Holy Flying Circus

The BBC has outdone themselves in this wonderful piece about the reception of Life of Brian. Having been taken along with 20 other pupils to see Life by my school chaplain while taking a Religious Studies A level it always has had a special place in my heart. This wonderful reconstruction captures something of the Pythons complete silliness, and the even more complete silliness of those who found Brian offensive.

This is seriously the best tribute film to the Pythons out there, the effort in casting to get it right has paid off, to say they look and act like how and who they're meant to is a gross understatement - they really do capture something of each of the Flying Circus with marvelous alacrity.

All in all, this is rude, crude, very, very silly in places, and, above all, fall on the floor funny. Quite simply, one of the funnier films I've seen recently and for those who like Python in any form this is smart and just what the doctor ordered.

They really did get the Flying Circus feel. Even to the point of occasionally overdoing it and getting monotonous. How they managed to find actors who so well resembled the Pythons in their youth, and even managed to generally sound like them, is beyond me. About the only one I didn't think they quite got right was Gilliam; he seemed a tad over the top with the dopey thing. But a small gripe. Darryn Boyd does a great Basil Fawlty Cleese. And Stephen Fry is a hoot as The Lord Almighty. This is a total must see for us Python fans starved for new material (Eric Idle exploiting Python is only good for so long, y'know?).

Absolutely superb piece of television, the very well judged performances are spot on and the Pythons are portrayed extremely well. The period of time is beautifully rendered and the entire madness of unwavering beliefs and the ramifications therein are dealt with magnificently and with a great deal of integrity. The way they worked many of the Monty Python staples such as very obvious drag and so on into the piece were masterfully done, all in all and with everything considered to be honest I couldn't stand it ;)

(why waffle on aimlessly and without rational thought like Malcolm Muggeridge and THE BISHOP! when you can express your view succinctly)

This pythonesque drama about the subsequent controversy of the Monty Python film, Life Of Brian breaks out of the usual docudrama route and instead goes for the surreal, re-imagined route.

It even gets downright silly. The opening scene features Stephen Fry as God. Only the Spanish Inquisition is missing.

The cinema release of Life of Brian aroused a lot of controversy. The film depicts the threats the actors received and the subsequent showdown that had on a television debate with the Bishop of Southwark and Malcolm Muggeridge.

Of course tensions surrounding the event are heightened and parodied. The Python team are exaggerated persona's of themselves, with Palin being too nice, Idle the money grabber, Cleese being Basil Fawlty even doing the funny walk at one point, Terry Jones appears in drag as Palin's wife.

It does show the effect the controversy had on the actors especially Palin who is shown as the reasonable everyman, frightened with the protesters outside his door.

It very much captures the absurd spirit of Python and the actors playing Palin and Cleese come out of it best.

To quote Mr Gumby. I laughed so much my brain hurt. Brilliant cast, had the Python team off pat. Wonderful script which as well as being very funny gave pause for thought. Loved the religious extremists. Roy Marsden gave a wonderful performance, and made the Bishop look and sound even more ridiculous than he was (which is saying something). It was that good even God made a guest appearance. Actually, the only omission, and something I was really looking forward to was the Spanish Inquisition. But NO ONE expects the Spanish Inquisition. Apologies my brain is starting to hurt again urgh!!! nghh! uuunnnh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!