Newsgroups: bit.listserv.cinema-l
Date:         Thu, 30 Jul 1992 17:11:32 BST
From:         Kerr Avon <lcc@WIN.ICL.CO.UK>
Subject:      Film and TV book info... (better late than never...)
X-To:         bert@kstad2.sunet.se
X-cc:         CINEMA-L@auvm.american.edu, SCREEN-L@UA1VM.BITNET

Okay, here are the details of various books which various people
asked for (mainly Bert, but a few others asked).  I can't remember
if they were mentioned on cinema-l or screen-l, so I'm cross
posting.  Hope some of you find them useful.

The list is mainly of Python-realated books, but #4 on the list is
the book of the ITV series _Television_.

1. _Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Book)_

	ISBN: 0413385205 (UK)/0416003419 (USA)/ 0458929700 (Canada)
	Published by Eyre Methuen Ltd (UK)
		     Methuen, Inc. (USA)
		     Methuen Publications (Canada)
	Date of publication (of my copy): 1981 (First published 1977)
	Price: #5.50 (paperback)

	[This is the best `book of the film' I have _ever_ seen.  You
	 get the first draft of the script, which bears little relation to
	 the final draft (also included).  The final draft has scenes and
	 lines that were cut, and the original versions of lines which were
	 changed onced shooting started.  You get a plethora of photos
	 and advertising prints.  You get a letter which details the cuts
	 that the censors wanted ("lose the `make castanets from your
	 testicles'), and the suggested compromises.  Also included
	 are things like shooting schedules and other trivia stuff.  Oh,
	 and a pull out statement from the accountants detailing the budget
	 and final cost of the film (about #225,000).  Well worth finding a
	 copy. -- Liam]

2. _Life of Python_ by George Perry

	ISBN: 0-907516-22-X
	Published by Pavilion Books Ltd.
	Date of publication (of my copy): 1983
	Price: #7.95 (Hardback)

3. _Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life_ [Book of the film]

	ISBN: 0413533808
	Published by Methuen London Ltd.
	Date of publication (of my copy): 1983
	Price: #5.50

	[Fairly run of the mill book version, though it's lavishly
	 illustrated.  Worth buying, though, for the last page and
	 inside back cover, which detail a correspondence between
	 John Cleese and tabloid British Newspaper The Sun (that well
	 know paragon of virtue and upholder of high moral standards
	 -- NOT!).  While filming The Meaning Of Life segment about
	 the Zulu wars, the Sun printed an article which alleged that
	 when the weather turned bad, Cleese was angry and stormed
	 through the black extras shouting, "Right!  Which one of
	 you bastards did the rain dance?"
	 Cleese wrote to the paper denying he had done any such thing
	 and asking for a retraction, saying that obviously one of their
	 reporters had gotten carried away.  The Sun refused to withdraw
	 the story and the correspondence continued for a while.  Cleese's
	 letter are oozing with dry wit and cynicism.  Anyway, Cleese
	 offered to bet the editor, in the end, that he could produce
	 no witnesses of the incident, while Cleese could produce several
	 to refute the allegation.  The sum was #10,000 or somesuch, the
	 money to go to a charity of the winner's choice.  The editor
	 declined, but would still not retract the article.  The book
	 states that the evidence was now with whoever it is that judges
	 cases like this (I forget), and that we would see who would win.
	 Very amusing.  The book prints the original article, along with
	 the letters from both parties, which followed.  -- Liam]

	[PS. Does anyone know how it ended up?]

4. _Television: The Book of the Major ITV Series_ by Francis Wheen

	ISBN: 0-7126-0929-6
	Published by Century Publishing Co. Ltd.
	Date of publication (of my copy): 1985
	Price: ?

	[My copy of this was from a book club, and was the club's
	 edition, by Book Club Associates.  I have no idea if the
	 generally available edition would have had a different
	 ISBN.  Anyone?  -- Liam.]

5. _Monty Python's Big Red Book_

	ISBN: 0413295206
	Published by Methuen
	Date of publication (of my copy): 1986 (first published 1971)
	Price: #4.95 (paperback)

6. _The Brand New Monty Python Papperbok_ (sic)

	ISBN: 0413319709
	Published by Methuen
	Date of publication (of my copy): ?
	Price: #4.95 (papperbok, er... paperback)

	[I got 5 and 6 in a single package (shrink-wrapped) which was
	 sold under the title _Monty Python Gift Boks_ (sic).  In addition
	 to the two books, you got a wrap-round cover/poster.  -- Liam]

7. _Monty Python: Just the Words (The Complete Unexpurgated Scripts of the
    Original TV Series (Except for the Animation Bits)_

	Originally published as two hardback volumes.  Later reprinted
	as a single paperback volume.  [I only have the hardbacks --
	perhaps someone has the paperback volume and could supply that
	info?  -- Liam.]

	ISBN: 0413625400 (Volume 1)
	      0413625500 (Volume 2)
	Published by Methuen
	Date of publication (of my copy): 1989
	Price: #7.99 each (Hardback)

8. _The Complete Fawlty Towers_ by John Cleese and Connie Booth

	ISBN: 0413183904
	Published by Methuen
	Date of publication (of my copy): 1988
	Price: #7.95 (Hardback)

	[I think that a paperback is also available. -- Liam]

9. _The Rutland Dirty Weekend Book_ by Eric Idle.

	ISBN: 413365700
	Published by Eyre Methuen
	Date of publication (of my copy): 1976
	Price: #2.99 (paperback)

	[I came across this a few years back in a bargain book store.
	 I assume that the publisher or wholesaler or whoever was clearing
	 out a warehouse and found some copies of it lying around, then
	 sold them to the bargain bookshops.  -- Liam.]

And that's all I could find.  Sorry again about the delay.  If you need more
info (publisher's addresses, etc) let me know and I'll se what I can do.

				Liam.
				====-

                  *"Am I the only sane one here?  Why don't we just  throw
     KERR AVON    *  up the defensive shields?"
 aka Liam Cairney *"An excellent suggestion, sir, with just _two_ minor
  All e-mail to:- *  drawbacks: One, we don't _have_ any defensive shields;
lcc@win.icl.co.uk *  and two, we don't have _any_ defensive shields.  I
                  *  realise that technically that's only one drawback,
 Home: Glasgow    *  but it's such a doozy, I thought I'd mention it twice."
       Scotland   *              -- The Cat and Kryten (Red Dwarf V)
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