"to begin, long-time Monty Python fan and former member of the Beatles, George Harrison, arranged financing for ""Life of Brian"" through the formation of his company HandMade Films. The film contains themes of religious satire that were controversial at the time of its release, drawing accusations of blasphemy, and protests from some religious groups. Thirty-nine local authorities in the United Kingdom either imposed an outright ban, or imposed an X (18 years) certificate, effectively preventing the film from being shown, since the distributors said it could not be shown unless it was unedited and carried the original AA (14) certificate."
"Monty Python's Life of Brian Monty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film starring and written by the comedy group Monty Python (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin). It was also directed by Jones. The film tells the story of Brian Cohen (played by Chapman), a young Jewish man who is born on the same day as, and next door to, Jesus Christ, and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah. Following the withdrawal of funding by EMI Films just days before production was scheduled"
"Monty Python's Life of Brian (album) Monty Python's Life of Brian is the second soundtrack album by Monty Python, released in 1979 alongside the film of the same name. It contains scenes from the film interrupted by linking sections performed by Eric Idle and Graham Chapman, who also acted as producers following an aborted attempt at a soundtrack album by Michael Palin. The album opens with a brief rendition of ""Hava Nagila"" on Scottish bagpipes, which had earlier been considered for use in a scene later cut from the film. In common with the controversy surrounding the film, the album"
"Denis O'Brien (producer) Denis O'Brien was an American attorney, and was the business manager of George Harrison of The Beatles for some years. Introduced to Harrison by Peter Sellers, O'Brien helped the former Beatle sort out his tax affairs after becoming his manager in 1973. Harrison and O'Brien founded the film production company HandMade Films in 1978 to finance the completion of ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"" after EMI Films, the original backers, pulled out at the last moment. Harrison brought a lawsuit against O'Brien in Los Angeles in January 1995 claiming O'Brien had deprived him of £16 million over"
"Part of the studio linking material was later used in the 2012 animated film """". Monty Python's Life of Brian (album) Monty Python's Life of Brian is the second soundtrack album by Monty Python, released in 1979 alongside the film of the same name. It contains scenes from the film interrupted by linking sections performed by Eric Idle and Graham Chapman, who also acted as producers following an aborted attempt at a soundtrack album by Michael Palin. The album opens with a brief rendition of ""Hava Nagila"" on Scottish bagpipes, which had earlier been considered for use in a scene"
"Bernard Delfont. Harrison financed the production of ""Life of Brian"" in part by mortgaging his home, which Idle later called ""the most anybody's ever paid for a cinema ticket in history"". The film grossed $21 million at the box office in the US. The first film distributed by HandMade Films was ""The Long Good Friday"" (1980), and the first they produced was ""Time Bandits"" (1981), a co-scripted project by Monty Pythons Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin. The film featured a new song by Harrison, ""Dream Away"", in the closing credits. ""Time Bandits"" became one of HandMade's most successful and acclaimed"
"have gone on to prompt the publication of a book, edited by Joan E. Taylor, the conference organiser, ""Jesus and Brian: Exploring the Historical Jesus and His Times via Monty Python's Life of Brian"", published by Bloomsbury in 2015. Monty Python's Life of Brian Monty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film starring and written by the comedy group Monty Python (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin). It was also directed by Jones. The film tells the story of Brian Cohen (played by Chapman),"
"""perceived materialism and violence of the Roman church"", according to Allison. In addition, in his role as film producer, Harrison supported Monty Python's controversial parodying of the biblical story of Christ in ""Life of Brian"" (1979), about which he said: ""Actually, [the film] was upholding Him and knocking all the idiotic stuff that goes on around religion."" Harrison and American producer Phil Spector began discussing the possibility of Harrison recording a solo album of songs in early 1970, after they had worked together on Lennon's Plastic Ono Band single ""Instant Karma!"" Before then, to show his support for Spector's comeback"
