Monkey! - The Complete Series [DVD]

 

 

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I feel I must clarify a point made in the otherwise excellent review from Mr Williams on 22 March 2007. All 52 episodes are definitely contained in this boxset. I know, as I've just received it and started watching. The 13 episodes that weren't broadcast in the UK are not dubbed however, and this maybe what Mr Williams really meant when comparing this boxset to some other mythical superset (I note that the 13 episodes were later dubbed are seperately available here: Monkey! - Thirteen Re-Dubbed Episodes [1979]).
Additionally,the entire series is not presented chronologically. What we have here are 13 dvds, each with 3 dubbed episodes, in sequence (episodes 1,2,3 for example) plus 1 of the 'missing' undubbed episodes, which run in sequence across the entire set (episode 40 on Vol 1,episode 41 on Vol 2 etc). The undubbed episodes do, however, have English subtitles. I can understand why it has been done in this way as each volume was also released seperately (eg Monkey! - Episodes 1-3 [1979]) and it would have resulted in the final 3 or 4 volumes being entirely undubbed, which may have alienated those unable to read and watch images at the same time (I'm kidding, obviously). Beeing a bit of a Moss, I would rather have had them in strict chronological order, so for that I have deducted a star. For the same marketing reason, I guess, each volume has the same 'extras', although as the series continued one additional extra, ie the random narrator quote generator, first makes an appearance on volume 6.
Printed info is almost minimal. It would have been nice to have included the calendar/poster that came with Monkey! - Episodes 1 To 13 [1978].
The transfer is pretty good Actually it might be really good. After all it was a 70's TV series so may not have been recorded in great definition. Looks OK on my 37" Panasonic plasma though!
Most importantly, it's fun! I laughed out loud when Monkey had to take a leak behind one of the 5 pillars of wisdom and soon after found out it was Buddha's finger! In amongst the slapstick and the flaky props there is some sound advice on examining our true motivations and that we need to wake up and do something if we are to improve the world.

Ah, Monkey, Monkey, where do I start with Monkey? I was only 2 years old when the show originally aired (too young to take any notice of it really!), but over the years, I heard from older friends (as well as my 2 older sisters) what a great programme it was, and how I would have loved it, seeing as how I became a huge fan of badly dubbed martial arts epics as I was growing up. However, the BBC in their infinite wisdom chose not to repeat the series....

But salvation came years later in the form of the Bravo channel on Sky. I'd gotten Sky installed at home as one of the first big things I did when I started earning my own cash (wrestling addict that I am!) and I read in a magazine that Bravo were to start airing the old episodes of Monkey! So, I decided to watch and see what all the fuss was about....I was completely blown away by it.

Basically, `Monkey' follows the plot of `Journey To The West'....to cut a long story short, Monkey attempts to take over Heaven, ends up having fights with 2 spirits (who themselves end up being banished to earth and reincarnated as a Pig Demon and Water Demon as punishment) and eventually tries to take on Lord Buddha, who traps Monkey underneath a mountain for 500 years in order to make Monkey learn patience, Eventually, a young Priest named Tripitaka is charged with the task of travelling to India in order to obtain holy scriptures which will save mankind, and it is decided that Monkey and the 2 spirits who were banished from Heaven (affectionately referred to as Pigsy and Sandy once they join the quest) shall accompany him as his bodyguards, as a way of earning forgiveness and being allowed back into Heaven. Monkey is at first reluctant to help the pilgrimage, but is kept under control by a magical headband which tightens and causes him agony whenever Tripitaka recites the `headache sutra' (complete with comedy piercing screech sound effect).

The series, though set in China, was actually a Japanese production and was made back at the end of the 1970's....meaning that there are a lot of hilariously awful special effects. Long shots of Monkey flying on his cloud are made up of a wax figure on a ball of cotton wool (as had been mentioned in another review) and asides from a couple of instances, most `underwater' scenes are obviously filmed from inside a fish tank, with the actors and sets perfectly dry on the outside. But this is a series that does not take itself too seriously. Yes, the dubbing is amusingly bad, but this is more intentional than accidental....even in it's original language the script is meant to be humerous and it constantly pokes light hearted but respectful fun at the main Buddhist themes of the story....Lord Buddha consistently appears as a female entity (as an attempt to convey compassion), but this only causes Monkey to openly refer to Buddha as `kinky' (`I always thought you were a fella!' says Monkey). As such, because you're laughing so much, you actually end up remembering more of the dialogue and many of the Buddhist sayings that crop up (ie. `How many times must a fool who misses the way wander through his many lives?' Maybe that was the intention of the people who made it, I don't know.

