Mine as wel,l but I believe it goes: "you are all different! you are all individuals” with the crowd parroting both lines except the lone person ironically being individual by saying "I'm not!"
George Harrison of The Beatles pretty much funded this film after the funds were originally withdrawn just before production began.......and we're so glad he did!
@@kevdoe3360 No, he is right behind John Cleese when Cleese is telling the people possessed by devils to try to keep them under control. Another rock connection---the prophet caked in mud with the severed hands on a stick played by Terry Gilliam was going to be played by Keith Moon but he died two weeks before filming was to begin.
12:56 this movie came out around the same time as one of the Star Wars films and there was a worry it would flop at the Box Office because it wasn’t a sci-fi film, so the Pythons put a random spaceship scene in to say ‘there you go, it _is_ a sci-fi film! It’s got a spaceship in it!’
At Graham Chapmans memorial service (Brian) in 1989 the python crew sung “Always look on the bright side of life” A truly sad and yet uplifting moment. They were cracking jokes all throughout the service, because that’s what he would have wanted.
My favorite part is that in the Biggus Dickus scene, the soldiers were told they wouldn't be paid if they cracked. They were all genuinely trying as hard as possible to not laugh.
Best comedy film of all time! 16:36 he says "You're fucking nicked my old beauty" which is a stereotypical way of a policeman saying you're under arrest.
"your fucking nicked me old beauty" is a reference to Inspector Harold Challenor who was the most famous policeman in the UK and the public face of the policeforce on the new fangled TV medium. He coined the expression when he nicked people. He also planted evidence on them and got caught it was the first big police scandal in UK history.
The next logical step from here would be History of the World, by Mel Brooks. After Holy Grail I was hoping you would react to this film. The concept is brilliant
Humor like this is an incredibly fine line between falling flat and being actually offensive. Monty Python lived their entire lives on that line and did it perfectly as very few others have. Mel Brooks comes to mind.
Don't know if you are old enough (or british for that matter) but there was a late night show where monty python faced a couple of critics of the film i always feel it's as interesting to watch as *Life of Brian* is funny. ua-cam.com/video/CeKWVuye1YE/v-deo.html
@@rossanderson1892 I am old enough, but not British, though I was raised on a lot of British comedy. Have not seen this. Going to watch. The boys of Monty Python are all very intelligent and well spoken so this ought to be pretty awesome.
At the time the first "Star Wars"film had just been released, so Terry decided to honour that, by using aliens to rescue Brian...as he was stuck as how to get Brian down safely from the Tower...
More of an "actual" movie perhaps than The Holy Grail, still as silly and hilarious though! It was actually banned for a few months in Norway, so of course it was marketed in neighbouring Sweden (there's a long tradition of mostly good humoured rivalry between the two) as "So funny it's banned in Norway!". :)
One of my favorite parts in this is during the group scene out front of Brian‘s window, several crowd members have sandals on sticks as well as gourds. Lol. It’s interesting that they showed how quickly The peoples religion around Brian was divided into varying sects from the start. I would also like to say thank you for the reaction videos. It’s been great watching your journey exploring older films especially since you have such an appreciation for cinema. Keep up the great work!
Another unofficial Python movie is 'A Fish Called Wanda' - it's half the Python crew, plus Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline (who won an Oscar for it). A bit more conventional but very funny and well worth a look if you like this kind of humour. Anyway, great reaction to one of my fav movies of all time. Thanks!
A Fish Called Wanda also features one of the best Australian accents attempted by a non-Australian, wrote this actual Australian. Kevin Kline nailed it.
When this was released, a ton of evangelicals were upset because it was actually filmed in the Holy Lands. I saw this with the most evangelical Christian to ever to be a Marine. I figured he's be offended and go off. But he thought it was hilarious and described how it wasn't about Christ, but about cults, terrorists, etc. That always impressed me. Even to this day.
Saw a Python documentary where they wanted to do a biblical film, but they couldn't find a way to make comedy from Jesus. I mean how do you make fun of do unto others? Then they realized that the comedy is in how people react and miss the lesson that's being taught.
16:33 "You're fuckin' nicked me old beauty." In this context 'nicked' is an English colloquialism for being caught/under arrest and 'nick' is also a term for prison/jail. Nick and nicked can also refer to stealing. So you could reasonably end up in the nick for getting nicked after nicking something.
What's everyone favourite lines? Mine is: "only the true messiah denies his divinity!" "what kind of chance does that give me? ALL RIGHT I AM THE MESSIAH!" "HE IS THE MESSIAH! HE IS THE MESSIAH!" "NOW: FUCK OFF!" perfectly delivered; also I get a real kick out of the crucifixion guards suddenly talking normally when no one is around, like they both agreed to do it just to fuck with everyone
For life is quite absurd And death's the final word You must always face the curtain with a bow Forget about your sin Give the audience a grin Enjoy it, it's your last chance anyhow
Holy Grail is pretty much a collection of skits itself, with the basic ideas of King Arthur and the quest for the Holy Grail loosely connecting them. Life of Brian is the one that's got a real story.
@6:03 I love that scene so much. They were playing as women pretending to be men because only men could go to the stoning. @16:04 if you time it, Brian does speak for exactly 1 minute. It's the small details like this that I love about this movie.
You noticed the slaps and punches having a unique character and timing. It's accomplished by simply removing a frame at the point of contact. Very effective and always gives me a laugh.
My man, you have quickly made it to my top tier list of reactors. I really appreciate hearing your perspective on these films. So much that I'm hitting like at about 5 seconds into the intro. Keep it up man.
Ah, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. One of the most popular songs at a UK funeral (actually sung by the gang at Graham Chapman's funeral, alongside a marvelous roast of the deceased by Cleese), and the ancient sign that Iron Maiden has no more encores to give and it is time to clear out from the venue.
@@JamesVSCinema A film you could try with Python members is A Fish Called Wanda. I know cinema is your expertise, but even if you just watch for fun. I recommend these sketches: - The Funniest Joke in the World - Marching Up and Down the Square - Olympics - The Ministry of Silly Walks - Lumberjack song Those are just a few favourites. I'd also recommend Black Adder and any of Rowan Atkinson's standup or Fry and Laurie's sketches. Enjoy!
