Stars: John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Connie Booth, Andrew Sachs, Ballard Berkeley, Ballard Berkeley, Gilly Flower, Brian Hall, Rene Roberts

Director: Bob Spiers

Summary: The trials and tribulations faced by the owner of a hotel in Torquay. The complete twelve episodes: 'A Touch Of Class', 'The Builders', 'The Wedding Party', 'The Hotel Inspectors', 'Gourmet Night', 'The Germans', 'Communication Problems', 'The Kipper And The Corpse', 'The Psychiatrist', 'Waldorf Salad', 'The Anniversary' and 'Basil The Rat'.

No-one can believe that there were only ever twelve episodes of FAWLTY TOWERS. Perhaps it was because they couldn't come up with any more anagrams for the opening credits

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Often hailed as the greatest ever British sitcom, Fawlty Towers is closer to the more elaborate tradition of farce. Comprising two series made in 1975 and 1979, the total of just 12 episodes were painstakingly constructed by writers John Cleese and Connie Booth. Unlike most British farces, however, Fawlty Towers deals with the big themes--death, psychology, xenophobia and even sex-o-phobia (Basil's marriage to Sybil is the most sterile ever depicted in a sitcom). Basil's contempt for his guests is, of course, legendary. It takes little from patrons to unleash his sledgehammer sarcasm: "Rosewood, mahogany, teak? Sorry, I was wondering what you'd like your breakfast tray made out of," he sneers at a guest who dares request breakfast in bed. Like every Englishman, he wants to be king of his own castle and resents having to take in lodgers to maintain the place, especially the open-necked younger generation, whom he regards as sub-human. Mostly, though, Fawlty Towers is comedy of exasperation--who can forget the "damn good thrashing" Basil gives his clapped-out car, or the nervous breakdowns he almost suffers trying to make himself understood to Manuel? It's also comedy of embarrassment. The very fear of losing his dignity generally leads Basil into the most spectacularly undignified of predicaments. His inevitable misery is our sheer delight.--David Stubbs

Aspect Ratio:	4:3
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Exclusive Interview With John Cleese, Exclusive Interview With Prunella Scales, Exclusive Interview With Andrew Sachs, Commentary On Series One By The Director John Howard Davies, Commentary On Series Two By Director Bob Spiers, Artist Profiles, Out Takes, Scene
Subtitles:	Dutch, English, French, German
Year:	1975
Release Date:	November 19, 2001
Runtime:	374 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B B C D V D 1072
Keywords:	Comedy, General, Three, Fawlty, Towers, Tv, Complete, Discs
Genre:	Comedy