Snoad, Harold

Are You Being Served? The Complete Collection (Series 1-14 Volumes)

There's plenty of laughter in store when an unbelievably quirky contingent of sales clerks makes shopping at Grace Brothers the comic experience of a lifetime. For the first time all 69 episodes of this classic Britcom have been gathered together in one deluxe collection. Each episode is presented uncut and has been lovingly restored. Also included are two bonus discs containing over five hours of extra material!Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: NR UPC: 794051206329 Manufacturer No: E2063

The definitive British sitcom is almost certainly Are You Being Served?, which depicts the squabbles, misadventures, and flirtations of the staff of Grace Brothers department store. The show was originally conceived as a vehicle for an irreverent junior salesman named Mr. Lucas (Trevor Bannister), but it soon became clear that mocking a social hierarchy isn't half as funny as taking it all too seriously. The show really revolves around Mrs. Slocombe (Mollie Sugden), whose wildly changing hair color and mercurial moods terrorize the rest of the staff, and cheerful but sly Mr. Humphries (the effervescent John Inman), one of the first gay characters on television treated with dignity--or at least no more indignity than anyone else (the show makes some noise about not being sure if Mr. Humphries is gay or not, but no one in the audience will have any question). But the rest of the cast is superb as well: Frank Thornton as the elegant but leering floorwalker Capt. Peacock, Wendy Richard as the sexy, impish Miss Brahms, Arthur Brough as cantankerous Mr. Grainger (who, sadly, died after the fifth season; other characters took his position on the sales staff, but never quite matched up), and Nicholas Smith as the self-serving but incompetent manager Mr. Rumbold form a comic ensemble that has rarely been equaled.

These characters, written with affection and played with superb comic dash, endlessly jockey for status and salary while simultaneously creating an alternative family (the core structure for any sitcom on either side of the Atlantic). Are You Being Served? deserves its devoted fan base, who will revel in this comprehensive 14-DVD box set (which includes specials about Inman, Sugden, and Richard, as well as other extras). --Bret Fetzer

Keeping Up Appearances - Some Like It Hyacinth

Tireless social climber Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet" of course) returns in the fourth season of this hilariously classy comedy of manners. This disc includes the complete fourth season of Keeping Up Appearances including one never-before-released episode. Includes the following episodes: Hyacinth Tees Off; The Nautical Speaker; Let There Be Light; Rural Retreat; Please Mind Your Head; and Indoor/Outdoor Luxury Barbecue and Finger BuffetRunning Time: 200 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 794051194725

The fourth series of much-loved British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances follows the further schemes of the ever-pretentious Hyacinth Bucket (Patricia Routledge), who instructs--make that commands--everyone to pronounce her last name "bouquet." Her piercing, trilling voice precedes her on all occasions, sending everyone who knows her running for cover, particularly her increasingly anxious neighbors Elizabeth (Josephine Tewson) and Emmett (David Griffin). Only her patient and weary husband Richard (Clive Swift) manages, somehow, to endure her with some kind of dignity and even good cheer as Hyacinth tries to wangle a new executive position for him or connives to invite a minor celebrity to a party, thus one-upping the neighbors. Meanwhile, Hyacinth's slothful, indolent sisters and brother-in-law (the exquisitely lower-class Judy Cornwell, Mary Millar, and Geoffrey Hughes) grapple with jealousy, lust, laziness, and their addled father, who keeps regressing to his days in the war. --Bret Fetzer

Keeping Up Appearances - Deck the Halls with Hyacinth

Tireless social climber Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet" of course) puts her best foot forward in the second season of this wildly popular high-class comedy. This disc includes four holiday specials: A Holiday from Hyacinth Sea Fever Angel Gabriel Blue and Historical Pageant as well as cast bios a "Funny Women" documentary featuring Patricia Routledge and 5 bonus comedy sketches starring Patricia Routledge .Running Time: 180 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 794051172723 Manufacturer No: E1727

