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It's funny. Laugh. Media Movies

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life 915

Posted by michael from the people's-front-of-judea dept.
Dolemite_the_Wiz writes "The BBC reports that Monty Python's 'Life of Brian' will be re-released, with the remaining Python troupe's full support, in US theaters next month. The Film's Distributor, Rainbow Film Company are marketing the film as an alternative to all the hype that Mel Gibson's film 'The Passion of the Christ' has generated. Trailers for the Film will begin running in theaters on Good Friday. Wait until Biggus Dickus hears about this!"
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Always Look on the Bright Side of Life More

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

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  • what have the romans ever done for us?? (Score:5, Funny)

    by xao gypsie ( 641755 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:37AM (#8666703)
    .....They brought us the aqueducts....

  • A bomb? What are you giving him a bomb for? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by deman1985 ( 684265 ) <dedwards&kappastone,com> on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:38AM (#8666718) Homepage
    I never got the chance to see the movies on the big screen, so it will certainly be an interesting experience to have it in theaters again. I can only imagine the kind of crowds it will draw, though :)

  • I'm Not the Massiah, I'm Not the Massiah! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Yousef ( 66495 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:38AM (#8666719)
    "Only the Real Massiah would deny his divinity!"

    Gotta Love it!

  • Biggus Dickus... (Score:4, Informative)

    by SwansonMarpalum ( 521840 ) <redina.alum@rpi@edu> on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:39AM (#8666728) Homepage Journal
    ... can't hear about it because he's dead, you insensitive clod!

  • When it was originally released... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by rokzy ( 687636 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:39AM (#8666734)
    there was a heated debate on TV between Palin and some religious guy.

    Have religious people took the stick out their ass, or will there be more criticism?

    • Re:When it was originally released... (Score:5, Informative)

      by REBloomfield ( 550182 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:40AM (#8666754)
      "yes, i appreciate that you approached this with an open mind"

      best. quote. ever.

    • Re:When it was originally released... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by jwthompson2 ( 749521 ) * on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:42AM (#8666778) Homepage
      There will be lots of criticism from the likes of Pat Robertson and Falwell and the sort, but I, even as a southern baptist, appreciate this movie, considering it doesn't mock Christ as much as some might think...

      • Re:When it was originally released... (Score:5, Interesting)

        by Mateito ( 746185 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:55AM (#8666946) Homepage
        > considering it doesn't mock Christ as much as
        > some might think...

        With the exception of labelling Christ a "Bloody do-gooder", there is nothing againt him at all. He is shown first in the manger, then secondly giving the sermon on the mount.

        Who is does mock, however, are those factions within the church (and politics in general) who spend all their time bickering about inconsequencial differences rather than presenting a common front based on the 95% of their beliefs that co-incide.

        That's why some churches are dead against it.

        Still.. my favourite scene is the "romans go home" conjugation.
        • I think you and the other people who echo your sentiments are dead on to what 'Life of Brian' is really mocking. I would disagree on one issue:

          ... rather than presenting a common front based on the 95% of their beliefs that co-incide.

          As a southern baptist, and I include that mostly as a disclaimer, I would say there is a vast bit more difference than you imply. The issue of whether homosexuals, women and divorcees should be allowed and to what extent and in what roles they should be allowed to serve in

        • Re:When it was originally released... (Score:4, Interesting)

          by R.Caley ( 126968 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @12:00PM (#8667713)
          With the exception of labelling Christ a "Bloody do-gooder", there is nothing againt him at all.

          It amazed me at the time that there were so many supposed christians campagning against the most christian film I had ever seen. LoB manages to be very humane and also very positive towards christianity, not an easy combination to pull off.

          The big biblical epics took more liberties with christianity than LoB did (compressing events and so on). Things I have read about Gibson's film indicates he does too.

          I presume we are in for a good summer of weirdoes and loonies complaining about LoB and praising Gibson. I do home sometime I see one of these people pinned down and asked to name where exactly the pythons clash with scripture.

          Just because the gospels don't mention the space battle, that doesn't mean it didn't happen!

    • Re:When it was originally released... (Score:4, Interesting)

      by stevelinton ( 4044 ) <sal@dcs.st-and.ac.uk> on Thursday March 25, 2004 @11:05AM (#8667057) Homepage
      there was a heated debate on TV between Palin and some religious guy.


      Followed by a superb "Not the Nine O'Clock News" satirical sketch: a heated debate between a devoted follower of the Church of Python and a Bishop about "The General Synod's Life of Christ" -- an obvious parody of the life of our comic messiah John Cleese -- even the initials are the same!

      Does anyone have a transcript of this sketch?
    • the stick in the ass is a sacrament of all Christian faiths. When your head's in the water they shove it in.

  • Thoughts... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by jwthompson2 ( 749521 ) * on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:39AM (#8666737) Homepage
    Although I seriously doubt it will be as widely popular; I am am excited about seeing this on the big screen. Great movie, even if it could be considered sacrilege...

    • Re:Thoughts... (Score:3, Informative)

      by ZaMoose ( 24734 )
      Actually, if you've seen the interview/tribute that the remaining 5 Python's gave [imdb.com] at the Aspen Comedy Festival in 1998, you'd have heard the debate they had as to whether it was sacrilegious or "merely" heretical.

      They decided it was most definitely heretical, but not sacrilegious. I'd have to agree.

  • Cue 400 posts of everyone's favourite bits... (Score:5, Funny)

    by JosKarith ( 757063 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:41AM (#8666765)
    My personal favourite - Brian: "You are all individuals" Crowd: "We are all individuals my lord" Lone voice from the back: "No I'm not!"

  • Can't wait, seriously can't wait. (Score:4, Interesting)

    by The I Shing ( 700142 ) * on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:41AM (#8666769) Journal
    Every scene in that movie is hilarious, from the shopkeeper who refuses to sell a fake beard without haggling first, to the Roman guard who insists that grafitti in the Latin language be grammatically correct.

    I'm going to round up everyone I know who's never seen it and drag them to the cinema.

    • Re:Can't wait, seriously can't wait. (Score:5, Funny)

      by REBloomfield ( 550182 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:48AM (#8666851)
      CENTURION:
      What's this, then? 'Romanes Eunt Domus'? 'People called Romanes they go the house'?
      BRIAN:
      It-- it says, 'Romans, go home'.
      CENTURION:
      No, it doesn't. What's Latin for 'Roman'? Come on!
      BRIAN: Aah!
      CENTURION: Come on!
      BRIAN: 'R-- Romanus'?
      CENTURION: Goes like...?
      BRIAN: 'Annus'?
      CENTURION: Vocative plural of 'annus' is...?
      BRIAN: Eh. 'Anni'?
      CENTURION: 'Romani'. 'Eunt'? What is 'eunt'?
      BRIAN: 'Go'. Let--
      CENTURION: Conjugate the verb 'to go'.
      BRIAN: Uh. 'Ire'. Uh, 'eo'. 'Is'. 'It'. 'Imus'. 'Itis'. 'Eunt'.
      CENTURION: So 'eunt' is...?
      BRIAN: Ah, huh, third person plural, uh, present indicative. Uh, 'they go'.
      CENTURION: But 'Romans, go home' is an order, so you must use the...?
      BRIAN: The... imperative!
      CENTURION:
      Which is...?
      BRIAN:
      Umm! Oh. Oh. Um, 'i'. 'I'!
      CENTURION:
      How many Romans?
      BRIAN:
      Ah! 'I'-- Plural. Plural. 'Ite'. 'Ite'.
      CENTURION:
      'Ite'.
      BRIAN:
      Ah. Eh.
      CENTURION:
      'Domus'?
      BRIAN:
      Eh.
      CENTURION:
      Nominative?
      BRIAN:
      Oh.
      CENTURION:
      'Go home'? This is motion towards. Isn't it, boy?
      BRIAN:
      Ah. Ah, dative, sir! Ahh! No, not dative! Not the dative, sir! No! Ah! Oh, the... accusative! Accusative! Ah! 'Domum', sir! 'Ad domum'! Ah! Oooh! Ah!
      CENTURION:
      Except that 'domus' takes the...?
      BRIAN:
      The locative, sir!
      CENTURION:
      Which is...?!
      BRIAN:
      'Domum'.
      CENTURION:
      'Domum'.
      BRIAN:
      Aaah! Ah.
      CENTURION:
      'Um'. Understand?
      BRIAN:
      Yes, sir.
      CENTURION:
      Now, write it out a hundred times.
      BRIAN:
      Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Hail Caesar, sir.
      CENTURION:
      Hail Caesar. If it's not done by sunrise, I'll cut your balls off.

