Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23438 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-09-13
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Black & White, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 180 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Fresh from their success with Tony Hancock, writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson originally planned Steptoe and Son as a one-off for the BBC’s Comedy Playhouse. It was quickly turned into a series, originally broadcast in 1962, and the six episodes here (including the Comedy Playhouse "pilot") contain all the classic ingredients that were to keep the show on British TV screens until 1974. Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell are the father and son rag and bone men, constantly bickering, constantly at each other’s throats. Corbett’s Harold harbours ridiculous bourgeois aspirations, hoping to impress the "birds" with asparagus soup or his wine cellar, which has been painstakingly collected by draining the dregs of empty bottles. But all his efforts at social improvement are in vain, thanks to the mean-spirited efforts of his father Albert, who glories in his son’s contemptuous "dirty old man" tag, and who is content with life exactly as it is in the cast-off paradise of their ramshackle junk-filled boneyard.

The show was groundbreaking at the time, depicting working-class people in light comedy instead of serious social drama as was the norm. It also differed significantly from Hancock’s Half Hour and other sitcoms, which featured comedians effectively playing themselves: Brambell and Corbett were real actors whose marvellous chemistry helped ensure the show’s longevity. In our modern throwaway culture, Steptoe and Son provides a window into a bygone era, when men with horses and carts routinely patrolled the streets recycling junk, without the need for government incentives or environmental pressure.

On the DVD: Steptoe and Son, Series 1 has six episodes on one disc. The black and white picture shows its age quite badly, and the mono sound is equally fuzzy in places. There are no extras, which is a shame, as Galton and Simpson could surely have provided an illuminating commentary track. --Mark Walker

Synopsis
The comic genius of two of Britain's most extraordinary scriptwriters and the talents of two comedy actors come together to produce this wildly popular British television series. This volume contains the original one-off The Offer, as well as The Bird, The Piano, The Economist, The DIploma and The Holiday from the very first series.

Customer Reviews

The Godlike genius of Galton and Simpson
At last a promise of Steptoe and Son series by series. This is the birth of the modern sit com. Actors playing the leads and as much to make you cry as to make you laugh. It's been said before but Steptoe is like Pinter with less pauses and more laughs. I love this programme more than any other ever made (and I was only 3 when the last episode was broadcast), it stings with the realities of life and somewhere in Peckham the birth cries of Del Boy can be heard.

We tend to think that that modern sit coms such as The Office are "out there" compared to the older ones, however Steptoe was the bravest sit com ever made from it's tone, language and the evil old Albert (making David Brent appear a cuddly teddy bear) to the choice of real actors rather than comedians. It's because of this that it still repays viewing today. Ignore the black and white, the mono sound, it doesn't matter, it's still the best British sitcom ever made.

Buy it.

You Dirty Old Man!
I've got to say this is one of the best DVD's I have bought! It is the most sincere and hilarious sitcoms ever made. This had the fine line between comedy and tragedy sussed way before sitcoms like 'Only Fools & Horses' & 'Blackadder'. I'm so glad they're bringing them out as series. Before I bought this DVD I'd never seen any of the early episodes in black and white but they are the finest pieces of work I've seen in a long while. It's the sort of thing that could never look old fashioned because they looked old fashioned then.

The performances from Wilfred Brambell & Harry H Corbett are superb. As each episode goes on you feel more and more sorry for Harold and realise just how dirty and coniving his father, Albert, is. The relationship between these to characters never seems unrealistic and you can always understand why Harold can never leave the world he's trapped in by his father.

Aswell as great performances the script and plot are always brilliantly structured and just reinforces the status of Galton & Simpson as one of the best comedy writing duos on television.

The first episode alone, in my opinion, would be ground breaking stuff it was made nowadays. I've never known a sitcom to have a first episode that makes your heart go out to a character so soon. And right through to the last episode you'll be laughing and crying at this superb sitcom.

So I'd say buy this as it is one I could never get bored of. The picture quality is as good as possible but seriously when you get stuck in, like any good comedy, you forget it's black and white and you live it. So buy this and please BBC release the others!

The BEST!
Unfortunately Steptoe & Son doesn't seem to appeal to teenagers, but I am 17 and I must say that there's nothing more than I like on a Friday night then staying in and watching back-to-back episodes on a DVD.

I was delighted to see that every reviewer gave Steptoe & Son 5 stars. I was born into the age of technology with colour TV's and now widescreen TV's, surround sound etc. But I adore devouring the days of families huddled round a tiny black and white tv, and TV comedies such as Steptoe are such a rarity now. But an absolute English delight.

"HAROLD!"