This holiday-themed set begins with Hyacinth dressing poor Richard up as Father Christmas and ends with Hyacinth in the same outfit kissing Onslow under the mistletoe. How one gets from the first to last makes up "A Very Merry Hyacinth." Then it's time for "Sea Fever" aboard the QE2 in a double-episode that finds Hyacinth packing mounds of luggage and dressing "like a celebrity" only to miss the boat. When she and Richard finally catch up to the ship, they are astounded to see Onslow and Daisy aboard getting the royal treatment. One of the more hysterical episodes, it features Hyacinth and Richard in jogging outfits running through the ship and ends with Hyacinth and Onslow in an energetic jitterbug. In the remaining episodes Hyacinth decides to redo her kitchen, Daddy rents his bed out, and volunteers for the church play suffer a mysterious rash of illnesses when obliviously bossy Hyacinth takes over. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Are You Being Served? Christmas

The holiday season bring s out the best in Grace Brothers' department store: Bickering, bribery, lechery, snits, and of course silly musical numbers while dressed in ridiculous costumes. Classic Britcom Are You Being Served? thrives on the comedy of petty squabbles and this collection of Christmas-themed episodes is prime stuff. The four episodes have been plucked from seasons 1-7; in one episode, the staff is forced to dress as fairy-tale characters for a holiday promotion; in another, they try to entertain young Mr. Grace by doing a children's ballet; in another, they apologize for not joining a strike by putting on a full-sized Punch-and-Judy show---and in the remaining episode, the temptation of a large bonus leads the entire staff to dress up as Father Christmas. The pleasure in such hijinks, as with most sitcoms, depends heavily on the audience's indulgence of the characters, but the cast of Are You Being Served? was rich with goofy charm (the effervescent John Inman is in particularly top form). A perverse Christmas display unit, from "The Father Christmas Affair," remains one of the show's all-time comic highlights. --Bret Fetzer

Come visit Grace Brothers during the holidays where there's plenty of laughter in store with this unbelievably quirky contingent of sales clerks. Nothing makes Christmas as special as stuffing four hilarious episodes of this classic comedy in your stocking. Each episode is presented uncut and has been lovingly restored. Also included is a never before seen "On Set Interview"!Running Time: 120 min.System Requirements:Running Time: 120 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: NR UPC: 794051238528 Manufacturer No: E2385

Keeping Up Appearances:My Way Or the Hyacinth Way

Tireless social climber Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet" of course) puts her best foot forward in the premiere season of this wildly popular high-class comedy. Includes the complete first season of Keeping Up Appearances. Episodes are: The Name is Bouquet: B-U-C-K-E-T; Welcoming the Dishy Vicar; Visiting an Acquaintance's Stately Home; A Fate Worse Than Senility; Daisy and Her Toy Boy; and How to Manage a Family Christening... as well as outtakes and cast bios.Running Time: 180 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 794051172426

Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet," if you please) begins her career as nosey neighbor and aspiring social climber in these six premier episodes of the popular British comedy. "The Name is Bouquet: B-U-C-K-E-T," sets the tone for the series as Hyacinth pesters the postman for more mail, never-seen son Sheridan calls for money, barely seen Daddy gets in a drunken bicycle accident, and jumpy Elizabeth breaks a teacup. Hyacinth is set to entertain the new minister in "Welcoming the Dishy Vicar," but is interrupted when sister Daisy and her shirtless husband show up to announce that Daddy's run off with a gypsy. And Hyacinth indulges her yen for the well-bred in "Visiting an Acquaintance's Stately Home" when she drags husband Richard off the official tour only to mistake "her friend," the estate owner, for a gardener. There's nothing like seeing the white-gloved, hat-bedecked Hyacinth crouching in a ditch--or being run off the grounds! --Kimberly Heinrichs

Are You Being Served?, Vol. 1

There's plenty of laughter in store when an unbelievably quirky contingent of sales clerks makes shopping at Grace Brothers the experience of a lifetime. This ready-to-wear collection of classic episodes has been lovingly pressed and polished for DVD.Running Time: 89 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 794051167323 Manufacturer No: E1673

Keeping Up Appearances:Hints from Hyacinth

Tireless social climber Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet" of course) puts her best foot forward in the second season of this wildly popular high-class comedy. This disc includes 5 episodes from the second season of Keeping Up Appearances (A Strange Man Driving Mrs. Fortescue Candlelight Supper Golfing with the Major The Googley-Eyed Registrar) as well as outtakes and cast bios.Running Time: 180 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 794051172525

