As I've mentioned in the past, I've written the Sunday afternoon showcase for the Shore Leave convention next weekend in Maryland. The full title is "And now for something completely Tolkien: Monty Sauron's Flying Nazgul." Basically it's LOTR as told through Monty Python-esque sketches.
The script calls for a number of video sequences, some of which I filmed at Motor City Con a couple months ago, and some of which were drawn from other sources (both Python and LOTR). Lew G. Aide, the video wizard who works with the convention, sent me a DVD of all the completed material, and I have to say, I was laughing so hard tears were rolling down my face. And I was the one who wrote it or instructed him in what I wanted, so I'm tougher to impress. If the quality of the cast performances are on par with the video--and based on past performances, I have every reason to believe the will be--this show is going to be an instant legend in fan circles.
It's going to be July 11 in the afternoon at the Hunt Valley Inn in Hunt Valley, MD. If you're already planning to attend Shore Leave but weren't going to stay for the show...stay. If you weren't planning to come at all, come for the day. By early appearances, it should be worth it.
PAD
Posted by Peter David at July 3, 2004 01:55 PM | TrackBack | Other blogs commentingDrat. Make me feel annoyed that I live 3000 miles away, why don't you. :-) I hope you can at least post excerpts of the script after the performance!
On a similar note, I can't recommend the following site highly enough. A friend steered me to it about six months ago.
LotR as set to the music of Buffy's "Once More With Feeling." Really, really entertaining.
TWL
Don't suppose you worked any references such as "Pervy Hobbit fancier", "Still the prettiest", or "But Sam would kill him" into it?
(For those wondering what I'm refering to, see the Very Secret Diaries of various LOTR characters here: http://www.ealasaid.com/misc/vsd/)
And any chance of both having the performance filmed and bringing it on DVD to San Diego so I can borrow it from you and watch it on a laptop? :-)
Since I'm endeavoring to urge people to come, the last thing I'm going to do is accede to immediate requests to make the sketch available to people who can't. I mean, I appreciate your problem guys, but c'mon. Post it on the site? Pass out DVDs? Next thing I know people in Maryland will tell me they've decided to wait for the trade.
PAD
Hey, I just asked for excerpts of a script, not a DVD of the whole thing. Talk to the greedy one up north. :-)
(Seriously, I do understand your position. I do hope there's some way we can eventually find a way to see some portion of it in some form, but naturally first-hand experience has to come first.)
TWL
Hey, I still want a copy of the Klingon bit from last year's. If Peter can top that...
And yes Peter, we are planning on staying :)
Well, here's hoping a DVD will be made available -after- the convention...so those who are in the area can make it, and those of us in other far away lands will eventually get a chance to view it.
Hell, ask a few bucks for it (above the cost of the dvd and shipping, of course). Donate it to the CBLDF or some other worthy charity (or hell, just take the family out to a really nice fancy dinner).
That's a really good idea, Charlie. Maybe kick some of the profit over to Shore Leave as well, since the main reason most of us who're whining about this aren't going is geographic. Assuming the sketch gets good word of mouth (and let's face it, given past experience odds are good), I'd certainly toss over a few bucks for this.
TWL
My pleasure, Bill. I was forwarded it by a friend who (a) loves both Buffy and LotR, and (b) is a drama teacher with extensive background in musical theater. She could barely stop laughing long enough to give me the link.
(I think the "I'll Never Tell" is perhaps the funniest song there, but some others are surprisingly poignant.)
TWL
Peter, I can't help if I can't make it to Motor City or Maryland, but when the video is done making the convention rounds, putting it online somewhere wouldn't be a bad idea. You said it's hilarious. I believe you. Can we see it eventually online?
I have to agree with Tim, how is is possible to do LOTR in Monty Python style?
Please can we see it after Shore Leave wraps up?
I certainly wouldn't mind seeing how the Motor City video bits worked out, but Maryland's too far a drive for me at this time. Hope the show goes along smoothly; break a leg. :)
KET
Dan asks:
I have to agree with Tim, how is is possible to do LOTR in Monty Python style?
Um ... Dan, I never expressed that particular concern. I see a lot of easy ways to put Pythonic stuff in. (Of course, I tend to find ways to put Python in anything, including physics classes.) I'm always glad to have people agreeing with me, but I prefer that it happens when they agree with something I actually wrote. :-)
TWL
Btw, Tim, for future student college advice, Once More, With Hobbits was done by two alums of the Harvard-Radcliffe SF Association.
