Monty Python Live at Aspen

Last updated

Monty Python Live at Aspen
Monty Python Live at Aspen.jpg
Starring John Cleese
Terry Gilliam
Eric Idle
Terry Jones
Michael Palin
Robert Klein
Country of originUnited States
Production
Running time58 minutes
Production company Python (Monty) Pictures
Original release
Network HBO
Release21 March 1998 (1998-03-21)
Related

Monty Python Live at Aspen was a reunion show featuring the surviving members of the Monty Python team: John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, appearing on stage together for the first time since their Hollywood Bowl shows in 1980. Filmed on 7 March 1998 at the Wheeler Opera House in Colorado [1] as part of The US Comedy Arts Festival, it featured the five Pythons in an interview with host Robert Klein. The late Graham Chapman was also allegedly in attendance as his "ashes" were brought out in an urn with his portrait attached to the front, only to be knocked over by Terry Gilliam.

Contents

The Pythons initially appear with an uninvited Eddie Izzard, who is quickly made to leave the stage. The team and Klein then discuss their work and answer questions from fans on the internet. At the end of the evening they are presented with an American Film Institute Star Award, which is handed to John Cleese, who goes into a mock rant about how they never received any recognition when they were doing Monty Python, before the award is dropped into Chapman's urn. The show ends with Eric Idle leading a singalong of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life".

The special was broadcast in the US on HBO on 21 March 1998. [2] In the UK it was released on VHS in 1999 as part of the BBC box set The Best of Monty Python's Flying Circus. A DVD version of the set was later released in 2004. In the US the show was released on DVD in 2001 by A&E Home Entertainment as part of their Monty Python Live box set.

Origins

In May 1997 the five surviving members of Monty Python regrouped for the first time since Graham Chapman's death in 1989. [3] The meetings focused on Eric Idle's idea of a sequel to Monty Python and the Holy Grail in which they'd return as Knights of the Round Table, using audio outtakes of Graham Chapman's voice from album sessions to dub a performance out of him, with Arthur's ashes as the front. The rest of the group were enthusiastic, and even began writing material for it. The idea died soon, though, as Cleese was against the idea of doing a new film, partly because he remembered the disagreements the team had when writing The Meaning of Life , but also because any new film would miss Chapman's acting talents. [4] The one-off reunion at Aspen led to plans for a 30th anniversary tour for the following year which, due to disagreements within the group, failed to materialise. [5]

Cast

Credits

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graham Chapman</span> English actor, comedian and writer (1941–1989)

Graham Chapman was a British actor, comedian and writer. He was one of the six members of the surrealist comedy group Monty Python. He portrayed authority figures such as The Colonel and the lead role in two Python films, Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and Life of Brian (1979).

<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".

<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.

<i>Monty Pythons Flying Circus</i> (album) 1970 live album by Monty Python

Monty Python's Flying Circus is the first album produced by the Monty Python troupe, released in both the UK and US in 1970, with the US version featuring a back cover slightly different from the original UK version. It features newly recorded versions of sketches from the first Monty Python's Flying Circus television series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nudge Nudge</span> Comedy sketch from Monty Pythons Flying Circus

"Candid Photography", better known as "Nudge Nudge", is a sketch from the third Monty Python's Flying Circus episode, "How to Recognise Different Types of Trees From Quite a Long Way Away" featuring Eric Idle and Terry Jones as two strangers who meet in a pub.

<i>Monty Pythons Contractual Obligation Album</i> 1980 studio album by Monty Python

Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album is the final studio album by Monty Python, released in 1980. As the title suggests, the album was put together to complete a contract with Charisma Records. Besides newly written songs and sketches, the sessions saw re-recordings of material that dated back to the 1960s pre-Python shows I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again, The Frost Report, At Last The 1948 Show and How To Irritate People. One track, "Bells", dates from the sessions for Monty Python's Previous Record, while further material was adapted from Eric Idle's post-Python series Rutland Weekend Television. The group also reworked material written but discarded from early drafts of Life Of Brian, as well as the initial scripts for what would eventually become The Meaning Of Life.

<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.

<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.

<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).

