20 used & new from £0.98
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life [DVD] [1983]
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images

Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life [DVD] [1983]

DVD ~ John Cleese
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


3 new from £7.48 17 used from £0.98
Learn about Lovefilm
Amazon's choice for DVD rental.
With a 14 day FREE trial. Learn more

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life [DVD] [1983]
62% buy the item featured on this page:
Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life [DVD] [1983] 4.1 out of 5 stars (17)
Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life [DVD] [1983]
13% buy
Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life [DVD] [1983] 4.2 out of 5 stars (5)
Monty Python's Life Of Brian [DVD] [1979]
12% buy
Monty Python's Life Of Brian [DVD] [1979] 4.5 out of 5 stars (99)
£4.97
Monty Python And The Holy Grail [DVD] [1974]
7% buy
Monty Python And The Holy Grail [DVD] [1974] 4.8 out of 5 stars (80)
£4.98
Explore similar items

Product details

  • Actors: John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
  • Directors: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
  • Writers: John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
  • Format: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
  • Language English, French
  • Subtitles: English, German, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Danish, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Finnish, Czech, Bulgarian
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: 15
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: 4 Sep 2000
  • Run Time: 86 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004W0U2
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 33,519 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

Returning to the sketch-show format of their earlier days, Monty Python' s The Meaning of Life was always going to feel less ambitious and less coherent than their cinematic masterpiece, The Life of Brian. And inevitably given the format, some sketches are better than others. But, for a movie that has been much-maligned, The Meaning of Life actually features some of the Pythons' most memorable set-pieces: the exploding Mr Creosote has to be the most wonderfully grotesque creation of a team whose speciality was the grotesque; while the sublime "Sperm Song" mixes satire and lavish visual humour in a musical skit of breathtaking audacity. Elsewhere, Eric Idle produces another musical gem with "The Universe Song" ("Pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space / 'Cause there's bugger all down here on earth!"), while the Grim Reaper's appearance at an achingly tedious dinner party is the Pythons doing what they do best: mocking their own middle-class origins. Best of all, perhaps, is Terry Gilliam's modest introductory feature, "The Crimson Permanent Assurance", a 20-minute epic tale of the little men rebelling against the corporate system, a theme and a visual style that foreshadows his own masterwork, Brazil. Admittedly too many sketches sacrifice subtlety for shock tactics (the organ donation scene in particular requires a strong stomach), but when this film works it's nothing less than vintage Python. --Mark Walker


Amazon.co.uk Review

Returning to the sketch-show format of their earlier days, Monty Python's The Meaning of Life was always going to feel less ambitious and less coherent than their cinematic masterpiece, The Life of Brian. And inevitably, given the format, some sketches are better than others. But for a movie that has been much-maligned, The Meaning of Life actually features some of the Pythons' most memorable set-pieces: the exploding Mr Creosote has to be the most wonderfully grotesque creation of a team whose speciality was the grotesque; while the sublime "Sperm Song" mixes satire and lavish visual humour in a musical skit of breathtaking audacity. Elsewhere, Eric Idle produces another musical gem with "The Universe Song" ("Pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space / 'Cause there's bugger all down here on earth!"), while the Grim Reaper's appearance at an achingly tedious dinner party is the Pythons doing what they do best: mocking their own middle-class origins. Best of all, perhaps, is Terry Gilliam's modest introductory feature, "The Crimson Permanent Assurance", a 20-minute epic tale of the little men rebelling against the corporate system, a theme and a visual style that foreshadows his own masterwork, Brazil. Admittedly, too many sketches sacrifice subtlety for shock tactics (the organ donation scene in particular requires a strong stomach), but when this film works it's nothing less than vintage Python. --Mark Walker
See all Reviews

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Lucky Number Slevin [DVD] [2006] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

Lucky Number Slevin [DVD] [2006] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

DVD ~ Josh Hartnett
U-571 [DVD] [2000]

U-571 [DVD] [2000]

DVD ~ Matthew McConaughey
2.6 out of 5 stars (42)  £4.58
Dune [DVD] [1984]

Dune [DVD] [1984]

DVD ~ Kyle MacLachlan
3.3 out of 5 stars (131) 
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas [1998] [DVD]

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas [1998] [DVD]

DVD ~ Johnny Depp
Meet the Fockers [HD DVD] [2005] [US Import]

Meet the Fockers [HD DVD] [2005] [US Import]

DVD ~ Robert De Niro
5.0 out of 5 stars (1) 
› Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

17 Reviews
5 star:
 (8)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars a potent mix of wit and vomit, 12 April 2003
By P. B. Hall "Ben Hall" (West Sussex, UK.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
It is evident that by the time they created 'The Meaning of Life' the Python team were unafraid of offending and confusing their audience as much as they possibly could. Their cult status already established, they could more or less do as they pleased. Abandoning the more conventional narrative of their earlier films, the Pythons return to the surreal sketch format of their TV series, loosely connected by a quest for the meaning of life.

