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Monty Python Meaning

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Monty Python’s 1983 comedy, The Meaning of Life, devastates audiences upon their first viewing. The film is split into seven parts, starting at birth and ending with death. All seven parts are very unique and hilarious in their own ways, but are linked together by the vague theme of the meaning of existence (“Looking Back at Monty…”). The part that holds the most substantial amount of truth and hilarity is the seventh and final part of the film: Death. The opening of the part sets a light mood. A man, who has gotten to choose the nature of his death, is frantically running away from what is revealed as a group of topless women. Aside from the comedy stemming from the fact that a person would choose such a way to die, there isn’t much to gain from this bit. The following segments, however, hold much more than just a laugh. …show more content…

After an admittedly haunting appearance of the Grim Reaper, it knocks on the door of a house in the English countryside. An average upper-middle class gentleman answers the door. The Grim Reaper announces that he is, in fact, Death. The problem arises when the English gentleman doesn’t realize whom he is talking to. He claims that he is in the middle of a dinner party and doesn’t wish to be disturbed. The man’s wife gets involved in the conversation and she invites Death in for a drink. The Grim Reaper, once again, tries to announce that he is death, but the members of the dinner party don’t seem to get it. Even the act of walking through the party’s dinner table doesn’t seem to convince them of the gravity of what is happening. Eventually, Death has to spell it out to them, announcing, “I have come for you… To take you away. That is my purpose. I am Death”(The Meaning of Life, 1983). The party understands, but surprisingly, isn’t scared. We find out that it was the salmon mousse that killed the party and they make their way to the after

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