Monty Python's Life of Brian Tops Best British Movie Poll

AllHeadlineNews ^ | July 24, 2007 | Shaveta Bansal

[Alex Murphy]

London, England (AHN) - Monty Python's 1979 comedy, "Life of Brian," has been named the best British movie of all time in a recent poll conducted by radiotimes.com. The movie revolved around the comic events surrounding Brian Cohen, played by Graham Chapman, a young man born on the same night and the same street as Jesus Christ.

The silver position was grabbed by the Academy Award-winning comedy "The Full Monty," followed by "Four Weddings and A Funeral" at third place.

Cult classic "Trainspotting" was ranked the fourth best movie, while "Lawrence of Arabia" came in fifth.

Sixth and seventh positions were secured by zombie-themed romantic comedy "Shaun of the Dead" and "Withnail and I" respectively.

Rounding out the top ten list were the 1945 film "Brief Encounter," "Zulu" and "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

The results were based on voting by some 2,500 people.

[mdittmar]

Monty Python and the Holy Grail was damn funny.

[Old Sarge]

“Life of Brian”, “Full Monty”, Holy Grail”, and “Shaun of the Dead” - all hilarious!

[JoeA]

Obviously 2500 morons. Life of Brian better than Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Let alone in the same league as Lawrence of Arabia....
But then again, this from the country that is removing Churchill from the school curriculum.

[vladimir998]

I’m with you. How can Life of Brian win over Lawrence of Arabia?

[Rummyfan]

What? What about The Dambusters?

[johniegrad]

I watched “The Life of Brian” a number of years ago. Then I watched “The Passion”. Then I watched “The Life of Brian” again. It wasn’t funny anymore. I shut it off.

[1rudeboy]

Here.

Funny thing is, weren't something like half the members of the troupe gay themselves?

[marshmallow]

As a young teenager, I'd been a Monty Python nut and was much influenced by their zany satire but Life of Brian was where I parted ways with them. It made me delve a little deeper into the beliefs and ideas of the various members of the MP crew and what I discovered did not impress me.

Sorry. I like a laugh as much as anybody but I drew the line at this movie. It flirted with blasphemy far too closely for my liking.

[marshmallow]

Funny thing is, weren't something like half the members of the troupe gay themselves?

To my knowledge, only one; Graham Chapman, now deceased.

[JoeA]

or anything by David Lean, or Stanley Kubrick, or Hitchcock. Now I love Monty Python, but how does it compare to something directed by any of these men?

[Alex Murphy]

I watched “The Life of Brian” a number of years ago. Then I watched “The Passion”. Then I watched “The Life of Brian” again. It wasn’t funny anymore. I shut it off.

You should try it again, this time with Jesus of Nazareth. I hear they shared some of the same sets.

[vladimir998]

They just don’t compare. They just don’t.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Monty Python and the Holy Grail was damn funny.

"Spamalot" is actually much funnier, if you get a chance to see it playing near you. It takes the best bits of "Grail" and mixes in some modern updates - with a touch of Mel Brooks added. ;)

[ichabod1]

Blasphemy!@#?????

[yarddog]

It didn’t flirt with blasphemy, it was filled with pure hatred of Christ and Christianity only thinly disguised as humor.

[driftless2]

Actually “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” was a much funnier movie. The LofBrian was only funny in moments and never had the sustained hilarity of MPATHG. Even so it’s utterly ridiculous to overlook “Bridge On The River Kwai” or many other excellent flicks that have come out of England in the last fifty years. I suspect the pollees were rather young and ignorant.