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Could this be the funniest movie ever made? By any rational measure of comedy, this medieval romp from the Monty Python troupe certainly belongs on the short list of candidates. According to Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide, it's "recommended for fans only," but we say hogwash to that--you could be a complete newcomer to the Python phenomenon and still find this send-up of the Arthurian legend to be wet-your-pants hilarious. It's basically a series of sketches woven together as King Arthur's quest for the Holy Grail, with Graham Chapman as the King, Terry Gilliam as his simpleton sidekick Patsy, and the rest of the Python gang filling out a variety of outrageous roles. The comedy highlights are too numerous to mention, but once you've seen Arthur's outrageously bloody encounter with the ominous Black Knight (John Cleese), you'll know that nothing's sacred in the Python school of comedy. From holy hand grenades to killer bunnies to the absurdity of the three-headed knights who say "Ni--!," this is the kind of movie that will strike you as fantastically funny or just plain silly, but why stop there? It's all over the map, and the pace lags a bit here and there, but for every throwaway gag the Pythons have invented, there's a bit of subtle business or grand-scale insanity that's utterly inspired. The sum of this madness is a movie that's beloved by anyone with a pulse and an irreverent sense of humor. If this movie doesn't make you laugh, you're almost certainly dead.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (630)

one of the best comedies ever and dvd extras to rave about!
This is what dvds were invented for -- there are so many great features here! So in addition to seeing one of the funniest movies ever made, you can be entertained for hours with the extras, and the extras are terrific: subtitles in English, French or Spanish; audio track choices -- English (the original mono or a brand new full stereo version), French, a directors' (Gilliam and Jones) track or a commentary track with Cleese, Idle and Palin; a copy of the script overlaid on the film; a painstaking, hilarious Henry the IV-ish subtitle for those who don't like the film; a hard-of-hearing feature; killer rabbit easter eggs; animated menus using Gilliam's original animation; karaoke renditions of 'Knights of the Round Table', 'Sir Robin' and the 'Monks Chant'; a delightful 45 minute visit to the locations with Jones and Palin; an educational film about the 'other' uses of coconuts; Japanese versions of the French Castle and Knights Who Say Ni scenes, including references to the 'holy sake cup'; a 1974 BBC Film Night visit to a location site during filming; photos of tickets, press releases, reviews, posters, production stills and original artwork; trailers; cast credits (Palin played over a dozen parts!) with pictures of each character; a Lego knights version of the Camelot scene; pictures of sketches that were never used (a killer snail?!); a web link.

A lot of effort went into this special edition dvd, and it shows. I particularly enjoyed seeing Jones and Palin visit locations. They were in a jolly mood, their comments are interspersed with film footage, and they meet affectionate and funny fans along the way.

If you like this film you will love this dvd version; if you love the film, you wil adore this two-dvd set. An essential item for your collection.

Highest recommendation.

I Never Thought Looking For A Shrubbery Would Be This Fun!!
In the early 1970's the Monty Python troop (Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, and Terry Jones) stars from the immensely popular television series Monty Python's Flying Circus began producing, with the help of a fundraising concert headlined by Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd (You lie!! No, I didn't!), initial photography on what would later become (from all my extensive years of movie watching) the single most unforgivably sidesplitting, enormously irreverent, shrewdly perceptive, unremittingly uproariously aggressive, gruesomely hysterical, and endlessly quotable comedies EVER. Not even Mel Brooks's Best Efforts (The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein) comes very close to the revolutionary medieval merriment sustained in this royal purebred of cult classics. BAR NONE. No contest here.

Endlessly stockpiled with hauntingly hysterical sketches that will probably never leave your mind (no matter how hard you try) including, The Knights Who Say Nei, The Self-Abusing Monks (Eah aay ess eay dom eay nay), The Black Knight, The Trojan Rabbit, the Ever-Appearing Verbally Abusing French (I don't want to talk to you no more!!!), The Enchanter Named Tim, The Killer Bunny, The Bridge of Death (What is the capital of Hysteria?), The Old Woman Named Dennis, and so many countless more great sketches to include here that I'd die trying. Monty and Python and the Holy Grail remains an ever-enriching mirthful cult-classic that just seems to improve with age. Since Columbia has a bountifully hefty new special edition of the Holy Grail out now there should be no excuse, if you've never seen it (I think I'll go for a walk!!), just drop everything your doing (including Bringing Out Your Dead) and go experience this life changing movie today. You won't be disappointed, just tell them the Knight Not Appearing In This Film sent you, and they'll know what to do.

As for the options on the special edition here's a run-down:

Disc One: -"21st Anniversary" cut of the film running an extra 24 seconds; -Anamorphic Widescreen; -Dolby 5.1 track; -Original Mono Track; -Audio commentary with Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin; -subtitles "for people who don't like the film" (you get the text from Shakespeare's Henry IV instead); -an "on-screen screenplay" feature which lets you read the screenplay as you watch the film; -"Follow the Killer Rabbit" feature;

Disc Two: "Three Mindless Sing-Alongs"; -"The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations" featurette; -"How to Use Your Coconuts" educational film; -"Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Japanese" (with English subtitles); -the BBC Film Night special "On Location with the Pythons; -an interactive cast directory; -still galleries with Terry Gilliam's original sketches and behind-the-scenes photos; -"A Load Of Rubbish" with mystery items; -unused ideas and other material; -two trailers
and web-links.

Both discs represent the absolute final word resource for EVERYTHING and I do mean everything you'd need to know about the Python's greatest film. An Absolute Necessity for any Python Fan!!

P.S. You can't base a system of government just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.

What are you going to do, bleed on me?
excellent. Possibly the funniest movie ever made. Who could forget such a line as "I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of eldeberries." This is a great movie and a great dvd edition that gives it justice. This is completely worth the money. A comedy Classic.

This movie didn't make me Run Away! (or) Run away FASTER!!!
Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail is, by far, my favorite movie -and I'm sure it always will be! Being a truly hilariously-random film, this DVD does an awesome job of showcasing this fact to the highest extent. The killer white "rrrrabit" will live on in my heart forever, and I will always be knowledgeable that African swallows are non-migratory. What other movie has a group of knights requesting shrubberies -from King Arthur, no less- to create a 'two-level effect with a path through the middle'? Only Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
The movie might sound strange as I mention these things out of context, but I assure you it is much stranger when Monty Python says it!
So, to conclude this review, I definitely give "Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail" DVD a 5 star rating, as I know it will entertain millions for years to come. Enjoy!

The Lego Camelot Number Alone is Worth the Price
Who would have thought that, after nearly 30 years, the world's goofiest movie could be made even moreso? Not only is this DVD a comedy triumph (it would be simply if it were the DVD version of the classic film, in which a crew too broke to afford horses for King Arthur and his Knights changed history and college kids' banter forever by introducing coconuts as migrating props). Oh, no, this DVD is one that may become a standard for other DVDs. Just look at this list of extras above! To be sure, some of them are fluff. The "load of rubbish" selection is simply some receipts and a few odd notes. But most of it is stupendous.

The first disc contains the movie itself, along with some choices of how to watch it.... subtitles, commentary by directors Terry Jones & Terry Gilliam or by John Cleese & Eric Idle & Michael Palin. Then "for people who don't like the film", there's subtitles from Shakespeare's "Henry IV, Part II". Now, these do not faithfully follow Henry IV verse by verse, but they do come from the play, and it's hilarious how the phrases Shakespeare wrote do actually match up with the action on the screen.

Disc Two contains several mementoes: a film of John Cleese, Terry Jones, and "Grail" production manager John Young (who also played the hapless "Historian" towards the end of the film, and the "I'm not dead!" guy) paying a return visit to Castle Doune , in 2000. At first it's fun to hear them reminisce at the filming site, but since it's a very small spot with nothing but a wall and a bit of ground, they appear uncomfortable and that quickly gets old. More interesting is the home movie made by the two Terries when they looked for prospective film locations in the seventies. Their excitement is palpable.

A somewhat painful scene (except for the chance it gives us to watch Terry Jones in action as a director) is the BBC documentary made during filming. The interviewer seems more interested in trying to be funny himself than in the Pythons. But there are several great comic extras, including words to some songs, a coconut skit, two scenes dubbed in Japanese, and best of all, an animated feature of the "Camelot" scene and song done entirely in Lego...must be seen to be believed.

Finally, someone has made good use of the storage space on a DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Nothing's as dangerous as a Yellowbeard....
Why don't they make more pirate movies? Probably because the mold was broken after Yellowbeard. I mean, Cutthroat Island was funny, but I don't think they meant it to be. Graham Chapman stars as the scurvy dog himself, and his supporting cast is wonderful, including Pythons John Cleese and Eric Idle, Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong, Peter Boyle, Kenneth Mars, Susanna York, the late great James Mason, the late great Madeline Kahn, the late great Goon Spike Milligan, the late great Beyond The Fringe alum Peter Cook, the late Sir Michael Horndern, and finally, the late great Marty Feldman in his last role. Feldman died in Mayheeco before this was finished, hence the disjointed ending, but he was wonderful while he lasted. This sprang from the fertile & addled brain of Who drummer Keith Moon, who died before it was made. David Bowie was on vacation in Mexico in the same area while this was filmed, and makes an uncredited cameo. John Cleese is wonderful as Blind Pew (Cleese: "'oi 'ave acute 'earing." Idle- "I don't care about your jewelry"). James Mason is a hoot, playing it straight as a brutal English captain. Cheech & Chong are great, although I half expected to see them launch into their classic shtick of "Buggery On The High Seas". If your sense of humor is twisted, get this movie. If your SOH is just silly, get it too. If you miss Marty Feldman half as much as I do, then that means I miss him twice as much as you. There's also a "Making Of Yellowbeard" program out there. Keep your eyes peeled for it, too, it is worth it.

Wild and Crazy Pirate Movie!
I'm a Monty Python fan and I also happen to like pirate movies so when this movie was shown unedited and commercial free on cable I taped it and just watched it the other day and though it's not my all time favorite pirate movie as a spoof of pirate movies it does have it's funny moments and three of my favorite Monty Python members, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle and John Cleese. The movie has a huge cast that also stars, Peter Boyle, Peter Cook, Madeline Kahn, James Mason, Marty Feldman, Martin Hewitt, Cheech and Chong and also look out for Bernard Fox who played Dr. Bombay in the classic television sitcom Bewitched. I wonder why this movie isn't on DVD yet. The station I taped the movie from played it in fullscreen and I would think that a movie like this had to have been filmed in widescreen so maybe a widescreen DVD will be available someday.

Okay but Not Great!
I watched Yellowbeard recently and well it was basically a funny movie though there were some hits and misses with the humor and the rape jokes got tiresome after awhile!

The Unknown Sidesplitter
The great groups of 20th century comedy are all here: Spike Milligan from The Goon Show, Peter Cook from Beyond the Fringe, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, and John Cleese from Monty Python, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Kenneth Marz, and Medeline Kahn from the Mel Brooks Art Players, Cheech and Chong -- plus British stalwarts like Michael Hordern and Peter Bull (in drag) -- plus James Mason in his rarely seen dry-as-dust comic mode -- plus an uncredited cameo by David Bowie. As a teenager, my daughter tested potential friends by showing them this movie and, if they loved it, they passed. A MUST for DVD.

One of the greatest of all time...
For fans of the Python, this is one of the greatest movies of all time. You will be in tears the entire time. Let's just hope someday they remaster and re-release it on DVD ... Read more

Reviews (186)

Holy Hilarity!
Life of Brian is not as well known by the movie going public as Monty Python?s classic "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", but it is definitely is as, or maybe even funnier than Holy Grail. This is especially true for people who are familiar with the Biblical stories it pokes fun at. It is perfect satire, for nothing is sacred and everything is a joke.

