Product Details

• Actors: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones
• Writers: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones
• Producers: John Howard Davies
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Extra tracks, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: A&E Home Video
• DVD Release Date: August 30, 2005
• Run Time: 55 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0009ZE9CG
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #94,276 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  #9 in	Movies & TV > Comedy > British > Monty Python Store > Monty Python's Flying Circus: Personal Best
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  #62 in	Movies & TV > Comedy > Comedy Directors > Terry Gilliam

• For more information about "Monty Python's Flying Circus - Eric Idle's Personal Best" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

• This is item 1 in The Monty Python's Flying Circus: Personal Best Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It's only fitting that Eric Idle, if not the funniest of the Pythons, then certainly, by his own estimation, "the third tallest," launch this new-to-DVD collection of favorite sketches as selected by each of the troupe's surviving members. Of the prolific Python boys, Eric has been anything but Idle. He has been particularly busy of late keeping the Monty Python fires burning, from his Greedy Bastard Tour, (as chronicled in The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America) to his crowning achievement, Spamalot, the sensational Broadway musical adaptation of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As Idle himself notes in the amusing, newly filmed prologue featuring a series of faux Idle on Idle interviews, thanks to DVD, Python's "particular brand of cheap sketches will always be available for recycling." Sampled here are Idle's memorable gallery of unctuous talk show hosts ("World Forum"), supremely annoying blokes ("Mr. Smoketoomuch") and loonies ("The Man Who Talks in Anagrams"). Also of note are some of Idle's most memorable musical contributions, including "Never Be Rude to an Arab" and his rendition of "The Lumberjack Song," both from the classic Monty Python Live from the Hollywood Bowl concert film. His signature sketch, "Nudge-Nudge," is also included, so as far as Idle fans are concerned, we can probably say no more. --Donald Liebenson

Product Description

The SAINTS of SATIRE, The LORDS of LAUGHTER, The HIGH PRIESTS of LOW COMEDY have sold out once again. Eric Idle--the outrageously successful actor, writer, composer, director, producer and Broadway impresario--is not satisfied yet. Determined to reshape the entire entertainment world in his image, Eric has gathered what he considers to be the very best Monty Python material of the entire four-year run and squeezed it all into one convenient package. This one. He's even created all-new, never-before-seen material exclusively for this DVD. It's amazing what some zillionaire mega-stars will do for a few extra shillings, isn't it? Collect all six PERSONAL BEST collections. For the Python lover, they're concentrated joy. For the novice, a dangerously addictive substance to be administered with care. DVD Features: Eric Idle’s Personal Second-Best; The Eric Idle 15-Question, 15-Ton Megaquiz from Python Expert Kim "Howard" Johnson; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Funny sketches... uninspired DVD., September 27, 2005

By	M. J KILLEEN (Collingdale, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You might think an Eric Idle compilation DVD from the Monty Python series would be great -- but there's something not quite right about this collection. For one thing, the sketches are clumsily edited, and taken out of their original context -- so the "How To Do It" sketch pans over to the beginning of a scene involving Michael Palin and Terry Jones as old women -- then abruptly cuts away from it.

Second, several of the skits are from the Hollywood Bowl film, which has a completely different look and feel from the TV series. The transition can be somewhat jarring.

Lastly, some of the skits don't feature Idle at all.

It's nice to see some original material from Idle at the beginning of the disc, but sadly -- it's not all that funny.

Most of the sketches that are on the DVD are very funny indeed, however. Too bad the DVD compilation is just a little uninspired.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars many sketches missing portions, September 22, 2007

By	RBW "polyglot" (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

Having bought this as a part of the box set of Personal Best disks because I saw that it listed a particular sketch I wanted, I was very disappointed to find out that there are only small portions of many of the sketches.
For example, every disk in its intro, references the Argument Clinic sketch, BUT, the sketch is never shown! There are a few seconds of the lead in to the sketch but not the argument itself!