Monty Python's Flying Circus: Complete and Annotated

Every script and every episode of the of the innovative, hilarious and absurd Monty Python's Flying Circus Here are the complete scripts for every one of the 45 episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus and some of the most entertaining writing to have gone into television anywhere; every silly set-up, every clever conceit, every snide insult and saucy aside from these now classic skits, including The Ministry of Silly Walks, the Dead Parrot, Banter in a Cheese Shop, Spam, the Funniest Joke in the World, the Spanish Inquisition, Argument Clinic, the Fish-Slapping Dance and The Lumberjack Song. This celebration of Flying Circus covers the plethora of cultural, historical, and topical references touched upon by this landmark series and virtually every allusion and reference that appeared in an episode is identified and explained. Sidebars and commentary include profiles of the principles and interviews with cast and crew. Each episode is highlighted with fascinating facts about technical concerns and shooting locations; insider stories from the set including arguments, accidents, practical jokes, goofs, gaffes and much more, including hundreds of photo-stills from the shows and Terry Gilliam's artwork.

Commended for IndieFab awards (Humor) 2012

“Characterized by a level of detail that firmly plants Dempsey ( A Supremely Bad Idea ), the deputy editor of Bookish.com, in the obsessive fan-boy camp, this annotated transcription of all 45 Monty Python episodes occupies a ludicrously colorful and silly space between scrapbook and bible of the absurd. Including stills of more than 2,000 key scenes, as well as a litany of trivia for each sketch, this is a perfect supplement to the British troupe's subversive comedic oeuvre. Dempsey keeps his comments and criticism to the margins of the page, allowing classic sketches like "Dead Parrot," "The Ministry of Silly Walks," and "The Lumberjack Song" to speak for themselves. But it's in those margins that readers will likely find the most gold, as Dempsey's running commentary covers everything from expected Python minutiae, gaffes, and in-jokes, to British history and culture, effectively situating the show's crisp writing and sly references in their proper context. Clocking in at nearly 900 pages, folks won't be toting this book far from the coffee table, but the engaging combination of asides, fun facts, illustrations, and screen shots (not to mention the episode transcriptions themselves) make for an immersive and addictive read; Python fans needn't look any further'it's all here, literally.”

Characterized by a level of detail that firmly plants Dempsey (A Supremely Bad Idea), the deputy editor of Bookish.com, in the obsessive fan-boy camp, this annotated transcription of all 45 Monty Python episodes occupies a ludicrously colorful and silly space between scrapbook and bible of the absurd. Including stills of more than 2,000 key scenes, as well as a litany of trivia for each sketch, this is a perfect supplement to the British troupe's subversive comedic oeuvre. Dempsey keeps his comments and criticism to the margins of the page, allowing classic sketches like "Dead Parrot," "The Ministry of Silly Walks," and "The Lumberjack Song" to speak for themselves. But it's in those margins that readers will likely find the most gold, as Dempsey's running commentary covers everything from expected Python minutiae, gaffes, and in-jokes, to British history and culture, effectively situating the show's crisp writing and sly references in their proper context. Clocking in at nearly 900 pages, folks won't be toting this book far from the coffee table, but the engaging combination of asides, fun facts, illustrations, and screen shots (not to mention the episode transcriptions themselves) make for an immersive and addictive read; Python fans needn't look any further?it's all here, literally.

Luke Dempsey is the former editorial director of non-fiction for Ballantine Bantam Dell, a division of the Random House Publishing Group. He is the author of the memoir "A Supremely Bad Idea". A native of England--and a massive Python fan--he currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.

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