Monty Python mediagraphy
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The Monty Python comedy troupe branched off into a variety of different media after the success of their sketch comedy television series, Monty Python's Flying Circus.
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[edit] Television
- Two 45-minute specials made by WDR for West German television. The first was recorded in German, while the second was in English with German dubbing.
[edit] Special programmes
- Monty Python Montreux Special 1971
- Euroshow 71 - May Day Special 1971
- The Pythons BBC Special 1979
- Parrot Sketch Not Included - 20 Years of Monty Python 1989
- Python Night on BBC2 - 30 Years of Monty Python 1999
[edit] Films
There were four Monty Python films:
- A collection of re-filmed sketches from the first and second series of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
- King Arthur and his knights embark on a low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering humorous obstacles along the way. Some of these turned into standalone sketches.
- Brian is born on the first Christmas, in the stable next to that of Jesus. He spends his life being mistaken for a messiah.
- An examination of the meaning of life in a series of sketches from conception to death and beyond, from the uniquely Python perspective.
In addition, a television film uniting Python and Saturday Night Live was made entitled All You Need Is Cash (aka The Rutles), and a documentary-style film was made of their live performances at the Hollywood Bowl in 1980, titled Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl.
[edit] Films with two or more Monty Python actors
Outside of the official Monty Python films, the six members of the Python team have worked together on numerous film projects.
| Year | Title | Graham Chapman | John Cleese | Terry Gilliam | Eric Idle | Terry Jones | Michael Palin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Statue | Yes (actor) | Yes (writer) | ||||
| 1977 | Jabberwocky | Yes (actor, director, writer) | Yes (actor) | Yes (actor) | |||
| 1978 | All You Need is Cash | Yes (director, writer, actor) | Yes (actor) | ||||
| 1981 | Time Bandits | Yes (actor) | Yes (director, writer) | Yes (actor, writer) | |||
| 1983 | Yellowbeard | Yes (actor, writer) | Yes (actor) | Yes (actor) | |||
| 1985 | Brazil | Yes director,writer | Yes actor | ||||
| 1988 | A Fish Called Wanda | Yes (actor, writer) | Yes (actor) | ||||
| 1988 | The Adventures of Baron Munchausen | Yes (director, writer) | Yes (actor) | ||||
| 1989 | Erik the Viking | Yes (actor) | Yes (actor, director, writer) | ||||
| 1993 | Splitting Heirs | Yes (actor) | Yes (actor, writer) | ||||
| 1996 | The Wind and the Willows | Yes (actor) | Yes (actor) | Yes (actor, director, writer) | Yes (actor) | ||
| 1997 | Fierce Creatures | Yes (actor, writer) | Yes (actor) | ||||
| 2007 | Shrek the Third | Yes actor | Yes actor |
[edit] Live shows
Python performed several live shows and tours. The following shows were recorded for public release:
- Monty Python Live at Drury Lane (1974): Released as an album.
- Monty Python Live at City Center (1976): Released as an album.
- Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982) A video record of the team's Hollywood Bowl concerts in 1980. Also incorporates some filmed inserts from the German specials.
- Monty Python's Flying Circus: Live at Aspen (1998) (featured on the 2-disc DVD entitled Monty Python Live!)
[edit] Musicals and Plays
- Written by Eric Idle, directed by Mike Nichols, with music and lyrics by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, and starring Hank Azaria, Tim Curry, and David Hyde Pierce, Spamalot is a musical adaptation of the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It ran in Chicago from December 21, 2004 to January 23, 2005. On June 5, 2005 the music won the Best Musical award at the 59th annual Tony Award Ceremony.
[edit] Books
The following books were published by Monty Python, mostly in large format:
- Monty Python's Big Red Book (1971) - Hardcover and paperback. Covers vary.
- The Brand New Monty Python Bok (1973) (Paperback edition issued as The Brand New Monty Python Papperbok)
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1977) (Original and shooting script, with Gilliam pictures, lobby cards, stills, correspondence and cost breakdown)
- The Life of Brian of Nazareth/Montypythonscrapbook (1979) (Film script plus a lot of extra material published back-to-back with it)
- The Life of Brian script book published separately as a standard paperback
- Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) (Film script with photos)
- Monty Python: Just the Words (1989) (Full transcripts of all 4 television series. Originally published in two volumes)
- The Complete Works of Shakespeare and Monty Python: Vol. 1 - Monty Python (1981) (a repackaging of both the Big Red Book and the Brand New Bok)
- The Fairly Incomplete & Rather Badly Illustrated Monty Python Songbook (1995) (by Terry Gilliam, Gary Marsh, John Hurst)
- A Pocketful of Python, picked by John Cleese (2000) (John Cleese's favorite moments from the Python films and TV series.)
