Here’s a great video of a young, groovy Terry Gilliam explaining how he made one of his classic animated segments for Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Just watching him describe his process makes me laugh. The amount of painstaking effort each of his animated segments must have taken boggles my mind. Also of note, I used to think his particular way of speaking was a result of years of living in England, but watching this, it seems as if that’s how he’s always talked.
Bert Lahr - Casting the Cowardly Lion (via CliffmountPictures)
Here’s a short video about Bert Lahr’s casting in the Wizard of Oz. I picture him as an early precursor to someone like Jack Black or Will Ferrell. Perhaps not as vulgar, but the combination of high energy, intentional stupidity, and physical comedy is a common thread between all of them.
My favorite part of this video is the unbelievable clip from the 1931 film Flying High. First of all, $3,000 in 1930 money is just shy of $40,000 in today’s dollars, which is not insignificant, but certainly not enough to make someone “rich”. Secondly, how on earth does he contort his arm that way at 0:35 seconds? I’ve tried it. It’s not easy.
Groucho Marx - Capt Spalding’s Adventures in Africa (via moochcassidy202)
From the 1930 Marx Brothers’ film Animal Crackers. Groucho’s entire monologue is brilliant, but my favorite joke comes around 2:00 in when he’s talking about removing an elephant’s tusks.
This is my favorite Mr. Show sketch by a wide margin.
You are just the mother of all whores!
Seriously, no difference between this sketch and you fuckers who feel like you have the right to tell other people what to do with their lives.
Jerry Lewis demonstrates the Chamberlin (via MellotronMovie)
One of the earliest forms of a sample-based musical instrument. Chamberlins have tape loops playing inside them at all times, and when you press a key, a playback head touches against the tape and plays the sound. Very advanced stuff back then.
