Guests:
Heather Stewart
@heatherjstewart on IG, X, Letterboxd
Ryan Luis Rodriguez
Host of One Track Mind Podcast (IG, X, Letterboxd)
Co-Host of Reels of Justice Podcast (IG, X)
Cast:
Graham Chapman as Brian Cohen (of Nazareth), Biggus Dickus, 2nd wise man/Writer
Sue Jones-Davies as Judith Iscariot
John Cleese as Reg, High priest, Centurion of the Yard, Deadly Dirk, Arthur, 1st wise man/Writer
Terry Gilliam as Another person further forward (at Mount – "Do you hear that? 'Blessed are the Greek'!"), Revolutionary, Blood and Thunder prophet, Geoffrey, Gaoler, Audience Member, Frank, Crucifee/Writer
Eric Idle as Mr Cheeky, Stan/Loretta, Harry the Haggler, Culprit woman who casts first stone, Warris, Intensely dull youth, Otto, Gaoler's assistant, Mr Frisbee III/Writer
Terry Jones as Mandy Cohen (Brian's mother), Colin, Simon the Holy Man, Bob Hoskins, Saintly passer-by, Alarmed Crucifixion Assistant/Writer/Director
Michael Palin as Mr Big-Nose, Francis, Mrs A, Culprit woman who casts second stone, Ex-leper, Announcer, Ben, Pontius Pilate, Boring Prophet, Eddie, Shoe Follower, Nisus Wettus, 3rd wise man/Writer
*Recognition:
Monty Python's Life of Brian was released on August 17, 1979.
The film was mostly met with positive reviews with several highlighting how funny it was even in light of the controversial aspects of the film.
Its total gross was $19,398,164. It was the highest grossing British film in North America that year, the 4th highest grossing movie in the UK, and #38 at the worldwide box office for 1979.
Over time, Life of Brian has regularly been cited as a significant contender for the title "greatest comedy film of all time", and has been named as such in polls conducted by Total Film magazine in 2000, the British TV network Channel 4 where it topped the poll in the 50 Greatest Comedy Films, and The Guardian in 2007.
Rotten Tomatoes lists it as one of the best reviewed comedies, with a 96% approval rating from 67 published reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10.
In 1999 the BFI declared Life of Brian to be the 28th best British film of all time. It was the seventh highest ranking comedy on this list (four of the better placed efforts were classic Ealing Films).
Another Channel 4 poll in 2001 named it the 23rd greatest film of all time (the only comedy that came higher was Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot, which was ranked 5th).
A 2011 poll by Time Out magazine ranked it as the third greatest comedy film ever made, behind Airplane! and This is Spinal Tap.
In 2016, Empire magazine ranked Life of Brian 2nd in their list of the 100 best British films, with only David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia ranking higher.
Life of Brian currently holds a 96% among critics on RT, a 77 score on Metacritic, and a 4/5 on Letterboxd.
Plot Summary: Ah, splendid! Picture this, if you will: the bustling streets of ancient Judea, a land rife with political turmoil, religious fervor, and the occasional stoning. Into this chaos, on the very same night as a certain well-known savior, is born a rather unremarkable chap named Brian Cohen.
Now, Brian, through no fault of his own, is continuously mistaken for the Messiah. This hapless fellow bumbles his way through a series of increasingly ludicrous adventures. From joining the People's Front of Judea (not to be confused with the Judean People's Front—splitters!) to unintentionally starting his own religious movement, Brian's life is a whirlwind of mistaken identity, misunderstandings, and the utterly absurd.
As if that weren't enough, he's pursued by Roman centurions, swooned over by fanatical followers, and lectured by his domineering mother ("He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"). All this, while Brian desperately tries to carve out a normal life in a world that seems determined to turn him into something he most definitely is not.
So, in essence, dear friends, "Life of Brian" is a satirical romp through history, skewering sacred cows and poking fun at the foibles of humanity with the kind of irreverent wit and cheekiness that only Monty Python can deliver. Quite a lark, wouldn't you say?