For the biggus Dickus scene they didn’t tell the extras what the scene. They were told they were forbidden to laugh or they would be sent home. So of course they then tried to make them laugh. You can really see the guard desperately trying to not laugh
The exact opposite of what happened, and if they did that, they would have had a revolt by the unions and guilds as that's completely illegal. In actuality, they were riffing leading up to the filming, getting everyone laughing hysterically so that when filming started the extras had to work extremely hard to not laugh until they hit their cue.
@@grayscribe1342 Dunno about now but James Cameron famously hated UK sets because union rules caused his crew to leave much earlier than he wanted, so they had sway back then.
There's a few things wrong with your comment. Firstly the guards in scene 13 were NOT played by extras, Charles McKeown, Chris Langham, Bernard McKenna and Andrew MacLachlan are all well known respected comic actors, together they played 12 different roles in the film. Bernard McKenna, the guard behind Brian on the left is an icon within British television comedy he's written many hours of British television comedy, is personal friends with Graham Chapman and Michael Palin, and played 4 different roles in The Life of Brian. Charles McKeown, the first guard to laugh, again played 4 different roles in the film, and had worked on Ripping Yarns and Faulty Towers, and was a personal friend of Michael Palin, and is a respected comic actor. Chris Langham, the guard pulling the face was at the time a well known comic actor and writer, worked on many shows including Not The Nine O'clock News, today he's more famous for downloading images of children and going to prison. Andrew MacLachlan, a first class Cricketer and well known comic actor, he played 2 roles in the film. None of the actors were threatened with being fired, sent home or not being paid for laughing in scene 13, in fact the script is available if you want to read it, it includes stage direction for guards to giggle. The finished scene is the result of many takes stitched together, it wasn't done in one making your comment even more rediculous. The 4 actors playing the guards were not extras, knew exactly what the scene was about and how to act in it, what we see is the result of brilliant writing and fantastic acting by brilliant comic actors.
Bright Side of Life is one of my favorite movie moments… The dark cynicism and irony of the lyrics, sung to this happy bouncy tune, juxtaposed against the horrific reality of being crucified… That’s my kind of comedy.
When Terry Jones (Brian's mother, and about 10 other parts) was researching this, he found there was something of a 'messiah cult' at that time, with people wanting to find, and be, messiahs, so Brian be mistaken for one wasn't completely far-fetched. Jesus himself would probably have just been one of many at the time, rather than being hugely famous. It was perhaps also the first production to present crucifiction as it was - the standard way of execution at the time, rather than being something special for Jesus. The film did get a lot of hostility for being blasphemous, but nearly all of those who said so hadn't even seen the film. The film was condemned by (among others) Aberystwyth council, in Wales, partly for the nudity. The woman who was nude in the film, went on to be Mayor of Aberystwyth in 2008. The film idea did originally start as a parody of Jesus, based on a comment by Eric Idle after Holy Grail, saying the next film would be "Jesus Christ, my lust for glory" but they quickly realised that Jesus just wasn't funny. They said they had the odd idea, like his cross breaking because it was badly made, and him using his carpentry skills to show how to do it properly etc, but changed it to be about Brian instead. By the way, the 'suicide squad' originally had a bigger part in the film, but their scenes were cut because it was felt they didn't really work. They couldn't cut them completely though, because you could see their bodies in the final scenes.
Terry Jones played 6 roles including Brian's mother. Michael Palin however played 13 roles. Eric Idle played 9. Terry Gilliam..7 John Cleese.. 6 Bernard McKenna.. 4 including the guard behind Brian on the left in the Biggus Dickus scene. Charles McKeown.. 4, including the first guard to laugh in the Biggus Dickus scene.
Bit of trivia: the actor Kenneth Colley who plays Jesus giving the Sermon On The Mount is also who played Admiral Piett in the original Star Wars trilogy.
I saw Life of Brian early 1980 in Perth, western Australia. The US Seventh Fleet was in for R&R so the audience was about a third Marines and Navy. We were warmed up MP's 'A Christmas Card' and 'Getting Away From It All' (both on UA-cam). Oh my! The USA was getting into Monty Python at the time and I doubt I've ever heard so many people laugh so hard and so often. My ribs hurt by the end and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. A great evening.
Nice work James. Being able to reference Monty Python is always useful in your movie making toolbag when thinking what you want to do with a new project.
I saw Cleese and Idle give a chat/talk a few years ago and they closed with Eric leading the crowd through "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." Let me tell you, there's nothing like hearing 1,500 people happily knocking that one out.
Oh James, after the Grail, I was so hoping you'd do this one. Brian does not get as much chatter as Grail, or The Meaning of Life, but it's my personal favourite. Such amazing criticism of sociology and religion, it's scathing. A number of the Pythons were philosophy students so, it's all adept as well. Fun fact: they were shooting this literally next door to Lucas filming Star Wars. Lucas got super pissed, as the Pythons would take out the crew at night and get them totally drunk...
Monty Python is such a great rabbit hole. I wonder if you ever get to more obscure stuff like Jabberwocky, A Fish Called Wanda etc. Terry Gilliam and John Cleese are on another level of comedy.
"Always look on the bright side of life" is a funeral favourite over here in the UK. I plan to have it at mine 😄 forgot to add.. its actually Terry Gilliams 81st birthday today 🎂
I believe it's a reference to Matthew 4:6 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
I would recommend you watch the eulogy of Graham Chapman that John Cleese did. Hysterical and so on point for who they are as a comedy troupe. Apex predators of comedy right here.
They did also sing "Always look look on the bright side of life" at the funeral of Graham Champman. It was one of the sadest moments on live TV, while still beeing funny.