      Your comment violated the "postercomment" compression filter. Try less whitespace and/or less repetition. Comment aborted.
      stupid lamesness filter.grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  • Can...not ....resist.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by kindbud ( 90044 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:42AM (#8666775) Homepage
    We-wewease Bwian!!

  • one of the best lines ever written.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by corporatewhore ( 308338 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:42AM (#8666781)
    is when John Cleese asks "How shall we f*ck off, Oh Lord ?"
    Serioulsy, this one line and its context says more about religion turning into dogma than anything else I can think of...

  • Monty Python (Score:5, Insightful)

    by eXtro ( 258933 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:43AM (#8666799) Homepage
    have always been the masters of irreverence. The silly and sometimes seemingly lame sketches have always just been a veneer over them thumbing their noses at God, Queen and Country, bureaucracy, castes and whatever else they thought deserved a bit of a dressing down. Satire was their means of writing an indignant letter to the editor.

    I know in Canada This Hour has 22 Minutes fills a similar role, what American comedy troups or performers do this in the U.S.?

    • Re:Monty Python (Score:3, Informative)

      by Atzanteol ( 99067 )
      We have Saturday Night Live, but it's gotten rotten over the years.

      I can't believe as a Canadian you left out the Kids in the Halls though! Fantastic show if there ever was one. Never heard of This Hour has 22 Minutes...

    • Re:Monty Python (Score:5, Interesting)

      by pknoll ( 215959 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @11:00AM (#8667002)
      Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" is decent political satire. "Tough Crowd" also does a mix of political and social commentary, but for me is a bit hot and cold.

      Social satire prgramming includes (but is certainly not limited to) shows like "The Chappelle Show", "South Park", "The Simpsons" (which is still one of the most subtle), and when it was still airing, "Futurama". It's interesting how many of these kinds of programs are animated. Is it easier to speak dangerous words when your face isn't on the screen?

      • Re:Monty Python (Score:5, Interesting)

        by Jerf ( 17166 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @11:14AM (#8667170) Journal
        It's interesting how many of these kinds of programs are animated. Is it easier to speak dangerous words when your face isn't on the screen?

        It's more flexible, which the satire can take advantage of to the hilt. On one of the Family Guy DVD commentaries, they observed how impossible the show would have been in live action, prompted by the show where Peter goes from fat slob, to thin slob, to thin, buff man, back to fat man in the course of half an hour. (Obviously you can fatten up an actor artificially, but the other direction is too violent to use for a TV show, and you certainly couldn't get them back to fat in one show's taping time.)

        Cartoon Nixon on Futurama is funnier then the real thing or an actor playing Nixon could ever have been. (On one of the Futurama commentaries, Matt Groening says when he was a kid he always dreamed of doing something to make fun of Nixon; he never dreamt how successful Nixon-mocking would be 25 years later... ;-) )

        Yes, I listen to the commentaries. Best part sometimes.