Did You Know:
Six cast members collectively played 40 characters in the film.
In the interview section of Monty Python's Flying Circus: Live at Aspen (1998), John Cleese said that because of the massive protests against this movie from all denominations of Christianity, he would joke with Michael Palin, "We've brought them all together for the first time in 2000 years!"
When Michael Palin as Pontius Pilate addressed the soldiers daring them to laugh, he was truly daring them. The soldier extras were ordered to stand there and not laugh, but not told what Palin was going to do. Palin, in fact, can barely stifle his own laughter when saying "Biggus Dickus" in front of the soldier asked if he finds the name "risible."
Originally financed by EMI, which backed out because it considered the script blasphemous. The Pythons sued EMI and settled out of court. George Harrison, a huge Monty Python fan, thought it was the last chance to have another Python movie. He created Handmade Films, and "pawned" (his words) his home in London and his office building to raise the £4 million needed. When asked why, he said "Because I want to go see it." Eric Idle joked that it was the highest price ever paid for a cinema ticket.
The script was written in the Caribbean, where the Pythons hobnobbed with, among others, Keith Moon, the drummer from The Who. Moon was slated 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 expressing excitement about the role, which eventually went to Terry Gilliam. The published version of the script is dedicated to Keith Moon.
Ask Dana Anything:
Eliza Kilpatrick (from Australia - the "GMOAT Superfan")
FYI VERY disappointed to hear Dana was not familiar with the Australian treasure Toni Collette.
I don't know if this is more a Dana or a Tom question, but where the fuck are you watching all these movies and how does the 'average' movie goer as you call them keep up with you guys? Do you own every streaming service? Do you buy them? Do you own the last Blockbuster in your basement??
Watching your resting nerd face and Dana's okay has been a delight. I particularly want to see Dana use the phrase "street cred' again, ideally wearing his GMOAT hat backwards.
I heard Dana say he believes Grace Kelly's appeal was her beauty and emotions rather than her acting abilities. I want to know who Dana thinks is the modern day example of this? And who is the male equivalent?
Heather Stewart - The Question Queen
What kind of movies make you cry?
Best Performance: Screenplay/Graham Chapman/John Cleese
Best Secondary Performance: Michael Palin/Eric Idle/Graham Chapman/Terry Jones
Most Charismatic Award: Graham Chapman/John Cleese/Eric Idle/Michael Palin
Best Scene:
Sermon on the Mount
The Stoning
Stan/Loretta
What Have the Romans Done for Us?
Latin Lesson
Biggus Dickus
Haggling
Brian is the Messiah
Pontius Pilate
Always Look On the Bright Side of Life
Favorite Scene: The Aliens/Biggus Dickus/Suicide Squad/Latin Lesson
Most Indelible Moment: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life/Very Naughty Boy/Brian is the Messiah
In Memorium:
Mitzi McCall, 93, American comedian and actress (voiceover - Paw Paws, Darkwing Duck; writer - One Day at a Time, Alf, Charles in Charge)
Best Lines/Funniest Lines:
Spectator I: I think it was "Blessed are the cheesemakers".
Mrs. Gregory: Aha, what's so special about the cheesemakers?
Gregory: Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally; it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products.
Wise Man #1: We were led by a star.
Brian's mother: Led by a bottle, more like.
Brian: Excuse me. Are you the Judean People's Front?
Reg: Fuck off! 'Judean People's Front'. We're the People's Front of Judea! 'Judean People's Front'.
Francis: Wankers.
Brian: Now, FUCK OFF!
[silence]
Arthur: How shall we fuck off, O Lord?
Brian: Oh, just go away! Leave me alone.
Nisus Wettus: Crucifixion?
Prisoner: Yes.
Nisus Wettus: Good. Out of the door, line on the left, one cross each.
Stan: It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them.
Reg: But you can't have babies.
Stan: Don't you oppress me.
