Monty Python's Meaning of Life, 1983

Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones

Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin
Starring the same

John Cleese apparently felt that it was a loss to do a series of sketches, but, personally, I'm OK with it. Yes, like most sketch bits, it's uneven, but it's friggin' Monty Python, so even the worst stuff is pretty good. 

And the best stuff? Let's just say this: I literally (and I mean literally, not figuratively) fell out of a chair laughing at this movie -- and it wasn't the first time I'd seen it. It was the scene when the doors open for Michael Palin and Eric Idle, as the middle-aged American couple, to go into the dungeon-themed Hawaiian restaurant.

And, speaking of Eric Idle, I always assume that the songs are his, and this movie has, arguably, the best songs. I'm particularly fond of the opening number (along with its top notch Gilliam animation) and Every Sperm Is Sacred, but the Universe Song, Christmas in Heaven, and that little faux Cole Porter-ish number in the restaurant that precedes Mr. Creosote's arrival are all pretty swell, too.

While it's easy to lose sight of the short bits, some of them are so stunningly over the top that they merit noting. I'm thinking of Michael Palin's marching up and down the square; Graham Chapman's military man being struck dead by God; John Cleese's supercilious school teacher giving unbearably complex instructions (prior to sex ed); Chapman and Terry Jones in The Middle of the Film; Terry Gilliam's inexplicably Little Bo Peep hostess; and, perhaps most hilariously, Palin and Idle lying terribly about why they're in a tiger suit.

And there's more. Of course, there's more. It's Monty Python. That's why, when Michael Palin introduced one of their movies at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge a number of years ago, we gave him a standing ovation -- because they're so amazing.

Actually promoting Tiger Brand Coffee?

---

The places to hear from me:

• Food – josh lubarr food stuff 
• Geekiness – geekiness(josh lubarr)
• Movies – Old Movies and New with Josh Lubarr
• Politics – Progressive Politics (per Josh Lubarr)
• Silliness and comedy – Le Repository du Silliness, avec Josh Lubarr
• Favorite movies – The Pantheon
• Me generally – Josh Lubarr’s web site extraordinaire
• Also also – Josh’s Part of lubarr.com

Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975

Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones
Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin
Starring the same

This is a movie that I cannot think of without smiling. From the first of bit of overly serious music under the Swedish-themed credits to the intentionally and unbelievably successfully irritating ending, it is relentless. This is the kind of movie for which it is hard to pick only a few things to praise. Given that, here are more than a few:

• Guido Le Whopper and "I told him we've already got one"
• Sir Robin's minstrels' song about what he does not fear
• "Huge tracts of land" and "What, the curtains?"
• "That's easy!"
• "You're foolin' yourself. We're living in a dictatorship."

and of course the utter absurdity and aggressive iconoclasm of King Arthur repeatedly crying "Jesus Christ!" in moments of panic.

Yes, we've all heard "I'm not dead yet," "Tis but a scratch," "She turned me into a newt," "Ni!," and "The airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow" over and over, but they're still really funny.

Of course it's in The Pantheon. And there's also this.

Oh, those credits.

---

The places to hear from me:
Food - josh lubarr food stuff
Geekiness - geekiness(josh lubarr)
Movies - Old Movies and New with Josh Lubarr
Politics - Progressive Politics (per Josh Lubarr)
Silliness and comedy - Le Repository du Silliness, avec Josh Lubarr
Favorite movies - The Pantheon
Places - Good Things around Boston, and Elsewhere
Me generally - Josh Lubarr's web site extraordinaire
Also also - Josh's Part of lubarr.com