Eric Idle

It's been more than 40 years since the first episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus aired on BBC One and we never looked at comedy - let alone spam, parrots or lumberjacks - in the same way again. This documentary marks the first time the surviving Pythons have come together for a project since 1983's The Meaning of Life]. Directed by Alan Parker, it features interviews with Terry Jones, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Eric Idle, as well as archive chat from late Graham Chapman. All tell the story of how they met at Oxbridge and The Frost Report, created trail-blazing television, made the transition into movies and ultimately became a British institution. Which, like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expected.

Five things you might not know about Spamalot

Eric Idle and John Du Prez's Monty Python-inspired musical tours UK.

I love a spoof documentary, me. Not, you understand, of the nonsensical Life's Too Short variety, but rather those spot-on parodies of pop culture epochs such as Eric Idle's magnificent Beatles spoof, The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash, and Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse's criminally underrated Smashie and Nicey: End of an Era.

As well as being packed with exquisite gags, those mock-docs worked so beautifully because of their loving attention to detail, proving that the very best parodies are made by those who know their subject inside out. And while Peter Capaldi's the Cricklewood Greats doesn't quite reach such giddy heights, it certainly delivers in terms of affectionate irreverence and the care with which it's made.

Charting the wavering fortunes of a fictional British film studio - think Ealing by way of Hammer, and all stops in between - it functions not only as an impressively realised parody of the average BBC 4 entertainment documentary, but also of those insight-free films in which a celebrity hijacks an interesting subject in pursuit of their own meaningless "personal journey."

Written in conjunction with his The Thick Of It cohort Tony Roche - who also penned BBC 4's splendid Python biopic, Holy Flying Circus - Capaldi directs and also stars as himself, paying overly-reverential tribute to the ghosts of the Cricklewood dream factory, including thinly disguised versions of Gracie Fields, Peter Cushing and Kenneth Williams (the acutely observed pastiches of his withering diary entries are a particular highlight).

No "tears behind the laughter" cliché is left unturned in this modest treat for connoisseurs of archive film and television, which, although merely amusing rather than hilarious, is still witty and charming and thoroughly commendable.

Eric Idle interview

"Sacking John Cleese wasn't mean - he's had plenty of money from me!" Eric Idle on his fall-out with his former fellow Python...

This comedy drama is an "accurate" retelling of the events surrounding the making of Monty Python's Life of Brian and the accusations against its blasphemy.

You know right from the start what you're letting yourself in for when Jesus comes onto the screen speaking Aramaic and then farts into a disciple's face. The main cast; Darren Boyd (as John Cleese), Charles Edwards (Michael Palin), Steve Punt (Eric Idle), Rufus Jones (Terry Jones), Tom Fisher (Graham Chapman) and Phil Nichol (Terry Gilliam) are great at portraying the original stars, or rather exaggerated versions of them. For example, Cleese is characterised as Basil Fawlty, Palin is the nicest man in the world and Idle is a "greedy bastard."

The programme was full of references to both Python and events relating to the modern day, and introduced by a rolling credit sequence akin to the way many episodes of Flying Circus had, which I personally found hilarious. There are other connections to the Python saga, too, like Palin's wife being played by Jones in drag (Rufus or Terry, take your pick).

Then there are the links to the actual film, such as the debate between bishops and devils which is akin to the People's Front of Judea talking about "what the Romans have ever done for us". Holy Flying Circus also refers to offensive comedy incidents in the present day, like Jerry Springer the Opera and just about anything to do with Frankie Boyle.

My favourite scene in the entire programme, however, was a cameo from Alexander McQueen as the BBC's Head of Rude Words. His wonderfully stiff performance as a typical Beeb executive reading out the rudest words he could think of was delightful. There was no racist, sexist or homophobic language - but there was a member of the Ku Klux Klan earlier on so you could argue that was covered as well.

I know many critics were dissatisfied by the fact it wasn't entirely factual. All I have to say to that is if you want something factual then watch a documentary.

Holy Flying Circus, a comedy drama based on the furore that surrounded the release of Monty Python's Life of Brian in 1979 was bold but disappointing. The decision to go for the full Monty, as it were - the programme erupted with animations, fantasy and sketches, amid multiple warring sitcoms featuring feckless church hall Christians, wacky TV executives and bantering Python lookalikes - was a recipe for silliness, but little else. The putative battle between freedom of expression and religious sensitivity rumbled lightly on, but you got the feeling that everyone was having too good a time to take it seriously. I'm not sure I was. The impersonations were quite uncanny - Darren Boyd as John Cleese (in Basil Fawlty mode) and Steve Punt as Eric Idle - but also quite unfunny. A homage to Monty Python is a hostage to unfavourable comparisons with the real thing (and following it up with Life of Brian on BBC4 wasn't the masterstroke it might have seemed), but more important, Pythonesque humour - its loud irony, its juxtaposition of opposites, its attack on the dullness of accountants, its gleeful anachronisms, its men dressed as women - has had its moment at the cutting edge. How else could Spamalot have happened? I had to put my fingers in my ears during some mirthless scenes with Michael Palin (the excellent Charles Edwards notwithstanding) in bed with his unattractive wife (supposedly Terry Jones in drag). As for the Christian protesters - should we still be depending on speech impediments for our laughs this far into the 21st century?

But in the spirit of saving the best till last, I should say there was a brilliant sword and lightsaber fight between Cleese and Palin, the pair of them flying about as puppets on sticks. If it's not on YouTube by the time you read this, I'll eat my parrot.

These days it would be blasphemy to suggest that Monty Python's Life of Brian isn't one of the funniest films ever made. But it was a very different story back in 1979 when the Pythons found themselves practically crucified and accused of making fun of Jesus Christ.

Here, Tony Roche's ridiculously funny film pulls off an ingenious balancing trick with its accurate and affectionate pastiche of Pythonesque humour, while looking back at the furore Life of Brian created.

But as well as getting in lots of jokes at the expense of the BBC (the scene starring Alex MacQueen as the BBC's Head Of Rude Words is priceless), it also sends up the comedians themselves.

For instance, Michael Palin (played by Charles Edwards) is described as the nicest man in the world, but what's even more pleasing for Python fans is that his wife really is just Terry Jones in a dress.

Rufus Jones who plays Terry is brilliant, but all the casting is a delight. Steve Punt finally gets to capitalise on his resemblance to Eric Idle, while Darren Boyd, despite cheap-looking hair, is absolutely bang on as John Cleese. Or is it Basil Fawlty?

It all leads up to the now infamous live TV debate on the BBC talk show Friday Night, Saturday Morning, on which Cleese and Palin defended Life of Brian against the Bishop of Southwark and satirist Malcolm Muggeridge. This part of the film needed no script - it's an edited version of the actual debate, which has been partially seen before in other documentaries.

It's being shown again in full for the first time in more than 30 years straight after this at 10.30pm.

Interview: Eric Idle

Eric Idle is one of the country's most loved comedians. Born in South Shields, the comedian, actor, author, singer, and writer first rose to attention in the children's television comedy series Do Not Adjust Your Set, before going on to be part of the groundbreaking comedy team Monty Python. Since then Idle has starred in countless films, several Monty Python features, played in his own rock band, albeit a spoof one, and had an asteroid, 9620 Ericidle, named in his honour. In 2005 Monty Python's Spamalot, a musical comedy "lovingly ripped off from" the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, for which he wrote the music book and lyrics for, first opened in Broadway and has since toured all over the world. This February sees Spamalot reach the North East with six nights at the Sunderland Empire. Brian Beacom caught up with the comedy legend.