By:Antawn Salinas
Twitter: @OwlFeedAntawn
In the 1970s, parody movies were big. You had many coming out and many actors and directors turn into big names. One of them was Monty Python, a group of comedians from the 1960s and 1970s. They had some TV shows and many movies satirizing things from society to religion. Today, we be talking about the most well known film from this group: the 1975 comedy classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
The cult classic is about the Monty Python crew acting as King Arthur and his knights as they journey to find the holy grail. Along the way they run into other strange knights, deceiving animals, and a few musical numbers. In this film, the 4th wall is non-existent. Everything that can happen does happen in this crazy, but, charming parody.
Just like the last classic I reviewed, this film is filled with iconic moments. I won’t spoil them if you haven’t seen them, but there were a handful of moments that I had seen at other random moments. Also like the other parodies I reviewed, this movie works because the actors play excellent characters. There isn’t really anyone to highlight here, because the whole Monty Python crew is over the top and hilarious.
The best thing about this movie is the comedy. The closest thing I can compare it to is cartoons, specifically Looney Toons. It’s charm comes from it’s goofiness, and it makes sense why it’s a cult-classic and a beloved film. It just throws logic out the window. One of my favorite examples of its cartoonish feel is that the characters don’t ride horses. They pretend to ride horses while people behind them knock cocoanuts together.
What makes a good parody is using a certain type of story while making fun of certain things that are associated with them. For Young Frankenstein, it was making fun of 1930’s monster movies and science. For Blazing Saddles, it was making fun of westerns and racism. For The Holy Grail, they make fun of fantasy stories and religion. They don’t really insult religion, they just poke fun at it and they point out some of the ridiculous things about the subject. Which is why it holds up.
Do I recommend this film? If you didn’t read this full review (I don’t know why you wouldn’t, you’re already here) yes, yes I do. If you are looking for something silly to take a break of what society has had to offer lately, I recommend looking for this movie like it’s the Holy Grail itself. Now, that is why Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a classic.
You can check out some facts about the movie right here: http://bit.ly/2kBGqw2