Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5570 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-11-25
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 60 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A Gothic-comedy masterpiece, The League of Gentlemen Christmas Special is a horrific anthology of three related stories, all set in Royston Vasey, which takes its inspiration as much from the writings of MR James and Edgar Allan Poe as the low-budget Hammer and Amicus shockers that the team parody so affectionately. The stories are all linked by the Dickensian device of Reverend Bernice receiving unexpected guests on Christmas Eve: the first concerns troubled married couple Charlie and Stella becoming unwittingly involved in voodoo and witchcraft; the second features the horrendous Herr Lipp in a Nosferatu skit that reveals the terrible truth about what really goes on in Duisburg; while the third, and best, tells of the horrible hereditary curse that afflicted Dr Chinnery's great-grandfather. This one-off special distils all the League's penchant for disturbing, twisted characterisation and macabre humour into a single hour; the result is one of the most daring "comedies" ever seen on British TV.

On the DVD: The League of Gentlemen Christmas Special on disc contains the hour-long main feature accompanied by a diverse and entertaining array of extras. There's another illuminating group commentary; a 20-minute documentary "Tales from Behind the Crypt", in which we get to see excerpts from the team's first ensemble effort, "Highgate House of Horror"; a chat with composer Jody Talbot; and the League themselves "In Conversation" with Paul Jackson in the complete Radio 4 broadcast. A selection of out-takes, extended scenes, character biographies and a photo gallery are all worthwhile, but best of all is a Jackanory special with Mark Gatiss as the Victorian Dr Chinnery telling the Gothic tale of "The Curse of the Karrit Poor", a spot-on Arthur Conan Doyle spoof. --Mark Walker

Special Features
English
Region 2

Synopsis
More surreal and disturbing comedy from theLEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN. In classic 'A Christmas Carol' style, the League of Gentlemen present three yuletide stories about the bizarre lives of the inhabitants of Royston Vasey. The state of the Christmas tree provokes Stella to reconsider her life with Charlie. In the next section, Herr and Frau Lipp take in a young student boy and reveal their vampire side. Finally a flashback that sees how Dr Chinnery's ancestor changed once he moved to Royston Vasey.

Customer Reviews

The perfect blend of comedy and horror!
The League of Gentlemen do it again! This Christmas Special shows just howvital the quartet are to the British comedy scene.
At the time this was a big departure for the Gents - losing the 'sketch'feel of previous series', ditching the often annoying laughter track andreplacing them with deeper characterisation and a film-like narrativetelling three 20-minute stories. A risky business, but they pull it off sowell you wonder why they don't just do things this way all the time!Series 3, which followed this, was definitely on par with, if not betterthan the Special, although some people strangely dislike it.....what theymust put in their cornflakes I have no idea. Maybe Mr. Briss's SpecialStuff...
If you watch this you, like me, won't be able to wait for their muchanticipated full movie which is planned for cinema release next spring.They've yet to put a foot wrong in my eyes.

A very local Christmas, a real good treat.... Umm
This superb Christmas special features everything that is great about The League of Gentlemen, past, present and future.

Loosely themed around ‘A Christmas Carol’ we visit Royston Vasey in the present day for the tale of Stella and Charlie, a marriage made in hell. Charlie loves line dancing, Stella loves… another man. The obvious way out of their predicament is to visit the local women’s group ‘Solutions’. With her Spiderman mask Stella trots off for advice, guidance, and the threat of Anne Robinson in case they swizz her.

We then visit Herr Lip, his wife Lotty, and of course his church full of choir boys. The usual torrent of ‘innocent’ misunderstandings commence, with Herr Lipps new house guest getting more than he wanted for Christmas

We return to Royston vasey for our final story, and at long last discover the reason for Mr Chinnerys absolute incompetence, a real treat as we get to meet a Victorian Barbara who is having trouble with her bustle, not to mention the Victorian Pauline and Mickey (love)

All stories are intertwined by extremely entertaining links delivered by the wonderful vicar, Bernice (and friends).

A superb special that needs no introduction, or indeed prior knowledge of the series, you’ll either love seeing your old favourites, or be left regretting not watching the previous series

Oh God, it's getting like bloody Jackanory in here!
The League of Gentlemen depart from their two previous series for the first time. Gone is the sketch show crossed with soap opera, bringing us instead this wonderful seasonal special. Despite both these series providing viewers with enough comedy to merit Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith as brilliant writers who have created a cult classic, this Christmas Special shown in 2000 did enough to propel them to even greater heights. Here, they use an increased budget and several horror influences to deliver a genuinely unsettling, though strangely gripping experience.

Set on Christmas Eve in the dark and strange northern town of Royston Vasey, the unsympathetic Reverend Bernice (Shearsmith) is about to settle down to a quiet night in, until three unexpected visitors arrive and treat us to an hour of scary stories in a similar, though far more macabre way, to "A Christmas Carol".

Firstly, a depressed Charlie Hull (Pemberton) tells of a "cheese-dream" where his jealous wife Stella (Shearsmith) ruins his chances at a line-dancing competition through a strange group known as "Solutions"...

Next, an elderly man named Matthew tells of his terrifying experiences in the German town of Duisberg during Christmas 1975, at the hands of German exchange teacher Herr Lipp (Pemberton) and his wife Lotte (Gatiss), who may or may not be vampires...

Then, as the night closes in, hopeless veterinary Mr Chinnery (Gatiss) explains the reason behind his own misfortunes, dating back to Victorian London, a practice called Purblind, Boothby and Canker, and the mysterious curse of Karrit Poor...

All through this, Bernice has her own Christmas woes to worry about, as she relives a Christmas past where her mother was taken by an evil stranger at her front door posing as Santa Claus, and it is only at the very end that all is revealed...

Also, many familiar faces from the first two series are present in some form or another, such as the Dentons, Pauline, Ross and Mickey, Pam Doove, Barbara, Judee and Iris, Vinnie and Reenie, Mike King and Papa Lazarou.

Shown in 16:9 widescreen with stereo sound, there are also DVD extras, including, among other things, a cast commentary, an hour-long radio interview and, best of all, a Jackanory-style story by Mr Chinnery, about "The Curse of Karrit Poor".

Christmas will never be the same again - yule never leave!