Monty Python and the Holy Grail

[mbrmbrg]

I willingly set myself up for scorn and ridicule. I just watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and I just don't get it. Yeah, I laughed a bunch of times, and enjoyed the funny bits in every scene, but all in all... Huh? Was there supposed to be anything pulling this together, or was the whole point the sporadic, random craziness?
Also, who or what is Monty Python? (I'd read the credits, but the mooses keep distracting me.)

 

[arildno]

Ten for this, you must be mad?!

 

[mbrmbrg]

Say wot?

 

[Kurdt]

The whole film is a satirical swipe at religion and religious icons and those who believe in them. EDIT: Haha I somehow changed from The Holy Grail to the Life of Brian because I recently watched it. The holy grail is a satire of certain historical events and society of the time and also much silliness. If you can't recognise particular historical events or social customs in the film then many of the jokes will be lost. The film does not flow particularly well because its more of a patchwork of sketches than a coherent story. I was never as fond of the films as I was of the sketchs but they're still good [/edit]

Monty Python are a group of 6 comedians and there are many many many biographies on the internet. Many consider them some of the greatest sketch comedians ever.

 

[russ_watters]

I willingly set myself up for scorn and ridicule. I just watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and I just don't get it.

Also, who or what is Monty Python?

You will burn in hell, heathen!

 

[fourier jr]

I willingly set myself up for scorn and ridicule. I just watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and I just don't get it. Yeah, I laughed a bunch of times, and enjoyed the funny bits in every scene, but all in all... Huh? Was there supposed to be anything pulling this together, or was the whole point the sporadic, random craziness?
Also, who or what is Monty Python? (I'd read the credits, but the mooses keep distracting me.)

you kind of have to know a bit about king arthur. here's some good info (from where else??)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_python

i got the complete flying circus box set for xmas. it's 29hrs 9mins of monty python!

 

[gravenewworld]

ridicule me all you want but i have never ever liked british comedy and thought every monty python I have ever watched was incredibly terrible.

 

[arildno]

ridicule me all you want but i have never ever liked british comedy and thought every monty python I have ever watched was incredibly terrible.

I feel for you. I really do.
But, I guess it is OK to laugh at cake-throwing as well.

 

[MeJennifer]

I willingly set myself up for scorn and ridicule. I just watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and I just don't get it. Yeah, I laughed a bunch of times, and enjoyed the funny bits in every scene, but all in all... Huh? Was there supposed to be anything pulling this together, or was the whole point the sporadic, random craziness?
Also, who or what is Monty Python? (I'd read the credits, but the mooses keep distracting me.)

I must admit I do not get this whole thing about Monty Python either.
And just because something can be seen as some "intellecto-allusion" doesn't make it funny.

Perhaps it is because I am not English.

But then again I can't get any satisfaction at singing, let alone hearing, a rendition of Tom Lehrer's elements either, and he is not English.

But for those who can't get enough: http://www.privatehand.com/flash/elements.html" [Broken]

 

[arildno]

Ah, poor You Jennifer!
But, on the bright side, here's a nice cake for you:
http://www.therumcakeplace.com/Asha_wacky_tilting_wedding_cake.jpg


Ducks and runs away..

 

[Moonbear]

It's just different senses of humor. I used to work with someone who would think it was hilarious to quote lines from Monty Python from time to time, and all I could do was look at her askew and wonder if she had lost her mind. "Getting" the jokes doesn't necessarily make them funny. Some people like that sort of humor, and some don't. Just like some people groan at bad puns and one-liners, and some of us can't help but laugh at them.

And, yeah, if you were expecting an actual movie, with a cohesive plot, you were bound to be disappointed from the start. They're pretty much a compilation of related sketches more than an actual movie. You might have had more of a chance if you knew to expect this before watching.

But, in the end, it's British humor...wait..humour...and that pretty much is all that needs to be said. :tongue:

 

[arildno]

Behold the test of humor!
If you don't find THIS silly to the point of hilarity, you're doomed:

 

[Astronuc]

Yeah, I laughed a bunch of times, and enjoyed the funny bits in every scene,

By Jove - I think you've got it!

 

[SpaceTiger]

I willingly set myself up for scorn and ridicule. I just watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and I just don't get it. Yeah, I laughed a bunch of times, and enjoyed the funny bits in every scene, but all in all... Huh? Was there supposed to be anything pulling this together, or was the whole point the sporadic, random craziness?

I can see how it seems random, but I assure you the craziness is carefully timed. I think you'll find that much of modern American comedy is heavily influenced by Monty Python, particularly shows like The Simpsons and Scrubs, where surrealism, wordplay, and postmodernism are an integral part of the humor. There are some fairly consistent stylistic differences between British and American comedies, so maybe you just need time to get used to the former. Of course, Moonbear is right that different people have different senses of humor, but I wouldn't give up on MP just yet. If you get the chance, check out some of the original MP episodes. I found many of them to be much funnier than Holy Grail.

