Life of Brian (1979) (AKA Monty Python's
Life of Brian)
Ahhh... Monty Python. The mere mention
of the name brings joy to the hearts of millions of
Americans, most of us males in out thirties and forties,
who were lucky enough to discover the absurdist comedy
troupe's insane BBC-TV series on PBS stations in major
metropolitan areas across America in the 70's. This
was before cable TV and even before VCR's. Flipping
through the two or three channels available on Saturday
night (local news rebroadcasts, lame old movies and
"MacMillan and Wife" reruns) and coming across the
zany TV show was like discovering the hip, cult comedic
holy grail itself. The greatest joy of these 30 minute
installments of mayhem was contained in the fact that
the show would end several times over before it truly
finished, continuously giving the viewer the feeling
that they were getting a little extra bit of comedy
at the end. The end was almost never the end. There
was always one more joke, one more nod to the camera
and the audience before the final BBC tag ended the
episode.
And then there were the films. The
first time I saw "Monty Python and The Holy Grail"
was at a midnight movie at a theater about a half
hour from my house in suburban Houston. It showed
on a double bill with the decidedly unfunny Python
film "Jabberwocky." I went with my friend Steve. My
mom drove us and waited for us to come out at about
3:30 in the morning. We found her in the parking lot
in front of the theater as we emerged into the blackness
of the middle of the night, reading a book and uncaring
that we had kept her waiting for so long. Who wouldn't
love a mother like that? It didn't hurt that our minds
had been open to joyous lunacy due to "Holy Grail."
We were giddy school boys practicing goofy English
accents all the way home, laughing like maniacs. Mom
just smiled and giggled too.
With the release of the blockbuster
Mel Gibson epic "The Passion of the Christ" this year,
the time seemed ripe for the re-release of the Python
troupe's "Life of Brain," a 1979 comedy film (conveniently
also celebrating it's 25th anniversary) that poked
fun at religion and religious movies, particularly
the life of Christ. And while "Brian" utilizes some
of the same humor techniques and devices as "The Holy
Grail," like anachronisms and absurdism, it just doesn't
come across as funny. Perhaps the subject matter of
religion, a dicey topic for derision in 1979, is still
too touchy for spoof. With Gibson's blood-infested,
gory movie (which I still haven't seen) and our modern
ability to imagine the horror of a what a crucifixion
must have really been like, the Python's turning it
into a joke here just seems to be in poor taste.
Certainly the humor of the film
is absurdist. And some of it is totally passe. The
jokes about different revolutionary groups in the
film was barely timely in 1979. In 2004 they seem
dull. And the absurdist humor, which often gets its
kick from verbose ramblings by the cast members, seems
wholly misplaced and unimportant here. There's no
goofy delights to be found here, as in the troupe's
best work, "The Holy Grail." There's no silliness
that allows us to revel in the absurdity of it all.
There's no knight knocking two coconut shells together
to simulate the sounds of horses hoofs or gatekeepers
asking ridiculous questions.
25 years later, I didn't laugh once
at "Life of Brian." It just wasn't funny. Nor was
it pointed. It seemed crass, tedious and a tired retread
of all the devices the troupe had played to much greater
effect in the TV series and in "The Holy Grail." In
the end, the "Life of Brian" was quite dull and uneventful.
Note:
Monty Python is Graham Chapman,
John Cleese, Terry Jones (who directs here), Terry
Gilliam (who does the illustrations and animations),
Eric Idle and Michael Palin. The members play several
roles in the film.
Also with Carol Cleveland who appeared
in numerous episodes of the TV show.
Suggested titles for the film included
Brian of Nazareth, The Gospel According to St. Brian
and Jesus Christ: Lust for Glory.
EMI produced the film but were afraid
to release it. Beatles member George Harrison put
up the money to get it made. The film was banned in
several countries as "blasphemous" for many years.
Filmed in Tunisia.
Viewed on a DVD in May of 2004.
