# Favorite Monty Python movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614 "2010-09-22T04:40:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/41 "2010-09-23T03:25:24Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > _The Brothers Grimm_ and _Fierce Creatures_ are the only weak films on this list ( and even those have a couple of good moments ). But as huge a fan as I am of Terry Gilliam, I have to go with _Life of Brian_ - as a Red Diaper Baby the endlessly schismatic revolutionaries in particular resonated strongly with my funny bone ;). Completely disagree with you about Fierce Creatures, I loved that movie! The Brothers Grimm, on the other hand, was not (in my opinion) a good film. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/42 "2010-09-23T04:03:20Z")
I voted “Other,” for “The Meaning of Life”. Great skits, songs, production numbers… and a Grim Reaper who knocks Ingmar Bergman’s for six. Plus it’s got the expensive, new machine that goes “ping!”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/43 "2010-09-23T04:03:42Z")
_Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ is, AFAIAC, the funniest movie ever made. As my nom de Dope suggests, I’m a rather big fan of another great comedy troupe. But MP&HG is funnier than _Duck Soup_, _Monkey Business_, _A Night at the Opera_, or any of the other great Marx Brothers movies. _Life of Brian_ isn’t. It’s a good movie, but it’s quite clearly a movie about religion and stuff first, and a comedy second. I remember being disappointed by it for that reason when it first hit the theaters 30 years ago, and while I liked it better when I watched it again a couple of years ago, it’s still no _Holy Grail_. Part of that is that it isn’t trying to be, but the other part is that it’s neither fish nor fowl. It’s not a great movie when you set the comedy aside, and as comedy it’s far short of their best. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/44 "2010-09-23T04:09:30Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > The Meaning of Life ,with the projectile vomiting Mr. Creosote, can not be overlooked. Unlike his bucket. “Hoh dear. I 'ave trodden in M’sieur’s bucket.” ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/45 "2010-09-23T06:56:14Z")
I’m in the same boat as many who are torn between Life of Brian and Holy Grail. I agree that HG is more quotable and has great jokes, LOB really drives the whole religion thing home. And, if you take it in all at once, it really is funny. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/46 "2010-09-23T13:15:29Z")
Holy Grail for me. One overlooked movie is Chapman’s _Yellowbeard_. Not _great_, but some funny bits. “Stager. Stagger. Crawl. Crawl.” ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/47 "2010-09-23T16:59:02Z")
I vote _Meaning of Life_ as the best, edging out Holy Grail. I’ve never completely felt the love for Life of Brian. On an intellectual satirical level I think it’s brilliant, and definitely gets appreciative inward winks and smiles from me. But somehow, it just doesn’t delivery on the pure raw funny of their other films. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/48 "2010-09-23T17:29:42Z")
Add another Meaning of Liff fan here. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/49 "2010-09-23T17:58:49Z")
Another Holy Grailer over here. I think both Brazil and Fish Called Wanda are brillaint movies, but they’re not really “Python” movies. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/50 "2010-09-23T18:08:13Z")
The Meaning of Life, for many things, but most of all the Universe song. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/51 "2010-09-23T18:11:16Z")
I voted for the Holy Grail, since that is _the_ Monty Python movie. There are other movies on the list that I admire more as films (Brazil, for example) or that I’d choose to watch over that one at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Yaxche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8dc957/32.png) [@Yaxche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yaxche)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/52 "2010-09-23T20:36:41Z")
**Life of Brian** , it’s the most cohesive and that makes the jokes work better, in my mind… not just wacky, random stuff strung together. When I opened the poll and saw it open to peripheral projects, I thought for the briefest of moments about voting for **A Fish Called Wanda**. I almost wish I had now, it’s not getting nearly enough love. Kline and Curtis kill in it, and it’s my favorite Cleese vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/53 "2010-09-23T20:48:52Z")
Yellowbeard! I don’t understand why it’s such an unknown… ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/54 "2010-09-23T21:15:50Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > The “Biggus Dickus” scene is among the most painfully unfunny things ever put on film. You’re problem is that you are an American, methinks. In case you need some ignorance fought, allow me to over-analyse the background to the humour, and ruin it for you a second time: In British public schools of the Monty Python era, all children studied Latin at school, from age 10. The teaching method invoved rote memorization of millions of words. The first set of words were the nouns and matching adjectives ending with the suffix “-us”. And , every single 10yr old schoolboy in England (yes, every. single. one.