The story revolves around Brian, a very unlucky resident of Judea who just happened to be born the same day the Christ child was born. Missing his chance at glory, Brian lives his life selling animal parts at the Coliseum, dominated by a violent mother who is very "friendly" to the Roman occupiers. The rest of Brian's environment is inhabited by a very wild bunch. The neo- or archo-Marxist group, the People's Front of Judea, battles the Romans daily by holding meeting after violent meeting, plotting against the legions and their arch rivals, the Judean People's Front. The Romans, on the other hand, are led by the Pontius Pilate, who, contrary to Biblical reports, has quite a lisp and an endearing sense of stupidity. When Brian rebels against his mother and joins up with the wild band of revolutionaries, his life is changed forever. Quite by accident, Brian is then thought to be the messiah, although he is quite reluctant in his leadership.

Satirically, this movie is absolutely ruthless. Everything is skewered, everything. The performances are all fantastic, especially that of John Cleese, who is just the man in this movie, playing about six separate characters. Joke after joke hits the viewer, which results in just non-stop humor. It's just a wonderful movie by the Python pioneers who really revolutionized comedy. The Criterion DVD edition is great, with tons of hilarious extras that are worth the price on their own. To the people that use this to either justify their atheism or believe it to be an attack on their religion, calm down. It's a comedy for God's sake, why do the opinions of some British comedians affect your outlook on life? Just laugh damn it!

Great extras on this Python DVD
THE LIFE OF BRIAN has remained one of my favorite Python flicks after the glow of the Holy Grail began to wear thin from overuse. If you're considering purchasing this movie, you've probably seen the movie already and are a Monty Python fan. If not, get ready for one of Python's most sacrilegious and hilarious movies of their collection! If you are easily offended, you might think twice. However, the satire here is equally distributed and is not aimed so much at religion itself but moreso at the amusing ways in which people can behave "under the influence" of zealotry.

I thoroughly enjoyed rewatching the movie, but it was a great surprise to find that this DVD comes packed with some great bonus materials. Several full-length, revealing interviews with the cast go into more Python history than just that surrounding this flick. And a rather large collection of scenes cut from the final release are also quite interesting.

The video and audio quality seem to be on par with most of the other DVD movies I've seen so far, despite the film's age.

All in all, a great addition to any Python collection.

Is nothing sacred? NO! And that's why this is a riot!
Irreverent, brilliant, ingenius... I'm getting all these words out of the way now before I forget them! Even though I'll probably use them a dozen times!

The funniest thing to come from England since The Stamp Act, Monty Python's Flying Circus could always be depended upon to provide the world with brilliantly twisted humor. The LIFE OF BRIAN is no less a comic masterpiece than anything else these boys have done. Ostensibly a parody of the life of Jesus, LIFE OF BRIAN is a hilarious attack on liberalism, conservatism, colonialism, individualism, communalism, organized religion, disorganized religion, fanaticism, feminism... take your pick of any of a hundred topics. It doesn't matter, it's still brilliant. And the script and direction holds it perfectly all together, even if there's a space ship chase sequence thrown in for the hell of it.

Once again, the members of MPFC each play several roles and every viewer has his or her favorites, so what the hell, I'll mention mine. Michael Palin, while playing a wonderfully foppy Pontius Pilate, is equally hilarious as a twitchy, hyperactive leper that Jesus had cured. Instead of being grateful, he complains that his rehabilitation has ruined his livelihood as a beggar. (Speaking of rehabilitation, Palin plays the part like a junkie in need of a fix.) John Cleese has several great moments, but his role as a Centurion turned sadistic Latin teacher is nothing short of genius. Everyone who has studied Latin will be beside themselves during this scene. And Terry Jones as Brian's mom still stuns me 25 years later. "My Brian is not the messiah! He's a very naughty, naughty boy."

Monty Python's LIFE OF BRIAN is irreverent, brilliant, and ingenius and this edition, complete with outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews make this package worth the price. Whether you are an individual or not, "Monty Python's Life of Brian - Criterion Collection" will save your comic soul.

a review of a movie
A brilliant movie with a brilliant finale.

funny but wheres Bodge?
This is a very funny movie. It takes place int he Stone Age. About a guy named Brian and this is his life. Most of the humor is because his name is brian and people confuse him for somebody else. "I'm not so anso I'm Brian." Also there is a very funny moment when a man says his wife is called Continual Buttocks (a butocks is a bottom) or soemthing. Some of the humor is called toilet humor that I'm not a fan of. My friends and I only thought that Bodge would have looked great in this film with his beard and BRITISH accent!!! Where was he? He would have been perfect! ... Read more

Description

Get ready for outrageous fun in Disney's 102 DALMATIANS. It's a brand-new hilarious adventure, starring the audacious Oddball, the spotless Dalmatian puppy on a search for her rightful spots, and Waddlesworth, the wisecracking, delusional macaw who thinks he's a Rottweiler. Barking mad, this unlikely duo leads a posse of puppies on a mission to outfox the wildly wicked, ever-scheming Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close). Filled with chases, close calls, hilarious antics, and thrilling escapes all the way from London through the streets of Paris -- and a Parisian bakery -- this adventure-packed tale is wacky good fun your entire family will want to howl over again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Worthy Enough To Be The Sequel To Such A Great Film!
This movie was wonderful. Kid's will love it! Cruella Devil is finally being released from prison. They have experimented on her and assume that she is cured from her dog hatting days. In fact, they have turned her into a dog lover. She even goes out and buys an abandoned dog shelter. Her peroll officer, whos dog's have just had a litter of dalmation puppies including oddball who has no spots, Meets the owner of the shelter and falls in love with him. But when Cruella hears the bells of Big Ben, something goes wrong inside her head and she goes out to get revenge. This time she wants a hooded spotted dalmation puppy coat, hence it will take 102 dalmations to complete it. The only dalmation that isn't captured is Oddball because she has no spots. It's up to her and her parrot friend who thinks he's a dog to follow the kidnappers to France and save the day! Your whole family will love it! Buy it today!

First 101 dalmations now 102 dalmations,,,wonderful!
I recived this one as a Xmas present *Dec01*, I watched it before I got it, cos we rented it... and I loved it, and i will always love this movie. It's such a cute movie! My favorite dog is "Oddball" my worst character is Cruella De Vil. As u can tell why! Cruella De Vil, Cruella De Vil.. if she doesnt scare u no evil thing will! I've seen the cartoon version of 101 Dalmations... and I love the cartoon more than the real version on 101 Dalmations. But 102 Dalmations is much better. I also have 101 Dalmations *Not the cartoon version*, and that one is not as good as 102 Dalmations.. (Believe Me))))) Well anyways please do yourself a favor and buy "102 Dalmations" today.

Cute puppies. 16th april 2004.
I have never really seen the first propally, but i could imagine the second been that bit better. Great for anyone, really cute doggies, and ther are 102 of them on a adventure near to the end.

This is a horible movie
I thought it would be a delightful flick with cute pupies running away from a nasty lady but it's not that way. old tired jokes get used agan agan and agan. BOTTOM LINE: it stinks

A puppy's day
An evil Cruela Devil does the same plan like in the original movie. This movie sounds the same like the original. They repeated everything including the plot, the story and made different characters take care of the dogs. It should be the same people like in the first 101 Dalmatians. Disney made a really bad look out type of movie. This movie should be called 102 Dalmatians Cruela Devil Returns. An extra this movie should be Rated R for evil violence, overacted, and disaster images that are usually garbaged. ... Read more

Reviews (85)

very 'Enchanted' by 'Ella'
I notice that many people did not enjoy this movie, mostly because they found the book superior; but I have never read the book, (but am looking forward too doing so) so I'm strictly speaking as someone who hasn't.
the movie is a variation of Cinderella with an interesting twist, about a young woman named Ella (Anne Hathaway) who was given the "gift" of obedience at birth by a dizty fairy (Vivica Fox), which forces Ella to do anything anyone tells her to. But the gift seems like more of a curse to Ella, especially when her father marries an evil woman named Dame Olga (Joanna Lumley), and she must put up with Olga's two petulant daughters (Lucy Punch and Jennifer Higham) who take advantage of her when one of them learns of her unusual gift. Then one day when Ella must do something terrible because of the gift, she decides to set off and find the fairy who gave her the curse so she can take it away. Ella is given a talking book that was once human (he was Ella's house fairy Mandy's boyfriend, but was turned into a book by her botched spell) that can show you anything but can't tell you where it is. She is also joined on her quest by an elf who wants to become a lawyer, but he can't because elves aren't allowed to be anything but singers and dancers. Ella is also added by prince Charmont (Hugh Dancy), who she doesn't really like because his uncle, the king, (Cary Elwes) keeps ogres and elves and giants segregated from humans, and she is a sort of activist against this. But of course, they soon fall in love, and Ella is plunged into royal intrigue, and must do the worst thing the curse has ever made her do if she doesn't find the fairy lucinda in time.
'Ella Enchanted's cast is great. Anne Hathaway is a very talented young actress and her talents were wasted in the unfunny and cliched 'The Princess Diaries', but 'Ella' is very good material and she is very charming and funny in it. I also think Vivica Fox made a very nice turn as the harebrained fairy Lucinda, the two stepsisters were completely hilarious, and Hugh Dancy was very convincing and charasmatic in his prince charming role. I also liked the visual style, which mixes storybook kingdom and kind of like what 'Shrek' would look like in real life. I also found the modern influences on the film very funny, like the prince having a fun club, the mall opening in the mideveal town, and a hilarious situation involving the wicked stepmother and "batox". There is also genuine suspense in a crucial scene sometime before the end, and I'll be darned if it didn't have me on the edge of my seat.
The one thing that really annoyed me though, was how some of the characters just show up when theyr'e needed to move the story along. Ella's father for example is a very thankless role, and during the few times he came onscreen I would think "hey I forgot he was in this"; and the awesome Joanna Lumley (from the TV show Absolutely Fabulous) as the wicked stepmother is tragically underused, and should have had more scenes. Also, Parminder Nagra (Bend it Like Beckham) plays Ella's best friend, and has a key role in an important scene, but we don't see much of her after that.
But these problems are pretty minor, especially for a lighthearted and breezy movie like this. 'Ella Enchanted' is also one of those rare species of family films that is actually enjoyable for the whole family, and I feel parents will like it just as much as the kids will.

Ella Enchanted: friend or foe?
I've loved the book ever since i read it 4 years ago. SO naturally, when i heard about the movie, i was excited. After seeing the trailer, though, i became a little apprehensive about the changes being made to a perfect story. Despite my intuition, i forced myself to see the movie; i must tell you, i was pleasantly surprised. Although the story line is completely different from the original, the story was extremely funny, and added whimsy to the fairy tale world. Characters were cut and pasted-changing them to fit the new plot, as well as some added characters (that the story could have done without, but were added to the humor). For fans over 10- Cary Ewells from the princess bride was an extra bonus, as well as the guy from Monte Python. Although some of the scenes seemed a little Shrek-wanna-be, it made me laugh all the same. It is a completely different story being told than in the book, which allows book fans to forget the connection, and instead to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

VERY BAD
THE FILM STUNK IF I WANT TO SEE THE MOVIE ILL GO BUY THE BOOK I READ THE BOOK IN SCHOOL AND IT WAS AWSOME! I SAID THAT I WAS GOING TO BUY IT BUT I SAW IT IN THE MOVIE THEATERS AND IT WAS BAD!!!!!! WARNING DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS GO BUY CONFESSIONS OF A TEEN AGE DRAMA QUEEN! THIS FILM STINKS IT SHOULD NOT EVEN GET A STAR AND THATS THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING: WASTE OF MONEY!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The book was so good and then they had to go out and make a movie that was a completely different story!!!!! if you have not seen this horrible rip off, then Go read the book and don't waist your money!!!!!!!!!! I am never going to watch another miramax film ever agen! Oh, and this film does not even deserve 1 star!!!!

