Brian Cohen is an average young Jewish man, but through a series of ridiculous events, he gains a reputation as the Messiah. When he's not dodging his followers or being scolded by his shrill mother, the hapless Brian has to contend with the pompous Pontius Pilate and acronym-obsessed members of a separatist movement. Rife with Monty Python's signature absurdity, the tale finds Brian's life paralleling Biblical lore, albeit with many more laughs.
King Arthur, accompanied by his squire, recruits his Knights of the Round Table, including Sir Bedevere the Wise, Sir Lancelot the Brave, Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot and Sir Galahad the Pure. On the way, Arthur battles the Black Knight who, despite having had all his limbs chopped off, insists he can still fight. They reach Camelot, but Arthur decides not to enter, as "it is a silly place".
Life's questions are 'answered' in a series of outrageous vignettes, beginning with a staid London insurance company which transforms before our eyes into a pirate ship. Then there's the National Health doctors who try to claim a healthy liver from a still-living donor. The world's most voracious glutton brings the art of vomiting to new heights before his spectacular demise.
An documentarian from the BBC visits the set of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). This documentary shouldn't be viewed as a making of the film, but rather a goof-off session that is simply there to conjure up laughter.
Rome was famed for the decadence of its ruling class, however, what about the ordinary citizens of these ancient cultures? How did they lead their day to day lives in an age when the average life expectancy was little more than forty? Did they believe in the Pagan Gods? What were their sex lives like? What did they do for entertainment? How ordinary Romans lived is, for the most part ...
Egyptians were famed for their extravagant building techniques and extraordinary gods, but what about the ordinary citizens? How did they lead their day to day lives? What did they do for entertainment? Did they believe in their gods? Discover astonishing facts that throw new light on our understanding of the Ancient Egyptians.
Erik the Viking gathers warriors from his village and sets out on a dangerous journey to Valhalla, to ask the gods to end the Age of Ragnorok and allow his people to see sunlight again. A Pythonesque satire of Viking life.
Monty Python perform many of their greatest sketches at the Hollywood Bowl, including several from pre-Python days.
A collection of Monty Python's Flying Circus skits from the first two seasons of their British TV series.
An original illustrated 110 minute recording by The Pythons of their early screenplay in progress.
A humor-inflected history of the of the number one, covering military applications in ancient Rome, the measurement of distances in India, and the decimal system created by Leibnitz.
The Secret Policeman benefit shows for Amnesty International brought together comedy grand masters - from Python and Beyond the Fringe - and performers then relatively unknown, like Rowan Atkinson. Narrated by Dawn French, the programme includes interviews with many of the comedians and musicians who took part: John Cleese, Stephen Fry, Michael Palin, Sting, Lenny Henry and many more. The shows and their stars had a huge effect on modern British comedy. There are few comics today whose careers have not been heavily influenced by the anarchic and surreal humour of these events.
Not The Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy) is a comic oratorio based on Monty Python's Life of Brian, which retells the tragic tale of Mandy, impregnated by a Roman soldier, giving birth to Brian, a reluctant revolutionary of the People's Front of Judea who falls in love with Judith, gets mistaken for a Messiah and is arrested by the Romans and sentenced to be crucified. It ranges in reference from Handel, through a naughty Mozart duet, to the Festival of Nine Carols, Bob Dylan, and the classic finale "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life".
Jailed for his reckless driving, rambunctious Mr. Toad has to escape from prison when his beloved Toad Hall comes under threat from the wily weasels, who plan to build a dog food factory on the very meadow sold to them by Toad himself.
A documentary about the portrayal of Adolf Hitler in popular culture.
A playwright of note, Darius developed a drinking problem after his first major hit, and has taken time out from writing his follow-up to go to a clinic and dry out. After his release, Darius finds his producer has hired a leading lady for his next show, booked the theater and advertised the starting date -- all without Darius writing so much as a word of this new play. Darius desperately tries to come up with ideas, but nothing comes to mind, with an inflexible deadline staring him in the face. One day, Darius kills a neighbor's cat by accident; terribly depressed, he swallows some sedatives and falls asleep at his computer -- only to awake with the beginning of his play glowing on the screen. Darius is now convinced he must kill in order to create, and starts murdering an ever-expanding variety of creatures in order to satisfy his now bloodthirsty muse.
