The complete series from the pens of Michael Palin and Terry Jones. Episode titles: Tomkinson's Schooldays, The Testing of Eric Olthwaite, Escape From Stalag Luft 112 B, Murder at Moorstones Manor, Across the Andes by Frog, The Curse of the Claw, Whinfrey's Last Case, Golden Gordon, Roger of the Raj. Read more
| Starring | Michael Palin, Eric Orthwaite |
|---|---|
| Genres | Television |
loading...
The complete series from the pens of Michael Palin and Terry Jones. Episode titles: Tomkinson's Schooldays, The Testing of Eric Olthwaite, Escape From Stalag Luft 112 B, Murder at Moorstones Manor, Across the Andes by Frog, The Curse of the Claw, Whinfrey's Last Case, Golden Gordon, Roger of the Raj.
| Starring | Michael Palin, Eric Orthwaite |
|---|---|
| Run time | DVD: 4 hrs 30 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Television |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 11 Oct 2004 Production year: 1979 |
| Format | DVD |
Or you can rent each disc individually:
Three superb self-contained comedies from ex-Pythons Michael Palin and Terry Jones.
To describe the pilot episode of the series, Tomkinson?s Schooldays, as Pythonesque would be trite, although it does contain trademark lampooning of the ruling classes, grotesque violence in its portrayal of crucified schoolchildren and all the usual reversals of accepted realities (e.g. the headmaster is ritually beaten by his charges). It also has a superb guest performer in Ian Ogilvy as the sadistic school bully. Escape from Escape from Stalag Luft 112B showcases Palin as an irritatingly resourceful prisoner of war, confounding the Kaiser?s army and his fellow captives in equal measure with his numerous escape attempts, and is notable for the much-missed Roy Kinnear?s performance as a laconic German guard. However, the final show on the disc (indeed, one of the last to be made in the series) is the gem ? Golden Gordon. Excessive worship of anything can be described as fanaticism, and this show brings into conflict an unconditional love of a hopeless football team with an industrialist?s pursuit of profit, destroying a way of life through that process. The writers manage a broadly redemptive ending, although perhaps not the one that you are rooting for.
In all, a highly recommended DVD.
Surreally funny, and spanks the bare botty of 'Little Britain'.
Both the Ripping Yarns discs are brilliant - that great British 'Boys' Own Adventure' p*ss-take style that we saw a LITTLE of in Monty Python's Holy Grail. If you liked the Comic Strip Presents series, Python, et al, rent this one.