"As a follow-up to their first true feature film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the comic troupe next decided to tackle a 'shadow' version of the Christ story. Shot in the Middle East and produced during Margaret Thatcher's ascendant years, the film satirized--among other matters--authoritarianism and religious zealotry. Upon its release, Monty Python's Life of Brian was both a critical and commercial success and has since been hailed as one of the greatest comedies of all time. But the film also faced backlash from religious groups for its blasphemy, perceived or otherwise. In A Book about the Film Monty Python's Life of Brian : All the References from Assyrians to Zeffirelli, Darl Larsen identifies and examines the plethora of cultural, historical, and topical allusions in the film--from first-century Jerusalem through 1970s Great Britain. Organized chronologically by scene, the entries in this volume cover literary and metaphoric allusions, symbolisms, names, peoples, and places, as well as the many social, cultural, and historical elements that populate this film"--Page [4] of cover.