FOLLOW THE HOLY GOURD!!! MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN REACTION | FIRST TIME WATCHING

[@NiaMakiReacts]

Sorry we were a day late with this upload, but better late than never? The full length reaction can be found here: www.patreon.com/posts/120301133?

[@ayethein7681]

There was a big religious backlash, by people who hadn't seen it yet. Check out the debate about the film, the last laugh being that the controversy is forgotten and it is regarded as a comedy masterpiece.

[@ThomasBeauchamp-m8m]

Nia, you've truly grasped Monty Python when he falls into the spaceship, and you just go with it!

[@r.d.hargrave8159]

“Like and subscribe or the French are going to taunt us for a second time.” (or however it was worded!) is one of the most-Pythonesque things I have seen any reactress say. 😂😍🤣

[@sticklebacksummer]

The song at the end is still the most popular song played at British funerals to this day.

[@penfold7455]

"Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" was sung at the funeral of Graham Chapman (Brian, Biggus Dickus) in 1989 by all its attendees, including the five surviving members of Python.

[@kevinlewallen4778]

There are claims that the song is the most popular choice at UK funerals generally.

[@Ashamanic]

I always love only person to say “I’m not” rather than chant “yes, we are all different” and you may have been the first reaction I have seen to call attention to this.

[@RickSanchez78-d2v]

"I'm not" is the best punchline in movie history

[@kenhobbs8565]

I thought the same.

[@bobkhag24601]

Yeah, It's my favourite too.

[@Cheepchipsable]

I also liked where the guard asked those who did not want to be crucified to raise their hands, and you can hear them straining to raise their hands, and "I'm Brian, and so is my wife!"

[@GeyzerSoze]

Best lines in the film, & that’s saying something

[@scottbuckley823]

' i should know i followed a few' is perfect.

[@cixelsyd40]

John Cleese legit knew what he was talking about in the latin lesson scene. One of his previous jobs was as a latin teacher.

[@davida.j.berner776]

There was indeed a lot of controversy surrounding this film when it was released. Numerous local councils in the UK banned it, as did some parts of the US. It was banned in Norway completely, so it was marketed in Sweden as "so funny it was banned in Norway!" In Aberystwyth in Wales, the ban lasted for 30 years, until Sue Jones-Davies (the actress who played Judith) ran for election as Mayor and lifted the ban. It was such a big issue in the UK that there was a much publicised TV debate between Malcolm Muggeridge (a prominent Christian scholar) and the Bishop of Southwark who argued that the film was blasphemous, and Monty Python team members John Cleese and Michael Palin, who argued that it wasn't since Brian is clearly NOT Jesus who appears in the film separately. On a different but related note, I was today years' old when I learned that the full name of Judith's character is Judith Iscariot. That tickled my funny bone as much as the rest of the film did when I first saw it!

[@RickSanchez78-d2v]

The debate is on youtube and well worth watching

[@kubwell3856]

Micheal Palin gives a tour de force performance in this film!! He plays at least 5 roles to perfection! My favorite being the "mesiah" talking about the things our father left here about 8 oclock!!

[@jaykay3784]

A friend shall lose his friend's hammer.

[@Nelson_Win]

Michael is too handsome for an ex-leper and Pontius Pilate too.

[@Cheepchipsable]

Yes, then he is the guy in the audience asking about birds, then he is the follower who picks up the shoe. I wonder if he ever forgot who he was. 😂

[@mrshogun1689]

John Cleese is usually everybody's favourite, but Michael Palin is equally good. Love him.

[@questionablehumor2800]

35:46 that's Terry Gilliam, he was the Animator who suffered a fatal heart attack and also Arther's horse "Patsy" from "...the Holy Grail.

[@calder027]

He was also the keeper of the Bridge of Death

[@Gunnbjorn-ph7uo]

Gilliam is also a great director, who made "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", "The Fisher King", "Brazil", and "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen", all well worth a reaction if you get around to them.

[@IR4TE]

@@Gunnbjorn-ph7uo Don't forget 12 Monkeys!

[@dafterite]

I grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. When _Life of Brian_ came out and was shown across the river in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario in 1979, the local theater manager and the owner of the theater chain (who lived more than 400 miles away in Toronto) were arrested and charged with violating Canada's law against blasphemous libel. The charges were ultimately dropped 6 months later, but the movie still wasn't allowed to be shown. Canada didn't strike their anti-blasphemy censorship law from the books until 2017.

