Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut)
Title card
Genre	Documentary
Written by	Monty Python
Directed by	Alan G Parker Bill Jones Ben Timlett
Starring	Monty Python
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	6
Production
Running time	360 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC
Original run	3 October – 4 October 2009
External links
Website

Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut) is a 2009 television documentary series in six parts that cover the members of the surreal comedy group Monty Python from Flying Circus to the present day.^[1] The series highlights their childhood, schooling and university life, and pre-Python work. It is the first time in two decades that all five surviving Python members have come together for such a project, as well as the archive news footages of Graham Chapman, and interviews with several associated people of the Pythons, including Carol Cleveland and Chapman's partner David Sherlock, along with commentary from modern comedians. The structure of the documentary series is similar to The Beatles Anthology series.

Content [edit]

The documentary is composed of six parts. The first part focuses on the Pythons' lives before Flying Circus; the second part covers their coming together and starting Flying Circus; the third part is about the Python records, their personal lives, and the end of Flying Circus; the fourth part looks at their transition to film with And Now for Something Completely Different and Holy Grail, continuing in the fifth part with Life of Brian and the various controversies it caused; and the sixth and final part covers Live at the Hollywood Bowl, The Meaning of Life, Chapman's death, and the five surviving members going on their separate ways and doing other projects.

Production [edit]

The film was produced by independent UK film producers Bill and Ben Productions (half of which is Terry Jones' son Bill) in association with Eagle Rock Entertainment.

Featured interviewees [edit]

The series includes interviews from modern day comedians and performers that cite the troupe as an influence, including:

• Eddie Izzard
• Russell Brand
• Bruce Dickinson
• Dan Aykroyd
• Sanjeev Bhaskar
• Steve Coogan
• Julian Doyle
• Jimmy Fallon
• Seth Green
• Hugh M. Hefner
• Neil Innes
• Simon Pegg
• Nick Mason
• Tim Roth
• Phil Jupitus

Releases [edit]

United Kingdom [edit]

On 29 September 2009, Vue Cinemas in the UK showed a condensed cinema version of the series for one night only. The "BBC Lawyer's Cut", a 59 minute cut, was broadcast on BBC 2 on 3 October 2009. Sky Arts began showing all six editions of the documentary in January 2012.^[2]

Canada [edit]

The full version was broadcast in 2 one-hour episodes per night on IFC from 19 to 23 October and on Bravo! a few days later. It began broadcasting on The Comedy Network in the same 2 one-hour episodes every Saturday night starting on 13 November 2010. The full cut became available in Region 1 DVD and Blu-ray Disc on 27 October 2009.

Israel [edit]

The six one-hour episodes were broadcast on Hot's Channel 8, beginning in 10 January 2010.

Australia [edit]

A shorter version was shown in two one-hour parts on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation television channel ABC1 on 14 and 21 February 2010.

New Zealand [edit]

Broadcast on Prime TV during May and early June 2010.

Finland [edit]

The six one-hour episodes were broadcast on YLE Teema from 13 September to 7 October 2010.^[3]

Germany and France [edit]

Broadcast as part of the Python week (1–5 May 2011) at arte in celebration of the 40th stage anniversary.

Portugal [edit]

The six one-hour episodes were broadcast on RTP2 on 18, 19, 25 and 26 August, and 1 and 2 September 2012, under the title Monty Python - Quase a Verdade: A Versão Jurídica.

List of episodes [edit]

All the episodes have slightly different opening credit sequences, and they bear rather Pythonesque titles:

1. The Not-so-interesting Beginnings
2. The Much Funnier Second Episode – Parrot Sketch – Flying Circus Included
3. And Now, the Sordid Personal Bits
4. The Ultimate Holy Grail Episode
5. Lust for Glory
6. Finally! The Last Episode Ever (For Now...)

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Monty Python: Almost the Truth at the Internet Movie Database
• Information at bbc.co.uk
• Chicago Tribune review of the documentary
• TV Guide review of the documentary
• Variety review of the documentary
• L.A. Times review of the documentary
• N.Y. Times feature on the documentary
• Review of the documentary