Secret Policeman's Balls, DVD

Features

Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball? (2004) This feature-length documentary commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 1979 Amnesty show chronicles the history of the Secret Policeman's series; Ultra-rare comedy and music performances not featured in the original films; Rare promotional TV spots, trailers and news footage; Long-unavailable sequences from the original U.S. releases; Introductions and audio commentaries by series co-creator Martin Lewis

Full Product Details

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Secret Policeman's Balls
1. Playing For the Cameras [1:31]
2. A Poke In the Lens [1:54]
3. Sunday Morning Rehearsal [3:00]
4. Preparing For Court [2:50]
5. Funky Business [2:26]
6. Brushing Up Their Shakespeare [4:45]
7. On Sundays He Goes Rehearsing... [3:05]
8. A Very Interesting Fact [1:31]
9. With a Sharp Pick... [:21]
10. Less Moore - More Jones... [3:15]
11. Audience With a Housewife Superstar [3:38]
12. Ham and Parrot [:47]
13. April Fool's Night... [1:16]
14. Pet Shop [4:52]
15. T.E. Lawrence [2:52]
16. Spunk! [5:48]
17. Happy Darling? [1:03]
18. Miner [4:14]
19. Court Room [9:38]
20. The Audition [2:11]
21. Protest Song [3:16]
22. The Last Supper [4:12]
23. Funky Gibbon [2:35]
24. Telegram [4:28]
25. Mime Artist [2:11]
26. ASP [2:54]
27. The Japes Lecture [5:16]
28. Appeal [4:41]
29. So That's the Way You Like It [5:21]
30. Lumberjack Song [1:52]
31. Closing Credits [2:20]
1. Opening Titles [:57]
2. Interesting Facts [5:01]
3. Telegrams [2:32]
4. Pregnancy Test [1:11]
5. Pinball Wizard [3:01]
6. School Master [5:53]
7. Cheese Shop [5:48]
8. Cavatina [3:23]
9. Sansation Seekers! [7:54]
10. The Pianist [4:20]
11. The Name's the Game! [5:32]
12. Glad To Be Gay [4:22]
13. Entirely a Matter For You [7:31]
14. Four Yorkshiremen [4:05]
15. Won't Get Fooled Again [5:07]
16. The End of the World [5:04]
17. Closing Credits [1:02]
Disc #2 -- Secret Policeman's Balls
1. Opening Titles [1:49]
2. A Word of Thanks [3:10]
3. Beekeeping [4:45]
4. What's On In Stoke Newington [3:14]
5. Message In a Bottle [4:23]
6. Denis On the Menace [4:14]
7. Crass Shallow Humour [4:18]
8. In the Air Tonight [5:08]
9. Clothes Off! [3:38]
10. Farther Up the Road [4:20]
11. Had It Up To Here [3:07]
12. Catch the Wind [2:57]
13. Top of the Form [5:45]
14. President Reagan's Big One [2:42]
15. I Don't Like Mondays [4:40]
16. Men's Talk [7:53]
17. Card Dance [2:36]
18. The Conductor [4:01]
19. Drugs [6:04]
20. I Shall Be Released [5:09]
21. Closing Credits / Stop Those Credits [5:18]
1. Preamble [1:13]
2. Opening Titles [1:32]
3. Reagan & Thatcher [2:17]
4. Running Up That Hill [4:46]
5. Hedge Sketch [3:11]
6. Backstage 1 [1:08]
7. (I LOve It When You) Call Me Names [3:11]
8. Backstage 2 [1:13]
9. Lowdown Left-Handed Dirty Hound Dog [6:26]
10. Backstage 3 [1:43]
11. Wouldn't It Be Good? [4:48]
12. Salvador [3:13]
13. Backstage 4 [:23]
14. Motorway [5:11]
15. Save a Prayer [4:54]
16. The SIlver Dick Award [4:49]
17. I'll See You In My Dreams [3:31]
18. Imagine [2:40]
19. Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud [1:45]
20. This Is the World Calling [3:05]
21. Backstage 5 [:13]
22. An American In London [5:34]
23. Tell It To Your Heart [5:33]
24. Backstage 6 [:41]
25. Sex Jokes [7:14]
26. Biko [8:14]
Disc #3 -- Secret Policeman's Balls
1. Opening Titles [:42]
2. Pet Shop (1989 Version) [1:44]
3. Bad Jokes [4:05]
4. The Royal Family and the Poll Tax [2:12]
5. The Frog & Peach [5:46]
6. Amnesia International Song (Memories) [3:17]
7. TheArgument Clinic [4:29]
8. Trevor Nettleford [4:22]
9. Jazz Interlude [3:09]
10. William Tell [3:38]
11. Improvision [5:31]
12. The Last Supper [3:30]
13. Biggles Goes to See Bruce Springsteen [9:21]
14. Gorbachev, Bush & Thatcher [1:34]
15. Schoolboy Poetry [5:46]
16. Special Branch [4:36]
17. Crunchy Frog [3:44]
18. Stage Crew [:24]
19. Cavatina [2:12]
20. One Leg Too Few [3:41]
21. Sick Trigger [13:19]
22. Schoolgirl Contraception / I'm a Dancer [3:59]
23. Goodbye [2:02]

