Holy Flying Circus

Ovation Network picks up Holy Flying Circus for U.S.

The American Ovation Network has picked up the rights to TV movie Holy Flying Circus, a dramatization of the controversy surrounding the 1979 release of Monty Python's film Life of Brian.

Holy Flying Circus DVD review

An endlessly, inventive and amusing take on the controversy, worthy of Python itself. Hilarious, intelligent and silly.

A dementedly energetic, militantly unpredictable script created one of the comedies of the year from a shabby and much-documented episode: how the Pythons were ambushed by religious finger-waggers upon the release of Life Of Brian.

The 16th best programme of 2011 according to the Radio Times.

A dementedly energetic, militantly unpredictable script by Tony Roche created one of the comedies of the year from a shabby and much-documented episode: how the Pythons were ambushed by religious finger-waggers upon the release of Life of Brian in 1979. Holy Flying Circus sought not to describe the Pythons, but to emulate them, using dream sequences within dream sequences, hokey rolling text, smashed fourth walls and, at one point, a lightsabre duel between puppets. As references and in-jokes twanged back and forth, Holy Flying Circus was funny on its own merits as well as a fanboy joy, not stuck in aspic but bright and sharp - a thing to cherish on the same shelf as those Python box sets.

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.

Holy Flying Circus, BBC4, Wednesday, review

A dramatisation of the furore over Life of Brian stayed true to the anarchic spirit of the Pythons.

No dead parrots or Spanish Inquisition - not that anyone was expecting them - but countless other Monty Python moments were alluded to during Holy Flying Circus.

Loosely based upon on the furore surrounding the release of Life Of Brian in 1979, which saw the self-appointed guardians of decency and religious right unite in opposition to a film none of them had actually seen, Holy Flying Circus adopted the Pythons' surreal style and sense of humour, including all the frequently indulgent and self-referential aspects, to tell what was essentially a disturbing and depressing story.

That such a potentially perilous conceit worked so effectively was down to the confidence with which it was executed, the consistently inventive script, a first-rate cast and the fact that it was actually funny in its own right. Sometimes you have to be very silly indeed to make a serious point.

Holy Flying Circus review

What Holy Flying Circus pulled off with aplomb was the feel of a Monty Python show within a show with bizarre fantasy scenes juxtaposed with holy tablets of facts.

Holy Flying Circus gets mixed reaction from fans

BBC4 comedy drama Holy Flying Circus has had a mixed reaction from Twitter fans, many of whom weren't sure what to make of the programme documenting comedy troupe Monty Python.