Monty Python's Life Of Brian (1979) | Movie REACTION | FIRST TIME WATCHING |

[@jamess885]

Yes, the song Always look on the Bright Side of Life was written for this by Eric Idle.

[@AlexSwanson-rw7cv]

I'm sure there are a million other comments by now but yes, this is where the song is from.

[@RamblersInc]

And it's a brilliant song too.

[@Pamtroy]

John Cleese used to teach Latin. That's what that long, funny scene about the Latin phrase was about.

[@iKvetch558]

"Now you listen here...he's NOT the Messiah...he's a very naughty boy! Now go away!" 😜😂

[@papercup2517]

"Are you a virgin? (If it's not too personal a question...)"

[@RamblersInc]

😂

[@victorsixtythree]

The film was indeed controversial when it came out - actually they had a lot of trouble even financing it due to the subject matter. Ex-Beatle George Harrison, a Python fan, eventually put up a lot of the money because, as he explained, he simply "wanted to see the movie". (Harrison appears briefly in the film.)

[@jurgenschmidt2759]

Referred to by Eric Idle as the most expensive cinema ticket ever.

[@Tancred2494]

It was barred from British TV for years

[@TheGoauldApophis]

​@@Tancred2494 I've town in the UK had it banned until the 2000s, when they elected the woman who played Judith mayor.

[@Stogie2112]

No one ever expects the Roman Grammar Police!! Mu-ahahahahahaaaaaaa!!!"

[@0okamino]

Their chief weapons are the fear, and surprise you feel, when faced with the bloody ridiculous amount of verb endings there are in Latin!

[@RamblersInc]

🤣🤣🤣

[@quietcat]

I think you'll find they are the Latin Grammar Roman Police.

[@keithewright]

@@quietcat The Popular Roman Latin Grammar Police you splitter!

[@quietcat]

@@keithewright 🤣🤣🤣

[@theheretic569]

The spaceship was placed in the film because of the time of the film (1979) Star Wars had come out and Hollywood felt the need to make space films or films with some kind of space oriented theme in almost everything, including TV. The Pythons simply felt it needed a bit of space.🖖

[@CharCanuck14]

A few years earlier Erich von Daniken's bestselling book "Chariots of the Gods?" talked about the possibility of aliens visiting Earth in ancient times. I'm sure that at least one of the Pythons had read it and may have also helped throwing the alien scene in.

[@sourisvoleur4854]

Plus it's a nice deus ex machina for Brian falling off the tower

[@AlexSwanson-rw7cv]

There certainly was controversy around this film. When it came out many councils in the UK didn't allow cinemas to show it. A few years ago the actress who plays Judith became mayor of her town and repealed the ban there.

[@matthewzeller5026]

That's awesome! Judith really stayed fighting for freedom after over 2000 years.

[@chimpinaneckbrace]

When Brian is in the alien spaceship he literally ascends into the Heavens. Sounds like a Messiah to me. Also, the guy haggling for the gourd looks up to the after they think he’s ascended and shouts: “Fifteen!”

[@RamblersInc]

😂 the haggling bits in this were too funny

[@absentia6164]

I can assure you this is indeed the origin of the song.

[@ag4871]

Glad you enjoyed that. There was a massive fuss when this was released. In the UK it is the local councils who give certifications to movies. The BBFC purely gives advice which the councils almost always follow. Some people (who probably hadn't even seen the movie) raised such a stink about Brian, however, that some councils ignored the BBFC's AA (>14) certificate and slapped an X (>18) certificate on it, or banned it outright. The distributors got narked and refused to release it wherever it was X certificated. So, for example, you couldn't see Brian in a cinema in Glasgow but the cinemas in towns near there kept the AA and did an absolutely roaring trade given all the publicity. It was mental and kind of gave credence to the movie's central message that blind adherence to dogma is something to be avoided. Wishing you guys a fantastic New Year. By the way. In Latin grammar is really important as the wrong ending on a word completely changes the meaning of the sentence it's used in. Pretty much anyone who'd studied it was triggered by that scene as we'd all been through it.

