Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

1983's MONTY PYTHON'S THE MEANING OF LIFE was the troupe's fourth movie and certainly their most audacious, offensive, and outrageous.  If anything, it would probably be even more problematic for today's sensitive audiences.  I became a fan of Britain's "bad boys" a few years before this film was released, and convinced my father that I was old enough to see it.  I do remember squirming in embarrassment more than once.  But he was roaring with laughter, too.   Some time later, it became heavily quoted among my high school classmates.  Curiously, among those of varying degrees of popularity and social standing.  Mostly males.  For all its erudition and sly humor, there are several breast and penis jokes. 

 

THE MEANING OF LIFE resembles the structure of AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT - a series of sketches and vignettes, with occasional glimpses at Terry Gilliam's animation.  The theme is stated in the film's title, and discussed in chapters from birth to death.  In between are ruminations of life in school, in war time, and the perils of being an organ donor.  The consensus is that this is the Python's weakest cinematic foray and while I do agree, my rewatch after many years was favorable.  This is still a riotously funny, at times almost gasp worthy in how thoroughly it skewers Western societal norms: social, political, and of course sexual.   The screws are of course turned on themselves more than once.  

The film has a few musical numbers, the most memorable being "Every Sperm is Sacred", a cheerful, skillfully choreographed number performed mostly by hordes of children who exist because their parents are Catholic, and refuse to wear prophylactics.  There are a few highly grotesque moments, namely the infamous (and awful) liver extraction scene.  But Mr. Creosote's unfortunate dinner achieves some sort of epic status.  It is certainly the most well known portion of the film, and disgustingly hilarious.

My favorite bits are the opening short subject, "The Crimson Permanent Assurance", which was directed by Gilliam and is referred to again later in the THE MEANING OF LIFE, which was otherwise directed by Terry Jones, and the bizarre, surreal, "Find the fish" sequence.  The Protestant couple (mainly the husband) who comment on their Catholic neighbors have what I consider the funniest moments.  I did also like the Grim Reaper's appearance.  The Zulu war stuff was spotty.

But no Python fan can miss THE MEANING OF LIFE, even if at times it feels like they're repeating themselves.  John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, and Gilliam and Jones certainly went for broke with their screen bow.  If nothing else, it's a warning to always avoid the salmon mousse.  And that waaffer thin after dinner mint.