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Select media
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Stills must not be reproduced, copied or downloaded in any way.
Film details
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Featuring
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Director
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Country
United Kingdom
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Year
1980
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Genre
Comedy
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Type
Film
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Category
Fiction
Alternative titles
- Life of Brian Alternative
Introduction
“The climactic scenes are as memorable as anything yet devised by the Python mind and culminate in a splendidly tasteless finale, which even Mel Brooks might envy.”
Clyde Jeavons, Monthly Film Bulletin, 1979
The iconoclastic comedy group Monty Python – Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin – took aim at religious dogma with this scandalous parody of the life of Christ. Chapman plays Brian Cohen, a Jewish contemporary of Jesus mistaken for the Messiah.
The tongue-in-cheek use of the contours of Jesus’ life, from the manger to the cross, outraged many establishment figures at the time, leading to church protests and bans by local authorities. However the Pythons plausibly maintained that their target was human credulity rather than faith or the divine itself.
Directed by Terry Jones, the film’s largely conventional style and impressive production values (bankrolled by George Harrison’s Handmade Films) perfectly offset its gleeful satirical bite.
The film shares locations with Franco Zeffirelli’s Jesus of Nazareth (1977). Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) had earlier established the troupe’s cinematic ambitions.
Cast & Credits
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Cast
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first wise man/Brian called Brian
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Biggus Dickus
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third wise man/Jewish official at stonin
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Dirk Reg,leader of Judean People's Front
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centurion of the yard/Arthur,a passer-by
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another person further forward
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revolutionary/masked commando
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blood-and-thunder prophet
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Geoffrey, a passer-by/jailer
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Mr Cheeky
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Stan,called Loretta,a confused revolutio
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Harry the Haggler,a beard & stone salesm
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culprit woman, who casts the first stone
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intensely dull youth, a passer-by
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Otto, leader of Judean People's Front
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jailer's assistant/Mr. Frisbee III
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Mandy, mother of Brian/Colin, a passerby
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Simon the holy man
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Bob Hoskins/saintly passer-by
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second wise man/Mr Big Nose
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Francis, a revolutionary
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Mrs A, who casts the second stone
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ex-leper/Ben, an ancient prisoner
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Pontius Pilate/boring prophet
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Eddie, a passerby/Nisus Wettus
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Gregory/revolutionary
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masked commando/Dennis, a passer-by
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Mrs Gregory/Elsie, a passer-by
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Jesus
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weedy Samaritan at amphitheatre
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man further forward/revolutionary
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Roman soldier Stig/giggling guard
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masked commando/blind man/false prophet
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stonee/passer-by in crowd
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Mrs Big Nose/woman with sick donkey
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young girl, a passer-by
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Judith, a beautiful revolutionary
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gladiator
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revolutionary/masked commando
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giggling guard/Alfonso
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another official stoner's helper
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revolutionary/masked commando
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giggling guard/passer-by in crowd
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official stoner's helper
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revolutionary/masked commando
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giggling guard/Parvus, a centurion
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Spike
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[passer-by]
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[Mr Papadopoulis]
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Credits
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Direction:
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Director
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Assistant Director (1st)
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Assistant Director (2nd)
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Assistant Director (3rd)
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Assistant Director (Tunis)
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Assistant Director (Tunis)
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Assistant Director (Tunis)
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Continuity
Production:
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Production Company
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Production Company
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Executive Producer
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Executive Producer
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Executive producer (Tunisia)
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Producer
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Associate Producer
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HandMade Representative
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Business Manager
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Production Accountant
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Assistant Accountant
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Tunisian Accountant
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Accounts Secretary
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Production Assistant
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Production Assistant
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Tunisian Production Department
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Tunisian Production Department
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Tunisian Production Department
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Tunisian Production Department
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Tunisian Production Department
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Tunisian Production Department
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Tunisian Production Department
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Location Assistant
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Location Assistant
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Producer's Assistant
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London Contact
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London Contact
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London Contact
Writing:
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Screenplay
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Screenplay
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Screenplay
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Screenplay
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Screenplay
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Screenplay
Photography:
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Director of Photography
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Camera Operator
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Focus
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Loader
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Loader
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Chief Electrician
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Electrical Department
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Electrical Department
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Electrical Department
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Electrical Department
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Electrical Department
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Electrical Department
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Electrical Department
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Camera Grip
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Camera Grip
Stills:
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Stills Photography
Special Effects:
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Matte Paintings
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Modeller
Animation:
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Animation/Model Department
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Animation/Model Department
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Animation/Model Department
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Animation/Model Department
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Animation/Model Department
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Animation/Model Department
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Animation/Model Department
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Animation/Model Department
Editing:
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Editor
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Assistant Editor (1st)
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Assistant Editor (2nd)
Design:
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Design/Animation
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Art Director
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Assistant Art Director
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Art Department Secretary
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Set Dresser
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Scenic Artist
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Production Buyer
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Props Department
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Props Department
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Props Department
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Props Department
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Props Department
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Props Department
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Construction Manager
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Construction Manager
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
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Construction Crew
Costumes:
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Costume Designer
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Costume Designer
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Costume Department
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Costume Department
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Costume Department
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Costume Department
Make-up:
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Make-up/Hairdresser
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Make-up/Hairdresser
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Make-up/Hairdressing Department
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Make-up/Hairdressing Department
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Make-up/Hairdressing Department
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Make-up/Hairdressing Department
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Make-up/Hairdressing Department
Film processing:
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Optical Effects
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Optical Effects
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Optical Effects
Music:
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Music
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Music Conductor
Sound:
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Music Mixer
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Music Mixer
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Music Mixer
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Sound Recording
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Assistant Sound Engineer
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Assistant Sound Engineer
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Dubbing Mixer
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Dubbing Editor
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Assistant Dubbing Editor
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Assistant Dubbing Editor
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Effects Editor
Consultant:
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Bibliography Assistant
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Dolby Sound Consultant
Publicity:
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Public Relations
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The Greatest Films of All Time 2012
Voted for by 1 critic and 2 directors.