Monty Python, Shakespeare and English Renaissance Drama

Monty Python, Shakespeare and English Renaissance Drama PDF Author: Darl Larsen
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786481099
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 360

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Book Description
At first consideration, it would seem that Shakespeare and Monty Python have very little in common other than that they're both English. Shakespeare wrote during the reign of a politically puissant Elizabeth, while Python flourished under an Elizabeth figurehead. Shakespeare wrote for rowdy theatre whereas Python toiled at a remove, for television. Shakespeare is The Bard; Python is-well-not. Despite all of these differences, Shakespeare and Monty are in fact related; this work considers both the differences and similarities between the two. It discusses Shakespeare's status as England's National Poet and Python's similar elevation. It explores various aspects of theatricality (troupe configurations, casting and writing choices, allusions to classical literature) used by Shakespeare, Ben Jonson and Monty Python. It also covers the uses and abuses of history in Shakespeare and Python; humor, especially satire, in Shakespeare, Jonson, Dekker and Python; and the concept of the "Other" in Shakespearean and Pythonesque creations.

Monty Python, Shakespeare and English Renaissance Drama

Monty Python, Shakespeare and English Renaissance Drama PDF Author: Darl Larsen
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786481099
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 360

Get Book Here

Book Description
At first consideration, it would seem that Shakespeare and Monty Python have very little in common other than that they're both English. Shakespeare wrote during the reign of a politically puissant Elizabeth, while Python flourished under an Elizabeth figurehead. Shakespeare wrote for rowdy theatre whereas Python toiled at a remove, for television. Shakespeare is The Bard; Python is-well-not. Despite all of these differences, Shakespeare and Monty are in fact related; this work considers both the differences and similarities between the two. It discusses Shakespeare's status as England's National Poet and Python's similar elevation. It explores various aspects of theatricality (troupe configurations, casting and writing choices, allusions to classical literature) used by Shakespeare, Ben Jonson and Monty Python. It also covers the uses and abuses of history in Shakespeare and Python; humor, especially satire, in Shakespeare, Jonson, Dekker and Python; and the concept of the "Other" in Shakespearean and Pythonesque creations.

Monty Python's Flying Circus

Monty Python's Flying Circus PDF Author: Darl Larsen
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
ISBN: 1461669707
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 576

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Book Description
In 1969, the BBC aired the first episode of a new comedy series titled Monty Python's Flying Circus, and the rest, as they say, is history. An instant success, the show ran until 1974, producing a total of 45 episodes. Despite the show's very English humor and allusions to many things British, the series developed a cult following outside the U.K., particularly in the United States. Known for its outrageous humor, occasionally controversial content, and often silly spirit, Monty Python's Flying Circus poked fun at nearly all institutions—domestic or foreign, grand or intimate, sacred or not. Indeed, many of the allusions and references in the program were uniquely British and routinely obscure, and therefore, not always understood or even noticed outside the British Isles. This exhaustive reference identifies and explains the plethora of cultural, historical, and topical allusions of this landmark series. In this resource, virtually every allusion and reference that appeared in an episode—whether stated by a character, depicted in the mise-en-scene, or mentioned in the printed scripts—is identified and explained. Organized chronologically by episode, each entry is listed alphabetically, indicates what sketch it appeared in, and is cross-referenced between episodes. Entries cover literary and metaphoric allusions, symbolisms, names, peoples, and places; as well as the myriad social, cultural, and historical elements (photos, songs, slogans, caricatures) that populate and inform these episodes. Entries Include: ·"Arabella Plunkett" ·Group of famous characters from famous paintings ·Hell's Grannies ·HRH The Dummy Princess Margaret ·"Kandinsky" ·"On the Dad's Liver Bachelors at Large" ·Raymond Baxter type ·Scun ·"Spanish Inquisition" ·"Third Parachute Brigade Amateur Dramatic Society" ·"total cashectomy" ·"Two-Sheds" ·"Umbonga's hostile opening" ·Vicar sitting thin and unhappy in a pot ·"What's all this then?"

