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Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

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!"

24 of 915 comments (clear)

  1. Biggus Dickus... by SwansonMarpalum · · Score: 3, Informative

    ... can't hear about it because he's dead, you insensitive clod!

    --
    "Give away the stone, let the oceans take and transmutate this cold and faded anchor." - Maynard James Keenan
  2. Re:When it was originally released... by REBloomfield · · Score: 4, Informative
    "yes, i appreciate that you approached this with an open mind"

    best. quote. ever.

  3. Re:Monty Python by Atzanteol · · Score: 2, Informative

    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...

    --
    "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"

    - Charles Darwin
  4. Just read it by tmk · · Score: 3, Informative

    For those who cannot see it on the big screen:

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

  5. Re:When it was originally released... by vidarh · · Score: 2, Informative

    Uhm. It wouldn't have been hard to find someone to debate heatedly with. In Norway, Life of Brian was initially banned from cinemas under a rarely used paragraphy in Norwegian law banning blasphemy. I believe it was the last time the paragraph (which still stands, btw.) has been used.

  6. Re:When it was originally released... by PGillingwater · · Score: 5, Informative

    There were two "religious guys" -- the Anglican Bishop and Southwark and a well-known religious commentator, Malcolm Muggeridge.

    Note that the movie was originally funded in part by George Harrison -- good friend of Eric Idle, who stepped in when the original backers, EMI, pulled out.

    --
    Paul Gillingwater
    MBA, CISSP, CISM
  7. Re:Thoughts... by ZaMoose · · Score: 2, Informative

    Actually, if you've seen the interview/tribute that the remaining 5 Python's gave 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.

    --
    I wish I had a kryptonite cross, because then you could keep Dracula and Superman away.
  8. Re:What about the Norwegians? by fluoronaut · · Score: 4, Informative
    According to this page (scroll about two thirds of the way down):
    This film was initially banned in Norway for blasphemy. It wasn't released there until 1980. Subsequently, it has been marketed in Sweden as "The film that is so funny that it was banned in Norway!"
    --
    Never buy a dwarf with learning difficulties. It's not big and it's not clever.
  9. Re:When it was originally released... by stevelinton · · Score: 2, Informative

    There's a "Best of Not the Nine O'Clock News" video released.

  10. Re:What have the Americans done for us ? by perly-king-69 · · Score: 4, Informative
    Electricity - Gray in the early 1700s?

    Telephone - Either Bell (British) or Meuci (Italian)

    Automobile - Karl Benz (German)

    High rise building - Quite tall, no?

    --

    --
    This sig is inoffensive.

  11. Re:When it was originally released... by sugar+and+acid · · Score: 3, Informative

    >atheism is not a religion. there are many types of atheism, >but basically it's about not *believing* in God, NOT >believing there isn't a God. there is a difference.

    Nope, Atheist are more anti-god, stating firmly that god doesn't exist. Agnostics take the view that there is no good evidence that god exists, then again there is evidence that he doesn't but we tend to lean towards no god, this is your erroneous description of an atheist. So Agnostics take the view that there is no compelling reason to get on either side of this debate, just don't bug me about it unless you can prove without a doubt your position. To put my position another way, agnostics don't want to spend the time and energy on a stupid fight over a stupid point, believe what you want and stay out of my face and we can all be happy. This still includes opposing religion in school and government and other inappropriate venues. Atheist are more annoyed by the existence of religion at all and actively fight against it.

    An observation I have made is atheist tend to be from religious backgrounds, and often the only way to move away from that is a complete, and nearly violent rejection of religion. Fighting the strong religious influence with a similarly strong rejection of god at some point in their life.

  12. Re:Why the flamebait headline michael? by nukem1999 · · Score: 2, Informative

    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.

  13. Re:what have the romans ever done for us?? by Slurms · · Score: 2, Informative

    This is not quite true.

    See Snopes:
    http://www.snopes.com/history/american/gauge.htm

    --

    -----
    Pretty Bad Privacy (PBP) Public Key
    6
  14. Dear Jesus-Freak by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Thank you for quoting the Bible, and letting us know that we must follow what God says.

    I will add this to my list of things God has also said in the bible, which we must obey, lest we burn in the fires of hell.

    A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5)

    "B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines in addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)

    "C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21)

    "D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30)

    "E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)

    "F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)

    "G. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36)

  15. Re:Good idea !!! by The+Infamous+Grimace · · Score: 4, Informative

    Please try to bear in mind that the Bible is a translation from a dead language of mans interpretation of the word of God.

    Don't do what the Bible says. Don't necessarily believe what it claims Jesus said. Rather, try to live your life as the man lived his; with understanding and compassion for others (he spent a lot of time with prostitutes, thieves, lepers, etc), with respect for those of different faiths than his (remember, he was a Jew) and above all the knowledge that you don't have the right or authority to judge anyone, for only the Lord knows what's in your heart.

    (tig)

    --
    Ignorance and prejudice and fear
    Walk hand in hand
  16. Re:what have the romans ever done for us?? by superyooser · · Score: 2, Informative
    its not like the entire flood story was a rip of the Gilgamesh legend.

    The Gilgamesh Epic and the Bible

    The Flood of Noah and the Flood of Gilgamesh

  17. Last temptation of Christ by gte910h · · Score: 2, Informative

    ...was what I watched last night. It has Willem DeFoe (think Inspector from Boondock Saints) as Jesus and Harvey Keitel (think the Wolf from Pulp Fiction) as a good Judas.

