One of my favourite scenes of all time is during The Cycling Tour when Palin is lined up in front of a firing squad and they all miss. God knows how much tickets will be for this, if many go on public sale after media, corporate stuff and the like.
I am 33, so not sure if I would class as an 'oldie', but I grew up watching this on TV. The funniest joke in the world sticks with me - when it got translated into German as the secret weapon to win WW2. A joke so funny that nobody could read it without laughing themselves to death. So stupid, nonsensical, yet I find it so funny.
One of the finest comedy acts ever! They even predicted that a Scotsman would win Wimbledon, albeit against a blancmange! I look forward to hearing more about the reunion!
Suprised at this - it wasn't long ago that Eric Idle deleted John Cleeses (recorded) contribution to Spamalot so he wouldn't have to keep "paying him millions for doing nothing". Cleese was bleating on about how terrible it was, he said had to keep working as his last divorce cost him half his fortune (12.5 million squids). Now I'm not an expert, but maybe he could just scrape by on whats left?
Must admit Cleese is a very funny man but I'd hate to be stuck in a lift with him.
They weren’t afraid to push the boundaries, and consequently some sketches were more successful than others. I think the less successful stuff put some people off, but if you look for the genius, you’ll definitely find it in their work. My personal favourites are the argument clinic, the funniest joke in the world and the mountaineering expedition, but all fans will have theirs.
Michael Palin and Terry Jones have just re-filmed lost material from their 1969 sketch show The Complete And Utter History Of Britain.
The Monty Python stars filmed scenes in a studio to help make a forthcoming Blu-ray and DVD release of the comedy more complete.
The Complete And Utter History Of Britain, written by Palin and Jones for broadcast on ITV in 1969, is notable in that it was one of a handful of series that helped form the template for Monty Python's Flying Circus.
The format was presented in documentary style, and purported to show viewers footage from the past. The historical-themed sketches included William the Conqueror engaging in post-battle analysis, Samuel Pepys presenting a TV chat show, Richard the Lionheart relating his exploits in the Crusades in the manner of a laddish holidaymaker and an estate agent trying to sell Stonehenge.
A six-part series, covering almost the entirety of British history in chronological order, was broadcast by London Weekend Television, however, as was the case with many programmes of the time, the expensive master video tapes were later wiped so they could be re-used.
For many years almost the entire series was believed to have been lost. Jones had always kept the location-filmed sketches, on their original film elements, in his own private collection, but the other completed episodes, recorded in front of a studio audience, were believed wiped. However, in recent years a home-recording of the second episode has been discovered.
Two alternate versions of the first episode were also discovered. The series had been written and filmed as seven episodes, but LWT bosses insisted on editing highlights from the first two programmes into one single episode, making the series 6 editions in length. Director Maurice Murphy was so incensed by this bastardisation that he personally kept copies of both original episodes.
Network DVD, who are currently putting together a release of the surviving material, have revealed that they have collaborated with Palin and Jones to re-film lost links. The comedy actors, dressed in suits, worked with the original scripts to re-create the linking scenes between sketches.
Originally intending to release a standard DVD of all surviving material, Network founder Tim Beddows explained in a blog post: "After reviewing the assets we did have to play with, we decided to massively improve the release and have ourselves some fun in the process.
The Complete And Utter History Of Britain. Michael Palin. Image credit: Network DVD."Despite the loss of a number of complete episodes, Terry Jones had the foresight in 1969 to retain the film insert sketches that would have formed part of the now-missing episodes. Apart from the odd BFI screening, these sketches haven't been seen since broadcast, criminally so because they are as funny as the best Python shows that soon followed."
After beginning restoration of the Jones's film footage to modern high definition standard, it became clear to Network that additional work would be needed to make the episodes watchable. Beddows explains: "It became apparent that [the filmed sketches] would need some (actually, a lot) of additional work. Firstly, they were originally played in live in front of a studio audience and that process also included cueing in sound effects and music that are no longer part of the soundtrack accompanying the film we have. Without them some of the jokes just don't work.