The best movie ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I loved ella enchanted it is about a girl who has to do everything she is command to do. It is very funny and anne hathaway is HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 1995 family film tries to put a fun spin on the story of a paranormalist and widower (Bill Pullman) who moves into a new house with his daughter (Christina Ricci) and meets up with the ghost of a dead little boy. Based on the comic book about Casper the friendly ghost, the film is a dreary series of awkward interactions between live actors and computer effects, and you can almost see Pullman and Ricci reconsidering the project while on camera. A few cameo appearances from uncredited stars help things a bit. But there's no way, based on this film, that one could have guessed that its director, Brad Silberling, would go on to make the exceptional drama City of Angels. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (48)

A Sweet and Sentimental Comedy, Perfect for the Family
Casper is a fun children's film, that can be watched as a family and keep everyone entertained. Unlike many movies concerning ghosts, there is no reason to worry that this movie will upset or scare even the most sensitive children. Casper is sweet and endearing, and even the vicious ghosts in this film are far from threatening as they quickly bring a smile to your face and alleviate any tension with humor.
However, Casper does not rely souly on laughter, and has a strong plot to back it up. It raises spiritual questions that make you think, and has very heartfelt moments of intense emotion. You grow to care about the characters as we watch Casper and Kat in their simultaneous search for friendship, and Dr. Harvey in his quest to resolve his own unfinished business and finally get some closure.
Malachi Pearson does an outstanding job as the voice of Casper, and portrays all of his emotions very convincingly. You can also look forward to a great performance from Bill Pullman, and will love hating the bumbling villains portrayed by Cathy Moriarty and Eric Idle. Unfortunately, there are times where Christina Ricci seems to have some difficulty filling her role as Kat, and occasionally makes scenes awkward and unconvincing.
The score for this film is beautiful, and adds a great deal to the spirit and mood of the movie.
There is some light use of profanity that I don't find necessary or appropriate for a family film aimed largely at children, but it can be easily overlooked.

Awesome, fun movie!
I just love CASPER. It's a really great movie. CASPER is about a man (Bill Pullman) who studies the supernatural in search for his dead wife. He keeps moving his teenager daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) around all over the place because his job requires a lot of traveling. Kat hates all the moving because she never gets a chance to live in a particular place long enough to make any friends. When her father is asked to find the spirits who live in a haunted house in Maine, he promises Kat that this will be the last place they will move to.

A woman who wants Kat's father to talk to the ghosts wants him to do that because she is looking for a "secret treasure" that has been hidden in the house for years. Little does anyone know that this is the home of Casper the ghost and his "uncles": Stinky, Fatso, and Streatch. And they are not happy that somebody is moving into their house except for Casper. Casper is excited because Kat - a girl - is moving into the house, too. So while the father and Kat are living at the mansion, the three ghosts try to make them miserable...so miserable that they'll want to move out. But Casper is trying to impress Kat so he can win her over! An excellent movie with a special appearence by teen crooner, Devon Sawa, as Casper, the real boy.

If you are a fan of the Supernatural and of comedy movies, than this movie is for you!!

An endearing film about Casper and his friend Kat!
"The living impaired are known for haunting us," Dr Harvey explains, "My question is what's haunting them." Dr. Harvey and his daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) are persuaded to leave Santa Fe and come to Friendship, Maine to live at Whipstaff Manor, to help new owner Carrigan Crittendon and her friend Dibs get rid of the ghosts haunting her manor. Casper the Friendly Ghost is very excited when he learns that Dr. Harvey and his pretty young daughter Kat are going to be living in his house (maybe he can finally make a friend!); but his ghostly uncles have other plans...

The premise of Casper is that ghosts exist, are "spirits with unfinished business" (hence they have not yet "crossed over"), and interact freely with "live" people at times; (they haunt houses and wreak havoc on people who trespass there). For those who are worried about content: there is a scene where a man gets drunk in a bar and has an accident, there is a Halloween costume party, there are a few ghosts who are "mean" and play tricks and scare people, and a few arguments between characters in the film. There is a very sweet and innocent kiss between a girl and boy, but otherwise there is no objectionable content in that respect. Language: there are a few swear words, so be aware!

If you can view this film with the belief that it is just a cute and funny film about "ghosts," which as we know do not exist, it is a most enjoyable film. If you cannot rest easy while watching a film about ghosts, then by all means don't watch it. For those of you who can separate the real from the unreal and the difference between spirits and ghosts, the supernatural world and the real world, this is a cute and endearing film about a friendly ghost named Casper and his new friend Kat.

Family 'Friendly'.....
Any film that can gather the family together for a fun,wholesome, and entertaining view, and hold the interest of all for it's entire length, gets 5 stars in my book. "Casper" is one of those films. It may not go down as some great piece of cinematic art, but it is one that all generations can enjoy, will leave you with a smile, and something to talk about with kids afterwards.

Based on the old comic book stories, "Casper" is a very friendly but very lonely ghost. He lives in an old mansion, that has seen better days. He is not alone in this huge house though, he lives with his three very nasty(but funny) uncles,"Stretch", "Stinky" and "Fatso". Casper only wants someone to move in,so he could have a friend, the uncles on the other hand, do their very best to scare away any visitors.
So when a greedy woman inherits the property, and believes there is a buried treasure inside, she hires an array of 'ghostbusters' to rid the house of all spirits. None seem to be able to handle this terrible trio, until one day a ghost psychiatrist and his lonely daughter(also looking for a friend),move in and try to tame the threesome. From there it's a fun and wild ride, and a touching story of friendship.

The film has a terrific cast that works well with the wonderful animation and special effects. Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci are the father and daughter team that befriend these spirits. Cathy Moriarty("Forget Paris"), and Eric Idle as her bumbling assistant add their talents as they go for the treasure.Lots of big names are cameoed throughout. Don Novello, and Dan Aykroyd reprise their roles of Father Guido Sarducci, and ghostbuster Dr. Raymond Stantz for brief appearances, just to name a couple.
The voices including Brad Garrett as "Fatso" are marvelous, and you can never go wrong when James Horner scores a film with just the right touches.

It's rated PG for some occassional mild language and thematic elements, and at an hour and a half, it just the right length, and is a delightful way to spend some laugh out loud family time together.

Ghostly fun......enjoy.....Laurie

A "Spirited" Movie (yuk yuk); a "Poor" ending
Casper (not to be confused with "Casper: A Spirited Beginning" or any of the Casper The Friendly Ghost cartoons) is an interesting mix of elements both good and bad - but mostly good.

Without a doubt, the movie's strongest asset is its humor. By and large, this is thanks to Casper's uncles Stretch, Stinkie, and Fatso (The Ghostly Trio), all of whom are hilariously animated and perfectly voiced by three actors whose names I unfortunately can't remember. Bill Pullman is also very funny as Dr. Harvey, and great supporting comic performances are lent by Cathy Moriarty as the evil Carrigan Crittenden and Eric Idle as Carrigan's long-suffering sidekick, Dibs.

All of this, of course, amounts to a sub-plot in the end - a prominent one, but a sub-plot nonetheless. The main story is that of Casper (voiced by Malachi Pearson) and Dr. Harvey's young daughter, Kat (Christina Ricci). Ricci says some of her lines awkwardly (in my opinion), but for the most part does a nice job. Jessica Wesson's portrayal of Amber, the snotty girl at Kat's school, is perfect.

I think the movie's flaws lie in its plot more than anything else. For instance: throughout the story, Kat has a crush on Vic, the supposedly cute (and slimy) kid at her school, but in the end when Vic shows his true colors and stands her up at the Halloween party, she doesn't really seem to care at all. There is a brief shot of her sitting by the wall with a pouty (well, really, more broody) expression on her face, but this is dispensed with in an instant.

Another of my biggest beefs is with the ending. I don't want to give away specifics, but it is the weakest part of the story - bittersweet and touching one moment, and then it turns raucous and weird before you can blink. Makes you want to throttle the nearest neck.

Ah, well. As I said earlier, the movie is far more good than bad, and of course everything here is just one person's opinion. Who knows. You might love the ending. But if not, I have a feeling you'll like most everything else. ... Read more

Description

Before ' 'Dumb and Dumber' ' there was Mom and Dad! When the Emperor Tod of the planet Spengo kidnaps housewife Marge Nelson to make her his Empress, he threatens to destroy the Earth unless she succumbs. Now only Marge and her husband Dick stand between Tod and his wicked plan. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Turn off your brain and just enjoy!
This is one of those movies that make the end of the week so enjoyable. You've spent your whole week dealing with people at work, a job you're not so enthused about, all the frustrations of bills and daily aggravations, but at least you have a movie like this to pop in where none of that matters for a while.

I give this movie such a high mark because of it's value in that regard. I know that by Friday night I'm not looking for a "Schindler's List" to watch, not even a semi-serious comedy. No no, I want the lowest low-brain humor I can possibly find. The stupid humor, where I can laugh loud and often. So you see, it's not so much how good the plot is, or the production, but what the movie can do for you.

The plot is thus; Dick Nelson (who seems to be a normal guy, but is given all the idiosyncracies of the normal guy by Jeff Jones so that he seems quirky) and his wife Marge are on their way to a vacation in their Station Wagon, when an intergalactic magnet manned by a walking Napoleon charicature named Todd Spengo lifts them off the ground, into space, and onto the miniscule speck of a planet that Spengo rules (prompting the obligatory "It's not the size of your planet, it's how you use it.")

What follows is a casserole of Monty Python-inspired humor with a great cameo by Eric Idle who dubs Jones's character anew as "Earth-Dick." Todd Spengo, played by Jon Lovitz in his last good role, is probably the best source of laughs. You wonder how the heck this guy manages to rule a planet when he can't complete this verse in a song, "Oh Marge, Oh Marge, my love for you is..." Not that it matters. I don't think I've ever laughed harder than at the flash-grenade scene, or when Spengo asks his guards "mutton-chops... or goatee?"

Props to Teri Garr too for getting in the spirit of things. You wonder if this character isn't the antithesis of her trouble-wife character in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," but then you think "Naaaah." I like her better in this than "Young Frankenstein" as well.

So yes, buy it, watch it. Don't look to be enlightened, just uplifted. If silliness like this were more prevalent in the world, I predict we'd have a nicer place to live in.

Brilliantly stupid
"Mom and Dad Save the World" is a thinly disguised parody of the "Flash Gordon" series of films. The Emperor Todd Spengo (a stupid version of Ming the Merciless) plans to destroy the earth, but falls in love with Marge Nelson (a suburban Dale Arden played by Teri Garr) when he sees her through his telescope.

Using a hokey '40s-sci-fi-style magnetic ray, he brings Marge and her husband, Dick (the middle-aged Flash Gordon of our tale) to his planet, which is populated almost entirely by stupid people. The emperor quickly imprisons Dick in order to force Marge to marry him, and then Dick must defeat the emperor, rescue Marge, and save the earth.

