the budget was so low, they couldn't even afford...

#montypython #cinemastix #videoessay
// Support me on Patreon: / cinemastix
// Follow me on Instagram: bydannyboyd?igs...
Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the first feature film from Monty Python, is a cult favorite. It's also comedy gold made for dirt cheap. Holy Grail had a budget of just $400,000. Even in 1975, that was remarkably tight, especially for an adventure movie like this. Today, I'll look at some of the creative ways the Pythons squeezed every last drop of humor out of their budget. For my other video on Monty Python and the Holy Grail: • when literally every s...
Written & edited by Danny Boyd

[@CinemaStix]

For those who don’t already know, I’m Danny Boyd, and I’m a one-man show. For better or for worse, research, scripts, VO, editing-it’s just me behind the scenes. It’s a lot of work, for sure, but I’m extremely lucky to get to do it. And that’s all thanks to all of you. So I want to thank you for being here. And of course, if you’re able, and would like to support me and the future of the channel more directly, you can do so through my Patreon at: www.patreon.com/CinemaStix New perks coming. -Danny

[@korbyblox8232]

love ur content!! keep it up :>

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

I resonate. I outline, write, develop, edit (all types), illustrate, format, design, and publish all of my work. Sometimes, I even craft the music, and I also do most of the V.O. But I'm absolutely invisible, so... I wouldn't worry too much about your own position, Danny! 🙂 You seem to have a throng of followers, and that's cool. Good stuff, enjoy it, and GL;HF. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨

[@choppergirl]

Get back to work, Danny. I'm not paying you to lolly gag and jabber jaw in the comments section.

[@idontcareforthis]

What’s the song at the end?

[@johncitizen306]

You need a narrator

[@year-longhiatus4621]

Imagine being a tourist to a castle and being roped into one of the greatest comedies of all time

[@Sandra-dt4ec]

Dreams can happen you know

[@ferretyluv]

That would be the best day of my life.

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

I have done that on various shoots, two of them being feature films.

[@jamesclark830]

I visited Doune Castle last year. It was the thrill of my UK trip to see the location of so many scenes from the movie, so much was immediately recognizable.

[@justalonesoul5825]

Such a great opportunity that must have been indeed! Right time, right place. On a very different scale, it makes me think of the huge amount of New-Zealanders who ended up taking part in the making of the the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Talk about making things "local" as well!

[@astro8331]

The one shot of him running that never changes and then says "ahha!" is my favorite joke of the entire movie. It's so stupid

[@truck9191]

hey?!

[@xangelical3970]

one of my favorites as well, it gets me every time

[@SuperLocrian]

I always think the other guard looks like Conan O'Brien 😅

[@jsraadt]

That's a reference to the neverending field in Culhwch and Olwen from the Mabinogion

[@queeringarthurpodcast]

​@@jsraadt💯Exactly🧠🌈#staychivalrous👑

[@BillPeschel]

A lifelong Python fan here, and when I saw it in the theater, the use of coconuts for horses looked more like a legit Python joke than a budget restriction. Same goes for the rest of the movie.

[@countluke2334]

The German title of the movie translates to "The Knights of the Coconut" because of that joke.

[@jonbondMPG]

@@countluke2334😄So so curious as to why.... 🤔

[@stephenbarrette610]

Me too, but because of the budget issue, you end up with another iconic joke.

[@tostrmofo6686]

@@stephenbarrette610 A whole set of jokes. Without the coconuts no question where those come from. So no funny philosophical discussion about swallows. Without the swallow discussion no bridge joke.

[@iZ-the-Egoni]

Anyone who’s seen mp's flying circus or at least "and now for something completely different" gets it. Auntie beeb's budget restrictions sure make for some inventive comedy

[@agpmjm]

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government" Brilliant 🤣

[@BaronVonMott]

"Supreme executive authority is derived from a mandate from the masses, not some farcical aquatic ceremony!"

[@rogerrabt]

You can't expect to wield supreme power just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!

[@greenman6141]

@@rogerrabt I can't remember the full "moistened bint" line. But the whole thing in fucking poetry.

[@ZlothZloth]

@@greenman6141 If I went around, claiming I was emperor, just because some moistened bink (!?) had thrown a scimitar at me, they'd put me away! Now, where did I park that car.... oh right, in the garage.

[@rogerrabt]

@@ZlothZloth Bloody Peasant!

