The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus Megaset

Rating:
Summary: Not the best MASTERING effort was applied here.
Review: As a kid, I grew up on Monty Python's Flying Circus. I remember listening to and watching PBS staff members begging it's viewer's for money (or else PBS will have to go away, yeah right), before Monty Python's Flying Circus finally came on.

My mother was a Star Trek fanatic, so I was definately compelled to dodge her influence and was encouraged to avoid her company as I ventured into other means. My life's quests, at the time, were Progressive Rock Music, dirty girls with low self-esteem, and Monty Python's Flying Circus. Oh, to be 14 again.

I do believe that I'll have to keep all my VHS versions of Monty Python that I've collected back in the eighties. I was so glad to see that all the Monty Python's Flying Circus episodes came out on DVD, but, blemishes, deletions, and censorship are all over these DVD releases. For example, the skit "Biggles Dictates a Letter" with his secretary has a speech and tape blip in it. In the "Summerize Proust Competition", the line which mentioned "masturbating" was altered and deleted out (why was it okay to leave in on the VHS tape?) And the first 4 seconds of the "Book at Bedtime" episode was omitted, but more disappointing was the very last skit involving "Dad's Poove's" was also omitted. Is it possible that this was just an initial first release oversight that got corrected later? It's hard to tell since everyone has the same complaints that I do. I see that Time-Life is now releasing this series with all the same artwork. I wonder if they recognized the flaws and corrected them.

I hope someday these 45 episode's of Monty Python's Flying Circus will be re-released again with all the flaws corrected, and perhaps a better mastering effort (richer enhanced colours, and perhaps 5.1 surround sound), and perhaps released onto to 7 DVD's (or less) instead of 14. Having only 3 or 4 episodes on one disc is such a waste of space. Having very few episodes on one disc is the reason why I don't bother to buy "The Twilight Zone" DVD's. (...way too many discs, and way too expensive.)

So, who's next to step up to the plate, and improve on the Monty Python TV series for DVD? And while you're at it, those of us who enjoy British humour would love to see "The Goodies" and "Max Headroom" released on DVD as well. We already have "Fawlty Towers" and "The Young Ones". That you for that.

Rating:
Summary: unsatisfactory
Review: I had to pay the sales clerk the full amount. This set came with a bunch of little silver records that made no sound but a steady hum when played on my phonograph. I asked to return it for something a little more practical, like a trout maybe, but my phonograph needle had destroyed the little records, so says the sales clerk. I harldy believed him. I found his argument to be just plain silly and we moved on to more serious conversation about tea kettles and why none are in the shape of the Leaning Tower of Piza. I've often thought it would be nice to have a tea kettle in the shape of the Leaning Tower of Piza, so that when company comes to call, they may comment on the kettle and ask why it doesn't fall over. You see, the base is flat whereas the sides are not perpindicular to the base, creating the illusion that the kettle is tipping over. We could then deride amusement at the cleverness of the thing and maybe have a smoke on the back patio. The box was pretty and that's where the one star came from.

Rating:
Summary: The Toad Elevating Moment
Review: This 14 DVD set is a Pythonphile's dream come true. Some have picked on A&E for minor editing issues, but the set, while not totally perfect, is probably the closest thing to a complete rendering of the original Monty Python television broadcasts that we will ever get. Most of the DVDs have three episodes apiece on them, and they are wonderful to watch in order, to see the development of the Python style, or at random, to be pleasantly surprised by whatever bit of insanity happens to pop up.

In addition to the shows themselves, the discs have several extras, including biographical bits illustrated with representative clips of each Python, trivia contests (for both Gumbys and Upper Class Twits), bits of Gilliam animation (which, frankly is my least favorite part of the show, so I skipped much of this), random bits from the German shows and live shows, and direct scene access that is reasonably well catalogued.

"Monty Python's Flying Circus" is without question my favorite television show of all time, and this box set does it justice. When a collection is so enormous there is bound to be something that almost anyone can complain about (for me it is the excessive Gilliam animation introductions to the chapters and extras), but all in all this is excellent, and will likely be the definitive Monty Python set for all time.


Rating:
Summary: Not quite as talented as some think are the Pythons
Review: None of them can sing well. None of them can dance well (cept for Chapman--a little). The shows are funny but in a lot of ways childish too. Not quite as great as made out to be.