LOTR meets python
hmm.
No-one expects the 'hobbit' inquisition
The life of 'frodo'
The Ministry of silly haircuts.
Thats the best i can come up with
Tim: my question was "How is is possible to do LOTR in Monty Python style?"
I was agreeing with you! Maybe I should have separated the two comments.
I am looking forward to the play. I don't always stay for the play as it is a bit late in the day, but I have stayed for the past few years and enjoyed them.
I made a post on the Decipher LOTR board about it and on the DC area LOTR club bboard. With any luck that will get a few more people in to see it.
Shore Leave is a great convention and this will be an extra special treat.
Many of the people who should be in the play put together a LOTR parody play two years ago at Balticon which was quite hilarious. Once again this year they did a sequence of LOTR parody bits taking LOTR as if directed by others. They already have some decent costumes so that should have made things a bit easier on everyone.
Neil
The tentative Shore Leave schedule is now on their webpage: http://www.shore-leave.com/
They have web pages and PDF files for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Neil
For those wondering how to do LOTR "Monty Python style", well, you can always check the Lampoon-style version, "Bored of the Rings":
(note: excerpt is as best I can remember it, some years after my copy was destroyed by a flood. Scene is at the river crossing, just before reaching Riv'n'Dell, where a tollbridge has suddenly appeared:)
"'So, that's five, six - uh, nine Nozdrul, at thirty-five gold each, that's three hundred and twenty-four beans, total. Exact change only, please.'
'Three hundred twenty-four? That's highway robbery!' the lead Nozdrul protested.
The elven tollbooth agent shrugged.
'How about a personal check?'
'Cash only, please, sir.'
'Traveler's check? They're drawn on the main treasure vaults of Fordor - good as gold anywhere!'
'No money, no crossee, friend,' the elf replied.
The Nozdrul conferred for a moment, then turned to ride away. 'You haven't heard the last of us, elf!', their leader cried, shaking his fist.
On the opposite bank, Frito crawled out of the bush, wondering how much longer the writers could get away with this crap. He wasn't the only one."
The play was absoluely hilarious and a great success. There was one point where I almost completely lost it. Had I been sitting on an aisle, I would have been rolling in the aisle. You really had to be there.
Neil
I'm still trying to decide if my favorite bit was the Fannish Intermission (1) or Takei's 'Oh My.'
Or the 'Urukhai' song.
Or the 'Taunting Orc'
Or...
Neil and Jeff,
You two are both entirely too cruel. Just so's you know. :-)
TWL
I finally got around to writing up the rest of my Shore Leave report. Here is a summary of items from And Now for Something Completely Tolkien: Monty Sauron’s Flying Nazgul
It was introduced by a variant of the Cheese Shop skit mixed with the Bookstore skit from Contractual Obligation Album – it took place in a Fantasy book store and had a self-effacing joke.
George Takei filmed in advance various introductions to skits.
Here are events from the play and corresponding Monty Python skits where not obvious.
The Council of Elrond : Australian Philosophy Department.
Aragorn vs. the lead orc from the end of the Fellowship movie : the Black Knight from Holy Grail
Boromir with arrows in him: “I’m not dead yet.”
Ents of the Fangorn Forest – a song based on Knights of the Round Table.
No one expects the Fannish Inquisition. Out chief weapon is puns, wretched in-jokes....
Has Smeagol come to the right place for an argument?
The ghosts in the Paths of Dead : the Holy Grail skit with the Marxist peasants
Dead hobbit purchased by the orcs from Shelob: dead parrot skit
Sam, wonder Sam song : Spam song
Never wanted to be an orc, wanted to be an Uruk-Hai: Lumberjack song
Aragorn, Gandalf and more travel via coconuts
Aragorns speech at the Black Gate: the insulting French from Holy Grail
Gollum with a Killer Rabbit get the ring from Frodo and blood spurts out via silly string : the Sam Peckinpah production of Salad Days
Sam and Frodo on the lava after destroying the ringsing a song (“always look on the fan side”): On the Bright Side of Life
The Fannish Inquisition ends it rushing to get back in time at the end.