Monty Python's and Now for Something Completely Different

"And Now For Something Completely Different" is a showcase of the kind of comedy that defines Monty Python's Flying Circus. The BBC comedy classic has a huge following worldwide, owing to its unique use of surreal humor. This movie is a collection of some of the Pythons' best from their first two seasons, including classics like "The Lumberjack Song" and "The Dead Parrot Sketch." One of the best factors of "Monty Python" was the eye-catching animations of Terry Gilliam. This movie is rich with his art, which includes the wacky B-movie spoof "The Killer Cars." This is a movie all Python fans should see, and one Python neophytes should use as an introduction.

This film really didn't need to be made - but at the time, after two excellent TV series, the Pythons were under pressure to produce a big-screen version for wider distribution. Thus a number of sketches from the first two series were rewritten, tightened up, and re-enacted, entirely on film. The actual new material is probably around 2% of the script, and I hold the view that many of the sketches were inferior to their TV versions, and much of the better series 1 and 2 stuff (Spanish Inquisition, Silly Walks etc.) didn't even make it to ANFSCD for some reason. It's interesting to watch the differences in production and compare this material to how it was originally done, and the new devices for linking one sketch to the next keep you on your toes. But ultimately if you want to watch early python sketches, the TV versions are more rewarding.

Monty Python used this collection of sketches from their first and second TV series (re-packaged and staged again) to break into the American market. A gamble, but a successful one. All the greats are here – Parrot Sketch, Dirty Fork, Hell's Grannies, Fresh Fruit Self Defence, Marriage Guidance – and more besides. The animated links, specially created for the movie, are funny and well put-together: and new versions of Killer Cars and the story of the Spot are excellent. In many cases the film versions of the sketches outshine those in the TV series and are more memorable, particularly those which first appeared in series 1. This is a very good introduction to the team and a strong reminder of their early work for the BBC.

If you want an introduction to the surreal Monty Python humour of their early years then this film is a good introduction with sketches and animation from the first two BBC series. Some of the sketches do look slightly different as they were filmed and of course they are slicker. I think in the movie you can better appreciate Terry Gilliam's cartoons. You also have the classic sketches and links such as The accountant wanting to be a lion tamer, Blackmail, Dead parrot sketch, Lumberjack song, Upper class twit of the year, Hells grannies, The amorous marriage guidance counsellor. If you do not like this you will face the Spanish Inquisition, which is not here.

There are more than a couple of peak Monty Python ultra funny sketches in there. But there is also a majority of trash and "worse I've ever seen" Monty Python also, filled with too much of that collage montage non-sense to fill the gaps and make the runtime big enough to be considered a film. In the end, they didn't even tried to make a coherent movie but just an excuse to put unrelated sketches that they didn't know how to connect (apparently from the first two seasons of their show, but recreated for the movie). It's just bad.

While I slightly prefer Life of Brian and Holy Grail, this is still a wonderful Monty Python film. It is basically a recycling of some of the funniest of their BBC TV sketches, but that is not a bad thing at all. Why? Because these sketches are actually hilarious, especially the dead parrot sketch, the Upper Class Twit of the year race, the Dirty Fork sketch and the Lumberjack song. The script is sparkling and witty, with so many quotable and laugh-out-loud funny moments, the film looks presentable, the direction is great and the music is fine. And I loved the acting too, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin are wonderful as they always are with their impeccable comic timing and their characters are cleverly incorporated and memorable. Overall, wonderful and quite unique, a must if you love Monty Python. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This film really didn't need to be made - but at the time, after two excellent TV series, the Pythons were under pressure to produce a big-screen version for wider distribution. Thus a number of sketches from the first two series were rewritten, tightened up, and re-enacted, entirely on film. The actual new material is probably around 2% of the script, and I hold the view that many of the sketches were inferior to their TV versions, and much of the better series 1 and 2 stuff (Spanish Inquisition, Silly Walks etc.) didn't even make it to ANFSCD for some reason. It's interesting to watch the differences in production and compare this material to how it was originally done, and the new devices for linking one sketch to the next keep you on your toes. But ultimately if you want to watch early python sketches, the TV versions are more rewarding.