Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus

Last updated

Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus
Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus.jpg
Created by
Based on
Monty Python's Flying Circus
by
  • Graham Chapman
  • John Cleese
  • Terry Gilliam
  • Eric Idle
  • Terry Jones
  • Michael Palin
Written by
  • Graham Chapman
  • John Cleese
  • Terry Gilliam
  • Eric Idle
  • Terry Jones
  • Michael Palin
Directed by Ian MacNaughton
Starring
Country of originWest Germany
Original languageGerman
No. of episodes2
Production
Producers Alfred Biolek, Thomas Woitkewitsch
Production location Bavaria
Cinematography
  • Justus Pankau, Ernst Schmid
  • animation by Terry Gilliam
Running time45 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network ARD
Release3 January (1972-01-03) –
18 December 1972 (1972-12-18)

Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus (Monty Python's Flying Circus) are a pair of 45-minute Monty Python German television comedy specials produced by WDR for West German television. The two episodes were respectively first broadcast in January and December 1972 and were shot entirely on film and mostly on location in Bavaria, with the first episode recorded in German and the second recorded in English and then dubbed into German.

Contents

The expression "Fliegender Zirkus"/"Flying Circus" is Originally German - it refers to the Air Squadron of German Ace Manfred von Richthofen, which always had to move back and forth like a circus with trucks to compensate for the numerically superior Allied squadrons due to insufficient numbers of own aircraft.

Production

While visiting the UK in the early 1970s, German entertainer and TV producer Alfred Biolek became aware of the Pythons and, excited by their innovative and absurd sketches, invited them to Germany in 1971 to write a special German episode of their Flying Circus show and to act in them. Despite mixed audience reception, a second episode was produced in 1972.

According to producer Biolek, the Pythons were initially somewhat reluctant to the idea of going to Germany to produce comedy for a German audience. [1] Biolek had only seen a few shows, but he was impressed with the concept of the Flying Circus. Specifically, it stood out to him that they were both good comedians and good actors—a combination that Biolek rarely saw in the German comedy scene at the time. [2] Biolek arranged to meet with the Pythons in the BBC's bar in London to convince them "with many arguments and even more gin tonics" [1] to come to Germany for a brief visit. Eric Idle has described the conception of the specials as "The Germans came to us and said 'Look, we haven't got a sense of humour, but we understand you do. Can we use yours?'" [3] Terry Jones recalled Biolek's inquiry as an opportunity "to do silly things in Germany". [2]

The Pythons agreed to visit Biolek in Munich in order to explore options for possible material, but did not want to commit at this point. [2] During their visit, the troupe wanted to get a better understanding of German culture and humour. In fact, the visit, and the resulting two shows "can be viewed as a considered attempt to broaden the stereotypical picture of Germans" by the Pythons. [4] Michael Palin also noted, "All I know is that it reversed all one's prejudices. Python has done very, very well in Germany, and the movies do extremely well. ... Whenever anyone says, you know, the Germans have no sense of humour, say no, hang on, hang on, they got Monty Python before a lot of other countries." [2] During their visit to Germany, the Pythons attended the Oktoberfest and Olympiastadion in Munich, and also visited nearby Dachau concentration camp. [2] The Pythons' visit to Germany in 1971 coincided with the widely celebrated 500th birthday of painter Albrecht Dürer, and the group's second visit with the highly anticipated 1972 Summer Olympics. Both events had an obvious impact on the material created by the Pythons for their first episode, including the Silly Olympics skit, and the Anita Ekberg Sings Albrecht Dürer skit, thus situating their style of humour in a local cultural context.

Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus was produced by Biolek and translator Thomas Woitkewitsch in co-production with Westdeutscher Rundfunk. The first episode was written in English, and then translated by Woitkewitsch. [4] However, translating humour within this transnational production—especially when based on idioms—was a general challenge, as Palin recalls. [4]

Since none of the Pythons spoke German sufficiently, Woitkewitsch needed to provide them with phonetic transcriptions of the skits, which they then needed to learn by heart. Jones recalled that this posed a considerable challenge to the troupe; he also mentions that because of the rigorous repetition required in production, he was still able to recite the German version of "The Lumberjack Song" over 40 years later. [2] Despite the coaching and re-iterative translation efforts, the Pythons' accents remained rather strong, and according to Woitkewitsch the overall pacing was off. [2] While these language issues may have contributed to the first show's weak critical reception, Woitkewitsch suggests that they also lent it a "secret charm". [2]

These troubles with troupe members' timing and German accents led to their recording the second episode in English; only John Cleese and Palin delivered their lines in German well enough to be easily understood by native speakers. The other Python performers all had very thick accents (particularly Jones), making them difficult to understand. In some cases the episode was broadcast with German subtitles. [5]

The second episode was the final television show that Cleese recorded with the group, having already announced his decision to only commit to film and stage productions in future. The episode also featured Terry Gilliam taking more acting roles than before.

Sketches

The "Colin "Bomber" Harris vs Colin "Bomber" Harris" and "Hearing Aid Shop" sketches in the second show had previously featured in At Last the 1948 Show .

Footage of the "Silly Olympics," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Flashers' Love Story," and "The Philosophers' Football Match" sketches from these German specials was regularly used to fill time between live stage performances, [2] as seen in Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (the former two re-dubbed in English). "Silly Olympics" (minus the relay for the deaf part) and "The Philosophers' Football Match" were also used in the 2014 reunion shows at London's O2 Arena.

Several new sketches were written specifically for this show, including "William Tell", "Little Red Riding Hood," and "The Merchant of Venice" as performed by a herd of cows. Only "The Lumberjack Song" was translated from its original appearance on Monty Python's Flying Circus (Series 1, Episode 9), although "Ten Seconds of Sex" from the second show also appeared in Series 3, Episode 9 of Flying Circus around the same time.

Both Alfred Biolek and Thomas Woitkewitsch are featured in guest roles. German footballer Franz Beckenbauer makes an appearance in The Philosophers' Football Match skit. The first skit of the first episode also features Claudia Doren, then an announcer at Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR). [4]

Episodes

TitleOriginal air date
episode 1 Blödeln für Deutschland (Fooling around for Germany)3 January 1972 (1972-01-03)

Note: Edited versions of the "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Silly Olympics" sketches were dubbed into English for use in the Python stage shows. The "Flashers' Love Story" animated segment was also used. [6] The Stake Your Claim sketch was included on the English language record Another Monty Python Record .

episode 2 Blödeln auf die feine Englische Art (Fooling around in the fine English way)18 December 1972 (1972-12-18)

Note: Both parts of "The Philosophers' Football Match" were included in the Python stage shows. [6] An abridged version of "The Tale of Happy Valley" was recorded for the English language record Monty Python's Previous Record . "Colin 'Bomber' Harris vs Colin 'Bomber' Harris" and "I Want a Hearing Aid" were both originally performed on At Last the 1948 Show , which predated Monty Python.

Reception

The first show received mixed reviews. Opinion surveys taken after the episode was broadcast revealed that 8% of the audience found the show to be very good, 15% found it to be very bad, and 43% found it to be good. [2] Producer Biolek recalled that "This [the first show] was an absolute flop, it cannot be stated differently, as well as in terms of viewership and especially in terms of reviews." [7] Biolek retrospectively believes that the German audience was not ready for Pythonesque humour, since it was more used to more traditional sketch comedy, by comedians such as Rudi Carrell and Heinz Erhardt. [7] In fact, the producers did expect early on that especially the older parts of the German audience would not connect with the Pythons' style of humour. [2]

Biolek attributes the production of the second show to Westdeutscher Rundfunk's general progressive stance towards entertainment production at the time, and specifically to the support of the head of the entertainment sector, Hannes Hoff. [2]

Alternative Versions

The versions of the two episodes released on home video outside Germany differ from the versions aired on ARD. The ARD version of the first episode is missing the 6-minute "Bavarian Restaurant" sketch. [8] The ARD version of the second episode trims some shots, mostly from 'The Tale of Happy Valley' sketch. On the other hand, the ARD version also features two sequences missing from the DVD version: 'Schwimmkurs mit Arthur Lustgarten' (Swimming Course with Arthur Lustgarten) and 'Eine wichtige Information für Raucher' (An Important Information for Smokers). Also, in the ARD version, Eric Idle's 'I Want A Hearing Aid' sketch has been moved to the end of the episode. [9]

