When Life Of Brian, the highly controversial Monty Python film, was released in 1979, it was seen as blasphemous and anti-Christian. So much so that various regions, towns, and cities in the UK banned the film from being shown, one of which was the Devon resort of Torbay.
Now anyone who has actually seen the film will know that it isn’t blasphemous or anti-Christian, and doesn’t even mock the life of Jesus Christ. All the film does is take a highly satirical look at religion as a whole and how preposterous a situation could become if a random person other than Jesus had started being classed as the messiah.
Unfortunately, it has taken Torbay almost 30 years to realise this, as the British resort has only just seen fit to lift the ban on the film. The decision to ban the film was overturned after Life Of Brian won a vote to be shown at the English Riviera International Comedy Film Festival.
Torbay mayor Nick Bye told Digital Spy:
“The world has moved on. I haven’t seen the film but I welcome its showing on Sunday.”
I find this whole thing amazing, from how the film came to be banned n the first place, and to how the area’s authorities had to discuss overturning the ban this long after the film was released. But I’m glad it now has been, finally. I urge everyone in the area to now go and watch the film, although I’m sure most of them already will have on VHS or DVD by now.