Scene Index

Editorial Reviews

The first of three films built around documentary footage of two Amnesty International fundraising concerts, The Secret Policeman's Ball was, like its companion films, directed by Roger Graef. While the subsequent Secret Policeman's Other Ball and The Secret Policeman's Private Parts were widely distributed in the US, the first film in the series has long been ignored. This may be because films Two and Three were highlighted by the antics of the Monty Python crew, performing several of their all-time best bits. Though Pythonites Michael Palin, John Cleese and (unbilled) Terry Jones participate in Secret Policeman's Ball, their antics take second place to those of several other prominent British comedians, of whom only Peter Cook was truly familiar to American filmgoers in 1980. If you happen to run across Secret Policeman's Ball, please give it a chance: in addition to showcasing the talents of comedienne Eleanor Bron and musician Pete Townsend, the film offers a tantalizing early glimpse of Black Adder and Mr. Bean star Rowan Atkinson. Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

More reviews and recommendations

Customer Reviews

Viewer Rating:
Ratings: 4Reviews: 2

Secret Policeman's Ballsby Anonymous

Reader Rating:
See Detailed Ratings

March 23, 2009: I love these concerts. The problem I found was with the second concert. I could not turn off the commentary and couldn't hear the show. The commentary is annoying. It is very frustrating!! I would guess this is a recording problem that probably occurs on all boxed sets so returning it would not help. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got Balls?by Dboneh

Reader Rating:
See Detailed Ratings

February 23, 2009: Nice collection, weak transfer to dvd, feels more like watching a bootleg, but still, some classic unforgetable performances from comedians and musicians. A must have for any Python fan!

All Movie Guide

The first of three films built around documentary footage of two Amnesty International fundraising concerts, The Secret Policeman's Ball was, like its companion films, directed by Roger Graef. While the subsequent Secret Policeman's Other Ball and The Secret Policeman's Private Parts were widely distributed in the US, the first film in the series has long been ignored. This may be because films Two and Three were highlighted by the antics of the Monty Python crew, performing several of their all-time best bits. Though Pythonites Michael Palin, John Cleese and (unbilled) Terry Jones participate in Secret Policeman's Ball, their antics take second place to those of several other prominent British comedians, of whom only Peter Cook was truly familiar to American filmgoers in 1980. If you happen to run across Secret Policeman's Ball, please give it a chance: in addition to showcasing the talents of comedienne Eleanor Bron and musician Pete Townsend, the film offers a tantalizing early glimpse of Black Adder and Mr. Bean star Rowan Atkinson. Hal Erickson

All Movie Guide

The highlights of two benefit concerts staged in support of Amnesty International are collected in this British performance film, which features ample helpings of both music and comedy. The members of the Monty Python comedy troupe serve as headliners, performing live variations on some of their most famous sketches. Additional humor is provided by such luminaries as Peter Cook, while the musical segments include performances by Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, and Sting, amongst others. While all of the performers deliver the goods, the film's overall effectiveness is unfortunately limited by the purely functional direction and often poor image quality. Judd Blaise

All Movie Guide

This 92-minute feature is the fifth in a series of annual concerts given to raise money for Amnesty International. The London Palladium is the setting for performances by such musical luminaries as Joan Armatrading, Jackson Browne, Kate Bush, Duran Duran, Mark Knopfler and Chet Atkins, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed and others. The voice of the secret policeman is provided by Bob Hoskins, with comedy performances from Emo Philips and John Cleese. Dan Pavlides

All Movie Guide

The British comedy troupe Monty Python performs their brand of silly humor at a charity benefit for Amnesty International in this Rhino Video release. Part of the Secret Policemen's Ball series of benefits, this 1988 production includes comic turns from the repertoire of Spam-glorifying Pythons: John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam. The early '70s British television series Monty Python's Flying Circus established the Pythons' popularity, and the group went on to star in movies, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), The Life of Brian (1979), Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982), and Monty Python's the Meaning of Life (1983). Peter Cook, Alan Bennett, and Barry Humphries also appear. Steve Blackburn