[@Aeroldoth3]

Wow, how terrible! They didn't bother to repeal that until 2018... utterly disgusting! Blasphemy should NEVER be a crime, anywhere.

[@commanderkruge]

The "deaf" jailor is famous director Terry Gilliam (12 monkeys, Brazil, Fisher King, Münchhausen), the only American member of Monty Python. He is the one who did all the cutout-animations for the Monty Python's Flying Circus TV Show (and of course is the "animator who dies of a heart attack" in the Holy Grail - and he made the opening credits for this one).

[@thefleasofathousandcamels6498]

"We've got lumps of it around the back"

[@rogerlie4176]

And he was of course king Arthur's faithful horse Patsy.

[@Shoomer88]

It did cause a bit of fuss at the time. It was even banned in Ireland, and surprisingly Norway. After the Norway ban they marketed the film in Sweden as "The film that is so funny that it was banned in Norway!"

[@phousefilms]

19:24 "He has a wife, you know..." LMAO, the one guard closing his eyes like "Please, god, no..." "He's NOT the Messiah! He's a very NAUGHTY BOY!" Lol, the Martyrs."That showed 'em!" At Graham Chapman's(Brian's)funeral, his fellow Pythons sang "Always Look On the Bright Side of Life".

[@Cheepchipsable]

I think her name translated to "fat arse"

[@peterdemkiw6858]

The guard closing his eyes saying "oh god" was Bernard McKenna, an icon of British comedy. He played 4 different roles in the movie and was part of the writing team.

[@merlin5476]

This is 1 of them films that almost every line is a classic

[@IncandescentFlame]

Monty Python's exceptional ability to subvert expectations is legendary, and I'm so glad you got to share your enjoyment of this film! It's my favorite of all their works.

[@Daniel-cn3fw]

Always look on the bright side of life. One of my late fathers favorites. Cheers again, Nia!

[@skateroo19]

31:02 “leave that Welsh tart alone.” The actress actually is from Wales and was the mayor of Aberystwyth for a time.

[@Soundhypno]

When the crowd is soliciting healings from Brian, "My wifes got a headache"

[@dupersuper1938]

Bright Side of Life remains a very popular song at British funerals.

[@StoneKendricks]

Nia is the only reactor I've seen who gets the "Yes, we're all individuals... I'm not" joke, which is probably my favorite joke in the movie.

[@ink-cow]

You recognized John Cleese as Lancelot from Holy Grail! The little guy getting stoned for saying "Jehovah" was in Holy Grail, too--he was the little man who didn't want to go on the cart, and also the Famous Historian who gets killed. Cleese is very tall.

[@Yngvarfo]

John Cleese being both Reg the leader of the PFJ, and the Roman Centurion, leads to some clever cutting. When the Centurion comes to arrest Brian, Reg is hiding inside, and he's also the one with the goatee who ends up being one of the chief followers of Brian outside. But even more so when the PFJ comes for their non-rescue at the end, Reg in front, but as they're turning around the Roman officers with the Centurion in front are coming. There must be someone else playing Reg seen from the back there. There are some similar tricks with the other Pytthons, but it's most prominent with Cleese.

[@ink-cow]

@@Yngvarfo We can probably spot many such moments with the Pythons. In Grail, Cleese was both the French taunter and Lancelot at the same time. Lancelot was more notably absent (temporarily) while the knights were speaking to Tim the enchanter.

[@logann7942]

Sometimes I like to say “Jeho-VAH, Jeho-VAH, Jeho-VAH!” to myself for no particular reason.

[@Cheepchipsable]

Cleese is easier to spot, but Palin just blends in so well. Jones does a pretty good job too, Brian's mother to hermit to good Samaritan.

[@BigGunsNeverTire.]

"Hi everyone, today we're watching The Life of Brian. I... threw up." Perfection.

[@marcusfridh8489]

Fun fact: George Harrison from the Beatles helped to finance this film, he even morgaged his house for it. Fun fact #2: this movie was banned in Norway for blasphemy, so of course Sweden advertised it as the movie so funny that it was banned in Norway.

[@ElroyMcDuff]

He also financed (or helped finance) Time Bandits. A few of the Pythons had cameos here and there. 😋

[@chiefaberach]

I love the way that people keep minimizing the threat of crucifixion throughout the movie, saying, "you'll probably get away with crucifixion - first offence" and "crucifixion's a dawdle" but when we realise that no one'sgoing to save Brian, we feel how serious it is, even when Mr Cheeky starts singing.

