Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) ft. Heather Stewart and Ryan Luis Rodriguez

Greatest Movie Of All-Time

Dana and Tom with new guests Heather Stewart (@heatherjstewart) and Ryan Luis Rodriguez (One Track Mind podcast, Reels of Justice podcast) discuss the religious comedy, Life of Brian (1979): directed by Terry Jones, written by Monty Python, starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, and Eric Idle.

Plot Summary: Ah, splendid! Picture this, if you will: the bustling streets of ancient Judea, a land rife with political turmoil, religious fervor, and the occasional stoning. Into this chaos, on the very same night as a certain well-known savior, is born a rather unremarkable chap named Brian Cohen.

Now, Brian, through no fault of his own, is continuously mistaken for the Messiah. This hapless fellow bumbles his way through a series of increasingly ludicrous adventures. From joining the People's Front of Judea (not to be confused with the Judean People's Front—splitters!) to unintentionally starting his own religious movement, Brian's life is a whirlwind of mistaken identity, misunderstandings, and the utterly absurd.

As if that weren't enough, he's pursued by Roman centurions, swooned over by fanatical followers, and lectured by his domineering mother ("He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"). All this, while Brian desperately tries to carve out a normal life in a world that seems determined to turn him into something he most definitely is not.

So, in essence, dear friends, "Life of Brian" is a satirical romp through history, skewering sacred cows and poking fun at the foibles of humanity with the kind of irreverent wit and cheekiness that only Monty Python can deliver. Quite a lark, wouldn't you say?

Guests:

Heather Stewart

• @heatherjstewart on IG, X, Letterboxd

Ryan Luis Rodriguez

• Host of One Track Mind Podcast (IG, X, Letterboxd)
• Co-Host of Reels of Justice Podcast (IG, X)

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:47 Getting to Know Our Guests

13:42 Relationship(s) to Life of Brian

19:49 What is Life of Brian About?

22:49 Is Satire Healthy for Democracies?

25:28 What is the Legacy of the Pythons?

30:02 Plot Summary

31:50 Did You Know?

33:44 First Break

34:25 Where You Can Find Our Guests

37:01 Ask Dana Anything

51:09 Best Performance(s)

01:06:05 Best/Favorite/Indelible Scene(s)

01:18:04 Second Break

01:18:49 In Memoriam

01:19:54 Best/Funniest Lines

01:25:38 The Stanley Rubric: Legacy

01:32:37 The Stanley Rubric: Impact/Significance

01:39:04 The Stanley Rubric: Novelty

01:44:48 The Stanley Rubric: Classicness

01:54:01 The Stanley Rubric: Rewatchability

01:58:24 The Stanley Rubric: Audience Score and Total Score

01:59:53 Remaining Questions

02:06:43 Thank You(s) to Our Guests

02:08:18 Final Thoughts

02:10:51 Credits

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Keywords:

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