Latest news with #TerryGilliam
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
‘Monty Python And The Holy Grail' To Get 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-Ray Release
Happily someone high up at Sony Pictures has not only remembered that timeless comedy classic Monty Python And The Holy Grail is 50 years old this year, but they've also decided to celebrate this half-century milestone by granting the film a 4K Blu-ray release. And not just any 4K Blu-ray release, either; this one's going to appear as a limited edition steelbook release accompanied by hours of special features – including a brand new 50 Years of Monty Python And The Holy Grail tribute documentary. 'Monty Python And The Holy Grail' celebrates its 50th anniversary with a new 4K Blu-ray release ... More complete with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound. The film will be presented on 4K disc in its 1.66:1 original aspect ratio using a new 4K master bolstered by the Dolby Vision high dynamic range format, breathing new life into Monty Python's unique take on the King Arthur myth and its cast of classic characters. Hopefully the likes of The Black Knight, the Knights Who Say 'Ni', Tim the Enchanter, Brave Sir Robin and, of course, the legendary White Rabbit will have never looked better. It's not just the film's picture quality that's getting a new lick of paint for the 4K Blu-ray release, either. The film will also be presented on the 4K disc with a Dolby Atmos sound mix, to make sure you don't miss a word of The Frenchman's taunting or the Bridgekeeper's cunning riddles. Purists will be pleased to hear, though, that the original English Mono track is going to be provided as an option on the disc too, delivering the same audio experience cinemagoers got when the film was first released back in 1975. The film will be accompanied on the 4K disc by two special features: A slightly shorter 'near-theatrical' version of the film (presented in HD resolution) previously only available on an old VHS release of the film, and the 'Tis But A Tribute – 50 Years Of Monty Python And The Holy Grail' documentary, in which more than 25 comedians share their memories of, affection for and continued fascination with the film. The bulk of the package's special features, though, will be reserved for the HD Blu-ray that will be included alongside the 4K one. Heading these HD Blu-ray extras up will be not one but two audio commentary tracks, one featuring directors Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, and one featuring John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin. There are plenty of other goodies to get your Monty Python teeth into too, though: * 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Q&A with Terry, Terry, Mike, John and Eric! * Outtakes and Extended Scenes with Introduction by Terry Jones * Lost Animations with Introduction by Terry Gilliam * Quest for the Holy Grail Locations with Michael Palin and Terry Jones * Lego Knights: The Knights of the Round Table in LEGO * Special Japanese Version * How to Use Your Coconuts (An Educational Film) * BBC Film Night on Location * Three Songs to Sing-Along * Photo Gallery * Original Theatrical Trailer Sony has announced that this gorgeously presented new 4K release of what's easily my favourite comedy film of all time will be launched on August 26th. Given the 4K release's limited edition status and the film's enduring popularity, though, I'd strongly recommend getting your order in well before that on-sale date arrives. — 'Kingdom Of Heaven' 4K Blu-ray Details Announced—Including Restored And Remastered Director's Cut Disney Announces Restored And Remastered 'Lilo & Stitch' 4K Blu-ray 'Tombstone' 4K Blu-ray Details Revealed—Including A Full Remaster By Disney's Film Preservation Team
Times
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) review — moments of brilliance
The Pythons peaked as film-makers in 1979 with Life of Brian, a brief flowering of narrative storytelling for a troupe defined by sketch comedy. This earlier Arthurian spoof is somewhere in between. There is ostensible dramatic coherence in the quest for the Grail by Graham Chapman's long-suffering King of the Britons. 'Ooooh king, very nice,' says a wonderfully grotty Michael Palin. 'How did you get that? By exploiting the workers!' But these are otherwise loosely related set pieces, held together by Terry Gilliam's animations and frequently punctuated by moments of brilliance. The Knights Who Say 'Ni!' remains ridiculously funny. The Trojan Rabbit is a flawless sight gag. The irritable God (Chapman), depicted with the cartoon head of WG Grace, is an early preview of