Media

Guerilla Films released both episodes on a single VHS tape in 1998, available in either PAL or NTSC format. The American A&E Network used this release as the basis of their DVD releases of the same material, with the first episode being included on Monty Python Live and the second episode included on The Life of Python. (This arrangement resulted in the second episode being omitted from A&E's otherwise-complete 16-DVD box set of Monty Python's Flying Circus.)

The Australian DVD company Rainbow Entertainment also released both episodes on one DVD.

The Swiss publisher Haffmans released a hardbound book containing the scripts of both episodes, with introductions and essays by the German producers, in 1998.

Both episodes have been shown on the Paramount Comedy Channel in the UK and on PBS in the US in 2007.

As of April 2018, both episodes are available for streaming on Netflix. [10] In December 2023 they were added to BritBox UK and ITVX.

The German DVD label Pidax has released the German DVD of the series in 2018. Episode 1 is featured in German language only; Episode 2 has German and English audio (with previously cut scenes being in English with German subtitles). The German TV-exclusive sketches of Episode 2, 'Schwimmkurs mit Arthur Lustgarten' and 'Eine wichtige Information für Raucher' are contained as separate bonus features; also, the German TV cut of 'The Tale of Happy Valley' sketch is available as a bonus feature.

Lost sketches

Several behind-the-scenes photos from the specials' production were published in the group's autobiography, [5] some of which were from sketches cut from the specials:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monty Python</span> British surreal comedy group

Monty Python were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. The group came to prominence for the sketch comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus, which aired on the BBC from 1969 to 1974. Their work then developed into a larger collection that included live shows, films, albums, books, and musicals; their influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles' influence on music. Their sketch show has been called "an important moment in the evolution of television comedy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lumberjack Song</span> 1975 single by Monty Python

"The Lumberjack Song" is a comedy song by the comedy troupe Monty Python. The song was written and composed by Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Fred Tomlinson.

<i>At Last the 1948 Show</i> Satirical television show made by Paradine Productions and broadcast on ITV

At Last the 1948 Show is a satirical television show made by David Frost's company, Paradine Productions, in association with Rediffusion London. Transmitted on Britain's ITV network in 1967, it brought Cambridge Footlights humour to a broader audience.

<i>Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl</i> 1982 British film

Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl is a 1982 concert comedy film directed by Terry Hughes and starring the Monty Python comedy troupe as they perform many of their sketches at the Hollywood Bowl. The film also features Carol Cleveland in numerous supporting roles and Neil Innes performing songs. Also present for the shows and participating as an 'extra' was Python superfan Kim "Howard" Johnson.

"International Philosophy", commonly referred to as the Philosophers' Football Match, is a Monty Python sketch depicting a football match in the Munich Olympiastadion between philosophers representing Greece and Germany. Starring in the sketch are Archimedes, Socrates, Hegel, Nietzsche, Marx, and Kant. Palin also provides the match television commentary.

<i>How to Irritate People</i> British comedy film

How to Irritate People is a US television broadcast filmed in the UK at LWT on 14 November 1968 and written by John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Marty Feldman and Tim Brooke-Taylor. Cleese, Chapman, and Brooke-Taylor also feature in it, along with future Monty Python collaborators Michael Palin and Connie Booth.

"Election Night Special" is a Monty Python sketch parodying the coverage of United Kingdom general elections, specifically the 1970 general election, on the BBC by including hectic actions by the media and a range of ridiculous candidates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argument Clinic</span> Monty Python sketch

"Argument Clinic" is a sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus, written by John Cleese and Graham Chapman. The sketch was originally broadcast as part of the television series and has subsequently been performed live by the group. It relies heavily on wordplay and dialogue, and has been used as an example of how language works.