John Cleese, Michael Palin and Terry Jones celebrate the Guinness Book of World Records.
After the death of his father, young Dennis Cooper goes to town where he has to pass several adventures. The town and the whole kingdom is threatened by a terrible monster called 'Jabberwocky'. Will Dennis make his fortune? Is anyone brave enough to defeat the monster?
A documentary about the making of the controversial Life of Brian and the surrounding accusations of blasphemy.
The first of the Amnesty International comedy benefit galas. The title is a play on the phrase at Her Majesty's pleasure (the show was performed at Her Majesty's Theatre, London). This show came to be considered part of the Secret Policeman's Ball series of shows that it inspired, although it pre-dated the first show in the series by three years. The event was organized by a team of three: Monty Python member John Cleese, Amnesty's Assistant Director Peter Luff and Transatlantic Records executive Martin Lewis. It featured the cream of Britain's comedic talent of the era, setting a precedent that would inspire many subsequent Amnesty galas...
A series of benefit concerts to raise money for Amnesty International. Performances include comedy skits and musical numbers by a varied cast of mostly British performers. Featuring several Monty Python members, Rowan Atkinson, and Peter Cook.
Ten years ago exactly, more or less, give or take a day or two, six young men sat down, or maybe stood, or perhaps some of them just lounged, and wrote the first episode of a new series called Owl Stretching Time. They were called Graham Chapman , John Cleese, Terry Gilliam , Eric Idle,Terry Jones and Michael Palin and later both they and the series became known as Monty Python 's Flying Circus . Today they are the best known British comedy group in the world, famous from Cathay to Kathmandu, from Sydney to Sidcup (except in Japan where the programme is called The Gay Boys' Dragon Show ... say no more). To commemorate their tenth anniversary a BBC team tracked them down in the deserts of Tunisia where they were filming their Life of Brian and almost persuaded them to examine the genesis, the genius and the gender of Monty Python.
The Surprising History of Sex and Love is a documentary presented by Terry Jones, looking at the different and surprising attitudes to sex and love throughout history. The documentary traces the story of changing social and religious attitudes to sex through a broad swathe of history. Starting with the place of ’sacred sex’ in the ancient world and ending with a discussion of the contemporary relationship between sex, marketing and prurience, the film offers some kind of map of how we got from there to here, and indicates that changes in sexual attitudes are connected with issues of power and control.
One of the least-known Monty Python rarities is “The Close-up Toothpaste Relaunch,” a short advertising film. Follow Elida Gibbs' super salesman as he heroically brings new toothpaste, "Close-up Green" to the high street.
The making of the hoax film Miracles of Evolution.
A documentary about A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman.
There once was a girl named Anna Young. One day, her family is waiting for their perfect daughter to arrive at the breakfast table and kiss them good morning as always. But this morning Anna wakes up with a horrible illness. She looks like a sad version of Marilyn Manson and is terribly moody. Not realizing what is “wrong” with their daughter, Anna’s parents decide to take her to Dr. Artmanns’ clinic for kids with behavioural problems. In his analysis of Anna, Dr. Artmann uses a huge labyrinth where Anna is exposed to various tasks. The only way out of the maze for Anna is to complete her tasks in the right manners. But the right way is not necessarily what the parents think to be the right one.
A documentary with Terry Jones and Michael Palin travelling to the locations of "Monty Python and Holy Grail".
A behind-the-scenes look at Jim Henson's 1986 fantasy film, 'Labyrinth', featuring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly.
