5 stars (out of 5, and yes, it’s true!!!)
The second of four Python pics (Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl doesn’t really count, smarty-pants) and now celebrating its 40(ish) anniversary, this 1975 classic has been rereleased in a brand-spanking new remastered ‘Sing-A-Long’ version, much in the style of The Sound Of Music – only this is far, far, far funnier than Julie Andrews and a bunch of edelweiss.
As written by and starring the six Pythons (namely John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and the late great Graham Chapman) in multiple roles, and directed by the Terrys (who fought a lot), we follow King Arthur (Chapman) and his coconut-shell-clopping servant Patsy (Gilliam, also the animator) through darkest England back in 932AD, as a band of knights are assembled to join Arthur in Camelot. They don’t actually wind up going there, of course (it is “a silly place” where they “eat ham and jam and spam a lot”), and are instead tasked by a grumpy God (who looks like Karl Marx or maybe WG Grace) to seek the Holy Grail (God: “Of course it’s a good idea!!!”).
This leads to a ramshackle but brilliantly Pythonesque series of episodes as the knights go their separate ways, with: Arthur and Sir Bedevere the Wise (Jones) running into the ‘Knights Who Say Ni’ (and later “Ecky-ecky-ecky-ecky-p’tang, zzoo-boing, gdgdbaaoizen”, or something); Sir Lancelot the Brave (Cleese) accidentally massacring a wedding party as a gormless prince (Jones) is forbidden to sing (in a sing-a-long version???); Sir Galahad the Pure (Palin) almost getting not so pure with a castle full of randy maidens; and the not-so-brave Sir Robin (Idle) meeting a feared three-headed knight while his favourite minstrel croons a hilarious ditty about his boss’ dismemberment (and yes, said minstrel is played by Neil Innes, a future Rutle and a past member of the legendary Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, they of the original Death Cab For Cutie).
Diehard fans know all this, naturally, and surely they’ll be turning up, Rocky Horror style, in costume (and with coconuts) to again watch what very well could be one of the greatest comedies of all time, while Grail virgins are well advised to watch out for killer rabbits, flying filth, shrubbery jokes and Tim The Enchanter. And repeat after me: “I… have… to… push… the… pram a lot!!!”
I Wake Up Screening 