Finally all the Python movies available in one glorious box set, this is something that all Python fans have been waiting for and to top it all, every film is in a high definition widescreen, NI.
GET ON WITH IT!!!
Sorry, any way on to scene 24, which is a nice box set with a few extras but nothing to shake a stick at, brother Maynard the Holy Handgrenade, aaarrrgghh, so lets start with the films in the order of the box set.
1. Monty Python's And Now For Something Completely Different
This was the first film that the Python's released and is a collection of sketches from the original TV series, but they were re-staged especially for a cinema release, all your favourite sketches are in this film. The famous "Say No More, Nudge, Nudge" skit, "Inflammatory Hungarioan Phrasebook", "Self Defence against Fruit", "Hell's Grannies", Blackmail" and the most famous of all "The Dead Parrot Sketch".
Ok so, you've seen them hundreds of times on TV but with all Monty Python stuff, it always brings a smile and a giggle with it.
This DVD is in a 1.78:1 ratio and has been remastered so the picture quality is superb, the colours are crisp and the picture far from grainy, the audio mix is mono which is a shame but hey, at least it's in Dolby Digital so it's crisp.
2. Monty Python And The Holy Grail
After a chance meeting with God, Arthur and his so called Knig-its of the Round Table, Sir Bedevere, Sir Lancelot The Brave, Sir Galahad the Pure and Sir Robin the not-so-pure and not-very-brave-either are sent on a sacred task of finding the all powerful Holy Grail.
On their quest King Arthur and his Knights come accross a number of terrifying hazzards, the taunts of the French, Tim the Enchanter, unhappy peasents, the world famous Knights who say Ni and the deadly rabbit with big pointy teeth.
This DVD comes in a two disc set, disc one containing the film with an extra 24 seconds of footage and follow the killer white rabbit, disc two is full of extras which I will go into at the end of this opinion with the other disc.
The Holy Grail has a fantastic DD5.1 soundtrack which is made use of extremely well, the rears used for effects such as wind and rain, the picture quality is brill, the animation sequences are bright and vibrant and "we are knights of the round table" music sequence has never sounded better.
Now the Special features, deep breath, fanfare, here goes
Disc 1
Subtitles for the people who don't like the film (taken from Shakespeare's Henry IV, part II)
ON-Screen Screenplay: Read the screenplay while you watch the film
Commentaries by Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones plus complaints by John Cleese, Eric Idle & Michael Palin
Animated menus in DD5.1
Follow the killer white rabbit
A special feature for the Had of Hearing
Disc 2
Three Mindless Sing-alongs!
The quest for the Hoil Grail locations
How to use your coconuts
Monty Python and The Holy Grail in LEGO
On location with the Pythons
Cast Directory
Original Sketches
Behind the scenes photos
A load of rubbish (a suprise package for the mentally challenged)
One of the most contraversial movies made by the Python team, Life of Brian is a satirical, scathing look at both religion and Hollywood's depiction of all things biblical. Back in 33 A.D. in Judea the time when there is no shortage of Massiahs and young jewish boy Brian Cohen is thrown in at the deep end and becomes the people Massiah, he is the true Massiah I should know I've followed a few, and as a result is taken on a series of absurd and funny circumstances.
This is probably 2nd in my favourite Python movies, the Pythons truely shine in the many characters that they play, with loads of memorable scenes such has Pontius Pilate's speech impediment and his loyal friend Biggus Dickus, the "what have the Romans ever done for us" scene and of course the world famous "always look on the bright side of life" finale.
Previously this DVD was released in an awful 4:3 ratio that was really grainy, but thankfully this version is a total remaster with a DD5.1 soundtrack, 1.85:1 ratio and not a bit of grain anywhere, except for the sand it's really grainy I remember once a bit gra.. GET ON WITH IT, anyway the DVD is superb the DD5.1 soundtrack is used very well, as I said before the picture is not grainy it's colours are vibrant and details really stand out quite well.
Not much on the special feature though, you get a documentary made at the time the film was been filmed and a theatrical trailer, so not much really.
Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life
The final Python movie and my favourite, the Pythons attempt at explaining the meaning of life from birth right up to death with nothing too sacred to be left out, The meaning of life is split into seven parts:
1 The Miracle of Birth (I see you have the machine that goes PING!!) From giving birth to your child to the third world (Yorkshire) where the Roman Cathlics have a baby boom and a brilliant budget breaking musical sequence with the very catchy "Every Sperm Is Sacred"
2 Growing and Learning At the private school young men learn about sex with there teacher giving a live demonstration with his wife of the blackboard come bed, here the explanation of foreplay is given in it's most graphical way.
3 Fighting Each Other From the link of playing rugby against the masters to the first world war and the friendship of troops to their commanding officers, baking a cake, buying a clock as a present, all done in the trenches and also the brilliant Marching up and down the square then onto the Zulu War and the wounded officer.
4 Middle Age A couple talking philosophy amongst other things, which a link for the next part
5 Live Organ Transplants Now this is not for the faint of heart, Terry Gilliam get his liver removed on the front room table with loads of blood and gore, while his wife talks to the surgeon, but is he? this links to Eric Idle coming out of the fridge to sing about life, brill
6 The Autumn Years Yes this is the chapter with Noel Coward sing about willies and then onto the famous Mr Creasote, a sick scene, no I don't mean it's sick, I mean there's buckets of the stuff, so if the sight of someone throwing up makes you throw up, then watch out.
Oh dear I've trodden in Monsieur's bucket.
7 Death Imagine a lovely cottage in the middle of nowhere, where a ouple have round friends for a dinner, only to be visited by a certain Mr Reaper, only to be told you have died and you must make your journey to the other side, so jump in your car and off you go, to heaven where it's christmas everyday and you can watch Jaws one, two and three, big musical this one, where all the dead characters from the film meet up.
Yet again this film is remastered, 1.85:1 ratio, but sadly the soundtrack is DD2.0 (Stereo), but if you set your amp to surround the rears do get used for echos and other sound effects, the picture quality is amazing crisp and clear with no grain whatsoever, no special features on this DVD the film starts straight away
So if you are a Python fan this is a must, I got mine from Play.com for £29.99 which is quite a good price, the only thing which is a real shame about this box set is the fact that you don't get Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl, but as far as I know this isn't available on DVD at the moment, but this would of complimented the other films, but hey maybe one day some will decide to release it on DVD.
Thanks for reading my Op. Ni (We want.....a shrubbery)
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Production Year: 1983 - Comedy - Director: Harold Ramis, Amy Heckerling, Jeremiah S. Chechik, Stephen Kessler - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over
