Monty Python's Tunisian Holiday: My Life with Brian

by Kim Howard Johnson, Michael Palin (Foreword), John Cleese (Foreword)

In 1978, Kim “Howard” Johnson ran away to join the circus---Monty Python’s Flying Circus, that is. The Pythons converged on Tunisia to film their timeless classic, Life of Brian, and Howard found himself in the thick of it, doubling for nearly all the Pythons, playing more roles in the film than John Cleese, and managing to ruin only one shot. He became the unit journalist, substitute still photographer, Roman soldier, peasant, Biggus Dickus’s double, near-stalker, and, ultimately, friend and confidant of the comedy legends. He also kept a detailed journal of what he saw and heard, on set and off, throughout those six weeks.
     The result is a unique eyewitness account that reveals the Pythons at work and at play in a way that nothing else written about them could do. Now, for the first time ever, the inside story of the making of the film is revealed through the fly-on-the-castle-wall perspective. Even the most diehard fans will get a fresh take on the comedy greats through some never-before-revealed nuggets of Python brilliance: what John Cleese offered to exchange for suntan lotion; Terry Jones directing in drag; Michael Palin’s secret to playing revolutionaries and peasants; Graham Chapman gets naked; Terry Gilliam gets filthy; Eric Idle haggles; the secret of the Thespo-Squat; Mrs. Pilate; talk of George Harrison; the cake-flinging that jeopardized the production; badminton, impromptu cricket, and erotic frescoes; and the first-ever presentation of “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”
     Here, uncensored, are the legendary Pythons in their prime. It was a period of comedy history that will never be duplicated, and Monty Python’s Tunisian Holiday captures the wit, the genius, and the sheer silliness of the six men that comprised Python.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Biography, Audiobook, Film, Memoir, Comedy

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jason Koivu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monty Python's Tunisian Holiday gives you that "fly on the wall" feeling of being at a Python filming. Johnson's enjoyable journal on the filming of Life of Brian puts the reader in the writer's shoes for a 6-week stint in late 1978 in Tunisia, where he rubbed shoulders with cast and crew, and even donned a costume or two to step in for actors who couldn't make that day's shoot. If you're a fan, this was made for you!

[Craig · Rating 1 out of 5]

A Monty Python fanboy inexplicably hooks up with the Python troupe, heads to Tunisia to "help" with making the movie "Life of Brian" with no skills or experience, then captures his tedious observations in a personal diary along with a few photos. The author drones on and on about the most mundane details on and off the set, sounding like a guy at a party who bores everyone to death about the backstage experience with The Rolling Stones that he won as the Grand Prize in a Dr. Pepper sweepstakes. No wonder he sat on the damn diary for decades.

The author points out a dozen times, from the Pythons' and his own experience, that movie making is often dull, monotonous, and the actors more often than not find themselves bored out of their skulls sitting around while equipment is set up, sound levels are tested, etc. Ironically, that is exactly how the reader feels going through the book. Sitting there bored, waiting for anything interesting to happen. Eric Idle gets up in the middle of the night to watch a rebroadcast of an Ali fight, Graham Chapman treats dozens of crew members' injuries, John Cleese tells of autograph signings, Terry Jones scurries around while trying to balance duties of a Director with being One Of The Gang. On and on. I ultimately gave up half-way through because I couldn't take it anymore.

So, in a sentence this book is uninformative, poorly written, rambling, and savagely boring. Johnson managed to do something I have always thought to be impossible. Make Monty Python boring. Highly unrecommended.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not really sure why so many people have called this book “boring.” I’m assuming it’s because they don’t realize how uneventful being on a movie set can be. (I’ve been on dozens of them; trust me, they can be pretty darn boring a majority of the time.) And yes, I agree that the forewords written by Cleese and Palin et al. were quite funny, but what they wrote was fictitious. It was meant to be outrageous, it was meant to be over the top. What Mr. Johnson gave us was reality; he gave us what he experienced first-hand, providing a unique, insider’s view of the making of “Brian,” as well as his experiences with the various Pythons, as well as the other actors and technicians on the set. If Johnson had been as “out there” as those forewords…well, we wouldn’t have an accurate representation of what went on during filming. Personally, I prefer accurate reporting in a journal, not embellished truth. I thank Mr. Johnson for giving us a clear, unobstructed view into the making of a classic comedy movie.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an interesting look into the filming of Monty Python’s Life of Brian. I enjoyed hearing the inside stories and was impressed with the narrator’s ability to jump between accents.

It was filmed at the same location in Tunisia as Franco Zefffirelli’s Jesus of Nazareth.

I love the fact that they took a look at the life of Jesus and found nothing to parody, so they had to take a different tack.

If you’re a Python fan - or a fan of this movie, you’ll probably enjoy this short book.

[Glenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kim "Howard" Johnson lived an incredible fantasy. He went from being a kid in Michigan editing a fanzine about Monty Python to befriending the cast and being flown to Tunisia to take part in the filming of The Life of Brian, arguably Python's finest film. While on location, he was in many scenes as an extra or bit player, was the official still photographer for the film, conducted deadly boring interviews with just about everyone he could find, and kept a diary. This book is that diary and those interviews, apparently unedited. While there are some interesting facts revealed (Graham Chapman's friendship with Keith Moon, scenes that were shot but never made the film, and the inclusion of a group of British tourists who happened to share a hotel with the cast and crew as extras in many scenes) Johnson provides no analysis whatsoever of the film or Python's comedy in general and his prose reads like a postcard. He also assumes you share his encyclopedic knowledge of every Python movie and sketch, which, thankfully, I do. While I finished it, I cannot recommend this book.

[Daniel Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The debate about whether this person is real or not is beside the point. I read the book, regardless of who wrote it, and enjoyed it quite alot.

It is a first person account of the day-to-day making of the film. There are tons of small (trivial?) details of what goes on during the filming and especially during the off time. The author talks about what alot of people have a secret fantasy to do and that is to get to know their artistic heroes on a daily, human basis.

It really takes you there and lets you know what it was like working on the film in Tunisia at that time. On that bsais I found it very interesting and, as I said, enjoyed it quite alot.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I passed by this book twice in the library. And kept coming back…it’s hard to ignore the Monty Python group…especially when you imagine hearing them trying to get your attention! I had to give in. The forward’s are hysterical. The rest of the book is exactly as described, a behind the scenes making of the movie. For me this was very interesting and seemed like it was a most congenial bunch of people. Candidly written, I enjoyed the experience right along with the author…and was quite excited that George Harrison was a backer of the movie. A very pleasant adventure! This provided quite a few smiles..:)

[Lorelei · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I really enjoyed the story, the typeface was so difficult that what most sticks with me is how difficult it was to read. That being said, I was quite a lot of fun, had some laughing-out-loud moments, and I got breathless with anticipation waiting for George with the rest of them. Really a fine book, both from the perspective of Monty Python and film-making. I'd gladly recommend it, but be sure to bring your reading glasses.

[Hella Comat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a perfect book to listen to as an audiobook. The author spent 6 weeks involved in the filming of Life of Brian in Tunisia and spends his time observing the Monty Python comedians. He has a unique, authentic accent for each of the characters as he relates his interviews and watches the filming. The clever genius of each of the 'gang' of six comes out as they make the film, rewrite on set, and create impromptu funny live sketches just sitting around waiting for their parts.

[Jay French · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was mostly a detailed description of life as a movie extra (on one movie) with some interesting anecdotes. Blatant hero worship of the Pythons. Felt like a fanzine. The reader is left with the thought that the Pythons are competent, thoughtful, and a fun group to hang around, so that's not so bad. I listened to this on audio. It was nicely read, but the writing was quite repetitive.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably better to listen to the audio version of this book, as I did, to enjoy it. It's a bit fluffy, but does put the listener into the action of making this great MP film, and supplies a few tidbits of info (on missing scenes, etc) along the way.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very intresting read, gives a good account of what it was like to be on the set of the Monty Python film, life of Brian.
Very much doubt one could do what this man did in a effort to meet his idols, and become part of their group whilst filming, in this day and age.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great look at the behind the scenes of the filiming of "Monty Python's Life of Brian". Now I need to watch the film again to see if I can spot "Kim" in all the scenes in which he appeared.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to find out more about Monty Pyhton and behind the scenes at the filming of "the life of Brian", heres a really good book.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, after the foreword there were few laughs during this bland diary of the making of Life Of Brian. So disappointed. I really wanted to love this book.

[Tentatively, Convenience · Rating 1 out of 5]

review of
Kim "Howard" Johnson's Monty Python's Tunisian Holiday
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - May 19, 2012

I stopped watching tv when I was 16, around 1969 or 1970. I still think it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Monty Python's Flying Circus started broadcasting in England around the same time. I don't know when the program started being broadcast in the US but I'm sure I knew about it when it happened. Undoubtedly I witnessed bits & pieces of it here & there & found it extraordinarily funny & interesting but I STILL didn't sit there in front of the boob tube, even for programming that good. I was too busy living my life.

As the Monty Python movies came out I probably saw some of them in the movie theaters. I probably enjoyed them.. but, in the end, my own life was more interesting & I didn't exactly become addicted to them.

