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Monkey! - Episodes 4-6 [1979]
![Monkey! - Episodes 4-6 [1979]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51W44EZ1D2L._SL160_.jpg)
The appeal of Monkey! is easier to experience than explain. It's an occasionally surreal blend of Oriental fable, knock-about martial arts, pop Buddhism and slapstick comedy. The frequent comic fight scenes are accompanied by a 70s disco-fusion soundtrack, and a narrator (English voice: Frank Duncan) uses gaps in the action to deliver inscrutable snippets of wisdom ("Even a starving camel is still bigger than a horse", "Does love mean labour even for the carp-hearted?"). Best of all, though, is the dialogue: without regard to any lip-synch niceties the English script (by David Weir) is full of idiomatic delights, jokes and double entendres. All are delivered by British actors in hilarious cod-Japanese accents (distinguished thesp Miriam Margolyes is the voice of Tripitaka). Bad special effects crown the show's cheesy, retro appeal. On the DVD: Monkey! volume 2 on DVD features the same three episodes as the VHS incarnation--"Monkey Swallows the Universe", "The Power of Youth" and "Even Monsters Can Be People"--but also a bonus previously unseen episode from the second season, "Pigsy Learns a Lesson", which is subtitled not dubbed, so if nothing else is an opportunity to hear the actors' real voices. Extra features are a stills gallery, text pieces on the principal cast, characters and episodes, Weblinks, trailers for The Water Margin and Blake's Seven and a pop-video version of the show's irrepressible main title song.--Mark Walker
RRP: £5.99
Our Price: £2.78 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
A loose (very loose) Japanese TV adaptation of Wu Ch'eng-en's 16th-century collection of Chinese fables, Monkey! was re-dubbed into English in the early 1980s and became required viewing for a whole generation of school children. The titular monkey (played with great enthusiasm, not to mention athleticism by Japanese comic actor and former rock star Masaaki Sakai) accompanies boy-monk Tripitaka (confusingly, a pretty actress called Masako Natsume) on his/her quest for the Indian Sutras. They pick up Sandy (Shiro Kishibe), Pigsy (Toshiyuki Nishida) and a dragon that becomes a horse along the way.
Monkey Episodes 4-6
Review date: 2002-10-11 Rating: 8 out of 10
I watched this series as a child and remember playing along to it at school - most of the kids would be doing the same, whilst singing the monkey theme tune (which still sounds great) and judo chopping one another.
Many tv shows that I thought were great as a child, end up being a great disappointment to watch as an adult. Not so with Monkey! The fights are still as much fun as they always were and to hear someone say "come on, you know I always like a fight" is refreshing to hear on tv. The soundtrack alone makes it worthwhile and if you can put up with the endearingly charming special effects and comic voice over, you'll love watching Monkey.
Similar Products
- Monkey! - Episodes 1-3 [1979]
- Monkey! - Episodes 7-9 [1980]
- Monkey! - Episodes 10-12 [1980]
- Monkey! - Episodes 13-15 [1980]
- Monkey! - Episodes 16-18 [1979]
Reviews
Still Magic
Review date: 2001-03-10 Rating: 10 out of 10
For those of a certain age, coming home from school to watch another episode of this cheesy Japanese fighting/religious/just plain daft product of the late 70's. Starting with one of the best title sequences ever, including the great signiture music Monkey really is funky.
There is so much that can be held against this program. The dubbing is like most dubbing, pretty bad. The special effects seem to have been made by the same people that completed them for Plan 9 from Outer Space and the fight sequences would not even grace the lowest of low budget kung fu movies.
BUT, it still holds that magic that made it essential viewing all those years ago. I'm not sure what that magic is, but like other great series like Flash Gordon with Buster Crabbe, it is the sum of it's parts that makes this great.
A special place is has been researved in my video collection for all of these when they realease all of them.
It is a shame though we still are only getting half of season two because at the time they did not dubb them all.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Toshiyukai Nishida
Masaaki Sakai
Shiro Kishibe
Masako Natsume
Creators:
Masaaki Sakai (Primary Contributor)
Toshiyukai Nishida (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Fremantle Home Entertainment
EAN: 5030697005373
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Dubbed, PAL,
Release date: 2002-04-29
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Running time: 168 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1979
Language: English (Dubbed)