Sean Connors Films, Ltd. Presents a Frozen Pictures production of The Seventh Python, a nonfiction musical feature film based on the life, work and unplanned career of musical satirist Neil Innes. The Seventh Python traces one man’s winding path of whimsy as he flirts with destiny at the edge of fame with incredibly influential and unusually lasting work that keeps one foot each planted in the worlds of comedy and rock ‘n’ roll. From the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band to Monty Python's Flying Circus and The Rutles, to his Ego Warrior campaign and his insistence on wearing a plastic duck on his head, Neil Innes has proven to be the greatest musical comedy satirist of the past fifty years.
Eccentric aliens give a man the power to do anything he wants to determine if Earth is worth saving.
This BBC documentary tells the history of the Python group, allowing a few glimpses at the works of its predecessors (At Last the 1948 Show, Do Not Adjust Your Sets etc.) and various interviews with the group's members and other associated artists.
Several individuals have been packed in a box; they disagree regarding what should be done.
A live stand-up comedy and music gig to celebrate Amnesty International's 50th Anniversary.
Steve Martin presents selected sketches from "Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969)". It's the well known sketches, though the parrot sketch is not included. Steve Martin has some funny comments on the Pythons.
Celebrate the last night of the Pythons on the big screen! With John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin.
A group of down-and-out accountants mutiny against their bosses and sail their office building onto the high seas in search of a pirate's life.
Documentary charting and celebrating five decades of often groundbreaking, boundary-pushing comedy from BBC Two.
German made-for-TV musical extravaganza starring Monty Python.
30 years after Fawlty Towers (1975) ended, Stephen Fry narrates a documentary about the making of this classic sitcom.
With the help of a talking freeway billboard, a "wacky weatherman" tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter, who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early-90s Los Angeles.
With unprecedented access, this program reveals the humour, chaos and passion that went into bringing the Flying Circus to the stage cumulating in the legendary One Down, Five To Go.
Magali plays in a brass band. Guillaume drives a small tourist train. Both spin a perfect love, they share modest dreams and their baby is about to come. But an unexpected news upsets their routine: a man appears and announces that he is Guillaume's estranged father and also reveals that Guillaume is his legitimate heir of a kingdom offshore of France and England. Guillaume and Magali start to dream of a life as monarchs, surrounded by faithful subjects in their castle, enjoying their wealth. But reality is often different to what you can imagine.
The behind-the-scenes production documentary of Monty Python's 'Meaning Of Life.' This documentary is featured on the 2-disc Special Edition DVD for Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, released in September 2003.
One of many tributes following the death of Spike Milligan. Comedians, actors and musicians join forces to present a live tribute featuring a selection of comic highlights from Spike's life. From recreations of his most famous sketches to readings of Milligan's own poems and extracts from his controversial wartime memoirs, these are all interspersed with archive film clips of the great man himself, showcasing his inimitable comic genius.
In a strange turn of events, Sue Jones-Davies became the mayor of a Welsh town where Monty Python's Life of Brian was still banned - the film where she played the female lead.
Terry Jones (of Monty Python) gives a narrative of the life of and society around Geoffrey Chaucer. Geoffrey Chaucer's life to middle age, He survived the Black Death as a child, and become actively involved in the 100 Years War, the war that was to leave England devastated. Despite all these catastrophes, English literature went though a short Renaissance, and the program considers the leading role that Chaucer was to play in it.
Half-hour behind the scenes of Eric Idle's Not The Messiah oratorio. Featuring Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Neil Innes, Carol Cleveland and the cast of the show.
Terry Jones and Michael Palin revisit their "pre-Python" sketch show from 1969 which has sadly been wiped by the BBC. At the time, in 2014, only 2 episodes were known to exist. Palin and Jones re-shot wrap-arounds and aired remaining sketches from the show, taken from Jones' own private collection. In October 2023, the remaining episodes have been found.
New boarder Tomkinson is thoroughly miserable at Graybridge public school where he has to fight the grizzly bear,get nailed to the wall on St Tadger's Day and do the bidding of Grayson,also known as School Bully. When his mother refuses to let him come home he makes several attempts to escape,all unsuccessful,but after winning the Thirty Mile Hop against a rival (Buddhist) public school he is promoted to School Bully when Grayson leaves for Eton.
