Director Terry Gilliam has been at the moviemaking biz for awhile now (do the words Monty Python ring any bells?) and some of his older stuff, like this animation short he created in 1968, is just as wacky and creative as anything coming to your local movie theater in, say, December 2009. “Storytime” begins with a gurgling, squeaking, and skittering cockroach named Dan and meanders through a chain of command to carousing hands and an adultery scandal. Let’s just say it’s “conceptual.” See if you can spot the Monty Python and the Holy Grail gag after the jump.
Maybe you’ve left your gift-buying to the last minute (again). Maybe you’re just looking for something to cozy up with as you keep yourself warm during the holiday lull. Either way, when it comes to quality screen time, there’s no beating the BBC. For decades, the British Broadcasting Corporation has created and aired some of the edgiest, funniest, and most envelope-pushing programming in the world — the best of which is available on US shores through BBC America.
Over the years, there have been a number of BBC series of such high quality that they begged to be collected in full, bringing their complete experiences into welcoming homes. After the jump, we round up the ten best of the best, along with info and the requisite video clips. But that’s not all: we also have copies of almost every one* of these BBC box sets available to win! To be in with a chance at one, leave us a comment telling us your personal favorite moment from British TV history. Be sure to use a valid email address when submitting, so we can contact you if you win. Bonus points if you catch the crossover cameos in our selected video clips — these UK stars have a habit of popping up in each other’s shows.
Congratulations to Jonathan G. from NYC, who took home the prize in our Monty Python: Almost the Truth giveaway. But the madness doesn’t stop there: We have yet more Python goodies to send your way. This time around, our first-prize winner will receive the massive 16-Ton Megaset, featuring every single episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus plus two discs of bonus material. Our second-place winner, meanwhile, will snag a copy of Monty Python: The Other British Invasion.
It’s all syncs up with Sillywalks for Hunger, a massive event taking place tonight in LA that will find hundreds of people transforming Univeral CityWalk into a modern version of the Ministry of Silly Walks, all in support of a number of food-based charities. To enter our contest, just leave us a comment detailing a time that something Pythonesque has crossed over into your real life.
Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus first created buzz as Heath Ledger’s final (and unfinished) film. Then there was talk of his multiple A-list replacements: Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell.
Check out the freshly-debuted official poster.
Now, Vulture has exclusive audio of two songs from the movie, which opens in limited release on Christmas Day. See what we think of the tracks (which recall Gilliam’s Monty Python days!) and take a look back at some classic song and dance routines after the jump.
Celebrating 40 years of Monty Python, Almost the Truth: The Lawyer’s Cut brings the six-part IFC documentary series to DVD with a host of extras.
Chronicling the hugely influential comedy troupe’s entire history, Almost the Truth spans decades of Pythonism, and features tributes from the likes of Russell Brand, Jimmy Fallon, Simon Pegg, Steve Coogan, Dan Aykroyd, and Seth Green. It’s rounded out by sketches, film clips, and revelations, such as the lengths George Harrison went to in order to fund The Life of Brian.
Enter to win! We have a copy of the DVD to give away to one lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment below revealing your favorite moment from Monty Python history. Be sure to use a valid email address when entering, so we can contact you if you win.
When New York’s Ziegfeld Theater hosts an advance screening of IFC’s documentary Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut) on Thursday, everyone in the audience will have a favorite moment they hope is included, somewhere between the interview with Arthur “Two Sheds” Jackson from the first episode of the original BBC TV series to Mr. Creosote’s evening at the restaurant in The Meaning of Life. (For the rest of us, the documentary airs in six parts on IFC from Oct. 18-23.) At this point, however, the surviving members of the comedy troupe — who will be there to answer questions from the audience after the screening — have been apart much longer than they were together, and they’ve all done great projects on their own (or working in smaller clusters). Here are some of the highlights, presented in alphabetical order by Python. Read More »
, featuring every single episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus plus two discs of bonus material. Our second-place winner, meanwhile, will snag a copy of 
.