      • Re:Monty Python (Score:3, Interesting)

        by Imperator ( 17614 )
        The problem with Tough Crowd is that Quinn (a) isn't really all that funny; and (b) uses the show to argue a conservative point of view against his guests, who are typically much funnier and more liberal than him. The show can be funny when he lets his guests speak long enough to deliver their punchlines, but too often it's just him trying to make a point about something.

        I mean, it's obvious that Comedy Central wanted a show with a conservative bent to follow the generally liberal Daily Show. There's nothi

  • Grail schmail (Score:4, Insightful)

    by sketi ( 764664 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:44AM (#8666811)
    Call me flamebait, but I always thought Life of Brian was the Pythons' best work. Highly underrated, IMO.

  • I know this isn't Fark but.... (Score:3, Funny)

    by bloggins02 ( 468782 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:48AM (#8666861)
    ... SUMMON BEVETS!

  • Aliens (Score:3, Funny)

    by Decaff ( 42676 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:49AM (#8666869)
    The film includes a brief alien abduction, which should mean its even more suited to the good old USA that it was when first released. Religion and Aliens - should appeal to virtually everyone there.

  • People called Roman, they go towards the house? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Thedalek ( 473015 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:49AM (#8666873)
    As a thinking Christian (Yes, such can and do exist), I never really had a problem with Life of Brian. It contains nothing which denies or detracts from the life and acts of Jesus, and accurately portrays the unthinking masses in a clever and thought provoking way.

    Really, the whole point of the film is that an awful lot of people believe things without fully thinking them through.

  • Shoe or gourd? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Junior J. Junior III ( 192702 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:50AM (#8666888) Homepage
    I'm so confused, with all these movies about Christ that are out now, should I be following the shoe? Or the gourd?

  • Blessed are the Slashdotters (Score:4, Interesting)

    by HarveyBirdman ( 627248 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:54AM (#8666929) Journal
    marketing the film as an alternative to all the hype that Mel Gibson's film 'The Passion of the Christ' has generated.

    The thumpers finally get a film and someone has to get all opposition-like. Sheesh. Let the fairy-tale sucklers have their little MOOvie.

    ObBrian: The graffiti scene is one of the greatest scenes ever filmed in movie history.

    "People called Romanes they go the house?" :-)

    Would a Hollywood film ever have fun with Latin?

    No. In the Hollywood version, they'd have to have to words "bitch" and "ass" in the scene 50 times, and there would be at least one fart.

  • Or trying to cash in on. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by LWATCDR ( 28044 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:54AM (#8666934) Homepage Journal
    "are marketing the film as an alternative to all the hype that Mel Gibson's film 'The Passion of the Christ' has generated."
    Or as a way to cash in on all the hype of 'The Passion of the Christ'. Frankly I have to say that I respect Mel Gibson for getting this movie made when no one else would but the after effect marketing, the passion of the christ pins at Books a Million, and now this is just too much. I find it sad the Monty Python would try and cash in like this. I am even a Python fan but this is just sad.

    • I find it sad the Monty Python would try and cash in like this.

      Good thing you never saw the "Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python" show when it was on tour a few years ago. Or Idle's more recent Greedy Bastard Tour. [pythonline.com]

    • I think it's legit (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Sycraft-fu ( 314770 )
      Regardless of how good or bad the Passion is, the churchies are going quite nuts over it. There are groups doing drives to raise money to buy tickets and to try and convince people to go. That is just silly. They aren't liking it because it's a good movie, they like it because it's about Jesus and so they feel they are SUPPOSED to like it.

      Well, this is a poke back at that. I mean people (probably the same people doing the Passion drives) just VILLIFIED The Life of Brian when it came out because it dared to

  • Just read it (Score:3, Informative)

    by tmk ( 712144 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @10:54AM (#8666937)
    For those who cannot see it on the big screen:

    http://bau2.uibk.ac.at/sg/python/Scripts/LifeOfB ri an/brian.htm

  • An OOP question (Score:5, Funny)

    by los furtive ( 232491 ) <ChrisLamothe@NOSPam.gmail.com> on Thursday March 25, 2004 @11:04AM (#8667047) Homepage
    Did Jesus extend God, or did he just implement a Goldlike interface?

