Holy Flying Circus

[poliphilo]

The TV play Holy Flying Circus asked whether a film like Life of Brian could or would be made today- in this age of edgy religious minorities. Seeing how the play was considerably more offensive than the film dared to be (a farting Jesus for starters) the answer is clearly "No"; not because the churches would take it down, but because guying Christianity has become old hat and even a teeny bit boring. 

Brian belongs to an age of religious transition. It depends upon a mass audience knowing the Bible- but not taking it too seriously. It could only have been made when it was. Twenty years earlier the church would have been too powerful, twenty years later too weak.  

Comments

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

Interesting observations. I wonder whether today it could even be distributed in the US, at least as widely as it was. General public support for Christian extremism may have wained a bit since then, but to my eye it seems much more powerful politically.

And of course it would be Obama's fault, regardless. On that point all media outlets would naturally agree.

I saw Life of Brian with one of my high-school teachers in Harrisonburg, Virginia, proud buckle of the "Bible Belt". We were hoping that the threatened protests would materialize, but alas they did not. I would expect a full-bore Peetardier rally, were it today.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

There were towns in Britain that wouldn't show it back in 1979. One of them (a Welsh seaside town)maintained the ban until quite recently.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

That was part of why we drove to Harrisonburg, about two-hours away. Though we had three theaters in our area back then, there wasn't a snowball's chance that it would be released here, in this county. There were no official bans. None were needed, I expect.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

British cinemas were subject to local licensing in the 70s (they may still be for all I know) and it was quite in order for small town councillors to ban a film.