[@RamblersInc]

They initially gave it 18? Ugh.

[@jasontaouma5059]

One of the all time greats. Thanks guys

[@Stoney_Snark]

There was actually a lot of controversy about this movie. Several churches banned it. You can find a BBC interview with John Cleese and Michael Palin debating a bishop on KZbin. One version is an hour long! Also, George Harrison paid for a big chunk of this movie, has a producers credit, and cameos as the guy renting the mount, at 1:08:42. This is my Christmas playlist!

[@MrHws5mp]

Comedy sketch show Not The Nine O'Clock News did a brilliant inversion of that interview, in which Brianism was the offiical religion and a film maker was getting heat for making a film about Christ. Best line: "Did you expect all this controversy when you made the film?" "Well I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition..."

[@CoL_Drake]

1. every year to christmas this movie is in my city in the huge cinema one day ^^ its such a blast xD 2. yes that song is from this movie its from monty python, its since became a very famous songs for funerals. 3. this film wasvery conroveral at its time it was even banned in norway and then it was marketed in sweden as "its so funny its banned in norway"

[@TraciPearson-ok2tr]

Thank you so much for putting a huge grin on my face and reminding me how brilliant this movie is.

[@jenssylvesterwesemann7980]

You guys made my day! Again! If you want some "extra features", John Cleese and Michael Palin were on TV in 1979, debating two clergymen about the film and the ensuing "blasphemy" accusations. Even better, "Not The Nine O'Clock News" did a parody of that exact debate, almost verbatim, some years later. It's all on KZbin, but I don't dare to provide links; otherwise, the algorithm might eat my comment.

[@RamblersInc]

I'll look it up. Thanks

[@Muck006]

The patrol that captured Brian after writing "romans go home" was the morning shift ... and they had no clue what the night shift commander had ordered him to do. [i.e. "the left hand of bureaucracy doesnt know what the right hand does."]

[@matthewzeller5026]

You just made my day! It's my one day off over the holidays but I didn't have much to watch. One of my favorite movies ever and I adore you guys ♥️ I already know this will be so much fun 😁

[@alibabaghanoujtv]

George Harrison (yes, that one) helped finance the picture because he read the script and wanted to see it as a film because it had him in stitches.

[@Stogie2112]

11:45 "What...is....going on in this.. ....Shyam, what is going on?!" 😆 The alien ship is just another facet of Brian's absurd life. Whatever can go wrong WILL go wrong! Guaranteed!

[@RamblersInc]

Poor Brian 😂

[@papercup2517]

The reason MP and the Holy Grail was episodic in structure was because that's exactly the way the stories have come down to us, as individual tales of the Knights and their derring-do, including in their quest for the Holy Grail.

[@jamesjackaman8803]

Also Cleese and Chapman were still writing the script as they were filming it. They had never worked as a full production team before and Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam were first time directors on the Holy Grail too, they were making the whole thing up day by day. (With nearly zero budget, many British rock bands chipped in and financed the film to get it finished)

[@nbartlett6538]

The alien ship makes another appearance in “Absolutely Anything”, a Simon Pegg movie that also starred all the surviving pythons.

[@RamblersInc]

Oooohhh we might to check that out. Added to the watchlist 👍

[@garylee3685]

In 1979 space movies were popular so they put in the spaceship bit.

[@Tampahop]

I guess next you need to react to "The Meaning of Life."

[@gorankopcic7827]

As a movie collector for a 37 years, the best comedies I have ever seen are: The Party (1966), Borat, Dumb and dumber and Life of Brian! That's not all the good ones, but THE BEST ONES!

[@MrZeek1519]

There's nothing like a good comedy to make you laugh and smile, and Monty Python knows how to hit the funny bone. Glad you guys enjoyed this one a lot. Now if you're looking for something a little less silly, but a comedy that's funny and will throw in a little action with a gangster twist, I'd highly recommend "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" with Vinnie Jones and Jason Statham. It's probably the funniest gangster movie I've ever seen.

