The Monty Python comedy troupe are currently celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first broadcast of their 1969 BBC TV series Monty Python’s Flying Circus and tonight the surviving members — John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, and Michael Palin — reunited at the Ziegfeld Theatre in NYC. A video of the event is now online, which you can watch here below — and I suggest you do so! It’s great stuff, seeing the gang together again, talking about their experiences and creating the sketches for the show, basically just answering questions from the audience. Seriously, watch now!

Also, there’s two new clips online from the documentary Monty Python: Almost The Truth: The Lawyers Cut, a 3-disc DVD — due out on DVD and Blu-ray on October 27, 2009 — with new interviews with the fabulous British comedians as well as other celebrities, along with tons of clips from pre-Python material, the original Flying Circus TV series and the films. Watch the two clips here below: one of John Cleese talking about writing the “Cheese Shop,” the other of comedian Steve Coogan (Tropic Thunder) doing “The Undertaker” skit. From October 18-23, IFC will be airing the documentary in six parts, so you can catch it ahead of time (though the DVD will have more material in it) [...]

If you got the reference in the title, you’re awesome and we’re putting you right up on the fridge.

Many of us cool kids are children of the ’80s, and as such, one of the greatest forms of entertainment ever to be created, is the Muppets. The Muppets are a creation of the late genius Jim Henson, who built an army of funny and lovable puppet characters who appeared in a countless amount of TV shows, specials, movies, music videos, cartoons, and everything in between. As life moved on and new generations of kids showed up, the Muppets faded off slowly, but never completely disappeared, making delightful cameo appearances on shows and events from time to time. But now, thanks to the massive Disney D23 Expo, we’ve learned that the Muppets are coming back in a big way, and their ready to take over the world again!

Back in March of 2008, we learned that we would finally be getting a brand new Muppet movie, with Forgetting Sarah Marshall team Jason Segel and Nick Stoller joining the Jim Henson Company to write and direct a new movie. [...]

The boys of legendary comedy troupe Monty Python rarely get together anymore. Reunions have been rumored many times, but in the past ten-plus years, the group has only gathered together two times: once for a group interview in 1998, and a second time in 2002 for the George Harrison memorial.

Now The Independent is reporting that of the six-man group, four will reunite for a live stage show based on their very own Life of Brian called Not The Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy). Python members Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Terry Gilliam will appear in the show, while John Cleese can’t make it due to a scheduling conflict and of course Graham Chapman passed away in 1989.

The show, which will reference many classic sketches, stars Eric Idle, who also wrote it with John Du Prez. The rest of the Monty Python guys — including another Flying Circus regular Carol Cleveland with Neil Innes — will make appearances within the production. [...]

The Creature From the Black Lagoon is a 1954 film by Jack Arnold about an archeological expedition in the Amazon that finds a mysterious skeletal hand which appeared to have been webbed. This leads the expedition to find a creature that is half man, half fish, which they call the Gill-man. They try and capture the Gill-man, but he escapes and attacks many of the team members.

Creature is one of the classic horror movies from the days of old, and remains loved to this day, and because of this, Universal Studios Hollywood has decided to bring the Gill-man back to the spotlight. The revival will be in the form of a 25-minute musical stage show called Creature From The Black Lagoon – A Raging Rockin’ Show, in which audiences will be whisked away to the Amazon jungle for a tale of horror, romance, and even comedy.

Expect extravagant stagecraft with special effects, advanced puppetry, and acrobatic choreography, combined with a contemporary, original musical score — oh, yeah, and a massive 25-foot Creature on the stage — when this attraction arrives at the California theme park on July 1, 2009.

Click over to the other side to check out all the juicy details of this new attraction — the characters, songs, props, special effects, and much more! Be warned though, there’s lots of info, so don’t read too far down if you don’t want to be “spoiled” by knowing all about the stage show beforehand [...]

This is one of those news stories that can give you goosebumps. One of the greatest directors ever to live, to direct a movie about one of the greatest entertainers to ever walk the earth. Take that one in.

