Monty Python à Hollywood

This is probably the movie which made me watch "life of brian" and "the holy grail". It is brilliant, I first heard of MP after I saw what I consider to be one of the best comedies ever filmed, "a fish called wanda", and I have seen every MP flick since then. In this masterpiece they have picked only the best scenes from their best movies: Silly walk, ..say no more..,silly Olympics, Michealangelo and many more. Even if you only have the slightest sense of humor you still must see this one it might change they way you judge comedies in the future.

41/2 out of 4 possible

Many of my favourites were here (including the classic travel agent sketch: "Kellogg's Bornflakes"). But many of my favourites were also in And Now For Something Completely Different, and I didn't really like that. Something about the live atmosphere made this work, the fits of giggles adding to the occasion, not detracting from it. Best of all was the brand new stuff - the Silly Olympics, the History of Slapstick etc. I wish I was there.

I consider the Pythons to be one of the best comedy groups that ever appeared on the screen, perhaps even THE best (it's either them or the Marx Brothers). If you agree even partially, you should not miss "Live at the Hollywood Bowl". Irreverence and surrealism in abundance - as you would expect from the Python guys at their best. Sure, devoted fans have probably seen many of these sketches before, but that won't stop them from enjoying them again - it certainly didn't stop the live audience at the time. There are some slow spots and the picture quality is fairly poor (as the show was videotaped and then transferred to film), but how can you say anything bad about a film that has you crying from too much laughter at least twice? ("What? Only one Christ?") (***)

This is a film that is best viewed by long-time Monty Python fans. Those unacquainted with the comedy troop may find the whole experience too weird or confusing. However, for those who loved the show, this should be a wonderful and engaging film--sort of like seeing old friends. All of the skits performed for the film are done live at the Hollywood Bowl. Many will be familiar, as they are new versions of many of their most famous TV skits. A few are newer ones. Most succeed quite well, though a few might be a tad put off by the vomit in the "crunchy frog" skit--I personally thought this actually improved it over the original TV version.

While not as funny as THE HOLY GRAIL or AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, this one is still a keeper and is sure to make you chuckle.

First of all; it's just amazing seeing the legendary Pythons performing the most popular sketches live, in front of a huge audience, similar to a music concert. The crowd is so into it, they seem to know the lines by heart. Still, they just love it and it makes for a very special event with a fantastic atmosphere.

My favourite sketch (and it IS hard to pick just one!) is the "Church Police" sketch. Why? Because the otherwise super-professional Pythons can't keep from laughing themselves as things go slightly wrong. Just look when Terry Jones' wig comes right off as he jumps... They crack up. I have never seen that happen before, and every time I see it I laugh so hard it hurts.

If you have never seen the TV-series before, this may not seem as all that much of a great movie. But being an almost fanatical fan of the Pythons, seeing these sketches live is a wholly enjoyable experience.

The only sad thing is that most of us never attended the bloody thing. Nonetheless, this is a must see.