    • Re:An OOP question (Score:5, Funny)

      by pleumann ( 219030 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @12:10PM (#8667847)
      He can't be a descendant. God implements the Singleton pattern to ensure there are no duplicates of him. Since Singleton, if properly implemented (and I think we can surely assume that God's implementations are always flawless), also extends to subclasses, there could be no instance of Jesus, even if the class were declarable. So it may be best to assume that God is also a final class.



      I'd say Jesus uses the Proxy pattern to give people some sort of limited access to God by delegation. You could also see him as the stub object used to invoke a remote procedure call on God. Despite the seemingly matching name, Jesus does not implement the Visitor pattern. See the GOF book.



      Note that, even without Jesus, you can always initiate a client-server-communication with God bthrough a special form of message passing called "praying". Fun is, most people never get an acknowledge for the messages they've send, let alone a response.



      Very rarely people get messages from God without sending Him a message first. To do this, you need to implement the Prophet interface and register with God as an Observer.

    • Re:An OOP question (Score:3, Interesting)

      by infinite9 ( 319274 )
      Get your theology straight! God uses multiple inhieritance to bring together the father, the son, and the holy spirit!

  • Antisemitism complaints? (Score:4, Funny)

    by WormholeFiend ( 674934 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @11:09AM (#8667108)
    Monty Python's 'Life of Bwian' elicits stwong weaction

    By: Incontinentia Buttox, Staff Wepowtew

    Monty Python's 'Life of Bwian' gwossed ovew $117 million thwough its fiwst weekend.

    Thewe's talk of Oscaw nominations. Many Chwistians say the film moved them to teaws. But of the welatively few Cleveland Jews the JPPF found who have seen the movie, most wewe distuwbed by what twanspiwed on the scween.

    "It's a hawd movie to watch," says Wob Zimmewman, co-chaiw of the Judean Populaw People's Fwont of the Jewish Community Fedewation of Cleveland. "It's essentially two houws of Bwian being mistaken for the weal Jesus being stwuck vewy woughly and cwucified." Because of the gwaphic silliness, he is not wecommending that Jews ow anyone else go see "The Life."

  • My kids... (Score:4, Funny)

    by trentfoley ( 226635 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @11:12AM (#8667136) Homepage Journal
    I have two boys, 9 and 6, that stumbled across my old Monty Python videotapes. I played "Holy Grail" for them and they were in stitches. I played "Life of Brian", and not suprisingly, the more sophisticated content was so over their heads that they didn't enjoy it. I played "Meaning of Life" and they were just plain confused, but laughing.

    Maybe after a few more years of Catholic school, my sons will appreciate the brilliance of "Life of Brian". For now, "Holy Grail" is the hit.

    The last time we watched it, my 9 year old son answered the question, "What is the capital of Assyria?". "Nineva, you dolt!" he exclaimed. He smiled and smugly looked up to me and said, "I googled it. I don't want to be blasted off of some bridge." That's my boy.

  • Why the flamebait headline michael? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by StandardCell ( 589682 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @11:32AM (#8667400)
    I hope you understand my real point in this headline instead of modding me down.

    Instead of letting Life of Brian stand on its own, you just have to draw the the comparison between the Passion and proudly declare the the seasonal alternative. If I didn't know better, your end statement seems to imply you feel very threatened by Passion and comforted by Life of Brian.

    Here's a small hint: live and let live. Nobody is forcing you to watch Passion. For a lot of geeks, the release of Passion would've been just as big a news item as this, but it has a snowball's chance on a blue star of having that happen. If you're not comfortable enough with your beliefs to let Life of Brian stand on its own, or feel that you need to try to counter or bring down the beliefs of others, then you need to address your own personal crisis without dragging all of Slashdot in with you.

