Away from It All (1979) User Reviews

Brilliant stuff, but unfortunately any description is a spoiler!

[Manzzell · 8/10 · 3 July 2020]

The Astor Cinema in Perth, Western Australia ran "Life of Brian" for something like twelve months. As a 15 year old lad who loved irreverent humour, I think I paid my entry fee (five dollars back in the good old days) about ten times.

This was back in the era when a cinema's main feature was preceded by some boring documentaries about wine making, formula one cars and some French street performer who trained acrobatic cats (no, that is not an exaggeration)!

So, I sat back before "Life of Brian" ready to have my mind numbed by yet another doco named "Away From It All" about all the wonderful sights to see in places I was never likely to go to. However, as things progressed, it started becoming more and more sarcastic and that was when I recognised the dulcet tones of John Cleese as the narrator. As he continued it became clear that he hated these time-fillers just as much as the audience did to the point where it ended with the inevitable climax.

After my first viewing, I looked forward to watching, re-watching and re-re-watching "Away From It All" as much as "Life of Brian". To this day I find it incomplete to watch one without the other. Fortunately, YouTube has saved the day yet again!

After more than 20 years it still brings a smile to my face.

[pgmaier · 10/10 · 18 December 2001]

I, too, saw this prelude to "The Life Of Brian". I was completely taken in by its stereotypical, travelogue start and slowly consumed by its decay into convulsively funny chaos.

If anyone can discover who currently owns the copyright, we may have a chance of finding a source so we can enjoy it again. I wish us all well in this search for this holy grail.

Brilliant!

[didi-5 · 21 July 2011]

As 'Away From It All' starts, we think we are going to be watching an ordinary travelogue - only the fact that John Cleese is doing the voice-over gives us pause and the thought that this might be something other than 'welcome to Rome ...'.

Slowly we hear sarcasm moving in, then complete and utter anarchy, hysteria, and finally ...

Wonderful stuff which has been rarely seen since it accompanied 'Life of Brian' in cinema screenings. Although it currently languishes in copyright hell, which means a DVD release as a special feature would be unlikely, it is now easily available online.

Do watch it if you are in any way a Cleese or Python fan.

Dead on parody

[Wearysloth · 10/10 · 19 July 2006]

Dead-on parody of the appallingly deadly dull travelogue short films that invariably accompanied the main feature in UK cinemas. Starts off 100% convincingly with stock shots of exotic locations while the narrator waffles on about where in the World one can find peace and tranquility. About the time that the narrator notes "these happy, smiling, dancing peasants would quite happily attach electrodes to your genitalia" - the light dawns - Cleese is the narrator! The narration becomes increasingly desperate in the same manner as the Pythonized BBC idents that ended their TV show The final observation on gondolas brought the house down as I recall. Indeed, where can one find this brilliant short?

why hasn't this gem see the light of day on DVD?

[a-bark · 10/10 · 27 July 2006]

I will never forget watching this super little film playing with Monty Python's Life of Brian at a packed screening at Shefield's ABC cinema (how sad this massive old cinema was demolished). This loving recreated travelogue with a brilliant twist was the perfect warm up for the python's finest hour and the memory of all those people crying with laughter has stayed with me. why it has not been added as an extra on a Life of Brian DVD i have no idea. It was shown along with a number of Terry Gilliam Christmas Card inspired cartoons involving cowboys chasing the three wise men. I really hate to say this but in those good old days you got value for money in British cinemas.

Video Found!!!!

[garywally · 28 February 2007]

I looked everywhere for this.

Took a couple of years to find.

Took another search today Finally found it! Google Video has the travelogue.

Search 'Travelogue Away from it all' and you should find it recommended by parents of all people.

Found it to be very funny indeed. If you love Monty Python you'll no doubt love this. As mentioned by someone else, this would have been classic to see in the cinema. Heres hoping it makes an appearance one day on DVD

Lost Python brilliance

[pete3194 · 9/10 · 5 November 2016]

Now viewable on YouTube. Terry Jones seemed unaware almost of the existence of this film when asked in 2001 about its possible future inclusion as a Brian DVD extra. It would seem apparent that copyright clearances on the (most likely public domain) footage are the stumbling block to a legit release. A great shame, as its stature in Python lore is legendary, and almost everyone of a certain age who was there when it hit the cinemas will smile wryly if not guffaw loudly at the very mention of gondolas. The brilliant subtlety of the writing struck me as the unmistakable calling card of Chapman, so I'm surprised to see a Cleese/Taylor credit, but quite possibly the Cleese/Chapman partnership had dried up by then... despite Graham drying out.

Travelog turns hilarious

[peterjb1 · 10/10 · 12 June 2001]

What started as a travelog accompanying "The Life Of Brian" turns out to be a hilarious spoof. Voice-over is by John Cleese. I've looked everywhere for a copy on tape or disc, but with no luck. If you know of the whereabouts of a copy please let me know.