8mm Forum: Monty Python & the Holy Grail.Pts 1&2

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Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on June 12, 2005, 04:47 PM:

My first film review ever so here goes,
I'm fortunate enough to own both parts which have been spilced together to make a pretty good 750ft cutdown.
The film itself begins with a generouse helping of some of the original titles including a few of the comedy title, i.e,also starring 142 mexican whoopin' lamas,
The opening seqence introduces us to the film with Graham Chapman on his pretend horse followed by Terry Gilliam & his coconuts as they approach the castle followed by the "swallow" debate,
Next is the "bring out your dead" sketch which includes the represt peasant scene. This moves smoothly into the Lancelot scene with John cleese playing the "loony" knight as he gets both arms cut off (cleese telling him "its just but a flesh wound),cleese shouting,"come back and fight you coward"
Next up is the witch sequence with the village idiots constantly shouting to burn her as Terry Jones is trying to quiz them asking,"what makes you think shes a whitch"? This leads nicely into a short piece off gilliams nutty animation which sets up reel two with a god like character in the clouds telling the new gang to look for the holy grail. Ending the first part is the classic spamalot song which is a favourite of mine, when it ends Chapman comments, "lets not go in there, its a scilly place".
Part two begins with more of Gilliams animation and is then mainly made up of Two longer sketches, the first is The tale of Sir Gallahad with Mike Palin in the castle of "fruity" lady's and while shy to start with ends the sketch most upset about being rescued. Next is another short bit of Gilliams animation which take the film into the tale of Sir Lancelot, this is the funniest of the two sketches for me as the wimpy son of Michael Palins character just doesnt want any of his Dads possesiions or fixed marrage, but just wants to burst out into song.
Every time the music starts up Palin comes in and barks,"stop that, i'm not havin' singing in here". The rest of this sketch turns to humourous mayhem as Lancelot,(Cleese)gets the sons message to rescue him and proceeds to kill everyone in his path, when he gets to see the man he's rescueing he's not so keen.A very funny sketch ending with a song. Unfortunatly "A Walton super 8 release" is the only title to appear and quite abrubtly to considering how well edited both parts are.
My particular prints are in very good condition,
Part 1, for me, has the better colour whilst Part 2 is a sharper image but at the cost of weaker colours.
The sound is the usual Walton, not particulaly outstanding but generaly good throughout. I did note in another past review of an unsteady picture on part 1 and have to say at the very start there is little bit of movement both up and down and sideward but nothing to detract from the film. As python films are rare on 8mm this is a must have for any Python fan. At the time of part 2's release there was a promise of further extracts becoming availble and i assume Walton would have included the original ending on a later release but unfortunatly it never came about so these two parts are all we'l have.
so in my conclusion, picture And sound, i rate as A-
Editing from the feature print is excellent,
The only downsides are, the abrubt ending & no killer rabbits or Knights that go Nee, (although the later do make a very brief appearence in the Sir Gallahad scketch)

Hope this is of help to the boys in the states who asked [Wink]

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on June 12, 2005, 05:06 PM:

Great review, had fun reading it, thanks for all the info [Smile]

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on June 12, 2005, 05:18 PM:

Blimy Jan, that was quick,
Thanks [Wink]

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on June 13, 2005, 12:06 AM:

Great review Tom, but I've three questions........ [Big Grin]

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on June 13, 2005, 09:43 AM:

If a European swallow is carrying a 400' digest for a distance of............

Doug

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on June 13, 2005, 11:24 AM:

Whats the other two? [Big Grin]

I'll answer best i can

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