Bring out your stamps: UK's Royal Mail celebrates Monty Python
The 10-stamp series announced today celebrates some of the legendary troupe's most iconic characters and catchphrases, from 'Nudge, nudge' to 'The Lumberjack Song.'
Six stamps depict scenes from the sketch-comedy TV series Monty Python's Flying Circus, including The Spanish Inquisition, The Ministry of Silly Walks, Dead Parrot and The Nude Organist.
Another four mark the 50th anniversary of the cult classic 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, including one showing the limb-losing Black Knight insisting ''Tis but a scratch.'
Made up of Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Graham Chapman, Monty Python brought a unique blend of satire, surrealism and unfiltered silliness to British TV screens in their series that ran from 1969 to 1974.
The gang also made several feature films, including Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983).
David Gold, Royal Mail's director of external affairs, said: 'Monty Python has left an indelible mark on global comedy, all while remaining unmistakably British at its core. From their groundbreaking television debut to a string of iconic films, this stamp collection honours a body of work that has shaped the comedic landscape for nearly six decades.'
As for Palin, he said he was 'very glad to share a stamp with the nude organist!'
The group disbanded in the 1980s, and Chapman died of cancer in 1989 aged 48. The five surviving Pythons reunited in 2014 for a string of live stage shows.
Jones sadly died in 2020 from a rare form of dementia, aged 77.
Euronews Culture caught up with Terry Gilliam two years ago at the Festival Lumière in Lyon, where he told us that Monty Python may not be able to do their brand of comedy in modern times.
"People are losing their sense of humour, and that, to me, is probably the most important sense," he said. "Sense of touch is very important, sense of taste also – but sense of humour is more important. You get to the point where people are frightened to laugh. 'Oh, no, you're making fun of somebody!' No, I'm making fun of humanity, and we are an absurd species of creatures."
He added: "We are funny because we got such pretentions, and we fall on our face so constantly. Make jokes about it! It keeps life interesting."
Check out our full interview with Terry Gilliam here.
The Monty Python stamps are available to pre-order from today and go on general sale from 14 August.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
13 hours ago
- Euronews
Rare first edition of 'The Hobbit' sells for record price at auction
More than 50 years after his death, J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy masterpieces never cease to enchant audiences around the world. Now, a rare first edition of Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' has been sold for £43,000 (€49, 500) at an online auction on Wednesday. The first edition was expected to fetch between £10,000-£12,000 at auction, ultimately selling for four times that amount. The book is one of 1,500 original copies of Tolkien's beloved novel, which was published in September 1937. Only 'a few hundred' from the initial print run remain and are considered 'some of the most sought-after books in modern literature,' according to the British auction house Auctioneum. Attracting bidders from across the world, the book was purchased by a UK private collector in what is believed to be a record price for a first edition. The edition was discovered hidden on a bookcase during a house clearance in Bristol. After spotting its faded green cover, Auctioneum's book specialist Caitlin Riley went on to meticulously inspect the well-preserved treasure. 'Nobody knew it was there,' said Riley. 'It was clearly an early Hobbit at first glance, so I just pulled it out and began to flick through it, never expecting it to be a true first edition.' The 'rare find' is bound in light green cloth and features black and white illustrations by the author, making it even more unique as later editions colourised them. 'When I realised what it was, my heart began pounding,' shared Riley. Tolkien developed the mythical world of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" during his time as a teacher at the University of Oxford. Une publication partagée par Auctioneum - Bath & East Bristol (@auctioneum) The auctioned book was passed down in the family library of Hubert Priestley, a famous botanist with 'strong connections' to the university. Tolkien and Priestley most likely knew each other, according to Auctioneum, who said both men shared mutual correspondence with author C.S. Lewis. "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" are two of the best-selling books of all time, with more than 250 million copies sold worldwide. The 2000s hit film franchise based on the books cemented their classics status for generations to come.
