Michael Palin's Super 8mm Film - "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (1971)

Michael Palin’s Super 8mm film from 1971, when the Pythons were filming sketches for the 3rd series of "Monty Python’s Flying Circus" in Jersey. With
new commentary from Michael Palin himself (recorded in July 2019).
The film shows the Monty Python cast and crew filming sketches for series 3 of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” on the island of Jersey, prior to
the studio recording sessions for the final 6 shows of the series.
Michael Palin rode Mr. Pither's bicycle around the island, which doubled for Devon, in "The Cycling Tour". He also faced a firing squad on the island, and John Cleese
held up Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman and Carol Cleveland aboard a coach and horses as Dennis Moore, in the tight country lanes of the self-governing dependency.
Michael says of the film: "I had a morning off and took film of the preparation for a sequence in which John Cleese as Moore holds up a passing
stagecoach. Looking back now, I realise that the unique aspect of filming I captured that day was its boredom. In that way it is, at least, an honest bit of footage and remains almost the only movie material of Python at work in those early days of the TV series
Michael says of the film: "I had a morning off and took film of the preparation for a sequence in which John Cleese as Moore holds up a passing
stagecoach. Looking back now, I realise that the unique aspect of filming I captured that day was its boredom. In that way it is, at least, an honest bit of footage and remains almost the only movie material of Python at work in those early days of the TV series”.

[@klilsharon8451]

This was SO relaxing to listen to. I've always loved Michael's voice.

[@movielover4244]

True

[@alana845]

Me too. I almost fell asleep 🥰🥹

[@jolinkarlsson8569]

Same i could listen to him forever

[@frobbit30]

As long as people can still laugh, Monty Python will live on as a treat for ever new generations. Thank you all, for so much needed laughter.

[@jolinkarlsson8569]

And as one of the new generation i thank you also i find old things fascinating i’d love to know how everything was like how it looked like and all of that

[@wettergren1725]

I cannot express the amount of influence the Pythons have had on my life, but Michael Palin has always intrigued me more than the rest (besides perhaps Graham), he has true humanistic values and the timing of a comedy legend (as well he should have). Whenever I feel down I always watch the video of Palin & Cleese v 'The Bishop' & M. Muggeridge, it makes me feel like humor really can change the world. These home videos form Palin is really a nice "final view" of The Pythons, looking back at the purest times of The Flying Circus

[@TheLichruler]

This feels so much more authentic than a lot of "behinds the scenes" footage that gets released.

[@windsch7953]

Michael's litlle noises are like a relaxing ASMR

[@buckbaumann773]

I bloody LOVE the Arthur Pither sketch.

[@hilaryepstein6013]

This is a real treasure as there's nothing much really available of MPFC on location filming. So thank you Monty Python Channel - and thank you Michael of course.

[@d.w.1530]

But did you know what Michael says of the film? "I had a morning off and took film of the preparation for a sequence in which John Cleese as Moore holds up a passing stagecoach. Looking back now, I realise that the unique aspect of filming I captured that day was its boredom. In that way it is, at least, an honest bit of footage and remains almost the only movie material of Python at work in those early days of the TV series”.

[@Mrkabrat]

Now this is a nice christmas surprise

[@AstronomyDomine]

I did not expect this on Christmas Eve

[@wiedep]

NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!

[@katg9507]

wiedep And now the comfy chair...

[@alainrheault6579]

This is a great document and I always love lupins 🙂🙂!

[@HSMiyamoto]

I have never seen such a large light, even indoors, other than one of those Hollywood premiere style searchlight. Crazy!

[@movienerd202]

Rest in Peace, Terry Jones.

[@JLOFlix]

"STAND AND DELIVER!" "NOT ON YOUR..." *BLAM*!! "Let that be a warning to you all! I have two guns here...I know one of them isn't loaded, but, that's one of you dead for SURE!....well, not absolutely for sure, but, it's certainly not worth your while risking it, I practice EVERY day....well perhaps not everyday..." [from my memory of your wonderful audio recordings from when I was a teenager! Bless your souls for the Joy's and laughter that you brought me and to this day!!]

