I can't remember if it was shown on TV here with the laugh track. Seem to think it was on the box Sunday evenings.
Yeah a lot of stuff from my childhood makes more sense - and is much funnier - when I watch it now. EG.
Regarding M*A*S*H: From what I know, it wasn't shown with the laugh track in the UK. An episode was aired with the laugh track in place, and viewers complained, so I don't think that mistake was ever made again.
Despite laugh tracks being used in many UK sitcoms at the time? I forget where I heard it, but people tend to laugh along with others, which is why they started using laugh tracks on TV (which is watched alone or with just a few people).
From Wikipedia: "The laugh track is also omitted from some international and syndicated airings of the show; on one occasion during an airing on BBC2, the laugh track was accidentally left on, and viewers expressed their displeasure, an apology from the network for the "technical difficulty" was later released, as during its original run on BBC2 in the UK, it was shown without the laugh track. UK DVD critics speak poorly of the laugh track, stating "canned laughter is intrusive at the best of times, but with a programme like M*A*S*H, it's downright unbearable."[13]" I recall hearing about this even without reading about it on Wikipedia, but Wikipedia has it 'documented' for lack of a better term.
I think the issue might have been the fact it was an American laugh track, and a canned one. UK sitcoms in the 70s and 80s were often shown in front of a studio audience.
Never imagined I'd find this in a charity shop - a 5-disc box set of Adam Adamant Lives! Only £1 !!!
I donated mine last week! Found the 2-disc Blu Ray in BHF so figured that would look even better (on some of the footage anyway). EG.
Two for £1 yesterday in Bacup - Casablanca, and The Rutles [with Eric Idle's commentory], which will replace the bog standard copy I already had.
I must watch Casablanca one day. I've got the poster, and even got it on Blu-Ray thanks to one of HMV's blow-out sales. EG.
Couple of good ones here. I liked 'Vice'. Christian Bale channels evil Dick Cheney quite well. 'Space Cowboys' is dreadful. 'Tigerland' is real nitty gritty.
Stan and Ollie is delightful. I've read that the script took some minor liberties with facts for dramatic purposes, but the movie is a love letter to the comedy duo. Coogan and Reilly are perfectly cast.
'Wild West Outlaws' 'Old West Outlaws' 'Escape from Fort Bravo' 'Five Card Stud' 'Stay Away, Joe' 'Cimarron' 'Escape Plan' (still sealed) 'Wanted: Dead or Alive' (Steve McQueen TV series, complete series, still sealed)
All on DVD: 'True Crime' 'Cast a Long Shadow' 'Last Stand at Saber River' 'Star Wars-Revenge of the Sith' 'Ride Beyond Vengeance' 'The Unforgiven' (1960 Burt Lancaster film, not to be confused with Clint Eastwood's 'Unforgiven') 'The Trail of the Lonesome Pine' 'Western Classics-4 film set ('The Lone Gun', 'Gunsight Ridge', Ride Out for Revenge' & 'Gun Belt') 'The Bravados' 'Buck and The Preacher' 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' (2 disc special edition) 'Heaven with a Gun' 'Escort West' 'Whispering Smith' (Audie Murphy television series) A lot of these titles, as well as most in my post above this one were donated by the same person: I don't know if she passed away, or just cleaned house or what, but she had name/address stickers on all of her DVDs. No idea who she is/was, but I have to say she had good taste in movies...
The Coen Brothers' Collection (4 DVDs: The Big Lebowski, The Hudsucker Proxy, Barton Fink, Blood Simple) £2
All on standard DVD: "The Lone Ranger" & "The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold" ("double feature" DVD) "Tora! Tora! Tora!" "The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles" "The Thin Red Line" "Elvis: King of Entertainment" "Remembering Elvis" (2 DVD set with two docs, "Remembering Elvis" & "Elvis at the Movies") "A Man Called Horse" "Daffy Duck and Friends" "Drums Along the Mohawk" "The Kentuckian" "The Quick Gun" "Yuma" "Hank Williams: The Man and His Music" "The Bravos" "The Man from Colorado" "Call of the Forest" "Die Hard: The Five Star Collection" version (2 DVD set with extras) "Hart's War"
I'd already got the three seasons of Porridge from charity shops, and yesterday I found the Christmas Specials set, 50p.
