@Keith V Here's a better quality version: https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/the-rutles/3004147
You know I may possibly have the tape of this somewhere in the attic… unfortunately it would be Betamax format if found.
I missed it when it 1st aired because it was on past my bedtime. But I eventually got it on VHS and later on DVD, so I've seen it many times since the 80s. For some reason it was only in the last 5 years or so that I realized Stig doesn't say a single word in the entire film.
This is really a sad story. After "Archaeology" came out, there was a (direct to video?) sequel, "The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch." It's been a long time since I watched it, but I recall it being largely a rehash of the original, but I am almost certain that it included songs from "Archaeology." And it was hosted by Eric Idle. I wonder how that was worked out. The original is far better.
"Orangutan and anaconda... Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse and even Pluto, too!" Great show. It's sad that Idle treated Neil Innes so badly.
Eric was my favorite for a long time, but there was a point where he stopped being funny, and coincidentally started being mean. And that F-everything song he did…was a prime example of not being funny. No effort there. Any kid could’ve done that. Very sad.
Of all the Pythons, Eric worked alone almost all of the time. I think that and his need for success similarities to John Cleese’s and Michael Palin’s (and Gilliam, Jones, etc.), I think drove much of his need to be the ‘sole’ creator of The Rutles. It’s both ironic and rather sad in a way. the sequel to “All You Need Is Cash” just isn’t very good. It is, again, ironic, because The Rutles got their own “Anthology” way before The Beatles (though there was the Malcolm McDowell narrated”The Compleat Beatles” that came out in 1982). I’m surprised Allen Klein didn’t figure out some way to sue the makers for his ‘portrayal’ byBelushi.
Whatever may have gone wrong between Neil Innes and Eric Idle he remained friends with Terry Jones as I worked with them both on a tv programme originated by Neil, a very wonderful and enjoyable man to work with.
Yes - it was Neil's programme but Terry took part. I did the studio and location recording and also the dub, working closely with Neil, including some songs. We must have been short handed on location as I also had to turn on a water tap at a Garden Centre and drench both of them. Quite some months after finishing the programme I happened to meet Neil at a motorway services and it was good to see him again and I'm sorry he didn't do another programme at the video facilities company where I worked.
I used to work as a client at Broadway Video in the early 2000's and I recall seeing one of the edit suites booked by Idle for a "Rutles 2" project around 2003 or so-- I never saw him while I was there which sounds like it might have been a good thing
By the way, Barry Wom is a great drummer and a humble, likeable guy. What a devastating Rutland bouffant hairstyle(!)
Do you remember when Barry said: I'd like to be a hairdresser. Or two. I'd like to be two hairdressers? Barry apparently got his wish. It must have been the first case of human cloning(?)