Home :: DVD :: Boxed Sets :: Television  

Action & Adventure
Anime
Art House & International
Classics
Comedy
Documentary
Drama
Fitness & Yoga
Horror
Kids & Family
Military & War
Music Video & Concerts
Musicals & Performing Arts
Mystery & Suspense
Religion & Spirituality
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Special Interests
Sports
Television

Westerns
Best of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Best of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

List Price: $49.95
Your Price: $39.96
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 >>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Topical Humor? Eternal Laughter
Review: Good lord there are just too many people complaining about the fact that "Laugh-In" was "topical" on this site (as if that was a bad thing). The same folks probably hoo-hah with laughter when "The Simpsons" parody "American Idol" (how do you think that'll hold up on the topicality scale in 30-plus years kiddies?) So let's get this straight: "Laugh-In" is, was and always will be a priceless and epochal combination of humor "ripped from the headlines" (of its time) and the last gasp of vaudeville.

That's right - vaudeville. Because while the editing in "Laugh-In" is straight out of the French New Wave, the rythm of the humor is pure Borscht Belt. No joke is too low, no cow is too sacred, and that's why this is a priceless buy for any of you kids out there in TV land. "Laugh-In" was to its tumultuous era what Michael Moore is to ours: a forum that was willing to take aim and name names. It was funny and it was courageous, and it deserves to be celebrated for all the brilliant humor it still possesses.

For those who decry the shows "dated" references, let me just say: Listen, punk, go buy yourself a history book. "Laugh-In" is inviting you to reflect upon the most significant era of modern American history (the 60s, which defined the America of today as surely as the Civil War did the America of the 1880s), and if you're too lazy to Google what they mean when they say "Mai Lai" on the show, you shouldn't be writing reviews on Amazon in the first place.

So thank you, Mr. Agnew, and we'll see you soon, in beautiful downtown Burbank...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Topical Humor? Eternal Laughter
Review: Good lord there are just too many people complaining about the fact that "Laugh-In" was "topical" on this site (as if that was a bad thing). The same folks probably hoo-hah with laughter when "The Simpsons" parody "American Idol" (how do you think that'll hold up on the topicality scale in 30-plus years kiddies?) So let's get this straight: "Laugh-In" is, was and always will be a priceless and epochal combination of humor "ripped from the headlines" (of its time) and the last gasp of vaudeville.

That's right - vaudeville. Because while the editing in "Laugh-In" is straight out of the French New Wave, the rythm of the humor is pure Borscht Belt. No joke is too low, no cow is too sacred, and that's why this is a priceless buy for any of you kids out there in TV land. "Laugh-In" was to its tumultuous era what Michael Moore is to ours: a forum that was willing to take aim and name names. It was funny and it was courageous, and it deserves to be celebrated for all the brilliant humor it still possesses.

For those who decry the shows "dated" references, let me just say: Listen, punk, go buy yourself a history book. "Laugh-In" is inviting you to reflect upon the most significant era of modern American history (the 60s, which defined the America of today as surely as the Civil War did the America of the 1880s), and if you're too lazy to Google what they mean when they say "Mai Lai" on the show, you shouldn't be writing reviews on Amazon in the first place.

So thank you, Mr. Agnew, and we'll see you soon, in beautiful downtown Burbank...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Wish It Were Better
Review: I agree, 2 episodes per DVD is taking advantage of the Laugh-In fans and keeping possible new fans away. I could have done without the boring interviews, add another show instead. The color quality is not very good either. Nevertheless, I give it 4 stars because after 30 some years, it is an opportunity to see this crazy show again (my cable system does not include the station showing Laugh-In). The highlight for me in every show was whenever Judy Carne was on stage with her pixie face, adorable accent and those legs that were made for a mini skirt. I also loved the humor of Arte Johnson, Goldie Hawn and Joanne Worley. Hopefully the next reissues will give us more bang for the buck.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: save your money
Review: I have a lot of fond memories of this show but this set is a big disappointmnet. The main flaw is the terrible video quality, now I've these episodes run recently on the Trio network and they look fantastic but here they look terrible. The colors are faded and worst of all there are plenty of lines and dropouts.... The audio isn't that great either. It's pretty annoying to read George Sclatter talk about how these episodes were beautifully restored and then to see how crappy they look. If it weren't for Goldie in a bikini this wouldn't even get 1 star.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Warning to Laugh-In First-Timers...
Review: I'd always heard about Laugh-In, but had never seen it (I was born in 1966). I went ahead and bought this set, on the strength of the positive reviews.