The bad special effects and the whole "planet of stupid people" concept are both played to the hilt in this clever, but widely underrated comedy. Jon Lovitz is terrific as emperor Spengo, and Kathy Ireland plays the part she was born for as Semage, princess of the planet of stupid people. All right, maybe that wasn't fair, but she really was well suited to the part.

One of my favorite gags in the film involves a thing called a "flash grenade", which vaporizes anyone who picks it up. Why, then would anyone pick it up, you ask? I'd tell you, but that would spoil the joke. It's amazing how effective a weapon that stupid can be on a planet full of stupid people.

High art, this ain't, but it's cute, funny, and uses its premise very effectively. Hmm... Sounds a bit like I'm just describing Kathy Ireland again...

Why isn't this on DVD ???
There's nothing amazing about this movie, it's just a really stupid/funny movie and that's what is so special about it. I only want to know one thing...WHY ISN'T THIS ON DVD?

I love this!
This is such a fun movie- something that we can all watch. Does anyone know when it comes out on DVD?

Refreshingly Stupid
Too stupid to rate 5 stars, but just hilarious enough to rate 4. I hadn't seen this movie since it came out in the theaters and I had to find it (I could only find it on Amazon of course ... but only on VHS). And it was just as stupid and just as hilarious as I remember. I'm glad I found it. If you are a Jon Lovitz fan, this is his funniest performance in my opinion. If you like stupid humor, and you like to laugh your butt off, buy this movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Monty Python's first feature is essentially a reworking of their best skits from the first two seasons of their cult TV series Monty Python's Flying Circus, shot on film outside the usual studio sets (Nudge Nudge, for example, is set in a tavern filled with passersby). As the TV series was as yet unseen in the U.S. at the time of this feature, And Now for Something Completely Different became for many Americans their first taste of the Pythons' brand of surreal, silly humor and remains a fond favorite. The writing and performances are fine and the film is packed with some of their best bits: How to Avoid Being Seen, Hell's Grannies, Blackmail, The Lumberjack Song, and The Upper Class Twit of the Year, among others. Many of the sketches have been shortened, however, and the loss of the overbright video sheen (the film has a muddy, dull look to it) and the invigorating presence of a live audience leaves the film sluggish at times. They're still feeling out the possibilities of the feature-length, which they finally conquer with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, still their finest hour and a half. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Clean, Clear, and Funny
This movie introduces no new material to Monty Python's body of work. It selects several key routines from the first two series of Monty Python's Flying Circus and reshoots them. So why bother?

Because this is easier to watch.

This film was shot as part of an abortive attempt to introduce Monty Python to an American audience (which wouldn't actually be accopmlished for another three years). Where the original series suffered from a low budget and spotty production values, this film has high-end production quality, including clean sound, a single variable-angle 35mm camera, and the exclusion of the laugh track that muddied the sound on the TV series. There was obviously money for retakes, allowing the boys to edit out minor line muffs and giving them permission to experiment with their character delivery.

The picture is clear and organic. The sound is clean and audible. The characters are fun and believable. Just what we've always loved about Monty Python, isn't it?

But be warned, except for one or two linking jokes, this is material that you've already seen. Don't expect anything that will take your beloved boys in new directions, and don't think you'll get anything new. Just sit back, hear the jokes you've never heard clearly before, and laugh out loud. That's what they wanted, isn't it?

Funniest comedy ever- beside Holy Grail
This is simply the outright funniest sketch comedy to be had on DVD, or anywhere else. Every skit is as funny or better than the last, and that's saying something for Monty Python to top itself. The Holy Grail (by the Python also) is only better due to the solid story for a complete movie. Some of the humor on Something Completely Different is a bit abstract, such as the "How's the wife?" man in the bar. The dead parrot, the lumberjack song, and the marraige counselor are only the jems in this collage of the obscure; every skit here is a winner. One of the best parts of the 'movie' is how each skit is strung together, usually with the troupe's cheap old animation that makes everyone laugh just as hard as they did at the skits.

And Now for Something Completely Similar to the TV Show
And now for something completely different...if you've never seen the first two seasons of the series.

"And Now..." was put together with the specific purpose of "breaking" Python in the States and never meant for British audiences already familiar with the group. In one of the great ironies of showbiz history, it was a flop Stateside but a hit in England!

The film collects skits from the first two seasons and redoes them with a series of linking devices like the Colonel and Gilliam's animation to form a cohesive form. On some levels, it feels a bit stale compared to the original. While the Pythons have complained about the harsh TV lighting and studio audience, the film with the same skits seems lifeless at times. But the humor still comes through, and I can't knock this film as it was my own intro to the more surreal side of the group.

There's some great familiars such as "Dirty Fork", "Dead Parrot", "The Two Kilimanjaros", "Hell's Grannies" and so on. This film works best for those unaware of Python, but the diehard fan will find this enjoyable as well (though, again, it suffers in comparison to the actual TV series). Share it with your friends and neighbors, force it on them. They'll either laugh or wonder what the f#$k is the big deal.

ABSOLUTELY WRETCHED
Hello. My name is Johan Gambolputty de von Ausfernschplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitz-wemache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönendanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm. I would like to take this time to apologize to my pet penguin Terry-even though it wasn't technically penetration, I still feel bad about it. (He's allergic to television sets). I also wish to revoke my rating of this DVD - I give it 5 stars (it was delightful).
Thank you,
Johan Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitz-weimache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönendanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm.

And this is just one of the many virtues of not being seen.
This will always be my favorite movie. Monty Python's unique brand of humon really is at it's peak here (i feel it bottomed out with the not-so-funny "the meaning of life"), and it provides the silly realease one needs after a long day. as an added bonus: turn on the movie to any point, even if you havn't seen it, and watch for five minutes for a guarenteed laugh. ... Read more

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Monty Python's Terry Gilliam (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) directs this wild, wild version of the stories of Baron Munchausen, pushing the limits of 1989 special effects technology to bring us such sights as a horse divided in half and running around in two parts, and a giant Robin Williams with his head flying off his shoulders. Basically, this is a treat for Gilliam fans, as the sustaining idea of the film runs out of steam, and manic energy alone keeps the momentum going. Casual viewers might find it tedious after awhile. There are nice parts for fellow Python Eric Idle, as well as Sting, Alison Steadman, and Uma Thurman as a dazzlingly beautiful Venus on a half-shell. Gilliam had greater artistic and commercial success with Brazil, The Fisher King, and 12 Monkeys. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (69)

My Favorite Movie!
Terry Gilliam's mostly-ignored fantasy-adventure is without a doubt my favorite film to watch. The highly imaginative production (infamous for blasting past its budget limit, and for being underdistributed by Columbia) is an incredible film, a treat to watch again and again. A host of major British actors (including John Neville) team up with a menagerie of character players (Eric Idle, Jonathan Pryce) to create the exaggerated, fantastic adventures of the 18th-century cavalry officer Karl Heironymous Friedrich Baron von Munchausen as he flies to the moon in a hot air balloon, falls back to earth into an active volcano, and then gets swallowed by a giant sea monster, all in an attempt to defeat The Sultan. Families: some immoral innuendos, brief female nudity, and a frightening incarnation of Death may make this one unsuitable for some.

Not MY favorite of the trilogy
I seem to be definitely in the minority in these reviews, but I found THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN the worst of Terry Gilliam's trilogy (the other two films being TIME BANDITS and BRAZIL which I love). It wasn't a bad movie; just not a great one. It seemed to drag in parts. The first half hour of the film especially takes far too long to get into the story. Still, even Gilliam at his worst is often a lot more fun than most of the fantasy-based films out there.

The visuals are spectacular and you can definitely see where the money went (I read that this was one of the most expensive films made at that time). Terry Gilliam has an incredible imagination and is able to translate his vision to the screen. I was convinced the Baron could fly holding a cannonball!

The actors seemed to have a good time making it. John Neville uses the proper restraint in his roll to make his character believable while in unbelievable situations. Uma Thurman is incredibly beautiful as Venus. Robin Williams and Eric Idle have a lot of fun in their roles.

Aside from the slow pace in parts, I also am disappointed in the lack of features on this DVD. Where's the onscreen commentary or the behind-the-scenes features? Terry Gilliam did such a great job on the TIME BANDITS and especially the Criterion Collection BRAZIL, I'm surprised that a film that he spent so much time and money into lacks these extras. Perhaps even Terry Gilliam doesn't like this film as much as his others?

The Baron Lives on
Anyone who can sit there and say thay never spun a tale or two in their lives has no imagination. The Baron is a man who has cheated life and death by being both hero and con man but still retaining a sense of "je ne sais quois" Robin Williams steals his cameo and plays it in his usual frantic way. Sarah Polly is wonderful as the child of innocence who looks up to the Baron and the rest of the cast is wonderful as well. Not a movie that should be missed especially by those who enjoy the mania that is Monty Python

Baron Munchausen
See the lovely Uma Thurman years before this "kill bill" nonsense!

Darn Good Movie
check it out. a great fantasy tale. ... Read more

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Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982) serves up a great, steaming pile of the famed British comedy troupe's finest, funniest, and foulest work. Culled from their four-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl in 1980, this selection of sketches and songs includes some of the most storied material from the BBC series, Monty Python's Flying Circus. Numbers include the sexually confused lumberjack, the Ministry of Silly Walks, the Argument Clinic, and the exploding balladeer. Some of the group's funnier short-film pieces are featured as well, including the International Philosophy Match (Germany vs. Greece) and Terry Gilliam's animated pieces. This program is a fine introduction for viewers unaccustomed to Monty Python's peculiar brand of humor, and it will become clear where The Kids in the Hall got their shtick. Monty Python aficionados will enjoy seeing the lads do their thing for a live crowd, and there's a nice (though "nice" hardly seems the word) rapport with the audience. The sketches are looser and less hermetic than those in the Monty Python show or movies, such as 1974'sMonty Python and the Holy Grail or 1983'sMonty Python's the Meaning of Life. Aside from the unusual setting, there's nothing particularly revelatory about Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl. But for Python fans and fanatics--and they are legion--this won't matter a jot.-- Nick Poppy ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Careful to what is inside your chocolates
More English humour. You will undoubtedly laugh at some jokes and antics. You will smile at most of them too. Monty Python is always the same group of weirdos who respect nothing and make fun of everything that is sacred in everyday life in England : the Queen of course, but gently ; the police, a little less gently ; the church definitely less gently ; and things like chocolates that contain dead frogs to make them crunchy or some other disgusting things like cockroaches or whatever including some vomit. They cannot resist comparing American beer with ditch water and there they are definitely right, and that explains probably why so many sportsmen in one sketch start a race by ending up in the toilet. Too much of that beer is not good at all for the bladder. We learn that Descartes wrote « I drink therefore I am » which is definitely French in inspiration and tone. But lumberjacks are also ridiculed, with a lumberjack who wears a bra, for instance. English judges are of course revealed as being effeminate, which is in complete phase with the fact that they wear wigs : you should see their nice and colourful underwear. Try Monty Python at least once or twice, but be careful with an overdose of that drug because you may become either bored or just mentally disoriented and corrugated.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Grateful US Fans
It is interesting to watch Monty Python live. This performance gives quite a different effect than the studio series - for good and for worse. A big plus is the enthusiasm of the USAmerican fans, who can take just everything and even cheer for more and more. A few of the sketches do not work out perfectly on stage though.

