Monty Python's Life of Brian: Difference between revisions

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Following the withdrawal of funding by [[EMI Films]], longtime 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 UK either imposed an outright ban, or imposed an [[History of British film certificates#1970–1982|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. Some countries, including [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] and [[Norway]], banned its showing, with a few of these bans lasting decades. The filmmakers used such notoriety to benefit their marketing campaign, with posters in Sweden reading, "So“So funny, it was banned in Norway!"”<ref>{{cite news | last = Bhaskar | first = Sanjeev | title = What did 'Life of Brian' ever do for us? | publisher = [[The Daily Telegraph]] | date = 2009-11-29 | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/6679546/What-did-Life-of-Brian-ever-do-for-us.html | accessdate = 2015-05-17}}</ref>

The film was a box-office success, the fourth-highest grossing film in the United Kingdom in 1979, and highest grosser of any British film in the United States that year. It has remained popular, receiving positive reviews. The film receivedwas named “greatest comedy film of all time” by several magazines and television networks, and it would later receive a 96% "Fresh"“Fresh” rating on [[Rotten Tomatoes]] with the consensus, "One“One of the more cutting-edge films of the 1970s, this religious farce from the classic comedy troupe is as poignant as it is funny and satirical",.”<ref>{{cite web | title=Monty Python's Life of Brian Movie Reviews | url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/monty_pythons_life_of_brian/ | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20100722224621/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/monty_pythons_life_of_brian/ | archivedate=22 July 2010 | publisher=Flixster | accessdate=2 November 2012}}</ref> and it was named "greatest comedy film of all time" by several magazines and television networks.

==Plot==