17th August 17th August 1979 saw the release of the then controversial film The Life of Brian, directed by Colwyn Bay born director Terry Jones. Featuring as the character Judith Iscariot was actress Sue Jones-Davies from Dinas Cross in Pembrokeshire. The film tells the story of Brian Cohen, a young Jewish man who is born on the same day as, and next door to Jesus Christ, and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah. The film contains themes of religious satire that were controversial at the time of its release, drawing accusations of blasphemy and protests from some religious groups. Thirty-nine local authorities in the UK either imposed an outright ban, or imposed an X (18 years) certificate, effectively preventing the film from being shown. Some countries, including Ireland and Norway, banned its showing, with a few of these bans lasting decades. The film makers used such notoriety to benefit their marketing campaign, with posters stating So funny it was banned in Norway!. The ban was not lifted in the town of Aberystwyth in Ceredigion until 2009, when Sue Jones-Davies was elected mayor of the town.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 23:10:01 +0000
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