Movie Description
This classic Monty Python comedy, directed by Pythons Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, is a hilarious send-up of the grim circumstances of the Middle Ages as told through the story of King Arthur and framed by a modern-day murder investigation. When the mythical king of the Britons leads his knights on a quest for the Holy Grail, they face a wide array of horrors, including a persistent Black Knight, a three-headed giant, a cadre of shrubbery-challenged knights, the perilous Castle Anthrax, a killer rabbit, a house of virgins, and a handful of rude Frenchmen.
In addition to the set pieces, the film also includes the same kind of surreal animation that Gilliam contributed to the television series. Throughout the irreverent adventures, the Python crew eschews realism in favor of anachronistic social satire, a recipe it later returned to in the 1979 biblical farce MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN. Melding the ridiculous with the sublime, the film quickly inspired a cult following, generated a host of quotes, and even inspired a computer game 20 years after its release. The numerous songs and hysterical vignettes are sidesplittingly unforgettable.
| Credits | | Producer: | Terry Jones | | Cast: | Eric Idle, John Cleese |
| Details | | Edition: | 2-Disc Special Edition |
Notes
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
2-Disc Set
Widescreen
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1- English
Dolby Digital Mono- English
Disc One:
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary- 1. Terry Gilliam- Director, Screenwriter, Star, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin- Screenwriters, Stars
"Follow the Killer Rabbit" Feature
Version for the Hard Of Hearing
Interactive Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Selection
Text/Photo Galleries:
Subtitles for People Who Don't Like the Film
On-Screen Screenplay
Disc Two:
Additional Release Material:
Trailers
Featurette- 1. THE QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL LOCATIONS
2. HOW TO USE YOUR COCONUTS- Educational Film
3. MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL in Lego
4. MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL in Japanese w/ English Subtitles
5. ON LOCATION WITH THE PYTHONS- 1974 BBC Film
Three Sing-Alongs
Interactive Features:
Interactive Menus
Interactive Cast Directory
Scene Selection
Text/Photo Galleries:
Terry Gilliam's Original Sketches and Posters
Behind-the-Scenes Photos
DVD-Rom Features:
Weblinks, Theatrical release: March 1975 (L.A.)
Filmed on location in Scotland.
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL was the British comedy troupe's second feature and their first film with a somewhat more traditional plot. Their previous effort, AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, was a collection of sketches from the BBC television series MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS.
In the opening credits, "Ralph the Wonder Llama" is credited as one of the executive producers; various other llamas are credited with assisting the producers and directors.
Novelist Douglas Adams contributed to the film's soundtrack album.
Connie Booth and John Cleese were once husband and wife.
Terry Gilliam's wife, Maggie Weston, is uncredited as the page turner; only her hand is seen.
Terry Gilliam did all the animation for the film.
Production designer Roy Smith, also known as Roy Forge Smith, played several small parts in the film.
Neil Innes, who wrote the songs for the film, also appears in several bit parts.
Editorial Reviews
"...A marvelously particular kind of lunatic endeavor....The gags are nonstop..."
New York Times - p.34 - Vincent Canby
"...One of the funniest films ever made..."
Entertainment Weekly - Ty Burr (10/26/2001)
"...This King Arthur spoof is the final comic word on the legend..."
USA Today - Mike Clark (02/26/1993)
"[A]mid all the silliness...the dialogue is often surprisingly erudite."
Premiere - Premiere Staff (08/01/2006)
"[A] strong showcase for the Pythons' versatility as performers....Rich in laughs and lunatic invention
Sight and Sound - Matthew Leyland (01/01/2007)
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