From the Producers

The Secret Policeman's Balls is the umbrella name encompassing a series of benefit shows staged in London to raise funds for Amnesty International. The series began with "A Poke in the Eye (with a Sharp Stick)" in 1976, coproduced by Monty Python veteran John Cleese and entertainment impresario Martin Lewis, and featuring British comedians of considerable repute, including alumni from the Python and Beyond the Fringe teams. The film of that production, Pleasure at Her Majesty's, makes its home video debut in this collection. Rounding out Disc 1 in this set is The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979), which gave the series its continuing identity and added songs performances by Pete Townshend ("We Won't Be Fooled Again") and Tom Robinson ("Glad to Be Gay") to the program mix. While these first two events were shot in 16mm, their success led to a full 35mm production for The Secret Policemen's Other Ball (1981), directed by Julien Temple, with an expanded musical lineup, including sets by Sting ("Message in a Bottle"), Phil Collins ("In the Air Tonight"), Eric Clapton ("Farther on up the Road"), and Bob Geldof ("I Don't Like Mondays"). It's paired here on Disc 2 with The Secret Policeman's Third Ball (1987), the first of these Amnesty benefits to equally balance the musical and comedy acts, in fact breaking up the four stage events into two nights each of music and comedy. The film wove performances from the four nights into a whole, including comedy from Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie, Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders, Robbie Coltrane, and the Spitting Image puppets, with the music stylings of Geldof, Jackson Browne, Joan Armatrading, and Peter Gabriel (who leads a lengthy "Biko" to close the show). The Secret Policemen's Biggest Ball (1989) returns to the series' roots as a comedy revue, with skits from Cleese and Michael Palin as well as Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, alongside turns from Fry & Laurie, French & Saunders, the Spitting Image puppets and others. The 75-minute documentary from Remember The Secret Policeman's Ball? closes out the third disc of this collection.

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UPC: 826663110302
Source: SHOUT FACTORY THEATR
Presentation: Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
Language: English
Time: 8:30:00
Sales Rank: 6,490

This set contains DVDs which may be available separately:

Pleasure at Her Majesty's
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Secret Policeman's Other Ball
Secret Policeman's Third Ball
Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball

Features:

Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball? (2004) This feature-length documentary commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 1979 Amnesty show chronicles the history of the Secret Policeman's series; Ultra-rare comedy and music performances not featured in the original films; Rare promotional TV spots, trailers and news footage; Long-unavailable sequences from the original U.S. releases; Introductions and audio commentaries by series co-creator Martin Lewis

