Region 2 Reviews
by David Hawkins

The Benny Hill Annual: 1978

Picture Screen Ratio: 1.33:1
RRP: £14.99
Format: PAL
Language: English
Region: Region 2
Studio: Network
DVD Release Date: 16 Oct 2006
Run Time: 100 minutes

Summary

Two more great shows from the Thames era of The Benny Hill Show. 1978 sees the first appearence of Louise English to the show as well as Roger Finch and the return of The Ladybirds who had just finished on Top Of The Pops as backing singers. You may note that the Network menus have different names for sketches than the A&E Set 4. "Talking Tubes" is known as "Telephone Exchange" and "Sketches" are known as "Benny's Quickies". The breaks are, like the other discs, also included but as with the 1976 and 1977 Annuals, the VTR's are not. The meus and chapter selection are easy to use, but no Extras or Easters Eggs are included. The picture of each show is sharp unlike the "Benny Hill Double Helpings!" disc which may have been a copy of the VHS. A great disc to add to you collection. Here are the chaper titles for episodes 32 and 33 from the 1978 Annual DVD. - David Hawkins

Benny Hill Annual: 1978 Screen Captures

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The Benny Hill Annual: 1979

Picture Screen Ratio: 1.33:1
RRP: £14.99
Format: PAL
Language: English
Region: Region 2
Studio: Network
DVD Release Date: 16 Oct 2006
Run Time: 100 minutes

Summary

Two more shows, this time from 1979. This has Dennis Kirkland taking over as Producer and Director, as well as Alison Bell and Emma Bryant in their first Benny Hill Show. Like the 1978 disc, the names for some sketches are different to the A&E Set 4, "Benny's Girls" on the Network DVD is "Benny's Place" on the A&E DVD. "T.I.T.S" on the Network DVD is "Leprechaun TV" on the A&E and "Bath Time Fun" is "Pan's People: Love For Sale". As with the other Annuals, the menus are easy to use plus the breaks for each show are included. One of the best things about this Annual is that none of the sketches from 1979 have been available on video before in the UK. Again, a great disc. Here are the chaper titles for episodes 34 and 35 from the 1978 Annual DVD. - David Hawkins

Benny Hill Annual: 1979 Screen Captures

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Review

This is really just a 52 minute version of Benny Hill's Video Spotlight and as in the Spotlight video, The Lady Godiva sketch has been cut. Most likely it was taken from the 1984 repeat where that year two of the comics that Louise English did impressions of died. So out of respect the rerun of that show was cut. Until Ebay, this tape was one of the hardest to find, but now, at least one copy comes up on the auction once a week. Only buy if you are a collector.

Review

Like "It's Benny Hill", this is A 58 minute version of Benny Hill's Video Follies. This was also one of the best Benny Hill videos. It had some great sketches like The Street Party, Clown Strip, The Cruise and Hotel Splendide. It also has some of the best Angel numbers as well. In late 1989 this tape was deleted, but was re-released with a new cover under the title of "Benny Hill and Friends" in 1997. This tape you can find now and again on Ebay. Buy only if you are a collector.

The Crazy World Of Benny Hill

(1988) | colour | 55 minutes
Not a bad compilation from the year when Benny Hill started to change the format of the show. For me the highlights are "Passion Flower Hotel" and "Rembrandt's Cottage". This tape was deleted in 1989, but was re-issued again in 1991. It is now part of the DVD "Double Helpings". This tape is the same as the NTSC "Benny Hll's Crazy World".

Cast: Benny Hill with Henry McGee, Bob Todd, Lorraine Doyle, Erica Lynley, Sue Upton, Jackie Wright, Alison Bell, Jon Jon Keefe, Cyril Cross, Anna Dawson, Johnny Hutch, Helen Horton, Kathy Staff, Bella Emberg, Ken Sedd, Louise English, Emma Bryant, Len Keyes, Derek Royle, Mike Mulloy, Carla De Wansey, Vikki Harris & Hill's Angels
Produced & Directed by: Dennis Kirkland

Review

Not the compilation it could have been. No way can this be called "Greatest Hits". All of the sketches are from 1982, and from 1984 to 1989. Nothing from the early years at Thames and what makes things worse is that some of the sketches have been cut. Mind you, there are one or two gems here like "The Clown strip", "The Lover", "Wife Swap" and "Stupid Cupid". It also has some of the worst Angel numbers ever. I mean, if this is Benny Hill's Greatest Hit's, what is Hill's Angel's Happy Days doing here? I wouldn't have picked "Fishing With the Little Angels" either, even if the sketch was hacked to death for this tape. After "It's Benny Hill", "Benny & Friends", and "The Crazy World of Benny Hill", this video is a bit of a let down. If I have to rate this I would give it 2 out of 10. Some time in the early 90's, this tape was deleted, but was on the shelves again not long after and renamed "The Very Best Of Benny Hill" with a new cover. It was reissued with yet another cover and called "The Very Best Of Benny Hill - Clown King Of Comedy" and then in 2001 it was reissued again. Then someone had the "bright idea" of choosing this to be the one to go on the DVD Double Helpings. Again, if you are a collector then buy, but I wouldn't bother, really. I would just buy it for the cover and chuck the tape away.

