Returning to the sketch-show format of their earlier days, Monty Python' s The Meaning of Life was always going to feel less ambitious and less coherent than their cinematic masterpiece, The Life of Brian. And inevitably given the format, some sketches are better than others. But, for a movie that has been much-maligned, The Meaning of Life actually features some of the Pythons' most memorable set-pieces: the exploding Mr Creosote has to be the most wonderfully grotesque creation of a team whose speciality was the grotesque; while the sublime "Sperm Song" mixes satire and lavish visual humour in a musical skit of breathtaking audacity. Elsewhere, Eric Idle produces another musical gem with "The Universe Song" ("Pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space / 'Cause there's bugger all down here on earth!"), while the Grim Reaper's appearance at an achingly tedious dinner party is the Pythons doing what they do best: mocking their own middle-class origins. Best of all, perhaps, is Terry Gilliam's modest introductory feature, "The Crimson Permanent Assurance", a 20-minute epic tale of the little men rebelling against the corporate system, a theme and a visual style that foreshadows his own masterwork, Brazil. Admittedly too many sketches sacrifice subtlety for shock tactics (the organ donation scene in particular requires a strong stomach), but when this film works it's nothing less than vintage Python. --Mark Walker
Alfred Burke stars as down-at-heel Inquiry Agent Frank Marker in this critically acclaimed, long-running drama series. Always working the lower end of the spectrum - divorces, missing persons, bankruptcies - the public found a great affinity with Marker and the series was a huge success over its ten-year life span. This set contains all 13 episodes from the 1972/3 series - complete and uncut. The Bankrupt: How is a bankrupt riding around in a Rolls Royce? Girl in Blue: Marker is hired to find a missing daughter. Many a Slip: Can a doctors wife be a potential credit defaulter? Mrs. Podmores Cat: Markers telephone is cut off because of an unpaid bill. The Man who Said Sorry: Who is the stranger that turns up late at Markers office? Horse and Carriage: Its Christmas, but does anyone have goodwill for Marker? A Family Affair: Why was an old mans estate divided between his sons and housekeeper? The Golden Boy: Why has a young scholar disappeared without trace? The Windsor Royal: Who has stolen two bushes of roses from Lawrences Nurseries? Its a Womans Privilege: Why has Mrs. Mortimer paid Marker a visit? Home and Away: Is a football fanatic really playing away with another woman? Egg and Cress Sandwiches: Who has been writing poison pen letters to the churchwarden? The Trouble with Jenny: Why has one of Markers fellow guests tried to gas herself?
Boon is a reiver (that's a cheat a liar a brawler and womaniser) and he has just four days to teach young Lucius the facts of life (like cheating lying brawling and womanizing)! Based on the novel by William Faulkner THE REIVERS tells the story of a young boy who leaves home and sets out on a journey with his best friend and Boon Hogganbeck (McQueen) his family's handyman. During the trip from Jefferson to Memphis the trio learns some valuable life lessons.
The hot and seductive 'Club Vampire' is a place where your wildest desires are fulfilled but where your worst fears come true. Your soul is the price of admission as you enter a place where the undead roam.
Attack Of The Giant Leeches: Unbeknown to the locals giant leeches live in caves under a swamp. The disappearance of a succession of trappers prompts the game warden to investigate matters with horrifying results. The Amazing Transparent Man: An expert safecracker named Faust (Douglas Kennedy) turns invisible via radioactive rays in this low-budget science fiction-crime movie. A beautiful dame (Marguerite Chapman) busts Faust out of jail and takes him to a remote Te
A rollicking comedy adventure with Brian Rix and Ronald Shiner playing two cabin stewards bound for Tangiers aboard a cruise ship. As comedy enthusiasts would expect Rix loses his trousers as the two bumbling stewards attempt to uncover the identity of a jewel thief and recover the priceless diamonds of a wealthy passenger.
Includes: 1. The Almost Perfect Bank Robbery 2. Busted 3. Delivery Boys 4. Far Out Man 5. The Godson 6. I Am Waiting No More 7. In n' Out 8. Just Ask For Diamond 9. Just Looking 10. Miss Firecracker 11. The Perfectionist 12. Pretty Smart 13. Picking Up The Pieces 14. Prince Of Bel-Air 15. Teresa's Tattoo 16. Touch And Go 17. Uphill All The Way 18. The Wackiest Wagon Train In The West 19. Episode of 'At Last The 1948 Show' 20. Episode of 'Do Not Adjust Your Set'
Based on a true story. A man becomes plagued by nightmares and trances. He finds himself possessed by a demon which is trying to destroy his family...