Still, »Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl« makes you roll over laughing, as usual.

sux that its out of print
yes it sucks that this film is out of print, but you can find it a local video rental store. This film is great, its got some great sketches, albatross, silly walks, the church police(In wich the Pythons begin to crack up beacause terry jones wig begins to slip off) and the silly olympics. I highly reccomnd this to a python fan, but not to a person who has never heard of python.

The Hollywood Bowl hasn't recovered since.
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Michael Pallin, and Terry Gilliam bring their british humor to America, at the Hollywood Bowl, and this film will keep you laughing right through the end.

A "greatest hits" compilation for Monty Python
This is Monty Python at their very best. Very little of the amusing but confusing sketch comedy that can be so hit or miss with American audiences. This is a collection of their material that appeals to the general public. This needs to be re-released so that people can get a chance to see how delightful this comedy troupe was. ... Read more

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OK, let's get all the disclaimers out of the way first. Despite its colorful (if crude) animation, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is in no way meant for kids. It is chock full of profanity that might even make Quentin Tarantino blanch and has blasphemous references to God, Satan, Saddam Hussein (who's sleeping with Satan, literally), and Canada. It's rife with scatological humor, suggestive sexual situations, political incorrectness, and gleeful, rampant vulgarity. And it's probably one of the most brilliant satires ever made. The plot: flatulent Canadian gross meisters Terrance and Philip hit the big screen, and the South Park quartet of third graders--Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman--begin repeating their profane one-liners ad infinitum. The parents of South Park, led by Kyle's overbearing mom, form "Mothers Against Canada," blaming their neighbors to the north for their children's corruption and taking Terrance and Philip as war prisoners. It's up to the kids then to rescue their heroes from execution, not mention a brooding Satan, who's planning to take over the world.

To give away any more of the plot would destroy the fun, but this feature-length version of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Comedy Central hit is a dead-on and hilarious send-up of pop culture. And did we mention it's a musical? From the opening production number "Mountain Town" to the cheerful antiprofanity sing-along "It's Easy, MMMKay" to Satan's faux-Disney ballad "Up There," Parker (who wrote or cowrote all the songs) brilliantly shoots down every earnest musical from Beauty and the Beast to Les Misérables. And in advocating free speech and satirizing well-meaning but misguided parental censorship groups (with a special nod to the MPAA), Bigger, Longer & Uncut hits home against adult paranoia and hypocrisy with a vengeance. And the jokes, while indeed vulgar and gross, are hysterical; we can't repeat them here, especially the lyrics to Terrance and Philip's hit song, but you'll be rolling on the floor. Don't worry, though--to paraphrase Cartman, this movie won't warp your fragile little mind. Unless you have something against the First Amendment. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (500)

Great movie, but no extras
I admit, I was not one of those folks who ran out to see South Park as soon as it hit the theaters. In fact, I didn't even run out to rent South Park when it was released on VHS and DVD. But I finally did rent it in a moment of weakness, and am so glad I did. A few minutes into the film I had to scrape my jaw off the floor, but then I laughed my head off for 90 minutes and promptly watched the film again. After I returned the rental, I bought the DVD, and still watch it whenever I need a laugh.

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is, in a word, brilliant. From the Disney-esque musical numbers (skewered by the biting wit of the lyrics) to the I-can't-believe-they-just-said-that vulgar hilarity of Terrance and Phillip to the "Saddam is from Mars, Satan is from Venus" moments sprinkled throughout, South Park is the best piece of satire written in years, and is guaranteed to keep you in stitches.

The movie is set in, of course, South Park, home of our heroes Cartman, Kenny, Stan, and Kyle. The boys manage to worm their way in to a theater to see Canadian duo Phillip and Terrence's new R-rated movie, which is brimming with jaw-dropping language. It proves "educational" to the boys, and they're swearing with flair and gusto quicker than you can say... well... you'll have to imagine. From there, it's a short leap to horrified teachers, mortified parents, and then Mothers Against Canadians. And it would be criminal to give away any more of the plot.

Yes, the language is positively filthy.... Yes, the film ridicules networks willing to do anything for ratings, Hollywood families of fame, overbearing and misguided parents, and everyone in between.... Yes, there are many moments of plain grossness.... So if you're easily offended, generally uptight, or a member of any morally outraged group, this film is not for you. This film is ABOUT you. Find something else to watch.

But for everyone else: buy this movie. You'll laugh; you'll cry (well, maybe not cry...); it will become a part of you.

Last note: The only reason I rated this DVD 4 stars instead of 5 is the complete lack of extra features. The movie is certainly worthy of a 5 star rating, but the complete lack of extras for the DVD format, especially given this material that's just screaming for extras, is inexcusable. But I highly recommend purchasing the movie, anyway.

Incredibly funny!
Although not a highest-grossing film of the year, this movie was a surprise success when it was released. It has caused people like the writers of the Simpsons to reconsider making an animated feature film of Homer and the rest.

On the surface this is not much more than a long episode on South Park with slightly better effects. But under the hood they developed a lot of technology to create the film, and it has definitly smoothed the process for the show's production.

As for the plot, I'm sure it's been discussed to death, but I will say that the quality of the movie is at it's best! Terrance and Phillip (my favorite characters) play a starrng role, and the show wastes absolutely no time trying to explain to the audience who such-and-such is (except for a small blurb about Ike being Canadian). All of our favorite characters are in it, without it being a showcase. And of course, since it's a feature film, it's much more irreverent than what's on the public airwaves. But again, it's not a giant excuse to offend you. It's all done consistently and it remains hilarious.

Finally, as usual, Trey Parker is given full writing credits since he's usually the one that ends up physically typing the script. But like always the show is a full collaborative process between Parker and Stone. At least, this is what they publicly admit :).

Great cartoon.. yet anti christian
First off, i love south park. I love Terrence and Phillip's inmature fart jokes, cartmans loud mouth, how kenny dies in the movie, and how the usa goes to war with canada. But i hate how they make fun of christianity. It is morally wrong and as funny as the creators re, if they do not ask for forgivness, they will rot in hell. Then they will see how funny it is. If they stopped being anti christian, then more people would like it. That is why i am sticking with the simpsons, even though it has a little anti christianity in it. If south park changed there ways, it would be the best show and movie ever.

Warning-
No, I'm not giving the movie itself 2 stars. The movie's actually one of the funniest things I've ever seen and was the first dvd I ever watched back in 1999. But the dvd itself gets 2 stars. All it had was 3 trailers and that's it. Which is why I posted this review/news-

A special edition of this is being worked on right now.

So hold off on this and wait for the better edition, which is bound to have tons of features like commentary, making-of and maybe a deleted scene or two (I can't imagine what could've been deleted from this). There isn't any release date set for it as of yet, but I'm guessing it'll come out in November or December.

Totally outrageous
I remember when I rented this movie a few years back, and I tried to watch it at about 1 a.m. I had to turn it off....it was TOO funny....too much for my senses that late at night!!! The usual guys are here....Kyle, Cartman, Kenny, etc....with one very big difference.....they curse a LOT and dont bleep it out!!! As usual theres the fast rapid fire humor that South Park is known for.

So if you like it fast and raunchy, get a big bag of popcorn, a nice cold soda, and take a few deep breaths cause you will LAUGH!!! ... Read more

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You'll finding yourself rooting for this movie to take off in a sustained flight of comic inspiration, but it seldom does. It's too bad that it doesn't, given the casting, because both leads (Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane) are capable of extreme funniness. Idle and Coltrane play a couple of low-level crooks who decide to get a piece of the action for themselves and abscond with the loot from a big score. But they're discovered before they can get away and their only avenue of egress is into a convent. So they don habits and hide out by pretending to be nuns, teaching parochial school to budding young girls. Now think about the possibilities in that premise, and anything you can think of is in the film (though Coltrane remains one of the funniest men alive). --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Classic Lines
This movie has some of the most classic lines of any "religious" movie I have seen. I highly recommend this movie simply for its entertainment value. It makes some great points about the church and its belief system. I loved it. Of course, I did not grow up Catholic and what I find humorous, those of the faith may not.

Action/adventure/theology/feminism/comedy
It's hard too find an action movie wherein the female lead is someone I'd want for a friend. And, yes, I know the actor playing Faith was at leat 20 years younger than Eric Idle.

But!!! How many action/comedy women get subtext? Faith is working her way through college, by holding 2 jobs, and we get a glimpse of her family life, and, when she is ___justifiably___ angry with her boyfriend (Idle) the movie doesn't dismiss what she has to say.

Not for people into total escapism--raises too many points, and by the way it pre-empts "Analyze This" by many years in stating, humorously, that the gangster's life is stressful.

That said, the movie made me laugh--I went to Catholic school; I didn't find it offensive--if you are so devout that you can't question your faith at all, you're not really thinking, and then no, you won't enjoy this movie. (Don't see Life of Brian, either.) "Of COURSE it doesn't make sense--that's why you gotta have faith." That's almost what the nuns told me--except I wasn't allowed to laugh.

I'll watch anything Robbie Coltrane is in because he is so good, and Eric Idle's Pythonesque timing is totally on. The writing has good pace, going from believable but funny to silly but fathomable to so silly you just have to suspend your disbelief just at the right moment.

Not the Greatest, But it Works
Nuns on the Run is an excellent comedy for those who almost died laughing at the Monty Python flicks and wanted to get in a few more chuckles before the era completely went away. Though not a Python film, it does have subtle hints of that flavor; after all, it does star Erik Idle. This is by no means a rib cracker, but the plot is silly enough to enjoy and the humor is adequate to get the viewer from one scene to the next. I rated it four stars because it is such a darn funny concept whether it was fully developed or not. My favorite scene was when the hit men were being questioned by their crime boss after losing the two "nuns" in a three-way gang shoot-out. They stood at his desk like idiots answering, "I don't know," then, "I don't know," then, "I don't know," then...well...you get the idea, to all of his inquiries. It doesn't sound like much in a review, but the scene is quite humorous. Take this comedy with a grain of salt and expect 3 star entertainment. Personally, I rated it a little high, and I do hope it finds its way to DVD.

Lame, Lame, Lame.
This film is a huge disappointment. It's supposed to be a comedy, but unfortunately there is very little that is funny in this movie. The movie stars Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane as two old time, small time crooks who want to get out of the business and go straight. However, the only way they can do so is by double crossing their boss and stealing two briefcases full of dough. They escape the crime scene by running into a nunnery and hide out there posing as two visiting nuns.

Though both Idle and Coltrane are comic geniuses, there wit just doesn't flow in this dull and slow movie. Not only that, but the film is full of Catholic bashing and other than the few dead guy jokes and the cross dressing theives, the only other humor comes at the expense of Christianity.

I wanted this movie to end less than thirty minutes after it started, but it went on and on and on. Sadly, the best part of the film was the music. But a movie is not worth watching solely for it's musical merits. What a shame.

These Nuns Are Funny
Brian and Charlie are a couple of small-time crooks who liked things better in the old days. In the old days, crooks didn't carry guns and nobody ever got hurt. Now, they work for a young psycho who doesn't trust anybody. Bank robbers carry guns and guys who try to quit the gang disappear without a trace. When their boss sets up a caper to rob a rival gang (a Chinese bunch known as The Triads), Brian and Charlie decide to keep the loot for themselves and escape to Rio. Things get complicated, however, when they bungle the escape and find themselves hiding out in a convent. On top of that, Brian realizes he's in love with Faith, the extremely near-sighted waitress he's been dating.