[@DonDuracell]

In many industries a limited budget can lead to great results because you have to get creative to make it work.

[@davidf2244]

Major plot point in Successful Alcoholics (30 min film free on Vimeo. Very funny. Darn.)

So many video games have invented very resourceful tricks because they only have a very small budget (indies) or limited hardware capabilities (Nintendo). I have a lot of fondness for these. A good art direction that was invented to express something while dealing with limitations will often endure the test of time way better than an AAAAAA game going the ultra realistic route (although that is less true lately .. I would expect visually stunning games of the 2020s to still look great 10 years later, we have reached some kind of fidelity plateau).

[@darthvirgin7157]

JAWS and Star Wars are great examples.

[@warlordofbritannia]

Restrictions breed innovation

[@itap8880]

@ A decade ago, I'd have expected the visually stunning games of the 2010s to still look great today.

[@McShag420]

Just knowing that this absolute ultra-classic was made entirely on money from English rock stars and labels makes it even better.

[@stewartoutandabout]

Life of Brian was funded almost solely by Beatle George Harrison as he "wanted to see the movie"

[@McShag420]

@@stewartoutandabout He is the best Beatle, imo. Him being part of The Traveling Wilburys cements it.

[@lionheart4424]

What kills me the most of that Lancelot running joke is the other guys just casually standing there saying "hey".

[@butlazgazempropan-butan11k87]

He is not paid enough for this

[@JACKxTHExRIPPER]

I always love that delivery

[@cumincalamity9867]

wait... I just realized it's a literal "running gag." I love these guys so much.

[@Shadowkey392]

For me it’s also the bit where he attacks the wall sconce for no reason.

[@JACKxTHExRIPPER]

@@Shadowkey392 oh hell ya haha

[@atomicsmith]

“Endings are hard” I’ve always had the feeling that you could spot the moment they ran out of money in this film…

[@cattysplat]

Love the ending. It's perfect Python with surreal subversion of expectations.

[@hkgcgsdhjgd]

@@cattysplat It's honestly the best movie ending ever.

[@SPQSpartacus]

The literal Cop Out

[@KeppyKep]

@@SPQSpartacus "Offences against the 'getting out of a sketch without having a proper lunch line act'. Namely, simply ending every bleeding sketch by having the fuzz come in!" (The Argument Sketch) And they had the balls to do it with an entire movie

[@tehspamgozehere]

Our copy was on VHS casette and we'd often end up with recordings of things from TV that ran out of tape or were later recorded over. For years I thought the ending of Grail was one of those problems and that there was a longer cut version somewhere.

[@user-tb6hp7ne6b]

It's gratifying to see all the complements below. It makes me feel proud to have worked as a member of the camera crew on "The Grail". Looking at the clips now makes it seem only yesterday - even though I'm staring down the barrel of my 80th birthday. It could be at times a pig to work on but well worth it. Ni!

[@user-tf1rq9vg1j]

Thank You for helping bring this Master Piece to the World!

[@truthsmiles]

Legendary - thanks for your diligent work and for bringing us one of the greatest films of all time!

[@Simon-xc5oy]

THANK YOU!!!!! Its still as funny and fresh and crazy as it ever was. And in a hundred years time people will still be talking about it and new generations of fans will discover it, and be laughing till tears roll down their faces....

[@kpak76]

You were part of a masterpiece that generations will enjoy. Thank you for your gift to the rest of us!

[@AP-hv9ll]

So many cultural iconic products of their era are great, but don't hold up so well over the test of time. I was born in '75, so I can't comment about seeing at release. But the movie held up in 1990 when I first saw it. '00, 2010, and today. Congratulations for being part of something so great!

[@WerrinLotsuvhats]

the wedding massacre scene when Cleese was running up to the gate for a seemingly endless amount of time was one of the scenes that solidified this movie as one of my favorites of all time

[@ZesPak]

To me it was the repeating of the coconut/swallow joke. First movie I re-watched and saw that they were tying a coconut to a dove in the background in the Camelot scene iirc, that was amazing.

[@TheRealRusDaddy]

First time i watched it as a kid i was confused and thought it was starting to drag out and right as i was about to complain he hit the guard and i lost my shit

[@under-dog5390]

It gets me every single time hahaha.

[@atomictraveller]

it was all of it because the rest of culture was like jimmy saville putting his wet finger inside a child's ear eg. 13 years of "the goodies" hidden by the bbc because actually Good, not ma5onic.

