The Life of Brian is one of Monty Python’s best known forays into the world of movies. However, the film has never been too far from controversy as you would expect considering the subject matter and the fact it was made in the late 1970s when sensibilities were very different to now. With news that the movie will be making a transition to stage in the same way Monty Python & the Holy Grail was adapted into Spamalot, John Cleese has stepped in to refute claims that one politically incorrect scene that treads into trans issues territory will be removed.
Cleese has recently been in the spotlight over plans to revive Fawlty Towers for a brand new series, but news of Monty Python’s The Life of Brian being turned into a new production and keeping all of its original jokes and satirical religious references has caused a stir in certain circles. One scene that was reportedly being cut from the new adaptation of the movie revolved around a male character wanting to be a woman and have a baby. The character claims, “ It’s every man’s right to have babies if he wants them.” After being shouted down the character then retorts, “ Don’t you oppress me!”
In a response to reports that the scene would be cut, Cleese explained that the conversation had been misreported, going on to explain:
“A few days ago I spoke to an audience outside London. I told them I was adapting the Life of Brian so that we could do it as a stage show (NOT a musical ). I said that we’d had a table-reading of the latest draft in NYC a year ago and that all the actors – several of them Tony winners – had advised me strongly to cut the Loretta scene. I have, of course, no intention of doing so.”
Do Modern Adaptations of 70s and 80s Comedy Need To Be Updated?
It seems that there have been many shifts in what is anD isn’t considered appropriate in society in the last two decades than anytime in the previous 50 years. With the arrival of all-powerful social media, the opinions of a small number of people can very quickly become an outcry heard around the world, and there are many studios who are constantly aware of how quickly the internet can be used as a weapon to shut down something that people don’t feel is right, feel is offensive or is not keeping up with what is “acceptable” in the current day and age.
This is something that has mostly caused issues with older programs, movies and novels that were originally written at a different time. Although updating these projects seems to be the simple way of avoiding backlash, it also tends to rile up social media users just as much by making changes based on the fact that some people are offended. In the ever changing world we live, getting the balance right is something that proves to be a continuous battle with no end in sight.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
