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John Cleese on How to Irritate People

John Cleese on How to Irritate People

List Price: $19.95
Your Price: $17.96
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This movie will complete your life.
Review: Don't listen to anyone who complains about this movie. It rules. If it was a person we would unanimously elect him Emperor of the World. People are complaining that it's not "subtle" and that it drags on too long. Who cares? It's funny as all get out. If you want subtle, read a Maya Angelou poem (better yet, don't, and save humanity the trouble). This collection is extremely funny, and is an excellent example of Cleese's brilliance even before Monty Python honed his writing to perfection. I first saw this movie five years ago and I was still looking for a copy before I came across it here. Think about it, people, how good does a movie have to be in order for me to look for it for FIVE YEARS? Don't worry about all the negative reviews by pseudo-intellectual net-critics. If you like Monty Python and/or John Cleese, buy this movie, and you won't regret it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This movie will complete your life.
Review: Don't listen to anyone who complains about this movie. It rules. If it was a person we would unanimously elect him Emperor of the World. People are complaining that it's not "subtle" and that it drags on too long. Who cares? It's funny as all get out. If you want subtle, read a Maya Angelou poem (better yet, don't, and save humanity the trouble). This collection is extremely funny, and is an excellent example of Cleese's brilliance even before Monty Python honed his writing to perfection. I first saw this movie five years ago and I was still looking for a copy before I came across it here. Think about it, people, how good does a movie have to be in order for me to look for it for FIVE YEARS? Don't worry about all the negative reviews by pseudo-intellectual net-critics. If you like Monty Python and/or John Cleese, buy this movie, and you won't regret it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The slightly less-than-best of Cleese and Chapman
Review: Even if he is best known as a performer, John Cleese is also one of the most intelligent writers of comedy around. His sketches for Monty Python (often written in collaboration with the mad Graham Chapman) were loopy enough to defuse the anger that simmered underneath, and the FAWLTY TOWERS series are so elegantly plotted and beautifully written.

This collection of skits has some hilarious moments, such as when three pilots torture their passengers by pretending something has gone terribly wrong; and Cleese portrays the most overly-solicitous date in the world with excruciating thoroughness.

Overall, however, this may disappoint some fans. Many of these skits lack the polish and genius of the Python series. One skit about an obsessive waiter was reworked and vastly improved on the Python series (you can also check it out in their film AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT). It comes off as a collection of out-takes, held together rather thinly with its documentary theme. The anger that is frequently present in Cleese's sketch writing also prevails over the humor throughout, making this a collection heavier on hostility than wit.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not very funny
Review: Except for the airplane sketch, this DVD isn't very funny. It shows future talent developing for the later Monty Python shows.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Mostly killer, some filler, but still worth a watch
Review: First thing to note about this film: There are some sketches that really just don't matter. I'm not really much of a fan of the pre-Dead Parrot car sketch, and the one about the wife and the joke just really doesn't matter. Other than that, though, most of them are great.

Second thing to note about this film: I found it to be an acquired taste. It may take multiple viewings for you to appreciate it. Whether or not you want to take multiple viewings is up to you. It also helps if you have friends who like to quote movie lines...this one has GREAT potential for quoting, and that's really 80% of the value, probably.

All that said, there's some hilarious material here. Obviously "Airline Pilots" is amazingly hysterical, and "Silly Job Interview" is not too far behind. But other gems include the son home for Easter ("It's been so long since we last had you home for Easter." "I was home last Easter, mother." "Yes, but that was 12 months ago, dear..."), the dad who irritates his son enough that he gets the TV, John Cleese thinking of every possible way to get out of his date at the restaurant ("You know what I think? I think you're mad because I made you sit there..."), Mrs. Morris on the quiz show ("I'm 103! Today! And I have over 3,000 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren!"), the pepperpots at the cinema, ("Who's that?" "Charlton Hitler...") the incredibly long intro to the talk show, and the closing sketch "Topic", a political discussion show where the host prevents all input from the guest (the pike used at the end is AWESOME! I want one!)

I have loaned this to several of my college friends, essentially all of whom have loved it. The filler material (which, because of the length of these sketches, seems endless) is a little bit too much of this video to the extent you'll want to fast-forward at some spots, but what's good is delightful. I definitely recommend it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: its an aquired taste
Review: for the last year or so ive told everyone i remotely know to watch or listen to something monty python.it seems like everyone either says its not funny at all or its the funniest thing theyve ever seen.and even though cleese's "how to irritate people" isnt directly related to monty python, the type of humor is still the same.so ive said this to warn you that before you go and buy it, i would DEFINITELY rent or barrow some python stuff first.in case you were wondering,i loved the movie and am going to add it to my daily python cycle.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Dull Dull Dull so very Dull
Review: I agree with the other reviews that the airline pilot sketch was extremely funny but that's it. This is early Python before they really developed their characters and I consider myself a big Python fan but I must say in all honesty I don't feel this is a good purchase. I don't know how anyone could rate this as 4 or 5 stars unless they were perhaps related to one of the cast and trying to drum up sales. If you are interrested in John Cleese I recommend instead "The Face" it's not a comedy, it's a serious documentary about expression and human emotion with some humor thrown in.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Come on now.
Review: I am a big fan of anything John Cleese but, five stars is a bit much, 3 1/2 is a bit more accurate.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Not Funny
Review: I bought this video because it had so many great reviews and looked like it would be really funny. Maybe it's the fact that I'm not British, but I did not find one thing that was funny. I couldn't even watch the whole video. Don't waste your time.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Mostly killer, some filler, but still worth a watch
Review: I enjoyed this DVD very much. As a die-hard Python fan, it was great fun for me to watch John Cleese, Graham Chapman, and my favorite Python Michael Palin in this program. The show is very clever and the entire cast is very funny (and very annoying, but that's the point). It's also fun to see the (very) early incarnations of "Dead Parrot", "Dirty Fork", and "Silly Job Interview".

If you're a Python fan, I highly recommend rounding out your collection with this excellent DVD.


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