[@RamblersInc]

Brilliant movie 👌 and so quotable

[@jeffreybaker4399]

My favorite reactors. Special treat, didn't expect this one.

[@jackcarter5101]

12:16 His lips clearly said "You JAMMY bastard", but it wad redubbed because jammy is too British for anyone else to understand.

[@RamblersInc]

😂

[@samgooda9952]

Of course this is where this song is from!

[@stevechurch4728]

the fed up woman carrying her donkey was great, "he's not well again!" how many times had she done it?

[@RamblersInc]

😂

[@doug3691]

That Brian, a very LUCKY guy!

[@RamblersInc]

😂

[@PuffyCloud_aka_puffeclaude]

The "spaceship bit" was simply an ancient aliens reference. There was a lot of popular literature in the late sixties and early seventies trying to tie all early civilization to UFOs, and ancient Judea was prominent in the lore.

[@johnmavroudis2054]

I thought it primarily references Star Wars’ popularity

[@RamblersInc]

Aaahhhh. Had us confused for a minute 😂

[@Stogie2112]

How do you know this? Did the writers of the screenplay say this, or are you just speculating?

[@GeraldH-ln4dv]

When Terry Jones as Brian's mother calls Judith a "Welsh tart" it is doubly funny because Sue Jones-Davies who played Judith is Welsh and so was Terry Jones, but it is completely anachronistic for the time period of the movie to call someone Welsh.

[@Stogie2112]

Not to mention all the actors playing ancient Romans and Jews but speaking English with a British accent. 😆

[@redcardinalist]

@@Stogie2112 That's not the same thing at all. The characters here are speaking English because otherwise we wouldn't understand them. But "in movie" we're meant to believe that they are talking in either Latin or Hebrew. The Welsh reference is a deliberate anachronism. I say all this heistantly becuase (a) you may be trolling or (b) you're (frankly) not very bright or (c) trying to be funny (in which case you've failed)

[@Stogie2112]

@@redcardinalist ... I never said that it was the same thing, but it is a type of anachronism. Modern British English didn't develop until over a thousand years after the time of Brian/Jesus.

[@Stogie2112]

THANK YOU for showing the Stan/Loretta scene. Most reactors omit it. No one would dare film a joke scene like that today. Where else would you get the magnificent line, "Where's the fetus gonna gestate? You gonna keep it in a box?"

[@fipse]

It is funny how a scene from 1979 is still relevant today.

[@papercup2517]

I've actually never seen a reaction that's omitted it "...and I should know, I've followed enough of them!" Sure, some people are unsure how to react to it, since the topic of transgenderism has become so shockingly politicised in the US in recent years, but I've never seen it edited out.

[@StevesFunhouse]

Remember, the "spoon" the Romans found was in the hand of Michael Palin. It's the same one he was using to point out the original plans for kidnapping Pontius Pilate's wife. I'd give you more comments, but I see so many others have said a LOT about it, and they're all correct so, just glad you got to see this and more that you thoroughly enjoyed it. Happy New Year !!!

[@RamblersInc]

Happy New Year 🎉

[@Stogie2112]

“Why are you creeping around a cow shed at two o’clock in the morning? That doesn’t sound very wise to me!” I’ve always heard this line as “creeping around the cow shit…..” 😆😆 It makes more sense to me!

[@RamblersInc]

🤣 would probably make the same amount of sense as well

[@Tan3l6]

Brilliant comedy.. has probably influenced so many other movies (and comedians). The ending song is so iconic!

[@Stogie2112]

Meanwhile, at the crucifixion site.... Mr. Gregory: "A Samaritan? This is supposed to be a Jewish section!" Roman soldier: "It doesn't matter! You're all going to die in a day or two." Mr. Gregory: "Under the terms of the Roman occupancy, we're entitled to be crucified in a purely Jewish area!" Great historical reference to the feuds among ancient Judean tribes. The Jews and Samaritans despised each other. They both claimed to practice the true Israelite religion. They each had their own Pentateuch/Torah and Holy Mount. The lesson of "The Good Samaritan" references the feud between the two peoples. Fascinating stuff!

