Humbug anyone? (Blackadder's Christmas Carol (DVD))

Member Name: MI9to5

Product:	Blackadder's Christmas Carol (DVD)
Date:	18/12/08 (101 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some good laughs

Disadvantages: Not the bes tit possibly could be

I watched Blackadder's Christmas Carol a couple of years ago at college and really enjoyed it. So when last weekend I spotted it in Asda for £5 I decided that is was certainly going to become part of my ever-growing DVD collection and popped it in my basket.

Along with my mum, dad and 12 year-old brother (the DVD has a PG rating) I sat down to watch it last night and although it wasn't as funny as I remembered it I still enjoyed it, although my mum did not.

Blackadder's Christmas Carol takes the original and classic Dickens' A Christmas Carol and turns everything on its head. Ebenezer Blackadder is the kindest man in all of England. He owns a moustache shop and along with his worker Baldrick is looking forward to a nice Christmas. He cannot however see anyone else go without and so before Christmas Eve is even over he has already given away his entire years' profit as well as his turkey, his small bowl of nuts and the presents he had bought for himself and Baldrick.

Going to bed that night after the visit of a couple (Queen Victoria & Prince Albert in disguise) claiming to be trying to find the most virtuous person, he is told by Baldrick that a spirit is going to visit him. What however can the spirit teach Blackadder as he already embodies the very spirit of Christmas that he professes?

This is a wonderful take on the Dickens' classic as is in true Blackadder style a mix of slapstick and subtle comedy to suit the entire family (except my mum obviously). I must admit however that it wasn't as funny as I remember it being and certainly not as funny as some of the Blackadder series'. Despite this however it was certainly worth the money I paid and kept my dad, my brother and me entertained for its 43-minute duration.

The cast is made up of Rowan Atkinson (Blackadder), Tony Robinson (Baldrick), Robbie Coltrane (Spirit of Christmas), Hugh Laurie (Prince Regent) and Stephen Fry (Lord Melchet) as well as many others. The cast works very well together and the relationship between Blackadder and Baldrick is just as brilliant as it is in all other episodes of Blackadder I have ever seen.

The DVD itself has no special features and subtitles are only available in English but it is still one I would recommend.

Summary: A lovely Christmas episode