The Meaning Of Life (1983)
Been quite a while (decades I think) since last watch, and as this differs from other Monty Python films consisting of a bunch of separate scetches (which are supposed to connect to the theme of the title), it's easy to forget much of it. Which I certainly had. My favourite MP movie will always be The Holy Grail, and then followed by Life Of Brian (which I really need to rewatch as well).
TMOL feels a slight more uneven to me, since the separate stories vary a bit in quality IMHO. Still a MP classic, and it was lots of fun to re-remember forgotten parts of it. One funny thing with MP is that most of the prominent female characters in their TV-scetches or movies, were always played by themselves (maybe not Cleese though?), and all of them had the talent to make those characters as hilarious as their male ones. Which we see plenty of here.
Telefon (1977)
I remember that poster as a kid and thought it was one of the most bad ass movie posters I've seen. Classic Bronson with a gun, and even the title had a gun in it (kinda like the Bond flicks). This must be an awesome action flick with Bronson kicking ass!. Now when I suddenly had the opportunity to finally watch it decades later, it turns out it's actually a cold war thriller with Russian sleeper agents involved, and Bronson plays a Russian Major (!). Who woulda thought lol?
The premise is quite interesting here, with Russia and USA cooperating to avoid nuclear war (what else?). Russian sleeper agents in the US, which once were installed ages ago suddenly gets activated for mysterious reasons. The title plays a part here as well. Of course Bronson has to solve this going to USA and cooperate with American contact Lee Remick.
It's fine I guess. I enjoyed this mostly as a cool 70s flick with the cold war as a backround. I thought Bronson was a bit uneven as a character here. They went for a bit grumpy Bronson and more cheerful Remick, but their chemistry felt shaky during the movie. I also expected more Donald Pleasance. But over all quite an enjoyable time piece flick.
It also made me question whatever happened to talented and stunning classic star Lee Remick, she seemed to disappear not long after this. Was it the typical Hollywood treatment for actresses passing 40, and there after being doomed to disappear or playing mothers or grandmothers to some damn lead role kids? Well, maybe. But it sadly also turned out she passed at only 55 due to cancer in early 90s. RIP Lee Remick 30+ years later, had no idea.