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How do I go about watching Monty Python?
- Thread starter Tizoc
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hydrophilic attack
Member
Follow up with Life of Brian
yanipheonu
Member
This thread is relevant to my interest. Only ever got to see Holy Grail, but I'd love to see more. Looking forward to responses.
There isn't any continuity to follow.
But in terms of what there is:
1. The TV Show: Monty Python's Flying Circus
2. The best movie: The Quest for the Holy Grail
3. The movie that doofuses on the internet claim is funnier then holy grail but are actually full of spam, though it is still a hilarious movie: The Life of Brian
4. The one nobody talks about because it's a bit shit: The Meaning of Life
But in terms of what there is:
1. The TV Show: Monty Python's Flying Circus
2. The best movie: The Quest for the Holy Grail
3. The movie that doofuses on the internet claim is funnier then holy grail but are actually full of spam, though it is still a hilarious movie: The Life of Brian
4. The one nobody talks about because it's a bit shit: The Meaning of Life
The order doesn't really matter.
The best Monty Python is the tv show: Monty Python's Flying Circus. Watch all of it - it's not that much (even though the best stuff is at the beginning).
Then the movies: Holy Grail (you've seen this one), Life of Brian (absolutely great) and Meaning of Life (not as good as the other two but still very much worth watching)
After that, if you want more, there are things like cd's/LP's (all with original material), books, etc. You also have And Now For Something Completely Different, which is their first movie, but it's mostly based on sketches from the tv show. There are also live shows, most notably Live at the Hollywood Bowl and the recent reunion - both mostly featuring sketches from the tv show again. But start with the tv show/movies, and you can check all the extra stuff after that.
You also have Spamalot, which is a musical based on Holy Grail (and bits and pieces of other Python things), although not featuring the original Pythons. It's good in its own way though.
The best Monty Python is the tv show: Monty Python's Flying Circus. Watch all of it - it's not that much (even though the best stuff is at the beginning).
Then the movies: Holy Grail (you've seen this one), Life of Brian (absolutely great) and Meaning of Life (not as good as the other two but still very much worth watching)
After that, if you want more, there are things like cd's/LP's (all with original material), books, etc. You also have And Now For Something Completely Different, which is their first movie, but it's mostly based on sketches from the tv show. There are also live shows, most notably Live at the Hollywood Bowl and the recent reunion - both mostly featuring sketches from the tv show again. But start with the tv show/movies, and you can check all the extra stuff after that.
You also have Spamalot, which is a musical based on Holy Grail (and bits and pieces of other Python things), although not featuring the original Pythons. It's good in its own way though.
hydrophilic attack
Member
I'm no hipster, but Life of Brian is clearly better. Much more focused and better pacing
StudioTan
Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
Personally I would start with A Now For Something Completely Different which is basically a bunch of their best skits from the TV show redone for a movie.
It's a good introduction before diving in to the entire series.
It's a good introduction before diving in to the entire series.
echoshifting
Banned
Is Flying Circus streaming on anything?
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
Seeso has every episode
Amazon and Seeso I think.
I'd start with Holy Grail, then Flying Circus in no particular order, then Life of Brian, Live from Hollywood Bowl and various albums, then Meaning of Life.
Flying Circus is the opposite of this. It's pound for pound one of the best sketch comedy shows and still regarded as such.
Flying Circus is the opposite of this. It's pound for pound one of the best sketch comedy shows and still regarded as such.
Simon Belmont
Banned
Yep. Holy Grail had some more memorable overall moments, but it's kind of a mess as a movie. Life of Brian is the better movie by a mile.
It's more accessible than Life of Brian and I normally recommend as a good start for most interested in the troupe.
You forgot the movie that's really just re-shot versions of the skits from the TV show: And Now For Something Completely Different.
Please do not watch And Now For Something Completely Different - it's the best sketches from Flying Circus, but less funny.
I recommend watching at least a few episodes of Flying Circus, then Holy Grail, then Life of Brian, then Meaning of Life, then as much as you like of Flying Circus, the live specials, and other bits and bobs. I don't really like Flying Circus after Cleese left, but it's worth a watch if you've seen everything else.
If you still haven't had enough after that you can watch some proto-Python in the shape of Do Not Adjust Your Set and At Last The 1948 Show.
Hope this helps.
