Parrot Sketch Not Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python (1989)

Powerful

A Masterpiece!

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The night before the Pythons celebrated their 20th anniversary of their first television shows, Graham Chapman died after a long illness.Steve Martin, a fan gives a deadpan commentary to this celebration of all things Python.Its an excuse for us to see clips of the Python shows. Dead Parrot sketch excluded.Monty Python which debuted on BBC1 launched a new type of absurd, surrealist comedy and its been heavily influential on both sides of the Atlantic. The final scene leaves us with all of the team trapped in a cupboard, Chapman included.

I'm rather certain this must have been the program, tho I am not sure.Hosted by Steve Martin standing in a rather plain looking den or something, he begins an overly gushing retrospect of the Flying Circue performers, what geniuses they were, how talented.Who can forget them? "John, Paul, George, Ringo and . . . ." Martin immediately shakes it off. Clearly he has the wrong Brits.LIke anyone in the American audience would notice tho.Yes, the show then went thru nothing but clips of Monty Python skits, which have been shown and reshown in edited form elsewhere.Then back to Martin.How truly, utterly talented they were, he continues.Where are they now, you may ask? They are right here, Steve says, and opens the cupboard behind him to reveal five shellshocked looking gentlemen.Cleese towers over the other guys, and Graham Chapman, who was ill at this time, is sitting.Martin then closes the door, locking them back in.He concludes the documentary program and departs.Fade.The credits begin rolling.Then we hear Michael Palin."Steve? Steve? -- Can we come out now?"

I suppose if you see this compilation as a stand-alone feature, you'll probably find it good enough. But I saw it as part of the 2-disc "Monty Python Live!" DVD edition (and this comment is meant ONLY for those who see it this way), and although it has some funny moments ("nobody ever expects the Spanish Inquisition!"), it is largely a waste of time. For one thing, you can see all these sketches elsewhere. For another, you can see many of them on the SAME DVD PACK. And for another, most of the best sketches ("The Argument", "Lumberjack's Song", "World Forum") are infinitely better executed in "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" (which is included on the other disc). If anything, this film helps you gain a greater appreciation of that film, and of how much experience improved the Pythons over the years. This disc also includes the first "German Episode", which is alternately brilliant (with some of Terry Gilliam's best animation) and labored, and mostly of historical interest.

This video was my first experience with Monty Python. Since then I have become a rabid fan. This compilation is fabulous. All the sketches included are top notch and outrageously funny. Steve Martin's commentary is also quite amusing and the video leaves nothing to be desired. If you are a python fan, you should buy this video. The miriad of hilarious sketches will leave you rolling on the floor. If you've never seen Monty Python on the other hand, watch this video. It will make you a fan. It made me one.