The Good:Some funny bits, One or two original sketches
The Bad:Largely live versions of sketches from Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Filming issues
The Basics: A very basic stage performance of some favorite Monty Python sketches, Live At The Hollywood Bowl is startlingly unimpressive on video or DVD!
As I consider Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl, I find that I have ridiculously little to say about it. As a fan of Monty Python’s Flying Circus it might seem like some special form of heresy when I write that Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl is hardly a spectacular endeavor or one worth more than a single viewing.
Following the cancellation of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a few years past and John Cleese returned to his buddies for a series of live performances of classic Monty Python sketches and songs that the troupe performed on their albums. Live At The Hollywood Bowl is one such performance and it features twenty-two sketches, songs and taped bits (projected onto a giant screen) from the live presentation in Hollywood in 1982.
The presentation includes live performances of such sketches as "The Ministry Of Silly Walks," "The Argument Sketch," and "The Philosopher Song" as well as songs from the albums, like "Never Be Rude To An Arab" and "Bruce's Philosopher Song." They are generally funny, absurdist sketch comedy bits which are not dated by current events of the time or specific national idiosyncrasies. So, things like a policeman investigating a chocolatier for using actual frogs in his chocolate delicacy "Crunchy Frog" actually hold up remarkably well.
The thing is, most of these sketches and songs are available elsewhere in nicely produced, polished versions which are easy to watch and enjoy undistracted by the noise of the crowds or technical difficulties. Few sketches fare as well as "Nudge Nudge," where a man makes lewd insinuations about the wife of the man he's talking to. Because the sketch is so static it works fine on this presentation. Others fare not so well. And while it might be funny to see the technical difficulties, like Terry Jones's wig blow off and for him to have to go after it, the sketch getting interrupted by that falls apart as a result.
Even so, there is a little additional value in this as sketches like "Comedy Lecture" wherein a very dry analysis of how comedy works is delivered by Graham Chapman was never before presented. Similarly, the "lost sketch" involving Michelangelo and the Pope is wonderful. But these are mixed in with previously-filmed bits so the whole thing has a "clipshow" feel to it.
Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl features all six members of the troupe (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin) plus Carol Cleveland re-enacting many popular sketches. But if you love the original sketches, the less professional-appearing versions (complete with sound fallouts, crowd noises, and lighting burnouts not cleaned up on DVD) are just a disappointing cashgrab.
For other Monty Python works, please check out my reviews of:
Monty Python And The Holy Grail
Parrot Sketch Not Included
3.5/10
For other movie reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!
© 2012, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |
No comments:
Post a Comment