CS Weekly Archive > DVD > 12/05/08

And Now for Something
Completely Different...

by jason davis

The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus (Collector's Set)

Written, conceived, and performed by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin with contributions by Neil Innes and Douglas Adams

                 

In 1969, six anarchistic comedic geniuses, their wit refined in the service of British comedy-legend Sir David Frost, came together to create one of the most idiosyncratic entries in the annals of television history. Abandoning punch-lines, adopting stream-of-consciousness, and embracing intellectualism as a venue for humor, Monty Python invented an iconoclastic form of irreverent satire that remains fresh nearly 40 years later. A&E's new release betters the previous editions by including six programs dedicated to each Python's favorite sketches. While these hour-long entries provide insight into the minds behind the anarchic comedy series, the real treasures of this release are two brand-new documentaries. The first, Before the Flying Circus, traces the paths of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin as they slowly coalesced across several comedy gigs before forming Monty Python. The hour-long exploration tracks the development of their comic style while paying homage to the influences that inspired them. The other end of the group's history is chronicled in Monty Python Conquers America, wherein the marketing of this essentially British institution in the United States is revisited by key figures in the boys' trans-Atlantic journey, as well as the fans who discovered them when they arrived: Carl Reiner, Judd Apatow, Matt Stone, Trey Parker, and other American comic luminaries.

The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus (Collector's Set)
A&E Home Entertainment

Not rated; 1,869 min.

$159.95

Buy it now

Jason Davis has been the DVD Manager for CS Weekly, a contributing editor for Creative Screenwriting Magazine, and has written for Cinescape.com, MSN.com, and created the TV series Studio 13, which ran on Lorne Michaels' Burly TV network. He lives in the small space left over by his ever-expanding library of books, movies, and music.

The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus (Collector's Set) courtesy A&E Home Entertainment

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