"Then there was the problem of a lack of continuity. Funny as these sketches are, taken out of the context of the original programmes of which they were part, in isolation they come across as a series of unconnected bits of pieces that, presented together, could be mistaken for a lost Python show. As great a prospect as that might be, that's not we set out to achieve."
The producers soon decided the best way to preserve the lost, chronological documentary style was to re-film some of the original linking segments: "Luckily, as well as the film material, Terry kept all the original scripts in various forms and, after referring to them, we realised that we could do some reconstruction work by extracting the pieces of narration that prefaced the sketches in the original shows.
"And so last Friday we headed down to the studio with Michael and Terry to film some new old linking material that will ultimately bind the feature together. Better still there is a recreation of a sketch that was completely superfluous to this project and some entirely new material as a conclusion."
The Complete And Utter History Of Britain. Image credit: Network DVD.Work is on-going to finish restoration on the programme, with a currently planned release date of Monday 31st March 2014. You can pre-order the DVD now.
Network DVD also revealed today that they have plans to bring out a Blu-ray edition too, saying: "We've now decided that the quality of the restoration of both the film material and new material warrants a Blu-ray release, something we never envisaged when we started out."
Details of the Blu-ray release and pre-order information are expected to be revealed later this year.
Further but un-related news related to the Monty Python group is expected on Thursday. Eric Idle, who has flown into the UK, cryptically posted on his Twitter account: "All will be revealed next Thursday 21st. Python fans should stay tuned", adding "I will tweet the big news the minute I am able. 21st 12 noon. Press Conference in UK. All good."
John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin will all appear in the new production.
Full details are officially due to be announced at a press conference set for Thursday lunchtime, however Jones confirmed to the BBC today: "We're getting together and putting on a show - it's real."
He added: "I'm quite excited about it. I hope it makes us a lot of money. I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!"
Speculation that the group were due to announce a major and significant new project has been rife since Idle tweeted that a Python-related announcement was set for Thursday. In his latest update today, he tweeted: "Python meeting this morning. Can't wait. Press Conference Thursday will apparently be live on Sky News. I'll get you the online URL."
This will be the group's first major comedy project since the 1983 film Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life. It is highly significant news, as Monty Python are widely regarded worldwide as amongst British comedy's most talented and influential comedians, both individually and collectively.
The 1969 - 1974 TV sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus effectively waved in a new era of sketch comedy, and all the members of the group have created and starred in a number of notable British comedy productions individually. Monty Python's Life Of Brian, the troupe's controversial 1979 film, regularly appears at the top of lists counting down the funniest films ever made.
Graham Chapman, the sixth member of the comedy troupe, died in 1989. The last time the five remaining members of the iconic comedy group performed together was in 1998 at the Aspen Comedy Festival, at which they accidentally spilled the 'ashes' of Chapman over the stage.
However, since then Cleese, Gilliam, Idle, Jones and Palin have publicly met a number of times for promotional reasons. Most recently, earlier this year they took part in The Meaning Of Monty Python, a TV broadcast discussion to mark the 30th anniversary of The Meaning Of Life. However, in this case Idle was appearing via video link.
As reported by the BCG on Saturday, Michael Palin and Terry Jones have been working together again in recent weeks to film new scenes for a DVD release of their 1969 sketch show The Complete And Utter History Of Britain.
The press conference on Thursday will take place at the venue where Monty Python's Spamalot is currently running, leading to speculation the new show will also be performed at The Palace Theatre in London's West End.
Spamalot, which is based on the group's 1974 film Monty Python And The Holy Grail has been a huge hit, but does not star the Pythons themselves. Launched in 2005, the stage format has made tens of millions around the world.
The stage show, devised by Idle, has proved controversial however. Earlier this year the original film's producer, Mork Forstater, won a High Court case in regards to the royalty rights to the production.
Always had great admiration for Eric Idle as writer, performer and entrepreneur. Cleese, I'm afraid, increasingly comes across as a rather bitter old man whose just not funny anymore.
