There is not a single joke, sight-gag or one-liner in Monty Python's Life of Brian that will not forever burn itself into the viewer's memory as being just as funny as it is possible to be, but--extraordinarily--almost every indestructibly hilarious scene also serves a dual purpose, making this one of the most consistently sustained film satires ever made. Like all great satire, the Pythons not only attack and vilify their targets (the bigotry and hypocrisy of organised religion and politics) supremely well, they also propose an alternative: be an individual, think for yourself, don't be led by others. "You've all got to work it out for yourselves", cries Brian in a key moment. "Yes, we've all got to work it our for ourselves", the crowd reply en masse. Two thousand years later, in a world still blighted by religious zealots, Brian's is still a lone voice crying in the wilderness. Aside from being a neat spoof on the Hollywood epic, it's also almost incidentally one of the most realistic on-screen depictions of the ancient world--instead of treating their characters as posturing historical stereotypes, the Pythons realised what no sword 'n' sandal epic ever has: that people are all the same, no matter what period of history they live in. People always have and always will bicker, lie, cheat, swear, conceal cowardice with bravado (like Reg, leader of the People's Front of Judea), abuse power (like Pontius Pilate), blindly follow the latest fads and giggle at silly things ("Biggus Dickus"). In the end, Life of Brian teaches us that the only way for a despairing individual to cope in a world of idiocy and hypocrisy is to always look on the bright side of life. On the DVD: Life of Brian returns to Region 2 DVD in a decent widescreen anamorphic print with Dolby 5.1 sound--neither are exactly revelatory, but at least it's an improvement on the previous release, which was, shockingly, pan & scan. The 50-minute BBC documentary, "The Pythons", was filmed mainly on location in 1979 and isn't especially remarkable or insightful (a new retrospective would have been appreciated). There are trailers for this movie, as well as Holy Grail plus three other non-Python movies. There's no commentary track, sadly. --Mark Walker
Monty Python and the Holy Grail:Arthur, King of the Britons (Graham Chapman) assembles his Knights of the Round Table and takes them swiflty from Camelot, after a message from God, on a quest to find the Holy Grail! As they travel to the sound of their coconut banging servants, the banner of Knights encounter a castle of heavy resistance; guards throwing cows and chickens, Knights in the forest who say 'Ni!' and a cute looking rabbit that only the 'Holy Hand Grenade' can deal with. Satirising events of that time (including witch trials and the black plague), Monty Python create an hilarious take on the well known story and deliver some unforgettable moments.Life Of Brian:The second movie from the comedy team of Monty Python takes them back to biblical times, following Brian; born just a few doors down from Jesus, growing up a jew in Roman occupied Judea. As he falls for an attractive young rebel, Brian joins the separatist movement that will lead him to confront Roman Centurions and the well-known Pontius Pilate to determine his fate! Again satirising the times, Monty Python bring laughter to spectacles that at the time would be no laughing matter. Filmed in Tunisia, and with guest appearances including George Harrison and Spike Milligan, Life Of Brian is another hit from the comedy genius that is Monty Python.
Experience this acclaimed, addictive crime series with ALL 12 SEASONS together for the first time plus special features that include the memorable send-off, Back to the Lab: A Bones Retrospective. Forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Bones Brennan (Emily Deschanel) has an uncanny ability to solve the FBI's most bizarre, gruesome mysteries. Along with hard-nosed agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz), and the quirky squints (Michaela Conlin, T.J. Thyne, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley) at Washington's Jeffersonian Institute, Brennan tackles cases involving everyone from serial killers to senior citizens. As the series unfolds, Brennan and Booth find themselves as deeply in love as they are in danger. With its dark humour, mesmerising plots, celebrated cast and beloved guest stars, Bones is cutting-edge entertainment from its first incision to its final cut.
