Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Directors:

Terry Hughes
Ian MacNaughton

Writers:

Graham Chapman (written by) &
John Cleese (written by) ...

Release Date:

25 June 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Never before in the history of human civilization has there been a movie called "Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl"

Plot:

The Monty Python troupe perform a combination of classic sketches and new material at the Hollywood Bowl.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood Bowl | Pope | Lumberjack | Monty Python | Reference To Nietzsche

Cast

Graham Chapman	...	Barber #2 / Colin 'Bomber' Harris / Servant / Inspector / The Colonel / Yorkshireman #2 / Abuser / Lecturer / A humble woodcutter / Son / Mountie
John Cleese	...	Barber #1 / Boxing commentator / The Pope / Silly Olympiad commentator #1 / Mr. Teabag / Lenin / Albatross vendor / Mr. Barnard / Man in white suit / Little Red Riding Hood / Church policeman / Mountie
Terry Gilliam	...	Various Roles
Eric Idle	...	Michelangelo / Bruce #1 / Judge #1 / 'World Forum' Host / Arthur Nudge / Yorkshireman #1 / Mr. Smoketoomuch / Husband / Lumberjack
Terry Jones	...	Barber / Referee / Anti-rasicism singer / Silly olympiad commentator #2 / Karl Marx / Mr. Hilton / Man with hat / Yorkshireman #3 / Demonstrator #2 / Wife / Mountie
Michael Palin	...	Emcee / Bruce #2 / Applicant / Judge #2 / Che Guevara / Soccer commentator / Yorkshireman #4 / Argument customer / Mr. Bounder / Demonstrator #1 / Storyteller / Detective-Parson / Mountie
Neil Innes	...	Bruce #3 / Carl Weetabix / Idiot / Detective-Other
Carol Cleveland	...	Various roles

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | France:Unrated | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-8 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Bowl - 2301 N. Highland Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In the "Crunchy Frog" sketch, Graham Chapman plays the arresting officer, while Terry Gilliam plays the second policeman. In the original sketch, Chapman played the second policeman, while John Cleese played the arresting officer. Also in the original sketch, the constable was named "Constable Clitoris". For the Hollywood Bowl performance, this was changed to "Constable Parrot".

Quotes:

Announcer: Hello and welcome to the Ronald Reagan Memorial Bowl, here in the pretty L.A. suburb of Hollywood. Well, we're about to witness All-in Wrestling, brought to you tonight, ladies and gentlemen, by the makers of Scum, the world's first combined hair oil, foot ointment, and salad dressing; and by the makers of Titan, the novelty nuclear missile. You never know when it'll go off.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Seventh Python (2008)

Soundtrack:

The Lumberjack Song

reminded me of Meaning of Life in the continuity; when it's got it, it's great, when not, it's OK

Seeing a live concert from the Monty Python troupe, in the form it's here presented, is a grand mix for fans of best-of bits and newer ones, with many an oddity laced in between and in surprising crevices of sketches. When a sketch was really good, it was probably at best one of my favorites form the troupe just in general. Weaker ones, mainly involving little bits of physical comedy that didn't work or a couple of lines or gags that either fell flat for me or just didn't quite work (and at times I don't get too many laughs from Eric Idle, it depends on the sketch). But I would recommend it to fans for a lot of the stuff that does work, and I got a lot of laughs of of the Michelangelo/Pope sketch, the filmed segments of the Olympic races and the philosophers soccer match (actually, all the philosopher segments really, the game show especially), classics like the Lumberjack song, 'Silly walks' and 'Arguing' segments, the intermission, and of course Gilliam's animations.

Indeed if there is anything consistent here, much as in Meaning of Life- which the team would put out less than a year later- it's that the songs are always overall supremely entertaining (here even a couple that aren't done by Pythons but by an extra pianist/singer). And even when there's a moment that doesn't fall quite right, there's never a dull moment when some sentence or expression or the dead-pan crossing with over-the-top comes around the corner. It's a fine addition to any fan's collection, with some that could introduce even introduce Monty Python well enough to someone who's never seen the show or other movies. It's quality isn't as sharp or totally unconventional as in the latter of those, but I would still watch it again, if only for a few of the sharpest jokes and bits of performance.