MPFS was/is a tremendous series, unique and yet to be bettered for satirical and innovative humour .. all parts gelled .. the Oxbridge clever boys and Terry Gilliam's incredible Heath Robinson like cartoons .. I would think that seeing them live now would be an anti-climax, one for nostalgia buffs only .. I have many of the shows on DVD .. they'll do for me
Always had great admiration for Eric Idle as writer, performer and entrepreneur. Cleese, I'm afraid, increasingly comes across as a rather bitter old man whose just not funny anymore.
But Fawlty towers will always be the best comedy ever so don't be too hard on him!
Fawlty Towers is excellent, but A Fish Called Wanda is a really funny film too, I seem to recall John Cleese was (one of?) the writer(s) in addition to starring. Admittedly he has gone downhill and not many of the Pythons are still doing any comedy, but they were trail blazers back in the day. Spamalot is excellent also, though only Eric Idle was directly involved in creating it I think.
I like Cleese. He's become a spokesman for lemur conservation, in fact he's done so much for them there's a woolly lemur named after him. There was a great show made with him over there 10-15 years ago with some nice humour. Sadly they need a lot more than him to survive.
Comments
Must admit Cleese is a very funny man but I'd hate to be stuck in a lift with him.
Next question?
http://www.minderella.com/words/cheeseshop.htm
Often regarded as the Beatles of comedy, they have enough in their back catalogue to need to try and be funny again.
As I have said before here on some music threads, everyone has an finite amount of creative output.
However, having said all that, I'll try and get tickets I'm sure.
Michael Palin and Terry Jones have just re-filmed lost material from their 1969 sketch show The Complete And Utter History Of Britain.
The Monty Python stars filmed scenes in a studio to help make a forthcoming Blu-ray and DVD release of the comedy more complete.
The Complete And Utter History Of Britain, written by Palin and Jones for broadcast on ITV in 1969, is notable in that it was one of a handful of series that helped form the template for Monty Python's Flying Circus.
The format was presented in documentary style, and purported to show viewers footage from the past. The historical-themed sketches included William the Conqueror engaging in post-battle analysis, Samuel Pepys presenting a TV chat show, Richard the Lionheart relating his exploits in the Crusades in the manner of a laddish holidaymaker and an estate agent trying to sell Stonehenge.
A six-part series, covering almost the entirety of British history in chronological order, was broadcast by London Weekend Television, however, as was the case with many programmes of the time, the expensive master video tapes were later wiped so they could be re-used.
For many years almost the entire series was believed to have been lost. Jones had always kept the location-filmed sketches, on their original film elements, in his own private collection, but the other completed episodes, recorded in front of a studio audience, were believed wiped. However, in recent years a home-recording of the second episode has been discovered.
Two alternate versions of the first episode were also discovered. The series had been written and filmed as seven episodes, but LWT bosses insisted on editing highlights from the first two programmes into one single episode, making the series 6 editions in length. Director Maurice Murphy was so incensed by this bastardisation that he personally kept copies of both original episodes.
Network DVD, who are currently putting together a release of the surviving material, have revealed that they have collaborated with Palin and Jones to re-film lost links. The comedy actors, dressed in suits, worked with the original scripts to re-create the linking scenes between sketches.
Originally intending to release a standard DVD of all surviving material, Network founder Tim Beddows explained in a blog post: "After reviewing the assets we did have to play with, we decided to massively improve the release and have ourselves some fun in the process.
The Complete And Utter History Of Britain. Michael Palin. Image credit: Network DVD."Despite the loss of a number of complete episodes, Terry Jones had the foresight in 1969 to retain the film insert sketches that would have formed part of the now-missing episodes. Apart from the odd BFI screening, these sketches haven't been seen since broadcast, criminally so because they are as funny as the best Python shows that soon followed."
After beginning restoration of the Jones's film footage to modern high definition standard, it became clear to Network that additional work would be needed to make the episodes watchable. Beddows explains: "It became apparent that [the filmed sketches] would need some (actually, a lot) of additional work. Firstly, they were originally played in live in front of a studio audience and that process also included cueing in sound effects and music that are no longer part of the soundtrack accompanying the film we have. Without them some of the jokes just don't work.
