Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
And Now For Something Not Completely Live!, December 7, 2003
A&E has done a great service to Monty Python fans the world over by finally releasing rare, out of print, or otherwise unavailable Python material. Disc # 1 starts with Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl. The group opens with the song "Sit On My Face" wearing long aprons and, when they turn to go off stage, reveal their bare buttocks! This is followed by Graham Chapman, playing Colin 'Bomber' Harris, who wrestles himself to a pinfall. The Crunchy Frog skit concerns the Whizzo Chocolate Company and their choice of chocolate-covered confectionaries, such as anthrax ripple and cockroach cluster. This sketch is highlighted by Terry Gilliam throwing up in his policeman's hat and then being forced to wear the hat! The Custard Pies sketch involves demonstrating the history of physical comedy with pratfalls and pie throwing, with Terry Jones getting the worst of it. Truly, this is Monty Python at their subtle best. The concert ends with a rousing version of the Lumberjack Song. That concert is followed by Monty Python Live At Aspen, hosted by comedian Robert Klein. The group members talk about their early days at the BBC and their transition into movies. For their film work in particular, they receive an American Film Institute Star Award. Since this show was taped in 1998, Graham Chapman sadly had passed away. An urn supposedly containing his ashes represents him and also gets the biggest laughs at the event!Disc #2 starts with a 1989 retrospective of the group, hosted by Steve Martin. Steve talks about Monty Python for a few minutes, followed by an hour of sketches from their classic TV series. This is very much a hit or miss affair, as some of their weaker skits are included and some of their best sketches are not shown in their entirety. Steve Martin appears at the end of the hour, opens a door to find the Pythoners huddled in a closet, and then promptly shuts the door on them. That retrospective is followed by Monty Python's German Episode #1. Apparently, German TV paid for the Pythoners to perform two episodes of their series in Germany! Naturally, the sketches are in German with English subtitles. It's surreal to hear the Lumberjack Song sung in German! Some of this footage appears in various collections, particularly the Olympic events and the Little Red Riding Hood sketch. It's great to finally see the 45 minute German show in its entirety. For completists, Monty Python's German Episode #2 is included in A&E's "The Life Of Python" boxed set. With 2 DVDs clocking in at 4 1/2 hours, "Monty Python Live!" is an essential addition to every Python fan's collection.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Essential Python, April 2, 2002
The single most common praise one hears from a critical review is: "If you only have one DVD/album/book by [Insert a well-known author here], make it this one!"For Monty Python, this could labelled on this DVD set. Much of the criticism of this package is it's inclusion of 'Dead Parrot Sketch Not Included' (a greatest hits compilation of their [arguably] finest work from 'The Flying Circus' television show). I think it's inclusion is a strength -- It's the Python equivalent of the Beatles '1' record: Yes, there are ommisions, but it's nevertheless a very decent well-rounded collection. The contrary position is certainly understandable. If you bought the entire series on DVD, then 'Dead Parrot' is a pointless addition. However, if you can watch the Architect sketch, the lumberjack song, Salad Days and the communist game show in one sitting, it wouldn't be anything less than a holy disc. But what's missing is certainly made up on the very funny Hollywood Bowl performance. 'Nudge, Nudge,' 'The Bruces,' 'The Philosopher's Song,' 'Crunchy Frog' -- much of the classics 'Dead Parrot' seemed to forget is redeemed here. Unfortunately, the film quality is a bit aged, but still very viewable. The Aspen reunion is an insightful retrospective on Python, from it's history to the behind-the-scenes information on their famous sketches. So there you have it. A complete collection of their essential work ('Dead Parrot'), a live performance ('Hollywood Bowl'), and biographical information ('Aspen'). Viking Press publishes their popular 'Portable' series, books of famous authors containing their most crucial writings alongside critical & biographical annotations (i.e. 'The Portable Kerouac,' 'The Portable Nietzsche'). Likewise, this is the 'Portable Monty Python.' It's a shame that A&E didn't market it that way.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great shows, but poor video quality and combinations, February 5, 2002
I bow to no one in my devotion to Monty Python, but I do have a few concerns about this set. First, the film quality for "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" is terrible and in dire need of restoration. Second, truth in advertising: only two of four pieces on this set are live, and "Live at Aspen" is more of an interview/retrospective than a performance. The second disc, containing the "Parrot Sketch Not Included" retrospective and Episode 1 of "Monty Pythons Fliegender Zirkus", has nothing live to it at all. Third, one unfortunate result of the selection on these discs is that certain filmed pieces, done for the German episodes and recycled for "Live at the Hollywood Bowl", appear as many as three times in the set, which makes consecutive viewing a bit maddening. Having said that, the first German episode has always been one of my favorites, one I'm glad to have on DVD, and I've enjoyed audio recordings of live Python concerts, so I do like having "Live at the Hollywood Bowl", whatever the quality.
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