[@Aeroldoth3]

dawdle = waste time, be slow doddle = a very easy task. Not to be confused with dottle = used tobacco remnant in a pipe

[@LeChaunce]

Yeah, they had a bit of a bigger budget for this film. The film was having difficulty getting funded because too many financiers were unwilling to fund a film they worried would be too controversial. Eric Idle was chatting about the difficulty getting the film funded to his buddy, former Beatle George Harrison, and after either hearing the plot or reading the script (I can't recall which) decided to mortgage his estate to form a film company (Handmade Films) to make the film just because he wanted to see it. Eric Idle has jokingly referred to this as the most expensive movie ticket in history. (Harrison appears in the film as Mr. Papadopolous in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo after Brian speaks to the crowd outside his house.)

[@Cheepchipsable]

Apparently they did have funding and just as they were preparing to leave for the filming the funding got pulled. They managed to get the set from a biblical film that had just been filmed in that area.

[@christopherrmcarter1809]

The " leave that welsh tart alone" by his mother refers to Judith who in real life was Welsh and later was the Mayor of Aberystwyth in Wales. Love your reactions. Great smile and side glance at your audience😊

[@notvalidcharacters]

Your impression of the standards of the time are spot-on. It was very controversial in its time, got banned and protested in various places. In Sweden they advertised it as "this movie is so good it was banned in Norway" And it has aged SO well.

[@fredklein3829]

Terry Jones made an entire career out of imitating his own mother.

[@gluuuuue]

The stoning scene is incredible in how it's a bunch of male actors.. dressing and acting as women.. who are dressing and pretending to act like men. And all that is just perfectly communicated by their performances. 🤣

[@Cheepchipsable]

I'm pretty sure there are only one or two men there. The rest are women.

[@Aeroldoth3]

Victor Victoria

[@aranerem5569]

The biggus dickus scene is comedy gold

[@aclark7243]

Eric Idle performed "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" at the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics.

[@jimuicker4731]

Hi Nia, Love your reactions. Glad you enjoyed Terry Jones' performance as Brian's mother. As one of the core members of Monty Python, he plays several roles in all three films. You probably remember that he was Sir Bedevere in Holy Grail, and the naked guy who took the vow of silence in Life of Brian. Terry Jones directed all three of their movies (you haven't watched "Monty Python's the Meaning of Life" yet), although Terry Gilliam also received a director credit for Holy Grail (Gilliam went on to direct quite a few other films, such as my favorite "Brazil" and "12 Monkeys," "The Fisher King" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"). The religious satire in "Life of Brian" was controversial at the time, but some of the other gender and political issues that you noticed weren't met with protest the way they might have been today. I expect the character "Loretta" would have been a problem for the anti-woke crowd today; the backlash against transgenderism is relatively recent (the right was focused on keeping gay and lesbian people out of restrooms back then). However, some of the political commentary is just as relevant today as it was in 1979. The fractured terrorist groups fighting each other instead of advocating for liberation from the Romans were a commentary on the various Palestinian liberation groups -- they're still fighting and still fractured.

[@GaryCarver-n3z]

Your instinct is spot on, there was quite a furore when this film came out in particular objection from some quarters of the Church. If you search YT you will find some of the debates and TV interviews with John Cleese and the gang putting up their defence.

[@floretion]

Oh, it was still a big controversy back when it was released and was banned in many places. What I like about Life of Brian is that it isn't only about raw humor, but also tries to make an implicit point about blind faith. There is a famous 1979 "Life of Brian" TV debate on KZbin for those interested in how it was interpreted then.

[@SWM431]

My favorite Monty Python movie and my favorite reactor loved it!

[@Alcagaur1]

With the exception of the gladius, the Latin lesson is 90% accurate for the 1970s public school experience.

[@Dreamfox-df6bg]

Given, I did fall for it the first time as well and expected a rescue, but consider the title of the move. It's the 'Life of Brian'. We saw Brian at his birth and his death. Exactly as the title says.

[@charlestremeer3079]

Your point about attitudes towards the sanctity of religion in the late 70's is well made. In the UK a number of local authorities banned cinemas in their area from showing it - thankfully Croydon, where I lived at the time, allowed me to see it. At the national level, there was a television debate between the (rather camp) Bishop of Southwark and a man who made TV documentaries about Christianity, on one side, and John Cleese and Michael Palin on the other. As I recall neither of the religious types had actually seen it and Cleese becomes increasingly annoyed at having to correct their assumptions. All good knock-about stuff. I prefer this to the Holy Grail for, while it might not have so many laughs, it has a beginning and end and is about something, namely the random absurdity of religious belief.

