Review of Vicar Of Dibley, The Best Of

Introduction

Richard Curtis is one of Britain`s most promising comic writers. His CV consists of many famous TV shows and the odd film as well, all received well by critics, and his career will no doubt go from strength to strength.

One of his comic creations was The Vicar of Dibley, a sitcom about a female priest (this was devised as women were battling for the right to become members of the cloth) who lives in a small village in the middle of nowhere - Dibley. The villagers are a mixed bunch, all with particular quirks and idiosyncrasies.

This DVD contains some of the best clips from the show`s three series (and specials), together with an interview with Dawn French (who plays Geraldine, the vicar) and the executive producer, Peter Bennet-Jones.

Video

It is presented in 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, proving that TV-DVD transfers can be well done - kudos going to the dear old BBC for the decision to film the show in widescreen. The print is crisp and clear at all times, with a good palette, and no artefacts are visible.

The village of Dibley is brought to life well, by using some good cinematography and locales that really do set the scene well.

Audio

A DD 2.0 track is on offer, nothing explosive unfortuantely, but hey - what does one expect from a stereo track? As it stands, it is a fairly good try, as there are some good ambience levels, and the dialogue is crisp and clear.

The interview between French and Bennet-Jones is interesting, as they discuss how the show was created, and then focus on each individual actor who plays a big role in the show, which is good, and all in all it is very insightful.

Features

Considering this is an `informative disc`, extras aren`t that essential, but the disc does contain one fairly meaty one - entitled "The Real Vicar`s of Dibley". This is a 30 minute look at real women vicars, and it shows how Curtis tried to implement parts of their lifestyle into his sitcom. Worth a watch.

The menus are animated well, with music in the background and some good animated clips.

Conclusion

For fans this is a good purchase, as it compliments the show well. But, the uninitiated must remember - this disc does not contain episodes! Instead, it is an informative look at the evolution of the hit sitcom...a 90 minute documentary that, although the BBC won`t admit it, would have been a great extra on the proper episode discs.

The disc itself is satisfactory - good presentation and an extra that fills out the DVD even more.

If the price is right, and you are an ardent fan of everything Dibley, then go for this (especially as Christmas is nigh...a nice little stocking filler), but before you put it in your player, remember to have a little chuckle at the nerve of some distributors nowadays - instead of being sensible and accompanying the proper release with this, they demand more of your hard-earned cash. As they say, the choice is yours...