[Closed] The Life of Brian

History, Politics and RE all on one go.

Don't forget Latin.

Seems perfectly acceptable to me as a lesson plan 👍

Don’t forget Latin.

or the aqueduct. or law and order, or viniculture...

SPLITTER!

There's a definite biology lesson in there as well for a brief second

What will your snack of choice be?

Larks' tongues? Otters' noses? Ocelot spleen? Wrens' livers?

Why are you always on about women Stan?

I watched it for the first time during lockdown. I couldn't find a single reason to laugh. Slightly gutted but I just didn't get it at all. I thought it was rubbish.

I'm doing that next week!

I thought it was rubbish.

Shouldn't that be wubbish?

It's one of my all time favourite films along with the meaning of life

Check out the Python doc on Netflix for some interesting insight on the making of Brian (and their other efforts).

We introduced the girls to it on a Saturday night a few weeks ago. They absolutely love it!

They now point out, quite frequently, that the other one is NOT THE MESSIAH...

We followed it up with the Holy Grail the following week, which went down equally as well

I watched it for the first time during lockdown. I couldn’t find a single reason to laugh. Slightly gutted but I just didn’t get it at all. I thought it was rubbish.

I definitely think it's something you need to 'get.' I once introduced Monty Python to an American family, most of them were like "what is this?" aside from the son who was absolutely wetting himself laughing.

I couldn’t find a single reason to laugh.

Wait until Biggus Dickus hears of this!

I watched it for the first time during lockdown. I couldn’t find a single reason to laugh. Slightly gutted but I just didn’t get it at all. I thought it was rubbish

You're weird

I'll be honest, I'm not a huge Python fan - some of the sketches are brilliant, a lot of them do nothing for me, way more misses than hits.

Life of Brian and The Holy Grail do have more hits than misses

I thought it was rubbish.

Even Biggus Dickus? C'mon!

I mean, I struggle to write that without smiling...

Even Biggus Dickus? C’mon!

I mean, I struggle to write that without smiling…

He has a wife, you know...

I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge Python fan – some of the sketches are brilliant, a lot of them do nothing for me, way more misses than hits.

Most of the TV series is really dated now, and apart from a few sketches, haven't aged well. Life of Brian and The Holy Grail are still mostly brilliant, the ending of holy grail was always a bit shit IMO. The meaning of life was a film too far, it is awful from beginning to end and no amount of time and reflection is going to improve it.

I watched it for the first time during lockdown. I couldn’t find a single reason to laugh. Slightly gutted but I just didn’t get it at all. I thought it was rubbish.

He said Jehova, stone him!

I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge Python fan – some of the sketches are brilliant, a lot of them do nothing for me, way more misses than hits.

I have the complete DVD box set of the TV series. The best bits are some of the finest comedy sketches ever made but there is a lot of dross amongst them.

I suppose that's kind of the point

Back when we were a sort of religious country it was scandalous

Now it's just a lot of silly sketches, the edginess is lost

(I still love it btw, but I think holy grail is better, I've shown select clips of that to my kids- they love the black Knight & the killer rabbit of Carbannog

Why are you always on about women Stan?

Loretta to you.

Back when we were a sort of religious country it was scandalous

Seemed scandalous to some

Not to be argumentative; just to be clear...

In the meantime, I agree with those who say there was much dross in the MP corpus, with some good comedy. Philosophers’ Football was brilliant.

“He’s mu... he’s mu... he’s mu... he’s mute sir.”

Now, that was brilliant.

Economics as well - you gotta haggle.

No, no. I've got to get--

I've watched quite a few old films with my teenage daughters over the last few years including Life of Brian (bit sweary but quite funny in bits according to my 13yr old)

Its incredible how times change. Take ET. I remember that as a full on kids film but it's got swearing, weird passive aggressive family dynamics and all sorts - definitely not what I remembered.

Also watched Some Like it Hot with my older daughter and it was all a bit creepy really - plus the violence really jarred.

I'm not sure many old films have aged well.

Holy Grail however is one of my all time favourites and the french taunting is in my opinion one of the funniest scenes in a film ever.

I watched it for the first time during lockdown. I couldn’t find a single reason to laugh. Slightly gutted but I just didn’t get it at all. I thought it was rubbish.

You are of course entitled to your opinion. It’s wrong, but that’s ok with me.

Always let the ratings panel decide what your kids can or can't watch. Never make that decision yourself.

They couldn't make a 'best bits' of the life of brian, it'd be the whole movie.

Life of Brian is absolute class as is the holy grail. My daughters watched it early teens and they still quote them today all mid to late twenties now.

I found this spoon.

I watched it for the first time during lockdown. I couldn’t find a single reason to laugh. Slightly gutted but I just didn’t get it at all. I thought it was rubbish.

Oh dear I'm afraid history has proved you wrong.

A film that works on many different levels.

I’m not sure many old films have aged well.

Depends what you call old. We did all the classic 80’s films and my daughters (13 & 15) absolutely love Monty Python, Breakfast Club, Wayne’s World, Bill and Ted, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Uncle Buck, Coming to America and Lost Boys

Binnerette number one (16) says Breakfast Club is her favourite fillum and has watched it countless times. As a 16 year old I can get that completely! It’s an amazing film!

