It's been a while since I've seen this one, but I wondered why Basil doesn't make a political comment about the American couple turning up late. (I guess it wouldn't be proper, mentioning the War after all...
)This is funny, although I wish the American concept was played up more a la "The Germans" episode.
"The chef would like me to tell you that he's sorry, but we're all out of Waldorf."
How can you not think of that line whenever somebody mentions a Waldorf Salad? Classic.
"It Sounds like a walnut that has gone off" also cracks me up. Was this episode inspired by JC seeing Waldof Salad on a menu & not knowing what it is?
How can you not think of Dick van Dyke when somebody mentions a walnut?
Bruce Boas the abrasive American in this episode should be familiar to Star Wars fans. He played General Riekin, the rebel commander of the Hoth Base who tells Han Solo he'll be sorry to see him go
I don't understand liking celery, apples, walnuts, and grapes in a mayonaisse sauce.
MikeC: I wish the American concept was played up more
It's been a while since I've seen this one, but I wondered why Basil doesn't make a political comment about the American couple turning up late. (I guess it wouldn't be proper, mentioning the War after all... )
I don't understand liking celery in anything.
The best scene is Basil yelling at the imaginary cook.
Ha! I didn't realize the waldorf salad loving american was in Empire Strikes back, but when I heard him berating Basil I recognized his voice from Full Metal Jacket. No, he wasn't the Drill Sergeant....sheesh!! The actor (Bruce Boa) played some poge Colonel who jumps all over Joker for having a peace button on his body armor. He shouts a rapid slew of motivational aphorisms like:
"Whose side are you on, son?"
"Don't you love your country?"
"...how about getting with the program"
"...jump with the team and come in for the big win."
and of course the most ironic:
"...we've all got to keep our heads until this peace craze blows over." He spews all this at Matthew Modine in that same gravelly voice.
He died April 17 this year.
And, ironically, the guy who did such a great job of portraying an 'ugly' american was actually a Canadian :-)
This one never sat well with me. The American just seemed too unpleasant. I didn't find it funny.
I agree with you, Samuel. This one was probably the worst of the twelve. It really didnt do anything for me either. And it also had probably the WORST ending of any FT episode. It was lame and anticlimactic, and not very funny. At least I think so. Oh well!
Also, this episode had three jokes that went right over my head. The "Oh, since 1485" joke, the "They say Burt Lancaster had one (a palm tree) but I dont believe 'em" joke, and the "No, I wont have that, there's a place in Eastbourne, what was it's name" joke. Does anyone else understand these? Or do you have to be British to get them?
And Basil actually does say something quite profound near the end. "This is exactly how Nazi Germany got started! A bunch of layabouts with nothing better to do than to cause trouble!"
That sounds pretty accurate to me!
A review I recently posted to Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Monographic-Mexican-Species-Enlinia-Diptera/dp/B002JMNU54/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379088679&sr=1-13
Har har, yuk yuk. That was kinda sorta funny I guess. I got a small chuckle out of it, at least.
So you didn't have anything else better to do this morning, huh Todd? Sheesh!