Short biographical documentary about comedian Michael Palin and his early interest in acting and comedy. Includes his education at the Shrewsbury School and Oxford.
Monty Python's Personal Best is a miniseries of six one-hour specials, each showcasing the contributions of a particular Monty Python member. The five surviving Pythons pay homage to the late, great Graham Chapman in this retrospective of his best work with the legendary comedy troupe.
For 750 years, the local colosseum was the only place to go if you were looking for some action. What began as human sacrifice during funeral rites for wealthy families resulted in a violent, bloody battle staged in front of 50,000 fans. Gladiators were slaves, but the archaeological remains at Pompeii and the Roman Colosseum reveal that they were held in the same esteem as modern day sports stars. Gladiators explains how this "sport" was used as a tool of political power and how the Gladiators rose up and waged war against their owners. Two versions are available: presenter-free, and presenter-led, with Terry Jones of Monty Python fame.
Alexander Armstrong explores the literature that inspired Michael Palin and Terry Jones's classic TV comedy Ripping Yarns, a loving parody of the Boys' Own books and magazines of their childhood.
Once upon a time, somewhere... a homeless guy finds a policeman's uniform...
Short sketch written by and starring Michael Palin and Terry Jones, of Monty Python.
A Group of Britain's top comedy and music performers gather at a London Theater, to give their support to the Oncology Club Fund. The Fund is a charitable organization which provides training for young doctors in the practical day to day care of patients with cancer.
A look back at the origins of the ground breaking BBC comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Monty Python sketch created for Dutch television in 1973.
A look at the careers of John Cleese, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam in the years after Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969).
A TV Special consisting of various sketches with the titular comedian and fellow comics in guest appearances.
Terry Jones' Barbarians is a 4-part TV documentary series first broadcast on BBC 2 in 2006. It was written and presented by Terry Jones, and it challenges the received Roman and Roman Catholic notion of the barbarian. Professor Barry Cunliffe of the University of Oxford acted as consultant for the series.
An educational comedy film from Guinness instructing how to clean out your pipes in the pub.
All the best sketches from the third and fourth series of the ground-breaking comedy. Memorable moments include: 'The Finals of the All-England Summarise Proust Competition'; 'Stand and Deliver! It's That Highwayman Dennis Moore'; 'Thrust: A Quite Controversial Look at the World Around Us'; 'Whicker's Island'; and 'The Fifteenth Ideal Loon Competition'. Originally broadcast from 19 October 1972 to 18 January 1973, and 31 October to 5 December 1974.
Compilation of the best Sketches of the first series of Monty Python's Flying Circus, which ran from 5 October 1969 to 11 January 1970. Memorable moments include: 'The 127th Upperclass Twit of the Year Competition from Hurlingham Park'; 'Bicycle Repair Man'; 'Vicious Gangs of Old Ladies - the Layabouts in Lace'; 'The Man with Three Buttocks'; 'The Lumberjack Song'; 'Vocational Guidance Councillor'; and 'The Joke That Kills People'. Oh, and a sketch about a dead parrot.
All the best sketches from the second series of the ground-breaking comedy. Memorable moments include: 'It's in the Mind'; 'The New Cooker Sketch'; 'Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition'; and 'The Ministry for Silly Walks'. Originally Broadcast from 15 September to 22 December 1970
A discussion between John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones about their film The Meaning of Life
Meatloaf introduces a look back at Python's use of music. Included interviews with the team, André Jacquemin and other conspirators.
The Sketches produced by the surviving Pythons for the BBC's celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the first showing of Monty Python on 5 October 1969.
The story behind how the comedy sketch group Monty Python formed in 1969, and lead to four very series, and four very funny films that are still has funny today as when they were released.
Discover how six seemingly ordinary but supremely talented men became Monty Python, sketch comedy's inspired group of lunatics who turned such unlikely sources of inspiration as Spam, dead parrots and the Inquisition into enduring punch lines. This entertaining documentary includes interviews with members of the troupe, as well as home movies, photos and rare recordings from Monty Python's early years.
