Monty Python Jesus/Satan animation

[Geoff]

It is possible that a competently put together DVD release might be emerging from the depths sometime in the, hopefully, not too distant future. I gather that Python enterprises have been looking for potential extras for a release, so it seems likely that something good is in the offing. I would add the proviso that breath-holding is not advised at this time, though!

[Freddy Thomson]

Possibly, they're waiting until/hoping for more missing bits like the "choreographed political broadcast" turning up before releasing any such set.........

[andrew martin]

I think that does exist, albeit in black and white - there is a film recording of the uncut version of that show.

[Gary]

Hope their appearance on Late Night Line Up in 1970 is an extra.Doesnt Terry Jones have an offair of it?

[andrew martin]

I have heard that, TJ has quite an archive it is said (such as the "Late Show" episode, part of which was seen at the last "Missing Believed Wiped").

[Simon Winchester]

Has the BBC ever thought about setting up a colorization office in somewhere like Calcutta? They could get all this work done for peanuts and we could get some really cool DVDs released. Think of the potential for coloring in lots of 1960s television! The Python b/w could be re-inserted and so could all the Troughton be restored.

[Laurence Piper]

andrew said:

I have heard that, TJ has quite an archive it is said (such as the "Late Show" episode, part of which was seen at the last "Missing Believed Wiped").

Yes. I was at MBW this year and Terry verbally resolved to go through the pile of film cans he has in his cellar for next years' event to look for more missing stuff - see if you and Dick Fiddy can make sure he gets round to it, eh?

[Simon Winchester]

Are you gonna throw in a chocotale orange if he finds anything?

[Laurence Piper]

Sure am - at least one piece anyway!

[Steve Burstein]

Has anybody tried to find American VHS[or beta]home tapes of Python from the late 70s, when Public stations were showing crude pal-to-ntsc conversions that still had the subsequently missing scenes?These versions disappeared about '80 or '81.

[Steven Sigel]

Steve said:

Has anybody tried to find American VHS[or beta]home tapes of Python from the late 70s, when Public stations were showing crude pal-to-ntsc conversions that still had the subsequently missing scenes?These versions disappeared about '80 or '81.

I don't think they broadcast the version with the missing bits in the USA -- the 16mm telerecordings were made for AFRTS (Armed Forced Radio and Television Serivice) and were in B&W (They've got Time Life tags on them as well). There's no evidence that these versions were transfered to Videotape in color.

I've also seen a T/R with BBC leaders, so they may have been made for other purposes as well - maybe Australia? But it's not clear if these would have been made from the UK broadcast versions or from the complete versions..

[Steve Burstein]

The missing bits WERE shown in the US.First, there were the ugly analog pal-to-ntsc conversions shown on public stations between '74 and '80. These were apparently taken from pal tapes that had been laying around Time-Life for some time, and these had the 'missing bits'. I saw the Jesus animation, choreographed political party broadcast, heard the word 'Cancer' in the fairy tale cartoon, etc. Lest we forget, the undertakers sketch was culled from one of these old NTSC's. Then, one night in 1980, suprise, suprise, a beautiful new digital conversion of a first season episode appeared, and I almost had to rub my eyes. It looked new. But THESE were missing bits, and I was especially dissappointed that the dancing conservative party spokesman was gone.