In a nutshell? It's an interesting cultural experience - to see what people were talking about, laughing about. It's more political that I'd expected, and there are some very stylish elements. The packaging is also fun!

Having said that, I never need to see another episode of Laugh-In. I have never heard such bad jokes on a show, or seen such relentlessly terrible slapstick. Sure, they offer disclaimers about how bad the jokes are, but it doesn't help. Fabulous comedic talents wasted in 7-second skits.

And to read the liner notes and see the interviews, this was the Cadillac of shows at the time. Were people really that dumb?

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Terribly dated and unfunny
Review: It is hard to believe that "Laugh-in" was once considered a groundbreaking, hip, wildly funny, and even controversial show. Seeing it now is painful. That is what happens when a show's humor is mostly topical. Jokes about Lyndon Johnson, birth control, and Viet Nam fall flatter than a pancake today. Then there are the large number of pointless one liners, short dumb sketches, scenes that go on too long, etc. This now seems about as hip as a Nehru jacket and love beads. Simply awful. You also know that a supposedly radical "youth" show has lost its sense of identity when it starts having lounge lizards such as Joey Bishop and Sammy Davis as guest stars. If you are thinking about buying this set because you remember it as a very funny show, be forewarned; it is no longer amusing.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Terribly dated and unfunny
Review: It is hard to believe that "Laugh-in" was once considered a groundbreaking, hip, wildly funny, and even controversial show. Seeing it now is painful. That is what happens when a show's humor is mostly topical. Jokes about Lyndon Johnson, birth control, and Viet Nam fall flatter than a pancake today. Then there are the large number of pointless one liners, short dumb sketches, scenes that go on too long, etc. This now seems about as hip as a Nehru jacket and love beads. Simply awful. You also know that a supposedly radical "youth" show has lost its sense of identity when it starts having lounge lizards such as Joey Bishop and Sammy Davis as guest stars. If you are thinking about buying this set because you remember it as a very funny show, be forewarned; it is no longer amusing.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: More generous with episodes, please!
Review: It's great to see my old childhood favorite again after all these years. The transfer is great, the interviews are really interesting also. The packaging is amusing also - but Rhino, couldn't you have been more generous with episodes? Two episodes per disc at that price is a little outrageous - when you really could have made it a better bargain - and a much better "Best Of" collection. Let's see more episodes per set next time, huh? The recent "Xena, Warrior Princess" set or any of the Dark Shadows series have no problem filling out their discs with excellent quality and excellent value.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's all about nostalgia
Review: My favorite Laugh-In memory: I was in the Army. Every week, when Laugh-In came on, everybody in the barracks would crowd into the TV room to watch it. The Pentagon won the Fickle Finger of Fate award two weeks in a row. We roared & cheered. It was the best morale boost we ever got.

Bad jokes? Yes, although Rowan & Martin's stand-up & Lily Tomlin's sketches still make me laugh. Silly slapstick? Yes. But I didn't really buy this DVD to laugh; I bought it to smile, and it does not disappoint. There are lots of little things here to warm the hearts of baby boomers, such as Dan wearing a peace symbol on his lapel. If other generations don't get it, that's OK. Despite the relatively high price per episode, if more episodes come out on DVD, I'll buy them as well.



Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The Fickle Finger of Fate goes to Rhino
Review: The contents of this package rates five stars, but what drags it down to three is that Rhino created a fancy package and short-changed the public on the amount of episodes they put in the package. I mean SIX episodes in a three-DVD set for [that amount]? Come on Rhino! You could easily have put 12 episodes in this set. After all, there were 144 episodes of Laugh-In. At 12 episodes a set, it would takes years to release them all on DVD. Now it's going to take twice as long.
Aside from all that, the episodes are great and the picture and sound are crisp and clear. The interviews aren't bad either.
So Rhino, enjoy your Fickle Finger of Fate. I'll be thinking twice before I shell out {good money]for six more episodes of Laugh-In.


<< 1 2 3 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates