Does anyone have a video of the original? I seem to recall that it was strikingly similar, right down to the Bishop’s costume. I also recall that it was positively surreal.
Zarquonsays
I is an ex-parrot.
nowoosays
Here’s another link about the original show that was being parodied here:
Ah the great NTNON team. Well if we are dealing with them and biology, I would suggest this great piece on anthropology too:
rhiansays
The original, at least in part:
It starts around 1:55. The rest of it is a pretty interesting documentary, if you’ve got an hour to spend on YouTube.
Lassi Hippeläinensays
#!: “Are messiah figures always phallic symbols?”
Probably yes, at least when played by a gay actor like Chapman. A sample from the sequel of his autobiography:
“Let me say here that the matter of genital exposure is no particular problem to me–I am a doctor after all–but there was a problem in that we had this crowd of Tunisian extras–some 300 people posing as 600–and half of that number were women. And Muslim women are forbidden by Muslim law to see such things. It’s absolutely forbidden for them to even think of viewing naughty bits. So when I flung open the shutter, half the crowd ran away screaming! That had a profound effect on my psyche. I’d like to think it was their religion…Yes, I’m sure that it was.”
Probably yes, at least when played by a gay actor like Chapman. A sample from the sequel of his autobiography:
“Let me say here that the matter of genital exposure is no particular problem to me–I am a doctor after all–but there was a problem in that we had this crowd of Tunisian extras–some 300 people posing as 600–and half of that number were women. And Muslim women are forbidden by Muslim law to see such things. It’s absolutely forbidden for them to even think of viewing naughty bits. So when I flung open the shutter, half the crowd ran away screaming! That had a profound effect on my psyche. I’d like to think it was their religion…Yes, I’m sure that it was.”
“Life of Brian remained banned in Swansea until 1997, when it was permitted to be shown in cinemas in aid of Comic Relief. Informed of the ban’s lifting, Idle told the press, ‘What a shame. Is nothing sacred?'”
DLCsays
I am not the Messiah! I am not the Messiah !
Silisays
What’s with the crazy amount of blinking?
Richard, FCDsays
@#5 …
“Wild? I was absolutely livid” … one of the great lines from NTNON
Well, is suppose one of the sad things is, the Brits can have good laugh at religion and here in the states, people would go batshit crazy.
Rupertsays
From the Guardian piece, above:
“As the debate reached its conclusion, Stockwood, dressed grandly in a purple cassock and pompously fondling his crucifix in a way that was devastatingly lampooned by Rowan Atkinson a week later on a Not the Nine O’Clock News sketch, delivered his parting shot of, “You’ll get your 30 pieces of silver.”
Cleese sums up the affair best, observing dryly, “I always felt we won that one by behaving better than the Christians.” ”
Well, is suppose one of the sad things is, the Brits can have good laugh at religion and here in the states, people would go batshit crazy.
If you’d followed the link in #2, you’d have gotten the distinct impression that the Brits went pretty crazy too. Maybe not batshit, but some kind of shit anyway. The movie was *banned* in many localities, for cryin’ out loud.
If you’d followed the link in #2, you’d have gotten the distinct impression that the Brits went pretty crazy too. Maybe not batshit, but some kind of shit anyway. The movie was *banned* in many localities, for cryin’ out loud.
Another quote from the Guardian article:
“Gilliam noted, “In Britain, it was banned in different towns; what that meant was that people in those towns organised charabancs and went to the neighbouring town where it was showing. But in the States they banned it in the Bible Belt area and nobody went. You see, the British can’t be controlled and the Americans can… that’s what we learnt over that.””
Skeptic8says
PZ-
You printed it on the squid’s hide for all to see & the views exceeded YouTube’s pumping capacity:
……….THE VIDEO YOU requested (?) IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE
John C. Randolphsays
That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen since the Passion of Benny Hill.
If you’d followed the link in #2, you’d have gotten the distinct impression that the Brits went pretty crazy too. Maybe not batshit, but some kind of shit anyway. The movie was *banned* in many localities, for cryin’ out loud.
Certainly loudmouths like Muggeridge went crazy. But I get the distinct impression the British public is much more irreverent than those old sticks-up-their-cassocks.
Scrofulumsays
That is the good thing about being in the UK – we don’t get penalised for atheistic tendencies, and any soapbox outbursts about church and state are treated with a roll of the eyes rather than any vitriolic counterarguments. Can be annoying when you’re up for a bit of a barney though.
Lassi Hippeläinensays
The Guardian article misses how the movie got started. Some time after their first movie (Holy Grail) had been released, reporters were harrassing Eric Idle about future plans. They didn’t know that making the Grail had some painful moments. Idle felt so irritated that he blurted out “our next movie will be Jesus Christ – the Lust for Glory”.
According to one version of the story, some other members of the team happened to be in a bar in Amsterdam when they heard Idle’s comment. They fell off their chairs laughing. That was a sign – the movie had to be made.
Lassi Hippeläinensays
The Guardian article misses how the movie got started. Some time after their first movie (Holy Grail) had been released, reporters were harrassing Eric Idle about future plans. They didn’t know that making the Grail had some painful moments. Idle felt so irritated that he blurted out “our next movie will be Jesus Christ – the Lust for Glory”.
According to one version of the story, some other members of the team happened to be in a bar in Amsterdam when they heard Idle’s comment. They fell off their chairs laughing. That was a sign – the movie had to be made.
Jesus? – Did He Really Die on the Cross? (Evidence says, NO!.)
Bible – Is It the Word of God? (Experts say, NO!.)
Trinity- Did Jesus or anyone teach this? (Bible says, NO!.)
“Only Begotten Son of God”? Was this Jesus? (Bible, says – NO!).
Are children born in original sin? (Bible says, “Yes!” – but Jesus says, “NO!”)
All this & more – internets site to compare İslam & Christianity: http://bibleislam.com
– – – – – – – – –
Clearly it was Graham Chapman who was the messiah figure. Strangely enough, he was also Biggus Dickus. Are messiah figures always phallic symbols?
Does anyone have a video of the original? I seem to recall that it was strikingly similar, right down to the Bishop’s costume. I also recall that it was positively surreal.
I is an ex-parrot.
Here’s another link about the original show that was being parodied here:
http://www.cinema.com/articles/2766/life-of-brian-the-background-story.phtml
Ah the great NTNON team. Well if we are dealing with them and biology, I would suggest this great piece on anthropology too:
The original, at least in part:
It starts around 1:55. The rest of it is a pretty interesting documentary, if you’ve got an hour to spend on YouTube.
#!: “Are messiah figures always phallic symbols?”
Probably yes, at least when played by a gay actor like Chapman. A sample from the sequel of his autobiography:
“Let me say here that the matter of genital exposure is no particular problem to me–I am a doctor after all–but there was a problem in that we had this crowd of Tunisian extras–some 300 people posing as 600–and half of that number were women. And Muslim women are forbidden by Muslim law to see such things. It’s absolutely forbidden for them to even think of viewing naughty bits. So when I flung open the shutter, half the crowd ran away screaming! That had a profound effect on my psyche. I’d like to think it was their religion…Yes, I’m sure that it was.”
That’s a pair of books I plan to read some day…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Liar's_Autobiography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Crackers:_Fuzzy_Memories%2C_Silly_Bits%2C_and_Outright_Lies
#!: “Are messiah figures always phallic symbols?”
Probably yes, at least when played by a gay actor like Chapman. A sample from the sequel of his autobiography:
“Let me say here that the matter of genital exposure is no particular problem to me–I am a doctor after all–but there was a problem in that we had this crowd of Tunisian extras–some 300 people posing as 600–and half of that number were women. And Muslim women are forbidden by Muslim law to see such things. It’s absolutely forbidden for them to even think of viewing naughty bits. So when I flung open the shutter, half the crowd ran away screaming! That had a profound effect on my psyche. I’d like to think it was their religion…Yes, I’m sure that it was.”