This movie is loaded with laughs. See Charlie and Brian, dressed as nuns, buying face powder and men's razors in the drug store across from the convent. Or there's Brian (Eric Idle) teaching a class on the "Trinity" (people have been arguing that one since the 4th century) in a classroom full of girl students (and they're not little girls). And, along with funny scenes, there are plenty of funny lines. The cast is good, too. Idle and Coltrane work nicely together and are very funny, the actress who plays Faith is delightfully ditzy until the chips are down, and there are some funny characters among the nuns, as well.

"Nuns On The Run" won't go down as one of the funniest comedies on film, but it's better than average and has lots of laughs in it. I really like it and I recommend it to folks who appreciate good comedy (especially of the British variety). ... Read more

Reviews (186)

Holy Hilarity!
Life of Brian is not as well known by the movie going public as Monty Python?s classic "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", but it is definitely is as, or maybe even funnier than Holy Grail. This is especially true for people who are familiar with the Biblical stories it pokes fun at. It is perfect satire, for nothing is sacred and everything is a joke.

The story revolves around Brian, a very unlucky resident of Judea who just happened to be born the same day the Christ child was born. Missing his chance at glory, Brian lives his life selling animal parts at the Coliseum, dominated by a violent mother who is very "friendly" to the Roman occupiers. The rest of Brian's environment is inhabited by a very wild bunch. The neo- or archo-Marxist group, the People's Front of Judea, battles the Romans daily by holding meeting after violent meeting, plotting against the legions and their arch rivals, the Judean People's Front. The Romans, on the other hand, are led by the Pontius Pilate, who, contrary to Biblical reports, has quite a lisp and an endearing sense of stupidity. When Brian rebels against his mother and joins up with the wild band of revolutionaries, his life is changed forever. Quite by accident, Brian is then thought to be the messiah, although he is quite reluctant in his leadership.

Satirically, this movie is absolutely ruthless. Everything is skewered, everything. The performances are all fantastic, especially that of John Cleese, who is just the man in this movie, playing about six separate characters. Joke after joke hits the viewer, which results in just non-stop humor. It's just a wonderful movie by the Python pioneers who really revolutionized comedy. The Criterion DVD edition is great, with tons of hilarious extras that are worth the price on their own. To the people that use this to either justify their atheism or believe it to be an attack on their religion, calm down. It's a comedy for God's sake, why do the opinions of some British comedians affect your outlook on life? Just laugh damn it!

Great extras on this Python DVD
THE LIFE OF BRIAN has remained one of my favorite Python flicks after the glow of the Holy Grail began to wear thin from overuse. If you're considering purchasing this movie, you've probably seen the movie already and are a Monty Python fan. If not, get ready for one of Python's most sacrilegious and hilarious movies of their collection! If you are easily offended, you might think twice. However, the satire here is equally distributed and is not aimed so much at religion itself but moreso at the amusing ways in which people can behave "under the influence" of zealotry.

I thoroughly enjoyed rewatching the movie, but it was a great surprise to find that this DVD comes packed with some great bonus materials. Several full-length, revealing interviews with the cast go into more Python history than just that surrounding this flick. And a rather large collection of scenes cut from the final release are also quite interesting.

The video and audio quality seem to be on par with most of the other DVD movies I've seen so far, despite the film's age.

All in all, a great addition to any Python collection.

Is nothing sacred? NO! And that's why this is a riot!
Irreverent, brilliant, ingenius... I'm getting all these words out of the way now before I forget them! Even though I'll probably use them a dozen times!

The funniest thing to come from England since The Stamp Act, Monty Python's Flying Circus could always be depended upon to provide the world with brilliantly twisted humor. The LIFE OF BRIAN is no less a comic masterpiece than anything else these boys have done. Ostensibly a parody of the life of Jesus, LIFE OF BRIAN is a hilarious attack on liberalism, conservatism, colonialism, individualism, communalism, organized religion, disorganized religion, fanaticism, feminism... take your pick of any of a hundred topics. It doesn't matter, it's still brilliant. And the script and direction holds it perfectly all together, even if there's a space ship chase sequence thrown in for the hell of it.

Once again, the members of MPFC each play several roles and every viewer has his or her favorites, so what the hell, I'll mention mine. Michael Palin, while playing a wonderfully foppy Pontius Pilate, is equally hilarious as a twitchy, hyperactive leper that Jesus had cured. Instead of being grateful, he complains that his rehabilitation has ruined his livelihood as a beggar. (Speaking of rehabilitation, Palin plays the part like a junkie in need of a fix.) John Cleese has several great moments, but his role as a Centurion turned sadistic Latin teacher is nothing short of genius. Everyone who has studied Latin will be beside themselves during this scene. And Terry Jones as Brian's mom still stuns me 25 years later. "My Brian is not the messiah! He's a very naughty, naughty boy."

Monty Python's LIFE OF BRIAN is irreverent, brilliant, and ingenius and this edition, complete with outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews make this package worth the price. Whether you are an individual or not, "Monty Python's Life of Brian - Criterion Collection" will save your comic soul.

a review of a movie
A brilliant movie with a brilliant finale.

funny but wheres Bodge?
This is a very funny movie. It takes place int he Stone Age. About a guy named Brian and this is his life. Most of the humor is because his name is brian and people confuse him for somebody else. "I'm not so anso I'm Brian." Also there is a very funny moment when a man says his wife is called Continual Buttocks (a butocks is a bottom) or soemthing. Some of the humor is called toilet humor that I'm not a fan of. My friends and I only thought that Bodge would have looked great in this film with his beard and BRITISH accent!!! Where was he? He would have been perfect! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Perhaps only the collective brilliant minds of the Monty Python film and television troupe are up to the task of tackling a subject as weighty as the Meaning of Life. Sure, Kierkegaard, Wittgenstein, and their ilk have tried their hands at this puzzler, but only Python has attempted to do so within the commercial motion picture medium. Happily for us all, Monty Python's the Meaning of Life truly explains everything one conceivably needs to know about the perplexities of human existence, from the mysteries of Catholic doctrine to the miracle of reproduction to why one should avoid the salmon mousse to the critical importance of the machine that goes ping! Using fish as a linking device (and what marvelous links those aquatic creatures make), The Meaning of Life is presented as a series of sketches: a musical production number about why seed is sacred; a look at dining in the afterlife; the quest for a missing fish (there they are again); a visit from Mr. Death; the cautionary tale of Mr. Creosote and his rather gluttonous appetite; an unflinching examination of the harsh realities of organ donation, and so on. Sadly, this was the last original Python film, but it's a beaut. You'll laugh. You'll cry (probably because you're laughing so hard). You may even learn something about the Meaning of Life. Or at least about how fish fit into the grand scheme of things. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (193)

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life
From birth to death, this is a hilarious view at the time we spend inbetween. The established cast of actors, in and out of drag, poke fun at everything from religion to vital organ transplants.

My favorite scene is where "the fattest man in the world" pigs out at a fancy restaurant and eventually explodes to the disgust of the other guests. Another good one is where 3 couples at a house party get a visit from the grim reaper and give him several clever arguments before finally following him to heaven.

This is The Monty Python Gang at their very best. The little ditty at the end of the movie is priceless! You will also enjoy the "introduction" by a groups of gold fish and the "opener" saluting the great profession of accountancy. This film is an absolute must for fans (but then again, if you're a fan, you've already seen it anyway). Five stars for this one!

The Pythons in top form!
Here we have THE best Monty Python movie ever! I know I said that about Life Of Brian...but I mean it this time (no, really). Meaning of Life is a stroll through the world according to Monty Python. Many aspects of the human condition are twisted by our favorite Brit-comedians into a series of hilarous sketches. Although there are a few standouts-Birth the Third World, intercourse instruction, live organ transplants and *my favorite* the entire Death section-everything is funny. Additionally, all of Eric Idle's songs are so good you'll never forget them-and find yourself singing them in the shower. Show this to your uninitiated friends and see what happens! Beware: there are those who may find some of this offensive. I personally find MEANING an exhilarating ride! One thing does trouble me. Monty Python says it'll be Christmas in Heaven every single day! Don't you think this'll get annoying after the first 4 or 5 months?

This is on my favorite all-time movies list; which explains why I own both the DVD and the VHS version. Don't expect a Life Of Brian DVD type Criterion treatment-you get the movie, scene selection and that's it. But that's all you need. The VHS isn't bad either if you don't want the widescreen or higher price of the DVD. I was worried about wearing out the VHS...not a problem now!

More hilarious twenty years later...
...a Python fan since about twelve, I vividly remember this film coming out when I was thirteen or so. I loved it. It's great that it has not only held up but, like fine wine, it has gotten better with age. Maybe Terry Gilliam's right when he says, in one of the commentaries, that, today, comedy's standard is so low that "our crap seems good no." But it reveals their genius in so many ways. It reveals a confidence they clearly didn't feel--as tho' they'd gotten their sea legs--in the first two efforts. Though "Brian" is their supreme achievement, I have to say that this film must be placed ahead of "Holy Grail"--which given its budget looks distincly like badly shot TV. Hysterically funny, but the budget limits are are even more glaring in a high res medium like DVD.

In "Meaning of Life" the entire cast are masters of the medium (something Cleese proved independently in "A Fish Called Wanda") and they use their skills, rising even to lyrical heights (Eric Idle's paen to the universe in "Live Organ Transplants"). And the effects are more hysterical twenty years later.

This movie is also remarkable for the rather bitter satire of American pop culture. Heretofore, the Python's had stayed within the classic tradition of British comedy--filled with whimsy and just plain silliness and the class structure. American humor is generally either observational or political--and these days it almost entirely the latter. Even the masters of observation, Goldberg and Carlin, have abandoned it for bitter political diatribes attacking former fans like myself in the basest terms because out political beliefs differ.

And it follows, as it should, that the movie's best skits are the ones true to their tradition. George Harrison once called Python the continuation of the Beatles (to the point of chipping in $8M for distribution and advertising for "Brian"!). And, especially in the all too brief Gilliam animations, this is completely accurate. Without being at all derivative, they capture the whimisical sensibility the Beatles had updated and transformed and ran with it.

One draw back is the rather low-rent 5.1 remix. I've other films--e.g. the Godfather films--which are older than have far better jobs. So don't expect much. In fact, you might even consider using the 2CH option as the remixing engineer makes little use of the rear speakers.

That gentle bitch aside, the deleted scenes are mixed (why on Earth Jones thought anyone would want to see more of Mr. Creosote is beyond me?) and clearly wisely hit the cutting room floor (especially the horrendously unfunny Martin Luther skit), but some the commentary by Jones and Gilliam--clearly done at different times and mixed--is interesting most especially for the bitterness of Gilliam's attitude. It has been so on the two preceding films, but it's much more intense on this one.

The brief interview segments shows the group rivalry is still a hot issue in the guys' psyches, nearly twenty years after Graham Chapman's tragic death ended the group; they are still bickering. Gilliam's comments about Cleese are particularly acid; Cleese does he usual job of insulting nearly everyone. He is returned the favor by the rest of the group, tho' Jones slyly does it with the most class and thus does it the best. Cleese, after all, easily slips into insufferable. Hence his brilliance as Basil Fawlty.

A reluctant four star due only to the ****-poor 5.1 remix. The studio, surprise, surprise, didn't want to spend any extra money getting a good one.

The movie itself: 5 stars.

This disc should have been recalled
If you purchased this disc, and it does not have "V2" on disc one, contact Universal for a replacmeent, even if it plays fine on your current DVD player.

Here is why - the problem is with progressive scan DVD players and progressive scan monitors. Very few people have both, so the problem will not rear its ugly head until you upgrade.

