In the Name of the King: The Last Mission [Blu-ray] [2013]

In the Name of the King III (Blu-ray Disc, 2014, Digital Copy) In the Name of the King III (Blu-ray Disc, 2014, Digital Copy) This item is Brand New – still shrink wrapped.

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life has never looked as classic when compared to the rest of the rag-tag troupe's catalogue, even though it includes some of their funniest moments -- which is why it's so refreshing that Universal has put the time and money into making this special edition DVD fit in perfectly next to Criterion's Life of Brian and Columbia/TriStar's Holy Grail definitive discs. With help from the remaining boys in the group, every step on the disc holds new surprises made especially for this release, most of which work, or are at least slightly amusing (the sight of the Python's doing their shtick now does seem a little forced at times). Technically, the film has never sounded better, with a brand-new remastered soundtrack sporting both Dolby Digital 5.1 and 5.1 DTS tracks. The 2.35:1 widescreen picture, however, not only could have used some cleaning, but there's blatant jagged video interlacing throughout the film (an annoying problem that will occur on many players that aren't brand new -- thankfully, Universal is offering a replacement disc if you call 1-800-433-4673). Extras on the first disc include a recently filmed prologue with Eric Idle spinning a little poetic yarn before you watch the flick, along with the chance to watch three infamous cut scenes in Terry Jones' director's cut (including another couple of gags with the tourist couple, a cheese skit which leads into the Zulu scene, and the infamous Martin Luther skit). Alongside the stellar audio tracks, you can find a Terry Gilliam/Terry Jones commentary, in which the two directors casually talk about the production and their surprisingly positive feelings looking back on it. Another track supplied is the completely Python-esque "Soundtrack for the Lonely: A Soundtrack for People Watching at Home Alone" audio option, which lets the viewer watch the film seemingly with another chap, who chimes in with his thoughts while dodging random phone calls in his living room. Disc two is where the real chicken gets cookin' -- kicking off with four more deleted scenes, including the three from the director's cut (though annoyingly enough, those are presented here with director's commentary that cannot be turned off). Big features abound, and the ball keeps on rolling with "The Meaning of Making the Meaning of Life" -- a new 50-minute documentary that tracks the film from its very beginnings to the opening at the Cannes Film Festival, featuring all of the remaining Pythons. Continuing the trend of new material comes the Education Tips section of the disc, where a fairly hilarious newly written and filmed clip awaits you, marking probably the best of what the boys have to offer these days. On the same note, the "Un Film de John Cleese" works on the same grand comic level, especially when knowing his very public history of ill regard toward the film. Sadly, not every new bit works, this time in the form of the sarcastic "Remastering a Masterpiece" featurette, which, along with the Virtual Reunion section, presents the least clever stylings of the remaining crew. As The Meaning of Life is basically a musical at it's heart, the "Song and Dance" clip delves deep into two of the more memorable music numbers in the film, with interviews from Jones, choreographer Arlene Phillips, and then-unknown dancer (and future Frasier star) Jane Leeves. More song-stuff awaits you in the Unsung Songs section, where you can listen to newly recorded alternate versions of a few of the tunes in the film. Trailers, TV spots, U.S. promotion, rejected ads, and the like are also there for you to discover, along with endless amounts of fish references that are capped off with the bizarre "What Fish Think" feature. With even more info locked in the DVD-ROM section, there's no doubt that this is the best The Meaning of Life will ever be treated on home video (save for the picture problem). It's a must for Python fans and should hopefully bring new light to a classic that's long awaited the spotlight.