Monty Python wants to cash in on Mel's success

Monty Python’s Flying Circus star Terry Jones doesn’t mince words about why the troupe’s film Life of Brian is being rushed into re-release this month.

“It’s shameless commercial opportunism on our part,” Jones said in the US.

The original plan was to get the film out for a rerun in August, the month that marks the 25th anniversary of the Python’s tale of an accidental messiah. Then came Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ.

“We just saw the opportunity and thought we’d take it,” Jones said. “We’re definitely trying to cash in on Mel’s enormous success.”

Jones, who directed the wickedly funny biblical send-up, also was in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Meaning of Life. A quarter-century ago, Life of Brian sparked controversy and bans.

“That was rather good, really, because it gave us a lot of publicity,” Jones said. “It also gave us a great ad line in Sweden, because the Swedes regard the Norwegians as having no sense of humour, and as it was banned in Norway the Swedish distributor ran a line that read: This film is so funny it was banned in Norway!”