Hyacinth's prying eyes are rewarded in "A Strange Man" when she spies a male in a towel sneaking out Elizabeth's door for the paper. She wallows in the possibilities of sinking property values and "moral turpitude" before finding out he's merely her neighbor's brother come to live with her. In an attempt to increase her social standing, Hyacinth convinces her beleaguered husband to ferry an ill-tempered wealthy widow about in "Driving Mrs. Fortescue." Mrs. Bucket's conniving predictably goes awry when the dowager enjoys a quaff with Hyacinth's lowbrow relatives while Hyacinth ends up in the back of a flat-bed truck. In "The Googley-Eyed Registrar," Hyacinth tries to intercept her runaway father's elopement at the registar's office, only to be mistaken for the bride. One of Hyacinth's famous-in-her-own mind Candlelight Suppers and a golfing outing with the ardent Major round out this set. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Are You Being Served? Vol. 2

There's plenty of laughter in store when an unbelievably quirky contingent of sales clerks makes shopping at Grace Brothers the experience of a lifetime. This ready-to-wear collection of classic episodes has been lovingly pressed and polished for DVD.Running Time: 88 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 794051167422 Manufacturer No: E1674

Are You Being Served? Collection 2 (Series 6-10)

Attention shoppers! Your favorite dysfunctional sales staff is back with more mischief more hilarity and more hair colors! Join Mr. Humphries Mrs. Slocombe Miss Brahms Captain Peacock Mr. Lucas and the rest of the gang as they make shopping at Grace Brothers the comic experience of a lifetime. The staff has been hard-at-work polishing and pressing all 35 classic episodes from series 6-10 of this beloved BBC comedy series most of them never before available on video. Also included is a bonus disc containing interviews television specials and other goodies featuring the Are You Being Served? cast.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: NR UPC: 794051179821 Manufacturer No: E1798

The later series of definitive British sitcom Are You Being Served?--set in the hierarchical world of the sales staff of a department store--lost several of its original cast members, but this only gave more room for the antics of its most popular characters: The not-so-ambiguously-gay Mr. Humphries (sterling John Inman) and the multi-hued Mrs. Slocombe (Mollie Sugden, as regal and petulant as Queen Victoria), ably supported by lecherous floorwalker Capt. Peacock (wonderfully snooty Frank Thornton), affable Miss Brahms (helium-voiced Wendy Richard), and woefully incompetent Mr. Rumbold (jug-eared Nicholas Smith), who form a squabbling dysfunctional family within the strict rules, bowler hats, and neck frills of Grace Brothers store. Though the plots grow more absurd--one episode has the staff forced to sleep on a giant waterbed in the store basement, dressed like albino Teletubbies--the comfortable but never complacent rapport of the cast keeps the show sharp. Even the most groan-inducing sexual double-entendres (and there are many) gets carried off with aplomb; no matter how many times Mrs. Slocombe refers to her poor pussy (that is to say, her cat, Tiddles), it still gets a laugh from Sugden's unbeatable poker face. And though the writing occasionally wears thin, some episodes are among the series' best: When Mrs. Slocombe is temporarily given a managerial position, the overturning of the established order is comic gold; the staging of a Punch and Judy show lets everyone indulge in some topnotch slapstick. Are You Being Served? is a twinkling star in the Britcom firmament, guaranteed to turn any viewer into a delirious fan. --Bret Fetzer

Keeping Up Appearances - Living the Hyacinth Life

Tireless social climber Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet" of course) returns in the fifth and final season of this hilariously classy comedy of manners. This disc includes the first half of season five including two never-before-released episodes as well as the classic Pebble Mill interview with Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift.Running Time: 180 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 794051194923

Living the Hyacinth Life contains the first half of the last series of British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, chronicling the shamelessly pretentious middle-class Hyacinth Bucket (comic powerhouse Patricia Routledge), who answers every phone call with her shrieking cry of "Bouquet residence, the lady of the house speaking." Her relentless efforts to be held in higher esteem include buying skis for her bewildered husband Richard (Clive Swift), not so he can actually go skiing, but so that he can have them strapped to the top of his car and look posh. She is perpetually embarrassed by her lower-class sisters Daisy (Judy Cornwell) and Rose (Mary Millar), to say nothing of Daisy's slobbish husband Onslow (Geoffrey Hughes). This fifth series also includes the long-awaited appearance of Hyacinth's more economically successful sister Violet (Anna Dawson), whose married life is an endless squabble. --Bret Fetzer