Monty Python at 50 - Official Press Release

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Has Network announced their intention to release the 4 series individually? Just bought the first in Sainzbos but can't see a release date for series 2 online.

Saw this on a website while entering a competition

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Series 1 is out on Blu-ray and DVD from 4 November 2019, with Series 2 due 27 January 2020, Series 3 due 30 March 2020 & Series 4 due 25 May 2020. (All dates subject to change.)

[neveragain]

Also back to my earlier question now that people have their boxes, how does the tape stuff look?

Not as good as the film scenes or animation, there's the odd glare (for want of a better word), but still quite sharp and cleaner.

As for the grime, I can see the appeal but it's wonderful to actually be able to see everything that's on screen.

[McChesney Duntz]

Also back to my earlier question now that people have their boxes, how does the tape stuff look?

It looks quite good - I suppose there's only so much one can do with 50-year-old videotape, so there's blurriness, haloing, artifacting and all that stuff that I'm going to pretend I know about, but it looks the best it's ever looked, in my experience. No smoothing or filmizing or other irritants. On a few of the episodes, they seem to have high-rezzed the captions and the closing credits (similar to what was done with the captions for The X-Files when that show got high-rezzed), which is a little offputting, but only a little.

[daf]

how does the tape stuff look?

I've only got the series 1 standalone (with the book) so far, and I was expecting this to be a fairly modest upgrade - along the lines of the Doctor Who blu ray season boxes . . . but comparing the old DVD set with the new blu ray - it's a HUGE leap in quality.

I was able to play both simultaneously on two players, and switching between them, as you'd expect, the 'outdoor' film bits in proper HD on the BD look stunning . . . but weirdly, there's almost MORE improvement noticeable in the 'indoor' studio scenes! The DVD version seems to have been a very poor encode - with lots of compression dirt and image blocky-ness all over the shop - it really is a shocker!

So, even if none of it was in proper HD (and loads of it is) - it would still be worth it for the upgrade to the video bits.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

All sounding great! Just glad to hear hey haven't smoothed it/given it that "film" look which was my main worry!

[Autopsy Turvey]

When Dierdre Pewtey sits down you can now see a little twinkling white light between her legs. Zooming in reveals that she's wearing silky white panties that shimmer. This flags up a continuity error when she flings those frilly black knickers over the screen. So this is a very exciting development.

[Ant Farm Keyboard]

There have been huge progresses regarding the cleaning and upscaling of SD analog material. Two years ago, I watched O.J.: Made in America, the epic documentary on O.J. Simpson. Almost all archive footage was from 80s or 90s videotapes naturally, and they had even zoomed further in to make it widescreen. Yet, it wasn't jarring. Of course, you could spot the difference with real HD material, but it was quite comfortable. And I guess that this technology is getting cheaper too, allowing more programs to get restored.

For us, who have grown up with these episodes, it may not be such a big deal, as we'd watch that anyway. But if it can allow younger generations to try the show, while they would have hesitated if the image quality looked ancient and cheap (compared to a film of the same era, for instance), I'm all in.

[mjwilson]

I've only got the series 1 standalone (with the book) so far

Oh so the standalones have the book too? I assumed they were only part of the giant box.

[daf]

Yes - there are two versions available -

normal plastic case (no Book) for £19.99
limited edition slipcased digipak with book - £24.99 (well worth it for only an extra fiver!) *

* This is exactly the same version included in the complete box set.

. . . actually there's a small bonus item included only with the separate version - an outer wraparound "J Card" containing a Gilliam-esque scroll with 'COMPLETE SERIES 1 fully restored in HD' on the front, and the details of the set's episodes and extras on the back.

[Former]

Having parted with my hundred quid for the big box, I'm just a little bit disappointed.

The quality is much improved, and the difference between film and VT sections isn't as jarring as I feared (actually less obvious than in the original broadcasts).

Having everything restored to its proper place is also good.

But, this is 100 quid for about 23 hours of TV that we've already bought twice before. I wanted a bit more quantity when it comes to extras. More documentaries, commentaries etc. it doesn't have to be outtakes/rushes from the original era - some considered new material would've been good.

I also kinda resent the sheer size of the box. My DVD/Blu/4k collection already takes up far too much shelf space. This isn't going to help!

For that price, they could've chucked in all the films, the german specials, the live shows and made it a proper 'complete Python' set. Couldn't they? I know, rights issues'n'shit... But, well, fuck.