Euronews
17 hours ago
- Euronews
Bring out your stamps: UK's Royal Mail celebrates Monty Python
Britain's Royal Mail has issued stamps celebrating the absurdist comedy of Monty Python... and from all of us here at Euronews Culture, who frequently cut down the mightiest trees in the forest with a herring: it's a 'Ni!' of approval. The 10-stamp series announced today celebrates some of the legendary troupe's most iconic characters and catchphrases, from 'Nudge, nudge' to 'The Lumberjack Song.' Six stamps depict scenes from the sketch-comedy TV series Monty Python's Flying Circus, including The Spanish Inquisition, The Ministry of Silly Walks, Dead Parrot and The Nude Organist. Another four mark the 50th anniversary of the cult classic 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, including one showing the limb-losing Black Knight insisting ''Tis but a scratch.' Made up of Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Graham Chapman, Monty Python brought a unique blend of satire, surrealism and unfiltered silliness to British TV screens in their series that ran from 1969 to 1974. The gang also made several feature films, including Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983). David Gold, Royal Mail's director of external affairs, said: 'Monty Python has left an indelible mark on global comedy, all while remaining unmistakably British at its core. From their groundbreaking television debut to a string of iconic films, this stamp collection honours a body of work that has shaped the comedic landscape for nearly six decades.' As for Palin, he said he was 'very glad to share a stamp with the nude organist!' The group disbanded in the 1980s, and Chapman died of cancer in 1989 aged 48. The five surviving Pythons reunited in 2014 for a string of live stage shows. Jones sadly died in 2020 from a rare form of dementia, aged 77. Euronews Culture caught up with Terry Gilliam two years ago at the Festival Lumière in Lyon, where he told us that Monty Python may not be able to do their brand of comedy in modern times. "People are losing their sense of humour, and that, to me, is probably the most important sense," he said. "Sense of touch is very important, sense of taste also – but sense of humour is more important. You get to the point where people are frightened to laugh. 'Oh, no, you're making fun of somebody!' No, I'm making fun of humanity, and we are an absurd species of creatures." He added: "We are funny because we got such pretentions, and we fall on our face so constantly. Make jokes about it! It keeps life interesting." Check out our full interview with Terry Gilliam here. The Monty Python stamps are available to pre-order from today and go on general sale from 14 August.
Euronews
19 hours ago
- Euronews
Zdzisław Beksiński's dreamlike works on display in Warsaw
ADVERTISEMENT Polish painter and photographer Zdzisław Beksiński invited viewers to enter a world of dreams. Disturbing, unclear, beautiful and above all, deeply surreal. Now, 44 paintings - including 11 never-seen works - are on display at the Museum of Fantastic Art in Warsaw. Kept in the homes of friends, these artworks were living traces of the artist's presence and influence. Above all, these works were for his friends and loved ones, rather than for the acclaim of galleries. "The owners of these works hesitated for a long time [before agreeing to let them be displayed publicly]. These were not 'paintings for sale', they are fragments of a shared history," Magdalena Jaworska, director of the Museum of Fantastic Art, says in an interview with Euronews Culture. "For fans, this is a unique chance to see what Beksiński was like in private," she adds. Sanok, Osaka, Warsaw Adding to the unique private collection are works from the Historical Museum in Sanok - a place the artist has recognised as the sole heir to his work. Among them is a drawing from 1946 - a poignant self-portrait from his youth. But it doesn't stop there: five paintings come from the artist's legendary Japanese collection. The works, which once went to a museum in Osaka, are now - thanks to a private collector - back in Poland. They are like recurring dreams: forgotten, yet somehow familiar. 'Architect of nightmares' Like cinematic surrealist David Lynch, Beksiński did not explain his work. He did not give his paintings titles; nor did he elaborate on their larger meaning. Beksiński wanted to paint dreams. But for him, the word "dream" carried a different meaning. He painted sweat-triggering dreams that grab you and don't let go in the waking world. His work is not textbook symbolism. It's a restlessness that doesn't ask for permission. One can be enthralled, one can look away, but no one remains indifferent. A photographer who gave up his camera to paint silence One more surprise awaits at Koneser Square: 40 large-format photographs of the artist. Photography was Beksiński's first love, the first language with which he tried to speak about the world. He gave it up when he understood that it was impossible to enter every space of the soul with the camera. The brush proved to be more capacious. "Painting knows no boundaries. And Beksiński knew that very well," says Magdalena Jaworska. A place for the master Although crowds attend his exhibitions (over 70,000 spectators in Warsaw during the pandemic, almost 50,000 in Gdansk in 2023), academic circles still keep Beksiński at a distance. For some, he is too dark. For others, too emotional. And there are those who think his work is too obvious. "This is art that escapes definition," notes the director of the Museum of Fantastic Art. Perhaps its power lies the works' ability to tell the uncomfortable truth. Silence that speaks volumes Zdzisław Beksiński died tragically in 2005. His passing shook the art world, but it did not shut down the conversation he had with his viewers. Today, his face stares out from murals in Warsaw's Ursynów district - a silent presence in the urban landscape, a symbol of remembrance and respect. Although he is no longer with us, his paintings still speak to us - as if he had never really stopped painting. Apocalyptic beauty Does his work soothe or terrify? The answer to both questions is a resounding 'yes'. And that is precisely its strength. "I for one see a glimmer of hope in his paintings. Despite all the death, destruction and emptiness, Beksiński did not impose anything on anyone. He was giving [the viewer] space. Freedom. Silence. And in this silence everyone can hear something different," says Jaworska. The Beksinski in Warsaw exhibition is open until 28 September at the Museum of Fantastic Art in Warsaw. Video editor • Glogowski Pawel
