Have you heard the news? The fantastic and crazy movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail is celebrating its 40th Anniversary, oh now I do feel old!
The second feature film from the Pythons team not only redefined the limits of narrative structure (basically by ignoring them), but also took innovative and unconventional styles of filming and applied them to comedy. The movie sends up costume picture clichés, mythic heroism, educational films, and even subtitles – nonsense rendered with a Swedish accent (“Mynd you, møøse bites kan be pretti nasti.”)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail Synopsis
Monty Python is on a medieval quest in their first feature film Monty Python and The Holy Grail. England 932 A.D and King Arthur (Graham Chapman) accompanied by his trusty servant Patsy (Terry Gilliam) is seeking Knights to join his Round Table at Camelot. Arthur confronts two guards preoccupied with swallows, argues with a group of constitutional peasants, challenges a Black Knight who comes apart at the seams and witnesses the outing of a witch before enrolling his first knight, Bedevere the Wise (Terry Jones).
Other knights follow: Sir Lancelot the Brave (John Cleese), Sir Galahad the Pure (Michael Palin) and the not-quite-so-brave Sir Robin (Eric Idle). Avoiding the singing dancers of Camelot, Arthur and his Knights are inspired by God to quest together for the Holy Grail.
But taunted and humiliated by the French, they decide go their separate ways. Sir Robin is confronted by a Three-Headed Knight, Sir Lancelot hacks his way through a wedding to save a damsel in distress, Arthur and Bedevere, warned by a Soothsayer, meet the shrubbery loving Knights of Ni while Sir Galahad almost falls to the temptation of the virgins of Castle Anthrax.
The Knights join up again and after an arduous journey encounter Tim the Enchanter who leads them to the cave, guarded by a foul creature, wherein an ancient inscription reveals the whereabouts of the Grail. The Bridge of Death claims its victims and only Arthur and Bedevere reach the final resting place of the Holy Grail, only to be thwarted by old adversaries.
Arthur and His Silly English Kniggets
The 1975 movie that sees Arthur and his silly English kniggets searching for the Holy Grail, is being re-released in 500 cinemas in a special sing-a-long format.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail will also be accompanied by a specially filmed, exclusive, introduction from Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, Eric Idle and John Cleese.
Many of us have been big fans of the Pythons over the years and I grew up on re-runs of the TV series, which probably explains my crazy sense of humour, but despite the success of the TV show, the Pythons were not able to raise the money for the film by any normal means.
They had gone to the two major sources of finance in England, Rank and EMI, and neither of them was ready to take the leap of faith from a television series to this film. The original budget for Holy Grail was £150,000 ($225,000), and even that could not be raised by conventional means.
So they capitalized on the fact that there was a lot of support for Python from the music business. Python was much more attuned to rock and roll than it was to British movies, so that’s where the money came from. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Island Records, Chrysalis Records, Charisma Records and Tim Rice put up half between them and Michael White, a theatre impresario, provided the rest.
But who would play the lead of Arthur in the movie!
There was quite a lot of debate about who should play Arthur. I think in the end nobody really wanted to do it. – Terry Jones
No one wanted to sacrifice the chance of playing lots of silly smaller roles in order to play one big one. – Michael Palin
In the end it was down to Graham Chapman to take on the pivotal role and it was a role that no one would ever forget.
The movie had its premiers in London and New York 1975 and was a record-breaking success
With memorable scenes such as the Knights of Ni, Arthurs fight with the Black Knight (“Tis but a scratch”), the Bridgekeeper and who can ever forget The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog and the Holy Hand Grenade!
Monty Python and the Holy Grail, All Together Now!
So now 40 years on since its original release this sing-a-long version will be hitting cinemas for a night one night of sheer Python fun on October the 14th, how could any right-minded Monty Python fan not dress up as Knight, Old Crone, Roger the Shrubber or even Dingo, Zoot’s identical twin sister!
Our advice is get in touch with your local cinema, book your tickets and join in with thousands on a journey to find that item of mystical powers …. A SHRUBBERY!
We’ll be singing bringing you our thoughts on the Monty Python and the Holy Grail Sing-a-long after we’ve cross the bridge of death and seen the show at the Scala Cinema in Prestatyn.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
