Monty Python at 50 - Official Press Release

[shh]

Watched the second show of S2 last night and it didn't raise a smile. Like all their worst bits in one episode.

Well I wasn't expecting that.

[the]

I've read many attempts to classify which are 'good' and 'bad' episodes of MPFC down the years, and whenever I correlate them against my own reaction to those episodes, those summaries almost always come out as horseshit. Which I think is a testament to MPFC for being so brilliantly awkward (and awkwardly brilliant).

[Gurke and Hare]

I've read many attempts to classify which are 'good' and 'bad' episodes of MPFC down the years, and whenever I correlate them against my own reaction to those episodes, those summaries almost always come out as horseshit.

Like, say, the suggestion that the episode with Flying Lessons, Psychiatrist Dairies and Deja Vu is "barren"? I can see that. Personally, I reckon Series 2 is pretty much solid gold, with very little filler - I could live without Live from the Grillo-Mat but even that's got some fun stuff in.

[neveragain]

Y'see, I love all of Grillomat! From Cleese's awkward nervous presenter and the naff but endearing 'Accident' to Blackmail and Ken Clean-Air System (not forgetting lots of odd little sketches in the middle that just fizzle out).

It's purely personal but I find with Deja Vu I'm waiting longer inbetween the bits that I like, which of course includes the atmospheric title sketch. I enjoy the landscapes but all that walking at the start (and the Scottish poet) make the episode feel quite slow. Graham and Terry J are good fun with the flying stuff but the interruptions and hijack that follow... I just find a bit weak. Not outright bad but maybe just below average.

[Satchmo Distel]

I didn't think there were any unknown Python rarities items left, but We Are Cult has found one:

"Monty Python: Who's There? (1970) An instructional film about canvassing, for the Labour Party and starring the Python team [Cleese, Chapman, Palin, Jones, and Carol Cleveland], showing Labour Party workers how to canvass for votes. Filmed April 1970. Narrated by Michael Parkinson."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6do95qglvvw

A pity this wasn't unearthed in time for the Blu-Ray, but I'm grateful to find about it.

Does Palin mention it in his diary?

[the science eel]

I'll have a look this weekend.

Watched the S1 outtakes last night. The Sex and Violence stuff was fabulous.

Not of course that this was ever their intention, but the 1969-ness of it all makes it even more enjoyable. I think I probably felt the same way when I first watched in the 80s.

[the]

Does Palin mention it in his diary?

Tuesday April 21st [1970]

An interesting and hard-worked morning giving my voluntary performing services for the Labour Party. Easily the most decisive political act of my life, and almost the only one - though previously I had once voted Labour in the GLC elections. I suppose voting for and supporting Labour is just another painless way of appeasing my social conscience. But it's not much, I cannot see how anyone with a social conscience could vote Conservative. The film which I was doing today had been written by John Cleese, who is now what you might call a committed Labour celebrity - and I mean that in a good sense - somebody who is prepared to do something to keep the Conservatives out. At present Labour is increasingly successful in the polls. Two opinion polls out this week actually gave Labour a lead over the Tories for the first time for three years and, in the GLC elections last week, Labour won thirteen seats, their biggest electoral success since they came to power.

[Ambient Sheep]

Lovely man.

Thanks for that, the.