The movie is completely unwatchable in this configuration.

Do yourself a favor, and get disc one replaced now, before it is too late.

Not up to par
I have seen both The Holy Grail, and The Life of Brian and this one did not meet my expectations after seeing those. I laughed thrice, maybe. I almost skipped the entire second section, as younger persons were present and we were utterly disgusted with it. If you have a taste for sexual humor, you'll most definitely enjoy this film more than I. The second disk is not even worth slipping into your player, and if, like me, you have a compatibilty issue with Disk 1 and you live in another country, it's going to be a hassle to get a replacement.
The fish were comical, and the entire segment on fighting was brilliant, but that was all of the humor I seemed to find up until a few minutes near the end. If you've never watched Monty Python, I suggest you start with one of the other movies, as this one could turn you off of a truly great source of hilarity. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A huge letdown after the grandeur of Don Bluth's 1982 adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's book (this was the first feature Bluth made after leaving Disney to protest the studio's allegedly lowered animation standards), this straight-to-video sequel offers far poorer art and thinner characterizations. The story finds Timmy (voiced by Ralph Macchio), son of the Jonathan Brisby character from The Secret of NIMH, leaving the family farm and heading to Thorn Valley, where the rats of NIMH live. There, Timmy seeks a path in his father's footprints to become a hero and meets a girl mouse who tells him her parents are among some NIMH mice wrongly presumed dead for years. A rescue ensues, of course, in which Timmy and the refugee rats risk getting caught themselves. The film is about an hour in length, and genuine entertainment is at a premium in this production, making it even harder to ignore point-by-point comparisons between NIMH 2 and its predecessor--especially when those comparisons, time and again, find the sequel wanting. The very best element here is the vocal and singing performance by Eric Idle as the villain, Martin, who resorts to electric shock to "improve" his intelligence and whose song, "Just Say Yes," is a real highlight. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Very Good for Kids!
This movie is very entertaining, my dear son loves it. The 1st movie is a classic, but this one does its job entertaining nad a good story.

An Okey sequel
This the squel to the Original secret of Nim. Timmy goes of to forn valley to fullfil hte prosey fortold by Nicodemus before his unfortunate death. Timmy must journey to the lab where the doctor that experiment on the rats is perform mad experiments.

Part of this reminds of redwall. There is a battle near the end against Timmoy and his brother Martin who has gone mad due to experience due to be alter after he was captured by the scientist.

He plans to conquer thorn Valley but timmoy stops him returns him to good. Some cheesy parts it is a musical. That there is a cheesy scence where Jermy pretends to be the great owl. Cons the wodland creatures of there of golden coins.

Some new characters are sela a capterilar and a real pretty female.

Recomend for children 5 and older. Not as intense as the original but still has some scary part. Like at the end when Nimth catch on fire and two cats chase timmoy.

Unfortunatley Jon Debluso who played the voice of the crow Jermy in this a and the original died shorrtly after the Second secret of Nimh was complete.

Timmy is the main character and you barley see his mother in this one. Pluse some of the characters have changed. Brutus the rat in the first one who almost squabobds Miss Frissby is a softy in this one. Justin and Mr.Ages return. I find the song good. I rented this a couple of years ago from blockbuster.

I plan on Buy this and the original after I move out of my house. For my sister are very picky about what I watch. Okey would have been better if It had been more intense like the first one. This was the last movie made in the series. All the people who reviewed it but gave it only star. I think some of these people are to picky. Coome on Eight Leged Freaks was on of the best monster movies I have ever seen the stink critic only gave it 2.

My advice people ligten up there has never been a movie bad enough to be only one star. Except for made Red zone Cuba and the Original Little shop of Horrors.

This degrades the name Secret of nimh
words cannot describe how much i loathe this film. its a major dissapointment compared to the first one.
i really think the writers of this thought the origianl was 'too dark and scary' for the kids today. excuse me! how old were
biggest part of you Nimh 1 lovers when you first watched the first film, i was atleast 5!
the characters break out into song every 5 minutes into the film *hiss*
this is not a sequal, its more of a 'what if' story.
the rats are stealing! the reason they went to thorn valley was so they could stop that. evil martins song was majorly dissapointing, when i first watched it and realised martin was the baddy not to mention there was song's in it, i was thinking 'ho maybe it wont be all that bad, the villains songs are mostly really great' i certainly got that wrong, it is so pathetic compared to Rasputins song from Anastasia, now i know theres some out there that may dislike that (i dunno how Don Bluth was part of that creation too). but that is one of my favourite songs.
okay sorry but people who think the first one was boring because timothy was sick well 'oh dear what a crying shame, its the end of the world' sure but he was suffering from a real illness but as it was said in the film you can die from it. Jim henson died from it for crying out loud. BUT sickness can be treated and can be recovered from. experimentation is worse. if they were abit more realistic martin could have ended up with an ear on his back, i had that idea and would have loved to see that. XD. and that really happened to a real mouse, so nobody moan at me for saying thats not real.

anyway i was so very dissapointed in this film as you can obviously tell. so.. im going to work on my own sequal.

hey any of you nimh 2 haters contact me, i'd like to converse with fellow dislikers.

Pure-D Crap
The first movie was my favorite as a child. When I saw this sequel, I wanted to throw a shoe at through the television. Whoever decided to make this movie must have never saw the original. Simply terrible.

Horrible!
I'll get strait to the point. This is one of the worst movies I have EVER seen. The plot is stupid, the charactors are annoying, the animation is WAY too cartoon-ish unlike the classic original's great animation, and the songs can cause you're ears to bleed. Don't buy this movie, or rent it. Buy the classic original Secret of NIMH instead. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

It is okay.
Due to no closed captioning, I was playing it in fast forward. But it is very entertainment.

Eric Idle melts my heart as Passepartout
Even though I am a big Pierce Brosnan fan, I only watched the mini-series just to see what Eric Idle looks like. He is so cute, adorable, witty, funny, and was the soul in the mini-series. That when I got my interest in him and how I watched Monty Python. While John Cleese put the straight man act, Graham Chapman put the one-line words, Terry Gilliam put the animation, Terry Jones dressing in drag was fun, & Michael Palin acted like the stupid man, Eric put the sex in Monty Python. I wished the producers of that mini-series would give a spin-off of Passepartout and let him go around in his journeys maybe with his kid or two and let him be either devorced or widowed. If I can get an internet site and write fan fiction, It would only be Eric's Passepartout and Passepartout only!! Pierce may be Bond and Peter Ustinov may be the brains and better actor but Eric is the comic relief and had Pierce show more emotion with his cold-fish character into a warm sensitive person. Everybody thought it was the Indian princess that moved Pierce but Eric' Jean Passepartout played a very big role in it and even though Phileas took the credit for the journey, Passepartout is the one who steals the mini-series and is the one also that deserves about 95% of the applause.

Far inferior to the Niven/Cantinflas/Todd-AO version!
Quite bland and distant compared to the old (1956)Todd-AO, Niven/Cantinflas version. Please see my review of same. This newer(TV)version has very little humor and seems forced. The older one is lighter than air (a good thing!) Since the newer one has so little to offer, the music alone in the '56 version is enough to make it better! In the TV film there is an attempt to match the bouncy but grand sound of the 1956 score, but the attempt fails. One customer reviewer said that the Brosnan version has better character development. I would point out that: 1) Jules Verne's works are not ABOUT character development, except in a very minimalist way; the '56 version preserved Verne's lean, light touch 2)The '56 film visually and verbally gave us more subtle and, in a way, deeper character development in the restrained and wintery performance of David Niven as Fogg, and the perfect lines written for him by the man who referred to himself as "Old Vinegar Puss" (S.J. Perelman - see his book of that title, probably available from Amazon). The '56 screenplay captured Verne's characterization of Fogg as one who could make an authoritative statement "in a few clear words." In contrast, Brosnan's Fogg was given less incisive, less telling, and less character revealing dialogue. One could see the warmth that Niven's Fogg was holding back, which is quite an achievement. Brosnan's performance, while good, seemed too strained and technical. The older version is one of those rarities: a film that is better than the book. The Brosnan version is merely interesting; the Niven version is a joy!

Better than the Todd-AO version
Not only a more detailed plot than the earlier version with David Niven, but doesn't suffer from scenes filmed only for the purpose of making the audience motion-sick from the wide curved-screen effects of Todd-AO. I was very pleasantly surprised that something intended mainly for TV distribution had such high production values.

Better than the book!
Thank God the scriptwriter took liberties with "Around the World in Eighty Days"! I read the book, and couldn't stand it. I watched the movie, and became addicted.

Pierce Brosnan's Phileas Fogg has a sterile, lifeless, prescripted life as a proper upper-class English gentleman. He plays card games at a men's club, wants his bath at precisely the right temperature, and speaks in a monotone. But when a bunch of men at the club wager against him that he can't go "around the world in eighty days," Fogg is suddenly fired with a desire to do that. He sets off across the world with his comedic new French valet, Passepartout (Eric Idle.. yes, THAT Eric Idle!).

But a bank robbery in London leaves Fogg as the primary suspect. He can't be arrested until he's on English soil, and the rather inept Detective Fix (Peter Ustinov) is sent off to bring him back.

But as we watch, Fogg's personality alters. He and Passepartout manage to save the life of a beautiful Indian princess, Aouda, and as the trip progresses, Fogg becomes less icy and "proper." How many proper Englishmen would fall in love with an Indian princess?

Brosnan and Idle are at their simple best. Idle's rather pathetic Passepartout is a bit irritating at times, but he has endearing moments as well, such as when he waves goodbye to girlfriend Madeleine.

Brosnan's Phileas Fogg seems like a standard cold fish at first, but the viewer cheers as he shouts "Stop!" at the Indians trying to kill Princess Aouda, or when he faces down a firing squad with steely courage, or when he admits for the first time that he loves the princess.

Julia Nickson-Soul is the exotic Princess Aouda, the Indian girl who is almost killed after her loveless husband dies. But after she is rescued, she becomes an invaluable asset to the journey. When I was little, I was simply transfixed by the array of colorful, beautiful saris she wears throughout it.

It travels all across the world, from the look-but-don't-touch grandeur of London, to the ornate beauty of China, to the sweaty jungles of Asia, to the plains of the USA. For an exotic and well-scripted adventure/romance/travel/comedy, look no further! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jonathan Miller set his well-known production of The Mikado,staged for the English NationalOpera, in a British seaside resort of the 1920s. The result, complete with achorus of gentlemen of Japan as cartoon-like British peers, emphaticallyunderscores the Englishness of the satire. The occasional non sequiturs, like abunch of gentry dressed for Ascot and singing in Japanese, are loonily fun, andno more absurd than the fantasyland Japan that Gilbert and Sullivan invented.The time frame, though, seems little more than an excuse for a smartblack-and-white production design.