Half of the Monty Python members came from Oxford University and the other half was from Cambridge (Terry Gilliam was from Occidental College in Minnesota), so I think that can give some idea of their intelligence. John Cleese (Reg of the PFJ, Head Centurian) was going to be a lawyer, Graham Chapman (Brian) actually got his doctorate in medicine and made the 11th hour decision to not be a doctor and pursue comedy. Plus Terry Jones (Brian's mom) is a fully educated scholar of history and had written academic books on medieval history and Michael Palin (Pontius Pilate "Biggus Dickus") also similarly educated in history. Oh yeah, the pairs of members in each of the last two sentences are two of the main writing teams within the troupe. Cleese/Chapman were the Cambridge team and Palin/Jones were the Oxford team. Eric Idle mainly wrote alone and did a lot of the arranging when they would pool all their material together and Terry Gilliam did the animation/art direction. The members of Python had worked together in some BBC show or another throughout the '60s before they eventually had the option to make their own show which became Monty Python's Flying Circus. It eventually gained a following in America via the PBS TV station who Luke and Owen Wilson's dad was very instrumental in arranging.
I`m really glad, that you are one of the guys who understands and appreciates MP humor. There`s alot of lads and ladys out there theese days, who simply don`t get it. Which is funny by itself if you ask me xD.
When writers this good turn out to also be brilliant filmmakers, the world takes a pivot. Thanks from deep in my soul for making this fresh again. PS: You can't say "Oh my God" unless you are prepared to be stoned as a blasphemer.
Gonna take a moment to boost the algorithm and give you much deserved praise! As someone who had studied film for a while and as someone who enjoys genuine commentary, I really appreciate what you do for this community. Much love!
The Pythons had such a massive influence on this whole country and it’s culture, particularly in comedy. I’d recommend you rewatching this again, in silence, there are so many jokes in the language and vocabulary alone that you’ll still find the fifth time you watch it. Enjoyed watching you enjoy something from so, so long ago, as these men have been national treasures for as long as been alive.
Terry Gilliam's TIME BANDITS is also an 'unofficial' monty python film, and One of the most creative movies ever made, as well as one of the most SAVAGE "kids" movies ever made... it also has some fun satire about religion and consumerism.
If you want ultimate chaotic humor, check out the film Yellowbeard (1983). It's got a couple of the Pythons (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, and Eric Idle for a fact), some actors from Mel Brooks films like Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, and Madeline Kahn AND Cheech & Chong. All in one crazy pirate film.
There's so much going on in this movie. At it's base it's a comedy about 1st Century Palestine, and the more you know about 1st Century Palestine, the funnier it is. But at the same time it's a satire of religious movements and rapidity with which they rise, splinter, and fall, while also being a satire of leftists' inevitable desire to destroy other "impure" leftists and issue proclamations instead of going after the real enemy (how I wish it wasn't so). And it does all three of those things with equal facility and humor. One thing it isn't is a satire of Christianity, at least not any more than it's a satire of all religions. And oh how controversial it was when it came out!
For Monty Python, you have to appreciate both the totally absurd and the cleverly ironic. If you're not able to juggle those two things they won't hit your funny bone. While there are plenty of sight gags, most of the humor is couched in the dialogue. Glad you're enjoying them. Best and cheers
All the Pythons are extremely highly educated and multi-talented. Most of their production is insanely well known and studied, and he are easily the greatest comedy group of all time. There aren't many, if any, talented comedians even today, who does not cite them as one of their main inspirations/role models.
Great reaction to a great movie James. At 16:32 the Centurian says, "You're fuckin' nicked me old beauty!" which translates from London cockney to, "You are under arrest sir!"
I appreciate your appreciation for the second look the centurion/officer gave Biggus Dickus. Poor guy was so confused and staggered. lol Only criticism I have is, that you left out the part with the lesson in Latin Brian received. Anyway, hilarious stuff and an appropriate reaction. Cheers.
The story goes that in the scene with Biggus Dickus, several of the guards were extras. All they knew was that they were not supposed to laugh or they would not get paid but they had no idea about the scene itself. That makes that scene even funnier. So when Caesar gets up in the one guard’s face and he is trying not to laugh, that is the real deal.
However the truth is somewhat different. Charles McKeown, Chris Langham, Bernard McKenna and Andrew MacLachlan played the guards, they were not extras, they are respected comic actors and together played 12 different roles in The Life of Brian. Bernard McKenna (Guard behind Brian on the left) is an icon within British television comedy, he played 4 different roles in the film and was personal friends with Graham Chapman and Michael Palin, has written many hours of British comedy, no one was threatening him with not being paid for laughing in scene 13. That story is just a myth. Charles McKeown (first guard to laugh) he also played 4 roles in the film, had a long history of working with Monty python, and personal friend of Michael Palin, and a well known comic actor. Andrew MacLachlan, another well known comic actor, he played 2 roles in the film, and was involved from start to finish of filming. (The guard behind Brian on the right) The scene we see is the result of many takes stitched together, it wasn't done in one so the actors knew what the scene was about and the script has stage direction for guards to giggle. Michael Palin wasn't playing Caesar he was Pontius Pilate, a governor not the Emperor, and the guard he got up in the face of was played by Chris Langham, a well known comic actor and writer, he knew exactly what the scene was about.
George Harrison of the Beatles (they were all huge python fans) helped bankroll this film... he even makes a cameo briefly in the crowd at Brian's house
The making of Life of Brian is a pretty interesting story. Many of the production elements were chosen to avoid all of the pains that Holy Grail created. Unfortunately, studio support got very shaky as christian groups planned to protest the film. The production was saved by one George Harrison who financed the remaining production because he just wanted to see the movie. (George has a brief cameo during a crowd scene where he looks straight into camera.) This became the birth of HandMade films that would go on to make Time Bandits, Mona Lisa, and Withnail and I, among many others. I personally think Life of Brian is one of the most on-point social satires ever made.
Brian: "You've got to all think for yourselves! You are all individuals!" Crowd: "Yes! We are all individuals!" Brian: "You are all different!" Crowd: "Yes! We are all different!" Ahhh I love that part 🤣
And a big shoutout to George Harrison of the Beatles for producing this film! EMI films dropped funding for the project, George remortgaged his home and provided a few million of his own money for this great comedy to get made!!! You’ll see his name in the opening credits and he’s got a very small feature too. Years later, Eric Idle called it “the most anybody’s ever paid for a movie ticket”
When I saw this at the cinema and they started singing the end song I laughed until I cried and so did most of the audience. Every time I hear that song I sing and whistle along. I am going to go with some of the commenters and suggest History Of The World Part 1 by Mel Brooks.