"Apple Films in 1971. He also produced, with Apple manager Allen Klein, the ""Concert for Bangladesh"" film. In 1973, he produced the feature film ""Little Malcolm"", but the project was lost amid the litigation surrounding the former Beatles ending their business ties with Klein. In 1973 Peter Sellers introduced Harrison to Denis O'Brien. Soon after, the two went into business together. In 1978, in an effort to produce ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"", they formed the film production and distribution company HandMade Films. Their opportunity for investment came after EMI Films withdrew funding at the demand of their chief executive,"
"Graham Chapman Graham Arthur Chapman (8 January 1941 – 4 October 1989) was an English comedian, writer, actor, author, and one of the six members of the British surreal comedy group Monty Python. He played authority figures such as the Colonel and the lead role in two Python films, ""Holy Grail"" (1975) and ""Life of Brian"" (1979). Chapman was born in Leicester and was raised in Melton Mowbray. He enjoyed science, acting, and comedy, and after graduating from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, he turned down a career as a doctor to be a comedian. Chapman"
"compares the Monty Python film with the actual Biblical events and comes to the conclusion that this is the most accurate Biblical film ever made. Doyle also appeared in the Monty Python film ""Monty Python and the Holy Grail"", playing the police sergeant who abruptly ends the film by putting his hand on the camera. Julian Doyle (filmmaker) Julian Doyle is a British filmmaker who is best known for editing ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"" and shooting the special effects for Terry Gilliam's films ""Brazil"" and ""Time Bandits"". Doyle was born in London from an Irish father, Bob Doyle, and"
"Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson. Brian Song ""Brian Song"" is the title song from the 1979 film ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"". It was released as a single in the UK on 16 November 1979 as a Double A side with ""Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"". The song, which charts the growth of the Brian character to manhood, was composed by Andre Jacquemin and Dave Howman with lyrics by Michael Palin. It was performed by sixteen-year-old Sonia Jones with a string and brass accompaniment in the style of a John Barry film theme (the entire brass section was"
"""The Meaning of Life"", Chapman's death, and the five surviving members going on their separate ways and doing other projects. The film was produced by independent UK film producers Bill and Ben Productions (half of which is Terry Jones' son Bill) in association with Eagle Rock Entertainment. The series features interviews with people who worked with Monty Python as well as comedians and performers who cite them as an influence, including: Each episode opens with a different re-recording of the theme song from ""Life of Brian"", with new lyrics referring to ""Python"" rather than ""Brian"". The first five episodes feature"
"John Cleese John Marwood Cleese (; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, voice actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on ""The Frost Report"". In the late 1960s, he co-founded Monty Python, the comedy troupe responsible for the sketch show ""Monty Python's Flying Circus"" and the four Monty Python films: ""And Now for Something Completely Different"", ""Monty Python and the Holy Grail"", ""Life of Brian"" and ""The Meaning of Life"". In the mid-1970s, Cleese and his first wife, Connie Booth, co-wrote and starred in the British"
"film. In addition to the ""Brian Song"" and ""Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"", it contains scenes from the film with brief linking sections performed by Eric Idle and Graham Chapman. The album opens with a brief rendition of ""Hava Nagila"" on Scottish bagpipes. A CD version was released in 1997. An album of the songs sung in ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"" was released on the Disky label. ""Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"" was later re-released with great success, after being sung by British football fans. Its popularity became truly evident in 1982 during"
"Idle and collaborator John Du Prez. The 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London featured a live performance of the song by Idle. English heavy metal band Iron Maiden play it over the PA system at the end of every concert. The song is almost always played during the conclusion of the John DeBella Show on WMGK. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life ""Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"" is a comedy song written by Monty Python member Eric Idle that was first featured in the film ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"" and has gone on"
"Burton Road, Melton Mowbray. In December 2015 a blue plaque at the entrance of Chapman's old school, King Edward VII School was reported as stolen, but was later found inside the building. In March 2017 the plaque was relocated to Melton Mowbray town centre. Graham Chapman Graham Arthur Chapman (8 January 1941 – 4 October 1989) was an English comedian, writer, actor, author, and one of the six members of the British surreal comedy group Monty Python. He played authority figures such as the Colonel and the lead role in two Python films, ""Holy Grail"" (1975) and ""Life of Brian"""
