| Life of Python | |
|---|---|
 VHS cover art | |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Starring | John Cleese Terry Gilliam Eric Idle Terry Jones Michael Palin |
| Country of origin | United States United Kingdom |
| Production | |
| Running time | 57 minutes (US version) 55 minutes (UK version) |
| Production company | Tiger Aspect Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Showtime (US) BBC 1 (UK) |
| Release | 16 March 1990 (1990-03-16) |
Life of Python is the name of two documentaries, both intended to mark 20 years of theMonty Python team in 1989, but broadcast the following year after the death of team memberGraham Chapman on 4 October - the eve of the 20th anniversary.
The documentaries take in many aspects of Python history. The pre-Flying Circus shows are covered, includingThe Frost Report,At Last The 1948 Show,Do Not Adjust Your Set andThe Complete and Utter History of Britain. Other topics include the naming of the show, the dynamics of the writing sessions, the animations, attitudes to women, censorship and the team's surprise at their success in America.
Life of Python was produced byTiger Television in collaboration withDevillier-Donegan Enterprises.
There are many differences between the two documentaries. The US version opens with footage of the Pythons (minus Chapman) meeting up atTwickenham Studios in September 1989 dressed in school uniform, in preparation for the filming of a new sketch forParrot Sketch Not Included, which was ultimately cut from broadcast.[1] The UK version omits this and instead opens with footage of Graham Chapman's memorial service in December 1989, includingJohn Cleese's memorably irreverent eulogy, and closes the documentary withEric Idle leading the congregation with a singalong of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life". The UK version is introduced and narrated by comedy producerJohn Lloyd, who had recently compiled the sketches for theParrot Sketch Not Included special. The interviews with the five contributing Pythons are mostly different in both versions, with only the occasional overlap. Much of the differing content and choice of interviewees in the two versions is geared toward their respective US and UK audiences.
The US version was broadcast on theShowtime network on 16 March 1990,[2] with the UK version airing on the team's 21st anniversary on 5 October 1990,[3] as part of the BBC'sOmnibus documentary series.
The US version of the documentary was released on VHS in the UK by Palace Video in 1991.