Reg: Where's the fetus going to gestate? You going to keep it in a box?
Reg: If you want to join the People's Front of Judea, you have to really hate the Romans.
Brian: I do!
Reg: Oh yeah, how much?
Brian: A lot!
Reg: Right, you're in.
Lead Singer Crucifee: [singing] Life's a piece of shit when you look at it. Life's a laugh and death's a joke; it's true.
Reg: All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?
Attendee: Brought peace?
Ex-Leper: Half a dinare for me bloody life story?
Brian: There's no pleasing some people.
Ex-Leper: That's just what Jesus said, sir.
Brian: What will they do to me?
Ben the Prisoner: Oh you'll probably get away with crucifixion.
Brian: CRUCIFIXION?
Ben the Prisoner: Yeah, first offense.
Brian's mother: He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy! Now, piss off!
The Crowd: The Messiah! The Messiah! Show us the Messiah!
Brian's mother: The who?
The Crowd: The Messiah!
Brian's mother: There's no Messiah in here. There's a mess all right, but no Messiah. Now go away!
Brian: Please, please, please listen! I've got one or two things to say.
The Crowd: Tell us! Tell us both of them!
Brian: Look, you've got it all wrong! You don't NEED to follow ME, You don't NEED to follow ANYBODY! You've got to think for your selves! You're ALL individuals!
The Crowd: Yes! We're all individuals!
Brian: You're all different!
The Crowd: Yes, we ARE all different!
Man in crowd: I'm not...
The Crowd: Sch!
Brian: ...I'm kosher mum, I'm a Red Sea pedestrian, and proud of it!
Reg: What's the point of fighting for his right to have babies, when he can't have babies?
Francis: It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression.
Reg: It's symbolic of his struggle against reality.
Matthias: All I did was say to my wife, "That piece of halibut was good enough for Jehovah!"
Pontius Pilate: Who is this "Wodewick" you speak of?
Man in crowd: He's a wobber!
[they laugh]
Man in crowd: And a wapist!
[more laughter]
Girl In Crowd: And a pick-pocket!
[Everybody shakes their heads at her and say no]
Pontius Pilate: He sounds a notowious cwiminal.
Brian: I am NOT the Messiah!
Arthur: I say you are Lord, and I should know. I've followed a few.
Mr. Cheeky: Er, no, freedom actually.
Nisus Wettus: What?
Mr. Cheeky: Yeah, they said I hadn't done anything and I could go and live on an island somewhere.
Nisus Wettus: Oh I say, that's very nice. Well, off you go then.
Mr. Cheeky: No, I'm just pulling your leg, it's crucifixion really.
Nisus Wettus: [laughing] Oh yes, very good. Well...
Wise Man #1: We are three wise men.
Brian's mother: Well, what are you doing creeping around a cow shed at two o'clock in the morning? That doesn't sound very wise to me.
Boring Prophet: ...there shall, in that time, be *rumors* of things going astray, errrm, and there shall be a great confusion as to where things really are, and nobody will really know where lieth those little things wi - with the sort of raffia work base that has an attachment. At this time, a friend shall lose his friend's hammer and the young shall not know where lieth the things possessed by their fathers that their fathers put there only just the night before, about eight o'clock. Yea, it is written in the book of Cyril that...
Gregory: I'm Brian, and so's my wife!
The Stanley Rubric:
Legacy: 7.5
Impact/Significance: 6.25
Novelty: 9.38
Classic-ness: 9.25
Rewatchability: 7.25
Audience Score: 9.1 (89% Google, 93% RT)
Total: 48.73
Remaining Questions:
Is Life of Brian heretical, blasphemous, or a truer understanding of religion as organized by humans?
Is this the best Python movie?
Listener Questions:
Eliza Kilpatrick (from Australia - the "GMOAT Superfan")
Also, how the hell did Life of Brian make it onto the predominantly American show you have? Does this mean The Castle is soon to come? Ni!
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