Movie Description
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.
| Credits | | Producer: | John Goldstone | | Cast: | Charles McKeown, Eric Idle, John Cleese |
Notes
DVD Features:
Region 1 Encoding
Keep Case
Theatrical Trailer
Talent Bios, Theatrical Release: August 17, 1979.
Filmed on location in Tunisia, Africa.
The film includes the opening-credits song "Brian" (sung by Sonia Jones) and the grand finale "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" (written and sung by Eric Idle).
Executive producer George Harrison makes a cameo as Mr. Papadopolous.
Costume designer Charles Knode makes a cameo as a passerby.
Maggie Weston, who did the hair and makeup, and Terry Gilliam were married in 1973.
On the video box cover, some people in the crowd are holding up signs; one of the signs calls out for the Rutles, referring to the legendary group that appeared in the 1978 mockumentary ALL YOU NEED IS CASH.
The closing credits end with the following line: "If you have enjoyed this film, why not go and see 'La Notte'?"--referring to Michelangelo Antonioni's Italian classic.
Total Film called THE LIFE OF BRIAN the funniest film ever made.
The film includes only one animated sequence; instead, animator Terry Gilliam spends more time than ever actually onscreen, playing various crazy roles.
Editorial Reviews
"...Just when you thought that the uproarious English comedy troupe had taken bad taste as far as it could go....Bad taste of this order is rare but not yet dead..."
New York Times - p.C15 - Vincent Canby
"...Always hilarious..."
Total Film - Daniel Webb (07/01/2003)
"[I]ts free-form humor and fearless blasphemy still intact and as potent as ever."
Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan (04/30/2004)
5 stars out of 5 -- "[It] might bear similarities to the greatest story ever told, but you'll be laughing too hard to take offense."
Empire - Kat Brown (12/01/2007)
5 stars out of 5 -- "[With] a consistently high strike rate that puts this on a par with HOLY GRAIL as the team's best big-screen foray."
Total Film - Neil Smith (01/01/2008)
4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]his saucy, provocative satire on the sometimes ridiculous nature of religion is absolutely brilliant...the effervescent gags never grow tired."
Ultimate DVD - David Richardson (04/01/2008)
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