The classic Monty Python's Flying Circus first aired in 1969, and the rest is history. A new generation of world-class comic talent, a penchant for the ridiculous juxtaposed with the subtlety of British humor, and the singular iconic style of Terry Gilliam's animation birthed the greatest and most iconic sketch comedy of all time. The show has been even more influential this century than it was in the last, and was the first step in bringing the best of both sides of the Atlantic together. Proof of the show's impact can be found on Dictionary.com, which contains the word 'Pythonesque' - proudly hyphen-free - with the definition "denoting a kind of humor that is absurd and unpredictable; zany; surreal". Playing the ridiculous straight is a trend that never stopped after Python, and became an even bigger genre with the rise of the internet.
After 3 series, John Cleese left the show to pursue other projects. He has since stated "I was genuinely bothered that by the third series we weren't really doing original material. We were doing permutations and combinations of sketches from the first 2 series". The other Pythons had no intention of leaving, but it seemed like the golden age of Monty Python was coming to a premature end. However, the team's next move would win Cleese back and raise the bar to a whole new level. In 1975 Monty Python and the Holy Grail hit the big screen and any fears that the transition to feature-length wouldn't hold the original show's quality were quickly dismissed. The Monty Python filmography now contains 6 titles: a mix of sketch compilations, live shows, and feature-length movies. These gave Monty Python a second life after the relatively humble BBC show, cementing their legend status and becoming a global sensation. The films weren't all equally well-received, and given the political landscape of the time, some of the material is a little sensitive in today's world or even just downright offensive.
The Meaning of Life - 7.6/10
The Meaning Of Life took the form of a kaleidoscope of sketches, based around the themes of life, death, sex and maturity. While it had its moments, the themes weren't explored as thoughtfully as some of the heavy topics the team had tackled in previous outings. There were still some good laughs, but the humor didn't dig particularly deep, and many of the skits came out rude, crude, or in one instance plain revolting. With a bigger budget came a larger scale production, with settings and characters who were larger than life, and reminiscent of the visuals from Terry Gilliam's growing filmography. But unlike Life of Brian, Meaning of Life didn't reach the same equivalent level of excellence, depth, and thematic scale. It just comes across as throwing money at the wall.
Which brings us to the big musical numbers. There's a fine line you have to walk doing musical comedy, a line walked by stand-ups such as Tim Minchin and Bill Bailey. The music has to reach a certain standard of quality, but you also have to leave plenty of room for clear, characterful comic delivery. If your passion moves from the comedy to the music itself, you end up with something that doesn't satisfy an audience in either category. Compare Life of Brian's Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life to Meaning of Life's Sperm song, or the universe one Eric Idle sings after John Cleese lets him out the fridge.
And Now For Something Completely Different - 7.6/10
This 1971 compilation brought the best of the Flying Circus to the big screen with a bang. And it did what it said on the tin. Fast-paced, riotous comedy narrated by a deadpan John Cleese in the titular segments. At the time, it was something completely different and left the world wanting more.
While The Meaning Of Life could be seen as the least inspired series of Flying Circus - the kind that John Cleese had turned his nose up at - And Now For Something Completely Different was quite the opposite. But it pales in comparison to what they would later achieve on the big screen.
Monty Python Live (Mostly) - 7.7/10
In 2014, the Monty Python team finally reunited for one last performance, which soon became ten last performances due to the high demand for tickets. It was their first live show in over a decade, and one of the few since Graham Chapman tragically passed away in 1989 from tonsil cancer. The show was a nostalgic amalgamation of live sketches and clips, as well as a variety of musical numbers and Gilliam animations.
They may have lost some of the energy they first brought to the screen half a lifetime earlier, like James Earl Jones every time Disney beats a dead horse, but unlike Disney's carbon copy remakes the Python reunion pulled out all the stops, and they quickly proved they haven't lost their touch. The show served as a glorious finale to and celebration of all the joy Monty Python has brought the world. The surviving pythons haven't stopped working, though sadly we also lost Terry Jones earlier this year. "Two down. Four to go." as Cleese affectionately joked in his statement.
Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl - 7.9/10
This 1982 run was the epitome of Monty Python Live, featuring versions of their most iconic sketches as well as a load of new material. They had spent a decade perfecting their comic chops and had reached the peak of their fame. The show wasn't exactly seamless, but the Flying Circus is a very different animal when it's being performed live in front of 8000 ecstatic fans.
The energy and atmosphere of the show were off the scales, and the result is a kaleidoscope of Pythonesque glory that stands on its own 2 feet as a classic.
Monty Python's Life Of Brian - 8.1/10
The live shows and feature-length compilations served as an extension of the Flying Circus, which is no bad thing, but the greatest triumphs of Monty Python in cinema were their 2 feature-length narratives. The controversial Life of Brian easily ticked all the Monty Python boxes, but what made it special was that it was good enough to transcend its genre.
In the same way that Matrix Reloaded may be a great action movie, but The Matrix is a great movie full stop, Life of Brian went above and beyond the call of duty and was almost as moving as it was hilarious. Graham Chapman's portrayal as an unfortunate everyman mistaken for a messiah was surprisingly thoughtful and understated, and the cinematography and storytelling were on point. To this day Life of Brian holds up as not just a comedic masterpiece, but a cinematic one also.
Monty Python And The Holy Grail - 8.2/10
Holy Grail is undoubtedly another comic masterpiece. You couldn't call it a cinematic one without a hint of irony, but there's some truth to it. As hilarious and ridiculous as it is, miming riding on horseback while someone clacks coconuts together behind you works as a cinematic substitute for horse-riding. Not immediately, but after the initial gag the back of your mind just accepts it, because they play it straight. The fact it was a creative workaround because they couldn't afford horses almost makes it better.
Bringing their tendency to play the ridiculous straight to the big screen with a very small budget only amplified that wonderful juxtaposition that made their comedy so delicious. Flying Circus showed the world their comedy was world-class. Holy Grail showed the world just how formidable and brilliant these 6 individuals were, and how lucky we are the universe sought to throw them together. Jolly good show.