Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut)

Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut)

2009
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut)
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut)

Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut)

8.1 | en | Comedy

A 2009 television documentary series in six parts that covers 40 years of the surreal comedy group Monty Python, from Flying Circus to present day projects such as the musical Spamalot. The series highlights their childhood, schooling and university life, and pre-Python work. The series featured new interviews with surviving members John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, alongside archive interview footage of Graham Chapman and interviews with several associates of the Pythons, including Carol Cleveland, Neil Innes and Chapman's partner David Sherlock, along with commentary from modern comedians.

View More
AD

WATCH FREEFOR 30 DAYS

All Prime Video
Cancel anytime

Watch Now

Seasons & Episodes

1
0
EP6  Finally, the Last Episode Ever... for Now
Oct. 23,2009
Finally, the Last Episode Ever... for Now

The Gang recalls their last movie, The Meaning of Life and its relevance to Graham Chapman's memorial service. Comedians and celebrities discuss Python's influence.

EP5  Lust for Glory
Oct. 22,2009
Lust for Glory

The genesis of "The Life of Brian" takes center stage, including the backlash over its supposed blasphemy and how George Harrison saved the day.

EP4  The Ultimate Holy Grail Episode
Oct. 21,2009
The Ultimate Holy Grail Episode

Comedic team Monty Python document arriving in the U.S. and leaving TV to dive headfirst into film and the ups and downs with their project Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

EP3  And Now the Sordid Personal Bits
Oct. 20,2009
And Now the Sordid Personal Bits

Join Monty Python members as they discuss BBC censorship, unwanted celebrity status, member Graham Chapman, Python controversy and Cleese's departure.

EP2  The Much Funnier Second Episode
Oct. 19,2009
The Much Funnier Second Episode

Catch up with The Pythons as they remember Monty Python's Flying Circus' early struggles turned extreme successes with sketches influencing generations to come.

EP1  The Not-So-Interesting Beginnings
Oct. 18,2009
The Not-So-Interesting Beginnings

The birth of Monty Python. Join members as they tell the tale of how their lives and careers began Post-WWII to the culmination of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

SEE MORE
SEE MORE
8.1 | en | Comedy , Documentary | More Info
Released: 2009-10-18 | Released Producted By: , Country: United Kingdom Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n7sf3
Synopsis

A 2009 television documentary series in six parts that covers 40 years of the surreal comedy group Monty Python, from Flying Circus to present day projects such as the musical Spamalot. The series highlights their childhood, schooling and university life, and pre-Python work. The series featured new interviews with surviving members John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, alongside archive interview footage of Graham Chapman and interviews with several associates of the Pythons, including Carol Cleveland, Neil Innes and Chapman's partner David Sherlock, along with commentary from modern comedians.

...... View More
Stream Online

The tv show is currently not available onine

Cast

Graham Chapman , John Cleese , Michael Palin

Director

Christine Lubrano

Producted By

,

AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime.

Watch Now

Reviews

imdb2-556-923983 This documentary took the road most taken: if you're documenting Python, be Pythonesque. That's why it gets an 8 and not a 10. The mini-sketch at the beginning got to be annoying about half-way through it at the first watching. I really didn't need the joke repeated 6 times. (And it is more reminiscent of the opening scene of Gilliam's Brazil than of anything by Python, anyway.) Then there are the animations meant to be homage's to Gilliam's works. Another miss. And there's the cutting-people-off-in-mid-sentence in interviews (which, of the Pythonesque directorial touches is the one that works best, in my opinion). The interviewee-being-seen-in-a-profile motif also detracted from the documentary. In short, directorially it's in a bad shape.Having said that, the rest of it I loved. It is a candid tale of a troupe who got together only by some strange series of flukes, remained together for as long as they did because their various antics and inter-group quibbling somehow managed to cancel each other, left us an incredibly funny legacy (the highlights of which were done as quick-and-dirty solutions to some odd problems) and finally were fed up with it and went on to do other great things separately.At no point does it feel like anyone is holding anything back. For example, the group is very open about their complete lack of interest in each other's personal lives, and how that made them not see what was going on in Graham Chapman's life, even when it was too big to miss.Intermixed with this are well-chosen bits of archive footage (including interviews with Chapman that are edited in to sound just like the interviews with the five surviving members), some perspective interviews with friends and contemporary comedians (as well as some actors and musicians), and mentions of some notable fans (mostly from the music business).I am a Python fan, but (like the group itself, apparently) never dug into their personal lives, feeling that their body of work should speak for itself. So, to me, much of this was new, and I thought that just hearing the story of George Harrison's house and its connection to Life of Brian -- that alone would have made the watching of this documentary worthwhile... and there's a lot more where that came from.A solid, well deserved 8.
Oliver Thiele Almost the Truth is a Documentary about everything you'd want to know about them. From their Childhood life to the sad death of Graham Chapman to the creation of their 3 Feature Films to what they all do now! The interviews are very interesting entertaining and funny as hell! And not only that, but they interview famous people (actors, directors, comedians etc. including LOYD KAUFMAN!) and their own opinions of their best sketches, films and lots more! The DVD includes extended interviews, Best sketches and more! If you are a fan of the Pythons (or comedy for that matter), documentaries or just looking for some entertainment, this is a 6 episode long documentary thats worth your time!4/5 8/10
JoeB131 It's a fun movie that walks us through the history of Monty Python and how this troupe revolutionized sketch comedy. There is a bit of sadness here, in that they all look back in retrospect and realized what a train wreck Grahmn Chapman really was. It is interesting to watch the retrospective of these men, now in their golden years, but still recognizing the contribution they've made.Fun for python fans, absolutely. But even a casual Python fan has heard 90% of these stories before. So I'm not sure what is actually new here. There were personality conflicts, Holy Grail was done on a budget and was an unexpected success, Life of Brian was done as a real feature film, was controversial and didn't make its money back. "Meaning of Life", the boys had just gotten tired of the whole thing, and were phoning it in. They went their separate ways and enjoyed various amounts of success in other venues.
elMato You can pass on above comment because when you reach the end and read "They weren't that funny anyway! " you just know that this person doesn't know the meaning of life... errrr, sorry, the meaning of humor and nonsense :)Just look at the bonus in the DVD of their movies, and you'll see they haven't changed at all :). Still the same spirit, they have the same look in their eyes, they're just very humble, full of nonsense and funny as hell.If you've never laugh with the Pythons, I don't really think that you can post a comment saying it's boring, not fun, and just for money and that they grew old because even when they were young you missed the point :)