[@slowerthinker]

This was filmed in Tunisia in the same general area as some of the original Star Wars. They bumped into Spike Milligan (who was in the area retracing the steps of his WW2 service prior to his hilarious memoirs) there, and gave him a small cameo.

[@martinrayner6466]

*Regarding controversy,* when this came out. There were a few "Christian" groups, without a sense of humor at the time who jumped up and down. But in the main, most people including Christians, loved the tongue in cheek nature of this comedy relief. I am now a Pentecostal _born again_ Christian, and we devote ourselves to Christs teachings, principally _love one an other,_ and *never force* ourselves onto others, although we all love to talk about the culture. *I personally love this movie,* and was about 18 when I saw it in collage (Canberra, Australia) and was not a Christian at that time. Loved it then, and love it now. *As always, thanks guys for the great summation.* Cheers, from Australia.

[@EVERYDAYGames00]

Hahaha soooo funny😂 loved the reaction

[@TheFingerFrame]

I always love watching reviewers get to the spaceship scene. Everyone is so confused. There are two things: this came out shortly after Star Wars, so it was a wonderful way to take the mickey out of that. Also it was a way to make fun of Deus ex Machina “cavalry to the rescue” plot devices. He gets “saved” only to end up in the exact same spot.

[@tuntemon]

Life of Brian is more like a movie and Holy Grail is more like their Flying Circus series, a bunch of sketches but with a medieval theme. Nevertheless both are very silly and beyond quotable!

[@matthewteague623]

Just as "Blazing Saddles" parodied the everliving heck out of blind racism, "Life of Brian" parodied the heck out of those so focused on Dogma that they no longer understand humor.

[@robmann400]

Studios were not willing to finance the film and kept suggesting a Star. Wars like, space comedy. The alien scene in the movie is basically a middle finger to all the studios who had insisted on something sci-fi. In other words, the aliens scene in Life of Brian, was just an inside joke. Michael Palin just kills in this movie. His ex-leper scene with the deranged spin-hopping around walk-about dancing is my favourite part of the film, and the, “That’s just what Jesus said.” punchline to Brian’s, “There’s just no pleasing some people.” is one of my favourite Python jokes. Brilliant stuff.

[@RamblersInc]

"bloody do gooder" 🤣🤣🤣

[@Dej24601]

The original Star Wars came out in 1977 and the world was still enamored with concepts about space travel, space ships, etc. Also in the late 1960’s through the 1970’s, a lot of books were being published about ancient aliens, ancient astronauts that had visited Earth and created a lot of artifacts and affected human development. It seems fitting that the Pythons would add scenes about aliens to inject humor (and even outright silliness or craziness) and the fascination people had with these ideas.

[@joebloggs396]

Both were filmed in Tunisia so also a good reason to reference it.

[@jeancoppin6353]

This has stellar subtitles.

[@benvandermerwe4934]

Night shift in my country. Great entertainment. 👏🏻⚡🥃

[@glennrobinson2014]

They're also mocking the frequency of schisms in religious and social activist movements, street preaching, religious fanaticism, Latin schoolmasters, &c.

[@the-vuk]

Father Grigori is at it again :D

[@RamblersInc]

😂

[@davida.j.berner776]

The space ship sequence was, as would have been more obvious at the time, a nod to Star Wars and the many attempts to cash in on that film's success. The way I look at it, though, is that it was also a way to allow Terry Gilliam to showcase his love of (and talent for) absurd animation. It's notable, in my opinion, that apart from the title sequence, this film does not contain any of Gilliam's trademark animated 2D cut-outs, which were such an important part of both the TV show, and all the other Python films. It's almost as if the Pythons are saying, we couldn't find a way to fit a 2D animated sequence into this film, but here, have these alien puppets instead!

[@Grithron2]

I'm surprised they didn't make into a story-disrupting, audience-polarizing, ten minute interlude - like what they planned to do with Crimson Permanent Assurance - it would have been Terry Gilliam's "solo", functioning like the drum solo in a Led Zep concert.

