Les Dawson At ITV – The Specials (Network U.K./Region 2/Two/PAL DVD Set)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C     Extras: C     Compilation: C+

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: This DVD set can only be operated on machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Two/2 PAL format software and can be ordered from our friends at Network U.K. at the website address provided at the end of the review.

 

 

Among the variety show compilations Network U.K. has issued, Les Dawson At ITV – The Specials is a mixed bag, offering nine specials that have amusing comedy skits, but none that made me laugh out loud.  John Cleese even shows up, but the real highlight was the music and he has three guests that made going through all of this worth it: Lulu (who also does skits, but by 1977, was singing standards and already had he Pop swan song with the theme to the James Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun, reviewed elsewhere on this site), Olivia Newton-John (just before really becoming a huge sensation and The Three Degrees singing a medley of their hits that is exceptionally good.

 

Among the specials are two for Christmas and all four Dawson & Friends shows.  Hew is amusing and can be funny, makes for a good host and seems to be actually having fun, but he is also an acquired taste for some and even if you get British humor, might have a mixed experience with this set on a comedy level.  However, the music is interesting enough and there is more than the three acts noted.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image across the specials originated on professional PAL analog videotape and looks good throughout, better than we imagined at times.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is rougher, plays back at lower volumes on some shows and shows its age.  We count the Christmas specials as extras just in case, but there are none here otherwise.

 

 

As noted above, you can order this British PAL DVD import set exclusively from Network U.K. at:

 

http://www.networkdvd.net/

 

or

 

www.networkdvd.co.uk

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo