While not a Monty Python movie, A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman might be the next best thing. Based on Chapman's memoir of the same name (well, subtract the subheading and add "Volume VI"), authored by him and four others including Douglas Adams, the film adaptation of 'the dead one's' life is being billed as a 3D animation epic and is scheduled to make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend.
Featuring 17 different animation styles (from 14 different studios), A Liar's Autobiography manages to bring five Pythons together to tell the sometimes true (?) and always intriguing story of Chapman's life, including the deceased himself, who recorded portions of the book before his death in 1989. John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry jones and Terry Gilliam all provided their voices for the project and not just to play themselves but a variety of other characters from their close friend's fake life. From beyond the grave, Chapman himself admits "it's the best film I've been in since I've died." Here's the first trailer for the, uh, biopic?
I love how the trailer opens with the brief clip of Cleese's eulogy from Chapman's funeral because that really sets the right tone for the rest of the surreal trip about to unfold. The film looks appropriately bizarre for a fictionalized (or true) recounting of the lives of one of the six members of Monty Python, especially with grotesquely beautiful animation so reminiscent of many of the comedy troupe's most famous works. From directors Bill Jones (Terry's son), Ben Timlett and Jeff Simpson - the first two also directed the Emmy Award winning Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut) - A Liar's Autobiography tries to tell the story of Chapman's too short existence from well before meeting Cleese at Cambridge to his coming out as a 70% gay man and even his abduction by aliens. Yes, aliens. Take that cancer!
A Liar's Autobiography, according to the Monty Python YouTube page, will play in select U.S. theatres starting November 2, 2012.
