General Chat

I'm a gooner for my sins - but I'd rather talk about films right now!!

As far as comedies go, I loved Monty Python and the Holy Grail: the squires following their knights, clapping two coconut halves together as none of them had horses; the white rabbit; the giant three-headed knight who wanted a shrubbery; the King duelling with the black knight on the bridge and cutting off all his limbs; and let's not forget the bridge over the gorge of eternal peril ...

"If you want to cross this bridge, answer me these questions three ..."

The titles at the beginning of the film also need to be read

The holy grail... is that the one where the woman is stood at the kitchen sink with a room full of children, and just gives birth to another one? if it is the one, iv`e only seen it once. ..... or hang on was that Life of Brian? think it probably was, in which case iv`e never seen the Holy grail....but your description sounds etertaining so will give it a whirl when its next on the box.

One flew over the Cuckoos nest......... probably Jack Nicholsons finest performance along with The Shining..........

all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
all work and no play makes jack a dull boy


oh no its catching..... I must get out more.!!

Nicky

The woman giving birth at the kitchen sink was one of the sketches in the Meaning of Life ...

Monty Python also used to do a great line in the short films at the start of the main feature; on the Meaning of Life it was one called Crimson Permanent Assurance, in which an Edwardian office building, housing and insurance company, becomes a pirate ship sailing the city and raiding all the other offices

Life of Brian was accompanied by a short that was a spoof documentary on Venice.

The other comedy short that was shown alongside Monty Python films was "Le Petomane", which starred Leonard Rossiter. It was based on the true story of a Frenchman who had the ability to break wind at will and turned it into a music hall act.

If, like my MIL the word "fart" makes you laugh uncontrollably, then this one will cause you serious injury. Thankfully, the film is only about 40 mins long - if it went on any more then the audience would die laughing. The first time I saw it I was in agony for about four days afterwards ...

Thinking about it I had to have a look on youtube for Le Petomane and someone has put the film up there in five parts:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=evwLzR57wsc
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FuYQ_IU4cO0&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Gm6NXKX08&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MN7-AI2WlrM&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1ACqdhQLbwU&feature=related

Just watched it all the way through and really shouldn't be typing right now - tears will not do my keyboard any good!!

Oh Nicky it's a wonderful film Geneve. Kay kendall playing the trumpet and then passing out! What a small world it is...I lived for about six years in Kenley on the main A22 and can remember as a kid seeing the old cars go buy, what wonderful memories of a wonderful time in my life!

Kenneth More, Dinah Sheridan, (married to Tommy Handly) daughter Jenny was in Magpie...Edd you'll remember I'm sure! John Gregson and also Joyce Grenfell.

Oh do I remember Jenny Hanley in Magpie ... had one big crush on her ....

~sigh~

Edd the word fart had the same effect on my mum! It's a horrible word really, very uncouth and we're all very prim and proper on this thread!

I remember that fantasticly funny film with the late Leonard Rossiter playing the lead...oh god it was so funny you're right! We were crying with laughter watching it...good film to go and see on a first date, breaks the ice...ha ha! Do you remember at the end he has an accident in his trousers due to his change or need for a change in diet!!! SO FUNNY! ☺ ☺

Welcome back Nicky...we missed you!

Got to give that a look on You tube Edd!

I don't know why but I had the urge to look through my collection of videos and DVD's to see what I've got and I found 'The Northwest Passage' with Spencer Tracy.

It's the one set in the French and Indian War in North America, where a group of militiamen, known as 'Rogers' Rangers' are sent by the British Army to go behind the French lines and attack one of the towns that is the home to some of France's Indian allies.

There's a bit where the Rangers are short of food and one of them is clutching a bag to his chest, with that demented look, and it turns out that he's carrying a human head in it (you don't see the article).

Then Major Rogers (Spencer Tracy) grabs the bag off of him and the Ranger, who has become quite unhinged through lack of food, blurts out the immortal line:

"I'll kill you Rogers, I'll kill you and I'll eat your head too!"

Originally tilted "The Northwest Passage - Book 1 Rogers' Rangers" there was supposed to be a sequel where they actually go in search of the Northwest Passage, but it was never made.

Footnote: Major Robert Rogers and his Rangers actually existed and the contents of the film are based on fact!!