Daily Record
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Brad Pitt's 'masterpiece' sci-fi film is still messing with people's minds today
It's been nearly three decades since Brad Pitt starred in the mind-bending sci-fi thriller Twelve Monkeys - and it's still one of the movies that fans consider to be the highlight of his career In 1995, movie buffs were on tenterhooks as Brad Pitt wrapped up filming Seven as they awaited the release of Terry Gilliam's sci-fi thriller. With anticipation brewing at the time, audiences from that era—and even now—remain enthralled by the film's gripping narrative. Often underrated in the catalogue of Brad Pitt's exceptional movies is Twelve Monkeys, a film set against the backdrop of a dilapidated future world and inspired by the 1962 short film La Jetée. Also featuring Hollywood veteran Bruce Willis, the movie garnered critical acclaim and raked in a hefty $168.8 million at the box office, solidifying its place as one of Pitt's seminal works. One review on Rotten Tomatoes read: "A strange, disturbing, and effective thriller that rocks phenomenal performances from Willis and Pitt and amazingly creative directing from Terry Gilliam. "Though the plot could be pretty hard to follow at times, and the Vertigo scene was far too on the nose, this film properly thrilled me and kept me guessing for the entire run time." Another added: "This is one of those films where you catch something new every single time you watch it, making it one mind-bending, crazy sci-fi experience no matter how many times you've seen it. The performances are amazing, especially by a young Brad Pitt and the phenomenal Bruce Willis in his prime.", reports the Express. The plot centres around James Cole, portrayed by Bruce Willis, who is a prisoner in the 2030s—a time which seemed distant when the film was made but is now just around the corner. He's enlisted for a mission to travel back to the 1990s to gather information on an emerging disease destined to decimate a large portion of the global population, eerily reminiscent of the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to a mishap, instead of arriving in 1996, Cole finds himself in 1990 and ends up in a psychiatric hospital. It's there he encounters Dr Kathryn Railly, played by Madeline Stowe, who soon suspects there's more to him than meets the eye. Cole also crosses paths with Jeffrey Goines, a role taken on by Brad Pitt, who is the unhinged offspring of a renowned virologist. This encounter could provide Cole with the last piece of the puzzle he needs. Like much of Terry Gilliam's work, including 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' and 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail', 'Twelve Monkeys' is known for its mind-bending visuals and is not for those with a weak disposition. A review said: "Incredible acting by Willis and Pitt. The cinematography is extremely distinct and memorable for such a surreal story and gives everything a unique identity. "The editing is masterful as well. This is a film everyone should see once. It would be a crime to go into detail any further than that. All-time classic". Another added: "I can imagine this being awesome back in the '90s. It's still pretty good, especially if you enjoy time travel and pondering ethical questions such as the treatment of psychologically disturbed people, homelessness, and animal rights." However, not all feedback was positive, with one viewer expressing disappointment: "Really disappointed with this movie, given the high rating I found here. The acting is over the top, and the plot confusing - very art house. I found the relationship between Cole and Railly totally implausible which stopped me from really caring about the characters." Brad Pitt, who initially rose to fame as a heartthrob in films like Thelma and Louise, solidified his reputation as a serious actor with his role in Twelve Monkeys. This performance set the stage for his later work in acclaimed movies such as Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and 12 Years a Slave.
