This was the first collection of programs released on DVD by HBO Video. There are six programs in this 2 disc collection and you'll find the links for each program in the right hand column of this page. There's also a link for the bonus features.
Golden Greats DVD Review
Golden Laughs
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Golden Laughs
(Jan. 16, 1984)
[51:43]
- The Psychiatrist
- Ostrich
- Going Dutch
- Home For The Summer
- Scuttlevision
- A Night Out
- Cupid's Arrow
- Club Bizarre
- Fingers McNee
- Behind The Scenes
- Last Night
- At The Beach
Cast: Benny Hill, Henry McGee, Jack Wright, Bob Todd, Louise English, Jenny Lee Wright, Jon Jon Keefe, Sue Upton, Debi Gaye, Erica Lynley, Ken Sedd and Jade Westbrook with Hill's Angels
Review
"The Psychiatrist" has Benny as Doctor Octor with Jackie Wright as the patient. In "Ostrich", Benny performs the voice of an ostrich in love with it's own butt. Benny and a girl go out for dinner in "Going Dutch".
"Home For The Summer" is the program opener and has Benny and the whole cast in a western setting, similar to the one used in the Wild West routine. The story is that Benny has returned home for the summer to marry his girl, stolen by Bob Todd and he must fight for her. Henry McGee plays the girl's father. Louise is in this one and actually has a little dialogue. Sue is the old lady and Jackie Wright's replacement plays the priest. Not bad.
"Scuttlevision" has Henry McGee interviewing Fred Scuttle on his new TV network and Bob Todd does a quick walk-on joke or two. This isn't bad with some good wordplay by Benny throughout.
"A Night Out" has a drunken Benny on the town all by himself. Bob Todd is a policeman walking the beat and Benny arrives home drunk.
"Cupid's Arrow" is a cute sketch with Benny as cupid popping arrows into people as they sit on a park bench, making them fall in love with one another. Look for Louise.
"Club Bizarre" is an extended segment similar to earlier Hill's Angels classics like "New York, New York", but doesn't have quite the same excitement or inventiveness. Benny plays the MC in a German Cabaret and introduces different performers. There's a sword swallower and Bob Todd as "the memory man". Then Erica Lynley takes a bath with the help of Sue Upton, and another girl in sexy nurse outfits with white stockings and garters. The bathtub turns to reveal Erica and Louise and they both sing "Dumkopf Men", an excellent and entertaining number. After that is the "Dolly Fins", where Benny and 2 guys paint their chins and sing upside down. Next, a girl in a green Nazi-style uniform does a mime with a globe of the world. Benny then introduces Hill's Angels and Louise sings a song called "M'Lord" while they dance. This sketch has a really burlesque style to it and is reminiscent of earlier Hill's Angels routines. Not as sexually suggestive, the girls do provide plenty of eye candy with their bustier, garters and multi-colored stockings. I think this segment is probably the last good Hill's Angels routine before this aspect of the show was changed.
"Fingers McNee" is a fun little sketch with Benny as a wanted crook with Sue Upton and another girl (I don't know who she is), as his partners in crime. They start out by robbing a bank and Bob Todd is the policeman who's out to get them. Bob is also in drag in this one. Benny gets caught and winds up in jail with a gay guy. His partners help break him out and they plan another bank raid. I think that is Jackie Wright as the owner of the bank. In the end, Benny gets away, surrounded by a group of sexy bikini-clad girls around a swimming pool. This is a fun one.
"Behind The Scenes" is a short skit with Benny saying goodnight for Thames Television and leering at a kissing couple through the TV set. "Last Night" is another quickie with a drunken Bob Todd.
"At The Beach" has Benny on the beach trying to pick up a girl, but gets suckered into babysitting a "Little Angel", who of course drinks his beer. Look for Louise walking by in a stunning bikini. Bob Todd plays an angry sunbather. Benny gets whacked around by all the girls on the beach including Louise and then gets chased by them in their stockings and garters. Benny and everyone finally take a ride on the merry-go-round. This one's OK I guess.
Overview
This is actually a much better program than the previous ones in this collection and highlights include "Cupid's Arrow", "Fingers McNee" and the "Club Bizarre", particularly the Hill's Angels segment. However, this material isn't as good as earlier programs, like "Video Follies" and "Video Drive In" which features some of the best Hill's Angels and comedy sketches that Benny ever did. I get the feeling that "Golden Laughs" represents the end of an era for the Benny Hill show and I suspect that the interest groups were already starting to complain and Benny was making changes to the style and look of the show. Still, this is not a bad program and has some good material sprinkled throughout. Jackie Wright is only here in a few places and there is some pretty substandard stuff, in particular, the "At The Beach" segment with a "Little Angel" in the sketch.