[@gggooding]

Easy to find on KZbin: Cleese and Palin (Pythons) debated this movie back in 1979... against the Head of the English church + lead prof of theology in England. Its epic. "Life of Brian debate" brings it right up on the Tube. Blessed are the cheese makers.

[@petenorton883]

In 1968 Erich von Däniken wrote Chariots of the Gods? which claimed that extraterrestrials or "ancient astronauts" visited Earth and influenced early human culture. I think the space ships are a reference to that. And there was a lot of controversy. It was banned in Norway (the swedish advertising said so funny it was banned in Norway).There is a famous interview with malcolm muggeridge and mervyn stockwood and Not the nine oclock news hilarious parody.

[@Dudlow]

For a nice bit of 70s cultural history, find the debate Michael Palin & John Cleese had with Malcolm Muggeridge & the Bishop of Southwark about the Life of Brain for the BBC programme 'Friday Night, Saturday Morning', and follow that up with how the debate was satirised by the 'Not The Nine O'Clock New team.

[@vincegamer]

There certainly was a controversy. Look up the "life of Brian 1979 debate". You will see Palin and Cleese on a talk show defending the movie against a bishop

[@mazza4190]

All beliefs are questioned including aliens from outer space. Hence the U.F.O..

[@chrism7395]

The fact that Jesus appears and is portrayed respectfully at the Sermon on the Mount scene is the reason the film wasn't banned and the producers arrested under anti-blasphemy laws that existed at the time in the UK.

[@0okamino]

Gweat weaction, gentlemen! What was going on? Well, it was the late 1970s, so _Star Wars_ was going on… and on and on and on and on and, you get the idea.

[@diogenesagogo]

There's a disturbingly insightful 2 words uttered by Brian's mum, it opens up a whole can of worms about human sexuality. Brian: "you mean you were raped? Mum: "at first ..."

[@RamblersInc]

Yeh that bit was definitely disturbing. And then she goes off to "deal" with the centurion in the house 😳

[@roykliffen9674]

Sweden and Norway have always had some rivalry. When Sweden banned this movie for its blasphemous nature, the Norwegians advertised this movie as "A movie so funny it was banned in Sweden"

[@RamblersInc]

😂

[@ayethein7681]

And there was indeed controversy. The offended people were calling for bans and getting it in places. John Cleese and Michael Palin were televised in a debate with two deeply offended religiouse Of course they are ignored now and Life of Brian is a comedy classic.

[@michaelbuhl4250]

I think the real genius of the movie is the way that the Brian character is used to basically take Jesus out of it so that the ridicule can be focused squarely on the followers. Jesus does appear in the first couple of scenes, but that is just to establish that he and Brian are not the same person, and the story is not really about him. John Cleese has even said that when they started researching the movie they couldn't really find anything funny about Jesus. Therefore, they found a way to make fun of Christians (and presumably all religious followers) without involving Christ.

[@redcardinalist]

The whole Roman grammer writing on walls sketch is a pisstake on schools and learning Latin (complete with "teacher" grabbing the errant "student's" ear). It's of it's time. In which respect, bear in mind that until that early 1980s physical punishment was allowed in English schools.

[@RamblersInc]

"Now don't do it again" 😂🙃

[@michaelflanagan6583]

As someone who did Latin at school, the grammar scene is one of my favourites. However, the whole bloody film is Python at its irreverent best. It woke up minds to the hypocrisy of religion by being fucking hilarious!

[@cliveklg7739]

Now you need to do "Meaning of Life"

[@wyrmhand]

Happy New Year! 💙💛Heroiam slava!💙💛

[@RamblersInc]

Happy New Year 🎉

[@KitsyX]

The term suicide squad existed long before the DC comics… I forget exactly what they are, but it’s probably along the same lines, where they are squads of people sent on missions where they expect to die… Either specialist commandos doing their duty for their country or something… Maybe criminals given a chance to redeem themselves… I’m not 100% sure and can’t be bothered to look it up right now lol… But yeah, something like that probably.