A Book about the Film Monty Python and the Holy Grail

A Book about the Film Monty Python and the Holy Grail PDF Author: Darl Larsen
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1442245549
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 633

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Book Description
Monty Python’s Flying Circus aired from 1969 until 1974, but the conclusion of the series did not mark the end of the troupe’s creative output. Even before the final original episodes were recorded and broadcast, the six members began work on their first feature-length enterprise of new material. Rather than string together a series of silly skits, they conceived a full-length story line with references to the real and imagined worlds of the mythical King Arthur, the lives of medieval peasants, and the gloomy climate of 1970s Britain. Released in 1975, Monty Python and the Holy Grail was a modest success but has since been hailed as a modern classic. In A Book about the Film Monty Python and the Holy Grail:All the References from African Swallows to Zoot, Darl Larsen identifies and examines the cultural, historical, and topical allusions in the movie. In this entertaining resource, virtually every reference that appears in a scene—whether stated by a character, depicted in the mise-en-scène, or mentioned in the print companion—is identified and explained. Beyond the Arthurian legend, entries cover literary metaphors, symbols, names, peoples, and places—as well as the myriad social, cultural, and historical elements that populate the film. This book employs the film as a window to both reveal and examine “Arthurian” life and literature, the historical Middle Ages, and a Great Britain of labor unrest, power shortages, and the common man. Introducing the reader to dozens of medievalist histories and authors and connecting the film concretely to the “modern” British Empire, A Book about the Film Monty Python and the Holy Grail will appeal to fans of the troupe as well as medieval scholars and academics who can laugh at themselves and their work.

Shakespeare on screen, Richard III

Shakespeare on screen, Richard III PDF Author: Nathalie Vienne-Guerrin
Publisher: Publication Univ Rouen Havre
ISBN: 9782877758390
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 340

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Book Description
This volume does not only provide the reader with diverging assessments of the Richard III films, but it also deploys a large array of methodologies used to study ‘Shakespeare on film’. What gives the volume its coherence is that it thoroughly interrogates what those films do with and to Shakespeare’s text and suggests that, at least for Shakespearean scholars, Shakespearean films are hybrid creatures. They are and are not films; they are and are not Shakespeare.Ce volume offre non seulement au lecteur un examen précis et pluriel des adaptations filmiques de Richard III mais il déploie tout l’éventail des méthodologies qui permettent d’étudier Shakespeare à l’écran. La cohérence de ce volume vient de ce qu’il propose des questionnements multiples sur ce que ces films font de Shakespeare et suggère que le film shakespearien est une créature hybride qui est et n’est pas un film, qui est et n’est pas Shakespeare. (Ouvrage en anglais)

A Book about the Film Monty Python's Life of Brian

A Book about the Film Monty Python's Life of Brian PDF Author: Darl Larsen
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1538103664
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 497

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Book Description
As a follow-up to their first true feature film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the comic troupe next decided to tackle a “shadow” version of the Christ story. Shot in the Middle East and produced during Margaret Thatcher’s ascendant years, the film satirized—among other matters—authoritarianism and religious zealotry. Upon its release, Monty Python’s Life of Brian was both a critical and commercial success, and has been since hailed as one of the greatest comedies of all time. But the film also faced backlash from religious groups for its blasphemy, perceived or otherwise. In A Book about the Film Monty Python's Life of Brian: All of the References from Assyrians to Zeffirelli, Darl Larsen identifies and examines the plethora of cultural, historical, and topical allusions in the film. In this resource, Larsen delineates virtually every allusion and reference that appears in the film—from first-century Jerusalem through 1970s Great Britain. Organized chronologically by scene, the entries in this cultural history cover literary and metaphoric allusions, symbolisms, names, peoples, and places, as well as the many social, cultural, and historical elements that populate this film. By closely examining each scene, this book explores the Pythons’ comparisons of the Roman and British Empires and of Pilate and Margaret Thatcher. In addition, Larsen helps to situate Life of Brian in the “Jesus” re-examination of the postwar period, while also taking a close look at the terror groups of first-century Judea and the modern world. A Book about the Film Monty Python's Life of Brian will appeal to scholars of history, film, British culture, and pop culture, as well as to the many fans of this iconic group.