"Julian Doyle, the film's editor, wrote ""The Life of Brian/Jesus"", a book which not only describes the filmmaking and editing process but argues that it is the most accurate Biblical film ever made. In October 2008, a memoir by Kim ""Howard"" Johnson titled ""Monty Python's Tunisian Holiday: My Life with Brian"" was released. Johnson became friendly with the Pythons during the filming of ""Life of Brian"" and his notes and memories of the behind-the-scenes filming and make-up. With the success of Eric Idle's musical retelling of ""Monty Python and the Holy Grail"", called ""Spamalot"", Idle announced that he would be"
"during the shooting of Roman Polanski's 1971 film of Shakespeare's ""Macbeth"". Bayler played Macduff. Bayler's associations with Monty Python date from 1975 when he appeared in Eric Idle's BBC TV series ""Rutland Weekend Television"". This led to his appearance as Leggy Mountbatten, manager of fictional Beatles-parody band The Rutles, in American-made TV movie ""All You Need Is Cash"" (1978). Idle also cast him in his play ""Pass The Butler"". He had a small role as Mr. Gregory in ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"" (1979), and appeared in two more of Python member Terry Gilliam's films, ""Time Bandits"" (1981) and ""Brazil"""
"of ""The Lumberjack Song"", for which he again used the Ohnothimagen moniker, their collaborations began with his guest appearance on ""Rutland Weekend Television"", which aired on BBC2 on 26 December 1975. In 1978, Harrison participated in """", a TV film starring Idle, Innes and Palin that satirised the Beatles' history, and he formed HandMade Films that year in order to fund the production of Monty Python's third movie, ""Life of Brian"" (1979), in which he also appeared. HandMade became Britain's most successful independent film company and went on to make other films involving one or more members of Monty Python,"
"by saying, ""I think they will go in the reverse direction, and become more honest."" Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein (; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was an English music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles. Epstein first discovered the Beatles in November 1961 during a lunchtime performance at The Cavern Club. He was instantly impressed and saw great potential in the group. Epstein was rejected by nearly all major recording companies in London, until he secured a meeting with George Martin, head of EMI's Parlophone label. In May 1962, Martin agreed to sign the Beatles, partly because of"
"Terry Gilliam, Neil Innes and special guest Tom Hanks. At the conclusion of the performance, the troupe turned to face a portrait of George Harrison projected on the back of the stage, and saluted him. During his 1974 North American tour, Harrison would play a recording of ""The Lumberjack Song"" over the arena public address systems prior to taking the stage to perform. In 1975, while Monty Python were performing in New York, Harrison joined them onstage dressed as a Mountie for this song. Harrison also was the producer of the Python film ""Life of Brian"". In the ""Shining Time"
"Geoffrey Burgon Geoffrey Alan Burgon (15 July 194121 September 2010) was a British composer best known for his television and film scores. Among his most recognisable works are ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"" for film, and ""Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"" and ""Brideshead Revisited"" for television, the latter two earning Ivor Novello Awards in 1979 and 1981 respectively. He also won BAFTAs for his themes for the remake of ""The Forsyte Saga"" and ""Longitude"". Burgon also achieved success and a serious following with vocal, orchestral, concert and stage works. Burgon was born in Hambledon, Hampshire in 1941, and taught himself the"
"Geoffrey Burgon Geoffrey Alan Burgon (15 July 194121 September 2010) was a British composer best known for his television and film scores. Among his most recognisable works are ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"" for film, and ""Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"" and ""Brideshead Revisited"" for television, the latter two earning Ivor Novello Awards in 1979 and 1981 respectively. He also won BAFTAs for his themes for the remake of ""The Forsyte Saga"" and ""Longitude"". Burgon also achieved success and a serious following with vocal, orchestral, concert and stage works. Burgon was born in Hambledon, Hampshire in 1941, and taught himself the"
"and was introduced to music by his uncle, an Atlantic Records employee who gave him records by John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and Miles Davis, as well as novels by Jim Carroll. Growing up close to the border, he was in range of Canadian radio stations, further broadening his musical education. In the early 80s, Mackowiak was a member of The People's Front (name taken from the Monty Python film ""Life of Brian""), which played concerts in Fredonia, Dunkirk and Buffalo, NY. There was a film made of the band but has since gone missing. The film showed the band in"
