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Topic: Paul collection

Message 1 / 4
Dean BedfordJun 3, 2008
 

 
This review of the new Paul Merton DVD makes it sound like a great buy...

The Paul Merton Collection DVD review
A double disc set of some of the finest work of Mr Paul Merton. What's
not to like?

Simon Brew
With the feel of an evening of broadcasting dedicated to one person
rather than a DVD set, The Paul Merton Collection is a double disc
collection bringing together some highlights from one of Britain’s most
popular, and off-the-wall, comedians.

Things kick off with the best part of an hour of Have I Got News For
You. Some of it hasn’t made a DVD collection before (although a lot of
it, inevitably, has), and there are some terrific moments contained
within the compilation. Here, we see Merton’s stint at hosting the show,
as well as the one occasion where he went on Ian Hislop’s team, before
taking a series-long sabbatical from the programme. Other highlights
include the time he sat next to a television broadcasting a live link of
former spy David Shaylor (which he promptly turned off), the infamous
Tub Of Lard episode, and the occasion where he borrowed a mobile phone
mid-show to check out a fact with West Midlands police. You’ll also find
clips of episodes with a pretend Elton John, the time when Peter
Mandelson’s sexuality wasn’t allowed to be discussed on the BBC, and the
episode after Angus Deayton had found himself plastered on the front of
the News Of The World. You will laugh a lot.

It’s a whistle-stop tour through perhaps the show he’s best known for,
and it’s interspersed by occasional links from the man himself. It’s
unsurprisingly, though, the most familiar-feeling material on the DVD,
although it’s still very, very funny. And I could watch him telling Anne
Robinson to leave her name at the door on loop, personally.

Next, there’s 35 minutes from his stint on Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
Merton was a regular performer in the first few series of the show, and
while I’m a fan of the show, the material here feels more hit and miss
than usual. That said, there are still moments of comedy gold here, but
it’s not where the gold on the disc is to be found. His deadpan delivery
does suit some of the improvisations particularly well though, of course.

More interesting is a trio of television interviews that Merton has done
that have been retrieved from the archives. There’s a 90s natter on
Clive Anderson Talks Back first up, although there’s not much meat in
the conversation, once the sparring between host and interviewee is
over. More interesting are the pair of appearances on Parkinson,
especially the second, taken at the point after Angus Deayton had been
removed as host of Have I Got News For You (“we stabbed him in the
front”). Parkinson, by this stage, was never going to ask particularly
contentious questions, but these are better interviews than you’d
expect, and welcome inclusions on the disc.

Switching over to disc two, the absolute highlight here – and of the
package as a whole – is the 105 minutes from the archives of Paul
Merton: The Series. Broadcast in the early 90s on Channel Four, this is
a fairly surreal, and very funny sketch show, that had been impossible
to track down on DVD until now. There’s plenty to enjoy here, the
highlights of which are Merton’s monologues from behind the counter of a
kiosk, although he also brings his deadpan, off-the-wall genius to
plenty of other day-to-day scenarios. It makes the purchase of the set
worthwhile in its own right, and we can only hope that someone decides
to release the show in its entirety at some point in the future.

But we’re not finished. There’s nearly an hour and half of Room 101
material here, too, topped and tailed by his first episode hosting the
show (with previous host Nick Hancock in the guest’s chair), and his
last, where Ian Hislop tries to consign Paul Merton himself down the
chute.

In-between are some Room 101 classics, even though they’re more about
the guests than the host himself. So we get Anne Robinson rallying
against the Welsh, Stephen Fry trying to put late-night review shows in
and Johnny Vegas confessing to spending up to 20 hours at a time in
Internet chat rooms. If we had to pick a favourite clip, then Ron
Atkinson trying to consign Renee & Renato’s Save Your Love to Room 101,
only for Renee himself to put out of the chute, would be our pick.

The set is then concluded with two versions of Merton’s short film, The
Suicidal Dog, which he co-wrote and directed He talks about this in the
aforementioned Parkinson interviews, and it’s interesting to watch. Well
directed, dry and witty (a small dog lying on the tracks in front of a
miniature train is extremely funny), it’s a pity he’s never got to the
point of producing a full screenplay, as he also hints at when talking
to Parky. Incidentally, if you’re choosing which version to plump for,
the silent take on the film is our favourite (and, we suspect, Mr
Merton’s).

