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: | "Extraordinarily" Deluxe Edition; 2-Disc Set |
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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