Martin Scorsese does not sound like the logical choice to direct The Age of Innocence, an adaptation of Edith Wharton's novel about the manners and morals in New York society in the 1870s. But these are mean streets, too, and the psychological violence inflicted between characters is at least as damaging as the physical violence perpetrated by Scorsese's usual gangsters. At the centre of the tale is Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis), a somewhat diffident young man engaged to marry the very respectable May Welland (Winona Ryder). But Archer is distracted by May's cousin, the Countess Olenska (a radiant Michelle Pfeiffer), who has recently returned from Europe. As a married woman seeking a divorce, the Countess is an embarrassment to all of New York society. But Archer is fascinated by her quick intelligence and worldly ways. Scorsese closely observes the tiny details of this world and this impossible situation; this is a film in which the shift of someone's eyes can be as significant as the firing of a gun. The director's sense of colour has never been keener, and his work with the actors is subtle. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com
BUILD YOUR OWN DOCTOR WHO ARCHIVE WITH THIS 6-DISC COLLECTORS' SET! The Fourth Doctor's classic first season all 20 episodes newly restored for Blu-ray, packed with bonus material. ROBOT THE ARK IN SPACE THE SONTARAN EXPERIMENT GENESIS OF THE DALEKS REVENGE OF THE CYBERMEN Special Features TOM BAKER IN CONVERSATION - A brand new candid one-hour interview with the Fourth Doctor BEHIND THE SOFA - Classic clips, viewed by Tom Baker, Philip Hinchcliffe, Louise Jameson, Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton and Sadie Miller NEW MAKING-OF DOCUMENTARIES For The Sontaran Experiment and Revenge Of The Cybermen IMMERSIVE 5.1 SURROUND SOUND MIXES For The Ark In Space and Genesis Of The Daleks OPTIONAL UPDATED SPECIAL EFFECTS For Revenge Of The Cybermen GENESIS OF THE DALEKS TV-MOVIE VERSION - Unseen since broadcast in 1975 DOCTOR WHO TIMES 1970s TV context documentary THE TOM BAKER YEARS - The 1991 VHS release, on disc for the first time PDF PRODUCTION MATERIAL - Rare files from the BBC Archives Also contains extensive Special Features previously released on DVD including: MAKING OF DOCUMENTARIES, FEATURETTES, OPTIONAL CGI EFFECTS, AUDIO COMMENTARIES, RARE FOOTAGE, PRODUCTION INFORMATION SUBTITLES, PDF MATERIAL AND MUCH MORE.
The third Star Trek series is led by Benjamin Sisko commander of the space station Deep Space Nine who discovers the first known stable wormhole a virtual shortcut through space that leads from the Alpha Quadrant to the Gamma Quadrant on the other side of the galaxy. The Gamma Quadrant is governed by the Dominion a group led by the Changelings - an group of shapeshifters which counts DS9 crew member Odo (Rene Auberjonois) among its numbers. The Dominion has become a violent force in the galaxy and Deep Space Nine and its crew has become the only home in upholding the way of life established by the Federation. Episodes Comprise: 1. Apocalypse Rising 2. The Ship 3. Looking For par'Mach In All The Wrong Places 4. ...Nor The Battle Too Strong 5. The Assignment 6. Trials And Tribble-ations 7. Let He Who Is Without Sin... 8. Things Past 9. The Ascent 10. Rapture 11. The Darkness And The Light 12. The Begotten 13. For The Uniform 14. In Purgatory's Shadow 15. By Inferno's Light 16. Doctor Bashir I Presume? 17. A Simple Investigation 18. Business As Usual 19. Ties Of Blood And Water 20. Ferengi Love Songs 21. Soldiers Of The Empire 22. Children Of Time 23. Blaze Of Glory 24. Empok Nor 25. In The Cards
WE HAVE SUCH SIGHTS TO SHOW YOU! In 1987, master of horror Clive Barker unleashed Hellraiser upon unsuspecting audiences launching what has proven to be one of the genre s most enduring franchises and creating an instant horror icon in the figure of Pinhead in the process. In Barker s original Hellraiser, Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence) comes head-to-head with the Cenobites demonic beings from another realm who are summoned by way of a mysterious puzzle box. Picking up immediately after the events of the original Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II finds Kirsty detained at a psychiatric institute and under the care of Dr. Channard, a man with an unhealthy interest in the occult. Meanwhile, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth sees Pinhead and his band of Cenobites let loose in our own world, with terrifying consequences.
