The Meaning of Life

Monty Python’s the meaning of life is a 1983 musical sketch comedy film directed by Terry Jones and written by and starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. The film centres around loosely structured comic sketches about the various stages of life. The meaning of life is more than just a sketch film however it is both a metaphorical and humours investigation into the nature of existence.

 If in the opening short film, the crimson permanent assurance elderly workers. Work by younger happy American businessman before rebelling against the system using the building as a pirate ship and throwing them out the windows to their death. From this they destroy corporate buildings by firing office files like cannonballs bringing down the system that once anchored them as seen literally with the removal of Bianca. As they destroy attack a corporate building before fighting the businessmen inside the workers are going after the ideology that created the depravity and destroying it. However with the end of the crimson permanent assurance going over a cliff film shows are ultimately people are doomed under the system as self-interest does not result in the greater good but rather the destruction of individuals a theme throughout the film. This thought also demonstrates Pythons use of post-modernism as the sketch comes back during the medium of film disrupting the art of traditional storytelling and filmmaking to create their own narrative.

In the miracle of birth sketch the doctors care more about their equipment and impressing the administrator and the woman they are operating on showcasing through post-modernism the key cornerstones of life I walked distorted into a grotesque satire of himself. Throughout the film a key theme seems to indicate how purely individual and self-interests having negative effects and how unity is ultimately needed. The sketch highlights the problems facing the health industry and how under the control of governmental regime these practices need to be as economically efficient as possible to serve the state. This is further reinforced by the factory like process within this scene viewing individual to make commodities as fluffy industrial like way they treat the baby and the mother, showcasing the destruction of the notion of the joy of birth through post-modernism.

In the every sperm is sacred sketch Yorkshire has become 1/3 world country as a father sells his children for scientific experiments to make ends meet. This showcases the economic disparity of lower class criticising the traditional social hierarchy of the country. Also, the film criticises religion’s role in this particularly Catholics and their attitude towards contraception. The film makes the claim that these archaic regimes put forth by religion create economic disparity and the stranglehold over the lower class. This scene also acts as a post-modernist deconstruction of religion’s role within society criticising its ideology through humour. However, Catholics are not the only ones attacked as Protestants are also singled out as the meaning of life seems to indicate that both sides believe themselves to be equally superior when in reality neither is.

This idea of subverting the ideologies of England is further shown with the subversion of religion in private school. If this again comments on the traditional classes, the visions of British society religion are used as a scaremongering tactic among the schools to subdue the youth into a perpetual state of obedience. This scene also acts as a post-modernist deconstruction of the education system criticising the creationist foundations and structures of British society. The film also comments on the social cultural class is hierarchy of the country during the sex-education seen in private schools where John Cleese had sex with his wife in front of the class. This scene rigid because the idea of teaching teenagers is set as with traditional British reserve people cannot understand how teach other people about the things therefore takes these practices to their logical streams which is further shown in the rugby match commenting on how the traditional ideologies of England teach young men to be savage and violent toward one another stop the scene next day post-modernist deconstruction upon the heart classical hierarchical structure of England’s and how society is still run to separate benefits the upper classes at the expense of the working class. The scene with the soldiers in the World War I trench showcases that British imperialism is ultimately a threat to the life. Has the horrific sequence of the soldiers being shot gun down to celebrate her birthday of the film showcases the horrors of war and imperial conquest juxtaposed by the simple joy of trying to enjoy birthday cake.

 this is further shown by the clock and watch given to the captain parried in the traditional British respect for commanding officers acting as a post-modernist deconstruction of British imperialism. The post-modernist destruction of British imperialism is further destroyed with the hand of God striking down the military officer says Britain will always need an army to put down differing ideologies, as well as the Sgt major asking anyone and anything better to do than marching up and down the square the soldiers would rather be doing anything else further acting as a post-modern deconstruction classical British imperialism.