I saw this in the theater in my teens and have always thought it to be one of the funniest movies ever made. My favorite part is the prisoner hanging on the wall. "I been here 5 years, they only hung me the right way up yesterday"
The last song is one of the most played at funerals over here in the UK! 😆 Monty Python got a lot of flack from religious figures who claimed that the film was blasphemous. They missed completely the point... 🤦🏾♀️ Love your reactions. Lots of Love from the UK -x-
There are those that believe 'that song' should be the British National Anthem. 😉 James, I'm not a patreon, but I always wished I could vote for you to watch Python Terry Gilliam's film 'The Fisher King' with Robin Williams. His performance for me tops Good Will Hunting by a mile. - And, it has one of THE most beautiful scenes in cinema ever, in Grand Central station.
Great choice! A group Cambridge and Oxford students using their intelligence to create the greatest comedy satire of its era that has stood the test of time! Love the Python team... But for his acting skills and versatility Michael Palin is my favourite. In 1980 Swedish advertising for Monty Python's Life of Brian claimed: 'This film is so funny, it was banned in Norway'.
You can find two clips of Graham Chapman (Brian/King Arthur) funeral here on YT and, as weird as it may sound, I recommend watching the longer one. Out of the 6 of them he died young, in his 40s and the clip shows John Cleese (Reggie/Lancelot), Michael Palin (Roman Ruler/Galahad), and Eric Idle (Guy who starts singing/Political Peasant) do their parts of the funeral - Let’s say it’s quite Monty Python in nature. For context the 6 would work in teams or solo and then join together to compare improve throw out, etc what they’d use in their sketch show; Eric wrote solo usually and came up with their songs. You should watch The Dead Parrot Sketch that Cleese and Chapman wrote together before the funeral clip. Eric performed Always Look on the Bright Side for the funeral as he had sung it here for Chapman's Brian. It's became and continues to be one of the most popular funeral songs in the UK.
This is my favourite comedy, bar none. Classic scene after classic scene. Amazing quotes. On top of that though, it gets some really profound points across, and Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life is a brilliant song with a great message sung at the most hilariously inappropriate time. Perfection.
You skipped the best line. When Brian is orating on the ledge and says "you are all individuals" and an extra ad libs the "I'm not." response. The Python crew thought is was so funny they left it in even though it meant paying the extra more and giving him a credit for having a speaking part in the film.
I can't decide if this or Holy Grail is my favourite Monty Python film, and I'm comfortable with that. Absolute brilliance all-around. They both disparage organized religion, and I always enjoy that, especially with what's currently going on south of my (so far) comfy Canadian border.
The Biggus Dickus scene is funnier with the fact that the extras (soldiers) were told that if they laugh they won't get paid. Which is why they're trying so hard not to laugh.
I heard somewhere that the actors playing the guards in the bigus dickus scene didn’t know the script or what was coming but that they wouldn’t get payed if they laughed.
My favorite joke from this is
Brian: "You are all different!"
Crowd in unison: "We are all different!"
Guy in the back: "I'm not!"
Mine as wel,l but I believe it goes: "you are all different! you are all individuals” with the crowd parroting both lines except the lone person ironically being individual by saying "I'm not!"
I'm not either
The greatest joke in any movie ever
Awesome quote, have a hundred likes.
And ad libbed no less.
"Always looks at the bright side of life" has been the most popular song played at British funerals for a few decades now. Love the Brits.
Also at Graham Chapman funeral. All of the python lads sang it for him
George Harrison of The Beatles pretty much funded this film after the funds were originally withdrawn just before production began.......and we're so glad he did!
He also has a cameo in the film as an extra.
no studio would fund it, so he did because he just wanted to see it, he didnt even care if it made no money
@@Sanjuro. He re-mortgaged his house!!
@@corvus4350 ,wasn"t that in "The Holy Grail"?
@@kevdoe3360 No, he is right behind John Cleese when Cleese is telling the people possessed by devils to try to keep them under control. Another rock connection---the prophet caked in mud with the severed hands on a stick played by Terry Gilliam was going to be played by Keith Moon but he died two weeks before filming was to begin.
12:56 this movie came out around the same time as one of the Star Wars films and there was a worry it would flop at the Box Office because it wasn’t a sci-fi film, so the Pythons put a random spaceship scene in to say ‘there you go, it _is_ a sci-fi film! It’s got a spaceship in it!’
At Graham Chapmans memorial service (Brian) in 1989 the python crew sung “Always look on the bright side of life” A truly sad and yet uplifting moment. They were cracking jokes all throughout the service, because that’s what he would have wanted.
My favorite part is that in the Biggus Dickus scene, the soldiers were told they wouldn't be paid if they cracked. They were all genuinely trying as hard as possible to not laugh.
I don't know if this is just a coincidence, but today is Terry Gilliams' birthday. So happy birthday to this legend!🎉
Happy birthday Terry, it was meant to be
Aww! Sweet!
Best comedy film of all time! 16:36 he says "You're fucking nicked my old beauty" which is a stereotypical way of a policeman saying you're under arrest.
@AB Did you respond with, "It's a fair cop"?
@AB
Stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason.
"your fucking nicked me old beauty" is a reference to Inspector Harold Challenor who was the most famous policeman in the UK and the public face of the policeforce on the new fangled TV medium. He coined the expression when he nicked people. He also planted evidence on them and got caught it was the first big police scandal in UK history.
The next logical step from here would be History of the World, by Mel Brooks. After Holy Grail I was hoping you would react to this film. The concept is brilliant
Gotcha!
Well technically the next one on the list will be Monty Python’s Meaning of Life.
i was thinking the same thing history of the world is in the same vein.
@@hangarflying yeah I was gonna say the same thing, The Meaning of Life is the end to the trilogy, and one of my favorite films of theirs.
@@TheMrsmartass13 i love Meaning of Life but its my least favorite Monty Python movie
Love that you've done these, as a British Python lover I'm really happy to see you discover these classics
Me too, thank y’all for the recommendation
You don't even realize what you just created. The British Python is about to be the coolest wrestling move ever.
@@NewYorkFloridaMan This comment made my day! 😂
@@melodyrichardson5051 glad to have been at your service.
As an American who ADORES Monty Python, thank you, Britain! 👍❤️
Humor like this is an incredibly fine line between falling flat and being actually offensive. Monty Python lived their entire lives on that line and did it perfectly as very few others have. Mel Brooks comes to mind.
Don't know if you are old enough (or british for that matter) but there was a late night show where monty python faced a couple of critics of the film i always feel it's as interesting to watch as *Life of Brian* is funny.
ua-cam.com/video/CeKWVuye1YE/v-deo.html
@@rossanderson1892 I am old enough, but not British, though I was raised on a lot of British comedy. Have not seen this. Going to watch. The boys of Monty Python are all very intelligent and well spoken so this ought to be pretty awesome.
Only dumb people get offended
This is one of the funniest movies ever. I love the spaceship gag that comes out of nowhere.
“You lucky bastard.”
😂😂😂😂😂👍
At the time the first "Star Wars"film had just been released, so Terry decided to honour that, by using aliens to rescue Brian...as he was stuck as how to get Brian down safely from the Tower...
It's also a reference to the popular theories about ancient UFOs.
More of an "actual" movie perhaps than The Holy Grail, still as silly and hilarious though!
It was actually banned for a few months in Norway, so of course it was marketed in neighbouring Sweden (there's a long tradition of mostly good humoured rivalry between the two) as "So funny it's banned in Norway!". :)
Yeah! Definitely still hilarious haha
Don't forget their flick "The Meaning of Life," a multi-chapter film trissecting societal "norms," as usual in MP's incisive manner.
One of my favorite parts in this is during the group scene out front of Brian‘s window, several crowd members have sandals on sticks as well as gourds. Lol. It’s interesting that they showed how quickly The peoples religion around Brian was divided into varying sects from the start.
I would also like to say thank you for the reaction videos. It’s been great watching your journey exploring older films especially since you have such an appreciation for cinema. Keep up the great work!
The shoe scene is genius and pretty much sums up how people interpret and fight over religion lol
Another unofficial Python movie is 'A Fish Called Wanda' - it's half the Python crew, plus Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline (who won an Oscar for it). A bit more conventional but very funny and well worth a look if you like this kind of humour. Anyway, great reaction to one of my fav movies of all time. Thanks!
Oh yes definitely worth a watch, a great movie.
"Don't call me stupid!"
"Why on Earth not?"
A Fish Called Wanda also features one of the best Australian accents attempted by a non-Australian, wrote this actual Australian. Kevin Kline nailed it.
Kevin Kline is amazing. He disappears into his roles.
Wanda is brilliant. Not so much fierce creatures
When this was released, a ton of evangelicals were upset because it was actually filmed in the Holy Lands.
I saw this with the most evangelical Christian to ever to be a Marine. I figured he's be offended and go off. But he thought it was hilarious and described how it wasn't about Christ, but about cults, terrorists, etc.
That always impressed me. Even to this day.
I mean, he still kinda missed the point.
Saw a Python documentary where they wanted to do a biblical film, but they couldn't find a way to make comedy from Jesus. I mean how do you make fun of do unto others? Then they realized that the comedy is in how people react and miss the lesson that's being taught.
I thought it was filmed in Tunisia.
@@shanenolan8252 It was filmed in Tunisia. OP has no idea what he’s talking about.
@@schrire39 thanks
The 1970s is a goldmine of exceptional cinema!
Facts!!
16:33 "You're fuckin' nicked me old beauty." In this context 'nicked' is an English colloquialism for being caught/under arrest and 'nick' is also a term for prison/jail. Nick and nicked can also refer to stealing. So you could reasonably end up in the nick for getting nicked after nicking something.
What's everyone favourite lines? Mine is:
"only the true messiah denies his divinity!"
"what kind of chance does that give me? ALL RIGHT I AM THE MESSIAH!"
"HE IS THE MESSIAH! HE IS THE MESSIAH!"
"NOW: FUCK OFF!"
perfectly delivered; also I get a real kick out of the crucifixion guards suddenly talking normally when no one is around, like they both agreed to do it just to fuck with everyone
'yes we are all individuals'....... 'I'm not' Bahahaha
How shall we fuck off, oh lord?
For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow
Forget about your sin
Give the audience a grin
Enjoy it, it's your last chance anyhow
Caution: The Meaning of Life is basically a bunch of skits. Not a “movie” like Brian & Holy Grail.
Great videos 🤘🥩
Holy Grail is pretty much a collection of skits itself, with the basic ideas of King Arthur and the quest for the Holy Grail loosely connecting them. Life of Brian is the one that's got a real story.
@6:03 I love that scene so much. They were playing as women pretending to be men because only men could go to the stoning.
@16:04 if you time it, Brian does speak for exactly 1 minute. It's the small details like this that I love about this movie.
You noticed the slaps and punches having a unique character and timing. It's accomplished by simply removing a frame at the point of contact. Very effective and always gives me a laugh.
My man, you have quickly made it to my top tier list of reactors. I really appreciate hearing your perspective on these films. So much that I'm hitting like at about 5 seconds into the intro. Keep it up man.
Wow this comment made my night bro! Cheers!
"Top tier reactor?" He cut the best two scenes in the movie. Smh
Ah, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. One of the most popular songs at a UK funeral (actually sung by the gang at Graham Chapman's funeral, alongside a marvelous roast of the deceased by Cleese), and the ancient sign that Iron Maiden has no more encores to give and it is time to clear out from the venue.
I was really hoping you were going to do this one! Python are top class
New fan of them honestly!
@@JamesVSCinema A film you could try with Python members is A Fish Called Wanda.
I know cinema is your expertise, but even if you just watch for fun. I recommend these sketches:
- The Funniest Joke in the World
- Marching Up and Down the Square
- Olympics
- The Ministry of Silly Walks
- Lumberjack song
Those are just a few favourites. I'd also recommend Black Adder and any of Rowan Atkinson's standup or Fry and Laurie's sketches.
Enjoy!
For the biggus Dickus scene they didn’t tell the extras what the scene. They were told they were forbidden to laugh or they would be sent home. So of course they then tried to make them laugh. You can really see the guard desperately trying to not laugh
The exact opposite of what happened, and if they did that, they would have had a revolt by the unions and guilds as that's completely illegal. In actuality, they were riffing leading up to the filming, getting everyone laughing hysterically so that when filming started the extras had to work extremely hard to not laugh until they hit their cue.
@@orthochronicity6428 I didn't know the local unions and guilds had that much inflence in the UK. In the US, sure, but in the UK?
@@grayscribe1342 Dunno about now but James Cameron famously hated UK sets because union rules caused his crew to leave much earlier than he wanted, so they had sway back then.
@@grayscribe1342 American unions are weaksauce next to their European counterparts.
There's a few things wrong with your comment.
Firstly the guards in scene 13 were NOT played by extras, Charles McKeown, Chris Langham, Bernard McKenna and Andrew MacLachlan are all well known respected comic actors, together they played 12 different roles in the film.
Bernard McKenna, the guard behind Brian on the left is an icon within British television comedy he's written many hours of British television comedy, is personal friends with Graham Chapman and Michael Palin, and played 4 different roles in The Life of Brian.
Charles McKeown, the first guard to laugh, again played 4 different roles in the film, and had worked on Ripping Yarns and Faulty Towers, and was a personal friend of Michael Palin, and is a respected comic actor.
Chris Langham, the guard pulling the face was at the time a well known comic actor and writer, worked on many shows including Not The Nine O'clock News, today he's more famous for downloading images of children and going to prison.
Andrew MacLachlan, a first class Cricketer and well known comic actor, he played 2 roles in the film.
None of the actors were threatened with being fired, sent home or not being paid for laughing in scene 13, in fact the script is available if you want to read it, it includes stage direction for guards to giggle.
The finished scene is the result of many takes stitched together, it wasn't done in one making your comment even more rediculous.
The 4 actors playing the guards were not extras, knew exactly what the scene was about and how to act in it, what we see is the result of brilliant writing and fantastic acting by brilliant comic actors.
5:02 "They put so much work into this animation." You mean, Terry Gilliam put so much work in. That's all him.
Bright Side of Life is one of my favorite movie moments… The dark cynicism and irony of the lyrics, sung to this happy bouncy tune, juxtaposed against the horrific reality of being crucified… That’s my kind of comedy.
This is definitely one of my favourite comedies ever! It just never gets old
When Terry Jones (Brian's mother, and about 10 other parts) was researching this, he found there was something of a 'messiah cult' at that time, with people wanting to find, and be, messiahs, so Brian be mistaken for one wasn't completely far-fetched. Jesus himself would probably have just been one of many at the time, rather than being hugely famous. It was perhaps also the first production to present crucifiction as it was - the standard way of execution at the time, rather than being something special for Jesus.
The film did get a lot of hostility for being blasphemous, but nearly all of those who said so hadn't even seen the film. The film was condemned by (among others) Aberystwyth council, in Wales, partly for the nudity. The woman who was nude in the film, went on to be Mayor of Aberystwyth in 2008.
The film idea did originally start as a parody of Jesus, based on a comment by Eric Idle after Holy Grail, saying the next film would be "Jesus Christ, my lust for glory" but they quickly realised that Jesus just wasn't funny. They said they had the odd idea, like his cross breaking because it was badly made, and him using his carpentry skills to show how to do it properly etc, but changed it to be about Brian instead.
By the way, the 'suicide squad' originally had a bigger part in the film, but their scenes were cut because it was felt they didn't really work. They couldn't cut them completely though, because you could see their bodies in the final scenes.
Terry Jones played 6 roles including Brian's mother.
Michael Palin however played 13 roles.
Eric Idle played 9.
Terry Gilliam..7
John Cleese.. 6
Bernard McKenna.. 4 including the guard behind Brian on the left in the Biggus Dickus scene.
Charles McKeown.. 4, including the first guard to laugh in the Biggus Dickus scene.
"Well initially I really liked him, so..."
Low key, when Terry Gilliam breaks character, it's one of my all time fave Python bits
Same here, I love that! 😂
Bit of trivia: the actor Kenneth Colley who plays Jesus giving the Sermon On The Mount is also who played Admiral Piett in the original Star Wars trilogy.
I saw Life of Brian early 1980 in Perth, western Australia. The US Seventh Fleet was in for R&R so the audience was about a third Marines and Navy. We were warmed up MP's 'A Christmas Card' and 'Getting Away From It All' (both on UA-cam). Oh my! The USA was getting into Monty Python at the time and I doubt I've ever heard so many people laugh so hard and so often. My ribs hurt by the end and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. A great evening.
He said "You're fucking nicked, me old beauty!" "Nicked" being British slang for caught or stolen.
It's also slang for being arrested which is what it means in the context of that scene :)
Nice work James. Being able to reference Monty Python is always useful in your movie making toolbag when thinking what you want to do with a new project.
The meaning of Life...that's another classic Monty Python
I saw Cleese and Idle give a chat/talk a few years ago and they closed with Eric leading the crowd through "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." Let me tell you, there's nothing like hearing 1,500 people happily knocking that one out.
It was in the opening of the London Olympics too..
Oh James, after the Grail, I was so hoping you'd do this one. Brian does not get as much chatter as Grail, or The Meaning of Life, but it's my personal favourite. Such amazing criticism of sociology and religion, it's scathing. A number of the Pythons were philosophy students so, it's all adept as well. Fun fact: they were shooting this literally next door to Lucas filming Star Wars. Lucas got super pissed, as the Pythons would take out the crew at night and get them totally drunk...
The song at the end is actually one of the most requested songs in the UK to be played at a funeral. Very much a British sense of humour.
Monty Python is such a great rabbit hole. I wonder if you ever get to more obscure stuff like Jabberwocky, A Fish Called Wanda etc. Terry Gilliam and John Cleese are on another level of comedy.
Gotta admit, that ending song is a great tune !
"Always look on the bright side of life" is a funeral favourite over here in the UK.
I plan to have it at mine 😄
forgot to add.. its actually Terry Gilliams 81st birthday today 🎂
lmao James eyes about popped out when the spaceship scene happened.
The alien ship thing is a gag on how some people think there are bits in the Bible that are about UFO's.
I believe it's a reference to Matthew 4:6
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
'He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
I would recommend you watch the eulogy of Graham Chapman that John Cleese did. Hysterical and so on point for who they are as a comedy troupe. Apex predators of comedy right here.
I discovered Monty Python way back in 74 or 75, found it on our local PBS station lol they used to show episodes every weekend...♡
They did also sing "Always look look on the bright side of life" at the funeral of Graham Champman. It was one of the sadest moments on live TV, while still beeing funny.
You'll eventually need to check out "...and Now, for Something Completely Different." It is a GEM. 50th anniversary of the film this year, too!
Half of the Monty Python members came from Oxford University and the other half was from Cambridge (Terry Gilliam was from Occidental College in Minnesota), so I think that can give some idea of their intelligence. John Cleese (Reg of the PFJ, Head Centurian) was going to be a lawyer, Graham Chapman (Brian) actually got his doctorate in medicine and made the 11th hour decision to not be a doctor and pursue comedy. Plus Terry Jones (Brian's mom) is a fully educated scholar of history and had written academic books on medieval history and Michael Palin (Pontius Pilate "Biggus Dickus") also similarly educated in history. Oh yeah, the pairs of members in each of the last two sentences are two of the main writing teams within the troupe. Cleese/Chapman were the Cambridge team and Palin/Jones were the Oxford team. Eric Idle mainly wrote alone and did a lot of the arranging when they would pool all their material together and Terry Gilliam did the animation/art direction.
The members of Python had worked together in some BBC show or another throughout the '60s before they eventually had the option to make their own show which became Monty Python's Flying Circus. It eventually gained a following in America via the PBS TV station who Luke and Owen Wilson's dad was very instrumental in arranging.
Man… WHAT A GREAT FILM! Absolute comedic perfection. I adore it so much
You may like to scroll back up, and read about the influence of the first "Star Wars" film on Terry Gilliam...
I`m really glad, that you are one of the guys who understands and appreciates MP humor. There`s alot of lads and ladys out there theese days, who simply don`t get it. Which is funny by itself if you ask me xD.
When writers this good turn out to also be brilliant filmmakers, the world takes a pivot.
Thanks from deep in my soul for making this fresh again.
PS: You can't say "Oh my God" unless you are prepared to be stoned as a blasphemer.
Talking about surreal "Always look on the Bright side of life" is regularly played at funerals in the UK.
Gonna take a moment to boost the algorithm and give you much deserved praise! As someone who had studied film for a while and as someone who enjoys genuine commentary, I really appreciate what you do for this community. Much love!
They capture fun on film, plain and simple. They paved the way for the satire superhighway.
The Pythons had such a massive influence on this whole country and it’s culture, particularly in comedy. I’d recommend you rewatching this again, in silence, there are so many jokes in the language and vocabulary alone that you’ll still find the fifth time you watch it. Enjoyed watching you enjoy something from so, so long ago, as these men have been national treasures for as long as been alive.
I love how you just compared Brian to the Lebowski
This is one of the best satirical movies imho, it can get you thinking about some serious stuff while having a good laugh at the same time.
Terry Gilliam's TIME BANDITS is also an 'unofficial' monty python film, and One of the most creative movies ever made, as well as one of the most SAVAGE "kids" movies ever made... it also has some fun satire about religion and consumerism.
I'm always careful to look inside the microwave before putting my hand in.
If you want ultimate chaotic humor, check out the film Yellowbeard (1983). It's got a couple of the Pythons (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, and Eric Idle for a fact), some actors from Mel Brooks films like Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, and Madeline Kahn AND Cheech & Chong. All in one crazy pirate film.
There's so much going on in this movie. At it's base it's a comedy about 1st Century Palestine, and the more you know about 1st Century Palestine, the funnier it is. But at the same time it's a satire of religious movements and rapidity with which they rise, splinter, and fall, while also being a satire of leftists' inevitable desire to destroy other "impure" leftists and issue proclamations instead of going after the real enemy (how I wish it wasn't so). And it does all three of those things with equal facility and humor. One thing it isn't is a satire of Christianity, at least not any more than it's a satire of all religions. And oh how controversial it was when it came out!
For Monty Python, you have to appreciate both the totally absurd and the cleverly ironic. If you're not able to juggle those two things they won't hit your funny bone. While there are plenty of sight gags, most of the humor is couched in the dialogue. Glad you're enjoying them. Best and cheers
All the Pythons are extremely highly educated and multi-talented. Most of their production is insanely well known and studied, and he are easily the greatest comedy group of all time.
There aren't many, if any, talented comedians even today, who does not cite them as one of their main inspirations/role models.
'The Nick' is a slang term for jail in the UK. "You're nicked!" means you're arrested and off there.
I want "always look at the brightside of life" played at my funeral
Great reaction to a great movie James. At 16:32 the Centurian says, "You're fuckin' nicked me old beauty!" which translates from London cockney to, "You are under arrest sir!"
I appreciate your appreciation for the second look the centurion/officer gave Biggus Dickus. Poor guy was so confused and staggered. lol Only criticism I have is, that you left out the part with the lesson in Latin Brian received. Anyway, hilarious stuff and an appropriate reaction. Cheers.
The story goes that in the scene with Biggus Dickus, several of the guards were extras. All they knew was that they were not supposed to laugh or they would not get paid but they had no idea about the scene itself.
That makes that scene even funnier. So when Caesar gets up in the one guard’s face and he is trying not to laugh, that is the real deal.
However the truth is somewhat different.
Charles McKeown, Chris Langham, Bernard McKenna and Andrew MacLachlan played the guards, they were not extras, they are respected comic actors and together played 12 different roles in The Life of Brian.
Bernard McKenna (Guard behind Brian on the left) is an icon within British television comedy, he played 4 different roles in the film and was personal friends with Graham Chapman and Michael Palin, has written many hours of British comedy, no one was threatening him with not being paid for laughing in scene 13. That story is just a myth.
Charles McKeown (first guard to laugh) he also played 4 roles in the film, had a long history of working with Monty python, and personal friend of Michael Palin, and a well known comic actor.
Andrew MacLachlan, another well known comic actor, he played 2 roles in the film, and was involved from start to finish of filming. (The guard behind Brian on the right)
The scene we see is the result of many takes stitched together, it wasn't done in one so the actors knew what the scene was about and the script has stage direction for guards to giggle.
Michael Palin wasn't playing Caesar he was Pontius Pilate, a governor not the Emperor, and the guard he got up in the face of was played by Chris Langham, a well known comic actor and writer, he knew exactly what the scene was about.
George Harrison of the Beatles (they were all huge python fans) helped bankroll this film... he even makes a cameo briefly in the crowd at Brian's house
Woah! That’s so damn awesome. I can see those groups kicking it together
@@JamesVSCinema He told them the reason he bankrolled the movie is he wanted to see it;as they put it,the world's most expensive movie ticket!
The making of Life of Brian is a pretty interesting story. Many of the production elements were chosen to avoid all of the pains that Holy Grail created. Unfortunately, studio support got very shaky as christian groups planned to protest the film. The production was saved by one George Harrison who financed the remaining production because he just wanted to see the movie. (George has a brief cameo during a crowd scene where he looks straight into camera.) This became the birth of HandMade films that would go on to make Time Bandits, Mona Lisa, and Withnail and I, among many others.
I personally think Life of Brian is one of the most on-point social satires ever made.
First time I watched this a couple decades ago I was high AF, and almost pissed my pants during that "Romans go home" scene.
Brian: "You've got to all think for yourselves! You are all individuals!"
Crowd: "Yes! We are all individuals!"
Brian: "You are all different!"
Crowd: "Yes! We are all different!"
Ahhh I love that part 🤣
And a big shoutout to George Harrison of the Beatles for producing this film! EMI films dropped funding for the project, George remortgaged his home and provided a few million of his own money for this great comedy to get made!!!
You’ll see his name in the opening credits and he’s got a very small feature too.
Years later, Eric Idle called it “the most anybody’s ever paid for a movie ticket”
When I saw this at the cinema and they started singing the end song I laughed until I cried and so did most of the audience. Every time I hear that song I sing and whistle along. I am going to go with some of the commenters and suggest History Of The World Part 1 by Mel Brooks.
Eric Idle performed 'Always look on the bright side of Life' at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics
I saw this in the theater in my teens and have always thought it to be one of the funniest movies ever made. My favorite part is the prisoner hanging on the wall. "I been here 5 years, they only hung me the right way up yesterday"
The look on your face when the spaceship came in had me rolling.
The last song is one of the most played at funerals over here in the UK! 😆 Monty Python got a lot of flack from religious figures who claimed that the film was blasphemous. They missed completely the point... 🤦🏾♀️
Love your reactions. Lots of Love from the UK -x-
There are those that believe 'that song' should be the British National Anthem. 😉
James, I'm not a patreon, but I always wished I could vote for you to watch Python Terry Gilliam's film 'The Fisher King' with Robin Williams. His performance for me tops Good Will Hunting by a mile. - And, it has one of THE most beautiful scenes in cinema ever, in Grand Central station.
Great choice! A group Cambridge and Oxford students using their intelligence to create the greatest comedy satire of its era that has stood the test of time! Love the Python team... But for his acting skills and versatility Michael Palin is my favourite.
In 1980 Swedish advertising for Monty Python's Life of Brian claimed: 'This film is so funny, it was banned in Norway'.
You can find two clips of Graham Chapman (Brian/King Arthur) funeral here on YT and, as weird as it may sound, I recommend watching the longer one. Out of the 6 of them he died young, in his 40s and the clip shows John Cleese (Reggie/Lancelot), Michael Palin (Roman Ruler/Galahad), and Eric Idle (Guy who starts singing/Political Peasant) do their parts of the funeral - Let’s say it’s quite Monty Python in nature.
For context the 6 would work in teams or solo and then join together to compare improve throw out, etc what they’d use in their sketch show; Eric wrote solo usually and came up with their songs. You should watch The Dead Parrot Sketch that Cleese and Chapman wrote together before the funeral clip.
Eric performed Always Look on the Bright Side for the funeral as he had sung it here for Chapman's Brian. It's became and continues to be one of the most popular funeral songs in the UK.
That bit about the dude wanting to have babies was not meant to be satire. It was pure absurdist humor at the time.
This is my favourite comedy, bar none. Classic scene after classic scene. Amazing quotes. On top of that though, it gets some really profound points across, and Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life is a brilliant song with a great message sung at the most hilariously inappropriate time. Perfection.
Always look on the bright side of life is one of the most played songs at funerals because of this movie.
You skipped the best line. When Brian is orating on the ledge and says "you are all individuals" and an extra ad libs the "I'm not." response. The Python crew thought is was so funny they left it in even though it meant paying the extra more and giving him a credit for having a speaking part in the film.
I can't decide if this or Holy Grail is my favourite Monty Python film, and I'm comfortable with that. Absolute brilliance all-around.
They both disparage organized religion, and I always enjoy that, especially with what's currently going on south of my (so far) comfy Canadian border.
"Always Look On The Bright Side of Life." was the morning inspiration song on my fav Philly rock station during the 70s.
The Bright side of life song is one of the most played songs at funerals in England (and large parts of Europe that grew up with python)
So happy you decided to watch more of their content :)
"You're all individuals!
Yes! We're all individuals!
You're all different!
Yes, we are all different!
I'm not..."
I love the moment "We found this" A spoon... And someone was hiding behind that spoon! XD
Check out Four Lions. Further down the line in the British comedy lineage, and one of the greatest satires of all time.
Sonia Jones, who sung the theme song, was 16 at the time of recording. Its regarded as the best Bond theme that never was.
The Biggus Dickus scene is funnier with the fact that the extras (soldiers) were told that if they laugh they won't get paid. Which is why they're trying so hard not to laugh.
I heard somewhere that the actors playing the guards in the bigus dickus scene didn’t know the script or what was coming but that they wouldn’t get payed if they laughed.
Really love this film. Saw it at a Screening with my Dad when I was a teenager. Terry Jones (RIP) did a QnA afterwards it was great.
No one’s ever ready for the alien scene. Same reaction every time 😂