The Life of Python
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Movie Reviews of The Life of Python
Movie Review: What's all this then?
Summary: 5 Stars
If you've reached burnout point after watching the Pythons' always-too-small body of work just too many times, pick up The Life of Python. Besides being a great documentary, it's full of rarities you might never see otherwise: one of the elusive "Fliegender Zirkus" episodes, the May Day special, behind-the-scenes footage from their films, etc. I can't explain why I found the May Day special absolutely hilarious, but it (like the rest of the special on Volume One) unearths some moments of true brilliance - such as Graham Chapman's unexpected turn as a Swede, through nothing more than the use of some old BBC footage run backwards. The new material is top-notch, as are the performances; seeing most of them together again, even without Chapman (my favorite), gives a Python fan the sense that all is right with the world. The fact that the special surprises you by going on for an eternity helps as well.The only comparison I can make is to the Beatles Anthology - some great new material, but mostly a fascinating look at how it all went together. (Quite an appropriate format for the Beatles of Sketch Comedy.) And if you're new to Python, or interested in the roots of the wonderful dementia which spawned modern classics like Kids in the Hall and Mr. Show with Bob and David, this compendium does a great job of making sense of it all.
Movie Review: Ah, yes....
Summary: 4 Stars
'Fliegender Zirkus #1' is among the funniest TV programmes the group ever did (among many others, of course). So this means I'll have to hold onto my England-imported Guerilla Films VHS copy of the two German episodes for a while longer. Hopefully this wrong will be corrected one day, and 'Fliegender Zirkus #1' (AS WELL AS "Live at the Hollywood Bowl") will get the DVD treatment. But it's too bad they couldn't get it right the first time.With that said, this 2-disc set still makes a fine companion piece to the 45 'Flying Circus' episodes. In addition to 'Fliegender Zirkus #2,' it's got an almost definitive documentary of the Monty Python story, a travelogue of the locations of where the group filmed many of their beloved sketches, a Python song review, new material by the surviving boys (though none of it really adds anything to the Python legacy, but it's still interesting to watch), AND the somewhat legendary, long-lost 7-minute May Day special from 1971 (though, again, it adds nothing to the Python legacy [especially since it uses bits from other 'Flying Circus' episodes], but is still interesting to watch -- and, yes, John Cleese's comment after it ends is priceless....classic Cleese). So pick up a copy of "The Life of Python" today. Apart from that glaring omission of 'Fliegender Zirkus #1,' it's still a must for any Monty Python fan.
Movie Review: Eees averrryyy niiice!
Summary: 5 Stars
For a Pythonite like myself, frantically clawing away at everything resembling Python for years on end, waiting for something new to happen, this is an incredible set. Wonderful, fantastic, terrific....Sorry, I'll start again.
This is a very nice set of videos. Tape One is very nice. It is a very nice colour, and has a faint lemonish odour. It's great to see the Pythons do new stuff, especially the old characters, like Arthur Ewing (still at the mice), and Luigi Vercotti. Even new characters have distinct Pythonic family traits (like the BBC Removal Man - isn't he the Gas Cooker man's brother?"). The documentary is one of the best round-ups of Python I've seen, especially seeing stuff like the French Taunter getting his mustache, Brian smoking his pipe, and the wobbly footage of the original script meetings. Pure class.
The second tape gets even better, if slightly less odourous. More new stuff! Reapraisals of Pepperpots (looking more convincing), Gumbies, Fairies and the obligational City Stockbroker ("I'd really love to see someone drown"). Mike does a tour of Pythonland (complete with Japanese guide book), Eric delivers the dirt on WHO Monty Python was, and Carol waves her, erm.... hair.. around. The Spam to Sperm segment is nice, Meatloaf being a, shall we say, interesting host. Oh, and there's that hilarious Ken Shabby reapraisal.
The third tape is just the 2nd German Episode. Seen it before, no real excitement. It's not a bad episode nonetheless. John's expert with a chart is hilarious ("eeenggg heeeii woooh de hargeeeoiiiu....").
D'you want to come back to my place?
Movie Review: I was expecting an exciting film on constricting snakes!
Summary: 1 Stars
I purchased this video thinking it would be a scholarly report on the lives of various types of pythons (i.e. the burmese, the reticulated, the dwarf), all members of the family Pythonidae. There was not a single mention of any real constrictors- only the story of someone named "Monty Python", whomever that is. Not a single mention of my personal favourite, the majestic royal python, P. regius, or even the common Indian variety, P. molorus. What is next, "Reg Anaconda", or "Doug & Dinsdale Piranha?" I haven't been so disappointed since there were only 2 Crunchy Frogs and NO Spring Surprises in my Whizzo Chocolates assortment! Yours truly, Group Captain Nempnett Thrubwell-Fawlty, DFC, DSO, BMF (Mrs.) PS- I loved this set. Things I'd never seen, dirt about the filming of Holy Grail, Brian, & Meaning Of Life. Cleese in a dirndl was quite fetching, & his eulogy of Graham Chapman was almost worth the price of admission. Too bad there were no llamas, & no small marsupials ate the delicious eucalyptus leaves, yum, yum. G'day, Bruce!Movie Review: Has its moments
Summary: 3 Stars
This disc has its ups and downs, but enough truly wonderful moments (especially Michael Palin's mock-travelogue "Pythonland") to make it worth buying for fans of the series. Even the "biography" which opens Disc One leaves you wanting more (it jumps from the poorly received Episode One to 'Monty Python and The Holy Grail'), but contains the priceless John Cleese eulogy of Graham Chapman which is absolutely touching and appropriate for Python.Inexplicably, A&E includes only the second (of two) German episodes on the second disc. Why not include both? ("Never broadcast in the United States"... unless you count the few times its been on PBS).
There are several actual attempts at doing new sketches throughout the first disc. Although they are mostly bizarre misfires (The Gorilla skit ranks right up there with "Find the Fish" in the Python pantheon of oddball concepts), it is nice to see that Michael Palin hasn't lost a single step, and its always a treat to see Terry Jones doing comedy again. It is nice that the Pythons made the extra effort here. (Cleese's comment at the end of the "Mayday" film is priceless!)