Posing as a dancer for the Ballets Russes in Barcelona, Indy meets old friend Pablo Picasso, and narrowly outwits inept German spies. Dashing off to Prague, he then arranges for a telephone installation to await an important call, which becomes a bureaucratic nightmare until Franz Kafka intervenes.
This documentary follows the evolution of the British sketch comedy troupe that redefined humor and shaped an entire generation of American comics, focusing especially on their conquest of the American comedy scene,
Terry Jones presents Boom Bust Boom. The result of a meeting between writer, director, historian and Python Terry Jones and economics professor and entrepreneur Theo Kocken. Co-written by Jones and Kocken and featuring John Cusack, Nobel Prize winners Daniel Kahneman, Robert J Shiller and Paul Krugman, the film is part of a global movement to change the economic system through education to protect the world from boom and bust. A unique look at why economic crashes happen, Boom Bust Boom is a multimedia documentary combining live action with animation and puppetry to explain economics to everyone.
Alan Yentob meets the five surviving members of Monty Python - John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle - as they prepare to reunite on stage.
Celebrating their 30th anniversary, Monty Python presents exclusive new material and so-called classic bits. Disc : 1 Contains 1:It's The Monty Python Story 2:Pythonland 3:The Last Python Mayday Special 4:From Spam to Sperm:Monty Pythons Greatest Hits An Animated South Park Tribute Disc:2 1 The Last German Episode Fliegender Zirkus #2: Schnapps with Everything
A documentary about comedian Spike Milligan.
From ‘something completely different’ to icons of comedy and national treasures, this is a collection of rarely-seen Monty Python moments from the BBC archives, following the group’s encounters with ‘Auntie’ over the past 50 years.
On Christmas Eve, twins Alfie and Elise struggle with the absence of their father. Elise dreams of escape, while Alfie hides from the world. Their mother gives them a mysterious “Wish Watch,” left by their father. That night, they're visited by the enigmatic Wish Collector, who whisks them away to the Land of Sometimes, a magical place where all four seasons pass in one day. But wishes come with consequences. In this musical adventure, the twins meet extraordinary characters and learn that love, family, and friendship matter more than any wish.
Charlie Chaplin was at one time the most famous person in the world. His creation – the little tramp – was a universal figure adored by millions across the globe. He took crude, knockabout, slapstick comedy and transformed it into an art form with films that have stood the test of time. Terry Jones, comedian, writer and director, best known for being a leading member of Monty Python and long-time fan of silent comedies, offers a personal re-appraisal of the man who changed the face of film comedy.With access to a wealth of home movie material, Terry Jones also looks at the troubled private life of Chaplin: his loves, his politics, and his obsessions. He talks to Chaplin family members and biographers in his quest to get inside the skin of one of the true giants of film and comedy…
Miracles of Evolution is a fake BBC film trailer featuring flying penguins made in 2008 as an April Fools' Day hoax. The film was advertised as compelling evidence for Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. It was largely set on King George Island, 75 miles from mainland Antarctica.
One of the least-known Monty Python rarities is “The Great Birds Eye Peas Relaunch of 1971,” a short advertising film that was made for the Birds Eye company’s internal use.
In May 1977 a second Amnesty benefit was held to build on the success of the first show and with the intent of developing momentum for a regularly-scheduled benefit show.
In March 1998 in Aspen, Colorado, the surviving members of the Monty Python team – John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin – shared a stage together for the first time in 18 years. Even more remarkably, Graham Chapman was there too....in an urn! The occasion for this reunion was the US Comedy Arts Festival Tribute to Monty Python, hosted by Robert Klein in front of a live audience.
Monty Python’s influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles’ influence on music, a pivotal moment in the evolution of television humor. Celebrating the cultural legacy and influence of the troupe, this special pairs their original material with new and entertaining commentary from celebrities who consider Monty Python hugely significant, both personally and to the history of screen satire. Celebrity humorists discuss, laugh, and reminisce about various Python segments and bring a fresh perspective to the material, connecting Monty Python’s work to today’s most successful television humor. In a time when a few moments of escape and laughter couldn’t be more sought after, this special reminds viewers of Python’s cultural impact, and that PBS introduced them to American viewers.