<i>Monty Pythons Total Rubbish</i> 2014 box set by Monty Python

Monty Python's Total Rubbish is a 2014 boxed set collecting remastered editions of the nine original albums of British comedy troupe Monty Python on nine CDs or ten LPs. It was released on 30 June 2014.

<i>Monty Pythons The Life of Brian / Monty Python Scrapbook</i> Verry fynny movie that strongly

Monty Python's The Life of Brian/MONTYPYTHONSCRAPBOOK is a large format book by Monty Python, released in 1979 to tie in with their film Monty Python's Life of Brian. As the title suggests, it consists of two separate books joined together. The first contains the film's screenplay, illustrated by black and white stills. On the reverse side is the scrapbook, which contains a variety of material such as scenes cut from the film, newly written material plus unrelated items, including the lyrics to Bruces' Philosophers Song. The book was assembled by Eric Idle, with assistance from Michael Palin.

<i>The Pythons</i> (film) BBC documentary film about the Monty Python team

The Pythons is a BBC documentary film about the Monty Python team which was shot in Tunisia in 1978 during the making of Monty Python's Life of Brian. As well as promoting their upcoming film, the documentary also serves as a tenth anniversary profile of the team, despite the original broadcast date of 20 June 1979 being some months ahead of both the tenth anniversary of their TV debut and the UK release of their new film.

<i>Monty Python: The Meaning of Live</i> British TV series or programme

Monty Python: The Meaning of Live is a 2014 British documentary telefilm, directed by Roger Graef and James Rogan, about a 10-day series of live performances at London's O2 arena. The film features interviews with Monty Python members John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin as they perform on stage together for the first time in 34 years. Also appearing are Carol Cleveland, Prof. Brian Cox, Stephen Hawking and Mike Myers. The documentary is dedicated to Graham Chapman.

<i>Monty Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar</i> British TV series or programme

And Now for Something Rather Similar is a documentary about the Monty Python team as they prepare for their first live performances in 34 years. Airing on BBC 1 on 29 June 2014 as part of the Imagine series, the programme is presented by Alan Yentob, who tracks down the five surviving Pythons in the months leading up to their Monty Python Live (Mostly) shows at the O2 arena in July 2014.

<i>The Fairly Incomplete & Rather Badly Illustrated Monty Python Song Book</i>

The Fairly Incomplete & Rather Badly Illustrated Monty Python Song Book is a compendium of songs by Monty Python, released in 1994 on the occasion of their 25th anniversary. The book contains the lyrics and musical scores for songs from the group's Flying Circus TV series, albums and films. Also included are "The Ferret Song" and "Rhubarb Tart Song", which originate from I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again before appearing on At Last The 1948 Show. The musical scores were edited by regular Python collaborator, John Du Prez.

<i>A Pocketful of Python</i>

A Pocketful of Python is a series of five books by the Monty Python team, in which each of the surviving members selects their favourite material from the group’s TV series, films, records and books. The first two volumes, by Terry Jones and John Cleese, were released in 1999 as part of the team’s 30th anniversary celebrations. Two further volumes, by Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin, followed in 2000 while the final volume, by Eric Idle, was eventually released in 2002. Each team member’s volume includes a preface written by one of the other Pythons. In 2006 all five volumes were released as a single paperback edition, entitled The Very Best of Monty Python.

<i>The Pythons Autobiography by The Pythons</i> Official autobiography of the Monty Python team

The Pythons Autobiography by The Pythons is the official autobiography of the Monty Python team, released in 2003. It covers the whole of Python history, from their childhoods all the way through to the 30th anniversary celebrations in 1999.

<i>Monty Python Live!</i> Book on Monty Python live performances 1971-1980

Monty Python Live! is a book detailing the various live performances of the Monty Python team between 1971 and 1980.

References

  1. Palin, Michael: Travelling to Work - Diaries 1988-98, 2014, p.478, Weidenfeld & Nicolson
  2. McCall, Douglas (12 November 2013). Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969–2012, 2d ed. McFarland. ISBN   9780786478118.
  3. Palin, Michael: Travelling to Work - Diaries 1988-98, 2014, p.442, Weidenfeld & Nicolson
  4. The Pythons Autobiography by The Pythons , 2003, p.348, Orion
  5. The Pythons Autobiography by The Pythons , 2003, p.345, Orion