Monty Python's Life of Brian

source: Life of Brian

Life of Brian

Religious parable about intolerance focuses on Brian , a Jew in Roman-occupied Judea. After joining up with an anti-Roman political organization, Brian , a reluctant savior is mistaken for a prophet , and becomes a peculiar Messiah . Then a group decides Brian is the Messiah and he cannot convince them he is not . Brian joins the Peoples' Front of Judea, one of several dozen separatist groups who actually do nothing . Irreverent and often sidesplitting satire of Jesus Christ movies that will probably offend some catholics , including many Political and Social comments . Graham Chapman plays the title role born in a manger just down the street from Jesus Christ's and spends his life being mistaken for a messiah . This is the tale of of a man whose life parallels Jesus ; it results to be the most sustained and funniest film from Britain's bad boys . Six cast members played 40 various characters such as Graham Chapman , John Cleese , Terry Gilliam , Eric Idle , Terry Jones and Michael Palin . Well produced by George Harrison, a huge fan of Monty Python, he felt so strongly about the movie he "pawned" his home in London and his office building, to raise the 4 million $ . According to the diaries of Michael Palin a possible title was "Brian of Nazareth", which was strongly favored by Palin, Graham Chapman and Eric Idle . In the end this was never used, perhaps to avoid title comparisons with Jesus of Nazareth (1977), whose leftover sets were used for filming parts of this film . However, when the film was released in Italy in the early 1990s, it was titled "Brian di Nazareth¨ . Originally financed by EMI, but they backed out when they believed the script to be blasphemous . EMI was sued by the Pythons and settled out of court. Finance was then arranged through George Harrison, who thought it was the last chance to have another Python film, creating Handmade Films for this purpose . Though the movie has been directed by Terry Jones only, to avoid the frictions and conflicts there were in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Terry Gilliam directed at least two scenes: the very first one, with the arrival of the Wise Men and the Nativity, and the abduction of Brian by the aliens, as explained in the commentary. Lively Original Music by Geoffrey Burgon , including jolly final song sung by Eric Idle . Colorful as well as evocative Cinematography by Peter Biziou . The motion picture was well directed by Terry Jones . In 1965, with his friend Michael Palin, he made The Late Show (1966) for television, which was his first success and he wrote for many other TV shows . But Jones' greatest success was the zany Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969-74) (with Palin, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle) and other hits such as Jabberwocky , The meaning of life , Monty Python and the Holy Grail and this Life of Brian , among others .

I have been reading the reviews, and I'm just happy to see that there still are some people out there who appreciate real comedy. For anyone who is willing to actually watch the movie, and not expect a zoolander-ish barrage of fleetingly funny moments, this is definitely one of the funniest movies in the history of film. One may watch this movie a hundred times, and still find parts of it he never noticed before. The scene with Michael Palin chained up to the wall in the dungeon is possibly the most perfect absurd comedy sketch in existence. (Oh, what I wouldn't GIVE to be SPAT at in the face!) Even better than the Dead Parrot! And the movie has a wonderful unity as well, as a massive (semi-serious) satire of not just religion, but humanity in general. Two of them went to Oxford, three to Cambridge--these guys are well educated, and their work is absolutely brilliant, simply funny on the surface and hilariously complex beneath. This movie IS better than Holy Grail, and is the python's finest work.

i am a huge Monty python fan, but have never laughed so hard at any movie or sketch i have ever seen written by them the scene where Michael palin is talking about biggus dickus and ordering the guards NOT TO LAUGH made me shake with laughter till tears ran down my cheeks, and not until dinner the next day did i stop giggling to myself all in all, this mite be the troupe's best film, although the holy grail is equally as good, i think that life of Brian is better written in every scene, and it is great to not find any offense in some of the Jewish jokes personally, i think Michael palin owned this movie, although graham Chapman was probably the better actor, each one of palin's roles were different and memorable, the jail guard leading the prisoners to crucification is so funny, because hes just so sweet sounding of course, there was the irrelevant bit, strange but funny in the Monty python way, that they can get away with almost everything this is my favorite of all the Monty python films, and i recommend it to anyone who is willing to laugh extremely hard at womans (romans)

I'll put my Monty Python fan resume against anyone. I started watching "Flying Circus" in the '70s when it first aired in the US on PBS. I've seen all of their movies and concert videos. I have all of their albums. I've read most of their books. I've seen John Cleese live. Being a fan doesn't mean that you are blind. There was a reason that they had a hard time finding investors for this movie. It's not funny. There are maybe six laughs in the whole movie. Most of it is annoyingly unfunny.