Nikki Finke has reported that Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to make the movie based on the life of Frank Sinatra with Martin Scorsese attached to direct. Universal obtained the rights from Mandalay Pictures with Phil Alden Robinson (writer/director of Field of Dreams, Sneakers) penning the script. The project was announced after the family of the icon known as Ol’ Blue Eyes — who passed away on this date eleven years ago — gave them permission. Within that permission, Frank’s daughter Tina Sinatra will also act as an executive producer.

A day after the news, with everyone wondering who could possibly fill the god-like shoes of Sinatra, Nikki Finke is hearing that the studio very much wants Johnny Depp to take on the role. Word is, Scorsese has always had his go-to-guy Leonardo DiCaprio in mind for the part, but because of Depp’s performance in Public Enemies, Universal is all about hanging on to him tightly. [...]

The large and lovably energetic actor of stage, screen, and television — Dom DeLuise has passed away at the age of 75. He died quietly in his sleep after a long battle with illness.

The very best thing about Dom DeLuise is that he was completely generational. He first showed up in the ’50s and by the ’60s, he was often a guest on Dean Martin’s legendary variety show and roasts. The ’70s saw his perfect chemistry with Mel Brooks’ style of movies skyrocket as he appeared in Blazing Saddles and Silent Movie — he also appeared in The Muppet Movie that decade. The ’80s were epic for Mr. DeLuise. He continued on his torrent pace of appearing in great movies and comedies like Smokey and the Bandit II, both Cannonball Run movies, History of the World: Part 1, Haunted Honeymoon, and Spaceballs. He also really shined as the perfect voice for animated feature films with work on The Secret of NIMH, An American Tale, Oliver & Company, and All Dogs Go to Heaven. [...]

Beatrice Arthur, who is best known for her work on the hit TV show The Golden Girls, has died at her home of cancer at the age of 86. This is the second Golden Girl that we’ve lost in a considerably short amount of time — Estelle Getty passed away back in July.

In her time as a Golden Girl, Arthur played the role of Dorothy, who was also the daughter of Getty’s character. The show ran an impressive 180 episodes long from 1985 to 1992. Arthur is also very well-known for her Maude character, which first showed up on All in the Family as Edith Bunker’s loud cousin. The character was so popular that a spin-off was created entitled Maude, which ran 141 episodes from 1972 to 1978.

At the start, Bea graced Broadway as an actress trained for the stage. She won a Tony for her part in Mame, a production also starring Angela Lansbury which was named Best Musical of 1966. She then appeared in a movie adaptation of the play, with Lucille Ball taking on the role that Lansbury played. She even appeared in Mel Brooks’ History of the World: Part 1.

Bea Arthur had a couple of jobs to warm all of our geek hearts, as well. In 1978, she appeared as Akmena in The Star Wars Holiday Special. And in one of her final performances, she played a Femputer on Futurama. [...]

After a few days in critical condition after a skiing accident, actress Natasha Richardson has died from her injuries at age 45.

Natasha Richardson shined as a Broadway actress, winning a Tony award for her work in a production of Cabaret in 1998. She was also in many feature films, including Nell, The Parent Trap, Maid in Manhattan, and The White Countess — where she starred alongside her Aunt, Lynn Redgrave, and her Mother, legendary Oscar-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave. She was married to actor Liam Neeson.

If you’re not familiar with what happened, this is one of the more sad and scary stories we’ve heard in a while. When the news first showed up, all we really knew was that she was in a skiing accident. Eventually, though, we learned that it was a lot more tragic than that. Richardson was out skiing with one of her sons and was actually on one of the beginner hills just learning the basics when she fell and hit her head. Word is that there was nothing serious about the fall and that she may have even laughed about it at the time. [...]

Watch the theatrical trailer for the Batman sequel now online!

The teen queen takes her little brother to see the musical adaptation of the Neil Gaiman children’s story and loves it!

F4, Indy 4, Jurassic 4, Barbarella, Jericho

Monty Python fans in London will attempt to break world record for world’s largest coconut orchestra.

The Stargate Universe gets the MMO treatment, Vista gets live gaming, Dell goes green (really), and more.

Blood, guts, gore, and laughter on Broadway! That’s our kind of musical.