CRITERION COLL: MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN - CRITERION COLL: MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN

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Product Description

After slaying the Arthurian legend in their now classic Holy Grail, the Pythons set their sights on the Greatest Story Ever Told. Blind faith, virgin birth, crucifixion-nothing is sacred in this epic send-up of ancient times, which draws on the cornball biblical blockbusters of the 1950s to lampoon celebrity culture in any era. Criterion has gathered the guilty parties-including John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin-for two commentary tracks as provocative and hilarious as the film itself. Available for the first time in a 16:9 enhanced transfer, Monty Python's Life of Brian can finally be viewed in all its - ahem - glory.

• Actors: Terence Bayler, Peter Brett, John Case, Graham Chapman, John Cleese
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
• Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
• ISBN: 1559409010
• Language (Original Language): English
• Language (Subtitled): English
• Region Code: 1
• Release Date: 1999-11-16
• Running Time: 94 minutes
• Theatrical Release Date: 1979-08-17

Customer Reviews

Reviewed on 2008-07-08 WE ALL HATED THIS MOVIE! I have liked other Python films, but this? BLECH! The whole family was bored to tears. (and yes, we DO have a sense of humor!) The funniest thing was the space ship because it was so unexpected. We wanted to turn it off after 10-15 minutes, but I rarely give up watching a film, so I saw it through to the end. Now I wish I hadn't! Can I please have my 90 minutes back???

Reviewed on 2008-05-05 Satirizes Everything in the Gospels Except Christ, to Unexpected Effect. Monty Python's "Life of Brian" lampoons romanticized interpretations of the Gospels by bringing us the tragicomic story of Brian (Graham Chapman), a man born in the same time and place as Jesus Christ, who lived and died under similar circumstances, though a touch more ironic and a lot funnier. When the wise men come from the East, bearing gifts for their infant Savior, they mistakenly enter the wrong stable, where they are berated by Brian's mother (Terry Jones), before they realize their error. Thus begins the life of Brian, who eventually joins the revolutionary People's Front of Judea to resist Roman rule and accidentally acquires a following who believe he is the Messiah. Though clearly inspired by stories about the life of Jesus, "Life of Brian" is not making fun of Jesus or the words or actions attributed to him. Jesus is only present in one scene in this film and referred to in one other. "Life of Brian" pokes fun at those who look to others to determine their values and follow their leaders blindly. The ineffectual People's Front of Judea, with its idle leader Reg (John Cleese) and feminist activist Judith (Sue Jones-Davies), satirizes the leftist revolutionary groups of the 1960s and 1970s. The Romans are mocked as sybarites and bureaucrats, the Jews as primitives, and they are all viewed as barbaric. Though its chief purpose is to amuse, "Life of Brian" is an equal opportunity offender that offhandedly focuses the audience's attention on what the authors consider the important part of the Christian message by persistently knocking everything else off its pedestal. Maybe this film is serious after all. I don't expect orthodox Christians will like it, because it doesn't treat the Gospels reverentially or take them literally. But liberal Christians may appreciate the laughs and even the lesson. I found Brian, himself, too whiney to be likable, but, otherwise, "Life of Brian" is a clever parody of human ideologies and idiocies, ancient and modern.

Reviewed on 2008-03-25 Hilarious Social Satire Nothing is sacred to the Monty Python gang. Proving this point is the hilariously irreverent Life of Brian, about a hapless Judean born on Christmas in the stall next to Jesus. He joins the People's Front of Judea, who hate the Romans (but not quite as much as they hate the splitters in the Judean People's Front!), and tries to fend off the multitudes who insist he's the messiah. Life of Brian is an extremely funny and quotable satire. It's not so much a parody of Christianity or the Jesus story, though, as a satire poking fun at the universally human tendency to join religious or social movements and miss the point entirely. It's funny precisely because it's so true. In one scene, as Brian flees his zealous followers, he leaves behind a shoe, which becomes the center of a heated argument over whether to revere the shoe or the gourd Brian got rid of earlier. Later in the movie, Brian addresses the multitudes: 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! The People's Front of Judea couldn't be a more appropriate parody of the sillier aspects of radical movements, including the factions of the modern-day Middle East. The time they spend squabbling amongst themselves and drafting resolutions, rather than fighting the external foe, quite comically hits the nail on the head. This is a great movie for anyone who loves British comedy, particularly the random zaniness that is trademark Monty Python.

Reviewed on 2008-01-11 it is funny-that's all i don't think monty python wanted to "Offend" anyone.they just wanted to make some jokes. i think they made it "R" for a reason. if young people saw that then it might be worse than it is today, but i say it is funny. i am catholic and i don't find this offensive because i know its a joke

Reviewed on 2007-12-01 I have a confession to make. Excellent movie made even better by Criterion. It is so damn funny that I have to pause the movie so my laughs can catch up. Now for the confession. I really identify with 'Blessed are the cheesemakers' skit because all through my childhood and adolescence I couldn't figure out the importance of an archaeological find in the middle east being, in my mind, "The Dead Sea Squirrels". It wasn't till I was in my early 20's when a Catholic co-worker looked horrified at me when I spoke of it and then set me straight. The Dead Sea Scrolls.

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