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Editorial Review of Mr. Bean - The Whole Bean (Complete Set) (1994) courtesy of Amazon.com
Bean, Bean, maniacal nut / The more you watch, you bust a gut! First unleashed in 1989, this sketch series was embraced by PBS viewers in the United States. In the tradition of the great silent clowns, Rowan Atkinson created a character with universal and multi-generational appeal (the sketches have little dialogue and are driven by often ingenious physical comedy). Like Bart Simpson, the resourceful, mischievous, and sometimes malevolent Bean is the inner child incarnate who acts on the impulses polite society normally represses. Atkinson has described Bean as “a 9-year-old boy, with an apparent lack of worldly experience, but an ingenuity that is quite clever in dealing with problems presented to him.” These problems include not knowing a single answer on an exam, tactfully disposing of a revolting restaurant meal, changing into his swimsuit at the beach without first removing his pants, and, most hilariously, getting a turkey stuck on his head (a classic bit reprised in the ill-conceived 1997 feature film).
Atkinson has enjoyed some mainstream success stateside. He was the nervous minister (”...your awfully wedded wife") in Four Weddings and a Funeral, and the voice of Zazu in The Lion King. But he mainly enjoys cult status among British comedy aficionados as a founding member of Not the Nine O’Clock News and the star of the Black Adder series. Bean is his crowning creation. In addition to all 14 episodes, this generous boxed set contains previously unaired sketches, Comic Relief appearances, and a segment about Bean’s creation, which serves as a nifty introduction for the uninitiated. It also contains a preview for the new Mr. Bean animated series. This seems redundant. As this collection hilariously demonstrates, Bean is already animated enough. --Donald Liebenson
Product Description of Mr. Bean - The Whole Bean
Starring the incomparable Rowan Atkinson (Blackadder, Four Weddings and a Funeral), Mr. Bean has won a tin full of international awards and built a cult following around the globe that’s well, frankly, a little frightening.
Volume 1:
Episode 1 - Mr. Bean
- The Exam
- On The Beach
- The Church
Episode 2 - The Return Of Mr. Bean
- The Department Store
- Restaurant
- Royal Film
Episode 3 - The Curse of Mr. Bean
- The Carpark
- The Swimming Pool
- The Park Bench
- Horror Movie
Episode 4 - Mr. Bean Goes To Town
- Television
- The Park
- Identity Parade
- Club Phut
- The Disco
Episode 5 - The Trouble With Mr. Bean
- The Dentist
- Dressing In Car
- The Park
Volume 2:
Episode 6 - Mr. Bean Rides Again
- Heart Attack
- Post Box
- Packing Suitcase
- On The Plane
Episode 7 - Merry Christmas Mr. Bean
- Christmas Shopping (Harrods)
- Carol Singing
- Turkey
Episode 8 - Mr. Bean In Room 426
- Hotel - Checking In
- Food Poisoning
- Locked Out
Episode 9 - Mind The Baby Mr. Bean
- Funfair With Baby
- Bumper Cars
- Nappy Change
- Balloons
Episode 10 - Do It Yourself Mr. Bean
- New Year’s Eve Party
- Armchair On Car
- Do It Yourself
Volume 3:
Episode 11 - Back To School Mr. Bean
- School
- Science Lab
- Art Lesson
- Judo
- Wrong Trousers
- Tank
Episode 12 - Tee Off, Mr. Bean
- Launderette
- Crazy Golf
Episode 13 - Good Night Mr. Bean
- Hospital
- Guard
- Insommnia
Episode 14 - Hair By Mr. Bean Of London
- Hairdressers
- Village Fete
- Pet Show
- Mail Bag
Plus The Story Of Mr. Bean - A forty minute documentary of Mr. Bean
Never-Before-Seen-On-TV Sketches: Bus Stop and Library
System Requirements:
Running Time: (total) 6 hrs., 15 min. + Extras.
Copyright 2003 A&E Home Video.
Format: DVD MOVIE
Trivia for Mr. Bean
- The title music “Ecce homo” ("Behold the man"), like many TV themes by Howard Goodall, was originally written as a serious piece of church choral music. New lyrics (in Latin) were written for “Mr. Bean”: “Ecce homo qui est faba. Vale homo qui est faba” ("Behold the man who is a bean. Farewell the man who is a bean").
- In the first episode during the church sketch, the unseen preacher is the voice of Rowan Atkinson. He is speaking nonsensical gibberish in his natural voice.
- The original proposed name for the character was Mr. White. Names of vegetables were next, including Mr. Cauliflower, ending with the choice of Mr. Bean.
- Mr. Bean’s first name is never revealed.
- Mr. Bean’s yellow car is crushed by a tank in the “Back to School Mr. Bean” episode, though it’s back again in the next episode.
- Mr. Bean’s flat completely changes between episodes. For example, in “The Trouble with Mr. Bean”, his bed is in the living room. In “Do It Yourself Mr. Bean”, he has a separate bedroom.
- Based on an original character created by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson.
- The classic car park sequence was filmed at the Heathrow Airport Bowl car park. Mr Bean then walks out of the car park into the swimming baths, which are actually six miles away.
- The blue vehicle that Mr. Bean encounters and causes to get into accidents in some episodes is a light blue Reliant Regal Supervan III.
- The identity of the driver of the blue car that Mr. Bean sometimes encounters in certain episodes has never been revealed.
- The license plate on Mr. Bean’s green car is SLW 287 R.
- The shows have been shown on more than 50 airlines.
- The show has been sold in over 245 territories worldwide.
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