Monty Python Returns To The Stage For Film Festival
Friday continued Tribeca Film Festival’s 40th Anniversary salute to the British (+1 American) comedy sketch group Monty Python. The five surviving Pythons made their appearance at the New York Beacon Theater, filled with fans who had just watched their beloved (and arguably most popular) film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” The crowd was full of people who clearly loved the film, and knew more than a few lines by heart…plus me.
The really embarrassing thing to admit about this screening is the fact that despite really liking a lot of Monty Python’s comedy, I’m extremely intimidated by them. Why? Because they make me feel dumb. Watching the material and only really getting about half their jokes, I know I’m missing something…and it’s a feeling I don’t like. So the opportunity to see the Holy Grail with a crowd of Python super fans was a little intimidating. As a rule, I don’t like seeing “crowd movies” like The Room or Rocky Horror Picture Show, with people quoting lines to the screen.
But I have to say, my mind completely changed and I now feel as if Python movies are best watched with a crowd, even if you (as I did) previously thought they weren’t for you. I enjoyed the film more than I ever had, and despite my fears that there would be a lot of screen talking, the crowd was in full celebration mode without being disrespectful to the film. The movie also looks really great on the big screen.
But the reason the show was so exciting was the event happening right after. The fact that the Pythons were on stage doing a Q&A with fellow Brit John Oliver (clearly a super fan himself). And while I’m admitting to be a little Python dumb, I am a huge fan of the collective men who make up Monty Python. And the five now grey haired men who also star in the Tribeca premiere documentary Monty Python and the Meaning of Live (documenting their recent last tour), are as joyful and engaging as they ever were.
Whether apart or alone, they have the personalities of men far younger and less respected than they are…although that exuberance makes them pretty hard for Oliver to maintain control.
Although Oliver came out with both his own questions and those submitted on Twitter, he barely got to them before they started just horsing around. While Eric Idle and Michael Palin are quick to engage in witty, but calmer conversations with Oliver, Terry Jones seemed a bit quieter (at least at first). John Cleese and Terry Gilliam were arguably far more restless on stage. Barely 5 minutes into the conversation, John Cleese left as soon as he said something clever because you have to exit on a good line. After walking off for a few minutes, he reappeared from the side, waved a few times at the audience, and then joined them back on stage with a new chair. After all, it was only right to have an empty 6th chair to pay tribute to their fallen comrade Graham Chapman. Later in the night, Cleese got somewhat serious when discussing the much talked about eulogy he gave to Chapman which lacked the sentimentality witnessed at most funerals…but was so befitting Chapman and the Python’s relationships who can’t stand earnest sincerity. When you see the documentary Meaning of Live, you’ll note, as Oliver did, that claims that the group of comedy brothers don’t get along fails to capture their specific dynamic.
Like many best friends and brothers, the comedy of insults is a bond they share and take delight in. Eric Idle takes particular delight, recalling that when breakfasting with Palin, who commented on black birds he heard outside, he responded by calling him a c**t (twice). Insult pet names between men who hate (and always have) censorship seems to fit perfectly. In fact, Idle and Palin had to write and perform a special onscreen alternative for the BBC because of the “Vagina Song” in their stage show (which was broadcast live during their tour) fell outside UK safe haven hours. Appropriately, Palin dressed in drag and performed Idle’s new dirty word filled sketch which included c**t (bleeped of course).
Idle wrote the Meaning of Live, because of his experience writing for theater (including his Tony winning musical Spamelot). Idle, as were all the Pythons, was also particularly close to George Harrison, a name which came up during the Q&A and who Idle said offered him pot the first time they met. Harrison’s history with Monty Python was long, as the producer of Python’s Life of Brian, Live at the Hollywood Bowl, Time Bandits (directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Palin) and The Missionary (written by Palin).
While all the members of the group are famous on their own, John Cleese is still certainly the best known member (at least in the US), and a majority of audience questions were directed at him. Oliver originally wasn’t planning to go into the audience, obvious as he struggled to climb off and on the Beacon stage with his microphone. But Oliver felt the Twitter questions were lacking (such as “Who will live longest?” and “Who is Michael Palin?”) and Python members were clearly disinterested in Oliver’s questions. Once Cleese walked off a second time with Gilliam following, only to reappear and simulate Gilliam farting in Cleese’s face, what question could he ask? Unfortunately, Python members weren’t that impressed by the audience questions and mocked the audience for failing to seize the opportunity and bringing shame to America.
But the conversation did occasionally get serious, as when Oliver quoted Cleese’s iconic “You don’t have a reasonable expectation not to be upset throughout your life.” Cleese told his favorite Mexican joke to prove his point, but stressed that rampant political correctness and public shaming is ultimately hurting not only comedy, but the larger social/political conversations comedy is able to provoke among people.
Saturday afternoon after the previous night’s celebratory reunion, the Pythons reunited again to watch and participate in the Q&A for the documentary “Meaning of Live” (a film I saw but event I couldn’t attend). Alongside the directors of the film, they discussed the film in an event which was apparently just as fun, but resulted in slightly more serious and focused conversations, including getting Cleese’s first impressions about the documentary. Saturday and Sunday also had screenings of Python’s Life of Brian and Meaning of Life.
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