Absurd humor, or the hard life of king Arthur

Rating: 10/10 (30 May 2004)

Humor on an absurd, abstract, and partly cult, level set in the the Middle Ages. Monty Python's first film gives birth to the famous Knights of Ni, the Castle of Aargh, the Capital of Assyria, Just a fleshwound and other unforgettable little masterpieces. Some less famous but equally hilarious jokes only wait to be discovered on second viewing.
Filmed without any substantial budget, Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail features a number of jokes that were born out of poverty, the most famous are the 'horses'. Perhaps(?) unintended but also comical is the dialogue alternating between lines as in medieval literature and normal talk. The basic ingredients are quests, knights, castles, dangers, tests and temptations, animation, and a little bit of witchcraft. Less unorthodox and anachronistic ingredients are of course also present. A few jokes may seem vaguely reminiscent of obscure earlier work, for those who know the Flying Circus series by heart.
Basically the stories narrate the hard times for King Arthur as the England of that time with it many strange inhabitants doesn't seem fit for his rule. First he has to find the knights for his round table. Next God grants him the Quest, but it is far from easy and the knights split up. Following some ridiculous separate adventures, their paths come together once again when they find an enchanter who has a lead to the grail. Nothing turns out the way you'd expect, and even after the dangerous bridge of death Arthur is not free of trouble. The ending is rather odd and once again mainly due to lack of money.
Made in 1975, its appeal still has not diminished even though the idea behind the humor has been copied many times (with less success). Given the poor circumstances in which the Monty Python team made this film (complete lack of funds, no experience in movie industry, use national castles denied shortly before filming began, a drunk Graham Chapman), I for one regard it as their best film.
Note - many interesting facts about the jokes, the locations, the cast and such are too detailed to list here, but can be found on the DVD.