That’s a pair of books I plan to read some day…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Liar's_Autobiography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Crackers:_Fuzzy_Memories%2C_Silly_Bits%2C_and_Outright_Lies
Blasphemy, blas-fer-you…
(As the new comic messiah said.)
Interesting article in the Guardian about the making of and reactions to the film.
“Life of Brian remained banned in Swansea until 1997, when it was permitted to be shown in cinemas in aid of Comic Relief. Informed of the ban’s lifting, Idle told the press, ‘What a shame. Is nothing sacred?'”
I am not the Messiah! I am not the Messiah !
What’s with the crazy amount of blinking?
@#5 …
“Wild? I was absolutely livid” … one of the great lines from NTNON
“He’s NOT the Messiah! He’s a very naughty boy!”
Well, is suppose one of the sad things is, the Brits can have good laugh at religion and here in the states, people would go batshit crazy.
From the Guardian piece, above:
“As the debate reached its conclusion, Stockwood, dressed grandly in a purple cassock and pompously fondling his crucifix in a way that was devastatingly lampooned by Rowan Atkinson a week later on a Not the Nine O’Clock News sketch, delivered his parting shot of, “You’ll get your 30 pieces of silver.”
Cleese sums up the affair best, observing dryly, “I always felt we won that one by behaving better than the Christians.” ”
Atkinson: “Well, I wasn’t expecting the Spanish Inquisition.”
Three seconds later I was laughing out loud.
If you’d followed the link in #2, you’d have gotten the distinct impression that the Brits went pretty crazy too. Maybe not batshit, but some kind of shit anyway. The movie was *banned* in many localities, for cryin’ out loud.
Another quote from the Guardian article:
“Gilliam noted, “In Britain, it was banned in different towns; what that meant was that people in those towns organised charabancs and went to the neighbouring town where it was showing. But in the States they banned it in the Bible Belt area and nobody went. You see, the British can’t be controlled and the Americans can… that’s what we learnt over that.””
PZ-
You printed it on the squid’s hide for all to see & the views exceeded YouTube’s pumping capacity:
……….THE VIDEO YOU requested (?) IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE
That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen since the Passion of Benny Hill.
-jcr
Certainly loudmouths like Muggeridge went crazy. But I get the distinct impression the British public is much more irreverent than those old sticks-up-their-cassocks.
That is the good thing about being in the UK – we don’t get penalised for atheistic tendencies, and any soapbox outbursts about church and state are treated with a roll of the eyes rather than any vitriolic counterarguments. Can be annoying when you’re up for a bit of a barney though.
The Guardian article misses how the movie got started. Some time after their first movie (Holy Grail) had been released, reporters were harrassing Eric Idle about future plans. They didn’t know that making the Grail had some painful moments. Idle felt so irritated that he blurted out “our next movie will be Jesus Christ – the Lust for Glory”.
According to one version of the story, some other members of the team happened to be in a bar in Amsterdam when they heard Idle’s comment. They fell off their chairs laughing. That was a sign – the movie had to be made.
The Guardian article misses how the movie got started. Some time after their first movie (Holy Grail) had been released, reporters were harrassing Eric Idle about future plans. They didn’t know that making the Grail had some painful moments. Idle felt so irritated that he blurted out “our next movie will be Jesus Christ – the Lust for Glory”.
According to one version of the story, some other members of the team happened to be in a bar in Amsterdam when they heard Idle’s comment. They fell off their chairs laughing. That was a sign – the movie had to be made.
Jesus? – Did He Really Die on the Cross? (Evidence says, NO!.)
Bible – Is It the Word of God? (Experts say, NO!.)
Trinity- Did Jesus or anyone teach this? (Bible says, NO!.)
“Only Begotten Son of God”? Was this Jesus? (Bible, says – NO!).
Are children born in original sin? (Bible says, “Yes!” – but Jesus says, “NO!”)
All this & more – internets site to compare İslam & Christianity:
http://bibleislam.com
– – – – – – – – –