    So completely a better movie than the passion, and also, the other roles these actors have played just made it funny as well.

    --
    Want to see every step I took to start my company? http://www.rowdylabs.com/blogs/pitchtothegods
  18. Re:What have the Americans done for us ? by RLW · · Score: 2, Informative

    Giving Gray credit where credit is due but he was neither the first discover electricity nor did he make electricity assessable to society. For that the prize goes to Eddison.
    Brief history of electricity

    Bell is indeed Scottish. His patent applications for the telephone are filed first in the US. Also it is AT&T thatmakes the telephone ubiquitous.

    Nicolaus August Otto invented the gas motor engine in 1876. It was Ford who gave the auto to everyone.

    As for pyramids, well they are tall. They also have neat stuff inside. They are also 99.99 etc. percent stone. Hardly qualifies as a high rise building.

    I'm not saying that America is perfect or for every one or is the only contributor to knowledge but I am stating this: It is the American sense of entrepreneurship, ownership and freedom that makes so many great things possible. After The US has been around long enough to grow it's own inventors then the list provided is truly American. No other country in the history of civilization has advanced discovery, science and engineering like the US. period.

    Name any single country that has even come close. Just one.

  19. Re:What have the Americans done for us ? by AlistairGroves · · Score: 2, Informative

    It was Ford who gave the auto to everyone.

    That's a bit different to inventing the car though. Although he did invent something - the assembly line process.

  20. Re:It's amazing by quisph · · Score: 2, Informative
    It's an art film. It wasn't intended to be a mass market film.
    Opening weekend, $84 million? Opening on 3,000+ screens? I call bullshit.
  21. Get some of the facts straight first... by denzo · · Score: 4, Informative
    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.

    1. Re:Get some of the facts straight first... by Animats · · Score: 2, Informative
      1) Right. In Mohammed's later life, there was a scandal involving Zaynab, the wife of his adopted son Zaid. See sura 33:36-38.

      2) Yeah, they didn't take over Medina until later.

      3) I know that his face is never shown in the film. I thought that Anthony Qunnn was his voice, but apparently not.

      4) It was called "Mohammed, Messenger of God" in theatrical release.

      5) It's always been controversial, but it's really very respectful of Islam.

  22. Re:What have the Americans done for us ? by RLW · · Score: 2, Informative

    I stand corrected. I tented to make the original list include things that America made with in turn made America. With out Ford the auto would not have had the same impact. Until Ford the car was only owned the privileged class. He invented the assembly line but he also democratized the auto industry: virtually everyone my own one and therefore has input into car design by virtue of market demands.

  23. Message of The Passion by superyooser · · Score: 2, Informative
    1. I think it is Mel milking a certain group for all he can get from them. I think he is in it first and foremost for the money and the buzz.

    I think your cynicism is preventing you from getting the message of the movie. You only harm yourself by assuming negative motives for people who have provided something positive and helpful for you in your spiritual walk.

    2. Why? Why in the hell do we need hours of blood and gore.

    Because that's the way it happened. The Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 52:14 reads:

    Just as there were many who were appalled at him - his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness-
    Isaiah 53:5 says that "by his stripes ( Passion screen) we are healed." Just like in the movie - He was turned into a scourged piece of bloody meat almost not recognizable as human. The Romans didn't invent crucifixion, but they devised ways to inflict the maximum amount of pain.

    Why all the blood? Read Leviticus. Redemption is in the blood. Eternal life is in the blood. Read John 6. It is the blood of the New Covenant. We drink the Christ's blood (symbolically) when we observe the Lord's Supper. For me, the blood in The Passion is not gross. It's uplifting. I feel extreme gratitude and joy.

    I don't think it sends any kind of message that would help us to live better lives and be better to each other.

    The Palm Beach Post reported on March 18 that a man robbed a bank of $25,000 more than two years ago in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He surrendered because "he was stirred deeply after watching The Passion of the Christ and felt compelled to come clean." "He said, 'I saw The Passion, and that made my decision,'" said Paul Miller, a spokesman for the sheriff's office. "And he sort of urged [the detective] to see the movie too."

    We are a visual generation. We watch TV and movies more than we read books. Putting the passion of the gospels into visual format makes it real to us. Do you think that reading about the 9/11 explosions of the World Trade Center would have evoked the same level of shock and awe as reading "there was an explosion" in a newspaper's black ink? Seeing the Passion forces us to come face to face with our sin and God's response of grace. The experience makes us sad that God had to send His Son to suffer and die because of us, the viewers. It prods us to repent, and when we repent, we live better lives. We regret how much we grieve Him by not loving Him with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind and not loving our neighbors as ourselves.

    Which is really what the whole message of Jesus is about.

    That's what the whole movie was about. From beginning to end, there was evil and brutality, but it was within the context of an act of love and sacrifice. The sacrifice was on behalf of sin just such as was committed in torturing this innocent Jew and Messiah. His sacrifice was the greatest act of love in all of history. And it was done on your behalf, and mine. The Lord Jesus Christ paid the enormous ransom for our sin that only He could pay, thereby saving us from the torment of hell, and that is what Mel Gibson's movie is all about.