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DVD Monty Python's Flying Circus - Eric Idle's Personal Best
It's only fitting that Eric Idle, if not the funniest of the Pythons, then certainly, by his own estimation, "the third tallest," launch this new-to-DVD collection of favorite sketches as selected by each of the troupe's surviving members. Of the prolific Python boys, Eric has been anything but Idle. He has been particularly busy of late keeping the Monty Python fires burning, from his Greedy Bastard Tour, (as chronicled in The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America) to his crowning achievement, Spamalot, the sensational Broadway musical adaptation of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As Idle himself notes in the amusing, newly filmed prologue featuring a series of faux Idle on Idle interviews, thanks to DVD, Python's "particular brand of cheap sketches will always be available for recycling." Sampled here are Idle's memorable gallery of unctuous talk show hosts ("World Forum"), supremely annoying blokes ("Mr. Smoketoomuch") and loonies ("The Man Who Talks in Anagrams"). Also of note are some of Idle's most memorable musical contributions, including "Never Be Rude to an Arab" and his rendition of "The Lumberjack Song," both from the classic Monty Python Live from the Hollywood Bowl concert film. His signature sketch, "Nudge-Nudge," is also included, so as far as Idle fans are concerned, we can probably say no more. --Donald Liebenson
Review(s): DVD Monty Python's Flying Circus - Eric Idle's Personal Best
Funny sketches... uninspired DVD.
You might think an Eric Idle compilation DVD from the Monty Python series would be great -- but there's something not quite right about this collection. For one thing, the sketches are clumsily edited, and taken out of their original context -- so the "How To Do It" sketch pans over to the beginning of a scene involving Michael Palin and Terry Jones as old women -- then abruptly cuts away from it.
Second, several of the skits are from the Hollywood Bowl film, which has a completely different look and feel from the TV series. The transition can be somewhat jarring.
Lastly, some of the skits don't feature Idle at all.
It's nice to see some original material from Idle at the beginning of the disc, but sadly -- it's not all that funny.
Most of the sketches that are on the DVD are very funny indeed, however. Too bad the DVD compilation is just a little uninspired.
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