A&E's "The Life of Python" DVDs... - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

dkev26 · 11-03-2000, 12:54 AM

I recieved these two discs yesterday and I'm a little baffled at A&E's presentation here...
Firstly, on disc 1, they have 2 hours of programming that was created for the Monty Python 30th anniversary (and a few other tidbits). This is a great series of documentaries which aired on A&E a while back. What makes the DVD cool is that they include the version that aired on BBC2 and NOT the version that aired on A&E. The BBC version has intros and "bumpers" filmed with all of the Pythons except, I think, Eric Idle (and Graham, of course - as John Cleese says in the intro, "I'd like to say, on behalf of the whole gang, except for the dead one, of course..."). As I recall, Eric Idle alone filmed bits for the A&E version. The BBC version is way more elaborate and funny.
Anyway, disc one is a nice surprise.
Disc two baffles me. They have one of the two German episodes of Flying Circus, but only a clip from the other German episode. One whole DVD is used for this one episode of the show. Why not include the whole of the other episode? Both of the German episodes aired on Comedy Central a few years back, and I assume that A&E video has the rights to both episodes, since there is a clip on this disc and on one of the earlier Flying Circus releases of the German language episode. If they only intend to release this one episode, why not squeeze it on the other disc?
It's cool to have these discs, regardless, but now I feel my collection is a bit incomplete, since the one episode remains unreleased. Oh well...

samuelk · 11-03-2000, 07:21 PM

If the episode that is on the second disc is the fairy tale (in English, I think), then I wouldn't worry about the other episode. It's basically a re-hash of classic MP skits.

The fairy tale ep is funny.

Sam

dkev26 · 11-03-2000, 08:28 PM

Yeah, I know the German language episode is the lesser of the two, but it's the principle of the thing. I'd like to have both on DVD and not just on tape.
But, seeing how even some of the regular episodes that have been released on DVD are actually somewhat edited, I guess A&E's series isn't quite definitive anyway...

RDYoung · 11-06-2000, 05:22 PM

I gotta disagree with you on the German-Spoken German Episode--I really thought that many aspects of it were funnier than the released ep. I mean, the olympic references(where the torch guy is running along), the flasher sequences, the whole running gag with Albrecht Durer--I really would like to have those on DVD. Right now, I have the episode taped from comedy central's Pythonathon they had a few years back.

Can't wait till the Complete box set shows up at my door!

robyn

11-03-2000, 12:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
dkev26 Supporting Actor Join Date: Jun 2000	A&E's "The Life of Python" DVDs... I recieved these two discs yesterday and I'm a little baffled at A&E's presentation here... Firstly, on disc 1, they have 2 hours of programming that was created for the Monty Python 30th anniversary (and a few other tidbits). This is a great series of documentaries which aired on A&E a while back. What makes the DVD cool is that they include the version that aired on BBC2 and NOT the version that aired on A&E. The BBC version has intros and "bumpers" filmed with all of the Pythons except, I think, Eric Idle (and Graham, of course - as John Cleese says in the intro, "I'd like to say, on behalf of the whole gang, except for the dead one, of course..."). As I recall, Eric Idle alone filmed bits for the A&E version. The BBC version is way more elaborate and funny. Anyway, disc one is a nice surprise. Disc two baffles me. They have one of the two German episodes of Flying Circus, but only a clip from the other German episode. One whole DVD is used for this one episode of the show. Why not include the whole of the other episode? Both of the German episodes aired on Comedy Central a few years back, and I assume that A&E video has the rights to both episodes, since there is a clip on this disc and on one of the earlier Flying Circus releases of the German language episode. If they only intend to release this one episode, why not squeeze it on the other disc? It's cool to have these discs, regardless, but now I feel my collection is a bit incomplete, since the one episode remains unreleased. Oh well...

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11-03-2000, 07:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
samuelk Actor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Raleigh, NC, USA	If the episode that is on the second disc is the fairy tale (in English, I think), then I wouldn't worry about the other episode. It's basically a re-hash of classic MP skits. The fairy tale ep is funny. Sam

11-03-2000, 08:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
dkev26 Supporting Actor Join Date: Jun 2000	Yeah, I know the German language episode is the lesser of the two, but it's the principle of the thing. I'd like to have both on DVD and not just on tape. But, seeing how even some of the regular episodes that have been released on DVD are actually somewhat edited, I guess A&E's series isn't quite definitive anyway...

11-06-2000, 05:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
RDYoung Supporting Actor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cheyenne, WY	I gotta disagree with you on the German-Spoken German Episode--I really thought that many aspects of it were funnier than the released ep. I mean, the olympic references(where the torch guy is running along), the flasher sequences, the whole running gag with Albrecht Durer--I really would like to have those on DVD. Right now, I have the episode taped from comedy central's Pythonathon they had a few years back. Can't wait till the Complete box set shows up at my door! robyn