[RHX]

How long has Eric Idle been a bellend?

[McChesney Duntz]

Is this a trick question?

[RHX]

Is this a trick question?

Nope, just off seeing his social media.

[Jake Thingray]

"America's favorite Py-THON" has been an embarrassment since before social media existed.

[Autopsy Turvey]

Is there a list of specific Idle transgressions? I suspect that, like all humans, Eric Idle has the capacity to be both a bellend and a lovely chap in roughly equal measure.

[magval]

normal plastic case (no Book) for £19.99
limited edition slipcased digipak with book - £24.99 (well worth it for only an extra fiver!) *

* This is exactly the same version included in the complete box set.

What's in the book? Anything that isn't covered by any of the many Python books available elsewhere? Or is it episode guides and BTS photography and such?

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

What's in the book? Anything that isn't covered by any of the many Python books available elsewhere? Or is it episode guides and BTS photography and such?

Each book has an opening series of chapters establishing the history of what the Pythons were up to immediately before, during and after the respective series. The second half then serves as an episode guide, with in-depth information regarding the creation of each episode, including details on who wrote what, removed/re-sequenced sketches and information about the post production. It's all text, with no photos.

[magval]

Ah bollix, that actually sounds quite nice. I bought the standard version just because I was surprised to see it in Sainsbury's in the tiny town I live in. Tell us this, then, does it come in a box with the normal plastic-box case, or is the whole thing in a big cardboard digipak case?

[daf]

Tell us this, then, does it come in a box with the normal plastic-box case, or is the whole thing in a big cardboard digipak case?

No plastic-box case - the discs are placed on plastic holders on a three-folded card, this slots into the outer slipcase alongside the book :



It's exactly the same as the version in the big box - which can see in action at around 4 minutes into this unboxing video

[Glebe]

DVD Beaver review with screencaps.

Is it just me, or does it seem like there's been a bit of digital meddling in a couple of spots? Jonesy's naked organist looks a bit odd, for instance... I dunno.

I'd love to watch these in HD but money priorities and current situation in the house (have a BD player, don't have things set up in a convenient way to watch, really) kinda prohibit it; as it is, I've actually been watching through the whole series on Netflix (not great quality, natch). Was surprised to hear Chapman's "masturbating" in 'Summarize Proust', thought that would have been cut, or was it only removed from the original broadcast?

[neveragain]

Removed from original broadcast then reinstated (for some repeats but not others). And I think there's been plenty of digital meddling all over the shop.

[Famous Mortimer]

I'll admit to being a bit confused. What's the best version to buy if I want the most stuff? It feels like two different sets are being discussed concurrently (sorry).

[Egyptian Feast]

I recommend the Blu-ray digipak with the book. I think it's about a fiver more than the standard Blu-ray (I got it for £25 online), but it's worth it for the ridiculous amount of info packed into it. I believe the extras in all editions are identical (not 100% sure about the DVD version though).

[Famous Mortimer]

Thanks Egyptian Feast.

Now I see the complete set, with the same packaging as the individual blu-rays you were talking about. I could have kept my mouth shut and just paid a little more attention, so apologies. I might wait and see if I get any Amazon vouchers from work (they apparently dished some out last year) for Christmas, to decide which edition I end up getting.

[Egyptian Feast]

I'm up to 'You're No Fun Anymore' on the rewatch, an episode I hated on first viewing and would always skip on the old DVDs. I was dreading it, but was pleasantly surprised this time around. It still goes on way too long, but there is some funny stuff in there. Not enough to keep my missus awake, mind.

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

I'm up to 'You're No Fun Anymore' on the rewatch, an episode I hated on first viewing and would always skip on the old DVDs. I was dreading it, but was pleasantly surprised this time around. It still goes on way too long, but there is some funny stuff in there. Not enough to keep my missus awake, mind.

Yeah, You're No Fun Anymore is a bit of a slog.

[neveragain]

Having had some time to reflect on the boxset, I remain overjoyed by it and look forward to returning to the series in the future. It really does my soul good to see the entire Circus restored so neatly and available to new audiences.

The following may bore but hopefully it will provide some interesting stuff to those who haven't seen it.

