Customer Reviews

Ripping Yarns: More Ripping Yarns [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Brilliant. The Eric Oldthwaite epidode depicts the sudden charisma which the most boring man in Yorkshire acquires when he accidentally becomes a robber of banks (and rain gauge records). Dialogue you'll drive your friends mad with for years to come. Visuals which make loving mock of "When the boat comes in" and a host of other tv and film icons. The Whinfrey episode is only ok, but The Claw is back to form: sinister, sad, strange and screamingly funny. Buy it!! You must watch the other 2 tapes, #1 for Golden Gordon and the brilliant, cult-episode Tomkinson's Schooldays and #3 for the wonderfully anarchic but cozily conservative Roger of the Raj. They're all great, but Eric Oldthwaite is the greatest and the most grating of them all. P.S. watch out for a sly fleeting reference to Eric in the "Golden Gordon" episode on tape 1.

I like all the Ripping Yarns, some are better than others, but my favorite is in this collection: "The Curse Of The Claw". This bit is so great, that I never get tired of watching it. Michael Palin is wonderful in a dual role, as both the innocent boy Kevin and his hilariously diseased Uncle Jack. The actors who play his unbelievably oppressive parents are great. Everything is top-notch, the atmosphere, acting, dialogue, and the ending. This, and all the Ripping Yarns, are full of very subtle but hilarious humor that may go over the heads of many.

I don't want to give too much away, Mr. Russell. If you like Python, and you've never seen this, get it now! I wish they would release this on DVD.

If you like Ripping Yarns, then you will like More Ripping Yarns. It is the second of the Ripping Yarns series.

The Testing of Eric Olthwaite (1934): Michael Palin has two roles in this episode. He plays Eric Olthwaite, a very boring young man. His only interests or should I say obsessions are black pudding, shovels, and especially the weather. He is so boring that his mom, dad, and sister run away from home. He askes his girlfriend for help but she is too busy having a fling. Poor Eric, he goes and searches for them. After receiving some friendly advice he decides to change his life and apply at a bank. Michael also plays the head bank teller. It is an interesting scene with both characters speaking to each other. Suddenly a bank teller comes in and takes Eric hostage. Soon Eric's life takes a bizzare turn and he is not so boring after all. It's a funny episode and the song at the end is very catchy.

Winfrey's Last Case (1921): The Germans are planning to start the war a year early, who do they call on to be the hero? Michael Palin plays General Winfrey. He refuses by telling them he needs a holiday. He leaves for his holiday, but it has a few funny turns. He goes into an empty pub where he is served by an old women whose arms and hands are the only thing you see. She even drives him up to Smugglers Cottage. Don't attempt this stunt ever. He goes up to Smugglers Cottage where he is greeted by 16 servants in a very small home. Later on one of the servants is trying to kill him but thanks to the 23 exits he manages to escape. Now another bizzare turn happens to General Winfrey, and somehow he becomes the hero. The scenery is beautiful and makes a great vacation spot.

Murder at Moorstone Manor (1926): Stephen King could not of written anything this scary, or should I say funny. This episode has Michael Palin playing three characters. This is quite a challenge, but Michael pulls it off beautifully. He starts out as an old man named Kevin who is alone and is greeted by an explorer and his trible. He tells the explorer a story of fear, tragedy, and terror. The story is about THE CLAW! He tells about his childhood and his visits with Uncle Jack. Michael plays Uncle Jack who has more diseases than anyone. Michael also plays Kevin in his mid 20's. Again, both characters are speaking to each other. Uncle Jack tells Kevin he must deliver the claw back to the rightful owners. He is unsucessful on his trip, but later on the claw reappears. How it ends is unusual. I like this episode because it is funny, and again Michael does a great job with all three characters.