uptone: monty python's flying circus

Showing posts with label monty python's flying circus. Show all posts

Sunday, 5 August 2012

A Liar's Autobiography - The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman: UK Release Date - 16 October 2012

Yes folks - you heard it here first! Tues 16 Oct 2012 is the UK premiere of A Liar's Autobiography - The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman, at the Empire Leicester Square, London, as will soon be confirmed here, where you will be able to buy your tickets: http://www.empirecinemas.co.uk/index.php?page=forthcomingreleases

Photo: animationmagazine.net

"Graham Chapman, probably best remembered as 'the dead one from Monty Python', writes and stars in the animated movie of his own life story.

He was born, he went to Cambridge and met John Cleese, he smoked a pipe, he became a doctor, he became a Python, he decided he was gay (well, 70/30, according to a survey he did on himself), he got drunk a lot, he stopped being drunk, he made some films, he had some sex (actually, a lot), and moved to Los Angeles. Finally, he was whisked up into space by aliens (although that might have been in a film).

Featuring recordings of Chapman that he made of his book in 1982 and matched with recorded sound from present, the film reunites members of the Monty Python troupe and brings Chapman back to life in a tour de force of animation through 17 different animation styles from 15 different animators."

More info on the movie (in no particular order):

Kalkion: ‘A Liar’s Autobiography’ The Untrue Story of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman Coming Soon
Animate Chapman competition: http://www.animatechapman.com/
Uptone: Our Exclusive Preview of A Liar's Autobiography - The True Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979172/releaseinfo
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Liar%27s_Autobiography
Press release: http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120724005691/en
Synopsis, notes, production stills: http://corp.epixhd.com/press/liars/
Leah-Ellen Heming - Art directing an animation: http://leahheming.weebly.com/1/post/2011/10/a-liars-autobiography-art-directing-an-animation.html
Zippy Frames - more stills and info: http://www.zippyframes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=970:new-stills-and-info-for-monty-python-film-a-liars-autobiography&catid=101&Itemid=100011
Projectchapman3d.com - the animators, behind the scenes, 3D: http://www.projectchapman3d.com/
Lottie Kings - A Liar’s Autobiography screening at last!: http://lottiekings.wordpress.com/category/project-chapman-3d-a-liars-autobiography/
Animating Monty Python's Latest Chapter in Stereo 3D: http://www.studiodaily.com/2011/10/animating-monty-pythons-latest-chapter-in-stereo-3d/
New York Times - This May Be Something Completely Different: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/movies/graham-chapman-tribute-from-monty-python.html?_r=2
Guardian - Monty Python team to reanimate Graham Chapman: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/jun/28/monty-python-graham-chapman-3d-film?CMP=twt_gu
Telegraph - Monty Python back for 3D animated film: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/8602765/Monty-Python-back-for-3D-animated-film.html
On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22liar%27s+autobiography%22&page=1
Superfad Creates 3D Animation for Upcoming Chapman Feature Release A Liar's Autobiography: http://www.dexigner.com/news/23847
Bleedingcool - Images From The Monty Python Near-Reunion Pic, A Liar’s Autobiography: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/07/09/images-from-the-monty-python-near-reunion-pic-a-liars-autobigoraphy/
Animationmagazine.net - Graham Chapman Pic Sponsors Animation Contest: http://www.animationmagazine.net/events/graham-chapman-pic-sponsors-animation-contest/
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/aliarsautobio
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/aliarsautobiographymovie

Thursday, 15 September 2011

No Naughty Bits: How smutty British childish humour took on corporate America and won

Read my guest blog post on TheRealGilliamFan:

Sunday, 8 May 2011

Terry Gilliam's 'Damnation of Faust' at the ENO: a review

Being the biggest 'Brazil' fan in the world (does anyone challenge that?), I had to be at the opening night of Terry Gilliam's 'Damnation of Faust' at the ENO (the London Coliseum).

On the way to my seat, I bumped into Elton John's percussionist, Ray Cooper, who has appeared in several of Terry's films, including 'Brazil'. He squashes the beetle at the beginning of the movie which sets up the whole Tuttle/Buttle thing. The last time I saw him, it was 20 years ago when he joined Terry and myself for lunch at the Italian Graffiti Restaurant in Wardour street and it was he who took the photo of Terry and me (one of the photos in my Monty Python album on Facebook). Despite all the years that have passed since then, he remembered me instantly! Neither of us could quite believe it had actually been 20 years!

I also bumped into the actor Terence Bayler who delivers the classic "Blessed are the cheesemakers" line in 'Life of Brian', as Gregory: "Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally. It refers to any manufacturers of dairy products." I happen to have a photo of him and I in the same Facebook album, taken at the world premiere of Julian Doyle's 'Chemical Wedding'. It was great to see him again.

I was hoping that some of the other Pythons and colleagues would have been there on Terry's night of glory; maybe they are going to see it on another night. There are not many performances to choose from however - there will only be 10 in total.

What did I think of Gilliam's (Berlioz's) 'Damnation of Faust'? Well it was the first opera I had ever been to, so I'm not really qualified to pass judgement. "I don't know much about art but I know what I like." It would be fair to say that I'm more of a Spamalot kind of a guy (it has more laughs per minute than this production!) and that I've now kind of decided that opera isn't really my thing. But that doesn't mean to say that I didn't appreciate I was witnessing another Gilliam masterpiece happening before me. Everything about the performance was polished, professional, precise, moving and reeked class.

Judging from the raptuous applause that the audience gave the cast, especially when Terry graced the stage - I certainly wasn't the only one to think so. The opera singer Daniela Bechly, widow of Steven Pimlott, (the internationally acclaimed theatre and opera director), happened to be sitting a few seats away from me. She told me that what she just experienced was out of this world. She was quite overcome with the magnificance of it all. She was utterly amazed at the way Terry had interpreted the piece and the way he subtly and cleverly drew upon many different artists and influences to create an outstanding and wonderful whole. It seemed to me that she was knocked for six by it and would be talking about it and enthusing about it for a long time to come. A similar reaction that I experienced when I first saw 'Brazil' - a life-changing moment for me.

She also told me she knows nothing about Monty Python or about any of Terry's earlier works. I've got an idea that, now, she might decide to check out some of the original Flying Circus episodes and watch some of his movies. I guess many people still think that Python is just a load of craziness and men dressed as ladies speaking in screeching voices. True, there was a lot of that! At one point in this production, Mephistopheles even appears in a dress! But when they get an insight into what's really going on in the heads of the Pythons - their abilities, their intellect, their creativity - such as after a performance of Gilliam's 'Damnation of Faust', they may suddenly see that "crazy British comedy troup" in a whole new light.