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 1975 PG / Comedy Adventure Directed by: Starring: |
- And now! At Last! Another film completely different from some of the other films which aren't quite the same as this one is.
Summary Capsule
- Monty Python, that wacky british street gang, travel old England in search for the Holy Grail and a sorcerer named Tim
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Justin's Rating: Huzzah, I say, huzzah!
Justin's Review: It amazes me that after so many years and viewings, Monty Python and the Holy Grail remains as fresh and funny as ever. The sheer idiocy and ridiculousness that runs rampant through the film and its actors cannot be denied its fair share of humor value. I know that this being one of the "kings" of the cult genre, it has received a vocal backlash as many popular things are wont to receive. Yet, I say this here and I say this now: MP&HG rightly deserves every praise attributed to its comical genius, and then some.
It's difficult to explain what, exactly, makes the Monty Python troupe so hysterical. Maybe it's more difficult to narrow it down to just one or two things. Part of it has to do with their ability to talk silly things to death (as evidenced in the first scene, when two castle guards begin debating how swallows could migrate a coconut far north enough for Arthur to find). Most of it is a battle waged between two very silly and nonsensical lines, complete with straight faces (instead of the wink-wink attitude most satires have). And of course, you might just find the funny voices enough to send you into coniptions.
I first saw MP&HG at a high school youth group, and the killer rabbit scene was enough to hook me for life. There might be many great wonders of the world, many tremendous inventions that are yet to come, but the sight of a little cute white fuzzy rabbit decapitating knights left and right shall never be trounced.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail has a bit of comedy for all types. There are a few silly songs, plenty of nasally accents, and many cats being abused all over the place. So really, you've either seen MP&HG and you're reading this just to share in the worldwide experience of mirth, or you need further prompting. Dude, you're missing OUT! See it!
PoolMan's Rating: 5 out of 5 ah guh, ah guh, ah guh... A GR-R-R-RAIL?
PoolMan's Review: Picture yourself in medieval England, to the tune of 932 AD. You are the legendary Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, King of the Britons. You are riding on a Holy Quest bestowed upon you by God Himself to seek the Holy Grail. You glance down at your steed, expecting to see a beast worthy of such a great quest, only to find... it's not a horse, it's a pair of coconuts!
The film begins with King Arthur travelling England in search of knights loyal enough to serve at his famed Round Table in Camelot. He quickly enlists the help of such well known historical figures as Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, and Sir Bedemir, as well as the lesser-known Sir Robin, the not quite so brave as Sir Lancelot, plus many others. Once this team of myth is assembled, God appears before them to set Arthur to his destiny, to seek the Holy Grail. They split up into groups, each with the intent of finding the glorious artifact and presenting it to his King. However, the way is paved with obstacles the likes of the three-headed giant, a killer bunny, a rather unfortunate Black Knight, and the Knights Who Say Nee! (Nee!)
The hilarity right from the get-go to the very end keeps even the veteran viewer laughing the whole way through (I should know, having seen it dozens of times, and I know I'll see it dozens more), with such scenes as the witch hunt, the French taunting, the Trojan Bunny, and the Bridge of Death, to name a mere few. The scenes of this movie are the stuff of legend themselves, and are so loved by the fans of this film that it's not uncommon to see a huddled group at a party, backs turned to the room, laughing uproariously, one of them shouting about coconuts, swallows, and weight-ratios. Memorable humour of this kind just doesn't exist in movies anymore, and the cult that follows the Holy Grail around is fanatic to it, myself included. If you're going to try one single film to sample the taste of Monty Python's Flying Circus and all the wonderful things they did in the 70's, make this it. You won't regret it, even for five seconds. (Three sir!)
Lissa's Rating: We want… a shrubbery!
Lissa's Review: We are the knights who say Ni! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Help, help, I’m being repressed! She turned me into a newt! A newt? I got better. She’s got huge tracts of land!
Is there any movie better than Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Well, yeah, actually. Personally, I like many movies better. But is there any movie more quotable than Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Any movie more watched on college campuses across the nation? Absolutely, positively not.
Plot summary. What a laugh, but okay. King Arthur and his knights go on a quest for the Holy Grail, as commissioned by God. (Couldn’t you have guessed that from the title?) But of course this is Monty Python’s version, so don’t expect Marion Zimmer Bradley or T.H. White. Instead, expect the usual suspects of any Monty Python movie: Eric Idle, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Et al., if I missed any. (To be honest, I’m not THAT up on my Monty Python. I should have my Geek Membership revoked, I know. But at least I’m better than my office mate, who has NEVER SEEN MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL AND CALLS HIMSELF A GEEK. Hmm. He didn’t seem to hear that. I think he’s ignoring me.)
