Carry On - The Complete Collection [DVD] [1958] [30 Film Boxset]

Outstanding value. All 30 Carry On films in one neat boxed set. It’s well designed with slim cases which hold a number of discs and the whole have a colourful outer card sleeve. These films may be considered divisive. They reflect the time they were made and like it or not, they’re part of British culture. They’re formulaic but still funny. I remember seeing the first black and white Carry Ons at the cinema in the late 1950s and they drew a packed audience. I didn’t understand tge innuendo at the time, but enjoyed the stories of the characters. I’ve seen mist a few times as repeats on tv, but this set is an indulgence that I can enjoy at my leisure. There are fascinating extras in the discs too.

I've been a Carry On fan all my life, the films may be crude at times but there's no denying that they are very very funny and the perfect antidote to feeling down and a tonic for those dark wintery nights.I've had the old VHS tapes of most of the series for some time but last year finally threw them out, I was meaning to upgrade to DVD but never quite got around to it, then imagine my absolute joy when it was revealed that my two youngest daughters had secretly been saving up their pocket money for a few weeks to buy me this for Christmas 2010. What a lovely present on Christmas morning it was and I've spent most of the holiday period watching the films in order, I'm up to Spying now.The quality is amazing and it's like rediscovering these classic anew, the sound has been dramatically improved and the picture is top notch.The extra features are simply wonderful with a commentary for every film, trailers, location reports and archive interviews with such people as the legendary Sid James, I've been in heaven since I got this set.I have a very large DVD collection and I can honestly say that this is the best boxset that I have, it's fantastic and for the price an absolute steal.If you love old classic archive films or if you simply want a good laugh from a time when comedy was funny then look no further than this magnificent set.As there is no booklet for it here are the extras:Every film has photo galleries, movie trivia and audio commentaries. The following list details just what appears on the disc other than the first two above and also the participants in the commentaries.Trailer (T), Audio Commentaries (AC), Carry On Laughing (COL).SERGEANT: (T), (AC) by Dora Bryan, Terence Longdon & Shirley Eaton.NURSE: (T), (AC) by Shirley Eaton & Terence Longdon.TEACHER: (AC) by Paul Cole, Larry Dann & Richard O' Sullivan.CONSTABLE: (T), (AC) by Leslie Phillips.REGARDLESS: (AC) by Liz Fraser & Terence Longdon.CRUISING: (T), (AC) by Dilys Laye & Lance Percival.CABBY: (T), (AC) by Liz Fraser.JACK: (T), (AC) by Bernard Cribbins. Textless Titles.SPYING: (T), (AC) by Bernard Cribbins & Dilys laye. Textless Titles.CLEO: (T), (AC) by Amanda Barrie & Julie Stevens.COWBOY: (T), (AC) by Angela Douglas.SCREAMING: (T), (AC) by Angela Douglas & Fenella Fielding.DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD: (T), (AC) by Jim Dale, (COL) The Prisoner of Spenda.FOLLOW THAT CAMEL: (T), (AC) by Jim Dale. Phil Silvers Interview.DOCTOR: (T), (AC) by Jim Dale. (COL) The Baron Outlook.UP THE KHYBER: (T), (AC) by Peter Rogers. (COL) The Sobbing Cavalier.CAMPING: (T), (AC) by Dilys Laye & Sandra Carson. (COL) Orgy and Bess.AGAIN DOCTOR: (T), (AC) by Jim Dale. (COL) One in the Eye for Harold.UP THE JUNGLE: (T), (AC) by Jacki Piper & Valerie Leon. (COL) The Nine Old Cobblers.LOVING: (T), (AC) by Richard O'Callaghan & Jacki Piper. (COL) Under the Round Table.HENRY: (T), (AC) by Alan Hume. On Location Report, featuring archive interviews with Sid James, Kenneth Williams & Terry Scott.AT YOUR CONVENIENCE: (T), (AC) by Richard O'Callaghan & Jacki Piper. (COL) The Case of the Screaming Winkles.MATRON: (T), (AC) by Jacki Piper, Valerie Leon & Patsy Rowlands. (COL) And in My Lady's Chamber.ABROAD: (T), (AC) by John Clive, Sally Geeson, Carol Hawkins & David Kernan. (COL) Short Knight, Long Daze.GIRLS: (T), (AC) by Jack Douglas, June Whitfield & Patsy Rowlands. On Location Documentary hosted by June Whitfield.DICK: (T), (AC) by Jack Douglas. (COL) The Case of the Coughing Parrot.BEHIND: (T), (AC) by Jack Douglas, Patsy Rowlands, Dave Freeman & Larry Dann. (COL) Who Needs Kitchener.ENGLAND: (T), (AC) by Patrick Mower. Carry On England The Censored Edition.THATS CARRY ON: (AC) by Peter Rogers. (COL) Lamp-Posts of the Empire.EMMANNUELLE: (T), (AC) by Larry Dann & Jack Douglas. What's a Carry On? The 40th Anniversary Documentary.

