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Monty Python's Life of Brian - Criterion Collection

Monty Python's Life of Brian - Criterion Collection

List Price: $39.95
Your Price: $31.96
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fabulous Extras
Review: If you've made it this far, you're likely a sincere Python fan. If so, GET THIS DVD. The bonus materials are absolutely superb. One of the best special edition DVD's ever made in any genre.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Outstandingly sacrilegious
Review: It is odd to see Christians and such bend over backwards to accomodate this movie to their belief systems. The simple fact is that it as an incredibly intelligent and amusing poke in the eye to any form of organized religion, or indeed anything that seeks to prevent people from thinking for themselves. From the automatonic stoning hordes to the bizarre suicide rescue squad, this film perfectly encapsulates what goes wrong when self-determination is a non-factor.
So go ahead. Tie yourself in knots to explain how this movie accurately states the parables of Christ and all that dreck: it only does so inasmuch as is compatible with being a good human being. Alas, that is not much when your starting material is the bible. Fortunately the film escapes into the deeper realms of human absurdity, that somehow makes the three wise men kncoking over an old lady a profoundly hilarious thing. Seen the Quest for the Holy Grail? It pales in comparison to this movie...enjoy!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Are there any Women here today?
Review: Probably not. Python doesn't seem to be especially popular with women 18-49, but it's their loss. If you're a geek you already own this. If you're not a geek then go back to your retail job.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Doesn't insult Christ but attacks your funny bone and wins!
Review: To say a Monty Python movie is funny is like saying grass is green. It is about as redundant as it gets. This movie however adds so much social commentary and such hilarious items (Brian's Latin Lession for one.) that one can't help but celebrate it.

When this movie was released there was a bit of a hue and cry about it being sacreligious. As a practicing Roman Catholic I catagorically say it is not. In fact the two spots where Christ is refered to are actually a very good allegory on two gospel messages (eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear) and of gratitude (were not all 10 made whole? Where are the other nine.) No where in the movie does the picture insult Christian belief or Christianity. This is actually a bit odd as Python has always been an equal oppertunity offender.

We see classic lines and commentary from the list produced in answering the question: "What did the Roman's ever do for us?" To Elmer Fudd's cousin Pilate. Terry Gilliam manages to get an unforgetable animation scene that will catch you off guard, not easy in a Python movie.

John Cleese said the theme of the movie is "Think for yourself." This movie delivers the message with plenty of humor and without insulting Christ.

All in all a fantastic movie. Only the greatness of the Holy Grail keeps it from being the best of the Python movies.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: For customers from Europe only: regcode 2 also ok!
Review: In contradiction to what the technical description says: this
DVD can also be played on region 2 players - i.e. it holds
either both, region code 1 AND 2, or no code at all (0).
Of course your player will create a NTSC signal, but if your TV
is not way too old, it will be able to handle that. Alternatively
practically all players allow you to chose the output signal
format, so in any case you should be fine.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: More Python
Review: Monty Python is ALWAYS funny. No matter what you see, Monty Python means funny. If it says Monty Python, or even Middgey Pit-on, just buy it. It's hillarious.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: My mother once called me a heathen
Review: M.P. pulls it off! There should be more of this type of movie out there for the masses to viddy. How shall I f.o., my lord?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: He's Not The Messiah - He's A Very Naughty Boy
Review: What kind of DVD release do you give the funniest film from the funniest comedy group of all time. This brand spanking release, that's what. The Criterian Collection has always been a bastian of quality, but this is one of their best. The extras are magnificant. Having been a long time Python fanatic, i thought there wasn't much i hadn't seen. The deleted scenes are fantastic, (particularly the shepards), but i had seen them before. Best on this release are the British radio spots, (very, very funny) and the wonderful 1979 BBC documentary, "the Pythons" filmed on location in Tunisia during the making of Brian. The Python's talk candidly about themselves and each other and there is some sharp, witty, banter.
No good having good extras if the films not up to much, i hear you cry! Well, rest assured, in Brian you have one of, if not the greatest comedies of all time.
It is not, as many would believe, an attack on Christ. He appears in two scenes (obviously, not the real one) but is merely peripheral. The closest to the bone this gets is with an ex-leper who claims his begging trade has been damaged since Christ cured him. Hardly extreme blasphemy, is it?
No, this film is an attack on blind faith, the willingness for people to just follow anybody who says they're the messiah and not think for themselves, and the dangers that follow. Brian (Graham Chapman) is an ordinary man who is mistakenly believed to be the messiah and is mobbed by fickle worshippers. If one scene sums up the entire film it is when Brian's followers are arguing over what Brian's "sign" is. Some believe he wants them to take off one of their shoes, like he has done, the other thinks that it means they should gather shoes as a form of worship. In reality, Brian has only lost his shoes through running away from them. This demonstrates how uneducated faith can lead to unwise choices, and arguments among society. Religion, though able to be a power for good, can rip people apart if they do not consider carefully.
It may seem like a deep message, but don't let that put you off. Brian is full of side splitting moments, and as a film is a lot more satisfactory than it's predeccessor "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." The stoning scene, Pilates address to the people of Rome, what have the Romans ever done for us? These scenes are all classics but there are many more. Please, i urge you, buy this. Your life won't be complete without it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie on a great DVD
Review: Life of Brian is a great movie. It can be viewed as just a funny movie, but for those of us who like some depth there is also a message (namely what idiots humans can be).
But what makes this a great DVD are the extras. Two (that is 2) commentaries, deleted scenes (with commentary (just one though)) and a documentary made during the making of LoB. All of these are a joy to watch/listen to. Most of the commentaries are the pythons reminiscing and telling stories which in my opinion make the best commentaries. In a word: yummy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A real movie!!!!!!!!!
Review: I have been hooked on Monty Python since I was young. It seems that eveyone knows of the mainstream movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" but very few people know that Monty Python used to be a popular british television series. The Life of Brian is a great movie. Being the Python troops second movie it is more complete and edited a lot better than the sketch type format of "Holy Grail". Some may not find this movie as slapstick hilarious as "Holy Grail" but instead one must pay more attention to the suddle comedy and satirity that it presents.


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