Based on James Herriot's autobiographical best sellers 'If Only They Could Talk' and 'It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet' the long running TV series 'All Creatures Great and Small' continued to satisfy the Herriot hysteria of the British public.
And now for something completely different...
Monty Python's Flying Circus Complete Series 1: 1. Whither Canada? 2. Sex and Violence 3. How to Recognise Different Types of Trees from Quite a Long Way Away 4. Owl-Stretching Time 5. Man's Crisis of Identity in the Latter Half of the 20th Century 6. The BBC Entry for the Zinc Stoat of Budapest 7. You're No Fun Anymore 8. Full Frontal Nudity 9. The Ant an Introduction 10. Untitled 11. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Goes to the Bathroom 12. The Naked Ant 13. Intermission Monty Python's Flying Circus Complete Series 2: 1. Dinsdale! 2. The Spanish Inquisition 3. Deja Vu 4. The Buzz Aldrin Show 5. Live from the Grill-o-Mat 6. It's a Living 7. The Attila the Hun Show 8. Archaeology Today 9. How to Recognise Different Parts of the Body 10. Scott of the Antarctic 11. How Not to Be Seen 12. Spam 13. Royal Episode 13 Monty Python's Flying Circus Complete Series 3: 1. Njorl's Saga 2. Mr. and Mrs. Brian Norris' Ford Popular 3. The Money Programme 4. Blood Devastation Death War and Horror 5. The All-England Summarise Proust Competition 6. The War Against Pornography 7. Salad Days 8. The Cycling Tour 9. The Nude Man 10. E. Henry Thripshaw's Disease 11. Dennis Moore 12. A Book at Bedtime 13. The British Showbiz Awards Monty Python's Flying Circus Complete Series 4: 1. The Golden Age of Ballooning 2. Michael Ellis 3. The Light Entertainment War 4. Hamlet 5. Mr. Neutron 6. Party Political Broadcast And Now For Something Completely Different (1971): England was such a proper place - until the day the Python arrived. Monty Python that is a Flying Circus that slithered up the funnybone of an entire nation and gave it fits of laughter. Here's Monty Python's first feature film - a hilarious collection of their very best twits skits and bits from their popular TV series. The Holy Grail (1974): Yoiks! Here be the Python's tale of good King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his knights as they quest for the Holy Grail. Watch as they face great odds and silly sods. See them wage battle against the fierce Killer Rabbit (Run Away! Run Away!) and (oh horrors!) see them confront the dreaded Knights Who Say Ni!. The Life Of Brian (1979): You could say this is one of the greatest comedies ever but the Monty Python team said it first! Life of Brian is all about (and here's the big surprise) the life of Brian who was born in a Bethlehem manger next door to Jesus. Three wise men believe he is the messiah but it becomes apparent that he is only Brian. Live At The Hollywood Bowl (1982): Live lewd and unleashed for the first time the Pythons take on the legendary Hollywood Bowl in a sell out show that serves up some of their best known songs and sketches in addition to brand new material that never appeared in the Flying Circus TV series. The Meaning Of Life (1983): Those six pandemonium-mad Pythons are back with their craziest adventure ever! These naughty lads offer the usual tasteful sketches involving favorite bodily parts and functions the wonders of war the miracle of birth and a special preview of what's waiting for us in Heaven.
