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| The entire film is a comedy of misunderstandings, and fluctuates rapidly between the ridiculous and the absurd in human nature. I can't say it's a veritable lesson in piety or profundity, and it doesn't need to be. After all, it is Monty Python... |
(2004)
Film Review by Jenn Wright |
| This page was created on April 30, 2004
This page was last updated on
May 12, 2004
—Review
—Artwork, Photos
—About this Film
—Forum
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| CREDITS |
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Cast (in credits order)
Graham Chapman
2nd Wise Man/Brian Cohen/Biggus Dickus
John Cleese
1st Wise Man/Reg/Jewish Official/Centurion of the Guard/Deadly Dirk/Arthur
Terry Gilliam
Man Even Further Forward/Revolutionary/Jailer/Blood & Thunder Prophet/Geoffrey/Audience Member/Crucifee
Eric Idle
Mr Cheeky/Stan (Loretta)/Harry the Haggler/Culprit Woman/ Warris/Intensely Dull Youth/Jailer's Assistant/Otto/Mr Frisbee IIIrd
Terry Jones
Mandy Cohen/Colin/Simon the Holy Man/Bob Hoskins/
Saintly Passer-by
Michael Palin
3rd Wise Man/Mr. Big Nose/Francis/Mrs. A/Ex-Leper/ Announcer/Ben/Pontius Pilate/Boring Prophet/Eddie/
Shoe Follower/Nisus Wettus
Terence Bayler .... Gregory/Dennis
Carol Cleveland .... Mrs. Gregory/Elsie
Kenneth Colley .... Jesus
Neil Innes .... A weedy Samaritan
Charles McKeown .... Man Further Forward/Stig
John Young .... Matthias
Gwen Taylor .... Mrs. Big Nose/Young Girl
Sue Jones-Davies .... Judith
John Case .... Pilate's Wife
Chris Langham .... Alfonso/Giggling Guard
Andrew MacLachlan .... Official Stoners Helper
Bernard McKenna .... Parvus/Official Stoners Helper
Spike Milligan .... Spike
George Harrison .... Mr. Papadopolous
Charles Knode .... Passer-by
Crew
Director .... Terry Jones
Producer .... John Goldstone
Executive Producers .... George Harrison & Denis O'Brien
Screenplay by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
Designer .... Terry Gilliam
Director of Photography .... Peter Biziou
Associate Producer .... Tim Hampton
Assistant Director .... Jonathan Benson
Costumes .... Hazel Pethig & Charles Knode
Editor .... Julian Doyle
Art Director .... Roger Christian
Music .... Geoffrey Burgon
Sound .... Garth Marshall
Make-up .... Maggie Weston, Elaine Carew, Kenteas Brine
"Brian's Song" -- Lyrics: Michael Palin,
Music: Andre Jacquemin/Dave Howman
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" -- Music & Lyrics Eric Idle
MPAA: Rated R for language and nudity.
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM, and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG.
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| PHOTOS AND ARTWORK |
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| SYNOPSIS |
 Monty Python delivers a scathing, anarchic satire of both religion and
Hollywood's depiction of all things biblical with their second film. The
setting is Judea 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 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
mock everyone and everything from ex-lepers, Pontius Pilate, the art of
haggling to crazy prophets, Roman centurions, and crucifixion.
—More here
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 Review by
JENN WRIGHT
Jenn is a writer with degrees in literature and theology. She will be co-writing the Narnia coverage for Hollywood Jesus, which will be debuting the summer of 2004 in anticipation of the first movie's 2005 release. |
It's All a Big Misunderstanding
 Whether we laugh until our sides split or we chafe at the irreverent humor, we must all realize that Monty Python's Life of Brian is all about misunderstanding -- misunderstanding everything from who the Messiah is to who the Enemy is -- and how each of us responds to such misunderstandings.
Before I go any further, let me acknowledge that, in light of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, Python's audacious parody appears brazen and crass, and it's re-release is poorly (if opportunistically) timed -- which might explain why the grand total of theaters in the Seattle area which could attract a sufficient number of journalists for a press screening was zero.
 There's no arguing that the British boys offend as many people as possible: Jew and Christian; man and woman; educated and uneducated; wealthy and poor; powerful and subservient. All are made to look foolish through the continual misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and all-out delusions marking the plot of the unfortunate, mistaken-as-the-Messiah Brian.
Briefly, Life of Brian tells the story of a boy in Bethlehem, born at the same time as Jesus, who from birth onward is continuously mistaken to be the Messiah. Despite his adult protestations to the contrary, people follow him around Judea and Jerusalem, take his every word and action to be divinely inspired, and (without fail) immediately begin disagreeing over the interpretation of anything Brian says or does.
 Now, Brian is no malicious fiend, but he is no representation of deity, either. He uses coarse language (to put it mildly), treats his deluded disciples with disdain, lies, and fornicates (among other things). In other words, he's a common man.
So what's the point?
Well, if we can get past the sacrilegious (and occasionally bordering on blasphemous) humor, we may well find that the misunderstandings in Life of Brian may be exaggerated, but they aren't all that different from what we misunderstand today. And therein lies the humor.
 Take the numerous politico-religious affiliations mentioned in Brian. There's the People's Front of Judea, the Judean People's Front, and the Judean Popular People's Front (just to name a few). We know they all hate the Romans; what we don't know is why they all split from each other, and continue splintering off into more and more factions. That sound familiar to anyone?
Or look at the myriad (willful) misunderstandings of the people when it comes to Brian. They believe he's the Messiah, and nothing will deter them. When he denies it, they say, "Only the true Messiah denies his divinity." When he retorts with "All right, then, I am the Messiah," they respond with prostrate worship. What's a misunderstood guy to do?
 The crucifixion scene at the end of the movie is its own comedy of misunderstandings. First, a Roman soldier comes to retrieve Brian from his cross, but since Brian is too busy loudly protesting his crucifixion, another crucifixion candidate quickly claims to be Brian, and is let down from his cross instead. Then a number of different parties (members of the sect Brian has joined, his girlfriend, his mother) visit and either lament his "decision" to be crucified, or laud him for it. But no one rescues him, despite his protestations that he really doesn't want to be crucified.
The entire film is a comedy of misunderstandings, and fluctuates rapidly between the ridiculous and the absurd in human nature. I can't say it's a veritable lesson in piety or profundity, and it doesn't need to be. After all, it is Monty Python. We could try to twist things around and make this a powerful social commentary with great moral implications -- but then we'd be turning Brian into the Messiah all over again.
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