Monty Python and the Holy Grail Review (Updated)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Release Date: 14th August 1974 – Australia

Production Companies

Michael White Productions (in association with)

National Film Trustee Company

Python (Monty) Pictures (presents)

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime: 91 minutes


Budget: £400,000

Box Office Gross: $5,626,794 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
History is turned upside down for King Arthur and his faithful knights in the tenth century in England. They embark on a strange quest to search for the Holy Grail. Along the way, they encounter many silly obstacles in their journey.

Cast

Graham Chapman – King
Arthur/Voice of God/Middle

Head/Hiccoughing Guard

John Cleese – Second

Swallow-Savvy Guard/The

Black Knight/Peasant #3/

Sir Launcelot the Brave/

Knight of Camelot/Taunting

French Guard/Tim the Enchanter

Terry Gilliam – Patsy/Green

Knight/Knight of Camelot/

Old Man from Scene 24

(Bridgekeeper)/Sir Bors/

Animator/Gorilla Hand

Eric Idle – Dead Collector/

Peasant 1/Sir Robin the Not-

Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir

Launcelot/Knight of Camelot/

First Swamp Castle Guard/

Concorde/Roger the Shrubber/Brother Maynard

Terry Jones – Dennis's

Mother/Sir Bedevere/Knight

of Camelot/Left Head/Prince

Herbert/Voice of Cartoon Scribe

Michael Palin – First Swallow-

Savvy Guard/Dennis/Peasant

#2/Right Head/Sir Galahad the

Pure/Knight of Camelot/Narrator (Voice)/

King of Swamp Castle/Brother Maynard's

Brother/Leader of The Knights Who Say NI!

Neil Innes – First Monk/Singing Minstrel/

Page Crushed by the Rabbit/Peasant #4

Bee Duffell – Old Crone

Connie Booth – The Witch

Carol Cleveland – Zoot/Dinbo

John Young – Dead Body/Historian Frank

Rita Davies – Historian's Wife

Avril Stewart – Dr. Piglet

Sally Kinghorn – Dr. Winston

Sandy Johnson – Knight of Ni/Villager at

Witch Burning/Musician at Wedding/

Monk/Knight in Battle

Julian Doyle – Sergeant (Uncredited)

Crew

Writer/Director/Animator

(Uncredited)/Storyboard Artist (Uncredited) –

Terry Gilliam

Writer/Director – Terry Jones

Writers – Graham Chapman,
John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin

Executive Producer – John Goldstone

Producers – Mark Forstater and Michael White

Production Designer – Roy Forge Smith

Costume Designer – Hazel Pethig

Lighting Cameraman – Terry Bedford

Camera Operator – Howard Atherton

Camera Operator: Rostrum Camera –

Kent Houston

Assistant Camera – Roger Pratt

Production Manager/Special Effects

Photography – Julian Doyle

Choreographer – Leo Kharibian

Fight Director/Period Consultant – John Waller

Special Effects – John Horton

Film Editor – John Hackney

Assistant Editors – Campbell Askew,

Nicolas Gaster, Danielle Kochavi, John Mister

and Brian Peachey

Sound Effects – Ian Crafford

Sound Mixer – Hugh Strain

Music/Songs – Neil Innes

Review

Many years ago, when I didn't know about the show Monty Python and the Flying Circus, I began watching THE HOLY GRAIL as I came across it at a young age, which introduced me to the comedy troupe with their brand of witty humour and surrealism. It was before the film was re-packaged on DVD. I had doubts about its conclusion because it didn't meet my expectations. As I grew older, my opinion of the film changed when I started to get used to the Python lore. I re-watched the film and began to enjoy it as a fitting gesture to Monty Python, given the style of their humour. While outrageously funny, THE HOLY GRAIL is, in a literal sense, a holy grail of comedy and the Python movies. The ending was funny because there was no money in its meagre-sized budget for the battle, making it a literal cop-out. It's also the reason why the knights used coconuts instead of horses.

The main cast from the Python troupe, such as Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, is excellent. There are plenty of amusing moments in the movie. These standout scenes include the Knights of the Round Table musical number. And my favourite (that you never want to let your kids watch) is the vicious Killer Rabbit scene.

THE HOLY GRAIL is a movie with hilarity so well-loved that it is a classic for the Monty Python fan base. You might like watching this old flick yourself.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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