They both love Alan Partridge too. My work here is done 😃

Back when we were a sort of religious country it was scandalous

Now it’s just a lot of silly sketches, the edginess is lost

Part of it is that Monty Python really upped the game and comedy now is much better (and edgier) than it used to be. Kinda like how classic movies just seem really cliched because you forget that they did it first and everyone else copied them.

I couldn’t find a single reason to laugh. Slightly gutted but I just didn’t get it at all. I thought it was rubbish.

I’m with you, apart from the fact I’m not gutted at all. If we all liked the same things the world would be a boring place. I think it could be because a group of people at my school endlessly quoted it and The Holy Grail. That’s got to be one of the quickest way to kill something funny.

you're facking nicked me old china

We've watched a few 80s films with the kids recently. Ferris Beuler and Coming to America went down well, we had to turn Police Academy off though, it's just a racist, homophobic cringefest. Totally wrong.

Been wanting to get the kids to watch Life of Brian but was sure about it. The rating change is good timing to make me feel better about it now!!

we had to turn Police Academy off though, it’s just a racist, homophobic cringefest.

My partner and I often try to find in the TV listings the "Sunday afternoon racist movie" It's often a war film, but not always, they're pretty much always something you've previously had good memories of, then you turn it on...The last one was Dr No a few weeks ago...it's just terrible.

I think it could be because a group of people at my school endlessly quoted it and The Holy Grail. That’s got to be one of the quickest way to kill something funny.

I had a similar experience with Withnail & I, by the time I saw it I already associated it too strongly with certain annoying attention seekers. Barely even raised a smile.

Such a shame you guys can't enjoy Life of Brian though, it really is masterful.

The Verdict from our house:

My 12 year old thought it was "quite funny" with the Biggus Dickus scene reducing him to fits of giggles. My 10 year old said "now that is just silly" when the space ship turned up.

I found it all rather screechy and shouty to be honest. A couple of good laughs, but not as good as I remember it. Maybe, as others have stated, it has lost its edge over the years.

Deffo of its time, but also deffo very much worth watching.

Personally, I'd double bill it with Dogma for a proper fill of blasphemous (depending on your viewpoint) comedy, but I think that's still a 15. Kevin Smith's effort is an underrated gem IMO.

“Human beings have neither the aural nor the psychological capacity to withstand the awesome power of God's true voice. Were you to hear it, your mind would cave in and your heart would explode within your chest. We went through five Adams before we figured that one out.”

I'd be interested in understanding how different people's 'comedic upbringings' shapes their enjoyment of Monty Python.

My dad raised me on that sort of comedy, although we found our own as well. I find 'classic' comedy (the ****ing two Ronnies etc) to be unbearably twee and boring, and almost smug in a strange way, whereas 80s and 90s stuff like Not the Nine O'Clock News, Monty Python, Bottom, Shooting Stars etc. was just an instant hit, the mix of irreverence, cynicism, satire etc.

Just like stand up comedians I guess, I was raised on Eddie Izzard so am not as drawn to the more down to earth straight talking types of comedian although failing to think of an example right now.

I agree with Harry the Spider's son though, I felt some of the Terry Gilliam stuff in both movies was just un-necessary, the space ship scene in Life of Brian could be almost cut out altogether if it didn't provide a sort of necessary narrative link (wasn't he escaping the Romans at that point or something?).

I had the sermon on the mount scene replaying in my head yesterday AM, kept me entertained during some otherwise dreich base miles...

As an (ex) red-headed Brian, I can assure you it's an accurate depiction of our lives.

You've no idea the amount of ribbing that followed that film. 🙂

And the space ship is real...

I find ‘classic’ comedy (the **** two Ronnies etc) to be unbearably twee and boring

It's all subjective of course, but the Two Ronnies had moments of genius. Four candles is as much a classic as the Dead Parrot sketch.

I think its problem for me was it still had its other foot in the "light entertainment" camp, you had the sketches but then there was an ongoing serial drama and a song and dance number at the end, maybe some other stuff I've forgotten now. Perhaps that was just a product of its time and they thought a show that was "just" comedy sketches wouldn't be well received? I don't know.

the space ship scene in Life of Brian could be almost cut out altogether

Blasphemer!

It's great - an absolute WTF moment shoved in for no particular reason just to puncture the plot and show how daft it is. A bit like the Hollywood studios scenes in Blazing Saddles.

Ah, Blazing Saddles. There's the next one for your lot, Harry. The beans by the campfire scene is like catnip to that age group. Not sure it ever gets shown any more, for some reason, despite having the best description of Trump voters ever.

Blazing Saddles still gets shown regularly, and is still hilarious.

You’ve no idea the amount of ribbing that followed that film. 🙂

Au contraire I found no problem with being tarred with the "Biggus Dickus" brush 😁

The beans by the campfire scene is like catnip to that age group.

What age group? Mid-to-late 30s? I still can't watch that scene in polite company 😀

Personally I can't stand Life of Brian fans. Much prefer fans of Brian's Life.