- A Pocketful of Python, picked by Terry Gilliam (2001) (Terry Gilliam's favorite Python moments.)
- A Pocketful of Python, picked by Michael Palin (2001) (Michael Palin's favorite Python moments.)
- A Pocketful of Python, hand-picked by Eric Idle (2002) (Eric Idle's favorite Python moments.)
- The Pythons(2005) (An oral history of Monty Python told through collection of inteviews from Python members and friends; includes photos).
[edit] Records
Album releases include:
- Monty Python's Flying Circus (1970)
- Another Monty Python Record (1971)
- Monty Python's Previous Record (1972)
- The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief (1973) (A "three-sided" record; side two of the record has two separate grooves)
- Monty Python Live at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (1974)
- The Album of the Soundtrack of the Trailer of the Film of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
- The Worst of Monty Python (1976) (A repackaging of Another Monty Python Record and Monty Python's Previous Record)
- Monty Python Live at City Center (1976)
- The Monty Python Instant Record Collection (UK Version - 1977)
- Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
- Monty Python examines "The Life of Brian" (1979) (A promotional album, never publicly released)
- Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album (1980)
- The Hastily Cobbled Together For A Fast Buck Album (1981) (Never released, though an expanded version is said to appear on CD sometime in 2006)
- Monty Python's Meaning of Life (1983)
- Monty Python's The Final Rip Off (1988) (As the name suggests, a compilation of previous material)
- Monty Python Sings (1989) (A compilation of Python songs)
- The Ultimate Monty Python Rip Off (1994)
- The Instant Monty Python CD Collection (1994)
- Lust for Glory (1995)
In addition, there have been several singles, either on general release or as promotional material (including magazine freebies).
[edit] Computer and video games
- Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Computer Game (1991)
- A platform/shoot-em-up game in which one plays D.P. Gumby on a quest to find all four parts of his brain. Throw fish at flying feet, learn a lesson on "the larch", or play a quick game of breakout, among other things.
- Based on different bits from the Python world, including a Desktop Pythonizer, a game to discover the secret to Intergalactic Success, and an Interactive Monty Python Show.
- Live With(out) Monty Python (1994)
- Monty Python's More Naughty Bits (1994)
- Monty Python's Invasion from the Planet Skyron (1995)
- Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail (1996)
- A comedy-strategy adventure game based on the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
- Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1997)
- A first-person puzzle solver in the style of Myst and loosely based on the film of the same name.
[edit] Further reading
- From Fringe to Flying Circus - Roger Wilmut (1980)
- Monty Python: The Case Against Irreverence, Scurrility, Profanity, Vilification, and Licentious Abuse - Robert Hewison (1981)
- Monty Python: Complete and Utter Theory of the Grotesque - John O. Thompson (1982)
- Life of Python - George Perry (1983)
- The First 20 Years of Monty Python - Kim "Howard" Johnson (1989)
- And Now for Something Completely Trivial: The Monty Python Trivia and Quiz Book - Kim "Howard" Johnson (1991)
- Monty Python: A Chronological Listing of the Troupe's Creative Output and Articles and Reviews About Them, 1969–89 - Douglas L. McCall (1992)
- Life Before and After Monty Python: The Solo Flights of the Flying Circus - Kim "Howard" Johnson (1993)
- Monty Python's Complete Waste of Time : An Official Compendium of Answers to Ruddy Questions Not Normally Considered Relevant to Mounties! - Rusel Demaria (1995)
- The First 28 Years of Monty Python - Kim "Howard" Johnson (1998)
- Monty Python Speaks! - David Morgan (1999)
- The (Non-Inflatable) Monty Python TV Companion - Jim Yoakum (1999)
- The Pythons' Autobiography by The Pythons (2003)
- And Now For Something Completely Digital: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Monty Python - Alan Parker & Mick O'Shea (2006)
