Monty Python and the Holy Grail

As a Monty Python fan I've patiently waited for this movie to come to Blu-ray(2012) but didn't have very high expectations that it would look and sound all that good. Well I was wrong. It looks and sounds Great! And I'm not going to tell you it's an excellent movie, you already know that--great British humor(actually universal humor), ridiculously funny, great actors. And a silly price of only $9.99 (was $12.99 on release date).Sony did a 1080p transfer(1.66:1 original aspect ratio) of this movie that looks amazing! There's lots of strong detail in faces, clothes, as well as surroundings like buildings, grass, trees. Flesh and earth tones look very natural. Blacks are deep. Strong color is not going to jump out at you, but that's just the nature of the film as the outdoor setting of much of the movie's grass, dirt, and rocks(browns, blacks, grays & greens) never contained strong color elements. But what color there is (like in the tabards,coat of arms, shields) looks very good indeed. Is the movie without soft shots or grain? No, but they've brought out a whole lot of nicely rendered detail that makes the movie a joy to watch. Until now, I feel like I've only seen this movie through a fog. Well, the fog has finally lifted and everything looks sooo fresh.The audio is a lossless soundtrack (DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless). Voices sound very crisp and clear. Sound effects in general are very good. Audiofiles will notice some very rich sounding sections, but also some that are just acceptable. Overall, it is very enjoyable with nice use of surround sound and I think most people will be more than happy with it.LOTS OF EXTRAS: (Some New Stuff)Lost Animations (1080p, 12:55) Features Gilliam animations deleted from the film. ***New for this blu-ray release***Outtakes & Extended Scenes (1080p, 18:57)***New for this blu-ray release***MORE INCLUDED EXTRAS:(Some HD, some SD)Subtitles for People Who Do Not Like the Film (From Henry IV pt. 11).3 Mindless Sing-Alongs (480p, 5:10).How To Use Your Coconuts (An educational Film) (480p, 2:58)Quest for the Holy Grail Locations (480p, 47:00) Special DocumentaryCast Directory Photo Gallery (1080p).Lego Knights (480p, 1:43): A lego recreation of the "Camelot's a silly place" scene.Meanwhile, King Arthur & Sir Belvedere...Elephant & CastleRun Away!The Tale of Sir RobinThe Tale of Sir LancelotBBC Film NightRe-release TrailerThere are a couple more Commentaries, a Japanese version of 2 scenes(English subtitles), a UV Digital Copy and some credits AND the first subtitle from the opening credits that was missing on the Special Edition DVD is back. Comes in BLUE AMARAY CASE, NO SLIPCOVER.If you've never seen this movie, you are seriously missing out. Monty Python and the Holy Grail [Blu-ray]Endless re-watchability.FREEBIE FOR iPad Owners: Free After Rebate--get the related iPad app called "Monty Python: The Holy Book of Days" ($4.99, App Store) - Re­creates the 28 days of location shooting of the landmark film. Mail-in rebate if you buy the iPad app AND the blu-ray. Rebate info is supposed to be on the back of a sticker on the outer wrapping, but some people are reporting there is no sticker so I've included all the rebate details in the first comment below this review.According to the App Store:"With your iPad and Blu-ray player synced via your WiFi network, the app becomes your remote control and lets you see the exact scenes talked about in The Holy Book of Days. It's an entirely new way of watching the film."UPDATE: 7/10/12 the "Monty Python: The Holy Book of Days" app for iPad is still available on iTunes but it's $4.99 now, no longer free.

I've been a Monty Python fan my entire life, and a huge fan of this film in particular. This is the best that MP&THG has ever looked, and perhaps as good as it ever will, or even can, look or sound.Instead of rehashing what has already been said about the film itself and the shiny new 1080p video, I'd like to focus on a few of the extras, and what exactly is different about this release compared to the previous DVD release.Most of the extras (Holy Grail locations, etc.) were all on the earlier DVD, but the new additions, the Outtakes and Lost Animations, are real gems available for the first time only on this Blu-Ray.The Outtakes consist of longer versions of some scenes, which were understandably cut or shortened, but there are also some alternate takes and screw-ups with the cast forgetting lines or laughing in the middle of a take. It's all great fun, and a humorous look behind the scenes at an already drop-dead hilarious movie.Terry Gilliam's Lost Animations are a hoot. We see a few spare parts that may not have had any particular intent, but there is also an extended opening to The Tale of Sir Robin, involving a collapsing cathedral, a stray rock catapulted into the sky and knocking out a flying dragon-like creature which then falls into the title card, impaling its mouth, collapsing, thus creating the "R" in "Robin." And there is also an extended opening to "The Tale of Sir Lancelot" in which a cartoon Lancelot battles a giant slug. Total Gilliam lunacy at his stream-of-consciousness best!The only cut scene I wish had been included as an extra is "King Brian the Wild," which is a scene that was written but never shot. It appears only as a pencil sketch animation with sound on the Holy Grail video game that came out during the Dark Ages of video games. Unless it's an easter egg on this disc, or if it appears in the "Holy Book of Days," which I have not had a chance to explore yet.There are a couple of things missing from the Blu-Ray, including the "Follow the Rabbit" feature from the previous DVD. That feature would be useless here anyway, since the new "Holy Book of Days" downloadable feature promises to be far more extensive and comprehensive. Also, the false opening "Dentist on the Job" short is not at the start of the film. Not a deal-breaker, of course, but if you are fond of that ephemeral opening gag, then hang on to your DVD.The Blu-Ray menus are much better than the DVD menus, which I always thought were rather tedious and impossible to by-pass.The various audio tracks, commentaries and subtitles (including the Japanese language track and the Henry VI subtitles) are all there, but on the DVD the default audio was the original mono track. Here the default is the more recent stereo remaster, including Michael Palin's re-recording of the narration.This Blu-Ray release is a very impressive return to a fantastic comedy that has stood the test of time.

"If you had to live on a deserted island, and had to bring only one movie, what would it be?" This one! MPFC is comedy you either get, or don't get. If you get it, it's hilarious. I've watched this movie probably 30 times or more and will watch it again. This troupe was genius at religious, political, and social satire. The documentary on making the film is very interesting, as the Cleese, Palin, and Chapman were pretty miserable for almost the entirety of the filming.Timeless, classic, and masterful, it's only close equal was Broadway's Spamalot. Will miss these artists of comedy when they are all gone one day.