Monty Python's The Meaning of Life [DVD] [1983] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

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

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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: Create your own review
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)    This review is from: Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life [DVD] [1983] (DVD) 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 review is from: Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life [DVD] [1983] (DVD) 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 › See all 17 customer reviews...		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 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 17 customer reviews...

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