Monty Python Live!

Monty Python TV shows, movies, records and books are a time capsule record of their anarchic lunacy. But more rare is an audience with Python, and until the practically-full Monty can get it together, this boxed set is the next best thing. The lead-off volume of this 3-tape or 2 disc set, "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" presents the long sought 1982 concert film in which the Fab Six (assisted by Carol Cleveland and Neil Innes) perform their greatest bits before a wildly enthusiastic crowd. Robert Klein moderates "Live at Aspen," the second volume, an irreverent 1998 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival tribute that reunited John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones onstage for the first time in 17 years on the occasion of Python's 30th anniversary. Highlights include a shockingly funny moment involving Graham Chapman's ashes, and a joyous "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" sing-along. Less essential is the final volume, 1989's clip show "Parrot Sketch Not Included: 20 Years of Python," which also does not include "The Oscar Wilde Sketch," "Cheese Shop," "Nudge-Nudge" or too many other signature sketches to be truly called "the best of Python." But host Steve Martin hilariously gives his props: "In the late 1960s, a comic force emerged which was so original, so fabulously different, that many people felt that the world of entertainment had been changed forever. But enough about me." Say no more. Sure to be quite popular, this is enthusiastically recommended. [Note: in addition to various other extras, the DVD set includes "Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus: German Episode #1."] Aud: P. (K. Lee Benson)