Carol Cleveland Attends the Final Pre-Release Screening of A Liar's Autobiography

I risked my life taking this photo for you! I had to stand in the middle of a busy Shaftesbury Avenue! The things we do for art!

The 3D animated untrue story 
of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
- A Liar's Autobiography -
goes on general release in the UK

Click here for listngs http://bit.ly/11GoX6j

Friday 8th Feb 2013 - Curzon Cinema Soho: Attending this special event which marked the start of the film's UK general release, in addition to Carol Cleveland (the seventh Python), were:

• The film's 3 directors: Jeff Simpson, Ben Timlett and Terry Jones' son, Bill Jones
• Monty Python's sound engineer who also appeared in the film: André Jacquemin
• Philip Bulcock who played David Sherlock as well as one or two other characters

A Liar's Autobiography is a FAB film (Fabricated Animated Biopic); in a genre all of its own! 

In the bar area of the cinema, a life-size cardboard cutout of Graham Chapman as the Colonel watched over an exhibition of various props from A Liar's Autobiography (the actual model of Sigmund Freud that appeared in the movie as well as his desk, plus the figures used in the opening Oscar Wilde scene); Monty Python and the Holy Grail (the actual sun emblem King Arthur wore on his chest); and The Life of Brian (the actual sandal!). Also on display was Graham's Cambridge scarf.

The three directors: Bill Jones asked the audience to comply with Graham Chapman's wishes at the start of  the film and to shout abuse at the screen for 60 seconds

The actual sandal from The Life of Brian!

Various props from A Liar's Autobiography, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Life of Brian - plus Graham's Cambridge scarf

"Please welcome Carol Cleveland" Our Carol's not shy, that's for sure

Some artwork from the film on display at the Curzon Cinema Soho 
(Exhibition thanks to LOCO London Comedy Film Festival)

Some stills from the film, background info, poster etc
(Exhibition thanks to LOCO London Comedy Film Festival)

Me "cuddling" Sigmund Freud (voiced by Cameron Diaz)

Graham's Cambridge scarf (no that wasn't his actual pipe)

Me with Carol Cleveland!

Philip Bulcock, me, André Jacquemin - photo taken by Carol Cleveland on my phone!

Philip Bulcock, Carol Cleveland, André Jacquemin

Philip Bulcock, Carol Cleveland, André Jacquemin

It was great to see André again, and I was so pleased to finally meet Philip having corresponded with him so much in the Twittersphere.

I also managed to have a little chat with Carol. I guessed that her most memorable Python sketch that she appeared in was either Marriage Councillor or Scott of the Sahara. For her, it was the latter. She told me how it was one of the rare long sketches that was filmed on location on Torquay Beach in 1969. At that time, she had only known the Pythons for about two weeks. She said she really enjoyed filming it and that they were always laughing so much on set. I asked her about her topless scene (well, I had to!) and she said that it was the only time she refused a Python 'order'! In the script, she was supposed to run up the beach away from the sea as the final cactus removed her bra. But by then, a large crowd had gathered to watch the filming, and she did not fancy running topless towards the crowd. So instead, she ran with her back to the crowd towards the sea. And here is the masterpiece for your delight:

A Liar's Autobiography on DVD and Blu-ray will be available from 18 Feb but can be pre-ordered now.

A Visit to Graham Chapman's Local

To Preserve and Foster the Tradition of British Comedy
Graham Chapman 
"A very naughty boy"
8 January 1941 to 4 October 1989
Comedian and writer
Member of Monty Python's Flying Circus
Drank here often and copiously
The British Comedy Society
6 September 2012
photo:hamhigh.co.uk

What a stroke of PR genius it was to have The British Comedy Society put up a blue plaque for Graham Chapman to help promote his movie "A Liar's Autobiography" which goes on general release in the UK in January 2013.

"A Liar's Autobiography" flyer

Instead of putting the plaque on the house he lived in (that would have been far too ordinary), it was placed on a wall of his local pub - The Angel Inn, Highgate. After all, during his alcoholic years, he probably spent more time there than at home!

The Angel Inn, Highgate (you can just see the blue plaque to the left of the angel)

Unfortunately, my Monty Python "sources" didn't manage to tell me in advance about the plaque unveiling ceremony attended by Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Carol Cleveland and other celebs; I heard about it like everybody else did - on the news. Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes. 