A Book about the Film Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

A Book about the Film Monty Python's The Meaning of Life PDF Author: Darl Larsen
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1538115972
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 445

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Book Description
This reference identifies and explains the cultural, historical, and topical allusions in the filmMonty Python’s Meaning of Life, the Pythons’ third and final original feature as a complete group. In this resource, virtually every allusion and reference that appears in the film is identified and explained —from Britain’s waning Empire through the Winter of Discontent to Margaret Thatcher’s second-term mandate, from playing fields to battle fields, and from accountant pirates to sacred sperm. Organized chronologically by scene, the entries cover literary and metaphoric allusions, symbolisms, names, peoples, and places; as well as the many social, cultural, and historical elements that populate this film, and the Pythons’ work in general.

Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition

Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition PDF Author: Tomasz Dobrogoszcz
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1442237376
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 170

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Book Description
Monty Python’s Flying Circus was one of the most important and influential cultural phenomena of the 1970s. The British program was followed by albums, stage appearances, and several films, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian,and Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. In all, the comic troupe drew on a variety of cultural references that prominently figured in their sketches, and they tackled weighty matters that nonetheless amused their audiences. In Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition:Cultural Contexts in Monty Python, Tomasz Dobrogoszcz presents essays that explore the various touchstones in the television show and subsequent films. These essays look at a variety of themes prompted by the comic geniuses: Death The depiction of women Shakespearean influences British and American cultural representations Reactions from foreign viewers This volume offers a distinguished discussion of Monty Python’s oeuvre, exhibiting highly varied approaches from a number of perspectives, including gender studies, post-structuralism, psychoanalysis, and cultural studies. Featuring a foreword by Python alum Terry Jones, Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition will appeal to anyone interested in cultural history and media studies, as well as the general fans of Monty Python who want to know more about the impact of this groundbreaking group.

Shakespeare and Sexuality in the Comedy of Morecambe & Wise

Shakespeare and Sexuality in the Comedy of Morecambe & Wise PDF Author: Stephen Hamrick
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030339580
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 346

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Book Description
Contextualizing the duo’s work within British comedy, Shakespeare criticism, the history of sexuality, and their own historical moment, this book offers the first sustained analysis of the 20th Century’s most successful double-act. Over the course of a forty-four-year career (1940-1984), Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise appropriated snippets of verse, scenes, and other elements from seventeen of Shakespeare’s plays more than one-hundred-and-fifty times. Fashioning a kinder, more inclusive world, they deployed a vast array of elements connected to Shakespeare, his life, and institutions. Rejecting claims that they offer only nostalgic escapism, Hamrick analyses their work within contemporary contexts, including their engagement with many forms and genres, including Variety, the heritage industry, journalism, and more. ‘The Boys’ deploy Shakespeare to work through issues of class, sexuality, and violence. Lesbianism, drag, gay marriage, and a queer aesthetics emerge, helping to normalize homosexuality and complicate masculinity in the ‘permissive’ 1960s.

1 Henry IV

1 Henry IV PDF Author: Stephen Longstaffe
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1441117679
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 231

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Book Description
An introduction to Shakespeare's I Henry IV - introducing its critical and performance history, current critical landscape and new directions in research on the play.

Almost Shakespeare

Almost Shakespeare PDF Author: James R. Keller
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786419091
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 205

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Book Description
In the past two decades, Othello has tried out for the basketball team, Macbeth has taken over a fast food joint and King Lear has moved to an Iowa farm--Shakespeare is everywhere in popular culture. This collection of essays addresses the use of Shakespearean narratives, themes, imagery and characterizations in non-Shakespearian cinema. The essays explore how Shakespeare and his work are manipulated within the popular media and explore topics such as racism, jealousy, misogyny and nationality. The submissions concentrate on film and television programs that are adaptations of Shakespearean plays, including My Own Private Idaho, CSI-Miami, A Thousand Acres, Prospero's Books, O, 10 Things I Hate About You, Withnail and I, Get Over It, and The West Wing. Each chapter includes notes and a list of works cited. A full bibliography completes the work; it is divided into bibliographies and filmographies, general studies and essays, derivatives based on a single play, derivatives based on several, and derivatives based on Shakespeare as a character. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.