Dropped by my friendly neighbourhood FutureShop this evening just to see what I could see. As I was browsing the new releases section, something caught my eye: MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN! Now, I knew that the Special Edition DVD of MEANING OF LIFE will be released in September, but I hadn't heard anything about a re-release of this Python classic. I went to update my DVDaficionado listing but it wasn't there. Neither was it listed at Amazon.com. (It's at the FutureShop website but has the Criterion graphic.) Now as for the DVD itself, it's not listed as a special edition or collector's edition of any sort. The special features include a documentary ("The Pythons") and bonus trailers. It's copyrighted 2003 by Sony Pictures (oh, and SonyPictures.com has nothing listed about this DVD either) and is presented in anamorphic widescreen. I'm guessing this is just a re-release of the original OOP DVD from a few years back and Sony's just cashing in on next month's Python frenzy. So, to make a short story long, has anyone else seen this DVD at their favourite store?

If I'm not mistaken, the Best Buy I work at has both the regular version and the Criterion Collection one. I looked at the back of the regular one, but didn't notice any special features. Also didn't notice a copyright for 2003. I'll check again tomorrow while I'm working.

K

Criterion is definitely the way to go with this one.

I've since watched the DVD and I like it. It opens with a silly Terry Gilliam-esque animated menu, not unlike Holy Grail's SE. (I say Gilliam-esque because I don't know if he actually animated it.) The documentary appears to be the one included on the Criterion disc, running at about 50 minutes and is very good. It doesn't have Criterion's commentary tracks or deleted scenes though. The cover art is almost identical to the Criterion edition, minus the black "Criterion Collection" title bar at the top but includes the tagline, "Just when you thought you were saved..." So there you have it. Better than the Anchor Bay edition, but not quite as frilly as the Criterion one. Still, I bought it at a sweet price so take that, big nose!

I'm curious... was this a R2 release? I noticed you spelled some words British-esque rather than American. (favourite = favorite)

Let me fire the first salvo, is Criterion Life of Brian OOP?

I'm in Canada, where we have a plethora of leftover vowels to use in our words. Someone has to use them or we'll lose them forever.

According to the packaging, it's a US pressing but maybe it's a Canadian-only edition? It's now listed over at Amazon.ca but not Amazon.com.

NO.

I had no trouble finding a copy just last week.
The Criterion and Anchor Bay releases have peacefully co-existed for years, and that's unlikely to change.

Of course... Criterion is the way to go with just about *any* title they publish! But is there anything wrong with the Anchor Bay release? I just did a search and didn't find much on the subject. Mainly "what's your favourite Criterion commentary?" type threads

I ask because Target has Life of Brian for $9.44, which is a pretty good deal. It's definately NOT the Criterion, so I assume it's the Anchor Bay version. I'll have to look next time I'm there. I was not aware there was another release besides these two. They are the only two that show up on DVDpricesearch and DVDaficionado.


zeek

I know Borders carries this title, for the low low price of $40.99.

Oddly enough, at such a reasonable price, it doesn't seem to be flying off the shelves.

Wow, I thought I got hosed buying this at Best Buy for 32.99. Oh the days when I'd pay over 20 bucks for a disc. This was the 4th DVD I ever owned, and was one of the reasons I bought a player(also got Easy Rider on the same trip for 22.99).

honest to god, i don't know how any of those bookstores sell dvds. I just don't.

The Anchor Bay release is not anamorphic.

I bought the plain one for 3 bucks.

hahahahaha!

Just an FYI, DVDaficionado now has this title catalogued. The studio is listed as "Columbia Tri-Star - Canada." So there you have it, mystery solved, blessed are the cheesemakers.

'I'm glad they're getting something, they have such a hard time of it.'

Beauty.

I've noticed that the Criterion version has gone up in price about $10 since I got mine a couple years ago. I paid $29.99 at Borders (which was also the price at Best Buy) and now its $39.99 at Best Buy.

I went ahead and got the Anchor Bay release at Target... I don't know if the Criterion is any better in this respect- but the audio is horrible! It's very muddy and difficult to understand what the characters are saying... and this is on TOP of the fact that they're British and say things I don't understand anyway!


zeek

The Anchor Bay release looks just like my old VHS copy. Really. At least it has chapter stops, so that's a plus.

I don't know what the Criterion looks like, but it was a low budget movie to begin with.

The problem is they have these DVDs, then they have tons of others at very reasonable, sometimes better than Best Buy prices. There's no consistency, so you just have to shop around.

I am not picking it up until the 2 disc SE comes out... if ever.