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Monty Python Speaks!
by
David Morgan
Monty Python, the genius comedy troupe from Britain, single-handedly revolutionized sketch comedy and paved the way for everything from Saturday Night Live to Austin Powers. Now, in their official oral history, founding members John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin take readers behind the scenes in this no-holds-barred look at their lives an...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
June 1st 1999
by It Books
(first published 1999)
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How satisfied you are in reading books about the history of Monty Python will be reflected in which order you read them in -- most of them regurgitate the same quotes over and over, with just a little bit more spin.
This is the first of several history of Python books that I finished, and, most of the information being new, I enjoyed it. If you've listened to the Python Autobiography or read some of the other books about them, you may not have the same opinion.
That said, one of the unique things...more
This is the first of several history of Python books that I finished, and, most of the information being new, I enjoyed it. If you've listened to the Python Autobiography or read some of the other books about them, you may not have the same opinion.
That said, one of the unique things...more
Jul 17, 2007
Frederick
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of Monty Python, People interested in the nineteen-seventies.
I confess to having only flipped through this book, but I kept flipping and suspect I've read about half of it. I avoided it for years. In fact, I didn't even glance through it until February, 2007, at least fifteen years after it came out.
It's a lot more revealing than I expected it to be. I get a real picture of Graham Chapman. I've searched in vain elsewhere for any account of him that really portrays him as a three-dimensional person. Part of the reason this book is so revealing about him is...more
It's a lot more revealing than I expected it to be. I get a real picture of Graham Chapman. I've searched in vain elsewhere for any account of him that really portrays him as a three-dimensional person. Part of the reason this book is so revealing about him is...more
Great book for Python fans. The book was written after a series of interviews of all of the surviving Pythons. Graham Chapman was not left out as everyone recalls how they worked with him, and his life partner also weights in with information about Graham. This book really tells the story of Monty Python, from the Pythons themselves. They talk about how they got started, working on the tv show, later each movie is discussed, even their HBO reunion show by US Comedy Central is discussed. There ar...more
Monty Python Speaks is a collection of interviews the author conducted with all of the surviving Python members, Graham's partner, the producers, friends, and other actors, directors, and many vaguely tangential people to the show and movies. Those interviews are then sliced and diced to form something of a timeline of the Python show and movies, from start to end.
This style of piecing together a complex story falls short for me. I want more in-depth information and discussion than the interview...more
This style of piecing together a complex story falls short for me. I want more in-depth information and discussion than the interview...more
An extremely interesting behind-the-scenes look at the Pythons. Each of the main six were interviewed extensively, along with Carol Cleveland and various directors and other players in the TV show, movies, and extracurricular projects.
There were some parts that dragged, but overall, this was a really interesting read. And it desparately makes me want to rewatch Holy Grail again. Also, huge bonus, I don't feel so bad for finding Meaning of Life so boring I couldn't get past the first 20 minutes...more
There were some parts that dragged, but overall, this was a really interesting read. And it desparately makes me want to rewatch Holy Grail again. Also, huge bonus, I don't feel so bad for finding Meaning of Life so boring I couldn't get past the first 20 minutes...more
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If you're a Monty Python fan, I would consider this a must-read. The book is a compilation of interview questions put forth to both individuals of the comedy troupe and people who were either friends or associatees who shared in the history of this groundbreaking group. The questions follow a timeline of their history, and the answers from each person are edited so they each address the different events and decisions as they remembered them. It's a great insight into the creative dynamic, the pr...more
I rather enjoy the interview format of the book. Since the Pythons were interviewed separately I think it allowed them to be more frank than normal. The only drawback was that since they were interviewed for different reasons at different times, I don't think they were all asked the same questions. There were several questions posed in the book which did not have answers from all 5 of them...and I wish they had.
Nice interview collection. Covers all their work as an ensemble, as well as many solo project, thru 1998. Highly recommended for python fans.
“this amazing chemical balance... I don't think you could invent a group that would work better." Terry Gilliam
insightful
Full of interesting behind-the-scene-isms, it does however have a bit of the "schematic view of Golden Egg apparatus in Goose" to it as well. While the manner in which Python grouped and worked is very fresh in its organic "well, it works for us" attitude, the stories of contract problems and legal proceedings isn't, really.
love love love python. always have. i picked up this book at a second hand store and am really excited to read it. hope there's not too much repetition from the big mp coffee table autobiography....
this one starts off slow, but in the end, it's well worth it. there is some repetition, but mostly from palin's diaries.....
this one starts off slow, but in the end, it's well worth it. there is some repetition, but mostly from palin's diaries.....
interesting to hear from all the Pythons ( except Graham Chapman who died in 1989. ) this book was written in 1998 and consisted of asking each Python the same set of questions ( as well as a number of the producers, directors, etc. ) Accordingly it became a bit drawn out. The stories of making the movies are best.
If you're a Python fan you really must read. It's mostly a pick up and put down book, meaning you don't really need to read it cover to cover, and can just pick it up when the mood strikes and you won't be disappointed.
Basically I've read a lot of these stories from the history of Python before, but it was a nice refresher.
If you're really into Python, have a look. If you're moderately into Python and need an airport book, it's not bad. A nice bit of light reading.
Lots of fun interviews with the Pythons that I hadn't seen before. Good for the die hard.
A good book that is all the more wonderful if you're a big Python fan.
what fun, to be insane...
May 20, 2013
Andy Enright
marked it as to-read
May 12, 2013
Nate Parsell
is currently reading it
May 08, 2013
Kim
marked it as to-read
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