Python Night – 30 Years of Monty Python
Python Night was an evening of Monty Python-related programmes broadcast on BBC2 on 9 October 1999, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first broadcast of "Monty Python's Flying Circus". It featured newly written sketches, three documentaries and a screening of "Monty Python's Life of Brian". Only the documentaries were screened in the US, broadcast under the title "The Life of Python" on A&E Biography on 9 April 2000. Most of the evening's content was released in the US later in 2000 on the first disc of the A&E  DVD box set "The Life of Python". In the UK many of the items were issued as bonus material on the BBC's 2004 "Monty Python Live at Aspen" DVD. Origins. After the success of their Aspen appearance in 1998, the group discussed doing something for the 30th anniversary. At one point there was a stage show planned, but some members were uneasy about the idea and felt that Eric Idle's agent had done a poor job of preparations. By the time of the 30th anniversary in 1999, it was decided to produce a TV special with new material , which most of the group agreed on. Idle, in rebuttal was not keen on doing new material, and did not participate in it. As a result, his only contributions were filmed in Los Angeles and Eddie Izzard replaced him in group scenes with the other Pythons. Group reaction. The group were divided on the merits of the new material. Idle was scathing about the new sketches the other four members had filmed, while Cleese thought they were very funny but complained that the BBC did too little promotion for the programme. Overall the group felt that, though the material was n't their strongest, it held a nostalgic quality because almost everyone from "Flying Circus" was working on the programme. Terry Jones, who directed the new sketches, later showed regret for the fact that he was doing it for free and didn't get paid.