 MR
BILL’S CLASSICS (Anchor
Bay) DVD. Comedy. 75 minutes. NR, Play-Doh violence. Mr. Bill, a figure made out of Play-Doh, was a popular
feature on Saturday Night Live back in the 1970s and generated a semi cult
following. In all of the eighteen 4-5 minute episodes here, Mr. Bill
hilariously falls victim to Mr. Hand’s (only live character) cruelty and
the treacherous Sluggo (evil Play-Doh figure). Mr. Bill is squashed,
pierced, broken, set on fire, electrocuted, painted, beheaded, and so much
more! Also brutalized is Mr. Bill’s dog Spot, his Mom, and his chickie
Miss Sally. These episodes were cheaply shot on super-8 and they still
appear that way, thankfully. So much charm. All of the episodes are
hilarious and brought back a lot of childhood memories. Ohh Nooo!!! DVD
extras include: commentary by Mr. Bill and Mr. Hand, which I found
annoying as hell. A game called “Name That Ohhh” where you must figure
out why Mr. Bill is yelling in pain. I found this game rather amusing. You
are treated to a never before seen Mr. Bill after you complete the game. A
Mr. Bill trivia game that rewards you with other shorts produced by Mr.
Bill’s creator. Finally, storyboards of various Mr. Bill episodes, which
are stupid. I really dug this DVD because I loved Mr. Bill and I remember
trying my hardest to stay awake on Saturday nights just to catch him. Now,
they’re all mine. What I love about Mr. Bill is that it’s not digital
and it looks like it was shot in someone’s cellar. Just some slobs with
Play-Doh having a little fun. To be honest, I have no idea how people
under the age of 25 or so will react to Mr. Bill and I certainly don’t
care. I had a friggin ball watching this DVD! – Denis Sheehan
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