Life of Brian

Terry Jones, UK, 1979, 93 mins

If you've seen Life of Brian before then I needn't say any more, you will already know the glory that is this film and will be dieing to see it again.

If you’ve seen Monty Python before (and loved it obviously) but not this particular film then imagine a multi-scened Python sketch, so many scenes in fact that they span over an hour and a half, add in a lot of sand, some Romans, some manic peasants, a long suffering hero and you've pretty much got it.

Set in the 1st century AD, the film follows the story of Brian (Graham Chapman), an unfortunate young man who gets caught up in early Roman/Jew politics all to impress the object of his affections, Judith (Sue Jones). He spends his life being mistaken for the messiah to hilarious effects, for us anyway – he doesn't seem to find it so funny! Littered with classic Python humour, some great drag performances and a wonderfully funny Pontius Pilate (Michael Palin). It'll have you laughing till you drop.

If you’ve never seen any Monty Python before: what's wrong? You are missing out on a genuinely hilarious part of Britain’s cultural history.

And now for something completely different: a man with three buttocks.

...hmmm...we don't appear to have a man with three buttocks at the moment, he must have gone for his tea break. Ah well, just ome along and see what is unanimously known as the funniest film about crucifixion ever, and help remind yourself to always look on the bright side of life.

Review by Jane Birch
Written for EUFS Programme Autumn 2003

Probably the best of the Pythons' four films, this opens with the three wise men arriving at the wrong manger and worshipping the baby whilst bestowing gifts on a rather confused mother, Terry Jones (‘Well weren't they nice, Brian! Out of their bloody minds, but very nice!') and closes with a rousing rendition of ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life' sung by a choir of crucifixion victims. Somewhere in between the two, we are presented with the story of young Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman), a story that gives some shape to this consistently hilarious, and not really all that blasphemous, film.

Brian is a true reluctant messiah (at one point even telling a large group of assembled followers to ‘fuck off', prompting the memorable reply ‘How would you like us to fuck off?'), bumbling his way through a series of highly memorable scenes in his vain attempts to escape not only his adoring followers but also the Roman soldiers who are out to string him up.

The film succeeds by taking some of the more famous biblical moments and giving them that classic Python spin, such as the sermon on the mound heard by a group standing too far away to hear properly (‘Did he say "Blessed are the cheese makers"?'), the concession stands at a public stoning (‘I'll have two big flat ones, five little sharp ones and a bag of gravel'), or Michael Palin's Pontius Pilate with a speech impediment (‘Stwike him, centuwion!'/ ‘Um, about half past four, sir'). A true classic by any milestone.

Review by Ben Stephens
Taken from EUFS programme spring 2000