Any Monty Python fans here?

[mupcollector1]

I'm slowly checking out the Python albums because there's stuff they did that was only for the albums that were never part of the show or any film like there is this song Eric Idle did called "I Bet They Won't Play This Song on The Radio" and the whole thing is this folk rock song full of censored beeps and wacky sound effects. lol
So far I bought the mp3s (I got to get the full albums on iTunes and CD) of that song and a rather dark parody Graham and Eric did on John Denver which is under a minute. I won't describe it in much detail since John Denver has done wonderful things with The Muppets though I can say that I found the Monty Python spoof very wacky and funny.

I haven't seen Spamulot yet and I'm a little afraid to. Even though it was written by Eric Idle it just isn't Monty Python if it's not starring the Pythons as well as written by the Pythons. Especially if the actors aren't British, maybe they are, I don't know. It's almost like when The Producers got a remake and a Broadway version a few years ago. I know it's still written by Mel Brooks but I felt it wasn't as good as the 1968 version with a certain hippy character which I was disappointed that he wasn't featured in the remake. I feel it didn't need to be modernized, the original is so pure and timeless. It's like The Three Stooges and The Marx Brothers, sure there's modern technology differences from the 1930s and 1940s that are different today but the characters are just pure and timeless.
There was some strange controversies I've heard like how one of the original investors of Holy Grail tried to sue the Pythons for not getting paid. And something with John Cleese who recorded the voice of God in Spamulot getting cut out and replaced by Eric Idle. "Yes I know I sound different from the past shows, that's because I had John Cleese surgically removed." or something like that, I read that was the replacement line. Kind of funny but it's kind of sad. I think there's only certain members can get along with certain members I guess. Terry Jones and Michael Palin did voices for a claymation movie of some sort from what I've heard.


I have the original Monty Python Flying Circus DVD set from A&E (maybe Time Life released it first, I'm not sure) but I've noticed there was several versions of the complete set that got released. I know there was some reviews on Amazon I've read or somewhere how some of the episodes got edited because of some jokes on The Royal Family or something like that. I really would like to get the latest version of the set, there's lots of special features especially Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park on there talking about how the show influenced them. Also there was several episodes that were made exclusively for Germany like two or three episodes that are completely in German. I'm not sure if Monty Python at The Hollywood Bowl is included in the set or not.

I also wanted to mention, I have Monty Python The Almost True Story The Lawyers Cut on DVD. It's really amazing, it was made a few years back featuring interviews with the surviving members of Monty Python and goes into depth of Graham. The Pythons even made a movie which I think is coming out soon, an animated semi-fictional documentary just trashing Graham. lol I've seen clips of it, it looks really funny.

 

[Drtooth]

If you're on the internet and over 15, chances are you are a fan.

Anything I can say goes without saying, but I always prefer the obscure skits over the Spams, the Lumberjack songs, and the everything everyone ever has quoted from Monty Python and the Holy Grails... not that I don't love those to death already. But the forgotten skits need love too.

Like the sketch about the gangsters that devolves and derails into Snapper-Organs being a bad actor and "spoiling a perfectly choreographed rape scene with his cries of 'What's all this then?'" Or the sketches that are self satire (or rather satire of one writing group's style by another group's) and make no sense in any other context.

Then of course, while I haven't played it myself, I watched this incredibly appropriate video game the other day...

 

[muppet maniac]

I'm a Python fan as well. My favorite bits are the Self-Defense Against Fruits class, Silly Job interview and the Complaining Tourist.

 

[Drtooth]

I love the live Complaining Tourist bit. It never freaking ends!

What the heck is Whattley's Red Barrel, though? Some sort of cheap British Beer, like the equivalent of Pabst Blue Ribbon?

 

[fuzzygobo]

Watney's Red Barrel, favored by Rick Wakeman, keyboardist par excellance.

 

[mupcollector1]

the Complaining Tourist.

