Monty Python At 50 - Monty Python’s Life Of Brian

OK, so this one is a bit of a cheat if we’re talking about the BFI season. Yes, they did show it as part of the season but no, I didn’t watch it there. Instead, I was lucky enough to nab the last remaining ticket (front row no less) for an anniversary screening at the Picturehouse earlier year. For while it may be the 50th anniversary overall of Monty Python, it's also the 40th anniversary of Life Of Brian specifically. I’m going to include it here as a) I saw it at the cinema and b) it was followed by a Q&A with Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam (hosted by David Baddiel) so I feel like it fits in here.

Monty Python’s Life Of Brian
Dir. Terry Jones / Dur. 93 mins

I genuinely waver sometimes between this and the Holy Grail as to which is my favourite of the Python films but I think that ultimately, I come down in favour of this one. While there is much to recommend Holy Grail, overall Brain just feels more satisfying. It’s not as if there’s a particularly strong narrative - it’s still largely a series of sketches strung together - but it at least an effective job of giving the illusion of a plot.

Given that this is a film that frequently hits the top of Best Comedy lists and has been picked over more than once over the last forty years, there’s unlikely to be much new that I can say about this. What I will say, though is that what struck me when watching it on the big screen for the first time was the secondary cast of repeated players which I hadn’t really picked up on that much before but was really brought to the fore on this viewing. Yes, of course you have Cleese, Chapman, Jones, Palin, Idle and Gilliam (quite a lot of Gilliam when you pay attention) all playing multiple roles but you’ve also got Gwen Taylor, Terence Bayler, Charles McKeown (future Gilliam script collaborator) and Neil Innes all playing multiple background and foreground roles as well. It’s a real ensemble piece and all the better for it.

Q&A
David Baddiel was on hand to question Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam who both seemed pleased that a forty year old film, mired in controversy at the time, was being well received. In fact, from some of the comments she was making, I gathered that the woman a few seats along from me was watching it for the first time and seemed to be enjoying herself (she was laughing at the funny bits so that’s probably a good sign.

Gilliam jokingly(ish) voiced his displeasure at being ousted from the director’s chair alongside Terry Jones on this one while Baddiel pointed out that he seemed to get his revenge with a number of scene-stealingly grotesque performances (namely the blood-and-thunder prophet and the insane prison guard). Somehow very sweetly enquired after the health of Terry Jones which Michael Palin seemed touched by (even though it was somewhat heartbreaking to hear that Jones is no longer capable of much speech due to his condition). All in all, though, it was a celebratory night and, for me, a pleasure to see a film I know so well on the big screen for the first time.

Alright, back to the actual BFI tomorrow.