great film. i love carry on films

The Carry On series is a comedy series fondly remembered by most people. Although the films did change in style from the early ones the style of the films remained fairly constant. The early films feel a little as if they are not specialised comedies. They are also slightly odd being in widescreen and black and white. I always imagined widescreen films were always colour. Carry On films were mainly written by two individuals, the first 6 by Norman Hudis and the next 20 by Talbot Rothwell, two rather gifted comedy writers. Their stories cover many themes from historical to modern with many hospital related efforts. I like the idea of Carry On Spaceman or Carry On In Prison. The films have so many great actors like Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale and Sid James all adding their own unique talents. These actors sometimes brought their own catchphrases into the films. The films are quite sophisticated despite sometimes being crude or bawdy. Carry on Camping is one of those magical films that is unique in the way the story unfolds. Carry On Up The Khyber probably the highest fan rated Carry On film which I have watched a few times and it does nothing for me. I find it interesting how the casts changed in each film and how the lead roles were distributed mainly between Kenneth Williams and Sid James in the later colour films. The guest actors like Frankie Howerd, Phil Silvers, Terry Scott and Bill Maynard and many others add a great deal to the quality of these films. An hour and a half is quite long to keep a comedy going and invariably there is the odd flat spot. The film Carry On Up The Jungle suffers from this, it's a kind of directionless film. Kenneth Williams was critical of some of the stories and I am curious as to how much input (if any) he had over the making of the films. He was certainly a talent among talents being a novelist, radio and TV comedian and intellectual who also fitted perfectly into the Carry On mould. Unfortunately the personal lives of some of the main contributors to Carry On were a little sad: Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey and Sid James all suffered from personal issues and love that often go with talent. There is something so unique about these films and I can't say exactly what it is. It's to do with the sets, the beautiful and often physically attractive women, the 60/70s culture, the innuendo and crudity, the story or lack of one, the variable presentation of each film that all combine into something unique.My favourites:Carry On Nurse (BW), Carry On Cabby (BW), Carry On Spying (BW), Carry On Cleo, Carry On Cowboy, Carry On Screaming!, Carry On Don't Lose Your Head, Carry On Follow That Camel, Carry On Doctor, Carry On Camping, Carry On Again Doctor, Carry On Loving, Carry On Henry, Carry On At Your Convenience, Carry On Matron, Carry On Abroad, Carry On Girls, Carry On BehindThe others:Carry On Sergeant (BW), Carry On Teacher (BW), Carry On Constable (BW), Carry On Regardless (BW), Carry On Cruising, Carry On Jack, Carry On Up The Khyber, Carry On Up The Jungle, Carry On DickDidn't like:Carry On England, Carry On EmmannuelleAll the films are widescreen (16:9) except the following:Carry On Follow That Camel, Carry On Doctor, Carry On Up The Khyber, Carry On Up The Jungle, Carry On Henry, Carry On At Your Convenience, Carry On Dick, Carry On England, That's Carry Onwhich are at (4:3) aspect ratio. On widescreen TVs you might watch these at (14:9).Carry On Behind is unique in the Rank intro. (the man hitting the gong) being at (4:3) but the film is at (16:9)

Great boxed set. Love these films.