As a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his passing, The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 . Organized by Harrison's widow, Olivia, and son, Dhani, and arranged under the musical direction of Eric Clapton and Jeff Lynne. A benefit for Harrison's Material World Charitable Foundation, the all-star concert took place on the day of the first anniversary of his death. Proceeds from the film also went to the Material World Charitable Foundation. The film was shot using discreet cameras from over twelve locations.
Follow the close analysis of an ancient fight master's manuscript depicting combat techniques and devices used over 500 years ago.
Cartoonist Gerald Scarfe looks at that most English of things - the folly.
This is a theatrical / movie adaptation of the TV Miniseries. Its chapters do not align with the episodes directly, so it necessarily must be held separate from the TV Miniseries.
Monty Python's Personal Best is a miniseries of six one-hour specials, each showcasing the contributions of a particular Monty Python member. The show begins with a plaintext "memorial" to the "late" John Cleese. It then cuts to a fairytale starring the troupe ("The Princess with the Wooden Teeth" from Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus), which then cuts to a poolside interview of a cranky, senile old man (Cleese) by Dayna Devon, a reporter. The supposedly 96-year-old Cleese usually answers her questions in the raunchiest manner possible, culminating in his "death" (by heart attack, apparently) at the end of the show.
Monty Python's Personal Best is a miniseries of six one-hour specials, each showcasing the contributions of a particular Monty Python member. Reporting live from the Bollywood Howl [sic], a newscaster (Eric Idle) introduces his interviews with several people about what they thought about Eric Idle, including Idle's mother and a former Nazi soldier living in South America (both also played by Idle). Throughout the segments, the reporter confuses the members of Python with The Beatles, an homage to Idle's work on All You Need Is Cash, a parody film featuring The Rutles.
Monty Python's Personal Best is a miniseries of six one-hour specials, each showcasing the contributions of a particular Monty Python member. The show is a pseudo-documentary about fish-slapping, with Michael Palin playing the same character he played in the original sketch hosting the show. The sketches are supposedly added because the show originally introduced the world to fish-slapping. Michael Palin "travelling" to the original filming location of the Fish-Slapping Dance jokingly references his current popularity as a travel documentarian.
Monty Python's Personal Best is a miniseries of six one-hour specials, each showcasing the contributions of a particular Monty Python member. The show begins with Gilliam claiming Monty Python's Flying Circus was originally to be his show alone, with animations only. The "viewer" flips a switch that turns on the lights to reveal that Gilliam and his workshop are really animations. General pandemonium ensues as the episode shows a vast collage of Gilliam's famously neurotic animations.
Monty Python's Personal Best is a miniseries of six one-hour specials, each showcasing the contributions of a particular Monty Python member. From his lavish home, Jones discusses how he conceived Monty Python as a showcase for his own considerable talents, how he reluctantly let the other members join and that 'Monty Python' is an anagram of 'Terry Jones'. Several sketches are personally (and often inaccurately) introduced by Jones.
Monty Python's Personal Best is a miniseries of six one-hour specials, each showcasing the contributions of a particular Monty Python member. The five surviving Pythons pay homage to the late, great Graham Chapman in this retrospective of his best work with the legendary comedy troupe.
The only word to describe the amazing duo of Rik Mayall and Adrian Edminson is genius. For the past 25 years they have provided us with some unforgettable programs that left us on the floor such as The Young Ones, The Dangerous Brothers and of course, Bottom. The DVD contains the very best and violent bits from the live shows and TV programmes that have starred the two slapstick legends in the past 25 years. With the help of the great comedy writers such as Ben Elton, they have produced many great moments, such as the sprouts of doom and the towering inferno impression that went horrifically wrong. Here they are, all of the great moments on 1 disc. Here is what you can expect from the greatest compilation of slapstick moments of all time!!!