MONTY PYTHON: THE MOVIES DEBUTS APRIL 14
by Hans ten Cate (thanks to John Goldstone)
Saturday, 12 April 2003

Visit Columbia Tristar's site for Monty Python: The Movies at www.pythonboxset.co.uk. Then buy the set at amazon.co.uk or at your local video stores.

John Goldstone, film producer for many of the Python films, including Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and Meaning of Life, wrote us to tell us about a special DVD box set that will debut Monday, April 14 in the UK.

The special four-title box will be available for a limited period, said John. The box set will contain all four major Python motion pictures on five discs...

And Now for Something Complete Different - Monty Python's first film is finally available on DVD in the UK, but only exclusively as part of this box set. This film has not been previously released on DVD outside of the US!

The film originally debuted in 1971 as part of an attempt to break Python into the American market. Monty Python's first feature is a reworking of their best skits from the first two seasons of their TV series. It was shot on film outside the usual studio sets, some scenes being filmed at an abandoned milk depot. This DVD includes several classic sketches, including Nudge Nudge and the Dead Parrot sketch.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail - This is the special two-disc DVD extravaganza released last year in the UK on 4 March. The 1975 film about King Arthur and his knights in search of the Holy Grail was a major success for the Pythons and is now a cult favorite. The special edition set has so many extra features, it will make your head spin.

Probably most notable on the disc is the inclusion of 24 extra seconds of footage reinserted into the film, as well as The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations, a special feature documentary starring Michael Palin and Terry Jones filmed exclusively for the DVD, and the featurette On Location with the Pythons, an 18-minute location report made in 1974 by BBC Film Night (broadcast 19 December 1974).

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life - released on 4 September 2000, this DVD features the widescreen (1.85:1 aspect ratio) of the 1983 film. The film was a return to the sketch format for the Pythons, but the film ties together nicely through its thematic investigation of birth, living, and death. The film has some splendid memorable scenes (such as the exploding Mr. Creosote) and is well known for some of its musical numbers (Every Sperm is Sacred, the Galaxy Song, etc.)

The disc has several language options (French, German, Italian) and also has subtitles for Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, and Turkish.

Monty Python's Life of Brian - John Goldstone says “The Life of Brian version that is included in the 4 pack is also available on its own the same day [April 14] and is a really good remastered version with 'The Pythons' documentary as an added value and new menus.”

This is Python's controversial, anarchic satire of both religion and Hollywood's biblical epics. The film tells of Brian who is mistaken for the Messiah, despite his mother's admonition that “He's not the Messiah... he's a very naught boy!” This film is perhaps best know for the unforgettable song and non-dancing number Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. In addition to the 50-minute documentary, the DVD also includes the theatrical trailer. The disc has audio tracks in German and Hungarian as well as subtitles for Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, English for the hearing impaired, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovenian, Swedish, and Turkish.

Play Beat the Black Knight at www.pythonboxset.co.uk.

The Ultra Special Monty Python DVD Box Set Website

Be sure and visit the new micro-site that Columbia Tristar has created just for the release of the DVD box set. Get information about the individual DVDs and their special features.

Go to www.pythonboxset.co.uk.

The site has interactive menus and several mini-games to play, like Stone the Blasphemer and Beat the Black Knight. Use the Taunt Your Mates feature to send e-cards to your friends!

You can also enter a competition to win a copy of the box set and other Monty Python memorabilia.