..: THE COMIC STRIP PRESENTS... :..

The trend today is to release complete collections on video and DVD rather than the mish-mash of best ofs and specials that used to be common practise, and The Comic Strip presents is the latest to benefit from this treatment.

Widely recognised as the founding fathers of alternative comedy, the series of generally self contained episodes launched the careers of some of the best-loved comedians including Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Riok Mayall, Alexei Sayle, Ade Edmondson, Peter Richardson, Keith Allen, Robbie Coltrane and Nigel Planer.

Over 20 years after the first trasmission, Channel 4 video is, for the first time, bringing together all 39 episodes in a 9-disc collectors box set. Calssics include: Five Go Mad In Dorset - the pardoy fo the Famous Five stories washed down with lashings of ginger bear, Golden Rose of Montreux winning Strike! - an over the top Hollywood pastiche about the 1984 miners strike, and Bad News - a send up of a touring rock band - the original Spinal Tap!

The 9th disc is loaded with an exclusive array of extras for fans of this cult series with a running time of over two hours. Included is a brand new exclusive retrospective of the Comic Strip presents... comprising of interviews with Dawn French, Adrian Edmondson, Peter Richardson, Alexei Sayle, Nigel Planer, OPeter Richens, Lenny Henry, Leslie Philips, Julie T Wallace, Gary Beadle, and Phil cornwell, about their Comic Strip experiences. Julien Temple's 1981 tongue in cheek look at what went on behind the scnes of the original stage show, The Comic Strip, and cast interviews from 1988 make up the final disc. The other 8 discs contain the following:

'Five Go Mad in Dorset' is a satirical send-up of the Enid Blyton stories.
'War' sees the Warsaw Pact countries invading Britain.
'The Beat Generation', middle-class Desmond (Edmondson) invites a group of beatniks to his house while his parents are away.
'Bad News Tour' introduces the feeble heavy metal band and their quest for rock glory.
'Summer School' sees a group of students forced to fend for themselves in an Iron Age community.
'Five Go Mad on Mescalin' sees the gang getting caught up in slightly more sinister adventures.
'Dirty Movie', a sleazy cinema owner tries to find some privacy to watch his latest porno film.
'Susie' sees a bored schoolteacher's life enlivened when a rock star moves to her sleepy village.
'A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques' is a Spaghetti Western spoof, following two deluded Western fans on a fantasy journey into the 'Old West', via British Rail, two female Australian backpackers, and a vicious mass-killer who dresses like a matador.
'Gino' follows an ordinary man who is framed for murder by a psychotic housewife.
'Eddie Monsoon - A Life?', the repulsive South African TV presenter is followed by a documentary film crew.
'Slags' is set in a strange post-apocalyptic world, where rival street gangs the Slags and the Hawaiians battle for supremacy.
'The Bullshitters' follows the attempt by two inept detectives to rescue their guv'nor's kidnapped daughter.
'The Supergrass', a compulsive liar finds his tall tales are believed by the police.
'Consuela' is a spoof gothic melodrama, about a young bride who is at the mercy of her ruthless Spanish maid.
'Private Enterprise' sees two small-time conmen decide to pass themselves off as successful rock stars.
'The Strike' brings a Hollywood touch to the Miners' Strike, starring Al Pacino (Richardson) as Arthur Scargill and Meryl Streep (Jennifer Saunders) as his long-suffering wife.
'More Bad News' follows the band on their reunion tour, five years after splitting up.
'Mr Jolly Lives Next Door', Nicholas Parsons gets embroiled in a scam by two drunken escort agency workers.
'The Yob' is a sci-fi spoof, where a pretentious video director has his brain swapped with a football hooligan's in a freak accident.
'Didn't You Kill My Brother?', a convicted killer is released from prison only to meet the evil twin who framed him.
'Funseekers' sees a group of young people arrive in Ibiza for the holiday of a lifetime.
'South Atlantic Raiders (Part I)', a young man sets off to rescue the woman he loves, thinking she is trapped in the Falklands with the Argentinians poised to invade once more.
'South Atlantic Raiders (Part II)' sees his worst fears confirmed, as he stumbles into an invasion plot by a group of renegade Argentinian officers.
'GLC' sees Charles Bronson (Robbie Coltrane) playing Ken Livingstone, in an epic Hollywood production about his attempt to stop Margaret Thatcher (Saunders) from executing the Prince of Wales.
'Oxford', two female students find themselves practising deception to get onto an English Literature course at the university.
'Spaghetti Hoops' sees a bank chairman avoiding two incompetant hitmen after embezzling millions.
'Les Dogs' sees an upper-class wedding turn into a war zone.
'Red Nose of Courage' follows the career of John Major (Edmondson), leaving his family of circus entertainers to become Prime Minister.
'The Crying Game' follows the fortunes of a wannabe football star.
'Wild Turkey', a family are held hostage by their Christmas dinner.
'Detectives on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown' sees the inept detectives caught up in a 1970s-style murder investigation.
'Space Virgins From the Planet Sex' sees secret agent James Blond (Richardson) use his non-PC ways to stop a group of beautiful female aliens.
'Queen of the Wild Frontier' follows two escaped convicts on the run.
'Gregory - Diary of a Nutcase' is the record of an aspiring serial killer.
'Demonella' sees a music producer sell his soul to the devil for fame and fortune.
'Jealousy', a husband is driven mad by his suspicion of his wife. 'Four Men in a Car' follows four salesmen on the way to a conference.
'Four Men in a Plane' sees the salesmen crash-land in the desert, where they are forced to fend for themselves.

Priced very temptingly at Ł49.99, this set provides the complete experience in one bundle, and will undoubtedly prove to be a huge seller. More details will follow as I work my way through the 30 hours or so of material that is included - it's a chore but someone has to do it!!!