    No matter what I believe, I recognize your right to believe whatever else you want. You should do the same. Just don't use Slashdot as your religious indoctrination platform. You'd be smart to leave those comments to the comments and not risk losing a small segment of readers who see the comment for what it is and threaten your ad revenue. Most of us don't go around trumpeting our religious beliefs at work, so don't do it here.
    • If you RTFA or even RTFP, you'll see that the Python crew and Rainbow Films are marketing it as an alternative to Passion. Passion is the very reason they're re-releasing it now. It's satire, social commentary, it's the very foundation of Monty Python.

  • Free (as in beer) slogan suggestion.. (Score:3, Funny)

    by McNally ( 105243 ) <mmcnally@gmail . c om> on Thursday March 25, 2004 @01:42PM (#8669201) Homepage
    Free slogan suggestion for the distributors:
    "If you see only one crucifixion movie this year.."

  • Now, a spoof of Islam (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Animats ( 122034 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @02:16PM (#8669693) Homepage
    We need a good spoof of Islam, to be beamed at the Islamic world. They need to lighten up.

    Mohammed's life makes a great comedy. He married an older women for money. He became a used camel dealer. He had a favorite slave girl, Zaid. Then he went into religion around age 40. For years, he was considered a nutcase. Somehow, he and his followers managed to take over Medina, after which he started invading and conquering neighboring countries.

    Visualize the Python version of that. It would drive the Islamic world nuts. But it would be worth it. Make sure it gets on satellite TV and file-sharing networks, so Arab kids see it. In most of the Islamic world, kids are forced to OD on religion, because the religious types run the schools. It's like the Dark Ages in Europe.

    The last major film about Islam, Mohammed, Messenger of God [imdb.com], was way too respectful. It doesn't even show the face of Mohammed (played by Anthony Quinn), to respect Islamic tradition. The Saudis use it as a training film. It was pulled from US theaters in 1976 after threats from people we'd today call terrorists. Today, the US wouldn't back down.

    • Get some of the facts straight first... (Score:5, Informative)

      by denzo ( 113290 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @03:45PM (#8671002)
      then you can make a parody. ;)

      1) Zaid was his adopted son (and one of his most devoted followers), not a slave girl.

      2) They did not take over Medina, but were invited to move there to escape the persecution of the Kuraish aristocrats who were in control of Mecca. The two major Jewish tribes of Medina were particularly interested in Mohammed (PBUH) to help mediate their disagreements. Sure, he kicked a bunch of them out of Medina after they conspired against him, but that's a different story.

      3) Anthony Quinn played the role of Hamzah "Lion of the Desert", Mohammed's uncle who converted to Islam. BTW, it not only doesn't portray Mohammed on the screen, but other important figures such as his best friend Abu Bakr, and his cousin Ali (to be the first and second Caliphs of Islam, respectively, after Mohammad's death). This belief also extends to all of the other Prophets, including Jesus and Moses. I don't believe this effect detracts at all from the film, on the contrary, I believe the film actually works better this way.

      4) The movie's title is actually "The Message". It's not only on the cover of the video in English, but also the Arabic "Ar-risallah" written on a flag in the artwork. Sidepoint: this movie was filmed both in English and Arabic separately, with different actors for each language (both with an impressive cast billing for their respective audience). I wish they released both versions on the DVD instead of just English.

      5) As far as I know, "The Message" was banned in various Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. I don't know if this still is the case. Despite its carefulness in respecting beliefs of the most conservative Muslims, it apparantly wasn't enough.

  • Apologies to the Daily Show... (Score:5, Funny)

    by GPLDAN ( 732269 ) on Thursday March 25, 2004 @02:43PM (#8670057)
    Jon Stewart's joke from the Daily Show...

    "So, this week's box office reciepts show that 'Dawn of the Dead' has unseated 'Passion of the Christ' as the #1 movie in America. Lesson? One person rising from the dead...good. Lots of people rising from the dead...better."

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