The sublime side of life

Rating: 10/10 (11 June 2005)

I wish, like in 'Spinal Tap', there was a voting system here that went up to 11 for stuff like this.
I shamelessly admit I'm one of those sad, innumerable anoraks who knows every word of this film, and would readily bore the pants about it off anyone willing to listen. Still, I make no apologies, and you don't see people going around quoting French and Saunders, do you? If there is such a thing as a perfect film, this is it. Of course, it's all been said on here before, over and over, about how good this is, so I will aim for a slightly different approach.
To really appreciate the absolutely impeccable comic timing these men exude, watch the expression on Chapman's face a split second before he is 'thwown to the floor' a second time. There is a look of absolute incomprehension/fear/comic despair that I would love to have on a poster were one to exist. I would never tire of looking at it. Also, when Chapman starts saying "Thamson the Thadchuthees Thtrangler' etc to the restive crowd at the end, they know EXACTLY when to make them start laughing. Listen to it, it's EXACTLY right. Awesome.
Of course, the script itself is faultless, but I'm not one of those blind Python acolytes who says everything they ever did worked or stood the test of time; the 'Lumberjack Song' certainly doesn't stand repeated listening, and now sounds cringe worthy if people sing it in homage. I thought that when Palin did it in Himalaya recently; he sounded almost embarrassed by it.
But enough nit picking. When you do comedy, at this sort of prodigious rate, it won't all work. To me, the only bit I didn't really like was the Spaceship section, but this is redeemed by the three word response uttered by the chap who sees Brian walk away unscathed. So much of it does work, it's beyond criticism.
Sublime, and if you haven't seen it, you've settled for second best without knowing it.