Edit: I find Life of Brian the least Pythonesque movie as it's not chaotic enough; too straightforward and linear. Holy Grail is most like the show; anarchic and all over the place in the best possible way. While most of the Pythons hated each other by the time Meaning of Life was being made, it's still got some of the most celebrated moments. Love Death.
I recommend watching at least a few episodes of Flying Circus, then Holy Grail, then Life of Brian, then Meaning of Life, then as much as you like of Flying Circus, the live specials, and other bits and bobs. I don't really like Flying Circus after Cleese left, but it's worth a watch if you've seen everything else.
If you still haven't had enough after that you can watch some proto-Python in the shape of Do Not Adjust Your Set and At Last The 1948 Show.
Hope this helps.
Edit: I find Life of Brian the least Pythonesque movie as it's not chaotic enough; too straightforward and linear. Holy Grail is most like the show; anarchic and all over the place in the best possible way. While most of the Pythons hated each other by the time Meaning of Life was being made, it's still got some of the most celebrated moments. Love Death.
I didn't forget it, I left it out since it's utterly redundant if you watch the series.
Simon Belmont
Banned
But OP has already seen Holy Grail. I don't disagree with you, but Brian is the better movie.
Honestly as a start I might be more inclined to recommend And Now for Something Completely Different or Live at the Hollywood Bowl.
Why not throw some favourite sketches in this thread?
https://youtu.be/T70-HTlKRXo
I'm not sure I would anymore. That programing was accessible to me as a kid over PBS. I'm not sure I would have jumped at it without a taste. I love all of Python, but I think it's a good idea to grasp what they are about with their commercially successful variant, then dabble around.
The records are the same deal, but not sure they would attract the same audience.
Please, please, please don't follow this advice. The sketches are robotic and flat compared to the originals.
Oh, so that's why.
So far this has been the only Monty Python thing I ever watched and I thought it was kinda bad. Didn't get what the fuzz was all about.
I'm wondering if I should flag up The Goodies, too, which was contemporary with Python and had a similar trajectory and range of media approach, but was a bit more kid-friendly and in the sitcom format rather than a sketch show. It's fair to say there was an affectionate rivalry between them, too; they were at Footlights at similar times, and Cleese worked on I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again with them; there's a few Python references directly in The Goodies.
Yup, Goodies are a fab choice too. If you want to go even deeper there's also The Goon Show which influenced many of the Pythons. Nabbed all the vinyls at uni from an Oxfam!
Simon Belmont
Banned
Disagree completely. The live performances have way more energy than the old flying circus versions. The travel agency, the four Yorkshiremen, are definitely superior to the flying circus version, and John Cleese hawking Albatross is pretty much the best thing ever.
With the other, I prefer the laugh track less versions.
You're thinking of Hollywood Bowl. Completely Different is just re-recorded sketches.
DEAD RABBIT
Member
Probably the best sketch.
I have nothing against the live performances, they're great.
In any case And Now For Something Completely different is just repeat material. You can get the whole package from the series alone. I doubt many fans here would recommend And Now For Something Completely Different over Flying Circus.
I enjoy it.
Simon Belmont
Banned
That's fucking rad!
Simon Belmont
Banned
Whoops, didn't see he had cut out Hollywood Bowl from his response! My bad!
More than Flying Circus or after having already seen Flying Circus? I don't doubt it's alright if you just want The Best Of in 90 minutes as a refresher over watching all four series again. OP is asking how to get the full experience.
Simon Belmont
Banned
There's stuff that goes either way, but the lethal joke is better in ANFSCD, and so is the Self Defense class skit. I'd add the Tobaccanist to that list too.
On par. I could watch it, and, or Flying Circus and have the same enjoyment. It's basically a streamlined variant for interested parties.
I was introduced to most of these skits on their albums though without visual.
Interesting. I've always heard the albums did great in the US compared to the UK. I get the impression Idle is the least liked Python over here, but that may just be me projecting.
echoshifting
Banned
Oh cool thanks!
Typographenia
Member
Eric Idle's part with the waiter taking you to his home is one of my favorite things in cinema.
Fuck off. I can live my own life.
Simon Belmont
Banned
Me too. The Final Rip-Off.
It's absolutely got a much better good:bad ratio than SNL, but plenty of its skits are tedious and incoherent. Especially in later episodes.
I only brought up the comparison because our memories tend to filter out that cruft and idealize it.
teruterubozu
Member
Just watch it any way you want. Thats the way we watched it in the 70s. I don't get these weird "how" do I watch things posts. You sit down and zone out.
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