It seems stupid to talk about acting in this review. I mean, it’s Monty Python. They aren’t necessarily Oscar winning actors or anything (I checked, and two were nominated for writing, but not acting), but they are funny. And that’s all that really matters. If I’m actually watching Monty Python, I’m not looking for depth or tear-jerking performances. I don’t want to think about free will and the depths humanity can sink to or the heights it can rise to or any of that stuff. I just want to laugh my ass off.
No, no. What else floats in water?
Bread.
Apples.
Very small rocks!
Cider!
Gravy!
Cherries!
Mud!
Churches!
Lead! Lead!
A duck!
Exactly. So logically…
If she weighs the same as a duck… she’s made of wood?
And therefore…?
A WITCH!
How can you not love that sort of thing? Silly and stupid and yet just so so so so funny.
Are there flaws in the Holy Grail. Pfft. YES. Duh. The ending, for starters. I can never remember the ending, mainly because the movie just fizzles out, like the actors (or writers or whatever… I really wonder how much of this script was actually written down at first, and how much was improvised) got bored and the movie ended. We just watched it the other day, and I still can’t remember the exact ending. It’s shrouded in some sort of fog in my mind, and amazingly, this fog is not remotely alcohol induced. That bugs me about this particular movie. There’s times I actually find it a little slow — but maybe that’s just because parts have been quoted ad nasuem and all that. (The Black Knight, for example. Just does nothing for me.)
Okay, so maybe I decided to review Monty Python and the Holy Grail because Justin reminded us that there were movies made before 2004, and maybe I did it because I felt I hadn’t done anything “cult” recently, but still. It can never be said enough that this is a fun movie and required viewing for anyone aspiring to the title of “Geek.”
And that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana-shaped.
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- Cat abuse!
- I've always loved how the musical soundtrack cut off in the middle of the first Black Knight fight, which makes the sounds of combat so much more funny
- The Black Knight was first played by John Cleese, but when Arthur cuts off the man's leg, a real one-legged actor (a local silversmith) was used.
- Most of the castles were cardboard cutouts, and indeed the trailer shows one of them falling over.
- A shrubbery is British slang for a hooker, giving the whole Knights who say Ni scene a double meaning
- When Tim the Enchanter gives the "eccentric performance" about the ferocity of the rabbit, there is a large amount of spit that comes flying out of his mouth. [thanks Jared]
- When Sir Bedevere asks the villagers why witches burn, you can see the villager on the left (Eric Idle) start to crack up. To keep from giggling, he bites onto his scythe. [thanks Jared]
- The picture of Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Film is actually Michael Palin's son, William. [thanks Jared]
- If you watch the monks hitting themselves on the head carefully, you can see one of the monks in the back stagger after hitting himself. [thanks Pat F]
Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?
Since you sort of HAVE to, since the end credits are at the beginning and hilarious to boot, I demand it to be so.
Intermission! [some sources: IMDb]
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One of the original filmed scenes that never appeared in the movie happened at the end. After the Bridgekeeper, they come upon the Boatkeeper. "He who would cross the Sea of Fate Must answer me these questions twenty-eight!"
Groovy Quotes
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French Soldier: I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough water! I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!
Bedevere: What makes you think she's a witch?
Peasant: Well she turned me into a newt!
Bedevere: A newt?
Peasant: I got better.
Crowd: BURN HER ANYWAY!
Dennis: Help! Help! I'm being repressed! Come see the violence inherent in the system! Violence inherent in the system!
Bedevere: ...and that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana shaped.
Arthur: This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere. Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes.
King of Swamp Castle: We live in a bloody swamp. We need all the land we can get.
Prince Herbert: But I don't like her.
King of Swamp Castle: Don't like her? What's wrong with her. She's beautiful, she's rich, she's got huge ... tracts of land.
Tim: Follow. But! Follow only if ye be men of valour, for the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel that no man yet has fought with it and lived! Bones of full fifty men lie strewn about its lair. So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.
Arthur: What an eccentric performance.