[@RamblersInc]

I should have realised what was going to happen 😂

[@randallshuck2976]

One of my favorites. Especially the catchy tune at the end. Try their "Lumberjack" sketch incorporated into the "Dead Parrot" sketch. Or their "Argument" sketch. I'm a long enough fan I watched all of these when they were newly released. Good Job and hold your sandal high in pious glory. You must admit that they were ahead of the insanity of gender confusion.

[@RamblersInc]

Perfect humor

[@Mr.Ekshin]

The stoning scene... a group of men (the Python guys)... playing female characters... disguised as men. Brilliant Python comedy.

[@Grithron2]

And you can just about argue that it predicts the petty whipped-up controversy surrounding the film - cue another round of "It was a blasphemy, was it a blast for you?"

[@Andrew-h8p]

Seriously,this is the first time you've watched the movie !!!!!!!!!!

[@RamblersInc]

Yup. It's a crime but nobody caught us so we got away with it 😂

[@WithTwoFlakes]

For those of us of a certain age who lived through the 1960's and 70's, we can remember the plethora of groups always in the news. Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, Palestinian Liberation Front, etc etc. All seemed sometimes to be more focused on fighting each other than the common enemy -Rome- Israel. It seemed a common theme amongst (mostly leftist) movements in the 1970's, eg Angola - UNITA, MPLA, FNLA. Rhodesia - ZANU, ZAPU, FROLIZI, ZANU-PF. Back then, most everyone in the UK knew the names Mugabe, Nkomo, Banana, Sithole, Muzorewa. Life Of Brian cleverly mimics all this with the People's Front of Judea, Campaign for Free Gallilee, Judean People's Front, etc.

[@Bills_Place]

Yes there was a lot of controversy and protests and bannings regarding this flim - I suspect that 0% of the protestors actually watched it.

[@jeffmartin1026]

Kinda like the movie "Shakes the Clown", among others.

[@RamblersInc]

Shame. They might have liked it 😂

[@thewheezingdead]

A fantastic comedy. What have the pythons ever done for us?

[@TimoRutanen]

The parrot sketch!

[@MalRalph]

The fish slap

[@thewheezingdead]

@@TimoRutanen The parrot sketch goes without saying doesn't it?

[@thewheezingdead]

@@MalRalph Alright but apart from the fish slap and the parrot sketch, what have the pythons ever done for us?

[@RamblersInc]

apart from give us hilarious movies...

[@Muck006]

There was controversy about this movie ... typically of the "I havent watched the movie ... but it is still heresy" type.

[@rossmcconchie1316]

British actors in drag is extremely common, and absolutely played with a straight face.

[@chiefaberach]

I don't think their comedic skills had evolved between the 2 films, because they'd been writing very clever & very silly sketches for years before The Holy Grail & were very successful at both. The 2 things that made The Holy Grail less coherent are: The story is about the adventures of a group who all split up, so there's no linear narrative for the 2nd act. They used every opportunity they could find to break the 4th wall, from the Dad being able to stop the soundtrack and calling a character 'the old mam from scene 24' to the ending being a literal cop-out with no credits, because the crews had been sacked. The higher budget for Life Of Brian made it more believable & easier to follow - oh, that's 3 reasons. I'll come back in.

[@RamblersInc]

😂

[@tofersiefken]

I hope you'll react to my favorite, Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983).

[@RamblersInc]

Added to the watchlist 👍

[@pallmall1991]

I think, that is the most accurate depiction of the origin of religion! 🤷🏼‍♂️😉

[@RamblersInc]

😂

[@kevinmassey1164]

I think you guys will like this

[@Stewart-m7i]

Yeah this film was banned in many countries & caused protests by Religious people in the UK, obviously people lacking a sense of humour. This is a brilliant film, well written & performed. The scene in outer space is very Monty Python. There are 2 more MP Films- Meaning of Life & And now for something completely different, which is just a collection of sketches from their TV Shows.

