(aka "Brian of Nazareth" or "The Gospel According to St. Brian" or "Jesus Christ: Lust for Glory" or "Monty Python's Life of Brian")

directed by Terry Jones
UK 1979

 

After slaying the Arthurian legend in their now classic Holy Grail, the Pythons set their sights on the Greatest Story Ever Told. Blind faith, virgin birth, crucifixion nothing is sacred in this epic send-up of ancient times, which draws on the cornball biblical blockbusters of the 1950s to lampoon celebrity culture in any era.

***

The Three Wise Men go to the wrong manger, thus foisting upon Brian Cohen a role for which he is eminently unprepared. More Carrying On than usual from the Pythons, but the use of a tried and tested storyline (Cleese: 'Yes, it has got a bit of shape, hasn't it?') results in their most sustained effort to date. Python successfully lampoon religious attitudes rather than religion itself, while the comedy relies mainly on memories of the classroom; which is apt enough, considering that most of the audience is likely to associate knowledge of the Holy Writ with schooldays too.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 17, 1979

Reviews    More Reviews  DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Criterion (US) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Mathias Nielsen for the Screen Caps!

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

   

 

 

 
Distribution

Criterion Collection Spine # 61 - Region 1 - NTSC

 

 Columbia Tristar (UK)
Region 2 - PAL
Runtime 1:33:42 1:29:51 (4% PAL speedup)
Video

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.76 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.55 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:

 

Criterion (US)

 

Bitrate:

 

Columbia Tristar (UK)

 

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

English (Dolby Digital 5.1), DUBS: German (Dolby Digital 2.0), Hungarian (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles English, none Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, English for the hearing impaired, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovenian, Swedish, Turkish, none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Criterion / Handmade Films

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• The Pythons Documentary (49:48)
• Fullscreen Interactive Menus
• 2 Commentaries. One featuring Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle & Terry Jones. The other features John Cleese & Michael Palin.
• 5 Deleted scenes with optional commentary (Eric Idle & Terry Jones): "Sheep" (4:36), "Pilate's Wife" (1:59), "Otto" (4:28), "The Sign That Is The Sign" (1:18) & "Souvenir Shop" (0:42)

• British Radio Ads (audio): "Michael Palin's Dentist" (0:47), "Eric Idle's Mother" (0:32), "Terry Gilliam's Mother" (0:32) & John Cleese's Mother (0:46)

• Theatrical Trailer (2:47)

• Fold-out booklet feat. liner notes by film editor George Perry (Sunday Times)

 

Criterion Edition;
VOB file dates: 01/05/00

 

DVD Release Date: November 16, 1999

Keep Case

Chapters 20

Release Information:
Studio: Columbia Tristar (UK) / Handmade Films

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
• The Pythons Documentary
• Theatrical Trailer
• Anamorphic Interactive Menus
• 4 Additional Trailers: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (3:01), Eight Crazy Nights (1:11), I Spy (2:16), Mr. Deeds (1:44)
 











Columbia Tristar Edition;
VOB file dates: 03/11/03


DVD Release Date: April 14, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 32

 

Comments

Sharpness appears about the same in these two releases, but I find the Criterion skin tones decidedly red and color balance better in the PAL edition (more vibrant). There is significant cropping at the bottom of the Columbia Tri-star releases and quite unusually I found an edition where I like the alternative-to-Criterion subtitles better. Criterion wins on the extras but I will go with the PAL on all other categories. It would be nice to own both - great flic!

Gary Tooze

 

DVD Menus
(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
 

 

 

Subtitle sample 1

 

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
 



 

 

Subtitle sample 2

 

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
 

 

 

Screen Captures

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)



 

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Columbia Tristar (UK) - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

 

Hit Counter

Report Card:

Image:

Columbia Tristar

Sound:

Columbia Tristar
Extras:
Criterion
Menu:
Columbia Tristar
DVD Box Covers

   

 

 

 
Distribution

Criterion Collection Spine # 61 - Region 1 - NTSC

 

 Columbia Tristar (UK)
Region 2 - PAL


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gary Tooze

Many Thanks...