Monty Python & the Holy Grail

Monty Python & the Holy Grail

Starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam

Directed by Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones

The Story:
King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his Knights of the Round Table - Sir Lancelot the Brave (John Cleese), Sir Bedevere (Terry Jones), Sir Galahad the Pure (Michael Palin) and Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir Lancelot (Eric Idle) have been ordained by God to find the Holy Grail, and set out in search for it.

The Synopsis:
Back in 1969, friends Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin formed the British surreal sketch comedy group Monty Python, resulting in several years of comedic gold on television with "Monty Python's Flying Circus," which ran from 1969 to 1974.  By combining humorous animation, hilarious British humor and slapstick/sight gag comedy, the group became world famous and eventually broke out into film.  Their first film, "And Now for Something Completely Different," was basically a combination of sketches from their television show, but then they wrote and directed "Monty Python & the Holy Grail," and the rest is cinematic history.

Hailed by critics then (and now) as one of the best comedies of all time, "Holy Grail" combines their effortless comedy with laugh-out-loud animations and a story that - if we're being honest - doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it sure is hilarious.  The simple plot is that Arthur and his knights are in search of the Holy Grail, but they run into so many uproarious perils that, when added together, adds up to a joke occurring once every ten seconds.  From the epic battle with the Black Knight to the relentless taunting of the French, to the Trojan Rabbit and the Knights Who Say "Ni", there's an abundance of belly-rolling laughter to be had.

This is one of the few films I've seen countless times, and every time I see it I find myself laughing so hard I'm crying.  Sure, British humor is not for everyone, but this is a film that demands to be seen, one that should never be missed.  It's a rare film that can withstand over forty years of history and still be relevant to today's culture (to this day I still hear people saying classic lines from the film, like "tis but a scratch," "bring out yer dead" and of course the best burn you can ever give someone, "your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries"). 

It's amazing that these six men could perform so many different roles (Michael Palin had nine roles by himself) and maintain composure and still deliver rollicking, witty wisecracks.  Whether it's the opening credits that demands being rewound in order to appreciate the small jokes to determining how someone could be a witch, to the foul temptresses of the Castle Anthrax and the perils of building a castle in a swamp, there's nary one scene that doesn't include wall-to-wall humor. 

The Summary:
Whenever you're having a bad day, or you need a pick-me-up, "Monty Python & the Holy Grail" is there for you with unrelenting laughter and slapstick comedy, a film that every film-loving person should see at least once (or twice, or more).

The Score: A+