[@ScreamingScallop]

The Judean People's Front and its suicide squad had a much larger role in the script, but was largely cut because it was a bit too much, even for Monty Python. If you look closely at their headgear, the emblem is a combination of the Star of David and the Nazi swastika. Yikes, right? And the leader (Eric Idle as "Otto") had scenes that really drove that comparison home (the deleted scenes can be found on YT). The suicide squad itself is a spoof of the siege of Masada, in which almost a thousand Jewish people trapped in a fortress chose mass suicide over capture by the Roman army.

[@RamblersInc]

I can see why we spend long on them 😳

[@timbomilko5367]

There was a BBC debate following the release (w'lease) of the movie with the Bishop of Lincoln and Malcolm Muggeridge (a Catholic culutral icon of his day), who both roundly condemned the implications of the association of Jesus with the mad cultic environment of multiple claims of messiah status (which history shows was more common that thought at the time). The film was also banned in the southern US and had a Vatican statement of disapproval.

[@timbomilko5367]

There is also certain socio-cultural references that those of a 'certain age' will get ... It was the era of the Rev. Ian Paisley and American styled teleevangelists ... both referenced in the preachers.

[@Stogie2112]

There was a LOT of controversy when "Monty Python's Life of Brian" was released. Many religious people who had NOT seen the film were outraged! They thought it was blasphemous and heretical, but there was nothing in the film that mocked Jesus or anyone's religion. Once people actually watched this brilliant comedy, the outrage faded away very quickly. The Monty Python troupe wrote a brilliant satire of human beings and their constant need to bicker, argue and fight over EVERYTHING. Be it the Romans, the Judeans, terrorist groups, bureaucrats or dolts who just won't listen, people are ultimately a bunch of silly sods!

[@RamblersInc]

Good point. If anything, it's mocking the Romans more.

[@Stogie2112]

The best part of reactors watching this film is when female (and a few male) reactors see Brian's FULL FRONTAL NUDITY. 😱 Some handle it well, but many are truly shocked and scared! 😆😆😆

[@RamblersInc]

Definitely caught us off guard...and Judith.

[@bcsr4ever]

lol. Of course there was massive controversy. Which is silly as they actually portrayed Jesus well (briefly). It was all about how people misinterpret everything.

[@Dej24601]

There was a LOT of controversy at the time. The film was banned in some cities in the US. John Cleese and Michael Palin had to go on a tv debate show in Britain with a high-ranking clergyman, and Biblical scholar to explain that they were not making fun of Jesus, or of the basic principles of Christianity preached by Jesus. Repercussions against the Pythons lasted a while.

[@somthingbrutal]

the debate was parodied in a magnificent sketch on Not the Nine o'clock news kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaacnaeViduFZ80&pp=ygUbbm90IHRoZSBuaW5lIG9jbG9jayBuZXdzIEpD

[@RamblersInc]

That's a shame.

[@boqndimitrov8693]

These are the kinds of things that happened during the time of Jesus (and not only then!..). Happy New Year, and bigus dicus, to everyone! 😂👍

[@RamblersInc]

😂 Happy New Year

[@Touchpadse]

You don't think there was any controverses around this movie? I mean the Church is well known for being able to take a joke so why would there be? Haha nah there was a lot of controverse about it when it came out. The Church of England tried to have it banned for instance

[@chrisgreen8803]

Men, playing the women parts, but women aren’t allowed at stonings so the men acting the women parts have to wear fake beards to pretend they’re men….. Understand?? 😂😂😂😂

[@RamblersInc]

🤣🤣🤣Brilliant

[@seraphuziel]

this film was funded by Beatle George Harrison

[@randalthor741]

I'd say that objectively Life of Brian is a better movie than Holy Grail, but personally I think Holy Grail is funnier. Both are absolutely great, though.

[@Stogie2112]

20:20 "Now Caesar gets it...or whoever he is...." He is the one and only Pontius Pilate, the very real Governor of Judea (26-36 CE), who is said to have ordered the crucifixion of Jesus on behest of Jesus's enemies. Very little is known about Pilate, so we cannot say for sure if he suffered from Whotacism...I mean Rhotacism (the inability to pronounce "R").....😉😉

[@RamblersInc]

Governer. That's the one.