[@robinburt5735]

I can't tell if he is actually getting firther away each time it cuts to him.

[@anima94]

I honestly never knew it was actually low budget, I thought that was all on purpose to be funny

[@LQOTW]

Right! I was twelve when this came out. What did I care about budgets? It was funny and that's all that mattered.

[@egizikid]

I thought the same. One of my all time favourite movies

[@user-tf1rq9vg1j]

@@LQOTW My family was sort of poor at that time so we couldn't afford to go the movie ourselves. But weeks later on the school bus, all the other kids who did see it were repeating the lines and telling the jokes. Years later when I finally seen the movie it was like, 'I know this part, I know this part too and this part is familure...'. It is still my favorite comedy bar none.

[@DawnDavidson]

@@user-tf1rq9vg1j Similar to my experience. My friends quoted the movie so much that by the time I actually saw the movie myself years later, I knew nearly all of it by heart already! 🤣

[@martron7]

That joke of the animator falling over dead was perfectly executed. I remember getting completely blindsided by it on my first viewing and howling in laughter.

[@Fozzie1481]

I use Lancelot storming the castle to explain what a jump cut is. Students love it, no matter their age. It's the clip they demand to see again and again 😂😂

[@gawainethefirst]

…Hey!

[@sternschnupper]

the jumpiest of all jump cuts! 😂😂

[@CharlieQuartz]

Why the hell did this make me cry?

[@Fozzie1481]

@@CharlieQuartz maybe because it restores a bit of one's trust in humanity when teenagers immediately love Monty Python without even knowing they existed, before? ;)

[@kadmii]

the other gate guard casually going "hey!" never gets dull

[@alphabravo8703]

"I could stay a bit longer."

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

When I was still in film school, we literally had an entire class about how lack of resources is often the mother of creativity. Because if you don't have the money or the resources to shoot what you originally wanted, you have two options: give up and scrap the whole project or get creative with what you do have. When I was working on student and low budget films, that philosophy was honestly more important than anything else I learned in school

[@fuzzblightyear145]

I think thats the problem with the modern stuff. It's just massive CGi, loads of SFX and they miss the whole point.

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

@@fuzzblightyear145 I would take it a step further and say the real problem is using huge budgets as a crutch to try to make up for creativity. And that unfortunately has been true since the dawn of film making. The late fifties and most of the sixties were infamous for being the time period of high budget "factory films" that all felt exactly the same. They had big sets and big stars, but they were all about as creative as mud on a stick. It took nearly a decade and a half of audiences being tired of the same samey shit coupled with a rising generation of film makers with a desire to not make the same samey shit for that to change. But in a way that's the same issue we face now, only instead of the big studio money being poured into sets its now being poured into CGI. The problem sadly isn't new, it's just the focus of the money has changed

[@FredPlanatia]

I think of the young James Cameron's many low budget effects such as the Galaxy of Terror scene where he electrocuted some maggots in a severed arm to get them to riggle.

[@Tsukaiyo]

In university I ran a cosplay/sewing group. Every semester we ran an event called "Dollar store cosplay" where we'd gather about $25 worth of whatever from a dollar store, $25 of broadcloth, and whatever workshop leftovers we had lying around. Teams would have to share these limited resources (with no way of knowing what would be available in advance) and each make a costume in under 2 hours. They had access to sewing machines, tape, hot glue, and markers. Winning team gets a prize. It was fantastic! It was fun, low-stakes, super approachable for new people, and incredible to see what people made up. We saw a car from Mario Kart made from a cardboard box, whimsical antlers made from a plastic archery bow broken in half and covered with twine + fake leaves, a belt pouch made from a neck pillow, a white wig made from halloween webs, and more.

[@thomasohara5926]

I have probably watched this movie hundreds of times, ever since I was a little kid. But the timing of the "Lancelot Running" gag always surprises me and makes me fall over laughing. Thank you for this.

[@l4ndst4nder]

The cherry on top of that scene is the meek “hey” from the guard!

[@CommentorX]

Fun fact: the largest paycheck on the film was to Sir Not Appearing in this Film. He had a very good agent.

