Monty Pythons The Meaning of Life

Ok. I'm a huge Monty Python fan. I used to stay up late in the early 70's to watch the Flying Circus. Ive got those and all the movies. They are great. Even the Secret Policeman's Balls, which they were a big part of. So last night I watched the MoL again and my opinion remains the same. What a piece of #. It's not funny in at all. At least I can say I have their entire set of work. Is there anyone that actually enjoys that one?

a reply to: intrepid


I have to say, I'm with you on this one. It's not a patch on the Life Of Brian or the Holy Grail, which are my two favourites.

a reply to: intrepid


Mr. Creosote makes me laugh, but agreed, not their best film.

Maître d': "Ah, good afternoon, sir; and how are we today?"

Mr. Creosote: "Better."

Maître d': "Better?"

Mr. Creosote: "Better get a bucket, I'm gonna throw up."

a reply to: intrepid

When Death arrives at the door and John Cleese says to his wife, "Honey, it's for you"

I rolled!

(I hope I have the right film. . . )

a reply to: DBCowboy


That's the right film.

Death: "It was the salmon mousse!"

I love Meaning of Life personally, but it's probably the worst film, in no small part to it being more of a sketch show than a movie, but still makes me laugh.

"Every sperm is sacred, every sperm is great..."

well of course holy grail and life of brian are of better... those are masterwork level. the pinnacle of python.

but i do like meaning of life all right, even with the slow bits. i enjoy it more than trying to watch an episode of the show.

a reply to: intrepid

The galaxy song is excellent.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: DBCowboy


That's the right film.

Death: "It was the salmon mousse!"

"I didn't even eat the mousse."

a reply to: intrepid

"Every sperm is sacred..."

I vaguely remember The meaning of life as a kid but nothing tops The Holy Grail and as they say a four ounce bird can't carry a one pound coconut...

But I could be wrong, as The meaning of life could've been carried by an African swallow...

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
a reply to: intrepid

"Every sperm is sacred..."

I vaguely remember The meaning of life as a kid but nothing tops The Holy Grail and as they say a four ounce bird can't carry a one pound coconut...

But I could be wrong, as The meaning of life could've been carried by an African swallow...

Holy Grail was the best and I unclog my nose in the direction of anyone who says otherwise.

a reply to: ScepticScot

Don't make me fart in your general direction

a reply to: intrepid

OH I disagree. Flying Circus was the only program on my must watch list.
Naturally I loved Grail and Brian was such a stone commentary on religious devotion.
But MOL beat them both as satire on modern civilization.

From the beginning scene with the de-personalization of childbirth at the hands of a male dominant society with it's cold and mechanical machines was on point. Pinggggg.

But then, when in the second scene and the switch to the ''third world'' (Liverpool for crying out loud) and Jones giving birth by dropping the new born baby to the floor from between his legs while doing the dishes. And then having one of the six year olds pick it up. Oh my, I thought I would never laugh so hard again. But then the whole Catholic family in the hundreds just because they could not use a rubber and would have to sell off most of the children to pay the bills was excruciating in it's satire. Top that off with the completely over the top "Every Sperm is Sacred'' song and dance revue starting with just the family and then expanding to include the whole town with dancing bears and balloons or whatever. What a punch to the Catholic traditions based on just a few words in a book held as divine by people a thousand years ago.

That was satire, in your face and painful.

The Crimson Permanent Assurance satirizes the soul crushing tedium of modern office workers under the lash of greedy slave masters, only to revolt and fill out their fantasies of striking out on their own in a world hell bent on keeping people down.

Man, I could go on and on about that move but I won't

OH wait. The cruise ship bit with the brain dead tourists going to dinner and being offered choices of philosophical topics for discussion. What an absolute scream. Schopenhauer, his name starts with an S.

Maria the cleaning woman, cleaning up after the satirized Mr. Creosote who epitomized gluttony and western excesses being asked what her philosophy on life might be.

I used to work in the Académie Française / but it didn't do me any good at all. / And I once worked in the library in the Prado in Madrid / But it didn't teach me nothing I recall. / And the Library of Congress you would have thought would hold some key / but it didn't and neither did the Bodlean Library. / In The British Museum I hoped to find some clue / I worked there from nine till six / Read every volume through / But it didn't teach me nothing about life's mystery. / I just kept getting older, it got more difficult to see. / Till eventually me eyes went and me arthritis got bad. / So now I'm cleaning up in here but I can't be really sad. / Cause you see I feel that life's a game. / You sometimes win or lose. / And though I may be down right now at least I don't work for Jews.

Talk about politically incorrect then Cleese jumps in and makes disclaimers, oh man what a hoot.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

We will shoot arrows through your heads and make castanets of your testicles

Monty Python kills me:

a reply to: DBCowboy

Grim Reaper: Shut up, you American. You Americans, all you do is talk, and talk, and say "let me tell you something" and "I just wanna say." Well, you're dead now, so shut up.

originally posted by: intrepid
Ok. I'm a huge Monty Python fan. I used to stay up late in the early 70's to watch the Flying Circus. Ive got those and all the movies. They are great. Even the Secret Policeman's Balls, which they were a big part of. So last night I watched the MoL again and my opinion remains the same. What a piece of #. It's not funny in at all. At least I can say I have their entire set of work. Is there anyone that actually enjoys that one?

I kind of have a similar attitude towards this one. There are some funny bits and it's nice seeing the boys again, but...

The film just has this dark cloud over it, I don't know how to describe. The tone is just dark. It doesn't have the same cheer as Flying Circus for sure.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
a reply to: ScepticScot

Don't make me fart in your general direction

Pah I your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

I like the tune. The tunes all right. I just don't like the group.