In 1979, The Warriors seemed like a frighteningly realistic possible future for The Big Apple. The film's depiction of multiple street gangs no longer content with occupying their own territories was an uncomfortably real issue across New York City. A deceptively simple plot begins with a truce gathering representatives from all the gangs at a meeting. Would-be leader Cyrus has a vision. Unfortunately a member of the Rogues shoots him before we learn what it is, and then pins the blame on the Warriors. With anything up to 60,000 gang soldiers and 20,000 police on their trail, the seven Warrior members beat a hasty retreat any which way they can back to Coney Island. What's really going on, as per Sol Yurick's original novel, is a subtle examination of the seemingly contradictory traits of loyalty and nobility that occur in a close-knit group. Explosions of violence and a disregard for bystanders are secondary to what the characters mean to one another. All this brotherly love is presented with some truly amazing production design and cinematography: though dark, this is a world of colourful night-lights and even more colourful gang uniforms. Historically, this is a movie way past its sell-by date (it certainly won't instigate real life violence now as it did when released), but thematically it remains a worthy exploration of all those unspoken codes of honour. On the DVD: This is a good movie to test the dark end of the spectrum. It's in 1.78:1 and only in mono, but that somehow works for what's little more than a lot of running around in the dark. The only extra is the original trailer.--Paul Tonks
Ian Carmichael and Janette Scott star in this sparkling utterly irresistible romantic comedy – a major project for Roy Boulting who with twin brother John formed one of post-war Britain's most successful and influential film partnerships. Also featuring comedy greats Terry-Thomas Joyce Grenfell Irene Handl and John Le Mesurier Happy Is the Bride is featured in a brand-new transfer from original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio. David proposes to Janet in the middle of a cricket match a prospect less-than-enthusiastically received by Janet's prosperous father. The thought of his daughter's marriage to a young man of unimpressive means and hazy future is accepted with dubious grace and the two lovebirds find romance being replaced by a regiment of interfering relatives! Special Features: Original Theatrical Trailer Image Gallery Promotional Material PDF
MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS FULLY RESTORED IN HIGH DEFINITION FOR THE FIRST TIME! To celebrate the 50th anniversary of a genuinely iconic series, we present Monty Python s Flying Circus, starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin in all its HD glory! This unrivalled restoration has been produced from the best available materials, painstakingly restored... and includes just the right amount of lovely spam, wonderful spam... Previously edited sketches have been returned to their original length, while filmed sequences and Terry Gilliam s animations have been newly scanned in High Definition, adding unimaginable depth and clarity to classic moments. From the archive come genuine rarities including previously unseen studio outtakes and extended versions of filmed sketch material, making this the ultimate in television restoration and a must-have for every generation of Python fan! SERIES 2 FEATURES: The Buzz Aldrin Show: Extended & unused filmed material Live from the Grill-O-Mat: Extended Ken Clean-Air System filmed material It's a Living: Reinstated content & alternative, censored sketch audio, extended Election Night Special and School [] Prizes filmed material How to Recognise Different Parts of the Body: Reinstated content & alternative, censored sketch audio Scott of the Antarctic: Extended filmed material How Not to Be Seen: Restored animation, unused film material, extended Conquistador Coffee sketch And Now For Something Completely Different: Vic Jamison's 1970 student film shot on location with the Python team Interview with Ian Macnaughton: Recorded in November 1971 at Imperial College London
American Indians were "cool" in 1970, the year A Man Called Horse made its vigorous, feverishly real, and occasionally shocking debut alongside Little Big Man and Soldier Blue. Unlike the latter two films, however, Horse is less an allegory for Vietnam-era America and more of a vision quest for historical identity. In one of his defining roles, Richard Harris plays an English aristocrat captured by Dakota Sioux in 1825. Over time, he adopts their way of life and eventually becomes tribal leader--but not before undergoing savage initiation rituals, the most famous of which involves being suspended by blades inserted beneath Harris's pectoral muscles. Horse looks clunky, quaint, and inadvertently demeaning in some respects today, but the film's Native-American milieu is at least defined on its own terms, making no concessions to familiar Western conventions. The real draw is Harris, whose performance has a soulful integrity. --Tom Keogh
