Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
95%RT Audience Score: 93%
Awards & Nominations: Top rated movie #239
See the Top 250 movies as rated by IMDb users
One of the more cutting-edge films of the 1970s, this religious farce from the classic comedy troupe is as poignant as it is funny and satirical.
Life of Brian is the holy grail of religious satire, and it’s no wonder why it’s regularly voted the funniest British film. The Monty Python crew’s wacky and imaginative humor is on full display as they take us on a hilarious journey through ancient times. Brian’s life may be pure hell, but it’s very funny to watch. And let’s be real, they could NEVER film that today. It’s comedic gold that will have you laughing until your sides hurt. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride.
Production Company(ies)
Hand Made Films, Python Pictures,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., Criterion Collection
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Amphitheater, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1979
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 33m
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Language(s):English, Latin
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Country of origin:United Kingdom
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 17, 1979 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 16, 1999
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $20,745,728
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $90,217,220
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,070
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 9,838,301
US/Canada gross: $20,206,622
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $87,872,803
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 815
US/Canada opening weekend: $140,034
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $608,968
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,358
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $4,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $17,394,853
Production budget ranking: 1,436
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,367,128
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $63,455,240
ROI to date (est.): 237%
ROI ranking: 557
John Cleese – Wise Man #1, Reg, Jewish Official, Centurion, Deadly Dirk, Arthur
Terry Gilliam – Man Even Further Forward, Revolutionary, Jailer, Blood & Thunder Prophet, Geoffrey, Audience Member, Crucifee
Terry Jones – Mandy Cohen, Colin, Simon the Holy Man, Bob Hoskins, Saintly Passer-by, Alarmed Crucifixion Assistant
Michael Palin – Wise Man 3, Mr. Big Nose, Francis, Mrs. A, Ex-Leper, Announcer, Ben, Pontius Pilate, Boring Prophet, Eddie, Shoe Follower, Nisus Wettus
Kenneth Colley – Jesus
Director(s)
Terry Jones
Writer(s)
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
Producer(s)
John Goldstone
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Top rated movie #239
See the Top 250 movies as rated by IMDb users
Academy Awards
All Critics (67) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (64) | Rotten (3)
I’m desperate for another piece of comedy to do what [Life of Brian] did.
April 26, 2019
Robbie Collin
Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
TOP CRITIC
Life of Brian is an unexpectedly earnest, sweet-natured hymn to the idea of tolerance.
April 12, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Regularly voted the funniest British film. A contender.
September 13, 2018 | Rating: 10/10
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Brian’s life is pure hell. And very funny to watch.
August 17, 2017
Robert Osborne
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
I’ve always considered it the group’s nadir; it seems toothlessly silly.
September 11, 2009
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Just as wacky and imaginative as their earlier film outings.
July 31, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Rewatching “Brian” now, one really does get the feeling that the oft-repeated phrase “They could NEVER film that today” absolutely applies here.
June 13, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Roger Moore
Movie Nation
The plot treads a narrow, semi-blasphemous path through ancient times.
April 16, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
While the movie doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it is professionally impeccable. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 13, 2019
Diego Galán
El Pais (Spain)
Life of Brian is undoubtedly the greatest religious satire of all-time. Comedic gold.
May 7, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
C.H. Newell
Father Son Holy Gore
While the most ambitious and thematically coherent of the Monty Python feature films, Life of Brian is also the least of them.
February 25, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Christopher Lloyd
The Film Yap
The Pythons’ instincts strike home, not only in Brian’s miserable failure to imbue his followers with some basic decency, but in the self-apparent barbarism that he’s fighting against.
November 29, 2017
Rob Vaux
Cinema-stache…
Plot
The story of Brian of Nazareth (Graham Chapman), born on the same day as Jesus of Nazareth, who takes a different path in life that leads to the same conclusion. Brian joins a political resistance movement aiming to get the Romans out of Judea. Brian scores a victory of sorts when he manages to paint political slogans on an entire wall in the city of Jerusalem. The movement is not very effective but somehow Brian becomes a prophet and gathers his own following. His fate is sealed however and he lives a very short life.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
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