"as a species until 11 November 2005. John Cleese John Marwood Cleese (; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, voice actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on ""The Frost Report"". In the late 1960s, he co-founded Monty Python, the comedy troupe responsible for the sketch show ""Monty Python's Flying Circus"" and the four Monty Python films: ""And Now for Something Completely Different"", ""Monty Python and the Holy Grail"", ""Life of Brian"" and ""The Meaning of Life"". In the mid-1970s, Cleese and his first wife, Connie"
"Billy May Edward William May Jr. (November 10, 1916 – January 22, 2004) was an American composer, arranger and trumpeter. He composed film and television music for ""The Green Hornet"" (1966), ""The Mod Squad"" (1968), ""Batman"" (with ""Batgirl"" theme, 1967), and ""Naked City"" (1960). He collaborated on films such as ""Pennies from Heaven"" (1981), and orchestrated ""Cocoon"", and """", among others. May also wrote arrangements for many top singers, including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Anita O'Day, Peggy Lee, Vic Damone, Bobby Darin, Johnny Mercer, Ella Fitzgerald, Jack Jones, Bing Crosby, Sandler and Young, Nancy Wilson, Rosemary Clooney, The Andrews"
"Man"" from the Deep Purple album ""Deep Purple in Rock"" is dedicated to him : ""For Martin Birch - catalyst"".[2] He retired in 1992, after producing Iron Maiden's ""Fear of the Dark"" album. Birch appears in Iron Maiden's music video ""Holy Smoke"". Sources: Martin Birch at artistdirect.com, Discogs Martin Birch Martin Birch is a British former music producer and sound engineer, who became renowned for engineering and producing albums by the British rock bands Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden. Martin Birch was born on 27 December 1948 in Woking, Surrey. He began his career in music"
"Grail"" (which he co-directed with Terry Jones; Gilliam was responsible for photography, while Jones guided the actors' performances) and the jailer in ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"". He also designed the covers of most of the Monty Python albums, including ""Another Monty Python Record"", ""The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief"", ""Monty Python Live at Drury Lane"", and all of their film soundtrack albums. With the gradual breakup of the Python troupe between ""Life of Brian"" in 1979 and ""The Meaning of Life"" in 1983, Gilliam became a screenwriter and director, building upon the experience he had acquired during the"
"Brian Song ""Brian Song"" is the title song from the 1979 film ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"". It was released as a single in the UK on 16 November 1979 as a Double A side with ""Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"". The song, which charts the growth of the Brian character to manhood, was composed by Andre Jacquemin and Dave Howman with lyrics by Michael Palin. It was performed by sixteen-year-old Sonia Jones with a string and brass accompaniment in the style of a John Barry film theme (the entire brass section was performed via extensive multitracking"
"a poem about the sex life of ants. It starts as follows: Idle is an accomplished songwriter, having composed and performed many of the Pythons' most famous comic pieces, including ""Eric the Half-a-Bee"", ""The Philosophers' Song"", ""Galaxy Song"", ""Penis Song"" and, probably his most recognised hit, ""Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"", which was written for the closing scene of the Monty Python film ""Life of Brian"", and sung from the crosses during the mass crucifixion. The song has since been covered by Harry Nilsson, Bruce Cockburn, Art Garfunkel and Green Day. Idle, his fellow Pythons, and assorted"
"Monty Python's The Meaning of Life Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, also known simply as The Meaning of Life, is a 1983 British musical sketch comedy film written and performed by the Monty Python troupe, directed by Terry Jones. It was the last film to feature all six Python members before Graham Chapman's death in 1989. Unlike ""Holy Grail"" and ""Life of Brian"", the film's two predecessors, which each told a single, more-or-less coherent story, ""The Meaning of Life"" returned to the sketch format of the troupe's original television series and their first film from twelve years earlier, ""And"
"survey by Music Choice showed that it was the third most popular song Britons would like played at their funerals. By 2014, it was the most popular. ""Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"" was first issued as a single as a double A-side with ""Brian"" in the UK on 16 November 1979 to promote ""Monty Python's Life of Brian"" and its soundtrack album, but did not chart. Nine years later when the film was released on VHS, the song was reissued on 21 November 1988 in an edited form to remove profanity, with a full version of ""Brian"""