The show's main calling card is Eric Idle as Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner. Unfortunately,his star turn of a performance, like the production as a whole, is not as funnyas it should be. There are loads of comic ideas, some of them effective(bellboys parading through the hotel lobby with "No flirting" signs), somedubious (Ko-Ko delivering a 1980s-updated "little list" song at a pressconference), some worked beyond their shelf life (insanely posh accents). Thisvideo recording of a 1987 performance could have been better made; the chorus,badly miked, sounds as if it is far off-stage. The actors' heavy makeup andheavy mugging are reminders that the production wasn't originally created forthe camera. Such staginess may take some getting used to, but it fits in nicelywith the aggressive fakery characteristic of G&S. This revisionist Mikadois probably best after you've experienced more straightforward approaches.--David Olivenbaum ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Must have been great on stage
The best sung and most intelligently staged Mikado available on video is marred by obtrusively lame direction for television that makes some bits almost unwatchable. But let's dwell instead on the production's many virtues. Jonathan Miller's resetting is brilliant. Gilbert needed an an exotic location (Japan) to parody contemporary Victorian England, but in our era a 1920s British seaside resort affords all the distance in time and manners that parody requires. Not having to act in an "artless Japanese way" (apologies to Yum-Yum) seems to have freed the performers to take over the characters body and soul, to speak, move, and sing as if effortlessly yet very expressively. Van Allan (Pooh-Bah), Palmer (Katisha), and Garrett (Yum-Yum) put the lie to the notion that opera singers can't do G&S. Bonaventure Bottone is the only convincing Nanki-Poo I've seen. Eric Idle, the name draw of the production, blows hot and cold as Ko-Ko. In Act 1 he can't seem to get ahold of the character and goes for empty gags as if it were a 30-second Python sketch, but in Act 2 he buys into the role and brings off his big scenes with the Mikado and Katisha beautifully. The splendid choreography with the chorus--the Busby Berkeleyish tap dancing in the finales is a hoot--makes good use of the period sets which, even though mainly black and white, are pure eye candy. But I missed the kind of imaginative blocking-out of trios and quartets that you get in some other productions (like the Act 2 madrigal in the Stratford production); Miller has the performers huddled together as if against a stiff ocean breeze. It was a relief, though, to be spared the frantic cliched gesturing with which G&S performers typically accompany their songs (the gestures are meant to tell the story in lieu of the often unintelligible lyrics), as it allows them to do more natural and unexpected things with their hands. As to the TV direction, the less said the better. Just close your eyes when headless dancers appear in a thought bubble above Ko-Ko's still-attached head.

An absolute classic
The only time I have seen this musical was on a TV station with a terrible reception quality and during a thunder storm. Even so, I recorded it and played it over and over until my brother recorded over the top of it. Needless to say, I was not happy and I've been looking for a copy now for about the last ten years, so it's brilliant that it's about to be released for sale. I thought the production was incredibly original -Jonathon Miller is so inventive - although obviously if you're a lover of the traditional Mikado then it may not be what you're looking for. Eric Idle of Monty Python was great - he really brought the musical to life with his humour, and his voice was great as well. In fact, my drama school was so impressed with this version that they used some of the subtle humour for their production. I definitely recommend this video for anyone with a sense of fun. Go on, give it a try!

Fabulous
I remember this from HBO when I was young. It made a big impression on me then, and makes a big one now that I have finally seen it again, with all the knowledge of Gilbert & Sullivan that I've acquired over the years. The set design and costumes are wonderful, and the English seaside setting is clever if not particularly meaningful in and of itself. The video effects are fairly ham-handed, but don't detract from the stage show which is, in a word, delightful. This is quite simply the most hilariously funny "Mikado" available on video. Richard Angas in the title role lends the Mikado a certain sinister seediness (and his costume is amazing). Eric Idle does a great Ko-Ko, putting his patent insincerity to good use, and putting to rest any quibbles about stunt casting. The rest of the cast and chorus are equally outstanding. Most notably, Felicity Palmer's Katisha and Richard van Allen's Pooh-Bah are as close to definitive as I can imagine (both later reprised the roles on the delightful Mackerras recording). Ms. Palmer deserves special mention, as she milks Katisha for all the humor and pathos she's worth, while delivering the demanding vocal passages in a ringing mezzo voice. It's a shame there's not a traditional Japanese-dress "Mikado" on par with this one, but I have no difficulty in saying that for casual viewers and Savoyards alike, this should be at the top of everyone's "little list."

Mikado in Black and White
When I showed this video to my brother-in-law, he said, "Well, that was different without being different." I think that says it all about this production. Despite being set in the 1920's, and in England, it doesn't lose the essence of the Gilbert & Sullivan original. I have 4 different versions of "The Mikado", and rank this one as one of my favorites, along with the Stratford Festival's production. Eric Idle is excellent as Koko, and the rest of the cast is well chosen and give equally excellent performances (I think this Katisha is the best I've seen, and her solo the most moving of all of the Katisha's). The costuming & sets are all black and white, and very effective, and the Busby Berkely-style dance numbers quite amusing. The direction doesn't seem to have been thought out very well for video, but I overlook that, as I enjoy the rest so much. There are so many nuances of humor thrown in that you'll see something new each time you watch it. And, speaking of humor, there's never been a better toupee than the one Pish Tush wears! Although I'm pretty sure G & S would be pretty upset about the license taken with their work, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Here's a Title for Review
Just picture this:

Pooh-Bah sings in recititive "Here he comes, equipped as fits his station. He'll give you any further information" The Chorus enters and sings the stately "Behold the Lord High Executioner" then, enter Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner (marvelously played by Monty Python's Eric Idle), dressed for tennis.

I doubt this joke was in Sir William Gilbert's mind, but even to the purist it works. The revised "List Song" is even a breath of fresh air, as Gilbert's lyric had become obsolete and, therefore, unfunny. However, this new lyric will leave you laughing (unless you're from Austrailia, that is).

All other performances were wonderful at worst, although Nanki-Poo could have enunciated a little better. Those few dialogue cuts are not missed.

I cannot say enough about this production. It is, undoubtably, the best "Mikado" I've seen! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Subtitled An Alan Smithee Film (referring to a long-standing pseudonym for a director who disowns a film), this 1998 satire is notable chiefly for having the same thing happen in real life, as director Arthur Hiller (Love Story) took his name off the picture after clashing with screenwriter and producer Joe Eszterhas (Showgirls, Basic Instinct). The plot of Eszterhas's farce has to do with a filmmaker who really is named Alan Smithee, played by Eric Idle (Monty Python's The Meaning of Life). After signing on to direct a big-budget blockbuster at the behest of a sleazy producer (Ryan O'Neal), Smithee realizes he has lost control of the film and decides to removehis name and publicly destroy the project. Along the way he encounters a host of celebrities in cameos, including the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Sylvester Stallone, Jackie Chan, and rappers Chuck D and Coolio, all of whom become involved in Smithee's doomed film. Meant as an insider's take on the machinations of Hollywood from one of its most prominent screenwriters, Burn Hollywood Burn is a cheerfully over-the-top send-up of modern moviemaking and the equally outlandish characters involved. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Interesting but.....
Funny at some parts, very witty too. Alan Smithee (Eric Idle) has just made the biggest Hollywood Picture ever starring Jackie Chan, Whoopi Goldberg, and Sylvester Stallone. But when Smithee kind of goes crazy the film doesn't come out and it makes a lot of people mad. This is the story of that. Has a lot of potential, this movie that is, but doesn't quit live up to it. Very funny in some parts, then it lags and get's annoying in others. If you liked "Waiting for Guffman" and could stand and liked Julia Sweeny's "God Said 'Ha'". Then this is your movie, otherwise, let it go by.

Awesome movie! But, if you don't get it, you won't like it
Although I find it difficult to believe people wouldn't get it.

I think the reason it got so many razzies was because the portrayal of hollywood was too jaded. I think that we fear that our most cynical view of hollywood is too cynical. Remember the old saw about people who like sausages and politics should never watch either being made? Maybe the same is true of movies, and with this movie, you're too close to the magic to appreciate it.

Good condition, fast delivery
I was very pleased with the video and I received it very fast!! Would buy from this seller again!! :)

Embarrassing Beyond Belief!
Badly written, badly cast, badly acted, badly directed - it's all here. And the embarrassing cameos don't help. At all. One would be hard pressed to pick out the worst of the bunch; Whoopi or Weinstein? Would've been way better if Billy Barty had Ryan O'Neal's role though.

However, there's this 'inspirational' line in there somewhere: "If we believe in film - and we do - then don't we have the responsibility to protect the world from bad ones?" Indeed.

Too bad the film makers didn't take it to heart.

Funny on the page, but on the screen, ouch.
Got a chance to read a script of "An Alan Smithee Film" a couple of years back. Funny, funnier, funniest. Not much plot, but funny, believable, outlandish circumstances. Joe Eszterhas lays some Hollywood realism on the line for us all to enjoy.

Too bad funny on the page doesn't necessarily transfer to funny on the screen. Eric Idle: not funny, Richard Jeni: less than not funny, and Ryan O'Neal: torturously cruel and inhuman.

Sandra Bernhard as someone's wife? Always funny.

The little cameos aren't even cute, although you gotta appreciate the irony of Gavin Polone's appearance. Too bad Michael DeLuca wasn't available.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda...translates to better ways to spend your time. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Ignore the guy above.
True that this movie doesn't have the animation of a disney movie but it has a better story than many I have seen and its characters are so diffrent from the usual prince and princess. Kaley is a wide eyed adventurous daughter of a Knight of the round table. She aspires to be a knight even after his untimely death. This is the topic of one of the best songs in the film, and there are many of them. Garret who is given voice by Cary Elwes (Wesley from Princess Bride) is an ex stable boy who, blinded in an accident, hides himself away in the Forbidden Forest where he learns to cope with his lost sense with the help of an extremely well created Silver winged Falcon named Ayden. Together they search for Excaliber and find themselves. With names such as Don Rickles, Eric Idle (Monty Python), Gary Oldman, Jane Seymour (singing voice Celine Dion), Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne, Bronson Pinchot, Sir John Gielgud, and Jaleel White how could this movie be passed up? Plus Steve Perry's beautiful voice graces the soundtrack! I assure you, if you love fantasy and Camelot, you will enjoy this picture.

A wonderful Fantasy!
This movie has action, adventure, a bit of romance, and lots of humor! The story is about a young girl named Kayley, who's father had been killed protecting King Author from the evil villian named Sir Ruber. The magical sword, Excalibur, had been stolen by a Griffen but is lost because of a silver-winged hawk called Ayden. Kayley goes off into the Forbidden Forest to search for it and she meets Garret who used to be a stable boy but went away to live as a hermit because his eyes were blinded in an horrible accident. He lives alone with Ayden who guides him along the way. As they go off in search for Excalibur,they meet a two-headed dragon(s) who hates 'each other'. Together, they search for the magical sword.
Any fantasy-lover would love this movie. The voice of Garret is Cary Elwes and Kayley's voice is Jessalyn Gilsig. Sir Ruber's voice is Gary Oldman. This story is great for watching together with your family! This is my favorite Disney animation movie.

get it cheap at wallmart
This movie is a little over priced but If you can get it out of the $5.50 bin at wall mart it isn't so bad.

5 stars for a 5 year old, and pleasing for adults
If you are the parent of a young child who trys to see the world as they do (or you would like them to), then you will appreciate this movie. It is certainly not the caliber of Shrek with as many levels of appeal. However, it is fun and displays good core values like a girl being curious, adventurous and mostly able to defend herself. Granted she swoons a bit first and she eventually does need help, but they help each other out of tight spots so what's wrong with that? Also, she swoons for a less than perfect guy who is blind (who is ultimately successful achieving his dream while blind), and the bad guy is someone who wasn't happy sharing. It has funny dragons and swords and I think any young kid would like it - though I would be wary for kids younger than 5 because of the possibility/liklihood of some parts being too scary. My 5 1/2 year old son loves it and we approve, so I am buying it to add to the collection.

Great Movie
I chose to buy this DVD depsite some of the poor reviews and I'm glad I did. I'm constantly lending to my coworkers who have all enjoyed it. It's an excellent movie for any kid or kid at heart. ... Read more