Certain 'deleted' moments would have been nice to see but Network's failure to find them probably means they are lost in time. The "silly bunt" punchline in Travel Agent and a missing title caption in 'Blood Devastation Death War And Horror' are two minor, perhaps trivial examples but he trio of excised sketches in Series 3 - http://sotcaa.org/history/ukonline/python_frame.html?/history/ukonline/python/python_tv_04.html – is weightier. Audio of stage show version of Cocktail Bar sketch here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApV2wTk6a_g. But that's all I could see was missing from the discs we got. Oh, except they should have included this Late Night Line Up discussion about the Undertaker sketch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAqy6c0_vaA

There's one thing they could have given us, and please ignore this fantasy if you find it dull and pointless - an eighth disc! Featuring the two German episodes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSGawnGh0yY/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p1yNwC3I20) with deleted scenes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoW209qytVk). Why? Well, seven discs is an odd number and this would make the set seem fully 'complete' while not straying into unnecessary extras.

But here's some possible extras you could have too -
*1971 Montreux show – script here: http://sotcaa.org/history/ukonline/python_frame.html?/history/ukonline/python/python_montreux01.html
*1999 Python Night sketches (including the Euroshow insert): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRHoFBmOqTg&list=PLIM21ceSjn4dNxSDDo15Y2wwZOglMVQSg&index=1
*This Norwegian oddity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM8sGTGxnwg&t=1s
*Aquarius skit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMrcjUuCm0g
*And maybe some more Gilliam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4eVkanDkgg (Miracle of Flight) / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXW9b9O9S6A  (Storytime)
*or, more tangentially, Graham Chapman's Opinions piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwOcc-buSsg

Anyway, that's what I've been thinking of.

[Replies From View]

I suspect that, like all humans, Eric Idle has the capacity to be both a bellend and a lovely chap in roughly equal measure.

I shouldn't have thought so.

[Revelator]

John Cleese was recently in Dallas to pick up an Ernie Kovacs Award from the Dallas VideoFest. The city's Public Broadcasting Station was the first to air Monty Python's Flying Circus in America (after PBS stations in Chicago, San Francisco, and elsewhere had turned it down), thanks to the efforts of program manager Ron Devillier.
Cleese commented "We just knew that something extraordinary had happened, and we were so stunned it was Dallas. Because in England, in the old days, we thought the people in Dallas ate their own children. We were just delighted." He added "They asked me if I'd come to Dallas, and I thought, 'Well, I've always wanted to thank Dallas and to thank Ron Devillier.' This is a chance to say thanks for putting us on the map. Because it was so completely unexpected."

Cleese added that in the UK Python at first had "passed almost unnoticed. Then at the beginning of the second series, a guy called Alan Carr, who was the editor of Punch, a defunct, funny magazine, gave us a great review in The Times and it suddenly all changed and everyone started to think it was good."

In other Python news, Eric Idle will be donating his papers to the Huntington Library in southern California:

Tania and I endowed a traveling scholarship called The Idle Scholar, which brings a graduate annually from my old Cambridge college Pembroke to Terry Gilliam's old college Occidental in Los Angeles via an internship at the United Nations. One year we brought the winner for a tour of the then recently renovated Huntington Library.

I was so impressed by the air-conditioned efficiency of the sliding shelves and the variety of writers it contained that I wondered aloud if the library would like to have my stuff. Amazingly, they would, and so was born what they will one day call The Eric Idle Archive, which is really far too posh a name for a bunch of old junk in a lock-up in Studio City.

Of course, one person's junk is another person's research thesis, and so, yes, there are original Python scripts from the 1969 BBC TV series and all the Python movies and "Spamalot," plus original letters from Michael Palin and John Cleese, and "Postcards From the Edge" of Carrie Fisher. There are also first drafts of lyrics, hundreds of old jokes, and songs and recordings and photos of quite interesting people.

Sources:
https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/john-cleese-says-dallas-popularized-monty-python-youre-welcome-america-11808830
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/commentary/2019/11/29/dallas-put-monty-python-on-americas-radar-and-john-cleese-hasnt-forgotten-it-45-years-later/
https://huntington.myplannedgift.org/why-we-give/eric-idle

[Bennett Brauer]

'[...] Cleese added that in the UK Python at first had "passed almost unnoticed. Then at the beginning of the second series, a guy called Alan Carr, who was the editor of Punch, a defunct, funny magazine, gave us a great review in The Times and it suddenly all changed and everyone started to think it was good."'

That was Alan Coren, of course, who wrote the review in The Times where he'd just started as the TV critic. (He was deputy editor of Punch at the time.)

Don't know if that was Cleese's slip of the tongue or someone mishearing him.