“He’s Not the Messiah, He’s a Very Naughty Boy!” – Talking Life of Brian
Blasphemy, Satire, and how Monty Python was ahead of his time. .
This week on Unspooled, we went back to ancient Judea—a land full of prophets, messiahs, and overly literal crowds—with Monty Python’s Life of Brian, a movie that’s less about religion and more about how people ruin it.
Whether you think it’s blasphemous or brilliant (or both), Life of Brian is a masterclass in how to satirize systems of power, groupthink, and anyone who insists they’re 100% right.
HOW CONTROVERSIAL WAS IT?
It was originally going to be called Jesus Christ: Lust for Glory.
Yes. Life of Brian was banned in countries, condemned by religious groups, and sparked boycotts… even though it’s arguably more critical of groupthink and bureaucracy than it is of religion itself.
But check out how much Controversial it could have been…
Why was it cut? The Pythons were always sensitive about punching up vs. punching down. Otto risked coming across as anti-Semitic rather than satirical of extremist ideologies. Terry Jones, who directed the film, later said the Otto character “wasn’t really working” tonally—it felt like a sketch in the middle of a story.
A Fun Cameo from Spike Milligan
Who is Spike Milligan Spike was the driving creative force behind The Goon Show, which was a direct influence on Monty Python. John Cleese and Eric Idle have both said that without Spike, Python wouldn’t exist.
Eric Idle on Spike’s Surprise Cameo:
“Spike was on holiday in Tunisia, just happened to be near the set, so we put him in a scene. And then he wandered off before we could give him a line.”
Terry Jones on Directing Spike:
“He showed up in sandals and wandered into shot. We just filmed him. You don’t direct Spike Milligan. You just accept Spike Milligan is happening near you.”
Michael Palin, Diary Entry (1978):
“Spike appeared on set today, which was surreal. He stood around dressed as a prophet and then disappeared over the sand dunes like a man returning to the sea.”
Always Look on the Bright side,
-Paul & Amy
Loved the episode! Revisited Life of Brian after acquiring the rare out of print Criterion release and then your episode came out a few days later. Perfect synchronicity!