Batty Brian: The Brilliance of Absurdity, Surrealism, and Real-World Ideas in Monty Python's Life of Brian

Monty Python are regarded far and wide as one of the great, if not the single greatest comedy groups on the planet, with their films and television works often ranked as some of the greatest works of humor in media today. Throughout their tenure, the group was known for their somewhat backwards form of contemporary commentary, one of their most famous being the classic “Ministry of Silly Walks” skit from Monty Python’s Flying Circus. However, in some cases, their commentary and parody aren’t subtle at all, but rather totally obvious, and such is the case with their 1979 classic film Monty Python’s Life of Brian. The movie follows the life and times of a man named Brian Cohen, who just so happens to be born at the same time and in the stable right next to Jesus, and who’s life follows a series of events that coincide with those of the Christian Messiah. The area of Judea Brain is seen to live in is portrayed as an anarchy-ridden land, filled with fractured independence movements which he finds himself caught up in, masses of people looking to find a new religious leader, and all of it is ruled over by a governor with a crippling speech impediment. Indeed, Life of Brian is a movie that takes satire to an extreme, with its emphasis on over-the-top situations and surreal images. In addition, the film also brings real ideas and powerful themes to the table. Despite its many pluses, the movie came under significant scrutiny when it was released due to complaints of religious blasphemy, but these release issues have only given the film even more notoriety today. On this blog, I will explain why Life of Brain is an incredibly enduring comedy, why some of its best jokes work, how it uses Monty Python’s classic surrealism to its advantage, why the movie is so poignant, and why its controversy has only added to the allure of the film.