Everything Ever In One Gloriously Fabulous Ludicrously Definitive Outrageously Luxurious Monty Python Box Set For the ultimate gift this Christmas look no further than the 16 disc Monty Python Monster Box Set. Containing all the Monty Python films and the complete Flying Circus TV series. The box set includes all four series of Monty Python's Flying Circus all of the legendary (and poll-topping) films including both the brand new special edition of Monty Python's The Life Of Brian as well as Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl.
Recorded live at Barral's Ale House Berwick-On-Tweed 15th August 2003.
Tracks included are: Looking For Charlie In Nogales It Ain't So Sensimilia One Time Thing Sometimes The Mallard Ponchatoulah Sweet Little Friend From Georgia Dust Devils Theme From The Movie Of The Same Name Postcards Of Scarborough Memphis In Winter Anniversary Shuffleboat River Farewell After All This Time Rabbit Hills Bon Ton Roolay Faheys Flag Kodak Ghosts.
Wolfhound (Dir. Donovan Kelly 2002): Beware the beast within... Returning to his parents' ancestral home Colum Kennedy (Allen Scotti) discovers an Irish village populated by animalistic shapeshifters. When a hauntingly beautiful woman (Julie Cialini) stirs ancient passions with him he must choose between his family and unleashing his own true nature. Club Vampire (Dir. Andy Ruben 1997): The hot and seductive 'Club Vampire' is a place where your wildest des
Box set featuring nine action movies. In 'Skinheads' (1989) a group of Los Angeles neo-nazis are forced to move to North California when one of them shoots a black man. When they arrive in the small town they continue on their path of hatred harrassment and destruction until they come across two resilient college kids determined to stop the skinheads' reign of violence. When a Hollywood film crew travel to shoot on an isolated desert location they are attacked by CIA-backed mercenaries. At first the film people fight back using their special effects equipment but as the carnage mounts they sustain heavy losses and soon the director's daughter is the only one still alive. She then teams up with one of the embittered mercenaries to better her chances of surviving. 'Hiroshima' (1990) paints a dramatic account of the race to develop the atomic bomb the ethics and politics behind it and the events which led to its use at the end of World War 2. In 'Emperor' (1988) Tony (Alex D'Andrea) is a Bronx street hustler an old-fashioned low-level operator who finds himself forced off his turf by vicious crime boss Falco (Anthony Gioia). Teaming up with an ex-con and sultry songstress he learns a few things about the way of the world and makes an attempt to get back on the right side of the wrong side of the tracks - taking the fight back to Falco. In 'South Bronx' (1985) two young children are being brutally exploited as their foster home moonlights as the headquarters for one of the city's largest pornography rings. Amazingly the two children escape to the streets where they enlist the help of an undercover cop (Mario van Peebles) and his partner to capture the porn king and his accomplices. In 'The Swap' (1969) Robert DeNiro plays Sammy Nicoletti an adult film director who is murdered. His brother Vito (Anthony Charnota) vows to find the killer and avenge Sammy's death. When Vito is released from prison he begins his own investigation encountering deceit and blackmail. The final days of Sammy's life unfold from a party on Long Island back to the big city. As Vito draws nearer to the truth his own life hangs precariously in the balance. In 'Death Collector' (1975) it's 'all in the family' for a young streetwise hood as he becomes a collector for the mob. He quickly rises run by rung up the ladder of the underworld in this violent crime saga. Blaxploitation legend Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson stars in 'Black Cobra' (1987). When fashion photographer Elys Trumbo (Eva Grimaldi) sees one of her neighbours being murdered by a member of the Black Cobras a psychopathic motorcycle gang she manages to catch the killer's face on film. The Cobras' leader comes after her but luckily tough police sergeant Malone (Williamson) has been appointed to protect her. In 'Born To Win' (1971) George Segal stars as as an ex-hairdresser who struggles to support his expensive drug habit and to avoid arrest turns 'narc' informing on his fellow junkies. Eventually Segal's sense of self-hatred threatens to overwhelm him. In 'Revenge' (1988) the gun-crazy right-wing terrorist group 'Strike Force' have set their sights on the deadly NK-2 which is a very large weapon indeed and will do everything in their power to get hold of it. Vietnam vet Jason Shepherd (Roger Rodd) is approached with the job of tracking down these vicious killers and preventing them from doing any more damage. He accepts the job but when the group gun down two of his most loyal friends it suddenly becomes personal.
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
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