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Monty Python's Life Of Brian
1979
Monty Python delivers a scathing, anarchic satire of both religion and Hollywood's depiction of all things biblical with their second--and tightest--full-length film. The setting is the Holy Land in 33 A.D., a time of poverty and chaos, with no shortage of messiahs, followers willing to believe in them, and exasperated Romans .. Read more
| Starring | Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle |
|---|---|
| Director | Terry Jones |
| Genres | Comedy |
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Monty Python's Life Of Brian
Monty Python delivers a scathing, anarchic satire of both religion and Hollywood's depiction of all things biblical with their second--and tightest--full-length film. The setting is the Holy Land in 33 A.D., a time of poverty and chaos, with no shortage of messiahs, followers willing to believe in them, and exasperated Romans trying to impose some order. At the center of it all is Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman), a reluctant would-be messiah who rises to prominence as a result of a series of absurd and truly hilarious circumstances that parallel the life of Christ--providing ample opportunity for the entire ensemble (John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Chapman) to shine in multiple roles as they blaspheme and mock everyone and everything from ex-lepers, Pontius Pilate, and the art of haggling to crazy prophets, Roman centurions, and crucifixion.
Directed by Python Terry Jones, MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN is an uproarious biblical parody that does to ancient Rome what THE HOLY GRAIL did to the Middle Ages. Rome is run by pathetic wimps, liberation fronts fight with each other over acronyms, and gladiators put on bloody children's matinees as the people search desperately for someone to lead them out of their life of misery and poverty. And Brian is that man. Sort of. Well, not really. Chapman excels as Brian, a simple, quiet man suddenly thrust in the role of leading the revolution--while constantly being yelled at by his shrew of a mother.
| Starring | Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Carol Cleveland, Gwen Taylor, Kenneth Colley, Terence Bayler, Charles McKeown |
|---|---|
| Director | Terry Jones |
| Studio | SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 29 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 29 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovene, Swedish, Turkish |
| Released | DVD: 14 Apr 2003 Blu-ray: 03 Dec 2007 Production year: 1979 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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This inspired send-up of religious epics was surrounded by controversy on its release, but it is, nevertheless, the Monty Python team's most assured and satisfying cinematic work. Graham Chapman (“he's not the Messiah, he's just a naughty boy”) is the Judaean whose life bears some resemblance to that of a certain carpenter's around the same time, although the shambling story serves mainly as an excuse for the assembled Pythons to take pot shots at some of their favourite targets and serve up some joyfully juvenile gags. Michael Palin has some memorable roles, notably the Roman governor with a speech impediment (“Welease Wodewick”), and there's a very funny and quite irrelevant cameo from Spike Milligan.
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Controversial middle-eastern romp which left its creators battered but extremely wealthy. The hilarious Spartacus-like finale, with a crucified choir singing 'Look on the Bright Side of Life' hints at what might have been: a brilliant comedy rather
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Most helpful member's review
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39 out of 42 people found this review helpful
He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!
There's no two ways to say this. Rent this film now, and when it lands on your doormat take the day off work, invite round anyone you can persuade, crack open a case of your favourite drink and put it on.
The jokes in this film are timeless, from the schoolboy smirking over the name of a great Roman "Biggus Dickus" to the ludicrous situation of a centurion correcting anti-Roman slang (Latin is, afterall, hard to get right). Without touching too much on the well documented blasphemy in the film, it’s perhaps not one for firm believers in the guy upstairs, unless you find it easy to laugh at yourself as well. For the rest of us however, the rapid and shambolic formation of the strange religious groups surrounding Brian are awfully amusing, as is the unforgettable ending, featuring a rendition of the song “Always look on the bright side of death.”
It’s classic Python gone ‘big’ budget, a piece of English heritage that should be treasured and passed onto to the younger generation, and it’s damn funny to boot. -
Most recent members' review
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4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Relegion gets a pasting
What a blasphemous film this is. Crude, shoddy, sophisticated and non stop jokes. The opening is spectacularly good. A shot of Our Lord Jesus preaching. The camera pans back. Terry Jones dressed as an old woman shouts 'Speak up, we can't hear you'. From that point on I was hooked. Although I am deeply relegious i found that if I put relegion to one side for 2 hours I could piss myself at almost every joke. Brilliant
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