Monty Python's Life of Brian-British comedy made in 1979
-Directed by the Monty Python team
-Tells the story of Brian Cohen(Graham Chapman), a young Jewish man who is born on the same day as, and next door to, Jesus Christ and is mistaken for him.
-The film contains themes of religious ideas that were considered controversial, drawing blames of blasphemy and protests from religious groups.
-In the UK, it got bans or imposed X ratings.
-The film was the 4th highest grossing movie in the UK in 1979 and the highest of any British film in the US that year. This is the first Monty Python movie to get an R rating in the US
Did You Know?-6 cast members played over 40 characters
-Eric Idle originally recorded the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" in his normal singing voice. After he thought it was not right, he re-recorded it with a Cockney accent, singing the new version in a hotel room with mattresses against the wall.
-Originally financed by EMI, they backed out when they thought the script was blaspehmous. EMI was sued by the Pythons and was settled out of court. But then, to the rescue, came George Harrison, who paid for the movie to be made, with the film company Handmade Films for the movie. And as a reward, George Harrison got a small cameo role in the movie.
-Keith Moon, drummer for The Who, was originally supposed to be in the movie. Moon was selected to play a street prophet in the scene where Brian hides among them. Eric Idle saw Moon the night of his death and remembers him being excited about the role, which went to Terry Gilliam instead. The film is dedicated to Moon
-During the Mr. Papadopoulous scene(played by George Harrison), Michael Palin's son Tom appears in the movie uncredited. (Tom Palin was the only Python child that wanted to be in the movie.) Michael Palin later joked that at least his son would be able to tell people that he appeared in a scene with both the Pythons and a Beatles member.
-In the movie, Stan(Eric Idle) wants to be a woman and insists on being called Loretta. As a member of The Beatles, producer George Harrison performed the song "Get Back", which includes the lyrics "JoJo was a man who thought he was a woman" and "Get Back, Loretta".
Plot-Brian Cohen(Graham Chapman) is born in a stable a few doors down from the one Jesus was born in. It initially confuses the 3 Wise Men(Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, John Cleese), who have come to bring gifts to the son of God. Brian grows up a young man hating the Roman occupation of Judea. While attending Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, Brian falls for an attractive young woman, Judith(Sue Jones-Davies). His desire for her and hatred for the Romans lead him to join the People's Front of Judea(PFJ), one of many groups who spend more time fighting each other than the Romans.
-After several misadventures, and escaping Pontius Pilate(Michael Palin), the fugitive winds up in a lineup of mystics and prophets who bother the crowd in a plaza. Forced to come up with something in order to blend in, Brian babbles religious things and quickly attracts a group in front of him. Guards passing him pass by without as much as a glance and when it's clear, but he does not realize he has started a movement. He grows annoyed when he finds that people have followed him, with even the slightest unusual occurrence of being hailed as a "miracle". After escaping from the mob, Brian runs into Judith, and they spend the night together. He opens the curtains to find a huge amount of people outside his house, all claiming he is the Messiah. Annoyed, Brian is helpless to change their minds so everything he says is useless
-Brian goes to the PFJ headquarters, where he finds people demanding miracle cures. After sneaking out, Brian finally is captured and scheduled to be crucified. Elsewhere, a huge crowd has assembled outside the palace. Pilate tries to get rid of the feeling of revolution with the announcement of granting them the decision of who gets pardoned. The crowd simply shouts out names containing the letter "R", in order to mock Pilate's lisp. Judith appears in the crowd and calls Brian's name, which the crowd starts yelling.
-Then, towards the end, as he is on the cross, every one of the characters starts shouting "I'm Brian" as a homage to the movie Spartacus. They start singing "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life".
Cast- Graham Chapman – Brian, Biggus Dickus, 2nd wise man
- John Cleese – Reg, the High priest, Centurion of the Yard, Deadly Dirk, Arthur, 1st wise man
- Terry Gilliam – Another person further forward (at Mount – "Do you hear that? 'Blessed are the Greek'!"), Blood and Thunder prophet, Geoffrey, Gaoler, Frank
- Eric Idle – Mr Cheeky, Stan/Loretta, Harry the Haggler, Culprit woman who casts first stone, Intensely dull youth, Otto, Gaoler's assistant, Mr Frisbee III.
- Terry Jones – Mandy, Colin, Simon the Holy Man, Saintly passer-by, Bob Hoskins (man in crowd)
- Michael Palin – Mr Big Nose, Francis, Mrs A, Ex-leper, Ben, Pontius Pilate, Boring Prophet, Eddie, Nisus Wettus, 3rd wise man
- Kenneth Colley – Jesus Christ
- Neil Innes – A weedy Samaritan
- Gwen Taylor – Mrs Big Nose, Woman with sick donkey, young girl
- Terence Baylor – Gregory, Dennis
- Carol Cleveland – Mrs Gregory, Elsie
- Charles McKeown – Man further forward (at Mount), Stig, Blind Man, False Prophet, Giggling Guard
- Sue Jones-Davies – Judith Iscariot
- John Young – Matthias
- Bernard McKenna – Stoner's Helper, Parvus
- Spike Milligan – Spike
- George Harrison – Mr Papadopoulos (uncredited)
Several characters are never named during the film but do have names that are used in the tracklisting for the soundtrack album and elsewhere. There is no mention in the film of the fact that Eric Idle's ever-cheerful joker is called 'Mr. Cheeky', or that the Roman guard played by Michael Palin is named 'Nisus Wettus'.
Spike Milligan had an unplanned cameo as a prophet ignored because his acolytes are chasing after Brian. By coincidence he was visiting his old
World War II battlefields in
Tunisia where the film was being made. The Pythons were alerted to this one morning and he was promptly included in the scene that just happened to be being filmed. He disappeared again in the afternoon before he could be included in any of the close-up or publicity shots for the film.
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