Knights of Camelot: [singing] We're knights of the Round Table, we dance whene'er we're able. We do routines and chorus scenes with footwork impec-cable, We dine well here in Camelot, we eat ham and jam and Spam a lot. / We're knights of the Round Table, our shows are for-mi-dable. But many times we're given rhymes that are quite un-sing-able, We're opera mad in Camelot, we sing from the diaphragm a lot. / In war we're tough and able, Quite in-de-fa-ti-gable. Between our quests we sequin vests and impersonate Clark Gable / It's a busy life in Camelot [solo] I have to push the pram a lot.
King of Swamp Castle: Look Alice...
Prince Herbert: Herbert!
King of Swamp Castle: Herbert...
Minstrel: [singing] Bravely bold Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot. He was not afraid to die, oh brave Sir Robin. He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways, brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin. He was not in the least bit scared to being mashed into a pulp, or to have his eyes carved out, and his elbows broken. To have his kneecap split, and his body burned away, and his limbs all hacked and mangled, brave Sir Robin. His head smashed in and heart cut out, and his liver removed, and his bowels unplugged, and his nostrils raped and his bottom burned off and his penis...
Sir Robin: THAT'S, that's quite enough, Minstrel.
Minstrel: [singing] Brave Sir Robin ran away, bravely ran away away. When danger reared his ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled. Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about, he turned his tail, he chickened out. Bravely taking to his feet, he beat a very brave retreat. A brave retreat by Sir Robin.
God: What are you doing now?
Arthur: Averting our eyes, oh Lord.
God: Well, don't. It's just like those miserable psalms, always so depressing.
King of Swamp Castle: This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let's not bicker and argue about who killed who.
Arthur: Is there someone else up there we could talk to?
French Soldier: No, now go away before I taunt you a second time.
Black Knight: Have at you!
Arthur: You are indeed brave, sir knight, but the fight is mine.
Black Knight: Oh, had enough eh?
Arthur: Look, you stupid bastard. You've got no arms left!
Black Knight: Yes I have.
Arthur: Look!
Black Knight: Just a flesh wound!
French Knight: You don't frighten us, English pig dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of a silly person! I blow my nose at you, so-called "Arthur King," you and all your silly English K-nig-hts.
Arthur: I am your king!
Woman: Well I didn't vote for you!
Arthur: You don't vote for kings.
Woman: Well how'd you become king then?
[Angelic music plays...]
Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king!
Dennis: [interrupting] Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government! Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony!
Dennis: Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you!
Dennis: Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!
[The King gestures to the window.]
King of Swamp Castle: Some day, lad, all this will be yours.
Prince Herbert: What, the curtains?
Knight 1: We are now no longer the Knights who say Ni.
Knight 2: NI!
Other Knights: Shh...
Knight 1: We are now the Knights who say... "Ekki-Ekki-Ekki-Ekki-PTANG! Zoom-Boing! Z'nourrwringmm!"
DVD Review
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To sum up this DVD review, if you ever even remotely liked Holy Grail, then you should be legally dead without this disc; ergo, you can't live without it! I thought I'd laughed at all this film had to offer, but the 2-disc Special Edition of MP&HG is truly spectacular.
The first thing in the disc that you'll notice is the animated menus, which keep animating all sorts of craziness even if you've left the room. Disc One is primarily the movie, which offers about fifteen ways to watch the movie. You have all sorts of normal audio and subtitle selections, a "Follow the Deadly Rabbit" choice that leads you to special documentary sections during the film, the old original mono soundtrack, read the screenplay alongside the film, and TWO commentaries by cast and crew. Yet all this was second to my favorite movie watching option, which was the Subtitles for People Who Don't Like The Film (taken from Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part II). Basically, they subtitle all the actors with pseudo-Shakespearian text, which is an absolute riot to read. A sample: "Helter-skelter have I rode to thee... I have speeded hither with the very extremest inch of possibility." It more or less follows what's being said on screen, and is highly recommended for people who know the film backwards and forwards, and want a few other dimensions thrown in as well. The movie also begins with a fake-out film, involving a dentist in black and white. And don't EVEN get me started on the 23 additional seconds of film! Woo!
The second disc is your standard everything-but-the-kitchen-sink extras package. There are karaoke singalongs, a documentary on the film locations, a short on how to make your own coconut horses, two scenes dubbed in Japanese, and lots of other little bits. My favorite were the trailers, which eventually degenerate into a Japanese language, English dubbed mess.
Soundtrack Review
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Ya just gotta love the soundtrack to this movie. The opening credits go through at least four variations on a theme... and the main theme (the "riding" theme) is somewhat stirring.
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This review page was last updated on 11.30.05
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