Something completely different
Submitted by debritz on September 25, 2008 - 19:37.
Back in 1980, when I was a university student, I went to the Brisbane premiere of Monty Python's Life of Brian, making me one of the first people to see the film (in Australia, at least). Now the citizens of Torquay, England, are to be among the last people to see a cinematic premiere of the film. Brian, starring Graham Chapman as the man who was not the Messiah just a very naughty boy, has been on the seaside town's local authority blacklist for 28 years. The ban has now been overturned and the film will feature as part of Torquay's English Riviera International Comedy Film Festival running from today, September 25, to Sunday, September 28. Torquay is, of course, the setting for the TV series Fawlty Towers, created by and starring Python's John Cleese, and was the birthplace of comic genius Peter Cook.
PS: One of the first news articles I ever wrote was about Always Look on the Bright Side of Life being censored on Brisbane radio - to delete or obscure the line "life's a piece of shit when you look at it".
I can vividly remember a
I can vividly remember a visit from the UK to Brisbane in 1974 and listening to the radio.The song 'The Bloody Red Baron of Germany' came on...and all through the record the word Bloody was beeped out...we couldn't believe it !
Brisbane ( and maybe even Australia ) really was such a conservative place in those days...Compared with todays anything for a cheap laugh or even cheaper ratings society,the question has to be asked...Which era got it right ???
ps I agree with you...Peter Cook was a comic genius.Sadly he was also another tortured man who never found true happiness.Why are so many great comics such sad people?
I have always loved "The
I have always loved "The Life Of Brian". I first saw it on a Sunday afternoon at the 3 cinema complex that was in Albert Street back then. I can't remember the name of the cinema ! Someone help me out !
I was with a couple of friends, waiting for the current session to finish so that we could go in. Out came all of these people....ashen faced and severe. One of my friends commented quite loudly, "Well I guess that the Catolics didn't like the film"! You could have heard a pin drop.
It must have been a far different crowd at the next session. I missed many of the lines because the laughter was so loud. I had to go and see the film again ! I still get a grin on my face when someone uses the word "Messiah" in general conversation !
I think you're thinking
Wasn't there Brett,also a
Wasn't there Brett,also a twin cinema complex further down Albert St also owned by Greater Union (which acted as a "multiplex" for a while with the Albert triple...) I think they closed those two down around the time Greater Union opened a newer multiplex (where Top's used to be) in the Myer Centre to replace the downstairs Hoyts cinemas which had been there since opening in 1988 (which is now a Target...)
By the way, there is still a hole in the ground, where the Albert stood... still waiting for the tower to be built.
If we can Save the Regent, so it will never end up like the Albert... It would be a great victory for the city as we have preserved the last cinema on Queen St proper.
"Always look on the bright side of life..."
You're thinking of the
You're thinking of the Forum, which became a duoplex (if there's such a word) and is now Borders bookshop.
And there's the Dendy on
And there's the Dendy on George St, formally a Greater Union cinema.
Pity a article in the Courier Mail says it's shutting down too... More here(This is not a RickRoll)- http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,24437555-3102,00.html?f...
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