Benny Hill: The World's Favourite Clown

(1992) Colour/Black & White
50 minutes

Review

This is the same as the NTSC version. This documentary was first aired in the UK as "Benny Hill-Clown Imperial", 20th December 1991 on BBC1. It ran for 60 minutes. For some reason the Don Taffner interviews were cut from the original broadcast. Although this was shown by the BBC it was The Thames Video Collection which distributed it on video. This has got to be THE documentry of Benny Hill to see. Not only does it have many of the shows stars plus a number of Hollywood stars but also the comic great himself Benny Hill. Sadly for us in the PAL region this tape is no longer on the shops shelves but now and again it does come up on E-Bay.

Benny Hill's Big Time Bonanza

(1996) Colour
9 Sep
100 minutes

Review

The last "New" Benny Hill compilation was in 1990. However, Thames Video Collection may have been bombarded with requests for more Benny Hill so their answer was "Big Time Bonanza". Not a compilation as such but two uncut shows.

The first 25/April/84 and the second 8/February/89. These shows may have been chosen as they are the only two not to have their sketches as part of a past compilation. I'm not sure why but Thames Video would only release material from 1982-1989 after they released Benny and Friends in 1987. I will not list the sketches as they are aready listed on the "Original Series" page.

For me the highlights have to be, 1st show... "The Human Body". I have always loved Benny Playing the Scotish School Teacher/Professor and this is one of my favorites on swapping around the body parts. "Two Minutes Under" is another of my highlights as it is a return to Benny Hill to stand up. Another is "St. John Thomas Hospital" with some great sight gags. The best being Benny trying to get a bed bath from nurse Alison Bell..

Highlights from 2nd show... "Fred Scuttle", not seen since April 1985, however, this sketch does drag on a bit. Another is "After Dinner Speech" and then "The Crook Report". I find this one the best on the episode and it always makes me laugh. I think though you all may need to see "The Cook Report" with Roger Cook (an actual TV News Reporter - Shawn), to see why this is funny. All in all a great parody, Even better when it was found out some of the real shows reports were faked, (alledgely).

This tape is no longer available but comes up on E-Bay once in a while. Buy if you are a collector.

The first UK PAL Benny Hill Videos

In the early 1980's, video players were becoming common place in peoples homes and independent video hire clubs were popping up all over the UK. Thames Video, in 1981, brought out a number of their best TV shows on video. Some of the first titles were The Best of the Benny Hill Show, Vol. 1 and The Best of the Benny Hill Show, Vol. 2. Both were two-hour long compilations. They were expensive at around £20 to buy so most Benny Hill fans hired them out.

The Best of The Benny Hill Show, Volume 1 (1981)

The Sketch highlights included on this tape were... Victorian Scandals, The Reluctant Bridegroom, Love Machine and the Flash, Casanova, The Milk Marketing Board, Fred Scuttle's Happy Holiday, The Three Musketeers, Hill's Angels "New York, New York", among others. This collection featured sketches from the 23/Feb/77, 23/March/77 and 16/Apr/80 broadcasts.

The Best of The Benny Hill Show, Volume 2 (1981)

The sketch highlights included on this tape were... Captain Fred Scuttle Space Ace, The Lower Tidmarsh Fire Brigade Glee Singers, Robin Hood, Digger Blue, The South Blank Show, Married Life, The Medieval Jester, Madam Louise Summer Collection, Hill's Angels Climax among others. This collection featured sketches from shows 24/March/76, 30/May/78 and 5/March/80.

These tapes sold well along with other titles like The Best of the Kenny Everett Video Show. They were available on both VHS and Beta Max. They were also available in the NTSC regions but for some reason Vol 1 on NTSC was Vol 2 on PAL and the other way around. The covers were good too. Vol 1 had Benny Hill and Alison Bell at the window from the Lower Tidmarsh Fire Brigade 1981 and Vol 2 had Benny with his Angels from the 1982 sketch Hotel Splendide. Both tapes had the Benny Hill Show logo from May 1978. A year later Thames Video brought out Vol 3.

The Best of The Benny Hill Show, Volume 3 (1982)

The sketch highlights included on this tape are...Nor Iron Bars A Cage, Bionic Baby, Telephon Exchange, Holiday Time, Friday Night Fever, Les Girls, Hold Back The Wind, Down On The Farm, The Lower Tidmarsh Fire Brigade, The Poster Girl, Keep Young And Beautiful among others. This collection featured sketches from shows 26/Jan/77 and Benny Hill Down Under.

I'm not sure how well this title sold but like the other two was available on VHS and Beta Max plus it was released on NTSC. However, when the US and Canada carried on with The Best Of The Benny Hill video series up to Vol 3, this was to be the last one in the UK. It would be the last Benny Hill Video until ' It's Benny Hill (1986). The Benny Hill Show title was the same logo used for Vol 1 and 2. These title are hard to get in the UK. Vol 1 I have only seen three or four times on E-Bay. I paid around £10 for my copy as i'm a colector. Vol 2 and 3 I have seen only once.