The third Star Trek series is led by Benjamin Sisko commander of the space station Deep Space Nine who discovers the first known stable wormhole a virtual shortcut through space that leads from the Alpha Quadrant to the Gamma Quadrant on the other side of the galaxy. The Gamma Quadrant is governed by the Dominion a group led by the Changelings - an group of shapeshifters which counts DS9 crew member Odo (Rene Auberjonois) among its numbers. The Dominion has become a violent force in the galaxy and Deep Space Nine and its crew has become the only home in upholding the way of life established by the Federation. Episodes Comprise: 1. The Way Of The Warrior - Part 1 2. The Way Of The Warrior - Part 2 3. The Visitor 4. Hippocratic Oath 5. Indiscretion 6. Rejoined 7. Starship Down 8. Little Green Men 9. The Sword Of Kahless 10. Our Man Bashir 11. Homefront 12. Paradise Lost 13. Crossfire 14. Return To Grace 15. The Sons Of Mogh 16. Bar Association 17. Accession 18. Rules Of Engagement 19. Hard Time 20. Shattered Mirror 21. The Muse 22. For The Cause 23. To The Death 24. The Quickening 25. Body Parts 26. Broken Link
The Holy Grail (1974): Yoiks! Here be the Python's tale of good King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his knights as they quest for the Holy Grail. Watch as they face great odds and silly sods. See them wage battle against the fierce Killer Rabbit (""Run Away! Run Away!"") and (oh horrors!) see them confront the dreaded Knights Who Say ""Ni!"". Oh these be trying times. Can these good knights pass the test of valour and cut down yon tree with herring? Or will they blow themselves to smithereens with the Holy Hand Grenade? Courage Lancelot! Onward Galahad! A hysterical historical tour-de-farce from Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones. The Life Of Brian (1979): You could say this is one of the greatest comedies ever but the Monty Python team said it first! Life of Brian is all about (and here's the big surprise) the life of Brian who was born in a Bethlehem manger next door to Jesus. Three wise men believe he is the messiah but it becomes apparent that he is only Brian. It's written and performed by the Monty Python lads so you know what you're in for; if you don't put this disc down and go out while it's safe! The Meaning Of Life (1983): Those six pandemonium-mad Pythons are back with their craziest adventure ever! These naughty lads offer the usual tasteful sketches involving favorite bodily parts and functions the wonders of war the miracle of birth and a special preview of what's waiting for us in Heaven. Nothing is too sacred for the probing Python crew. After seeing them in action you'll never look at life in quite the same way again. It's far-out frank and jolly good fun!
Everything a Monty Python fan could ever want in one gloriously fabulous, ludicrously definitive, outrageously luxurious 14 disc boxset! Includes: Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life Special Edition Monty Python's Life Of Brian Special Edition Monty Python And The Holy Grail Special Edition And Now For Something Completely Different The Complete Flying Circus TV Series 1-4
In School for Scoundrels wimpy Ian Carmichael wants to impress girls and get one over on all-round show-off and cad Terry Thomas (playing gloriously to type). Discovering Alastair Simms' unorthodox school Carmichael happily enrols and learns the quaint tricks of the day for securing the admiration of a fair lady. Ultimately as a star pupil he teaches the Master a thing or two about true love when everything turns out just fine in the end. Appealing to all male sensibilities is the idea of a magical set of simple rules for winning someone's affections. Set in the tweed-rich environment of an English boarding school makes this an even quainter notion. To watch this classic comedy is to cock one's snoot at womanisers everywhere while unavoidably making a mental list of anything that might actually work! The three central performances are brilliantly realised, particularly the role reversal between Carmichael and Thomas. Try playing a tennis match after a viewing without calling "hard cheese". -Paul Tonks
Wrestlemania has always been the main event in the WWE calender and now is as big as any other time in its history. This event drew a crowd of 54 000 as the Safeco Field in Seattle with a live performance from controversial band Limp Bizkit. A mouth watering line-up for fans including Hulk Hogan Vince McMahon Stone Cold Steve Austin The Rock Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar.
And Now for Something Completely Different, Monty Python's first feature, is a reworking of their best skits from the first two seasons of the TV series. Originally made for the US market (where the show had yet to be aired), it was shot on film outside the usual studio sets ("Nudge Nudge", for example, is set in a tavern filled with passers-by). The writing and performances are fine and the film is packed with some of their best bits: "How to Avoid Being Seen", " Hell's Grannies", "Blackmail", "The Lumberjack Song" and "The Upper Class Twit of the Year", among others. Many of the sketches have been shortened, however, and the loss of the overly bright video sheen (the film has a muddy, dull look to it) and the invigorating presence of a live audience leaves the film sluggish at times. They're still feeling out the possibilities of the feature length, which they conquered with their next movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974). --Sean Axmaker
Please wait. Loading...
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy