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Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Special Edition)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Special Edition)

List Price: $29.95
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Funniest movie ever? Maybe the BEST movie ever!
Review: I saw this movie at the theatre when it was first released, then bought it on VHS years later, then requested and received it as a gift on DVD later still. I kid you not, but this movie and Casablanca are my two favorites of all time. The only down side is that the movie ended too soon (with Arthur, Galahad, etc. being arrested by Bobbies). If you don't like this movie there is something terribly wrong with you and you should seek counseling immediately. It is, without question, the funniest movie of all time. My favorite scene is the Castle Anthrax scene, but then, anyone who knows me knows why.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Coconuts!
Review: This is my favorite Monty Python movie! If you can appreciate the British's sense of humor, you will undoubtedly enjoy this movie. Eric Idle and John Cleese are at their best and you'll never look at the medieval ages the same again. For a good many laughs, check this one out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Bring out your Dead
Review: All I can say about this DVD set is that it's absolutely brilliant. "Holy Grail" is an amazingly funny film made even better by finding out all the little secrets behind it. I live a few hours drive away from the castle where it was filmed and never even knew it, but now I shall parade around the grounds spouting Pythonisms until they send me home (or put me in a long sleeved jacket and send me to Carstairs).
The Camelot scene (shot in Lego - Disk 2) is hilarious. They should make the whole film like this.
"Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time"

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Funny Movie
Review: An awesomefilm with so many great line and great scenes. The bridge scene is by far the best.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Perhaps the funniest movie of all time
Review: Summary:
King Arthur (Graham Chapman) has been commissioned by God (voice is also Graham Chapman) to seek The Holy Grail - the cup used by Jesus during the Last Supper.
 
Prior to the commissioning, Arthur gathers around him a group of knights who will join him on his quest, including: Sir Lancelot, the Brave (John Cleese); Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir Launcelot (Eric Idle); Sir Bedevere (Terry Jones); and Sir Galahad the Pure (Michael Palin). As is customary for knights of the time, the group is accompanied by pages and minstrels, including: Concorde - Sir Launcelot's Trusty Steed (Eric Idle); Patsy - King Arthur's Trusty Steed (Terry Gilliam); and Robin's Least Favourite Minstrel (Neil Innes).
 
On their journey, King Arthur and his knights encounter a number of obstacles, including among numerous others: A homosexual prince, Herbert (Terry Jones), who is kind of 'saved' by Sir Lancelot. And the priestesses of Castle Anthrax (Carol Cleveland - both Zoot and Dingo; Avril Stewart - Dr. Piglet; Sally Kinghorn - Dr. Winston) who lure Sir Galahad the Pure to their castle where he finds that they are only interested in sado-masochistic sexual punishments.
 
As the group tracks down clues to the location of the Grail they encounter an enchanter named Tim (John Cleese) who leads them to a cave that is protected by a voracious bunny rabbit that is only defeated by using the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Inside the cave, Brother Maynard (Eric Idle) translates some writing revealing the location of the Grail, but before the knights can storm the Castle of Uuugh, they are arrested for the murder of a modern day historian (John Young) who was filming a documentary on the Dark Ages. The movie ends without the knights finding the Grail, but it was definitely a good effort.
 
Comments:
I think you can only appreciate this movie if you throw out the idea of a coherent story. Yes, there is the basic idea of a quest, but there is no specific order as to what happens except it slowly moves toward the failed attempt to find the Grail. The integration of the modern historian makes no sense, unless you watch the movie recognizing the limited budget they had. As a matter of fact, the only way this movie makes sense is by viewing it in light of the limited budget. Much of the influence of the budget is revealed in the special features on the DVD; especially affected was the location (they only used one castle).
 
Despite not being a coherent story, the movie is still absolutely hilarious. Integrated throughout is witty social commentary (the peasant scene is probably my favorite scene of the entire movie) and some very blatant slapstick humor. And, of course, it is all set to rather ridiculous animation that gives the movie an even more scatty feel than the mocking pythons do in person, but you have to laugh.
 
The acting, if it can be called acting, is actually quite brilliant. The number of characters that each actor plays is stunning. I'm not quite sure who can claim the greatest number of characters, but it has to be either Eric Idle or Michael Pallin, who both play at least six characters in the film. This really isn't the type of film that requires acting in the traditional sense as what is really being done is something along the lines of a drawn out comedy routine that just happens to be on location and in costume. Every element of every scene seems literally designed to make you laugh, which is at least part of the reason why people can watch this film over and over and continue to find things to laugh at - there is always something new to discover.
 
In looking back at my review of this film it almost feels like I'm not being very positive, but that is not at all the impression I mean to give. Just because the movie is low-budget and rather slipshod does not mean this is a bad film. Quite to the contrary, I believe it is these very elements that make this such a great film. Once you have watched it once or twice you begin to realize that the low quality of the film, the silly locations, and innumerable characters each actor plays are actually part of what makes this film endearing to so many people and what has made this movie a legend. I must recognize that this movie does not appeal to everyone (though I have the hardest time understanding why). If you love cult classics or British humor and you have not heard of Monty Python and the Holy Grail you must have had your head stuck in the ground for the last thirty years, so there's no real sense recommending this movie to you because you probably already know about it and love it, unless you really did have your head stuck in the ground. If you don't love cult classics or British humor you may still want to give the movie a go-around just to see what all of the fuss is about, but you may find that someone's pissed in this cup of tea and you don't want to drink it. Or you may find a superb Earl Grey. Either way, this is a must see movie, even if it's just to say that you've seen it and didn't like it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Amazingly funny, one of the best!
Review: Only recently I've watched this 1975 movie (to be exact, on October 10th, 2003). Man, I could not believe how good, clever, extremely enjoyable comedy this movie was. By Monty Phyton, I had only watched before The Life of Brian.

Almost every gag and joke works perfectly here. The best parts, in my opinion, are too many to mention: the killer rabbit; the fight between Arthur and the Black Night; Lancelot storming a wedding party and killing everyone; the drawing artist who suffers a heart attack and so the dragon stops pursuing the heroes; the Bridge of Death, with its guardian and three "very difficult" questions;.... I could go on and on. Man, this is humour at its best.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: And now for something completely different
Review: The good news first. The first disc has the entire film and it looks great. There aren't any extras (except for a couple of minor jokes)on disc one. All the extras are on disc two. This is the bad news portion of our program.

Through some demon's work, the second disc won't always run on Panasonic Progressive Scan DVD players made in the year 2003. Perhaps it's a time warp or, perhaps, it's a way for Columbia to get you to buy the extra-extra-extra Special Edition that will probably come out next year or the year after. Either way, you can't access any of the special features and have to reload it a couple of times. The good news is that inexpensive DVD players by Samsung and the like will play the second disc without any hesitation.

Perhaps it's a design flaw in the disc, or, more than likely in the Panasonic player.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Tis but a scratch
Review: This DVD is great worth the money it is. Bring out your dead. Bring out your dead.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Coconuts have taken on a whole new world of meaning
Review: This was my first exposure to Monty Python, and has made me into an avid fan of all their work. One word: Brilliant!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Load of Rubbish
Review: THE MOVIE
No explanation needed. This is, without a doubt, one of the funniest movies ever made. It's completely mindless and stupid, and that's why you should love it too.

PICTURE/SOUND
All very nice, nothing special, but for it's age, it looks great.

EXTRAS
Alright, here's the real review.
On Disc One, there are two commentaries included. One is by the co-directors, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam. The other is by the other 3 (surviving) Python members, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, and John Cleese. Also on Disc One are some oddities such as subtitles from "Henry IV, Part II."
On Disc Two is the documentary, "The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations" whcih includes Terry Jones and Michael Palin traveling the English countryside, visiting the sites used in the movie and reliving old memories. It's good, I promise!
Along with that is another documentary, shot on location in 1974 by the BBC on the production of the film, entitled "On Location with the Pythons." Not much gets done, but it's fun to watch, and Graham Chapman goes off to catch a large do-do like creature, you know, with a beak. Not really, he just describes it.
There is an education film, called "How to Use Your Coconuts" hosted by Michael Palin and a friend. Not really educational at all, is it!? But watch it anyways.
A short little segment with LEGO people performing the "Camelot" song.
A little segment about "Unused Locations" which means Python members talking nothingness over video of various things from the mid-70s...I mean, unused locations.
Three of the musical segments of the film, with lyrics included!
A -LOT- of pictures from the film, and not all by Terry Gilliam! It includes promotional material and a whole bunch of other stuff.
Oh, and a Cast Directory.
Oh! Oh! And Theatrical Trailers!

Good stuff. Get it.


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