So this is the before (top) and after (bottom). I'm sorry about the camera in the bottom photo. I don't trust anyone except myself to photograph me. Scratch that. I don't trust anyone except myself to photograph me WELL. And the only way is a mirror.
I thought I'd do them together to try and figure out how much of a difference 350 bucks made. And I realise that despite all my cribbing (see previous post), it's not all that bad.
I also managed to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail yesterday. I'd wanted to watch this movie for a long time. It's no. 68 on the IMDb Top 250, with a score of 8.5/10. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 94%. But I wasn't too sure if I should. I thought it would have a lot of pop culture references, which is fine by me, if the movie is recent. This one, however, is a 1975 release. So I didn't think I would understand most of those references.
I shouldn't have worried. Its humor does not derive from contemporary people/phenomena, but is more universal in its flavor, and I'm sure will appeal to anyone. It is definitely a great movie, I would have given it a 5/5.
Now for the movie itself. It is loosely based on King Arthur's search for the Holy Grail, set in medieval (?) England. It was written, directed and pretty much wholely executed by the Monty Python group. For anyone who is not familiar with what exactly Monty Python is, it was a renowned British sketch comedy group, consisting of stalwarts like John Cleese (of Fawlty Towers fame) and Terry Gilliam. They are perfect examples of the stereotypical British comedy, like BlackAdder, the old sitcom starring the likes of Rowan Atkinson (or Mr. Bean, as most people here in India know him) and Stephen Fry. Another good and very recent John Cleese movie is Rat Race. I watched it until my sides split from laughing too hard. It's what Bollywood calls a multistarrer: Seth Green, Cuba Gooding Jr., Rowan Atkinson, Breckin Meyer, Amy Smart, Whoopi Goldberg, the guy who plays Newman in Seinfeld, and loads more I can't remember.
But I digress (You've prolly realised by now that I'm very easily distracted, so my blog posts will always tread a rather circuitous path). Coming back to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, its tagline goes, "And now! At Last! Another film completely different from some of the other films which aren't quite the same as this one is."
Excerpts:
Minstrels: Bravely bold Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot. He was not afraid to die, oh brave Sir Robin. He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways, brave Sir Robin. He was not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp, or to have his eyes gouged out, and his elbows broken. To have his kneecaps split, and his body burned away, and his limbs all hacked and mangled, brave Sir Robin. His head smashed in and heart cut out, and his liver removed, and his bowels unplugged, and his nostrils raped and his bottom burned off and his penis...
Sir Robin: That's, uh, that's enough music for now, lads.
Frenchman guarding the castle: You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs. Go and boil your bottoms, sons of a silly person! I blow my nose at you, so-called Ar-thoor Keeng, you and all your silly English K-n-n-iggits!
Sir Galahad: What a strange person.
King Arthur: Now, look here, my good man-
Frenchman: I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal food trough water! I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries! Now leave before I am forced to taunt you a second time!
I would recommend it to anybody who has a bit of time on their hands. And now I shall take your leave. Until we meet again.