"Then there was the problem of a lack of continuity. Funny as these sketches are, taken out of the context of the original programmes of which they were part, in isolation they come across as a series of unconnected bits of pieces that, presented together, could be mistaken for a lost Python show. As great a prospect as that might be, that's not we set out to achieve."
The producers soon decided the best way to preserve the lost, chronological documentary style was to re-film some of the original linking segments: "Luckily, as well as the film material, Terry kept all the original scripts in various forms and, after referring to them, we realised that we could do some reconstruction work by extracting the pieces of narration that prefaced the sketches in the original shows.
"And so last Friday we headed down to the studio with Michael and Terry to film some new old linking material that will ultimately bind the feature together. Better still there is a recreation of a sketch that was completely superfluous to this project and some entirely new material as a conclusion."
The Complete And Utter History Of Britain. Image credit: Network DVD.Work is on-going to finish restoration on the programme, with a currently planned release date of Monday 31st March 2014. You can pre-order the DVD now.
Network DVD also revealed today that they have plans to bring out a Blu-ray edition too, saying: "We've now decided that the quality of the restoration of both the film material and new material warrants a Blu-ray release, something we never envisaged when we started out."
Details of the Blu-ray release and pre-order information are expected to be revealed later this year.
Further but un-related news related to the Monty Python group is expected on Thursday. Eric Idle, who has flown into the UK, cryptically posted on his Twitter account: "All will be revealed next Thursday 21st. Python fans should stay tuned", adding "I will tweet the big news the minute I am able. 21st 12 noon. Press Conference in UK. All good."
John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin will all appear in the new production.
Full details are officially due to be announced at a press conference set for Thursday lunchtime, however Jones confirmed to the BBC today: "We're getting together and putting on a show - it's real."
He added: "I'm quite excited about it. I hope it makes us a lot of money. I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!"
Speculation that the group were due to announce a major and significant new project has been rife since Idle tweeted that a Python-related announcement was set for Thursday. In his latest update today, he tweeted: "Python meeting this morning. Can't wait. Press Conference Thursday will apparently be live on Sky News. I'll get you the online URL."
This will be the group's first major comedy project since the 1983 film Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life. It is highly significant news, as Monty Python are widely regarded worldwide as amongst British comedy's most talented and influential comedians, both individually and collectively.
The 1969 - 1974 TV sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus effectively waved in a new era of sketch comedy, and all the members of the group have created and starred in a number of notable British comedy productions individually. Monty Python's Life Of Brian, the troupe's controversial 1979 film, regularly appears at the top of lists counting down the funniest films ever made.
Graham Chapman, the sixth member of the comedy troupe, died in 1989. The last time the five remaining members of the iconic comedy group performed together was in 1998 at the Aspen Comedy Festival, at which they accidentally spilled the 'ashes' of Chapman over the stage.
However, since then Cleese, Gilliam, Idle, Jones and Palin have publicly met a number of times for promotional reasons. Most recently, earlier this year they took part in The Meaning Of Monty Python, a TV broadcast discussion to mark the 30th anniversary of The Meaning Of Life. However, in this case Idle was appearing via video link.
As reported by the BCG on Saturday, Michael Palin and Terry Jones have been working together again in recent weeks to film new scenes for a DVD release of their 1969 sketch show The Complete And Utter History Of Britain.
The press conference on Thursday will take place at the venue where Monty Python's Spamalot is currently running, leading to speculation the new show will also be performed at The Palace Theatre in London's West End.
Spamalot, which is based on the group's 1974 film Monty Python And The Holy Grail has been a huge hit, but does not star the Pythons themselves. Launched in 2005, the stage format has made tens of millions around the world.
The stage show, devised by Idle, has proved controversial however. Earlier this year the original film's producer, Mork Forstater, won a High Court case in regards to the royalty rights to the production.
Would love to see the Pythons live before I/they shuffle off my/their mortal coil.
Python worked because it took ordinary everyday situations and exagarated them into the ridiculous.
"And now for something completely different ......" It certainly was.
Massive influence on my generation.