Special Episode - Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)

The Partial Historians

We are in shock that it has taken us this long to cover the cult classic that is Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979). We have Rslaugesen over on Patreon to thank for pointing out this glaring oversight.

Once we got started, it was hard for us to stop talking about the Life of Brian. British comedy was a staple of our childhoods and Monty Python was one of our favourites. It was a treat to follow the development of this movie from Jesus Christ: Lust for Glory to a Sliding Doors-style story of Brian Cohen, born in the manger over from Christ.

Whilst Monty Python were probably trying to make a parody of 1970s Britain rather than a historically accurate portrait of first century CE Judea, we still found this film intriguing. From wolf’s nipples to imperialism, we take you through all the best Roman scenes… and perhaps a few non-Roman scenes as well. Who can resist talking about the Virgin Mandy?

Part of the appeal of Life of Brian is the fact that it is not afraid to make fun of the Romans (or anyone) and shows a much less glamorous side of the empire. Quite the contrast to the epics of the 1950s and 1960s.

Things to Look Out For

• Far too many ‘reenactments’ of our favourite moments
• The Biggus Dickus scene
• What Have the Romans Ever Done For Us? Not as much as this scene claims!
• The People’s Front of Judea in action!
• The famous BBC2 interview with John Cleese and Michael Palin
• The hilarious parody of the BBC2 interview on Not the Nine O’Clock News
• Dr G’s excitement upon spotting the frescoes from the Villa of the Mysteries

Comedies don’t always stand the test of time. We can spot some awkward moments in the film, but overall, we think Life of Brian stands the test of time. Forty-five years after it’s release, we would love to know whether you agree!

For full shownotes and transcript, head on over to our website: https://partialhistorians.com/2024/09/19/special-episode-monty-pythons-life-of-brian-1979/

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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