Holy Flying Circus [HD]

Censorship And Scandal: A Historical Biopic Filtered Through Python-esque Zaniness
I've enjoyed the guys from Monty Python as clowns, as satirists, and as provocateurs. Some of their earlier material pushed the boundaries of good taste in the most progressive of ways. Perhaps the most incendiary project they ever worked on, though, was "Monty Python's Life of Brian" which specifically skewers aspects of Christianity. While the boys were certainly equal opportunity offenders, apparently this was one step too far and the film was labeled blasphemous and banned and/or condemned throughout England and many other countries. This untraditional biopic "Holy Flying Circus" tells the story of this controversy and how Michael Palin and John Cleese appeared on a weekly newsmagazine show to debate their opponents (including a Bishop). As fascinating as the topic alone is, though, it is really the presentation of the material that stole my heart. I can't imagine why it took so long for this to receive a proper North American DVD distribution!

This is an absolutely...

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
As a committed Python fan I was really looking forward to viewing this DVD and I was not disappointed. It covers the period immediately after The Life of Brian was released. Today this film is rightly considered one of the masterpieces of comic cinema. However, at the time it caused an enormous furore. There were demonstrations, heated exchanges in the Houses of Parliament, Bishops denouncing it from their pulpits and numerous councils using their powers to ban the showing of the film in their areas.

The presentation is quite Pythonesque. The intro could be straight out of one of the episodes and the cut outs are very skillfully put together. The action is punctuated regularly by cartoon type interludes and dream sequences from the mind of Michael Palin which again could have been lifted straight out of Monty Python. The crew of Monty Python sound and behave closely to what one would have expected whilst John Cleese and Michael Palin do look extremely similar to their real...

`He's Not the Nicest Man on the Planet - He's a Very Naughty Boy!'
This is a BBC 4 programme that was first shown in October of 2011 and I missed it so this was a God send (if he truly exists obviously). It starts as it means to go on by being an homage to the Monty Python Crew and wearing its humour proudly on its sleeve. It says it is all a bit made up which is a bit like the Bible.

It centres around the furore and public hulabaloo that blew up around `The Life of Brian', and the handling that they did to try to get it shown. It was banned in more places than the Sex Pistols Tour had been, with only one London Cinema allowing a screening. In the midst of this Bible bashing self righteousness Mary Whitehousesque frenzy, the BBC waded in. They wanted the boys to appear on the current affairs talk show (not `chat' you understand) `Friday Night, Saturday Morning'.

Michael Palin (Charles Edwards who also plays his own mum!) is the nicest man in the World and John Cleese, well is the opposite and seen as a bit abrasive. As such the...

Click to Editorial Reviews