Monty Python and the Holy Grail (PG)

Spawning in 1969, the legendary British sextet Monty Python would completely revolutionize the genre of comedy, and leave an eternal footprint on comedic history. From their groundbreaking skit-based television show “The Flying Circus” to three mainstream feature films (each of which will be reviewed in order of their release), the Pythons would go on to a fourteen year career as a group, before each would branch off into their own respective and successful roles in entertainment. The Monty Python influence on comedy has been compared favorably to The Beatles influence on music.

The members would meet one another in the early 1960s; two were classmates at Oxford University, three were classmates at Cambridge University. Through various stage shows and performances, they would all eventually meet one another. They worked closely together on various projects until conjuring the idea for the hit television series.

“The Flying Circus” would air from 1969-1974, and have a much larger impact than the mere forty-five episodes it produced. The show revolutionized comedic television, and became the major influence on the American hit “Saturday Night Live.” And like its American counterpart, the humor in the show is completely hit or miss – some parts will have you doubled over with uncontrollable laughter, others will have you watching, mouth ajar, in complete dismay. The one advantage Python humor has is that, unlike SNL, it tends to be more hit than miss. And when you add to the mix the British accent, well that just makes everything a whole lot funnier.

In between filming the third and fourth seasons of “Circus,” the Pythons began production of their first full length feature film, and in 1975, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” was released. I can vividly remember the day I was introduced to the film; a sweltering summer day in 1991 when some friends and I rented the VHS cassette from the local supermarket. It instantly became one of my favorite movies. Twenty years after first watching it, I decided it was in order to watch the other two movies as well and review them as a series.

Unlike the ensemble sketches of “The Flying Circus,” Grail consisted of a single and original plot, with the Pythons trademark humor encompassing from start to finish. Like all Python productions, the six founding members; Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, and Terry Gilliam, comprise the majority of the characters in the film – each playing multiple roles (including that of females) and demonstrating their knack for portraying a wide scope of characters in a flawless fashion.

The film follows the travels of the legendary King Arthur (Chapman) as he goes about recruiting knights to form his round table at Camelot. The opening scene will introduce the viewer to the Python’s brand of humor, and chances are you will know within the first five minutes if the film is for you or not.

Arthur rides across the British countryside (using the term “ride” loosely; he skips about while his sidekick bangs two coconut shells together to mimic the sound of a nonexistent horses) encountering a bevy of unusual situations and fellow countrymen before gathering his knights; Bedevere the Wise (Jones) Lancelot the Brave (Cleese) Galahad the Pure (Palin) and the cowardly Robin (Idle). While heading to Camelot, the knights are given a quest by God himself to find the Holy Grail.

The movie then follows the knights (as a group and then each on their own separate quest) as they embark on the mission, encountering various foes along the way, each more ridiculous than the one before, including a three-headed giant, a castle of horny women, a flame throwing sorcerer, and a killer rabbit.

“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” is by far the best of the three Python feature films. It makes unique a played out classic tale, and keeps the viewer in a fit of laughter from its absurd opening to its head scratching finale. Python humor generally means anything can happen, most of which is completely unexpected and often ill-fitting, yet in “Grail” the laughs seems to connect for humor every step of the way with the cast never taking themselves, or their roles, too seriously.

Like all Python productions, “Grail” mixes the standard humor and character interaction with musical spoofs and songs, and the award winning animations of Terry Gilliam (who plays several minor characters in the film but does the majority of his contributions behind the scenes as he generally does with Python work).

You will quickly see just how talented the members of Monty Python are. What is also obvious is the close bond each of the friends shared with one another. You will be envious that these men had highly successful careers doing nothing other than having a good time and being downright silly. And any social gathering (from weddings to funerals) consists of fans reciting the various lines from the film (even forty years later thus proving its influence and staying power).

“Grail” features some explicit and gruesome (though comically over-the-top) violence and a feast of foul language but not too much to deter viewers with prudish values. The result is a hysterical movie, truly an all time great, that’s fun and appropriate for all ages – that is of course, if you find a connection with the humor.

by – Matt Christopher