The Paul Merton Collection is a strong and varied traipse through some
of the man’s comedy highlights. The omission of at least one of his
Galton & Simpson episodes is a real pity, and it would have been more
complete if some of his radio work could have been included too.
Furthermore, there’s no real extra material here, short of the brief
introductions and interludes that Merton inputs, dressed in historical
garb. That too is a shame. But for your £25, and it’s not tricky to get
it discounted substantially, The Paul Merton Collection offers the best
part of six hours of the man’s work, and on a laughs-per-pound ratio,
there are few releases this year that’ll match it.

 
<<<<   2346   >>>>

Topic: Re: Paul collection

Message 2 / 4
MiriamJun 3, 2008
 

 
I can hardly wait- amazonuk emailed me that they have sent it and I
should have it by next week!-- Now if the Paul Merton In China dvd
will Ever get Released-I preordered it months ago!. Miriam

In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@...> wrote:

>
> This review of the new Paul Merton DVD makes it sound like a great

buy...

>
> The Paul Merton Collection DVD review
> A double disc set of some of the finest work of Mr Paul Merton.

What's

> not to like?
>
> Simon Brew
> With the feel of an evening of broadcasting dedicated to one person
> rather than a DVD set, The Paul Merton Collection is a double disc
> collection bringing together some highlights from one of Britain's

most

> popular, and off-the-wall, comedians.
>
> Things kick off with the best part of an hour of Have I Got News

For

> You. Some of it hasn't made a DVD collection before (although a lot

of

> it, inevitably, has), and there are some terrific moments contained
> within the compilation. Here, we see Merton's stint at hosting the

show,

> as well as the one occasion where he went on Ian Hislop's team,

before

> taking a series-long sabbatical from the programme. Other

highlights

> include the time he sat next to a television broadcasting a live

link of

> former spy David Shaylor (which he promptly turned off), the

infamous

> Tub Of Lard episode, and the occasion where he borrowed a mobile

phone

> mid-show to check out a fact with West Midlands police. You'll also

find

> clips of episodes with a pretend Elton John, the time when Peter
> Mandelson's sexuality wasn't allowed to be discussed on the BBC,

and the

> episode after Angus Deayton had found himself plastered on the

front of

> the News Of The World. You will laugh a lot.
>
> It's a whistle-stop tour through perhaps the show he's best known

for,

> and it's interspersed by occasional links from the man himself.

It's

> unsurprisingly, though, the most familiar-feeling material on the

DVD,

> although it's still very, very funny. And I could watch him telling

Anne

> Robinson to leave her name at the door on loop, personally.
>
> Next, there's 35 minutes from his stint on Whose Line Is It

Anyway?.

> Merton was a regular performer in the first few series of the show,

and

> while I'm a fan of the show, the material here feels more hit and

miss

> than usual. That said, there are still moments of comedy gold here,

but

> it's not where the gold on the disc is to be found. His deadpan

delivery

> does suit some of the improvisations particularly well though, of

course.

>
> More interesting is a trio of television interviews that Merton has

done

> that have been retrieved from the archives. There's a 90s natter on
> Clive Anderson Talks Back first up, although there's not much meat

in

> the conversation, once the sparring between host and interviewee is
> over. More interesting are the pair of appearances on Parkinson,
> especially the second, taken at the point after Angus Deayton had

been

> removed as host of Have I Got News For You ("we stabbed him in the
> front"). Parkinson, by this stage, was never going to ask

particularly

> contentious questions, but these are better interviews than you'd
> expect, and welcome inclusions on the disc.
>
> Switching over to disc two, the absolute highlight here – and of

the

> package as a whole – is the 105 minutes from the archives of Paul
> Merton: The Series. Broadcast in the early 90s on Channel Four,

this is

> a fairly surreal, and very funny sketch show, that had been

impossible

> to track down on DVD until now. There's plenty to enjoy here, the
> highlights of which are Merton's monologues from behind the counter

of a

> kiosk, although he also brings his deadpan, off-the-wall genius to
> plenty of other day-to-day scenarios. It makes the purchase of the