–no exceptions) proudly invented the most wonderful idea of all time, and told all his classmates about it, because , of course, nobody had ever thought of it before: if you added “-us” to common English words, then you could create sophisticated-sounding jokes! Try it yourself!!! It’s the funniest thing in the history of the human race!!! The whole school will think you are the best comedian of all time!! It’s unique! It’s original! It’s just wonderful!!! For example, you could say … …“biggus dickus”!!! !!! !!!. What–you think it’s not funny?..well, my dear **champion** , you should have tried when you were 10. And after forgetting about it for a decade or so, hearing it repeated by adult actors on the big screen is,yes, very funny. [/over-analysis] Carry on… Oh, yeah --back to the OP: The best scene in all of MPython for social-commentary type humor is: the marketplace scene in _Brian_ where the newly invented religion splits into rival factions immediately..(“follow his sandals…” …No…follow the gourd, the holy gourd of Jerusalem") The best scene for the devoted-fans-who-already-know-all-the-best-scenes-by-heart is: in _Live at the Hollwood Bowl_..When Eric Idle does his nonstop spiel as Mr. Smoke-too-much while walking through the audience. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/55 "2010-09-23T22:42:35Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > > [@ITR\_champion](#): > > > > The “Biggus Dickus” scene is among the most painfully unfunny things ever put on film. > > You’re problem is that you are an American, methinks. > > In case you need some ignorance fought, allow me to over-analyse the background to the humour, and ruin it for you a second time: > > In British public schools of the Monty Python era, all children studied Latin at school, from age 10. > The teaching method invoved rote memorization of millions of words. The first set of words were the nouns and matching adjectives ending with the suffix “-us”. > > And , every single 10yr old schoolboy in England (yes, every. single. one.–no exceptions) proudly invented the most wonderful idea of all time, and told all his classmates about it, because , of course, nobody had ever thought of it before: if you added “-us” to common English words, then you could create sophisticated-sounding jokes! Try it yourself!!! It’s the funniest thing in the history of the human race!!! The whole school will think you are the best comedian of all time!! It’s unique! It’s original! It’s just wonderful!!! > For example, you could say … …“biggus dickus”!!! !!! !!!. > > What–you think it’s not funny?..well, my dear **champion** , you should have tried when you were 10. > > And after forgetting about it for a decade or so, hearing it repeated by adult actors on the big screen is,yes, very funny. > [/over-analysis] Carry on… I didn’t know that, although I was aware of the influence of Latin instruction on the graffiti scene in Brian. As an American, I find the Biggus Dickus scene funny in the context of being unable to laugh at the spectacular ignorance of a superior. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/56 "2010-09-23T23:02:56Z")
I also voted for The Life of Brian, as many othershave already said, it is the best Monty Python _movie_ with a real story instead of a bunch of sketches strung together. I’m voting separetely from the related projects, if I included the related projects, I would vote for Brazil first, A Fish Called Wanda second, 12 Monkeys third. Not to take away from Holy Grail, which is a rolling on the floor hilarious comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/57 "2010-09-23T23:11:47Z")
Another vote here for Holy Grail. We still quote it to each other, my friends and I, even after all of these years and gray hairs. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614/58 "2010-09-23T23:12:08Z")
> [@Yaxche](#): > > When I opened the poll and saw it open to peripheral projects, I thought for the briefest of moments about voting for **A Fish Called Wanda**. I almost wish I had now, it’s not getting nearly enough love. Kline and Curtis kill in it, and it’s my favorite Cleese vehicle. My favorite feature-length Cleese vehicle is the generally overlooked _Clockwise_. It’s a much “smaller” movie than _A Fish Called Wanda_, but it’s hilarious nonetheless, and it’s 100% Cleese’s show. It’s almost like a 90-minute episode of _Fawlty Towers_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-monty-python-movie/554614.md?page=2)