And Now For Something Completely Different - 1971

Directed by Ian MacNaughton

Starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin as various roles.

And Now For Something Completely Different is a hotch-potch of all the best bits from the TV series, re-recorded and all soft focus-y. Includes things like Restaurant Sketch (dirty fork), Hell's Grannies, Marriage Guidance Counsellor, Hungarian Phrasebook, Upper Class Twit Of The Year etc...

My Personal Favourite Bit: It has to be Terry Jones Launching himself across The Restaurant onto John Cleese's back, whilst screeching loudly, in the Dirty Fork sketch.

And Now For Something Completley Different is available to buy on Region 2 DVD. No extras though. Harrumph.

Monty Python And The Holy Grail - 1975

Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones

Starring Graham Chapman as King Arthur, John Cleese as Sir Lancelot, Terry Gilliam as Patsy, Eric Idle as Brave Sir Robin, Terry Jones as Sir Bedevere, and Michael Palin as Sir Galahad. Also featuring Carol Cleveland as Zoot/Dingo, Neil Innes as Sir Robin's Minstrel, and Connie Booth as The Witch

It's gone on record many times in the past that filming The Holy Grail was a cold, soggy, and generally awful experience for Monty Python. Who cares? They produced on of the funniest, prettiest films in cinematic history at the end of it all.

My Personal Favourite Bit: There's nothing more amusing than watching other people trying not to laugh, therefore it will always be the Witch/Duck scene.

The Holy Grail is available on a Special Edition double disc DVD with a plethora of extras including documentaries, commentaries, and newly written Python stuff. Geddit.

Monty Python's Life Of Brian - 1979

Directed by Terry Jones

Starring Graham Chapman as Brian, John Cleese as Reg, Terry Gilliam as The Jailer, Eric Idle as Stan/Loretta, Terry Jones as Brian's Mum, and Michael Palin as Pontius Pilate.

Python went and followed up The Holy Grail with a proper film. It had a beginning, a middle and an end, political themes and connotations, and guest appearances. However, it was still sublimely silly. It's said that the making of The Life Of Brian was their happiest time as a group, and that's evident when you watch it.

My Personal Favourite Bit: Obviously aside from Graham's magnificently bemused eponymous character (and disregarding Terry Jones starkers in a hole in the ground), Michael Palin steals the film with his everso softly spoken Jailer, and the fantastically unawares Pontius Pilot.

Life Of Brian is available on Region 2 DVD with an enjoyable enough documentary filmed on the set of the film, but it's a frankly pathetic offering against the double disc splendour of The Holy Grail.

The Meaning Of Life - 1983

Directed by Terry Jones

Starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin as various roles.

The Meaning Of Life is a string of sketches loosely woven together to represent the 'ages of man'. As a film, it stumbles in comparison with Holy Grail or Life Of Brian, but it's the biggest (and rudest) Python offering to date and contains some brilliant stuff.

My Personal Favourite Bit: Meaning Of Life has some of my favourite, what I like to call, "little touches" that just make things delightful. Palin's famous 'salmon mousse' adlib, the naughty schoolboy being caught with an ocarina of all things, the mix up that mean's the army captain receives three clocks, Terry Gilliam's completely over-the-top Jewish Rastafarian (?!) Altogether now: "I'm using it!"

The Meaning Of Life is available on a bright spanking double disc Special Edition Region 2 release with deleted scenes and overall loveliness.