The Seventh Python
Encyclopedia
The Seventh Python is a 2008 musical
documentary film about the career, music and philosophy of pop satirist and songwriter Neil Innes
, who has been known as the "seventh" member of the six-man Monty Python
comedy troupe. The film, however, shows how Innes' influence and experience goes far beyond that chapter, to include his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, The Rutles
and other work. The Frozen Pictures
film had its premiere at the American Cinematheque
's Mods & Rockers Film Festival
at the Egyptian Theatre
in Hollywood in June 2008. The film was directed by Burt Kearns
, produced by Brett Hudson
and written by Kearns & Hudson.
The film features Innes in performance in Los Angeles, Sussex, England and Melbourne, Australia and features Pythons John Cleese
, Eric Idle
, Terry Jones
and Michael Palin
, as well as singer-songwriter Aimee Mann
, Matt Groening
(creator of The Simpsons
), and composer/arranger John Altman
, among others.
On 12 April 2009, the director and producer of The Seventh Python received the Las Vegas Film Festival's Golden Ace Award for "superior and standout filmmaking."
Three days later, the film was chosen as the Opening Selection of the 2009 Pacific Palisades Film Festival.
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
documentary film about the career, music and philosophy of pop satirist and songwriter Neil Innes
Neil Innes
Neil James Innes is an English writer and performer of comic songs, best known for his collaborative work with Monty Python, and for playing in the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later The Rutles.-Personal life:...
, who has been known as the "seventh" member of the six-man Monty Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
comedy troupe. The film, however, shows how Innes' influence and experience goes far beyond that chapter, to include his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, The Rutles
The Rutles
The Rutles are a band that are known for their visual and aural pastiches and parodies of The Beatles. Originally created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes as a fictional band to be featured as part of various 1970s television programming, the group recorded, toured, and released two UK chart hits in...
and other work. The Frozen Pictures
Frozen Pictures
Frozen Pictures is a motion picture, television and multimedia production company founded and operated by veteran producers and writers Brett Hudson and Burt Kearns, and is affiliated with Frozen Television....
film had its premiere at the American Cinematheque
American Cinematheque
The American Cinematheque is an independent, non-profit cultural organization in Los Angeles dedicated exclusively to the public presentation of the Moving Image in all its forms. It is considered among the premier organizations of its kind in America....
's Mods & Rockers Film Festival
Mods & Rockers Film Festival
The Mods & Rockers Film Festival is an annual Los Angeles film festival that celebrates rock culture. It is presented by the non-profit cultural organization American Cinematheque....
at the Egyptian Theatre
Egyptian Theatre
Egyptian-style theaters are based on the traditional and historic design elements of Ancient Egypt.The first Egyptian Theatre to be constructed in the US - which inspired many of the identically-named theaters that followed it - was Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, California. For several...
in Hollywood in June 2008. The film was directed by Burt Kearns
Burt Kearns
Burt Kearns is an American television and film producer, writer, director, journalist and author, known for his influential work in reality television and his controversial 1999 tabloid television memoir, Tabloid Baby.-Early career:...
, produced by Brett Hudson
Brett Hudson
Brett Hudson musician, singer/songwriter, possibly best known as the youngest of the 1970s group the Hudson Brothers, is now a TV producer and writer living in Malibu, California. Hudson formed the production company Frozen Pictures with Burt Kearns...
and written by Kearns & Hudson.
The film features Innes in performance in Los Angeles, Sussex, England and Melbourne, Australia and features Pythons John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
, Eric Idle
Eric Idle
Eric Idle is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer, and comedic composer. He was as a member of the British comedy group Monty Python, a member of the The Rutles on Saturday Night Live and author of the play, Spamalot....
, Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
and Michael Palin
Michael Palin
Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....
, as well as singer-songwriter Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann is an American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and bassist.-Early life:Aimee Mann grew up in Bon Air, Virginia, graduated from Open High School in 1978 and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, but dropped out to sing with her first punk rock band, the Young Snakes...
, Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
(creator of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
), and composer/arranger John Altman
John Altman (composer)
John Altman is a British film composer, music arranger, orchestrator and conductor.-Biography:Altman was introduced to the music of the 1930s and 1940s at an early age by an uncle who arranged and composed music for big bands and conducted for Judy Garland, the Marx Brothers, and Laurel and Hardy,...
, among others.
On 12 April 2009, the director and producer of The Seventh Python received the Las Vegas Film Festival's Golden Ace Award for "superior and standout filmmaking."
Three days later, the film was chosen as the Opening Selection of the 2009 Pacific Palisades Film Festival.