Special Guest: Roger Christian, Will Yapp, Owen Harris Guest Co-Host: Ken Stanley
(Bloody) Roman Month continues with the 1979 film Life of Brian – the second feature film from the legendary British comedy troupe - Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The film finds the lads in Roman occupied Judea circa 33 AD – a time when the Jews are being oppressed and a messiah is wanted. No, it’s not Brian. He was born in the manger down the alley from Jesus. Life of Brian tells the tale of Brian of Nazareth, a regular chap, who through a few twists and turns, ends up as sort of a fun house mirror version of the messiah.
Causing a scandal upon its initial release, Life of Brian is considered one of the finest comedies to come out of U.K.
Listen/Download Now:
Music:
“Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” – Monty Python
“Jesus” – Ken Stanley
“Pretentious” – Ken’s Loud Band
Links:
Buy Life of Brian on DVD
Buy Holy Flying Circus on DVD
Buy Not the Messiah on DVD
Get your own Brian action figure
Buy Monty Python's Tunisian Holiday - My Life with Brian by Kim Howard Johnson & the Pythons
See the Pythons on tour
Listen to tracks from Ken Stanley and Ken's Loud Band
Listen to our Last Temptation of Christ episode
Watch:
The Secret Life Of Brian from WILL YAPP on Vimeo.
With all due respect to your guest - the Criterion DVD was and is one disc*. The Immaculate Edition DVD from Sony is two discs. I'll need visual proof to believe in a super-rare 2-disc Criterion reissue (preferably less grainy than that Bigfoot photo).
ReplyDelete*(http://www.criterion.com/films/606-monty-python-s-life-of-brian)
(http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/lifeofbrian/)
It sounds like LIFE OF BRIAN was some much-needed medicine after nearly being defeated by all the different cuts of CALIGULA!
ReplyDeleteTHE MEANING OF LIFE contains my favorite Graham Chapman performance: the Protestant husband. It's an uneven film; I think it contains both the funniest and the unfunniest moments in Python's filmography. I can watch "Find the Fish" anytime.
This makes a good double feature with your LAST TEMPTATION episode.
I totally agree with you on a double feature with "Last Temptation". Sounds great!
DeleteThanks for the comments,
ROB!
Hey, Mike & Rob
ReplyDeleteAfter a couple of hickups, another fantastic episode. I listened to whole 200 minutes and it was a joy throughout (and highly informative). Sometimes these longer episodes can drag on a bit (like in Mother Night case), but other times you wish they were even longer (like in Blade Runner or The Magnificent Ambersons case). This episode was definitely one of the latter and your fanboy banter only enhanced the enjoyment.
I grew up in a communist country (which after the fall of communism became almost zealously religious and hypocritical, but that's beside the point) and secular family, so movies that make fun of religious aspects were nothing scandalous in the least (at least at the time). And Python's work especially was lauded and loved by all here (even to this day). I saw this movie on TV as a fan of the Python Circus (and loved it, of course) and only later found out how important and scandalous it was in more religiously sensitive countries.
This wonderful episode only filled in the blanks.
No diatribes this time, I think you've covered everything very thoroughly and professionally. Great choice of guests, topics and supplemental material (like the bishop's verbal duel with the gang), too.
The only minor issue I had with the film is the ending, because it can be misinterpreted as a message that everything is pointless and you should just go with a flow (whether this flow is created by an oppressive government or life circumstances in general, a view quite popular in many apathetic countries around the world including mine. But this is just a minor nitpick and not really the fault of the movie.
By the way, the fact that the same guy did art direction for this film and Alien is amazing. And that scene with the graffiti may go down in history as one of the funniest moments ever captured on film.
Any plans on covering other Python or Python-related films?
Thanks for another badass episode. I just wish more people commented on them.
Thanks for the good word, sir.
DeleteNot sure about other Python stuff. If we can get some Pythons, yes! I'd love to chat with any of them - they are great heroes of mine.
CHEERS!
Rob
I saw this film the first week it was released in Boston in a cinema filled with nuns and priests trying to see it before it got officially banned. They were all laughing along with everyone else... well except when they left and got harassed by other religious people berating everyone leaving the place.
ReplyDelete