Having one of their number die in 1989 is clearly no obstacle when the Pythons decide to get the band back together, and it’s a Beatles ‘Free as a Bird’ style reunion as the remaining members of the comedy group are currently recording voices which will be cut together with Graham Chapman’s own voice recording of his book A Liar’s Autobiography: Volume IV*.

The New York Times report that an 85 minute 3D animated film will be the result with a number of animation companies working on bringing the surreal stories to life on the screen, although there’s no news on Terry Gilliam’s involvement on the animation side, something he has said he has deliberately moved away from over the years, however there’s never been a better time to return to the drawing board.

Exactly how much truth there was in Chapman’s book is not known, even to those who knew him well, as one of the producers Jeff Simpson put it,

Graham’s is the story of a man who was openly gay but secretly alcoholic,” Mr. Simpson said. “This is not the story of Monty Python, it is a man’s life.

Creatively, the different [animation] styles reflect the stages in Graham’s life

The Pythons will be playing different characters within the book and the film will appear in cinemas in the UK next year. After the news last week that a BBC film is to be made on the controversy surrounding Life of Brian the potential of further Python is very welcome indeed. Below are a few pictures of the recording and mocked up animation style of part of the film. More news as we get it.

 

 

 

And finally here’s one my favourite pictures of all time,

*sadly the first and only volume to be published. A further volume was rumoured to have been completed when the computer it was written on was stolen from Chapman’s house. I’d happily send down a Bronzino feet to squash the feckless git who pinched it.