There are three items on this DVD. The first one is ‘Back & Forth’, the film shown at the Millennium dome on December 31st 1999. It’s Black Adder with a Time Machine and it’s quite funny. This is the first time I have seen it properly as I remember that I wasn’t all that impressed when I saw bits of it on the television. The story line involves Mr Adder and Baldrick going back in time to various eras. Dinosaur, Romans, Elizabethan etc. The Roman one is hilarious, featuring Stephen Fry with a ridiculously short pant showing ‘skirt’ and Hugh Laurie with an unflattering blonde wig on. Miranda Richardson returns as Queen Elizabeth I, Rik Mayall is Robin Hood and even Kate Moss and Colin Firth get in on the act. Tim Mckinnery and Stephen Fry play Wellington and side kick at the Battle of Waterloo and Black Adder comes along and squashes him just before he lets on about his brilliant battle plans. Hence when they finally return to Blighty they find that everyone is under French rule. Plus no-one has heard of Robin Hood or Shakespeare and it was Baldricks pants that killed off the dinosaurs. So they have to go back and right the wrongs. There is a twist at the end though.
The second item is ‘The Cavalier Years’. As the title says, it is set in the times of King Charles. Black Adder is his best pal and Baldrick the servant in the kitchen. The same sort of format as the other black adders but there is only really Stephen Fry as part of the supporting cast. The king is trying to escape his enemies and is staying in hiding with Black Adder until Baldrick lets the secret out of the bag. Stephen Fry plays the part of King Charles as our current Prince Charles. He uses his mannerisms to top effect. He’s actually funnier the Black Adder. However, it is good and I enjoyed it, though I can understand why Rowan did not want to do any more series of Black Adder. The jokes would have got stale. It is always best to go out with a bang, which is what he did.
The final item is just an extra where Tony Robinson videos what’s happening on the stage set for ‘Back & Forth’. It’s just a filler and not all that wonderful. Fry and Laurie are hilarious as always though.
Score Board: 7/10 For the Black Adder fan who has to have everything, otherwise you could live without it.
The second item is ‘The Cavalier Years’. As the title says, it is set in the times of King Charles. Black Adder is his best pal and Baldrick the servant in the kitchen. The same sort of format as the other black adders but there is only really Stephen Fry as part of the supporting cast. The king is trying to escape his enemies and is staying in hiding with Black Adder until Baldrick lets the secret out of the bag. Stephen Fry plays the part of King Charles as our current Prince Charles. He uses his mannerisms to top effect. He’s actually funnier the Black Adder. However, it is good and I enjoyed it, though I can understand why Rowan did not want to do any more series of Black Adder. The jokes would have got stale. It is always best to go out with a bang, which is what he did.
The final item is just an extra where Tony Robinson videos what’s happening on the stage set for ‘Back & Forth’. It’s just a filler and not all that wonderful. Fry and Laurie are hilarious as always though.
Score Board: 7/10 For the Black Adder fan who has to have everything, otherwise you could live without it.
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