<i>Monty Pythons Personal Best</i> British TV series or program

Monty Python's Personal Best is a miniseries of six one-hour specials, each showcasing the contributions of a particular Monty Python member. Produced by Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd., the series first aired on PBS stations between 22 February and 8 March 2006, although the Eric Idle and Michael Palin episodes were initially released by A&E on two Region 1 DVDs in 2005; the remaining episodes were released in late February 2006.

Edward Ian MacNaughton was a Scottish actor, television producer and director, best known for his work with the Monty Python team.

"Colin 'Bomber' Harris vs Colin 'Bomber' Harris" is a Monty Python comedy sketch in which wrestler Colin Harris fights himself, Colin Harris. As Colin fights himself, a commentator hastily reports the events.

<i>Parrot Sketch Not Included – 20 Years of Monty Python</i> 1989 Monty Python tribute special

Parrot Sketch Not Included – 20 Years of Monty Python is a British television special dedicated to Monty Python, created to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the debut of the comedy group's television series, Monty Python's Flying Circus. Produced by Tiger Aspect Productions for the BBC, it was compiled by renowned British comedy producer John Lloyd and aired on BBC 1 on 18 November 1989.

<i>Python Night – 30 Years of Monty Python</i> British TV series or programme

Python Night was an evening of Monty Python-related programmes broadcast on BBC2 on 9 October 1999, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first broadcast of Monty Python's Flying Circus. It featured newly written sketches, three documentaries and a screening of Monty Python's Life of Brian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Biolek</span> German entertainer and television producer (1934–2021)

Alfred Franz Maria Biolek was a German entertainer and television producer. Biolek held a PhD in law and was an honorary professor at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne. He received many awards for his work on television which included popular long-running series, and pioneering work for talk shows and cooking shows in the 1970s. He also received awards for his efforts for promoting the culture of food and wine. He supported and founded charities for Africa.

Monty Python Live is a two-disc DVD set featuring three TV specials and a live concert film of the British comedy group Monty Python. The set includes:

<i>Monty Pythons Flying Circus</i> British sketch comedy television series (1969–1974)

Monty Python's Flying Circus is a British surreal sketch comedy series created by and starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam, who became known collectively as "Monty Python", or the "Pythons". The first episode was recorded at the BBC on 7 September 1969 and premiered on 5 October on BBC1, with 45 episodes airing over four series from 1969 to 1974, plus two episodes for German TV. A feature film adaptation of several sketches, And Now for Something Completely Different, was released in 1971.

<i>Monty Python Live (Mostly)</i> 2014 film by Eric Idle

Monty Python Live (Mostly) (also billed as Monty Python Live (Mostly): One Down, Five to Go) was a variety show by the Monty Python comedy group at The O2 in London in July 2014. Planned as a single performance for 1 July, it was expanded to 10 shows due to the high demand for tickets. It was their first live performance together in 16 years, the second without member Graham Chapman (who died in 1989) and the last with Terry Jones (who died in 2020).

References

  1. 1 2 Biolek, Alfred. "Man musste den Monty Python überzeugen, mitzumachen". deutschlandfunk.de (in German). Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Wehn, Henning. "Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus!" . Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Monty Python Live at Aspen". Monty Python's Flying Circus . 21 March 1998. ISBN   0-7670-8566-3.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Sumera, Adam (2014). Dobrogoszcz, Tomasz (ed.). Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. ASIN   B08GBRBW2G.
  5. 1 2 Biolek, Alfred, ed. (1998). Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus: Sämtliche deutschen Shows. Zurich, Switzerland: Haffmans. ISBN   3-251-00414-X.
  6. 1 2 Johnson, Kim "Howard", The First 20 Years of Monty Python, p.190, Plexus
  7. 1 2 Biolek, Alfred (2008). Unter Ausschluss der Öffentlichkeit. Alfred Biolek erinnert sich. Marburg: Schüren Verlag.
  8. ↑ "Comparison of the ARD and the DVD version of Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus, Episode 1" (in German).
  9. ↑ "Comparison of the ARD and the DVD version of Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus, Episode 2" (in German).
  10. ↑ Warner, Sam (15 April 2018). "Monty Python back catalogue is streaming on Netflix now". Digital Spy . Retrieved 7 April 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.