Recently, tho, I acquired a 6 box set of what appears to be the 1st 3 seasons (39 programs) of the tv program at a thrift store. I then made a point of checking them all out in chronological order. Mind you, this was 40 yrs later. They are BRILLIANT. I loved them. They pioneered so many formal subversions that I was astounded. They had visual black-outs - still a 'no-no' to this day, they started off their programs pretending to be other (nonexistent) programs - still a 'no-no' to this day.

I remember witnessing a few movies in the past by Python members spun off from the Python project & not being very impressed. A Fish Called Wanda, eg, struck me as mediocre. I'd decided that John Cleese wasn't really that great. Now, after 39 episodes of Python my enthusiasm for Cleese is much higher. The silly walks, alone, are comedic genius. I even checked out A Fish Called Wanda again & liked it more this time. No such luck w/ Fawlty Towers.

Finally witnessing the 39 episodes got me to listening to the records, wch I'd previously liked but not ultimately cared that much about. Even w/ all the repetition of routines of the live records, I find them utterly fantastic now. Monty Python's Flying Circus have reached the pantheon of the absurdist gods: they rank w/ Jarry, Albee, & Ionescu.

It's been a while since I've checked out Life of Brian but I remember it as being one of their best. Inspired at a level that few people are lucky enuf or talented enuf to ever approach. So here I am in Awesome Books in Pittsburgh, a bkstore I'm particularly fond of, &, Lo & Behold!, there's a hardcover bk about the making of it! This might be really interesting, right? Wrong. It was boring as heck.

I'd never heard of the author but he's touted as having written at least 3 other bks about the Pythons & others about comedians. Perhaps he's a 'successful' author who makes a living off his bks. But what he ultimately is is an uninspired & incredibly bland 'fan' whose writing has so few imaginative moments that reading the bk is like having yr blood drained from you. A colorful world goes white before yr eyes. This bk sells b/c there are people like me who love the work of the Pythons who are hungry for their special & liberating take on the world & we end up w/ this.. mediocrity.

Even the plentiful photographs reveal such a lack of "an eye" for such things that one's reminded of why most people are so boring: put the most exciting things in the world in front of them &, after they're done filtering them thru their utter lack of imagination, you get a world as bland as can be.

When I read bks, these days, I tend to write notes in pencil in the front of things that I'll want to refer to in my review. Sometimes I wrote nothing b/c I know that I won't need to refer to notes in the review. Sometimes I write an enormous amt & I'm overwhelmed by how specific I want to be - knowing that I'm creating a huge job for myself. In the case of Monty Python's Tunisian Holiday, I wrote 2 notes:

"53 Arabic nonsense phrase":

John Cleese tries to learn "I can kill bats with an egg spoon" in Arabic. This produces something like "Neshum noctul edebeya dim rafa ita cauwa".

"78 good line":

"Today was also Graham's nude scene. He was a bit apprehensive about it, as it involved standing completely naked in front of nearly two hundred people. Before the filming began, a couple of older Thomson's ladies were walking around the dressing caravans, apparently looking for autographs. They stuck their heads into Graham's quarters, only to find him standing there stark naked. Both of the women grew pale and were completely at a loss.

""It's all right, I'm a doctor," Graham reassured them."

& that's about all I got out of this bk, folks. The 'moral'? Maybe Kim "Howard" Johnson shd've given up watching tv too. He might've grown up to be a person who lived his life instead of blandly standing on the sidelines watching others do so.

Oh, yes, there's the possibility that the author is fictitious. On the back cover, there's the following bit from Python Eric Idle:

""Kim 'Howard' Johnson was invented by Graham Chapman during an idle moment on the set of Life of Brian. 'Let's invent a person," he said. 'An American fan from the Midwest,' chimed in Michael Palin, 'who keeps a daily diary of Python filming. And then doesn't publish it for years and years.' How we laughed, and each day we'd make up stuff this 'person' would write about us.""

As far as I can tell from a very superficial web-surf he doesn't appear to be a fictional creation of Monty Python. If he were, that wd be alot funnier to me but I doubt that the Pythons cd write a bk this boring - even as a joke. But, of course, I cd be wrong.

[Derelict Space Sheep · Rating 3 out of 5]

42 WORD REVIEW:

Though mildly interesting, Johnson’s memoir of the Life of Brian location filming will fail to engage most readers. Behind the scenes, the Pythons were normal, funny people (who no doubt seemed funnier at the time). The production itself was drudgerous but uneventful.

[Steve Chaput · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose the audiobook version of the book and quite liked it. Would have been nice to see the accompanying photos and such, but I don't think you really miss much by not getting those.

For those not familiar with Kim "Howard" Johnson he was a fan of the Pythons, like so many of us were, but through correspondence with several of them and some meetings he eventually befriended the group. I'm reminded of my ex who turned her love of the Firesign Theater into a long-time friendship with those gentlemen. Johnson was invited to spend some time with the group during the filming of LIFE OF BRIAN, sort of an unofficial chronicler of the events, eventually even playing some small parts in the film.