[@redheadredemption1573]

One of my favorite Python moments is the sheer incredulity on John Cleese's face during the firing squad scene where he asks, "You missed?!?"

[@MephLeo]

"Niet! Niet!" Suspense. "It's from the Kremlin! The Central Committee! It says... carry on with the execution." More suspense. Drums. Shots. "How could you miss?" It gets me every single damn time.

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

I honestly think "How could you miss?" is the single funniest line from Monty Python. A simple, elegant, brilliant joke.

[@MephLeo]

@@chrisfreemesser5707 I would say the whole set up, and the build up in tension, it all adds up. It's a perfect, simple receipt, like bread and butter. It just works.

[@lilmelvin11]

Excellent! Thank you for sharing.

[@carlorenzi1802]

This film wouldn’t have been better with real-time sound recording. Lovely commentary

[@andmos1001]

Rest in peace Terry Jones. Might you not be anything more then a silly bugger

[@hilaryepstein6013]

Happy 78th birthday Michael - the baby of the Pythons and now a true national treasure.

[@phen0mena]

wonderful footage!

[@jakubbielak7273]

Wow. That's a pure gold😃

[@danielg335]

This is great stuff. Love it! You can see that were not the only ones laughing.

[@moseva]

man this is pure GOLD. thanks

[@ttora]

Amazing! Thank you MP Channel and of course, Michael Palin!

[@doug209]

Best home movies ever.

[@barrywebber100]

Great times and wonderful memories! Thank you for posting Michael.

[@BrianKishreviews]

This is a great treat, I'll take any and all unreleased footage you've got, thanks!

[@jc_tha_sovereign]

Brilliant! Thank You!

[@A1Authority]

This is very nice. It'd be great if there was simply a 1/2 hour show that did this. Celebrity home films with personal narration. Anything from the past 25 years would be disqualified, so that nobody could drum up crap for the purpose of the show.

[@arkaisk2]

Very interesting to see this footage from one of my Top 10 favourite MPFC sketches.Thanks 👍

[@effyleven]

I have the highwayman sketch as a track on long playing vinyl. "Monty Python's Previous Record." It was almost funnier as a soundtrack. "In a bunch! In a bunch!" Thank you, Michael. We appreciate all the Pythons, but especially you.

[@srenhaandbk7904]

a great christmas gift, thank you very much!

[@wiedep]

Mike shot more film that day than the crew did in Jersey

[@jkorshak]

Dennis Moore, Dennis Moore Dum dum dum the night Dennis Moore, Dennis Moore Dum de dum dum plight He steals dum dum dum And dum dum dum dee Dennis dum, Dennis dee, dum dum dum

[@TheLichruler]

♫Dennis Moore, Dennis Moore♪ ♪Riding through the land♫ ♫Dennis Moore, Dennis Moore♪ ♪Without a Merry Band♫ ♫He robs from the poor♪ ♪And gives to the rich♫ ♫Stupid Bitch!♪ "What did you say?!" We sang: He steals from the poor, and gives to the rich. "...Wait a tick.... Blimey this redistribution of wealth is trickier than I thought...."

[@ihavefallenandicantreachmy2113]

Dennis Moore, on the Floor. Hit and Run Refrigerator. Akin to Python's "Killer Cars", but, different (not funny)

[@georgenotsmith2804]

Great fun.

[@jaydale1]

Please do more of these if you can! Merry Christmas to you and the boys!

[@user-hs7ll2rx5p]

Rest in peace 😢

[@JaySpangler]

Michael is maybe the worst cameraman in British film history, but thank god he documented these wonderfully silly events.

[@DarthPanik64]

this is so wonderful! thank you!

[@Touchofwesterwald]

Happy christmas yours sincerely Ivor Bigbutty (Mrs)

[@The3Stooges]

I LOVE SEEING BEHIND THE SCENES FOOTAGE LIKE THIS! PLEASE POST MORE! Is this footage and commentary available on the recently released Blu-Rays of Flying Circus?

[@DiscipleOfHeavyMeta1]

Making vlogs before vlogs were cool.

[@EladLavyUzan]

Treasure!

[@alankevin_007]

Tu m'auras bien fait rire, merci Terry Jones.

