|
1985 The Supergrass Richardson, Richens
|
|
Dennis makes up a story about drug smugglers and is persuaded
|
|
to become a supergrass.
|
|
|
|
1987 Eat The Rich (2) Richardson, Richens
|
|
The restaurant "Bastards" where the staff and clientele
|
|
could be minced and served to the next customer.
|
|
|
|
1992 The Pope Must Die (3) Richardson, Richens
|
|
Honest priest (Coltrane) is elected Pope, something the Mafia
|
|
and others did not want to see happen.
|
|
|
|
Notes:
|
|
(1) Not Billed as a Comic Strip Film mainly as writer/co-star Allen
|
|
didn't want to go under the Comic Strip name at the time.
|
|
(2) Regular Comic Strip members have only cameo appearances.
|
|
(3) Not billed as a Comic Strip film.
|
|
|
|
Ratings:
|
|
As all the Comic strip episode (with a few exceptions) have very
|
|
different storylines and characters, some shows hit the mark a lot
|
|
better than others. While ratings are always contentious and highly
|
|
subjective I have made some general recommendations. This will be
|
|
especially useful if you haven't seen any of the Comic Strip presents,
|
|
as we don't want to scare you off just because you happened to see one
|
|
of the "less interesting" episodes. Mind you, don't let this rating
|
|
guide put you off seeing the other episodes, as each episode is very
|
|
different, a show I don't rate highly may be listed as an all-time
|
|
great by other people (examples include Gino and GLC). I have only
|
|
listed the well above average shows.
|
|
|
|
***** Mr Jolly Lives Next Door: The general Internet concensus is
|
|
this is the best Comic Strip show ever. Rik Mayall and Ade
|
|
Edmonson at their anarchic best.
|
|
****1/2 Bad News Tour, More Bad News (Also, listen to Bad News'
|
|
CD/Albums and see the video clip of their cover of Bohemian
|
|
Rhapsody)
|
|
Dirty Movie: Rik and Ade anarchic and pointless as usual, but
|
|
damn funny.
|
|
A Fistfull of Travellers' Cheques: A slow development to the
|
|
story (lots of moody walking about Spain) but if you like this
|
|
one, you'll really like it.
|
|
**** Eddie Monsoon -A Life: Q) Is Ade Edmonson writing without Rik
|
|
Mayall less anarchic, as the Bad News episodes imply? A) No!
|
|
This is one of the more offbeat episodes. Some (well a lot) of
|
|
the humour is "off" but if that's what turns you on, this will
|
|
be one of the great Comic Strips episodes.
|
|
***1/2 5 Go Mad in Dorsett, 5 Go Mad on Mescalin, War, Private
|
|
Enterprise, The Strike, Didn't you Kill my Brother?, South
|
|
Atlantic Raiders, Queen of the Wild Frontier.
|
|
|
|
Seasons:
|
|
Use this listing to see how the episodes are bundled and hence
|
|
what episodes to (hopefully) expect if your local TV station starts
|
|
to show a series of Comic Strip films. Thanks to Deborah L Goggans
|
|
and Paul Rhodes for additional info here.
|
|
|
|
Pilot: 5 Go Mad In Dorsett
|
|
Channel 4 Season 1: War, The Beat Generation, Bad News Tour,
|
|
Summer School, plus a repeat of the pilot.
|
|
Channel 4 Special: 5 Go Mad on Mescalin
|
|
Channel 4 Season 2: Dirty Movie, Susie, Fistful of Travellers Cheques,
|
|
Gino, Eddie Monsoon - A Life, and Slags.
|
|
Channel 4 Specials: The Bullshitters, Consuela, and Private Enterprise.
|
|
Channel 4 Season 3: The Strike, More Bad News, Mr Jolly Lives Next
|
|
Door, The Yob, Didn't You Kill My Brother?, and
|
|
Funseekers.
|
|
BBC-2 Season 1: South Atlantic Raiders, GLC, Oxford, Spaghetti
|
|
Hoops, and Les Dogs.