Is that the one where John Cleese's character sees double and Eric Idle leaves in frustration at the end and John looks at this chair and says "And how about you?" and the second Eric stays and is still interesting in the expedition and then there's two Johns that say "Indeed."? I remember Graham coming in with ski gear on or something, heavy winter clothing and he's climbing the bookshelves, the desks and the tables just making a complete mess. lol

 

[fuzzygobo]

No, that's not the Complaining Tourist. If you ever catch Monty Python at the Hollywood Bowl, there's an extended version of this skit with Michael Palin(Mr. Bounder, the travel agent) and Eric (Mr. Smoke Too Much, the complaining tourist). I won't give anything away, but worth checking out.

You would've loved to have been around back in 1988. On Sunday nights, MTV used to show a block of Flying Circus, then an hour of The Young Ones. A lot of the music sucked back then, so in MTV's whole weekly schedule, this was the only decent thing worth watching.

And if you like British comedy, I also recommend:

Fawlty Towers- John Cleese's masterpiece.

The Goodies- borrowed a little from Python, but still an excellent series

The Rutles- Eric Idle (and part-time Python Neil Innes) wicked parody on the Beatles history. Features a few Python cameos, plus a few guest spots from Saturday Night Live's original line-up. Check it out and thank me later.

 

[Scooterforever]

I worshiped "Holy Grail" as a child. When my brother and I saw it on Comedy Central as kids, I laughed harder than I ever had or ever will. The killer rabbit was and always will be my fav scene. Never got into other Python stuff, though.

 

[Drtooth]

I love Holy Grail, but I think it's the most overrated of the Python films. Life of Brian's subject matter alone makes it the more powerful picture. You rarely hear anyone reference that one, unfortunately. I heard a "Biggus Dorkus" on Mucha Lucha (kid's show, what do you expect?) But I have a huge soft spot for Meaning of Life. The way they tend to carry on about that one and how awful they seem to make it in interviews... kinda disappointing because I think the rotating sketches based on a single theme worked nicely (and is something I'd LOVE to see the Muppets do, yet completely doubt they would). It's like the Let It Be of the Python projects since everyone was out the door, saying it was the last one they ever want to do ever. I guess there could have been infighting or something... but the film is no where near as bad as they make it out to be (I guess they just had a bad experience making it that soured them), and it really plays like how Monty Python's Flying Circus should have gone out.

But don't get me wrong. I do love Holy Grail as well. It's just that it's the one most people easily quote and reference, and often times it seems like the only thing so called casual fans watch, and they tend to think they're experts from watching one movie.

 

[mupcollector1]

No, that's not the Complaining Tourist. If you ever catch Monty Python at the Hollywood Bowl, there's an extended version of this skit with Michael Palin(Mr. Bounder, the travel agent) and Eric (Mr. Smoke Too Much, the complaining tourist). I won't give anything away, but worth checking out.

You would've loved to have been around back in 1988. On Sunday nights, MTV used to show a block of Flying Circus, then an hour of The Young Ones. A lot of the music sucked back then, so in MTV's whole weekly schedule, this was the only decent thing worth watching.

And if you like British comedy, I also recommend:

Fawlty Towers- John Cleese's masterpiece.

The Goodies- borrowed a little from Python, but still an excellent series

The Rutles- Eric Idle (and part-time Python Neil Innes) wicked parody on the Beatles history. Features a few Python cameos, plus a few guest spots from Saturday Night Live's original line-up. Check it out and thank me later.

Yeah, 1988 is when I was born actually. lol Yeah, I got to see Hollywood Bowl. That's the one Python thing I haven't seen yet, that and And Now For Something Completely Different. Never knew MTV played Python and The Young Ones, awesome. I think I've seen one episode of Fawlty Towers where John yells at everyone. lol I got to see more of that. I haven't seen The Goodies, Though I did see clips of Trigger Happy TV, I like to see more of that. I've heard of Little Britain but wasn't sure if it was any good or not. I think the closest show to Flying Circus I've seen was Kids in the Hall. I've seen clips and pictures of The Rutles, I'd love to see more of it. lol