What I am about to write might upset some people. Hell, many comedy fans would even say that I was being blasphemous, but here goes... Life Of Brian isn't THAT funny! There, I've said it—even after multiple viewings, I still find the Life of Brian, Monty Python's tale of an ordinary man who is mistaken for the Messiah, to be rather disappointing as far as belly laughs are concerned. Sure, it's a very quotable film, the sets and cinematography look great, and it certainly has a lot of valid things to say about the stupidity of religion and it's followers (who are, let's face it, often pretty stupid!), but I honestly feel that much of the movie's comedy just doesn't work, and actually feels rather laboured. I mean, is a speech impediment really THAT hilarious? I'm not saying that I am not amused by any of the Python's silliness: there are definitely laughs to be had, particularly at some of the more absurd moments (after all, who can keep a straight face at the phrase 'wolf's nipples'?), but, with the complete adoration that Life of Brian receives from it's fans (particularly from students), anyone would think it was the second coming. 5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

Monty Python's follow-up to their cult smash Holy Grail was Life of Brian, a film that takes on (if not always with the utmost seriousness, then usually with a mix of silliness and slight intellectualism) the believers in religions, the zealous nature that belief brings out in people. I first saw the film in the theater upon its re-release last month, and I found it very funny, though not with the kind of belly laughs that I had on my first reaction to Holy Grail. It's not without it's scenes that stick out as some of Python's finest (the Stoning, Pilate's scenes, the Spaceship sequence), even as sometimes it goes a little too broad for comfort (part of the colisseum). Yet, the great strengths that lie in Life of Brian are that 1) the writers and performers (Chapman, Cleese, Gilliam, Jones, Idle, Palin) bring their irreverent strengths to a fine point with the script and multiple roles. Even when a scene doesn't get the laughs it could've or should've, it turns out to be a scene brimming with a cleverness that could only exist in the "Python-esque" universe. 2) the director (Jones) and designer/animator (Gilliam) lay the groundwork for this realistic atmosphere of 33 A.D. and bring out what is the best in the acting, Pythons or otherwise (famous British comedian Spike Milligan has a role of note). Held over from the sets of Franco Zeferelli's Christ film, the Pythons use all these locations and settings and little details to spring out their wild, brilliant gags. The look of the film enriches the comedic elements, and the result is (arguably, of course) the troupe's best film. Not for all tastes by the way (Monty Python in general for me took some while to warm up to, but paid off once it worked). Grade: A

For many years I have worked tirelessly to promote the aims of the Popular Front of Judea, and quite frankly I'm disgusted at its treatment of us. To depict us as a lonely old man is one of the most grotesque distortions ever commited to celluloid. We are at least three times that number, and furthermore we don't have a single repressed transexual among us. An absolute disgrace. I shall never watch this film again, unless I rent it out on video or see it on the TV in the near future. Vive la PFJ.

This is, in my opinion, the best religious movie ever made. Monty Python's Flying Circus knows how to do everything hilariously. Focusing on Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman), who gets mistaken for the messiah in Judea in 33 AD, the movie pokes fun at everything: Romans, Jews, imperialism, even extraterrestrials. With sardonic lines almost every minute, they play religious fundamentalism for what it is: silly. I don't even know which scene was my favorite; every part was so funny. You'll never forget the song at the end. This is comedy in its greatest form, and it makes sense that it would come from the guys who brought us the "parrot sketch". Absolutely a hoot.