Night night

Evening,

Found those clips on you tube re: Le Petomane last night Edd, hubby watched a couple of them. Heard him laughing!

Never found the Python films side splittingly funny, but enjoyed the series. one of my favourite sketches was the fish slapping dance...very good how Michael Palin goes straight off the quay side into the water. He does have a grin that looks like he's always up to no good.

Enjoyed 'Nuns On The Run,' with Robbie Coltrane and Eric Idle, very funny. Like towards the end of the film when they're dressed as nurses/nuns and Robbie Coltrane picks up the bed pan and asks one of the baddies , "Do you know what this is for? It's for getting rid of s**t and smacks him over the head with it rendering him unconsious!

nudge

nudge

Good film on tomorrow evening...Enemy at the Gates...bit late though...!

nudge

Hello all, back again after two hectic days at work.

Love Enemy at the Gates - I think that's another one loosely based on fact (at least the Russian sniper Vassily Zaytsev existed - you can see his rifle in the Stalingrad Museum I think).

Did you ever see 'Cross of Iron' with James Coburn, Maximilian Schell and James Mason? It ranks as one of the best anti-war films based on the Eastern Front in WW2 and is Sam Peckinpah at his best. Funnily enough, I think it was the only war film Peckinpah made and the odd thing is I seem to remember reading that the reason it ends like it does is because they ran out of money making it so couldn't actually film the end they wanted to!!

Ed

If we're going onto comedies, one of the classics has to be 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'. How many films nowadays could get a cast together with so many big stars in it? It had some of the greats: Spencer Tracy (one of my faves), Sid Caesar, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Phil Silvers and Terry Thomas spring to mind.

I haven't seen it for a good few years now, but will watch it if it comes on again.

I also think 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' has to rank amongst one of the comedy greats too - how did Alec Guinness manage to keep track of all those parts?

Another great comedy from yesteryear is the ST Trinian series...... with George Cole as Flash Harry, always loved those films as a child, but always wondered how those grubby, scruffy, pig tailed 13 year olds, who ran around waving hockey sticks above their heads, suddenly became voluptuos, gorgeous young ladies by the sixth form........ !!!

Enemy at the gates........ another film I havn`t seen......, I really am a novice compared to you 2 film buffs .......

Not actually a film, but a TV series I loved from the early 70`s....... Colditz....... I was only a teenager but remember it well, with a real star studded cast......... do either of you remember it?.... and another TV mini series I loved starring Trevor Eve as a suave charmer having an affair with the much younger daughter of his friends, right under the nose of his unsuspecting wife can`t for the life of me think of the name, think it was around late 80`s early 90s..... but was very good, definetly after his Shoestring fame, but before Waking the Dead.

EDIT..... just googled, it was called "A Sense of Guilt" and was on in 1990.

Nicky

Hi Nicky,

Yes I remember Colditz - the two cast members I recall are Anthony Valentine as Major Mohn (where did I drag that one up from?) and David McCallum as an airforce type (let's not get onto the Man from U.N.C.L.E. yet eh?) I can't remember many of the other actors in it though.

Does anyone remember the Ealing comedy "The Titfield Thunderbolt"? It had Stanley Holloway in it (Eliza Doolittle's father in My Fair Lady) and I think Sid James. A great yarn about a group of villagers who take over the local branch line when British Railways decide to close it down, and a competition with the local bus company ensues. I seem to remember someone runing a bar on it too ...

Hi Nicky and Edd, no don't recall seeing that film with Maximilian Shnell in it, but thought he played a good part all beit a small one in The Odessa File, got a feeling I've mentioned that one before...memory going! Yes enother good one 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad world, very funny, l loved Phil Silvers as the cunning Bilko!
Kind Hearts and Coronets...wonderful stuff.

St Trinians with Alistair Simm playing the headmistress! Actually Nicky I think your knowledge of films is just as good as mine, Edd is very good isn't he. I used to watch Secret Army on the telly and of course Allo Allo is a micky take of it I think isn't it? They showed it in Germany...do they have a sense of humour!!!

Have we mentioned Passport to Pimlico?

Trevor Eve was good in Shoestring, but didn't watch A Sense of Guilt.

Stanley Holloway used to do the monolouges didn't he..."When Albert Got Ate by The Lion" and "Oooh you do Look Queer!!!" I'm not that old but remember my nan talking about them! lol