Contains spoilers! Monty Python and the Holy Grail...

Rating: Null/10 (13 May 2003)

Contains spoilers! Monty Python and the Holy Grail, directed by Terry Gilliam in 1975, is a story set in 932 AD. Gilliam used the off-the-wall humor that is the staple of the Monty Python films and shows. It follows British King Arthur as he searches for knights to join him at the round table in Camelot. The film begins with Arthur coming into the scene on what sounds like his horse. We soon find out that he has a companion merely clicking coconut shells together to make the sound; we see this throughout the movie. Eventually Arthur finds a knight and asks him to join his party. But the knight refuses, and also denies Arthur passage through the forest. A classic battle ensues with Arthur dismembering the knight leaving it only its torso and head. Comically, the knight is not dead and continues to bad mouth Arthur as he rides off. Along the way he does finally acquire a group of knights, most notably Sir Launcelot, Sir Galahad, and Sir Robin. As they venture to Camelot they receive a quest from God: to find the Holy Grail. They split up and each head on their separate searches for the grail. Each group encounters many strange challenges along the way. The `brave' Sir Robin, most notable for being a coward, is accompanied by his minstrels. They sing praise of his bravery along the way until the finally come about a three-headed knight. They eventually sneak away while the three head are bickering. The minstrels continue to sing; only now about his cowardly fleeing of the knight. During Sir Galahad's search, he sees an image of a grail flashing above a castle. He runs to the castle to find it occupied with sex-deprived women, but no grail. Just as Galahad is happily about to engage in various acts with the women, Launcelot comes and takes him away, thinking that he's saving Galahad. Next, Arthur's clan encounters the Knights of Ni. The Knights of Ni are tall creatures with masks in all black whose vile attack is saying `ni' to passers. They request Arthur find them a shrubbery. When Arthur returns with the shrub, they request another one as well as ask them to `cut down the mightiest tree in the forest with a herring.' Arthur is saved when Robin stumbles along and they begin to talk. Robin uses the word `it' at sometime, which happens to be the Knight's weak point. Many other odd encounters occur along the way to their unsuccessful quest for the Grail. All of which are equally ridiculous as the ones I described. The whole crew of Monty Python does a wonderful job using their outlandish senses of humor to make this one of the most hilarious movies of all time.