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Secret Policeman's Balls
1. Playing For the Cameras [1:31]
2. A Poke In the Lens [1:54]
3. Sunday Morning Rehearsal [3:00]
4. Preparing For Court [2:50]
5. Funky Business [2:26]
6. Brushing Up Their Shakespeare [4:45]
7. On Sundays He Goes Rehearsing... [3:05]
8. A Very Interesting Fact [1:31]
9. With a Sharp Pick... [:21]
10. Less Moore - More Jones... [3:15]
11. Audience With a Housewife Superstar [3:38]
12. Ham and Parrot [:47]
13. April Fool's Night... [1:16]
14. Pet Shop [4:52]
15. T.E. Lawrence [2:52]
16. Spunk! [5:48]
17. Happy Darling? [1:03]
18. Miner [4:14]
19. Court Room [9:38]
20. The Audition [2:11]
21. Protest Song [3:16]
22. The Last Supper [4:12]
23. Funky Gibbon [2:35]
24. Telegram [4:28]
25. Mime Artist [2:11]
26. ASP [2:54]
27. The Japes Lecture [5:16]
28. Appeal [4:41]
29. So That's the Way You Like It [5:21]
30. Lumberjack Song [1:52]
31. Closing Credits [2:20]
1. Opening Titles [:57]
2. Interesting Facts [5:01]
3. Telegrams [2:32]
4. Pregnancy Test [1:11]
5. Pinball Wizard [3:01]
6. School Master [5:53]
7. Cheese Shop [5:48]
8. Cavatina [3:23]
9. Sansation Seekers! [7:54]
10. The Pianist [4:20]
11. The Name's the Game! [5:32]
12. Glad To Be Gay [4:22]
13. Entirely a Matter For You [7:31]
14. Four Yorkshiremen [4:05]
15. Won't Get Fooled Again [5:07]
16. The End of the World [5:04]
17. Closing Credits [1:02]
Disc #2 -- Secret Policeman's Balls
1. Opening Titles [1:49]
2. A Word of Thanks [3:10]
3. Beekeeping [4:45]
4. What's On In Stoke Newington [3:14]
5. Message In a Bottle [4:23]
6. Denis On the Menace [4:14]
7. Crass Shallow Humour [4:18]
8. In the Air Tonight [5:08]
9. Clothes Off! [3:38]
10. Farther Up the Road [4:20]
11. Had It Up To Here [3:07]
12. Catch the Wind [2:57]
13. Top of the Form [5:45]
14. President Reagan's Big One [2:42]
15. I Don't Like Mondays [4:40]
16. Men's Talk [7:53]
17. Card Dance [2:36]
18. The Conductor [4:01]
19. Drugs [6:04]
20. I Shall Be Released [5:09]
21. Closing Credits / Stop Those Credits [5:18]
1. Preamble [1:13]
2. Opening Titles [1:32]
3. Reagan & Thatcher [2:17]
4. Running Up That Hill [4:46]
5. Hedge Sketch [3:11]
6. Backstage 1 [1:08]
7. (I LOve It When You) Call Me Names [3:11]
8. Backstage 2 [1:13]
9. Lowdown Left-Handed Dirty Hound Dog [6:26]
10. Backstage 3 [1:43]
11. Wouldn't It Be Good? [4:48]
12. Salvador [3:13]
13. Backstage 4 [:23]
14. Motorway [5:11]
15. Save a Prayer [4:54]
16. The SIlver Dick Award [4:49]
17. I'll See You In My Dreams [3:31]
18. Imagine [2:40]
19. Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud [1:45]
20. This Is the World Calling [3:05]
21. Backstage 5 [:13]
22. An American In London [5:34]
23. Tell It To Your Heart [5:33]
24. Backstage 6 [:41]
25. Sex Jokes [7:14]
26. Biko [8:14]
Disc #3 -- Secret Policeman's Balls
1. Opening Titles [:42]
2. Pet Shop (1989 Version) [1:44]
3. Bad Jokes [4:05]
4. The Royal Family and the Poll Tax [2:12]
5. The Frog & Peach [5:46]
6. Amnesia International Song (Memories) [3:17]
7. TheArgument Clinic [4:29]
8. Trevor Nettleford [4:22]
9. Jazz Interlude [3:09]
10. William Tell [3:38]
11. Improvision [5:31]
12. The Last Supper [3:30]
13. Biggles Goes to See Bruce Springsteen [9:21]
14. Gorbachev, Bush & Thatcher [1:34]
15. Schoolboy Poetry [5:46]
16. Special Branch [4:36]
17. Crunchy Frog [3:44]
18. Stage Crew [:24]
19. Cavatina [2:12]
20. One Leg Too Few [3:41]
21. Sick Trigger [13:19]
22. Schoolgirl Contraception / I'm a Dancer [3:59]
23. Goodbye [2:02]

DVD MENU

Disc #1 -- Secret Policeman's Balls
Pleasure at Her Majesty's (1976)
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: On
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: Off
Pleasure at Her Majesty's (1976): Chapters
The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: On
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: Off
The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979): Chapters
Extras
   Play All
   "Bookshop" - John Cleese & Connie Booth
   "E.L. Wisty From Beyond the Veil" - Peter Cook
   "Words and Things" - John Cleese & Jonathan Miller
   "Drowned" - Pete Townshend - Performance Not Included In the Film
   "Damage Your Health?" - John Cleese, Peter Cook & Billy Connolly
   Pleasure at Her Majesty's Commentary
   The Secret Policeman's Ball Commentary
Disc #2 -- Secret Policeman's Balls
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1981)
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: On
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: Off
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1981): Chapters
The Secret Policeman's Third Ball (1987)
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: On
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: Off
The Secret Policeman's Third Ball (1987): Chapters
Extras
   Play All
   "Roxanne" - Sting - Performance In the Film (September 1981)
   "The Other Awards!" News Coverage of the World Premiere (March 1982)
   "Two Balls are Better Than One!" - Opening Sequence For the U.S. Version (May 1982)
   "The Oral Majority!" - Graham Chapman Movie Trailer For the U.S. Version (May 1982)
   "A Nation of Weirdos!" - Graham Chapman TV SPot For the U.S. Version (May 1982)
   "Ban the Ball!" - News Coverage of the Hollywood Release (July 1982)
   "Private Parts!" - Opening Sequence For the U.S. Only Sequel, "The Secret Policeman's Private Parts" (August 1983)
   Between the Balls
   The Secret Policeman's Other Ball Commentary
Disc #3 -- Secret Policeman's Balls
The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball (1989)
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: On
   Play With Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: Off
The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball (1989): Chapters
Extra: Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball (2004)
   Play WIth Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: On
   Play WIth Introductions and "After the Ball" Remarks: Off