set

> worthwhile in its own right, and we can only hope that someone

decides

> to release the show in its entirety at some point in the future.
>
> But we're not finished. There's nearly an hour and half of Room 101
> material here, too, topped and tailed by his first episode hosting

the

> show (with previous host Nick Hancock in the guest's chair), and

his

> last, where Ian Hislop tries to consign Paul Merton himself down

the

> chute.
>
> In-between are some Room 101 classics, even though they're more

about

> the guests than the host himself. So we get Anne Robinson rallying
> against the Welsh, Stephen Fry trying to put late-night review

shows in

> and Johnny Vegas confessing to spending up to 20 hours at a time in
> Internet chat rooms. If we had to pick a favourite clip, then Ron
> Atkinson trying to consign Renee & Renato's Save Your Love to Room

101,

> only for Renee himself to put out of the chute, would be our pick.
>
> The set is then concluded with two versions of Merton's short film,

The

> Suicidal Dog, which he co-wrote and directed He talks about this in

the

> aforementioned Parkinson interviews, and it's interesting to watch.

Well

> directed, dry and witty (a small dog lying on the tracks in front

of a

> miniature train is extremely funny), it's a pity he's never got to

the

> point of producing a full screenplay, as he also hints at when

talking

> to Parky. Incidentally, if you're choosing which version to plump

for,

> the silent take on the film is our favourite (and, we suspect, Mr
> Merton's).
>
> The Paul Merton Collection is a strong and varied traipse through

some

> of the man's comedy highlights. The omission of at least one of his
> Galton & Simpson episodes is a real pity, and it would have been

more

> complete if some of his radio work could have been included too.
> Furthermore, there's no real extra material here, short of the

brief

> introductions and interludes that Merton inputs, dressed in

historical

> garb. That too is a shame. But for your £25, and it's not tricky to

get

> it discounted substantially, The Paul Merton Collection offers the

best

> part of six hours of the man's work, and on a laughs-per-pound

ratio,

> there are few releases this year that'll match it.
>

 
<<<<   2353   >>>>

Topic: Re: Paul collection

Message 3 / 4
MiriamJun 5, 2008
 

 
-The DVD has just arrived! I will post my "review" soon. Miriam


-- In just-a-minute@..., "Miriam" <delmelza@...> wrote:

>
> I can hardly wait- amazonuk emailed me that they have sent it and I
> should have it by next week!-- Now if the Paul Merton In China dvd
> will Ever get Released-I preordered it months ago!. Miriam
>
> In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@> wrote:
> >
> > This review of the new Paul Merton DVD makes it sound like a

great

> buy...
> >
> > The Paul Merton Collection DVD review
> > A double disc set of some of the finest work of Mr Paul Merton.
> What's
> > not to like?
> >
> > Simon Brew
> > With the feel of an evening of broadcasting dedicated to one

person

> > rather than a DVD set, The Paul Merton Collection is a double

disc

> > collection bringing together some highlights from one of

Britain's

> most
> > popular, and off-the-wall, comedians.
> >
> > Things kick off with the best part of an hour of Have I Got News
> For
> > You. Some of it hasn't made a DVD collection before (although a

lot

> of
> > it, inevitably, has), and there are some terrific moments

contained

> > within the compilation. Here, we see Merton's stint at hosting

the

> show,
> > as well as the one occasion where he went on Ian Hislop's team,
> before
> > taking a series-long sabbatical from the programme. Other
> highlights
> > include the time he sat next to a television broadcasting a live
> link of
> > former spy David Shaylor (which he promptly turned off), the
> infamous
> > Tub Of Lard episode, and the occasion where he borrowed a mobile
> phone
> > mid-show to check out a fact with West Midlands police. You'll

also

> find
> > clips of episodes with a pretend Elton John, the time when Peter
> > Mandelson's sexuality wasn't allowed to be discussed on the BBC,
> and the
> > episode after Angus Deayton had found himself plastered on the
> front of
> > the News Of The World. You will laugh a lot.
> >
> > It's a whistle-stop tour through perhaps the show he's best known
> for,
> > and it's interspersed by occasional links from the man himself.
> It's
> > unsurprisingly, though, the most familiar-feeling material on the
> DVD,
> > although it's still very, very funny. And I could watch him

