King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles.King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles.King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 2 nominations
Storyline
Did you know
- GoofsGiven the fact that this movie breaks the fourth wall constantly, many crew/equipment goofs may be deliberate. In the final scene, characters even call attention to the film crew as part of the story.
- Quotes
King Arthur: I am your king.
Woman: Well, I didn't vote for you.
King Arthur: You don't vote for kings.
Woman: Well how'd you become king then?
[Angelic music plays...]
King Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king.
Dennis: [interrupting] Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
- Crazy creditsIn the Special Edition DVD, when you play the film, at first a film called "Dentist On the Job" starts playing, and it goes up until the end of its opening credits, then you hear someone saying that they put in the wrong film. The film stops, a quick reel change slide is put up, then the real movie starts.
- Alternate versionsThe 2001 special edition features alternative dialogue when Arthur and Bedevere meet Rodger the Shrubber.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Lord of the Rings (1978)
Easily the most hilarious and original comedy ever made, Monty Python and the Holy Grail claims it's undisputed throne through insanely ridiculous situations and characters that will very likely never be duplicated. Pure comedic genius that doesn't go stale with age or decades of competition having been released. Simply seeing the way comedy films are made today, this film will very likely have a long reign before anything can even hold a candle to it. An absolute belly-laugh fest that never lets up.
Only the cast of Monty Python could have pulled this film off, with each actor playing many different characters...all hilarious! The genius in the actors' lines themselves are truly to be admired. The comedic style of talking in circles is one technique that most comedies do not try to do, simply because they can't compete with the genius of this film, which uses it flawlessly. Those that do try usually fall flat on their faces. Two particularly excellent examples of this can be seen in the beginning scene, in which the characters discuss the origins of coconuts.....and the other when Lancelot breaks into the swamp castle to save the "damsel in distress." This is merely one technique that the cast has perfected to conjure up laughs consistently throughout the entire film. The only way that I can imagine that someone might not like this film is if they simply do not enjoy it's type of humor. Too bad for them.
Another hilarious technique used in the film is the use of comedy in the background. From people slamming cats against poles for no apparent reason, to people filling up baskets with mud in the fields....all very strange and hilarious at the same time. It's also simply amazing that all of the characters are played by the same group of actors, which shows the great range all of them have. Some are simply unrecognizable from one character to the other and it sometimes takes a good eye to pick them out, which makes it fun. And I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but this film takes some turns that no sane person could see coming.
Ridiculous characters in ridiculous situations equals ridiculous laughter.
The epitome of all-star comedy that will no doubt continue to stand the test of time. Kudos to Gilliam and the rest of the Python crew. If you haven't seen it yet, make it your first priority in life!
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Monty Python y el santo grial
- Filming locations
- Castle Stalker, Appin, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK(Castle of Aaaargh)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- £229,575 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,562,392
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $45,487
- Jun 17, 2001
- Gross worldwide
- $2,817,496