[@adamcashin4021]

The Splitters comment relates to a common theme, especially in the 70's of fringe left wing groups to split into lots of different factions over minor ideology issues; and then spend more time fighting each other than anything else. The film was EXTREMELY controversial at the time and many local councils banned it; and attempts were made by the church to prosecute under archaic heresy laws. The production company 'Handmade Films' was created for the film as all established production companies were frightened of the controversy. Handmade Films is George Harrison of the Beatles, who was friends several members of Monty Python. Handmade films went on to produce several dozen films. Always look on the bright side of life was written by Eric Idle for the film. It charted in Britain 13 years after the film. Peaking at number 3. The Alien sequence is pure Monty Python non-sequential style (from the TV show). MP member Terry Gilliam did funny animations for the TV show, and this was his bit of the film (other than that he plays very minor characters\extras)

[@Stogie2112]

Where are you getting this “left-wing” stuff? For all of human history, religious and political groups have had factions “split” from them and form their own groups. The early years of Christianity saw many groups of splitters leave the main Church and form their own sects.

[@adamcashin4021]

@@Stogie2112 Wikipedia (I know) 'The film pokes fun at revolutionary groups and 1970s British left-wing politics. According to Roger Wilmut, "What the film does do is place modern stereotypes in a historical setting, which enables it to indulge in a number of sharp digs, particularly at trade unionists and guerilla organisations".'

[@Stogie2112]

@@adamcashin4021 …. Roger Wilmut writes books on British comedy. I wouldn’t take too much stock in his opinion, but that’s just my opinion…..haha. 😉

[@adamcashin4021]

@@Stogie2112 Its not just him (but someone who critiques comedy probably does have a good understanding of it). Everyone I know of a certain age whose seen LoB has said that's what left wing politics was like in Britain in the 1970's. You also have shows from that era such as 'Citizen Smith'. I don't doubt that parties split on all sides of the political spectrum, but in late 1970's Britain that was something that was happening on the left wing. So that what this was parodying.

[@stevenspringer1599]

There is no smarter silly...

[@Ajonr]

Did you really say "more coherent story line"? Bwahahahahahaha!

[@RamblersInc]

🤣

[@ianrhodes6928]

The 'splitters' thing is part of the other great target in this film. As well as religion it fantastically rips the piss out of left wing politics. If you've ever been to any union annual conference you'll see how many different factions there are and they all hate each other. Normally because of some small disagreement over a matrer of principal.

[@Stogie2112]

The word “splitters” simply refers to people who leave the larger group and form their own group….like with the Popular People’s Front.

[@RamblersInc]

ahhh ok

[@stuffyouotterlistento1461]

"A lot of people say this is better." A lot of people are wrong. Life of Brian has some great moments, but it's really no contest: Holy Grail wins by a mile. Of course, one thing I've heard is that Brits tend to favor Brian while Americans favor Grail, and I guess that's a trend I fall into. I've only gotten to the 1st minute of your reaction so far, but I'm assuming you'll agree with me, since your accents clearly betray you as Texans.

[@RamblersInc]

😂

[@Stogie2112]

There is no Right or Wrong. It's all personal preference. Some people like The Holy Grail more and others like Life of Brian more. There is no wrong answer.

[@Lunarbob19]

IMO, The character is a female, actor don't matter, call them she. Grail has like half a dozen main characters, this has one main character. Makes sense one would be more split focus than the other.

[@jeffmartin1026]

"Be careful what you wish for should not apply to friends" - an excellent observation. This film is such a scathing look at religion, one of my favorites. I will suggest that you watch the movie "Dogma" for another comedic viewpoint on the subject.

[@Stogie2112]

I have never seen this film as mocking or condemning religion. I see it as the Pythons' mocking people in general. They poke fun at politics, religious extremists, economics, terrorists and all human beings who simply don't listen to each other and would rather bicker and argue over every little thing.

[@joebloggs396]

It is a satire of everything and all sides. It's more directed in that way than Holy Grail was which makes the script more meaningful.

[@Griexxt]

Romani ite domum!

[@RamblersInc]

👀 You got that right?