The pitch document for this was as long as the title of the sketch. It got thrown on the pile of material, courtesy of Arthur Mathews, and suddenly everything else on the pile felt like it was trying way too hard. - ThreadSky

gralefrit.bsky.social • 98 days ago

The pitch document for this was as long as the title of the sketch. It got thrown on the pile of material, courtesy of Arthur Mathews, and suddenly everything else on the pile felt like it was trying way too hard.

Reposted from Joe Scaramanga

What a wonderful opportunity to post this again. Though I don't need an excuse.

youtu.be/0NQphQZXhFM

Comments

johnnylaird.bsky.social•98 days ago

And glorious again watching side by side with the original! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vObRvdvHh5E

petercmoore.bsky.social•98 days ago

Oh, that's great. I love this sketch but didn't realise just how closely it mirrored the original. Even Grundy shifting in his seat...

gralefrit.bsky.social•98 days ago

Remember being pretty convinced we were behind the signature sketches of the series, most-capped and so on, really delighted, and then that sketch popped up on the pile, and we gracefully surrendered the victor’s podium. I can’t even remember what we wrote now. But that sketch endures. Beautiful.

mikeauld.bsky.social•98 days ago

It’s the execution of this that marks it out as exceptional: 1. the script is word for word the original. 2. Peter Serafinowicz as Bill *crucially* is also Amish, so this amps up the surrealism of an entire alternate Amish universe. 3. The set details including the table and even that shonky cuedot.

mikeauld.bsky.social•98 days ago

I keep coming back and giggling at the whole Amish alternate world idea. Other sketch writers would be content to keep the Pistols as the “others” to make fun of, keeping Grundy as normal establishment foil. But it’s that Bill Grundy here also is dressed as Amish just elevates this to top tier.

mikeauld.bsky.social•98 days ago

Also, just the body language and recreation of Bill Grundy’s post pub-lunch slouch. I had to really check that there wasn’t electronic trickery a la End of an Era - Peter’s impression is so so good. Bridget Christie? I think doing Siouxsie is really really good too.

gralefrit.bsky.social•98 days ago

It’s the same joke really as Kev’s George Martin. The thing you’re taking advantage of is the cultural awareness of the performers, that this is a “song” they all know already. It’s pop culture as ritual. The same gag as the Mao Roxy Music Top Of The Pops on Big Train. You all know how to “do” this.

gralefrit.bsky.social•98 days ago

It’s a jazz jam. “Sex Pistols, but let’s spice it up, lads. Do this one in the key of Amish.” And everyone knows how to change key.

gralefrit.bsky.social•98 days ago

Comedy is music.

martinhsl68hw.bsky.social•98 days ago

I have watched it many many times

dflite.bsky.social•98 days ago

There’s not a SINGLE joke in it (..because that would pop the bubble), the joke IS the sketch. No zappy punchline at the end; the punchline happens AT THE START as your brain docodes the scene and context, and then continues for 88 seconds. There can’t be many jokes or sketches like that in history.

mikeward85.bsky.social•98 days ago

Did Arthur just do the 3 word pitch or was it his idea to do the shot-for-shot of the Grundy interview?

gralefrit.bsky.social•98 days ago

Yeah. He pitched it to Rich Webb (producer) and Al Campbell (director) and the idea was always to not change a thing. Just learn it and stage it verbatim.

gralefrit.bsky.social•98 days ago

Amish Sex Pistols as a sketch is just Hell’s Grannies from Python, a simple reversal sketch. Not writing it at all, but restaging it, identically, is where the thing becomes something new.

mightylyng.bsky.social•98 days ago

I interviewed Arthur Mathews, and he said he had this sketch pencilled for a possible third series of Big Train. Tempting to imagine it with Mark Heap as Grundy.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply