Mum's Monday Monty Python Life of Brian

 

Monty Python Life of Brian

This film starts off with two boys born on the same day, one is Jesus (played in the film by Kenneth Colley) and the other is Brian Cohan (Graham Chapman). We all know the story of Jesus but this is about Brian’s life at the same time.

People thought when it came out it was a controversial film, making a mockery of Jesus, but to reinforce the point that it isn’t and to help the Monty Python case, I have since found out and researched that Anne Frank the war time Jewish diarist and the ‘I have a Dream’ speech maker, Martin Luther King was born in the same year 1929, proving that 2 people can be born close together and lead very different lives. No one would say these 2 people I have referred to were one of the same person. As in the film 2 different people, as is also proven in the first fifteen minutes of this film and in the title of it.

We see however, all the elements that were around at the time Jesus lived, and it would be safe to say, they wouldn’t have just affected Jesus’s life, but everyone’s as things affect people today, not just one person.

At the beginning of this film there is the first of many amusing parts ‘3 wise men’ are not so wise they visit the wrong baby.

Now years later, after a speech from Jesus and an eventful outcome we see Brian and his mum, Mandy Cohan (Terry Jones), (sorry dad) at a stoning of a local who is being accused of blasphemy. It is sad to see that liking a fish can get you into trouble, and it is hard to see how it could possibly get any worse in this well scripted and another amusing part.

This film highlights how the Roman’s came and made changes wherever they went. We hear about the events in the arenas of the time that took place, but in this film we get an insight into the possible reality of it all.

It is amusing to see Stan (Eric Idle) and the reason he wants to be known as Loretta. This is cleverly scripted as he can have the right to have babies even if he cannot physical have them. We see another insight to how people at the time are in touch with the reality of it all or you have lost touch with the truth of it all.

After a spelling and grammar lesson Brian finds himself in trouble, writing lines.

This film makes you also think, the Romans came and seems to have taken over, this hasn’t gone down well with the locals and they want them to go home, but if you think of the legacy we see even now in modern times, they left in the places they went, they were not as bad as the People’s Front of Judea (PFJ) in the film, thought they were.

A subtle part where a well place sewer cover makes for a little amusing snippet of a scene.

Another clever and amusing part that is well scripted is when Brian meets Julius Caesar (Michael Palin) for the first time.

A part which at first and so forth seemed and could be seen as ridicules on the face of it, is the aliens in their space craft; they could have just put it in, so we the viewer wouldn’t lose sight of the fact it was a Monty Python film after all, and to keep a sense of themselves within it.

This shows the Romans were not very good at the game ‘Hide and Seek’ and Brian is sorry, so that is ok then or not as the case may be.

When Jesus gives his speeches and people listen and take notice it is inevitable that other people would want to be looked up to just as Jesus is, so it is not a surprise to see a few people speaking in public trying to capture people’s attention in the same way as Jesus does. We see the same thing in modern times, so this is not a stretch to think it may have happened in the same way back then.

Brian however, finds himself part of the speaking community by accident and it is annoying to watch, not for what he is saying or the nature of the film, but because it is scripted that he is miss understood and the public won’t let him get his point across. I really feel for Brian in this part but I fear he is fighting a losing battle trying to get his, somewhat good points across.

Things turn to a dramatic level and he finds himself being followed and performing an unexpected miracle, or did he? I also feel sorry for the man who hasn’t spoken for 18 years and why should he keep quiet now? The answer, for Brian’s sake.

The miracles keep coming and Brian is at a loss either way, and just when we think everyone has been shocked into silence an amusing question is asked as a result.

We now see that Brian is no more at a loss and he really ought to put clothes on and yes Brian what have you been up to? And hello Judith (Sue Jones-Davies). His mum Mandy is not amused until flattery works and she lets Brian speak to the crowd. He again makes some good points, but sadly no one is understanding and there are also questions you shouldn’t ask a mother. This is amusing though and cleverly done with all the crowd talking in unison.

Chaos ensues until the Romans catch up with Brian, and now Judith is telling Reg (John Cleese) that something is actually happening so what is Reg to do, sit, talk about it and vote about discussing it, I really feel for Judith.

It is clever and well scripted 2 people with speech impediments are used well and is funny for everyone, now luckily there is a Brian, but now everyone seems to be ‘I’m Brian’ and even his wife. Oh well you could always look on the ‘Bright Side of Life’ sung by Eric Idle and cast.

Well done Monty Python.

Thank you for reading

Sandra