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

Biggus Dickus is one of the all-time classic comedy bits on film. Although, not to get too dark, it leads to the sad realization that people losing it like that is a modern invention that would never have happened then. Uncontrolled laughter is something people have as small children, and it only stays around if it's not beaten out of them by horror and cruelty - two things that Romans knew all about.

[@reedcockrell8126]

One of my favorite scenes in this movie was one of the outakes, with the shepherds who missed the angel's annunciation because they were too busy rhapsodizing about sheep. "Is it AD yet?" "Quarter past!"

[@bluebear1985]

This movie almost didn't happen because the original funding was pulled a few days before the Pythons were go on location to shoot it. It did happen because coming through with the needed funds was former Beatle and Python fan George Harrison. He said he did it because he wanted to see the movie.

[@TonyTigerTonyTiger]

Thanks!

[@frazershinn8005]

You left out the line where Brian tries to tell the Roman soldiers "you don't have to follow orders" and the sergeant replies "I like orders". That line speaks volumes.

[@JustGrowingUp84]

Terry Jones playing Brian's mother is my personal favorite part of the film!

[@adampare8088]

Me, you, and everyone watching would have been crucified on day 1 for laughing at "Biggus Diccus".

[@LordVolkov]

Don't skip on Monty Python's Meaning of Life. It's more skit based, like Holy Grail, and has a bunch of hilarious songs.

[@positivelynegative9149]

I'm surprised the poll wasn't closer to even. I'd have guessed Snatch is just as popular amongst us reaction-viewers. 🤷‍♂️

[@kenhobbs8565]

When this was in the cinema (movies) my Religious Education teacher protested outside the movie theatre with others and get arrested for disturbing the peace.

[@paulalexandredumasseauvan2357]

enjoyed your reaction 👍☺

[@jamesrowles9249]

Cast the gourd away! Follow the shoe! 🩴

[@ayacachotinemi4974]

There were some protests from religious groups when the movie was originally released, but they didn't really do anything except give it more publicity. The religious right is MUCH weaker in the UK than it is in the US, so the Pythons weren't taking much of a risk there. I think one of the reasons the movie gets away with mocking the gullibility of religious people is because it's just as much a satire of left-wing politics. Back in the 1970s the far left was famous for its factionalism and bitter infighting; at any university you'd have a neo-Trotskyist group with like four members who were convinced they'd be able to overthrow the capitalist-imperialist government next year if they could only get the neo-Maoists out of the way. The skit with one of the PFJ members who wants to be a woman isn't a satire of the trans debate (which wasn't a thing back then), but the tendency of left-wing groups to waste all their time arguing about minor points of dogma and totally ignore their main goal. I say back in the 70s... you can judge for yourself how much things have changed.

[@Mikeismyrealname]

SO ready for this reaction!!

[@robertsmith4681]

"Blessed are the cheesemakers" apparently was intended to be a low key fart joke, but it accidentally became a common saying.

[@dupersuper1938]

I have a novel with that title.

[@peterdemkiw6858]

Fart joke? Not just a joke about mishearing cheesemakers for peacemakers then like most people have understood for over 40 years.

[@Applejack30three]

Heck yeah! This reaction has Biggus Dickus energy!

[@biggary9602]

What a fun time! Love these movies. If you are interested in a more modern day religious comedy, you will love the movie Spotlight from 2015. And it has a great cast too. Cheers!

[@cjmacq-vg8um]

the opening music is a parody of 007/james bond films title songs. particularly "goldfinger" from 1964. no one seems to catch that. i guess "james bond" isn't as well known these days. thanks for the video.

[@FreedomAtRisk]

Them thangs thangin

[@ExplosiveNotes]

5:29 No, that's Tim the enchanter

[@mercurywoodrose]

This film really helped me survive high school just to know someone else was this silly. The spaceship portion just tore me to pieces. It was so silly. Remember, this was like two years after Star Wars so space battles were all the rage so the idea of putting a space battle in the middle of a biblical epic was just absolutely inspired. Remember, he’s not the messiah. He’s a very naughty boy.

[@jeffdee]

I'm glad you said the thing about that one guy sending his brother back to rescue Brian. That's always been my personal post-credits fantasy ending. He seemed like such a nice guy, and only claimed to be Brian as a *joke*, and his brother has done it many times before. Some may think that would undermine the point of the film, but I've heard skeptics suggest that Jesus escaped in a similar manner (to explain Biblical stories about him being seen afterward), so I'm betting that very ambiguity in the film is *intentional*. The jailer you didn't recognize was Terry Gilliam, who also played Arthur's trusty servant Patsy as well as the Keeper of the Bridge of Death in Holy Grail. Thanks for the reaction!