telling

> Anne
> > Robinson to leave her name at the door on loop, personally.
> >
> > Next, there's 35 minutes from his stint on Whose Line Is It
> Anyway?.
> > Merton was a regular performer in the first few series of the

show,

> and
> > while I'm a fan of the show, the material here feels more hit and
> miss
> > than usual. That said, there are still moments of comedy gold

here,

> but
> > it's not where the gold on the disc is to be found. His deadpan
> delivery
> > does suit some of the improvisations particularly well though, of
> course.
> >
> > More interesting is a trio of television interviews that Merton

has

> done
> > that have been retrieved from the archives. There's a 90s natter

on

> > Clive Anderson Talks Back first up, although there's not much

meat

> in
> > the conversation, once the sparring between host and interviewee

is

> > over. More interesting are the pair of appearances on Parkinson,
> > especially the second, taken at the point after Angus Deayton had
> been
> > removed as host of Have I Got News For You ("we stabbed him in

the

> > front"). Parkinson, by this stage, was never going to ask
> particularly
> > contentious questions, but these are better interviews than you'd
> > expect, and welcome inclusions on the disc.
> >
> > Switching over to disc two, the absolute highlight here – and of
> the
> > package as a whole – is the 105 minutes from the archives of Paul
> > Merton: The Series. Broadcast in the early 90s on Channel Four,
> this is
> > a fairly surreal, and very funny sketch show, that had been
> impossible
> > to track down on DVD until now. There's plenty to enjoy here, the
> > highlights of which are Merton's monologues from behind the

counter

> of a
> > kiosk, although he also brings his deadpan, off-the-wall genius

to

> > plenty of other day-to-day scenarios. It makes the purchase of

the

> set
> > worthwhile in its own right, and we can only hope that someone
> decides
> > to release the show in its entirety at some point in the future.
> >
> > But we're not finished. There's nearly an hour and half of Room

101

> > material here, too, topped and tailed by his first episode

hosting

> the
> > show (with previous host Nick Hancock in the guest's chair), and
> his
> > last, where Ian Hislop tries to consign Paul Merton himself down
> the
> > chute.
> >
> > In-between are some Room 101 classics, even though they're more
> about
> > the guests than the host himself. So we get Anne Robinson

rallying

> > against the Welsh, Stephen Fry trying to put late-night review
> shows in
> > and Johnny Vegas confessing to spending up to 20 hours at a time

in

> > Internet chat rooms. If we had to pick a favourite clip, then Ron
> > Atkinson trying to consign Renee & Renato's Save Your Love to

Room

> 101,
> > only for Renee himself to put out of the chute, would be our pick.
> >
> > The set is then concluded with two versions of Merton's short

film,

> The
> > Suicidal Dog, which he co-wrote and directed He talks about this

in

> the
> > aforementioned Parkinson interviews, and it's interesting to

watch.

> Well
> > directed, dry and witty (a small dog lying on the tracks in front
> of a
> > miniature train is extremely funny), it's a pity he's never got

to

> the
> > point of producing a full screenplay, as he also hints at when
> talking
> > to Parky. Incidentally, if you're choosing which version to plump
> for,
> > the silent take on the film is our favourite (and, we suspect, Mr
> > Merton's).
> >
> > The Paul Merton Collection is a strong and varied traipse through
> some
> > of the man's comedy highlights. The omission of at least one of

his

> > Galton & Simpson episodes is a real pity, and it would have been
> more
> > complete if some of his radio work could have been included too.
> > Furthermore, there's no real extra material here, short of the
> brief
> > introductions and interludes that Merton inputs, dressed in
> historical
> > garb. That too is a shame. But for your £25, and it's not tricky

to

> get
> > it discounted substantially, The Paul Merton Collection offers

the

> best
> > part of six hours of the man's work, and on a laughs-per-pound
> ratio,
> > there are few releases this year that'll match it.
> >
>

 
<<<<   2355   >>>>

Topic: Re: Paul collection

Message 4 / 4
Dean BedfordJun 5, 2008
 

 
On Friday, June 6, 2008, at 08:52 AM, Miriam wrote:

> -The DVD has just arrived! I will post my "review" soon. Miriam

I think I'll have to get one too - but I might wait till the new Classic
JAM CD is available.

Courtesy of a very kind Pauline, I've just finished the QI CDs up to
last year - gee thats a great programme...