In the worlds before Monkey, primal chaos reigned. Heaven sought order, but the Phoenix ... more
can fly only when it's feathers are grown. The four worlds formed again and yet again, as endless aeons wheeled and passed. Time and the pure essence of Heaven, the...
A loose (very loose) Japanese TV adaptation of Wu Ch'eng-en's 16th-century collection of ... more
Chinese fables,Monkey!was re-dubbed into English in the early 1980s and became required viewing for a whole generation of schoolchildren. The titular monkey (played with great enthusiasm, not to mention athleticism by Japanese comic actor and former rock star Masaaki Sakai) accompanies boy-monk Tripitaka (confusingly, a pretty actress called Masako Natsume) on his/her quest for the Indian Sutras. They pick up Sandy (Shiro Kishibe), Pigsy (Toshiyuki Nishida) and a dragon that becomes a horse along the way.The appeal ofMonkey!is easier to experience than explain. It's an occasionally surreal blend of Oriental fable, knockabout martial arts, pop Buddhism and slapstick comedy. The frequent comic fight scenes are accompanied by a 70s disco-fusion soundtrack, and a narrator (English voice: Frank Duncan) uses gaps in the action to deliver inscrutable snippets of wisdom ("Even a starving camel is still bigger than a horse", "Does love mean labour even for the carp-hearted?"). Best of all, though, is the dialogue: without regard to any lip-synch niceties the English script (by David Weir) is full of idiomatic delights, jokes and double entendres ("I can use it as well", boasts Monkey of his staff that grows from a tiny stick into a big pole. "Ooh, I never doubted it passionate primate", purrs the Dragon Princess into his ear, "go on, make it bigger"). All are delivered by British actors in hilariously cod-Japanese accents (distinguished thesp Miriam Margolyes is the voice of Tripitaka). Bad special effects crown the show's cheesy, retro appeal. ----Mark Walker
Postage & Packaging:£2.69 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Action/Adventure - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Jack Ging, Marla Heasley, Lance Legault, Melinda Culea, Mr T, Dwight Schultz, Dirk Benedict, George Peppard, Carl Franklin
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Advantages: So cute, hilarious and heartwarming - a really unique classic Disadvantages: If you don't like this you have no soul (or not zany enough humour)
Starring:
Masaaki Sakai as Sun Wu-Kong (Monkey)
Toshiyuki Nishida as Zhu Ba-Jie (Pigsy)
Shirô Kishibe as Sha Wu-Jing (Sandy)
Masako Natsume as Xuanzang Sanzang (Tripitaka)
I used to absolutely love this incredibly funny, crazy and utterly heartwarming Japanese TV series when it was on, and in a couple of rounds of repeats since then! This show ran in the UK from 1978 to 1980 as three series of 13 episodes. There were a further 13 episodes that were never shown here at the time, but they have now been released and are presented as bonus tracks on the DVD releases of the show.
The story of the series is based on a 16th century novel written by Wu Ch'eng-en (c1505-1580), of which I have an old and tatty paperback translation by Arthur Waley issued by Unwin Paperbacks (1979). If you loved this show, I can heartily recommend trying to ...
Advantages: Chock full of humour and great ethos Disadvantages: Special effects are now so dated.
such fun, secondly there is a lot of action. Monkeys common remark is "I love to fight"
The third thing is morals. This programme is like a visual Aesop's Fable. Every episode contains wisdom and tries to instill morales and principles into the viewer. It certainly could even give many adults food for thought. Also the programme cleverly deals with real issues that would be a part of childrens and adults lives, by putting the characters in many precarious situations, and dealing with these issues. The programme is very deep and profound but keeps it appealing by adding so much humour.
All the characters are so likeable, even Pigsy with his womanising and obsession with food, he is also a coward, but when the chips are down he comes through. But largely Monkey is a loveable charcter. He is the type of character that everybody would want ...
Advantages: Excellent twisting tale Disadvantages: No special features
conventional nurse, she is a three foot tall chimpanzee.
Initially the experiment goes badly, and Allan cannot get to grips with Ella and the way she is. But as time goes on an little accidents occur Allan realises that he has come to depend on Ella more than he has with any other person. As the effects of Ella make real changes in Allan, the people that Allan scared off when he was too upset about his disability start to return. But as they become more involved in Allan?s lives the results leave Ella in the dark, and she is just not prepared to be left in the corner and forgotten.
When I first watched Monkey Shines I had no idea what the movie was about, I saw it in a TV magazine with 5 stars next to it and a brief description so I chose to watch the movie. Although I love horror movies, I really enjoy a good drama; and many of these have ...
Product Information for "Monkey! - Episodes 25-27 (DVD)" »
Product details
Genre
Action & Adventure
Classification
Parental Guidance
Production Year
1980
Running Time
2 hours 48 minutes
Video Category
Television
Plot
Episodes are: 'The Country Of Nightmares', 'The End Of The Way' and 'Pigsy's Ten Thousand Ladies' with a plus bonus episode 'The Fake Pilgrims'.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
FREMANTLE HOME ENTERTAINMENT; ARVATO SERVICES
Release date
24/02/2003
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
FHED 1514
Barcode
5030697005441
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Principal Cast Biographies, Still Galleries, Web Links, Random Narrator Quote Generator
Sound
Dolby Digital
DVD Description
The ninth volume of this much-loved Japanese TV series follows the continuing adventures of the irrepressible Monkey (Masaaki Sakai) and his friends. The collection features "The Country of Nightmares," "The End of the Way," "Pigsy's Ten Thousand Ladies," and one previously unseen episode.
Compare Monkey! - Episodes 25-27 (DVD) to other similar Action & Adventure »
![Monkey! - Episodes 25-27 [1980] [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78532522.jpg)
![Monkey! - Episodes 25-27, The Country of Nightmares / The End of the Way / Pigsy's Ten Thousand Ladies [VHS]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/89965496.jpg "Monkey! - Episodes 25-27, The Country of Nightmares / The End of the Way / Pigsy's Ten Thousand Ladies [VHS]")