[@DMichaelAtLarge]

Are you suggesting that the alternate interpretation claims Jesus escaped because he said, "I am Barabbas"?

[@jeffdee]

@@DMichaelAtLarge I'm only saying what I actually said.

[@brandonflorida1092]

This movie almost didn't get made. Terry Jones was about to start directing the film in Tunisia when the Chief Executive of EMI, Bernard Delfont, finally got around to reading the script, and declared that there was no way his company could fund such an atrocity. Following the withdrawal of funding by EMI Films just days before production was scheduled to begin, musician and former Beatle George Harrison arranged financing for the film through the formation of their HandMade Films company. Harrison put up his English estate, Friar Park, as collateral for a bank loan to cover some of the film's production budget. The film had a budget of just £4 million, which was relatively low for a feature film. The team had to be particularly creative to work within these financial limitations. Oh, by the way, great reaction and I think you should always wear that blouse for future reactions.

[@DannyD714]

the scene with the "ex leper" was particularly frowned upon because he was mad at jesus for taking away his livelihood.

[@TheBigTamale]

Whoa...

[@johnpryde]

Always likes the final song. By the way, cute pigtails.

[@billrab1890]

Great reactions to both the Holy Grail and this movie. If you enjoy Monty Python and you want to get a better understanding of what they are all about I would highly recommend watching and reacting to their TV show which started everything, 'Monty Pythons Flying Circus'. It is hysterical. I'm sure that you'll love it.

[@RickSanchez78-d2v]

I watch this movie every Easter just to make it extra sacrilegious

[@DMichaelAtLarge]

**groan**

[@thewonkyembouchure]

@@DMichaelAtLarge Stand down, soldier-patrolling comment sections isn’t a divine calling; Easter isn’t under threat.

[@Cheepchipsable]

Micheal Palin is really the MVP actor here. He plays so many parts and all so different. 41:00, they were a Suicide Squad, so that's what they did - Mission Accomplished! I don't think anyone really cares about religion as much today. Religious groups held much more power at the time due to a lot of the leaders and business people being from religious schools. This is the kind of movie that is funnier if you have been raised by those institution, otherwise it's harder to get the jokes. All that has really happened is people from that group can make the jokes now, but since religion is waning, even in the US, there would really be no point. Only an idiot would think someone deciding to sacrifice his son because a disembodied voice told him to in exchange for some land is someone worth deifying.

[@kenny832]

You should do the cult British black comedy movie "Withnail & I" - one of the many great movies produced by Terry Gilliam, the American Python who did all the animation & played the jailer in "Brian" & also was the old man from scene 24 in Holy Grail

[@SuperKillJoy15]

Meaning of Life is probably my favorite

[@elbruces]

The next Monty Python movie to see is "The Meaning of Life" where they explain everything and tie it all together. Actually, there were a whole lot of religious groups trying to stop this movie when it came out. It was very controversial at the time.

[@randybass8842]

I saw this movie with my brother when it first came out in theaters. There were people protesting in front of the theater saying it was blasphemous and made fun of Christianity. I asked one of the protesters if he had seen it, and he said he hadn't. So how could he know it made fun of religion? Someone told him. That was the type of the mentality of the blind following others that the movie was mocking.

[@CNTconnoisseur]

Dune Part 2 stole a joke from this. "He's too humble. He must be the messiah."

[@MS-ro9dm]

: "All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what have the Settlers ever done for us?' : "Brought peace". : "Oh. Peace? Shut up"!

[@rg3388]

It was hard not to think of this film when watching DUNE part 2. I still say, "I shall wewease . . . Wodewick."

[@Kurt_707]

Not the Nevile reference XD

[@rhinno1969]

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life 😉 🤣 also consider working your way thru the View Askewniverse, there are a lot of good & funny movies 👍

[@aranerem5569]

I love this movie

[@sinelo3965]

I understand that it was George Harrison (The Beatles) who financed this film because no one else dared to do it

[@banana360]

Romanes Eunt Domus is my single favourite Monty Python skit ever, just with how terrified Brian is about getting caught writing anti-Roman graffiti but the Legionnaire is more offended by his horrific Latin than anything else. XD Glad that scene got a good laugh from you. I also know a guy studying Latin for University, he will tell you Latin is the most NONSENSICAL excuse for a language ever. XD My favourite thing about this film is the church tried SO hard to get it banned, in several countries they succeeded despite the fact the film makes it CLEAR in the FIRST 5 MINUTES of the film that Brian is NOT Jesus. Everyone says Holy grail is the best Monty Python film, but I disagree. I think this is the funnier film. :)

[@ak99uk]

In the UK, some religious groups wet themselves of course, but on the whole the film was very popular, and showed all religions for what they are.

