History Film / MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian

* {{Demythification}}: This movie, despite expectations, actually subverts this. It follows the whacky misadventures of a man that is repeatedly mistaken for a prophet in Roman Galilee, from his adoration by the Magi to his crucifixion by the Romans, and shows (accurately) that there were many self-proclaimed prophets in that time and place. Yet the movie does not make any comment on Jesus' nature, and he stays offscreen except for one scene early in the movie where he is seen addressing people from the top of a hill (The Sermon on the Mount). Despite this, many censorers considered the film blasphemous and it was denied a release in several countries for decades.

* DudeNotFunny: The zealots of the Suicide Battalion were envisioned as being ANaziByAnyOtherName, with pikelhauben, a symbol that was a mix of a Swastika and the Star of David, and a leader named Otto who wore a toothbrush mustache. This was all set up in a scene that was filmed and promptly cut for not being funny.

* {{Demythification}}: This movie, despite expectations, actually subverts this. It follows the whacky misadventures of a man that is repeatedly mistaken for a prophet in Roman Galilee, from his adoration by the Magi to his crucifixion by the Romans, and shows (accurately) that there were many self-proclaimed prophets in that time and place. Yet the movie does not make any comment on Jesus' nature, and he stays offscreen except for one scene early in the movie where he is seen addressing people from the top of a hill (The Sermon on the Mount). Despite this, many censorers considered the film blasphemous and [[BannedInChina it was denied a release in several countries for decades]].

* GoldenMeanFallacy: Judith, trying to agree a compromise between Stan and Reg over the "men having babies" issue:

-->'''Ex-Leper:''' Half a denari for me bloody life story?\\

** The Roman centurion (played by John Cleese) has [[http://youtu.be/7Lc86JUAwwg?t=3m31s prepared a speech for Pilate to read]], taking into full account [[ElmuhFuddSyndwome his speech impediment]] -- and then Biggus Dickus, who has a '''huge''' lisp, takes over out of the blue. The centurion actually says "Oh no!" as Dickus snatches the scroll and all but buries his face in his hands.

* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: A kind bystander (played by Creator/TerryJones) offers to carry the cross of one of the prisoners, only for the prisoner to run off. Unfortunately for the bystander, the Romans assume that he is the prisoner and don't listen to his explanations about trying to help.

* NeverSayThatAgain: A man is stoned for saying "Jehovah" aloud. Problem is, the priest ''also'' says it aloud and the energized stoning crowd crush him under a boulder while the blasphemer goes free.

* MisterSeahorse: Discussed with Stan, who wants to identify as a woman (Loretta) including bearing a child even though it's biologically impossible in this era. "It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them."

* LowCountGag: After going through a list of rival resistance movements against the Romans, it is revealed that one such movement has only one member.

** The Centurion shows up to release Brian, but [[spoiler:accidentally frees the Cheeky Bloke instead]].

** People in ancient Judea have modern British names like Brian, Reg or Stan/Loretta.

* ArtisticLicenceReligion: An unintentional example -- Brian is supposed to be Jewish, but during his [[MaleFrontalNudity nude scene]] it becomes quite clear that Graham Chapman is not circumcised.

%%* BlindingBangs: One of Brian's "acolytes", in the Sermon from the Window scene.

* {{Corpsing}}: In one of the most memorable scenes of the film, Pilate speaks of his friend [[BiggerIsBetterInBed Biggus Dickus]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K8_jgiNqUc as the guards desperately (and ultimately vainly)]] attempt to keep a straight face.
** Rumor has it that the extras cast as the guards were [[BlatantLies told that it was a serious scene,]] and if they so much as giggled, they would be fired on the spot.[[labelnote:*]]According to some accounts, at least. Others claim that the guards ''were'' made aware of what would happen, but were simply told not to laugh until cued. What ''is'' real, however, is the guards' reactions as Palin did his damndest to make them crack up[[/labelnote]] {{Hilarity ensues}}.

* GenreDeconstruction: Though it portrays Jesus in a favourable light, the movie is a pretty harsh deconstruction of society's romanticized view of life in the time of Christ, and of Biblical stories in general. As it points out, the Romans weren't just cruel oppressors with ZeroPercentApprovalRating (though that's not to say they couldn't be) -- they did more to improve the Judean people's lives than anyone before them. Conversely, "God's chosen people" had criminal justice that could be just as brutal and unfair as the Romans', and they were never a noble LaResistance -- they spent more time getting involved in petty squabbling amongst themselves than they did resisting the Romans. And in any case, having a cult of devoted followers who expect you to solve all of their problems isn't nearly as cool as you would think. And having your friends betray you in the name of martyrdom? It's only inspiring '''''when it's not happening to you!''''' And it finally deconstructs the whole idea of a prophet by showing a nobody who isn't a prophet, doesn't prophesize anything, and isn't trying to inspire anyone somehow being considered one no matter what he tries to say or do.

* GenreDeconstruction: Though it portrays Jesus in a favourable light, the movie is a pretty harsh deconstruction of society's romanticized view of life in the time of Christ, and of Biblical stories in general. As it points out, the Romans weren't just cruel oppressors with ZeroPercentApprovalRating (though that's not to say they couldn't be) -- they did more to improve the Judean people's lives than anyone before them. Conversely, "God's chosen people" had criminal justice that could be just as brutal and unfair as the Romans', and they were never a noble LaResistance -- they spent more time getting involved in petty squabbling amongst themselves than they did resisting the Romans. And in any case, having a cult of devoted followers who expect you to solve all of their problems isn't nearly as cool as you would think. And having your friends betray you in the name of martyrdom? It's only inspiring '''''when it's not happening to you!'''''

* HairyGirl: Judith is shown to be one in her nude scene after she and Brian are discovered by his mother after having had sex. This is TruthInTelevision for most women at the time.

* BeYourself: {{Deconstructed|Trope}}. While the film is clearly in favour of not blindly following dogma, the Pythons were savvy enough to both recognize this could be a LostAesop in all the silliness, and that the trope itself is a built-in BrokenAesop. Therefore, it takes a more bitter interpretation of "Don't blindly following dogma ''you made up yourself'' because a guy ''really really'' seems like the messiah to you": Brian explicitly states the message, and people still screw it up because they've convinced themselves ''that much'' that he's a messiah.

-->'''Ex-Leper:''' Half a dinare for me bloody life story?\\