❉ This September BFI will release new definitive editions of two of the most influential comedy sketch shows in TV history.

Highlights among the BFI’s July – September home entertainment releases include definitive editions of ‘Do Not Adjust Your Set’ and ‘At Last the 1948 Show’, scheduled for16 September release.

Do Not Adjust Your Set ran from 1967-1969, and helped launch the careers of future Pythons Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam, as well as actors David Jason and Denise Coffey. At Last the 1948 Show (from 1967) was produced by David Frost, and written and performed by some of the UK’s best loved comedians: John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Marty Feldman, future ‘Goodie’ Tim Brooke-Taylor and Aimi MacDonald. Both releases are 3-DVD sets and will be lovingly curated, complete with all the existing episodes (including many previously thought lost) and packed with new interviews and archival extras.

Do Not Adjust Your Set

Innovative and influential, and originally envisaged as children’s show, Do Not Adjust Your Set was a madcap early-evening comedy sketch show that quickly acquired a cult following with Swinging Sixties adults, who rushed home from work to see it.

Written by and starring Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, with great performances and additional material by David Jason and Denise Coffey, it also provided an early showcase for the hilarious animations of Terry Gilliam, and the brilliantly bizarre musical antics of the legendary Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.

For the first time anywhere, all the fully existing episodes from the Rediffusion and Thames series of the show are brought together at last in one place for a deluxe package that includes five episodes new to DVD, at least two of which were previously thought lost, alongside new interviews with series creator and producer Humphrey Barclay, writer and performer Michael Palin, uninvited guest star Tim Brooke-Taylor, animations from Terry Gilliam’s personal film collection, and a new documentary about the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, featuring new interviews with 1960s originators and key personnel Neil Innes, Rodney Slater, Roger Ruskin-Spear and ‘Legs’ Larry Smith.

Extras:

Includes all 14 fully surviving episodes, from both the Rediffusion and Thames series, five of which have never been previously released on DVD

New digital transfers of rare animations by Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) from his own film elements

Newly recorded interview with Michael Palin (2019)

Newly recorded interview with uninvited guest star Tim Brooke-Taylor (2019)

Newly recorded interview with series creator and producer Humphrey Barclay (2019)

Bonzos on the Box: Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band members reflect upon the history of the group and their appearances on television, in a special documentary made up of new interviews with key 1960s originators and personnel Neil Innes, Rodney Slater, Roger Ruskin-Spear and ‘Legs’ Larry Smith (2019)

**FIRST PRESSING ONLY** fully illustrated booklet with new writing on the series by the BFI’s Vic Pratt and full series credits

Other extras TBC

At Last the 1948 Show

This ground-breaking, splendidly silly and surreal comedy sketch series, written and performed by John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Marty Feldman, also starring the lovely Aimi MacDonald, was a major milestone on the road to Monty Python’s Flying Circus, The Goodies and everything that came after.

This lovingly curated new deluxe three-disc set restores all the existing episodes from both series of the programme in the correct order, and is as complete as is currently possible. It includes all ten surviving episodes, two almost completely reconstructed episodes, and the complete audio of a further episode with fragments of film restored; all drawn from the vaults of the BFI National Archive, and proudly presented alongside an array of newly-filmed and archive extras.

Extras:

Includes all the complete surviving episodes from series one and two, plus two reconstructed episodes, for the very first time

Newly recorded interviews with Humphrey Barclay and Tim Brooke-Taylor (2019)

Archive interviews with John Cleese, Marty Feldman, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Aimi MacDonald

**FIRST PRESSING ONLY** fully illustrated booklet with new writing on the show by series expert Steve Bryant, not quite 400 words by Tim Brooke-Taylor, and full credits

Other extras TBC

❉ Pre-order At Last the 1948 Show

❉ Pre-order Do Not Adjust Your Set

❉ News source: BFI Publicity.

❉ We Are Cult is not responsible for the content of this news release.

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