 

[Kurdt]

You could try the film And Now for Something Completely Different, which was just a collection of their favourite sketches that had been done again. This might give you a better taste of what Monty Python is about.

 

[Chi Meson]

ridicule me all you want but i have never ever liked british comedy and thought every monty python I have ever watched was incredibly terrible.

There is no need to ridicule you. After growing up with the Pythons and then not seeing any of their work for nearly 20 years, upon returning to it, it seemed a lot less funny than I remembered.

THen after watching most of the "Flying Circus" episodes on DVD, the humor grew back, and it got funnier and funnier.

Calling it "incredibly terrible" is of course just your opinion, and your bald assertion is easily dismissed when you realize that this crew, and this movie especially, are idolized by millions in every English-speaking country, plus millions more in the rest of the world.

In the battle of opinions, yours is crushed by sheer weight.

 

[Evo]

The opening credits, the killer bunny, the Knights who say NI, the Black Knight, What's your favorite colour?, the French guards at the castle. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Time Bandits, although not a Monty Python film, was written by Terry Gilliam and Michael Paliin and also starred John Cleese. If I had to pick between Holy Grail and Time bandits, Time Bandits would be my choice.

 

[daveb]

David Warner absolutely stole every scene he was in!

 

[Evo]

David Warner absolutely stole every scene he was in!

He was hysterical! "Slugs! He made slugs!"

 

[Chi Meson]

He was hysterical! "Slugs! He made slugs!"

That part was supposed to go to Jonathan Pryce, but a prior engagement in theater prevented it. Probably a good thing, overall. Pryce went on to star in Gilliam's next film, Brazil.

What's the line after this: "Birds that talk?"

 

[Chi Meson]

ugvuguyuy6ytrfr5f4ee44c47h6vytvhhrx5ew5xw23

Edit:

That which you see above is the first post by my nearly-four-year-old son, Simon. Right after my last post, he copied what I did, and thought he'd put in his very own $.02.

 

[Evo]

That part was supposed to go to Jonathan Pryce, but a prior engagement in theater prevented it. Probably a good thing, overall. Pryce went on to star in Gilliam's next film, Brazil.

What's the line after this: "Birds that talk?"

Evil Genius: God is not interested in technology... He knows nothing of the potential of the micro-chip or the silicon revolution. He's obsessed with making the grass grow and getting rainbows right... Look at what he spends his time on. 43 species of parrot! Nipples... for men!

Robert: Slugs.

Evil Genius: Slugs! HE created slugs! They can't hear. They can't speak. They can't operate machinery. Are we not in the hands of a lunatic?

 

[Evo]

ugvuguyuy6ytrfr5f4ee44c47h6vytvhhrx5ew5xw23

Edit:

That which you see above is the first post by my nearly-four-year-old son, Simon. Right after my last post, he copied what I did, and thought he'd put in his very own $.02.

I don't know, looks like some extreme mathematical formula that we as yet cannot comprehend.

 

[turbo]

ugvuguyuy6ytrfr5f4ee44c47h6vytvhhrx5ew5xw23=42

I can say no more - too dangerous.

 

[arildno]

Actually, that male nipple thing is a stroke of genius..

 

[FredGarvin]

Perhaps if we built a large, wooden badger...

I think MP are the only ones that could pull this off. If this weren't done in the queen's english with their sense of timing, it would not be that funny. I hate to think of what it would be like if America tried to copy it like they have other British comedies.

 

[turbo]

They had a talent for putting their characters in absurd situations, and playing those characters as if they were incapable of recognizing the absurdity. Some of these were skits with little or no special props, etc. I especially like the Cheese Shop, the Parrot sketch, the Ministry of Silly Walks, the Argument Clinic, etc. Google video has many, many of these sketches, though the video quality is pretty poor.

 

[JamesU]

Behold the test of humor!
If you don't find THIS silly to the point of hilarity, you're doomed:

I'm doomed

 

[arildno]

But you are only 14. There is an age restriction for watching MP.

 

[K.J.Healey]

On a similar on-topic note, I saw "Spamalot!" this week in Detroit, and it was QUITE funny. Not as good as the movie of course, but there were some really good songs and great parts.

 

[Gokul43201]

I prefer the dead parrot sketch to the silly walk sketch.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2H6DSoqZz_s

IMO, the only thing missing from that sketch is John Cleese saying "This is a polly gone!"

 

[Hurkyl]

I've yet to see the cheese shop sketch.

 

[arildno]

I've yet to see the cheese shop sketch.

Here it is!

 

[Hurkyl]

Here it is!

Glee!

Alas,

Ye olde polearm shoppe

was all I had seen 'till now! When I read it, I thought it could have come straight from Monty Python -- I was quite surprised when I finally found out that it really had. I'd been wanting to see the original for a while. The cat makes more sense now. I hadn't noticed the condition of the bird before today, though! Can someone explain the snake?

 

[Gokul43201]

This origin of our newbie initiation ceremony: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhJQp-q1Y1s&mode=related&search=