According to Spike Milligan
Encyclopedia
According to Spike Milligan is a series of literary pastiche novels written by Spike Milligan
from 1993 to 2000. Each part of the series was a rewriting of an original novel, with surreal comic elements added that fit into certain points of the originals whilst at the same time poking fun at the situations involved.
The book is an almost ad verbatim parody of the Old Testament
, with some exceptions. It does not list each section by the names featured in the Bible
(Genesis, Exodus etc.), and omits some Bible stories such as the Tower of Babel
to save time.
by Mary Shelley
.
The story is a simplified and humorous version of the original novel, with minor changes. In this equivalent, Frankenstein's monster
is a heavy smoker whose trousers are constantly falling, and Dr. Frankenstein
is continually put in a straitjacket when he begins to talk about the monster he created. Also, there are running gags about Dr. Frankenstein's sea voyages during which his ship sinks, the monster disappearing mysteriously because he runs at speeds of 100 mph, and notes by an editor (Milligan) making sarcastic remarks about events in the novel.
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
.
The plot is almost the same as the original, the main differences being that the Spike Milligan
version is considerably shorter, and there is more humorous content.
Written from the viewpoint of Dr. Watson
(who is accompanied by a duck
throughout the story), Holmes takes on the case of a strange curse on the Baskerville estate, including wearing an odd pair of boots owned by Sir Henry Baskerville, bullying a German
butler and forcing Dr. Mortimer to openly scream "fuck!" in exclamation. The illustrations also repeatedly show Watson being attacked, or about to be attacked, by a small dog.
It is worth noting that Spike Milligan himself had appeared in the 1978 film of The Hound of the Baskervilles
in a cameo role, and it is perhaps this that compelled him to satirize the novel.
The illustrations pay tribute to the Sherlock Holmes
films and the portrayal of Holmes and Watson by Basil Rathbone
and Nigel Bruce
.
(although the majority of material parodies The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green), but the whole legend
of Robin Hood and the figures involved.
The book portrays Robin Hood
as short-tempered, Friar Tuck
as a drunkard, and various other figures of the Robin Hood legend in bizarre yet humorous situations.
Characters
by Robert Louis Stevenson
. Published in 2000, it is the last book in the series.
In the book, Jim Hawkins
has met a rum-addicted sailor known only as "Captain", who leaves Jim a treasure map upon his death. With his father dying, Jim is forced from the Benbow with his mother and his friend Groucho Marx
to search for the buried treasure.
The book itself actually breaks the mould from Milligan's previous parody novels. Whilst his previous works were essentially comic versions of the original texts, this version adds Groucho Marx to the cast as the friend of Jim Hawkins, and breaks off from the original layout into a script format (usually when Groucho is speaking).
The story also includes references to his previous works, such as The Hound of the Baskervilles According to Spike Milligan (which featured a running gag of a duck, in this case, a dog).
It is worth mentioning that Milligan himself starred as Ben Gunn in productions of Treasure Island for the Mermaid Theatre
, perhaps why he decided to parody the novel.
The cover of the 2000 edition portrayed the Robert Newton
version of Long John Silver
.
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
from 1993 to 2000. Each part of the series was a rewriting of an original novel, with surreal comic elements added that fit into certain points of the originals whilst at the same time poking fun at the situations involved.
The Bible—the Old Testament According to Spike Milligan
The Bible—the Old Testament According to Spike Milligan is a 1993 parody novel, and the first book in the series.The book is an almost ad verbatim parody of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, with some exceptions. It does not list each section by the names featured in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
(Genesis, Exodus etc.), and omits some Bible stories such as the Tower of Babel
Tower of Babel
The Tower of Babel , according to the Book of Genesis, was an enormous tower built in the plain of Shinar .According to the biblical account, a united humanity of the generations following the Great Flood, speaking a single language and migrating from the east, came to the land of Shinar, where...
to save time.
Frankenstein According to Spike Milligan
Frankenstein According to Spike Milligan was a comic-horror novel released in 1997, the second book in the series. It is a parody of FrankensteinFrankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
.
The story is a simplified and humorous version of the original novel, with minor changes. In this equivalent, Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
is a heavy smoker whose trousers are constantly falling, and Dr. Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein was born in Napoli, is a Swiss fictional character and the protagonist of the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, written by Mary Shelley...
is continually put in a straitjacket when he begins to talk about the monster he created. Also, there are running gags about Dr. Frankenstein's sea voyages during which his ship sinks, the monster disappearing mysteriously because he runs at speeds of 100 mph, and notes by an editor (Milligan) making sarcastic remarks about events in the novel.
The Hound of the Baskervilles According to Spike Milligan
The Hound of the Baskervilles According to Spike Milligan is a spoof of The Hound of the BaskervillesThe Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of four crime novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set largely on Dartmoor in Devon in England's West Country and tells the story of an...
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
.
The plot is almost the same as the original, the main differences being that the Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
version is considerably shorter, and there is more humorous content.
Written from the viewpoint of Dr. Watson
John Watson (Sherlock Holmes)
John H. Watson, M.D. , known as Dr. Watson, is a character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Watson is Sherlock Holmes's friend, assistant and sometime flatmate, and is the first person narrator of all but four stories in the Sherlock Holmes canon.-Name:Doctor Watson's first...