The Independent
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The 1980s ‘British Disneyland' that is now a housing estate
Plans were established earlier this year for a major new Universal theme park to be built in Bedford, but this is not the first time that a huge project like this was once in the works. In the 1980s, developers envisaged a theme park that was to be the British answer to the US ' successful Disney parks, putting £346m behind the project to build the park in Corby. The park was to be called WonderWorld, with plans including 13 themed villages, hotels and rides designed by Monty Python's Terry Gilliam, according to the BBC. A BBC Look East report from 1989 shows that the park was planned to be constructed on a 1,000-acre site in Weldon, around where Priors Hall Park is now, next to Corby. The concept was initially created in 1980, but near the end of the decade, there was still nothing to show of the 'equivalent to America's Disneyland'. Plans for a mock safari, a 10,000-seat stadium for indoor sports, a concert arena and a family resort with hotels were also floated to be included in the designs. The video report from four decades ago shows the WonderWorld chairman handing over the keys to an international construction group to start work. Plans were in place for a 39-month construction programme, hoping for an initial summer opening by 1992. The report stated that WonderWorld would welcome four million visitors a year, with parking for seven thousand vehicles. The park was also supposed to provide much-needed employment, with 2,000 jobs on site during construction, 1,000 full-time staff at the park and 350 seasonal workers. Unemployment had risen in Corby following the 1980 closure of the steelworks, which led to 10,000 job losses and nearly a third of the town out of work. Yet, the park wasn't built, and WonderWorld never opened its doors to the millions of visitors it was hoping for. The park's blueprint was inspired partly by Disney's Epcot Park in Orlando, which opened in 1982 and features the distinctive large Spaceship Earth ride inside a spherical golf-ball-like structure – a defining trait of the park. Around Spaceship Earth are lots of small 'villages', many modelled after different destinations around the world, from Mexico to the UK. WonderWorld was also to have a themed village built around a central bowl, 700m in diameter, the BBC said. A brochure promised "a unique resort set in beautifully landscaped surroundings", with an "accent very much on participation". In 1985, one of the architects, Derek Walker, told the publication: "The basic ingredients [for WonderWorld] are very simple: entertainment at the very highest level. It's participatory and it's incredibly educational. "[WonderWorld] will offer the best of British design." Despite positive buzz around the project early on, rising costs, planning delays and difficulties in finding long-term funding all contributed to WonderWorld's downfall. The only thing to show of the park was a large WonderWorld sign constructed at the site and a small wooden cabin, the BBC said. While the park never came into fruition, more than 1,000 houses were built at Priors Hall Park, and there are now plans to build a further 5,000 on the site.
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The £346million theme park that wanted to be 'England's Disneyland' - but was never built
If Brits want to go to Disneyland, they need to travel to Paris, at the very least – but the UK almost had a rival theme park built in the 1980s. Called WonderWorld, the park was granted planning permission in 1981 to be built on Priors Hall Park, a 1,000-acre disused quarry, around two miles from Corby, Northamptonshire. The ambitious £346 million project promised a British answer to Disney World's Epcot, which opened to the public in Orlando in 1982. Like Epcot, the attraction was to include 13 themed villages built around a central bowl, measuring 700m in diameter. Six of these areas were due to open in the summer of 1992, and were expected to welcome four million visitors a year. WonderWorld would also be home to high-tech rides, including one designed by Monty Python's Terry Gilliam, which would take riders on a canoe through the human body. If the park had opened, there would have been an open-air concert hall designed to look like one of the Martian tripods from Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds and a 10,000-seat sports stadium. Meanwhile, botanist David Bellamy was helping to plan a mock safari and astronomer Sir Patrick Moore was involved in creating an observatory. There would also be educational centres, themed restaurants, a conservation area and lots of places to shop. The theme park was only going to be the start of the resort too, as seven hotels were due to be built, as well as an 18-hole golf course, and 100 villas. The overall ambition was to launch a new leisure industry built around 'British heritage, folklore, science and innovation'. In 1985, one of the architects, Derek Walker, told the BBC: 'The basic ingredients [for WonderWorld] are very simple: entertainment at the very highest level. It's participatory and it's incredibly educational. '[WonderWorld] will offer the best of British design.' The project was estimated to cost £346million in total and aimed for an initial opening in 1985. And Group Five, who were due to be the developers, even had support from the local area including county authorities and the Commission for New Towns. However, due to rising costs, planning delays and difficulty securing long-term funding, some of the backers pulled out. The plans eventually faded into obscurity and a large WonderWorld sign and a small wooden cabin were the only two parts of the entire resort that were built. There are now more than 1,000 houses where WonderWorld was meant to stand and there are plans to build around 5,000 more in the future. And, while WonderWorld didn't succeed, a huge new Universal theme park is officially set to open in Bedford in 2031 - after a deal was closed by the Government. The Bedfordshire attraction will be one of the largest and most advanced theme parks in Europe, with a 500-room hotel and a retail and entertainment complex planned along with the theme park.