[@TroyTempest63]

Merry Christmas to all, from Malcolm Peter Brian Telescope Adrian Umbrella Stand Jasper Wednesday (pops mouth twice) Stoatgobbler John Raw Vegetable (whinnying) Arthur Norman Michael (blows squeaker) Featherstone Smith (whistle) Northcott Edwards Harris (fires pistol, then 'whoop') Mason (chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff) Frampton Jones Fruitbat Gilbert (sings) 'We'll keep a welcome in the' (three shots) Williams If I Could Walk That Way Jenkin (squeaker) Tiger-drawers Pratt Thompson (sings) 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' Darcy Carter (horn) Pussycat (sings) 'Don't Sleep In The Subway' Barton Mainwaring (hoot, 'whoop') ... Smith

[@beavinator]

And also from Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumble-meyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nürnburger-bratwustle-gerspurten-mitzweimache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shönendanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm.

[@brucemoore3329]

And from Erik Njorl, son of Frothgar; Hangar the Elder; and Thorvald Nlodvisson, the son of Gudleif, half brother of Thorgier, the priest of Ljosa water, who took to wife Thurunn, the mother of Thorkel Braggart, the slayer of Cudround the powerful, who knew Howal, son of Geernon, son of Erik from Valdalesc, son of Arval Gristlebeard, son of Harken, who killed Bjortguaard in Sochnadale in Norway over Cudreed, daughter of Thorkel Long, the son of Kettle-Trout, the half son of Harviyoun Half-troll, father of Ingbare the Brave, who with Isenbert of Gottenberg the daughter of Hangbard the Fierce....

[@mikem3614]

The Mark Of Great Talent Is Time And Their Talent Has Done That

[@RaginKavu]

I was going to like and comment, but I got bitten by a møøse.

[@markfryer9880]

Was it a poisonous moose or just a plain garden variety moose?

[@RaginKavu]

@@markfryer9880 seemed like a poisonous one, but since I'm still alive, it might have been a normal variety. Or, maybe it was a llama. I was in the Amazon after all.

[@MrUndersolo]

Møøse bites can be pretty nasty.

[@clayevans888]

@@MrUndersolo You're just lucky he didn't bite you on the Semprini, mate.

[@robertreynolds1044]

I remember watching the lupins skit the first time on TV in Minneapolis with my mom and being very confused. I was a charter member of the Dead Parrot Society at that moment.

[@pahakasvivenuksesta2653]

Thank you / Kiitos

[@HSMiyamoto]

There is something ironic about Python taking an hour just to organize a firing squad. Those things are usually more expedited in real life.

[@erichharding8777]

First Comment, View, and like. And now for something completely different!

[@wiedep]

...you must be a loonie

[@erichharding8777]

@@wiedep indeed

[@AnotherSale]

Merry Christmas to you. BTW, is this channel run by Michael?

[@Ass_Burgers_Syndrome]

Shut up! This is a hold-up, not a botany lesson. Right! Now my fine friends, no false moves please. I want you to hand over all the lupins you've got.

[@dbostic96]

Good man rick

[@paulbacchus1015]

Superb, I love it. 💝💝😀😀 Paul Bacchus esq

[@CrvSky]

спасибо, очень интересно!

[@alexmarshall4331]

Worth watching with the completely Pythonesque subtitles 👍💯% was that all shot using the 8mma 2 minutes cassettes?

[@l3p3]

Thank you but fuck Christmas everyone!

[@ludofuzz3012]

More luppins please

[@meshachlovelace.8162]

HD videos, doubt!

[@Gratidaojesuss]

🤜🏻🤛🏻🇧🇷👏🏼

[@michaelorick6225]

Jabberwocky is my opinion is the Best Monty Python movie

[@Brinta3]

That’s a great movie, but it wasn’t a Monty Python project.

[@MisterTingles]

'bout 50 years, no biggy...

[@vizualizeit08]

Does anyone know which town in New Jersey this was filmed ? I live here and thought it was very cool....

[@hansjuzo5749]

It was filmed in Jersey, not New Jersey :)

[@cosmobane6995]

vlogging in the 70s

[@willbick7889]

November??!! More like April...

[@johnbongjoey5200]

Ni!