British TV series or programme
Monty Python: Almost the Truth
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Title card
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Genre
| Documentary
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Directed by
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Starring
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Country of origin
| United Kingdom
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Original language
| English
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No.
of seasons
| 1
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No.
of episodes
| 6
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Producers
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- Margarita Doyle
- Bill Jones
- Benjamin Timlett
- Andrew Winter
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Running time
| 360 minutes
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Production companies
| Bill and Ben Productions
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Network
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Release
| 3 October 2009
(
2009-10-03
)
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Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut)
is a 2009 television
documentary
series in six parts that covers 40 years of the surreal comedy group
Monty Python
, from
Flying Circus
to present day projects such as the musical
Spamalot
.
[1]
The series highlights their childhood, schooling and university life, and pre-Python work. The series featured new interviews with surviving members
John Cleese
,
Terry Gilliam
,
Eric Idle
,
Terry Jones
and
Michael Palin
, alongside archive interview footage of
Graham Chapman
and interviews with several associates of the Pythons, including
Carol Cleveland
,
Neil Innes
and Chapman's partner
David Sherlock
, along with commentary from modern comedians.
[2]
Content
[
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]
The documentary is composed of six parts. The first part focuses on the Pythons' lives before
Flying Circus
; the second part covers their coming together and starting
Flying Circus
; the third part is about the Python records, their personal lives, and the end of
Flying Circus
; the fourth part looks at their transition to film with
And Now for Something Completely Different
and
Holy Grail
, continuing in the fifth part with
Life of Brian
and the various controversies it caused; and the sixth and final part covers
Live at the Hollywood Bowl
,
The Meaning of Life
, Chapman's death, and the five surviving members going on their separate ways and doing other projects.
Production
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The film was produced by independent UK
film producers
Bill and Ben Productions (half of which is Terry Jones' son Bill) in association with
Eagle Rock Entertainment
and IFC in the US. The idea for the film came from Alan G Parker, one of the Directors.
Featured interviewees
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The series features interviews with people who worked with Monty Python as well as comedians and performers who cite them as an influence, including:
[3]
[4]
Theme song
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Each episode opens with a different re-recording of the
theme song
from
Life of Brian
, with new lyrics referring to "Python" rather than "Brian". The first five episodes feature original vocalist
Sonia Jones
who, after becoming increasingly fed up with each subsequent performance, is replaced and on the sixth and final episode by
Iron Maiden
vocalist
Bruce Dickinson
.
Broadcast
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United Kingdom
[
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On 29 September 2009,
Vue Cinemas
in the UK showed a condensed cinema version of the series for one night only. The "BBC Lawyer's Cut", a 59-minute cut, was broadcast on
BBC 2
on 3 October 2009.
[5]
Sky Arts began showing all six chapters of the documentary in January 2012.
[6]
Canada
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The full version was broadcast in two one-hour episodes per night on
IFC
from 19 to 23 October and on
Bravo!
a few days later. It began broadcasting on
The Comedy Network
in the same format every Saturday night starting on 13 November 2010. The full cut became available in Region 1 DVD and
Blu-ray Disc
on 27 October 2009.
United States
[
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Episodes aired nationally on IFC over six nights in October 2009.
Australia
[
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A shorter version was shown in two one-hour parts on the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
television channel
ABC1
on 14 and 21 February 2010.
New Zealand
[
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The episodes were broadcast on Prime TV during May and early June 2010.
List of episodes
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All the episodes have slightly different opening credit sequences, and they bear rather Pythonesque titles:
- The Not-so-interesting Beginnings
- The Much Funnier Second Episode ?
Parrot Sketch
? Flying Circus Included
- And Now, the Sordid Personal Bits
- The Ultimate Holy Grail Episode
- Lust for Glory
- Finally! The Last Episode Ever (For Now...)
References
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External links
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