Monty Python Fans: The Crimson Permanent Assurance

[thoughtographer]

<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimson_Permanent_Assurance">The Crimson Permanent Assurance</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br>If you know what this is, then let's talk about it. If not, go borrow, rent or buy a copy of <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>The Meaning of Life</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> and watch it. I'd like to hear people's opinions on the symbolism, taking Terry Gilliam's influences and body of work into account. Are there any other fans of this short here? <p><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>"A crooked stick will cast a crooked shadow."</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

[JD]

I remember laughing my ass off at it, but really for the life of me can't remember anything "deep" in it.<br><br>Gilliam DID write Brazil, which I haven't seen in years but when I saw it I figured there was more to the movie than simple entertainment. So yeah, maybe there is some stuff hidden in there. Want to give us some hints? <p></p><i></i>

[marykmusic]

There's always deep stuff in their work. Satire on government beureaucrats, corporate scams (like the Crimson Permanent Assurance, which is simply called "insurance" here), and social <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>faux pas</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> abound. <!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START--><span style="text-decoration:underline">The Life of Brian</span><!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END--> is a total send-up of organized religion... --MaryK <p></p><i></i>

[thoughtographer]

Yeah, I'll be back when I get a chance. I figure I'd throw this out to get the ball rolling. At the very least, maybe some people will at least watch the CPA short and have a good laugh. <p><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>"A crooked stick will cast a crooked shadow."</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

[anotherdrew]

I wonder if the full 30 minute version will ever see the light of day? <p></p><i></i>

[tigre63]

Kind of ironic that he would make this short about an insurance company that transforms into pirates, only to have his most loved project comandeered from him 20 years later by an insurance company. Hopefully he will be able to complete The Man Who Killed Don Quixote someday.<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.smart.co.uk/dreams/donqfact.htm">www.smart.co.uk/dreams/donqfact.htm</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br> I think Terry Gilliam has always disliked any type of outside control on his artistic vision. Perhaps The Crimson Permanent Assurance was symbolic of his disdain for studio control.Maybe he was getting outside direction from some young greenhorn or something like that.<br><br> If I remember right aren't old men getting whipped by younger men, and aren't the old men doing all the entry level work while the young men are managers? Or something like that. <p></p><i></i>

[illuminaughty]

I was just humming "Brazil" to myself on the way to the computer, having watched the film again a few weeks ago.<br>We have left "1984" and now live in "Brazil".<br><br>The "CPA" is a great piece of work and the commentary on the DVD goes into hilarious detail about Gilliam's enthusiasm for the project. Originally, it was to be 5 minutes in length, but, it became a creature of its own and went over budget by about a zillion dollars.<br><br>It had an eerie 9/11 connection for me. But most of Gilliam's work is frightenly funny and seemingly prophetic.<br><br>"Every sperm is sacred" is practically the religious right's anthem now <br><br>A great documentary about the film that never was is "Lost in La Mancha".<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[friend catcher]

" Are you the Peoples Front of Judea?"<br> <br>" Fuck Off ! We're Judean Peoples Front "<br> <br>Remembered the initial storms of religeous protest in the UK when Life of Brian was released although much of it was an organised job by an old crone called Mary Whitehouse who got endless media attention for her censorious views. Britain like much of Europe is by and large secular so the natural response to moralist nut jobs was and still is satire and humour which is the roots of Monty Python. I think Gilliam always provided a surealist edge to the things they did that in my view enhanced the films.<br>When it was released the whitehouse mob attempted a private prosecution under the old Blasphemy laws which kind of made it a life imitating art event and failed miserably. As a schoolboy at the time a common thing was to point at someone who'd sworn or something and shout 'Blasphemer' a la John Cleese.I remember well the whole class standing doing the blashemer routine to a monk who was giving religeous instruction.( Monk came out the closet and moved to San Francisco- which surprised nobody) I might be wrong but the Blasphemy laws were repealed or modified shortly after as the state never likes to be the victim of satire.<br><br>The Whitehouse woman became a British institution and a porn mag was even named after her. She spent dawn till dusk watching tv and reading newspapers in order to highlight the moral decline of the nation.Brilliant woman, so off the scale that few people would go anywhere near her views in case of guilt by association. <p></p><i></i>

[darkbeforedawn]

Speaking of old movies, does anyone remember "The Magic Christian" where this crowd of people all dressed like on wall street, wade into a literal vat of shit to pick up coins and money? <p></p><i></i>