Content ranges from the disgusting, crude and unfunny live organ donation, through the disgusting, crude and very funny exploding glutton, Mr Creosote, to satires on corporate repression, catholicism, British imperialism, public schools and middle class consumerism. The film see-saws constantly between the coldly crude and delightfully cerebral, often within the same sketch, and herein lies its attraction. It's a bit of a rocky ride, sometimes uneasy, but compelling to the end. Ultimately this final Python film stands as one of the most subversive British comedies ever made.

Terry Gilliam's mock-featurette the 'Crimson Permanent Assurance Co.', which kicks off the film, could stand alone as a masterpiece of comic cinema and is worth the price of the whole DVD. Anybody who has ever suffered the indignity of clerical work for a large company will be carried away by Gilliam's fantasy of middle aged insurance clerks leading a mutiny, forcing their managers to walk the plank, raising anchor and sailing their entire neo-baroque office block off to do battle as pirates on the high-seas of international finance. Absolutely fantastic.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Rude, Crude, Disgusting, Offensive, Obscene ... I LOVE it!, 20 Dec 2000
By A Customer
This is a VERY VERY funny film, but please beware that if you are offended by anything at all, you may want to turn away from the screen until the film has come to a complete stop. It's hilarity all the way through, with a lot of those little moments that make you smirk and think "I remember someone/something like that..." See the sketch that was originally thought of as completely unfunny (Mr Creosote for those who don't know), enjoy the wit and mirth of Noel Coward (or someone very much like him!) and see Terry Gilliam's very own ickle movie what he made himself with real people in it.

Packed with cynicism, irony and satire of all kinds this film will have you roaring, or running to Universal Pictures Complains Department. ENJOY!

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars classic- if a little subdued monty python, 30 Jun 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life [VHS] [1983] (VHS Tape)
this video rates very highly among the monty python videos- although i would advise buying the dvd with superb special features- the video still packs a very funny punch
favourite sketches include the wafer thin mint sketch and the 3rd world yorkshire sketch
a dfeinite buy for any monty python fan, even though slow at times the strange and out there humour will keep you hooked for a long time- and girls like it too
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Buy the 2 Disc Edition Instead
The 1 star is for the fact that there are no extras on this edition, not the film, which I love (and would probably give 4 stars for). Read more
Published on 25 Jun 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars And now for something completely different
Well this film has been seen as not as good as the previous two, but I still think it stands up to them. Read more
Published on 23 Nov 2004 by briton2

5.0 out of 5 stars "We'll take the foreplay as read, if you don't mind, dear?"
Absolutely fantastic! I laughed so hard I hyperventilated. I must have been one of the last people on the planet to have seen this film, and I only bought it because the goddess... Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2004 by blondielovesme

5.0 out of 5 stars a jolly good film
Well I just think you should buy this because my dad's in it (Larry Noble). He was one of those old pirates and he did some very nice fighting bits and he had a jolly good time... Read more
Published on 16 Sep 2003 by maisiepaws

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Python
Although not in my opinion pythons best film, The Meaning Of Life is still a classic. The many sketches in the film stand up on their own as pure genius, with highlights such as... Read more
Published on 19 Jul 2003 by Murray

4.0 out of 5 stars Meaning of Life
Monty Python's 2nd best film, Life of Brian being the best. This would probably be the best except they spoil it with too much gross-out humour & it doesn't have the same... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2003 by comedylover

5.0 out of 5 stars How can you say this is a bad movie?
Well what can be said about Monty Python's Meaning of Life? Funny, Strange, Demented and most of all Pointless, but in a good way. Read more
Published on 12 Jan 2003 by Timburtons Superman

5.0 out of 5 stars Actually about ten stars for an immensly funny film
Yet again the usual suspects teamed up as good old monty to produce yet another corker! If its crude comedy your in for then look no further! Read more
Published on 16 Jun 2001 by R. Rees

5.0 out of 5 stars Easily the funniest movie ever!!!!!!!!!!
Monty Python rule. although many say that this is their least funny film, I have to disagree completely. Read more
Published on 5 Nov 2000

4.0 out of 5 stars The Least Funny Python film but entertaining thoughout.
This, their last feature, is the least funny of them all. I like it better than 'Brian' and 'Grail' is my favourite. Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2000

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject








i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Ad

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.