|
|
BBC-2 Specials: The Red Nose of Courage, Wild Turkey, Crying Game
|
|
BBC-2 Season 2: Demonella, Jealosy, Detectives On The Edge Of A
|
|
Nervous Breakdown, Gregory: Diary Of A Nutcase,
|
|
Queen Of The Wild Frontier, and Space Virgins From
|
|
Planet Sex, plus repeat of the Crying Game.
|
|
|
|
Reference:
|
|
A handy book about alternative British comedy is called
|
|
'Didn't you kill my mother-in-law ?' by Wilmut and Rosengard
|
|
(Methuen 1989, ISBN 0-413-17390-9)
|
|
|
|
There is a script book of the first Channel 4 series (up to Summer
|
|
School) it also contains some Eddie Monsoon material.
|
|
|
|
Music:
|
|
Thanks to Chris Russell, John Butcher, McClane The Dominator
|
|
and Paul Rhodes for this info.
|
|
|
|
BAD NEWS
|
|
There is a CD available of the music of Bad News. Titled 'Bad News',
|
|
it includes the smash hits; Warriors of Ghengis Khan, Bad News,
|
|
Masturbike, and a live version of Hey Hey Bad News. Includes a very
|
|
badly played, but very funny cover of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.
|
|
(Brian May produced the recording). Between the songs there are
|
|
conversational pieces, like their annual general meeting and how they
|
|
will split the money from the recording contract.
|
|
It was released on the Rhino/Rampage label to coincide with the second
|
|
of the two Bad News Comic Strip Episodes; Catalogue Number R2 70931
|
|
|
|
Vim: I sing it so hard that my rectum seems to prolapse.
|
|
|
|
The CD is a compilation of two LP/tapes Bad News have recorded,
|
|
called 'Bad News' and 'Bootleg'. The CD contains all the first
|
|
album and some tracks from the second and has the same cover
|
|
photo as the first album. There is also a live album, called,
|
|
you guessed it, "Bad News Live" which has on side A their
|
|
Hammersmith Odeon concert and on side B is their Donnington
|
|
Monsters of Rock concert (the concert featured in 'More Bad News').
|
|
|
|
There is a video clip of their Bohemian Rhapsody cover. It is in two
|
|
parts. The first is their badly played version of the song, and the
|
|
second part has them finding out that, as well as the clip, the
|
|
contract specifies that they have to provide 3 minutes of additional
|
|
footage. They have spent all the money on the clip and have nothing
|
|
left over, so the three minutes is spent with the band trying to do it
|
|
all themselves and consists mainly of dialogue of the band members
|
|
arguing and complaining. Mind you, when does anything about Bad News
|
|
_not_ mainly consist of dialogue of the band members arguing :-)
|
|
|
|
GLC
|
|
The theme to GLC (plus some incidental music) is the B-side of Kate
|
|
Bush's Love and Anger single and possibly it is on the "This
|
|
Woman's Work" box set.
|
|
"Ken is the man that we all need! Ken is the leader of the GLC!"
|
|
|
|
Videos:
|
|
Some Comic Strip shows have been released on video (at least in
|
|
Australia). Released by Polygram video for Channel 4 with the title
|
|
"Comic Strip Classics"
|
|
1) 5 in Dorsett + 5 Mescalin
|
|
2) Bad News Tour + More Bad News
|
|
3) Fistfull Cheques + Gino
|
|
4) Mr Jolly + Dirty Movie
|
|
5) Susie + Consuela
|
|
6) Bullshitters + The Yob
|
|
|
|
There are a lot of variations and combinations of Comic Strip episodes
|
|
available on video from different distributors.
|
|
Under the label of the The Home Cinema Group, with the Title
|
|
"Comic Strip Volume #" I have seen; Volume 1: Didn't you kill my
|
|
Brother? + Eddie Monsoon and Volume 2: Mr Jolly + Consuela
|
|
While Virgin video have released both Bad News episodes (one per video)
|
|
in a music video category and Thorn EMI have released some, for example,
|
|
5 Go Mad + Bullshitters + Travellers Cheques. The Channel 4 season 3
|
|
episodes have also been released singly on video (they had a limited
|
|
theatre run as well as being shown on TV).
|
|
|
|
*****************************************************************************
|
|
|
|
|