Soon to be The Chapman Corner

So, on the night of 16th October 2012, just before the UK premiere of "A Liar's Autobiography", (an appropriate night if ever there was one), I decided to go and see The Angel Inn for myself. I tried to visualise him being there in the 70s and 80s, probably doing crazy things and shouting a lot. The Angel's landlord, Ben Martin, told me he regularly got thrown out for being drunk, and would complain at the top of his voice in the street outside! Ben also told me that he will dedicate a corner of the pub to Graham, to be called (unsurprisingly) The Chapman Corner, where he will put some pictures of him. I'll definitely pop back one day for a photo of that! 

Graham Chapman as the Colonel: "Now, nobody likes a good laugh more than I do... except perhaps my wife... and some of her friends... oh, yes, and Captain Johnston. Come to think of it, most people like a good laugh more than I do, but that's beside the point."

News reports of the unveiling: 

• Local TV
• Local newspaper 

Private Screening of A Liar's Autobiography - 4 October 2012

Curzon Cinema, Shaftesbury Avenue

As if there hadn't been enough Monty Python-related coincidences in my life already, there I was sailing down the Thames last week when I bump into Emma Wilkinson of Adobe UK who promptly invites me to a private screening of A Liar's Autobiography, before she has any idea that she was talking to a real Python devotee!

I already knew quite a bit about the movie and was already going to the UK premiere on 16th October, so to be invited to this too as a result of a chance meeting was wonderful, if not a little spooky!

A message from our hosts: A behind-the-scenes mini documentary on the vital role Adobe's Premiere Pro CS6 played in the making of the film

Some characters in the film in one of the many animation styles, including Graham Chapman, top left who took up smoking from an early age...

After the screening, there was a Q & A with  (left to right) Justin Weyers, animation producer, three animators who each created their own separate scenes, two of the three directors, Ben Timlett and Bill Jones (Terry Jones's son, with mic), and the Adobe host.

 
Our goodie bag and its contents: a copy of the book and a tin of spam! The bag design by Maddie Wagg is interesting. Graham Chapman is drawn entirely from abusive words and phrases such as "Wanker, Faggot, Bugger off, Fairy, Scallywag" as influenced by the start of the movie, which I will not ruin for you. 

A Chapman family scene (in another of the many animation styles) that has been my phone's wallpaper for months

The after party at Lvpo Bar, Dean Street.  Left to right: Me, Ben Timlett, and three very talented animators. Photo by mariahjune.com

Me with the star of the film himself, Graham Chapman whom I never met so this is the closest I'm ever going to get, and Bill Jones. Photo by mariahjune.com
 

4 October was a very appropriate day to hold the screening, as it was the 23rd anniversary of Graham's death. And as a matter of interest, 5 Oct 2012 is the 43rd anniversary of the first broadcast of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Believe it or not, this was the first 3D movie I had ever seen, and I absolutely loved it. But it's all too much to take in, so I have to see it again! There's so much to discover in it. To have the story told in so many different animation styles is such an original idea, and I'm sure Graham would be very happy to think he had helped these companies, each bursting with talent, receive the attention they all deserve.

A Liar's Autobiography hits you hard with some fairly graphic imagery of Graham's real life as well as what was going on in his head. My test of how good a movie is, is based on the answer to these questions: do scenes and images from it stay with me at all, and if so, for how long? Well the movie ended about 8 hours ago and my head is still swimming with scene after scene, and I don't predict much of a change for about a week! It gives you so much to talk about too!

You would expect to find plenty of vulgarity, nudity, sex, excess, debauchery, irreverence, insanity and a huge dose of scatological humour in an autobiographical movie about the insane and insanely talented Graham Chapman. A Liar's Autobiography certainly does not disappoint...

If you can think beyond the mindless blockbuster thriller or romcom, this movie is for you. You've got to go and see it! It goes on general release in the UK in January 2013. I predict it's going to win many awards. My hearty congratulations to everyone involved for making such an incredible movie, for bringing Graham back to life, allowing us to meet him and to look inside his head.

Needless to say, I had a fantastic evening and thank you so much Emma for inviting me, and thank you Adobe! Now, I really fancy a cucumber sandwich...