[@jonnyp5586]

Monty Python was way ahead of its time.

[@NiaMakiReacts]

They really were!!!

[@herbertkeithmiller]

35:41 why he's the old man from scene 42 err... wrong movie

[@stephengilbert-p7z]

Some famous church leaders attacked it on tv ,however it very soon became clear they had not watched a single second of the film.

[@andrewfontana3136]

You're right about religion being a harder subject to 'widicule' back then. This movie was actually banned in a lot of places because of it initially and was in danger of never making any money for them at all. They fought back though and invited one of the bishops or whatever to talk about the show on live tv and put their point to him that it wasn't meant to be offensive to Christianity. It's worth watching if you're interested, but it became obvious through the 'debate' that the bishop didn't even watch the show before talking to Monty Python as a group and just kept repeating bs about how it's insulting to Jesus. Thanks for continuing with the great reactions. :)

[@lacondrathompson1747]

Love you, Nia

[@reservoirdude92]

10:03 yup, people had common sense even then 😂

[@plothole181]

Monty Python's Flying Circus was their skit show. There *was* another "movie" called "The Meaning of Life", but I wouldn't recommend it.

[@TonyTigerTonyTiger]

1:08 No one ever seems to mention John Cleese being in blackface.

[@mercurywoodrose]

Every single l school kid in Britain at this time would’ve learned Latin and would’ve been drilled in Latin grammar

[@dupersuper1938]

I'm glad this won, but Snatch is certainly more than worthy of a watch.

[@IdrilSilmarien]

“It was quite obvious that there was very little to ridicule in Jesus’s life,” “Jesus was a very straight, direct man making good sense” - Michael Palin Lots of people used to quote Life of Brian a lot at my church as I was growing up, so I knew many lines from it years before I watched it. I believe the reason they and also I, as a lifelong Christian, don’t find it offensive is because it is making fun of religious people for blind, unthinking faith and for hypocrisy. They’re not making fun of Jesus.

[@totomomo18]

Great movie you should watch great comedies like Top Secret (from the same directors as Airplane) and The Jerk.

[@ClemensKindermann]

Or some French comedies!

[@jwnomad]

Yes, but you have to remember that the US is about 50 years behind on social issues

[@caribbeanman3379]

Nia this is a British production. Unlike America, where religion is given a lot of privilege, Britain is very secular. A larger portion of the population are either atheists or just have their own private spiritual beliefs and don't attend any church except on special occasions like a wedding or funeral. So even back in the late 1970s it was much easier to make fun of religion in Britain than it was and is, in America.

[@EvilOdysseus]

You know who wrote the YT algorithm? The Judean People's Front!

[@StevesFunhouse]

Nia, I'm not sure but I think you may have missed that the "Are you a virgin joke" ... is a reference to (Mother) Mary, Jesus' mom, and how she was a virgin, so he was asking ... testing to see if Brian was really a Messiah (i.e. divinely conceived). Another movie like this that is hilarious is Wholly Moses, starring a cast of 1,000s, including, Dudley Moore (dual role as Harvey/Herschel), Laraine Newman (dual role as Zoey/Zerelda), Jack Gilford, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Richard Pryor, John Ritter, etc. If is more of what you were expecting this one to be ... about Herchel who happens to be on the other side of the mountain from Moses when God speaks to Moses via The Burning Bush. He sees and hears God and thinks God has commanded him ... hilarity ensues ...

[@mattilindstrom]

Poking fun at religion was and is not as sensitive for the the British compared with the Americans, not that many taboos. For the time the plot point of Stan wanting to change not only his/her gender identity but his/her biological birth sex to have children was surprisingly progressive and handled relatively delicately.

[@janskia]

One thing that you didn't address much is the Loretta scene at the Colosseum. Though not the funniest bit of this movie, still amazes me every time that, things like "I want to be a woman" was actually a thing that they thought of in 1979. A discussion that they might have at least to some extent had in real life 40 years later and still be relevant. Always pushing the envelope.