Monty Python returns to my list with their second entry on the list with this 1979 release. Released into criticism from the church this movie was not short of controversy even before it got started. The film came together with the support of EMI Films and just days before the production was due to begin EMI pulled out throwing the movie into chaos and facing closure before it had even began. A company called HandMade Films was launched to find the film, HandMade Films were the idea of George Harrison member of the Beatles. His money saved the movie and managed to get production back on track later than planned but up and running again. The production costs were $4m which was not a huge amount but it did manage to get a $20.7m return from the box-office. Which, literally has to be seen as a success, which may have been helped by the publicity given by the church complaining about the movie. This was produced by John Goldstone and directed by Pythons own Terry Jones. The entire comedy troop were given the writing credits and they all starred in it, including Jones himself. So, the formal list would read Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. There was a cameo from George Harrison himself as well. If the church didn't like it, it really didn't matter to the critics as IMDb gave this one a 8.1 out of 10 and Rotten Tomatoes loved it even more with a 95% score. Monty Python fans loved it many other people loved it and was well received everywhere that I know of.
The plot follows the life of a man called Brian Cohen who is born in a stable next door to the stable that Jesus was born in. Which initially confuses the three wise men who have come to praise the King of the Jews. Brian grows up into an idealistic young man who resents the Roman occupation. Whilst listening to the sermon on the Mount Brian becomes infatuated with a young lady called Judith who turns out to be a rebel and a member of the ‘People's Front of Judea’ [PFJ]. In an attempt to join the PFJ Brian is sent on tasks to prove his loyalty to the Group, one of which is to kidnap the wife of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. He is captured when the plan fails and has to escape when the guards are distracted. When escaping Brian interrupts a sermon being given and ends up replacing the man on the stage where he pretends to give a sermon to throw the Roman soldiers off the track. Ending the sermon halfway through to continue his escape he slowly gathers a group of people that deem him to be the Messiah who follow him and any action he does causes them to believe he's the Messiah more and more. From losing a shoe or stepping on the toes of a man who’s taken a vow of silence causing him to scream promoted his evidence of being the Messiah. The next day the whole town is out to show their devotion to the one true Messiah. His life mirrors that of Jesus and that is the reason for the church not being happy.
This is another plain and simple hysterically funny movie. It doesn't suffer with the film being dated as it's already set in 0AD with the Roman invasions and the Jews being oppressed. The fun is just almost straight from Monty Python it's not exclusively the same as the sketches this is probably one of the first where it's a straight film there is a story arc from beginning to end and unlike Monty Python there is an end as opposed to the movie just stopping. The humour lives beyond its years being created back in the 70s this is a religious farce and is funny with many different sections alongside the main story that are just funny. For example the penny for the ex-leper, the stoning sequence is hysterical, There's a random section where Brian is whisked off in a UFO around the world before crash landing back in the same town which has no relevance to anything and to me is but it is pointless but I know people that love it so it's just Monty Python it's Monty Python random. They did miss the target with sketches but they would hit, if not a bullseye every time but they would hit the mark and the mark being a funny bone and that made people laugh. If you like Monty Python you will love this film, if you like to poke fun at the church and the myths or stories within you will love this movie. If you want to switch your brain off and just enjoy funny, then you would like this movie, there are so many reasons to enjoy this movie and watch this movie. If you've never seen this movie you have missed out. You should see this even if it's just once because there is so many funny sequences all the way through and funny parts to the main story to compliment the funny story running through the middle of it. It is just off the wall, crazy silly humour. which just works. Go treat yourself.
To make the hat-trick of comedies we have three in a row with the meat of the sandwich being a Christmas comedy that I watch every year although the family may not bother with this one quite so much but I do without fail. I will have fun trying to unpick this movie as well as its more complicated than you may think.
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