(who is accompanied by a duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
throughout the story), Holmes takes on the case of a strange curse on the Baskerville estate, including wearing an odd pair of boots owned by Sir Henry Baskerville, bullying a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
butler and forcing Dr. Mortimer to openly scream "fuck!" in exclamation. The illustrations also repeatedly show Watson being attacked, or about to be attacked, by a small dog.
It is worth noting that Spike Milligan himself had appeared in the 1978 film of The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978 film)
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1978 British comedy film spoofing The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It starred Peter Cook as Sherlock Holmes and Dudley Moore as Dr. Watson...
in a cameo role, and it is perhaps this that compelled him to satirize the novel.
The illustrations pay tribute to the Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
films and the portrayal of Holmes and Watson by Basil Rathbone
Basil Rathbone
Sir Basil Rathbone, KBE, MC, Kt was an English actor. He rose to prominence in England as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in over 70 films, primarily costume dramas, swashbucklers, and, occasionally, horror films...
and Nigel Bruce
Nigel Bruce
William Nigel Ernle Bruce , best known as Nigel Bruce, was a British character actor on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Doctor Watson in a series of films and in the radio series The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes...
.
Robin Hood According to Spike Milligan
Robin Hood According to Spike Milligan is a 1998 parody novel. Unlike other books in the series, Milligan did not parody any particular book about Robin HoodRobin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
(although the majority of material parodies The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green), but the whole legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
of Robin Hood and the figures involved.
The book portrays Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
as short-tempered, Friar Tuck
Friar Tuck
Friar Tuck is a companion to Robin Hood in the legends about that character. He is a common character in modern Robin Hood stories, which depict him as a jovial friar and one of Robin's Merry Men. The figure of Tuck was common in the May Games festivals of England and Scotland during the 15th...
as a drunkard, and various other figures of the Robin Hood legend in bizarre yet humorous situations.
Characters
- Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
- Leader of his band of Merry Men - Little JohnLittle JohnLittle John was a legendary fellow outlaw of Robin Hood, and was said to be Robin's chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men.-Folklore:He appears in the earliest recorded Robin Hood ballads and stories...
- Alias "Big Dick" - Will ScarletWill ScarletWill Scarlet was a prominent member of Robin Hood's Merry Men. He was present in the earliest ballads along with Little John and Much the Miller's Son....
- One of the Merry Men - Maid MarianMaid MarianMaid Marian is the wife of the legendary English outlaw Robin Hood. Stemming from another, older tradition, she became associated with Robin Hood only in the 16th century.-History:The earliest medieval Robin Hood stories gave him no female companion...
- Robin's wife - King JohnJohn of EnglandJohn , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
- Ruler of EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... - Guy of GisbourneGuy of GisbourneSir Guy of Gisbourne is a character from the Robin Hood legends of English folklore. In The Ballad of Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne , he hunts Robin for the Sheriff of Nottingham, but Robin kills him and cuts off his head...
- Alias "Guy de Custard Gisborne" - Groucho MarxGroucho MarxJulius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
- A junior in the Merry Men
Treasure Island According to Spike Milligan
Treasure Island According to Spike Milligan is a comic novel written as a spoof of Treasure IslandTreasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
. Published in 2000, it is the last book in the series.
In the book, Jim Hawkins
Jim Hawkins (character)
James "Jim" Hawkins is a fictional character in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. He is both the protagonist and narrator of the story.-Appearances:...
has met a rum-addicted sailor known only as "Captain", who leaves Jim a treasure map upon his death. With his father dying, Jim is forced from the Benbow with his mother and his friend Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
to search for the buried treasure.
The book itself actually breaks the mould from Milligan's previous parody novels. Whilst his previous works were essentially comic versions of the original texts, this version adds Groucho Marx to the cast as the friend of Jim Hawkins, and breaks off from the original layout into a script format (usually when Groucho is speaking).
The story also includes references to his previous works, such as The Hound of the Baskervilles According to Spike Milligan (which featured a running gag of a duck, in this case, a dog).
It is worth mentioning that Milligan himself starred as Ben Gunn in productions of Treasure Island for the Mermaid Theatre
Mermaid Theatre
The Mermaid Theatre was a theatre at Puddle Dock, in Blackfriars, in the City of London and the first built there since the time of Shakespeare...
, perhaps why he decided to parody the novel.
The cover of the 2000 edition portrayed the Robert Newton
Robert Newton
Robert Newton was an English stage and film actor. Along with Errol Flynn, Newton was one of the most popular actors among the male juvenile audience of the 1940s and early 1950s, especially with British boys...
version of Long John Silver
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
.
Others in the series
- Black BeautyBlack BeautyBlack Beauty is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she remained in her house as an invalid. The novel became an immediate bestseller, with Sewell dying just five months after its publication, long enough to see her first and only...
According to Spike Milligan - Lady Chatterley's LoverLady Chatterley's LoverLady Chatterley's Lover is a novel by D. H. Lawrence, first published in 1928. The first edition was printed privately in Florence, Italy with assistance from Pino Orioli; it could not be published openly in the United Kingdom until 1960...
According to Spike Milligan - D. H. LawrenceD. H. LawrenceDavid Herbert Richards Lawrence was an English novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, literary critic and painter who published as D. H. Lawrence. His collected works represent an extended reflection upon the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation...
's John Thomas and Lady Jane: According to Spike Milligan—Part II of "Lady Chatterley's Lover" - Wuthering HeightsWuthering HeightsWuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre...
According to Spike Milligan