Depending on which film I have seen most recently, BRIAN is either my favorite Python film or it comes in second to MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL. It's fun hearing about what went on behind the scenes and also how tedious it actually can be on the set of a motion picture. Something most of us don't consider as we're watching in a darkened theater the end result projected several times life-size on moviescreen.

It's interesting to hear how the various Pythons prepared for the roles, their interactions with each other and various other cast and crew. You probably won't learn anything you haven't read or heard before about the group and the film (as Johnson himself has already written much on the group and the solo endeavors by its members) , but it is nice to discover how genuinely nice all these folks were to each other and how hard they worked in sometimes difficult conditions. Certainly a must for Python fans.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Four members of MP wrote separate introductions - those are funny. The book itself is boring after not very long.

Since the movie for which he is describing the making was done 30 years ago, one had to wonder why this fellow waited so long to convert his notes, taken while an actor in the film, into a book. He had in the interim produced five other books about Monty Python. Perhaps the answer is because even he realized it wasn't going to be a terribly engaging reading experience. Still, there is some interest in anything about MP so he finally produced this tome.

Perhaps part of the problem is that the movie was not terribly difficult to make (or so it seems) - there isn't any "drama" (at least not in the first 100 pages) and there isn't much relating of humorous stories, either. The days he describes all seem one like another and while I'm sure it was great fun to be there, isn't so great to read about.

Alas.

[Dominick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kim "Howard" Johnson's diary of his experiences with the Pythons while they were shooting Life of Brian is pretty bland stuff, really. Why it took a couple of decades after the movie was made to get published is a mystery, unless it seemed such mild stuff that there was no real need to get it out. There are some mildly interesting moments when he reports brief interviews with the Pythons or others, or describes the shooting of scenes that didn't make the final cut, but mostly this is just a pleasant, inoffensive, not particularly insightful account of the shooting of the bulk of the film. The film itself, and the controversy it generated it, are far more interesting but barely touched on here. For Python fans who can't get enough only, really.

[Arminzerella · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, this was a memoir written by a fictitious person who supposedly was with the Monty Python crew when they were filming "Life of Brian" in Tunisia. Kim Howard Johnson is not real! Which is ok. I started listening to this while I was cleaning my house, and it made for a good background distraction (I sometimes find that I'm better able to concentrate on listening when I'm doing something active otherwise). But after about 3 hours of that, I found I'd had enough. Neither Kim nor the filming process/stories were really all that interesting. I'd rather watch the movie again.

[Josh Street · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fairly average look at the making of Life of Brian. The book is by no means bad, but is very much a simple presentation of the author's diary from his time on the set of the movie. If this sort of thing appeals to you, you'll adore the book. If you're looking into this title for insight into the Python troupe, you'll find some interesting tidbits, but probably fewer than you might expect. All of this said, the forwards by the surviving members of the troupe are exquisite and worth perusing even if one doesn't move forward with the full book.

[Natalia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was essentially just a journal of Johnson's time on the set of Life of Brian - So there's a lot of "and today we ate x for breakfast, then took the minibus to y, and the weather was like this, and the cameras acted like that..." A lot of play-by-play, and not realy so much insight.

It was definitely interesting to hear how it all came together, but ultimately, I expected it to be more interesting.

[Mer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, the group was just as comical and ad lib off-camera as they were on. "Howard" really puts you there in the action. I listened to the book and the narrator really helped by putting the appropriate accent to the person.

[Greg Converse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will read anything I can find about Monty Python. Call me a nerd, a goon, a fish-slapper, but I think the stories are great, funny, suave, sophisticated and Rutle, er, subtle.

Yours sincerely,
Charles Monkey-Finger Smith, Mrs.

[David Macpherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fo a behind the scenes look at a movie, this was a decent one. The author schlepps across the world to be in the filming of Life of Brian. The only thing I wished the book addressed was why it took him nearly 30 years to go through his material and write the bloody book.

[Jan C · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm about half-way through and really can't see wasting any more time listening to this book.

I liked the movie. I saw it at the Parkside and later we went to play pool at some upstairs dive down the street.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

For die hard Python fans or people who want to learn about the movie industry in the 70's only. Not much comedy or entertainment to be had. More of a day to day diary of a guy with some access to the filming in Tunisia.

[Lisa]

Not abandoned because it was bad, but because better and/or more pressing stuff came along. Will probably go back to this one at some point, because "Life of Brian" is my favorite Monty Python movie.

[Dru]

The first twenty pages are kind of dull, but it looks like it could shape up to be a blast for die hard fans of MP.