The Zulu warfare sketch further mocks British imperialism by destroying our preconceived notions of it through post-modernism, as a British officer loses a leg showcasing the very real threat of war. British imperialism is showcased as a threat against the meaning of life as the higher-ups do not care about the massed death of the soldiers as the warfare merely reinforces the imperialist ideology, with the reveal of Tiger being too harsh a costume forever showcasing Monty Python’s post-modernist deconstruction of reality. This leads into a sketch about the middle of film showcasing the artificiality of the movie through breaking the fourth wall five a post-modern deconstruction. Which is further shown with the find the fish shop highlighting the pointlessness and absurdity of the pipe and own work and with a varied using any greater meaning to this film at all. The Middle age sketch where an American couple order philosophy as a compensation restaurant showcases the films ultimate thesis the normal everyday person does not care about the meaning of life. All this philosophical exploration into meaning of existence is ultimately pointless instead the film’s is usually just live your life it is to be content yourself and your life.

 In the live organ transplant sketch surgeons killed a man and taking his liver for the supposedly good of the country. This showcases how throughout the film the common man is drowned under the system of oppression and how the systematic forces of oppression exploit people through society. The Galaxy song is crucial in showcasing the main theme of the film they celebration of humanity is meaningless existence. By laughing at how insignificant instead of wallowing in despair and the meaning of life showcases its main theme in embracing this and enjoying life whilst you can. This is further showcased with the woman giving birth to the universe highlighting the absurdity of everything for a post-modern deconstruction of life showcasing how humanity needs to laugh at its own insignificance. Sketch the autonomy is this economic disparity climaxes with Mr creosote a largely obese man who orders and eats everything on the menu and fine dining restaurant. This clearly is symbolic of economic disparity as the rich get richer and fatter at the expense of the starving class. However, with his explosion at the end the film shows that this type of stranglehold can only last so long before these economic systems are power destroying themselves creating freedom for the common man.

Speaking of the common man, in the meaning of life part 6B: the meaning of life. The film showcases a post-modern deconstruction on the meaning of existence as the cleaning states to the waiter that she believes there is no point in figuring out a greater or higher meaning. This again showcases the main point of the film beginning to waste your life pondering the greater questions and instead enjoy the time on earth for what it is. With the cameraman following the waiter out of the scene to its house the film breaks the fourth wall showcasing its artificiality. If his house in the country the idea of a simplistic meaning of life is parodied just as much is the philosophical ideas showcasing the irrelevant and pointless of all facets of existence.

In the meaning of life seventh and final segment death the section starts with a man who is taken for keyed criminal whose chosen method of death is being chased off a cliff by naked women. If the meaning of life demonstrates a post-modernist deconstruction of death and humanity’s fear of it is instead of wallowing in the meanness of life people should laugh and redressing their own insignificance comments within in the world. With the Grim Reaper invading a middle-class dinner party the people involved acting acolyte if not inconvenienced fashion to Wolves this event. This further showcases a parody upon humanity’s fear of death as a film encourage you to live your life however you want as everyone will die eventually through this post-modernist deconstruction on the nature of existence. Death is a very human figure within the film getting annoyed that both the Americans and English. Monty Python’s meaning of life showcases a post-modernist deconstruction of the big topics as the supposedly cornerstones of life making fun of existence itself order to break down and explain heavy philosophical topics and make them universally acceptable for everyone.

As they accompany the Grim Reaper to heaven, they are revealed to be in the hot wine restaurant from earlier on in the film. From this they then enter a Las Vegas style hotel where it is always Christmas. In this heavenly hotel the guests are all characters from previous sketches throughout the film as a performer sings the song “it’s Christmas in heaven”. This Emacs is a post-modernist deconstruction of death, heaven, and the afterlife. The realm beyond life is no more wonderful than when they were alive as this scene makes fun of the banal pointlessness of humanity’s only existence. The end of the film reinforces this statement as in a similar vein to the middle of the film the presenter during the end of the film breaks the fourth wall through a post-modernist deconstruction of reality. It is from this that the meaning of life is presented as a trivial thing. “Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations”. Although the joke the film does offer up some good rules to live a life by. However, the meaning of life ultimately shows that searching for some greater understanding is pointless as long as your good person and enjoy your life while you can you don’t need to worry about the philosophical questions of life. The film then ends with an attack on the senses stating that they were when the film produces pictures of penises before the film ends not showing any genitalia as one last middle finger towards the censorship of art.

The meaning of life is a satire on existence itself and the search for philosophical meaning. The film showcases the cornerstones of humanity is irrelevant pointless and above all funny poking fun at every facet of existence. The film showcases that there is no greater meaning to life that ultimately existence is what you make of it.