Comedy and action is where Monkey really excels. If it doesn't have you chuckling at the constant witty banter between Monkey, Pigsy and Sandy, then you'll be smiling at the fight scenes and their `swish/whoosh' sound effects. Along with the amount of superhuman feats on display (Monkey appears to be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound), it's quite easy to get lost in the crazyness of it all. The music is also great, from the main theme which contains the lines `Born from an egg on a mountain top, punkiest monkey that ever popped!' to the cheesy J-pop tune that plays whenever an emotional scene takes place, it all adds to the quirky appeal of the show.

In fact, the only (slight) problems I have with the whole show are the fact that Toshiyuki Nishida (the original Pigsy actor) left at the end of the first series (26 episodes) and was replaced by Tonpei Hidari who, whilst amusing, just doesn't seem quite as charismatic in the role, and also that the story doesn't actually end with the final episode, as the show was put on suspension at the end of the second series but a third series was never made. However, it's easy to find out what happened at the end of the story, just read a translation of `Journey To The West' and revel in the fact that the TV series is more about life's journey than life's destination.

Also take note that the original series ran for 52 episodes but only the 39 that were originally broadcast on UK TV are included in this box set. However, the `missing' 13 episodes were actually dubbed in 2004 by the original voice actors and are available either as a separate box set (here on Amazon) or as part of the 4 volume Special Edition sets (not available on Amazon). All in all, however you decide to collect them you can't really go wrong with Monkey. My wife recently bought me the Special Edition box sets from Ebay for my 30th birthday and they've since become a hugely treasured part of my collection. As the saying goes, `The nature of Monkey is irrepressible!' so long may the legacy of this fantastic series live on.

This is a great DVD set of the full series of the Monkey saga televised in the early 80's on the BBC. It also comes with 13 currently un-televised episodes which were only shown in the east and never broadcast here. These episodes have the actors talking in their origional voices and have English subtitles. It was great to start to watch the episodes once again and to discover for the very first time what htese actors voices actually sound like in their mother tongue. I cannot fault this DVD set - full of wacky effects, buddhist morals and great fight sequences. Get it or miss out!!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Own it
Brought back many memories. Has all the episodes and presented in a good box and overall a smart collection. Read more

Published 2 months ago by JG

5.0 out of 5 stars Monkey magic
Monkey Magic was just as brilliant as I remembered it. Great quality and just like when it first came out. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Taz

4.0 out of 5 stars Monkey DVD Set
I purchased the Monkey DVD box set and I was very happy with the product and the delivery. I live in Australia I was surprised how quickly I received my purchase from the time I... Read more

Published 6 months ago by Toni G

5.0 out of 5 stars Oi, Demon ! !
As so many other people have written essays on this show saying how good it is, I'm not going to bother. They've said it all,so just read theirs and buy it !! Read more

Published 12 months ago by Rokkit

5.0 out of 5 stars Monkey DVD

This video series arrived very quickly & is excellent value for money!

I cannot wait to catch up with the adventures of Monkey. Read more

Published 13 months ago by Owen

5.0 out of 5 stars Japanese cult classic of classic Chinese tales
Fun to watch all over again. Even our teenager is caught up int the drama of Monkey and his 'crew'. Finally, we can now see the missing episodes. Read more

Published 16 months ago by book lover

5.0 out of 5 stars As Good Today As It Ever Was. Monkey Really Is Magic!!
This is a great series, deserving of a great box-set - and I'm glad to say this box-set does Monkey proud. Read more

Published 17 months ago by The Truth

5.0 out of 5 stars Pleased as punch!!!
I brought this box set for my husband for christmas. He is a Monkey Magic fan which has spanned for many years and was over the moon, not only with the number of DVD's but the... Read more

Published on 3 Jan 2010 by M Wheeler

5.0 out of 5 stars ahhh pigsy !!
I remember watching monkey when i was a kid many years ago ,LOVE IT, ive now purchased the complete series fo my own kids and will enjoy watching it with them. Read more

Published on 9 Dec 2009 by J. Hurt

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertainment equal to heaven
Monkey is genius!! Period! Only in Japan could 70's television be made this way. For the detail read the other reviews. Read more

Published on 30 July 2009 by TJ Chill

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