[@kkeiros]

I never got the chance to thank my dad for showing me and my brother this movie (and Life Of Brian) when we were preteens (late 80s early 90s). We didn't get 90% of the jokes, but dad was so exhilarated it was infectious. We had a lot of fun watching it. Mind you we didn't speak nor understood English so we had to make do with the portuguese subtitles (that were pretty decent tbh). Dad, you've gone long ago, but now that I can properly enjoy and cherish Monty Python, I can cherish your loving memory also for introducing us this gem. Love you, and may you rest in peace and laughter. Yes, endings are hard, indeed

[@samiam9202]

I am sorry for your loss. My dad got me into this movie, too, and I've been a huge fan of it ever since. I think it's one of the rites of passage for nerds to watch it, and could be why one of my main questions to ask new people I meet is "what is the windspeed velocity of an unladen swallow."

[@davesy6969]

African or European? ​@@samiam9202

[@geneticdisorder1900]

Sorry for the loss of your awesome Dad !!

[@Stuffandstuff974]

I'm sorry for your loss and happy for your fond memories of your father.

[@ThePfunkadunkasaur]

The pain of loss never fully leaves us, but it fades with time… that is a bonito/Beautiful memory of your late father. 😔Abrigado/Thank you for sharing!! 🙏

[@jccusell]

"John Cleese's wife at the time" Connie Booth. Co-Writer of Fawlty Towers. One of the greatest sitcoms (farce) ever written.

[@ImperialLightandMagic]

"One day lad, allllll this will be yours"...."What, the curtains?" still quote that to this day...

[@freyashipley6556]

My brother & me too!!

[@user-tf1rq9vg1j]

Evidently the story of the building of Swamp Castle is based in fact.

[@erilaz7]

"Huge... tracts of land" is another favorite quote from that scene.

[@jlworrad]

Fun fact, the science fiction author Iain M Banks was a student at Stirling university and is in King Arthur's army. He once told me he appears in a shot, real blink and you'll miss it stuff. I've never been able to spot him though.

[@TheFrogfather1]

A good friend of ours (sadly deceased) was also in the battle scene. He never spotted himself in the final film. I didn't know Iain Banks was in it too but that makes sense because he mentioned they were at Stirling at the same time.

[@salmon.enthusiast]

Iain banks is the goat

[@wellthatwasdaft]

You could say he had Use of Weapons.

[@tr7b410]

And now for something completely different-For a tutorial on interstellar travel Google search Pleadian contactee Billy Meiers material with a narrative by Randolf Winters...hit the video icon.You will see crystal clear photos & 8mm film footage of their different types of spacecraft with different approaches to interstellar travel. All done on 0$ budget.Thats a joke.

[@ricksanchez5949]

This is amazing! Love his Sci Fi!

[@Bunch-A-Stuff]

ABSOLUTE CLASSIC! Feels like one elongated skit with friends, in that it doesn't feel especially scripted.

[@raven21633]

I always knew that they had originally intended to use horses, but couldn't afford them, so they switched to coconuts. Made the film better anyway IMO :D

[@user-xh7sd1sw9f]

But it still feels like a solid movie when that kind of movie can sometimes not

[@mayorjimmy]

on the third day youtubers came across a new video about Monty Python.... and there was much rejoicing.

[@FranssensM]

Yaaaay.

[@_Jay_Maker_]

Yaaaay.

[@SuzieNerds]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay

[@alphabravo8703]

yup

[@babysleepysheepyrainbow]

Kept trying to sing this to the tune of 12 days of Christmas

[@SpecialAgentBillMaxwell]

I think it looks pretty badass when Tim is setting off those explosions. It looks legitimately cool.

[@lagomoof]

It's pretty clear that he could only blow things up that didn't move. Otherwise he wouldn't have been scared of the rabbit.

[@tagproductions9784]

George Harrison also took a second mortgage on his home to finance Life of Brian

[@TC2290-wh5cb]

I find it hard to believe an ex Beatle was scraping together money.

[@erilaz7]

@@TC2290-wh5cb In his book, I Me Mine, there's a photo of a check for £1,000,000 from Harrison to the Inland Revenue. He had good reason to write the song "Taxman".

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

“The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch” has been beloved by bomb disposal people for decades… :)

[@GoranXII]

It also shows up in the _Worms_ video game series.

[@creaturion_cosplay]

@@GoranXII wasnt it also in ready player one or do mix up something?

[@GoranXII]

@@creaturion_cosplay Never watched _Ready Player One_ so I wouldn't know. It's possible though.

[@YourDoomIsSealed]

The influence of that movie cannot be overstated...it was even the inspiration for one of the first ever computer chess games "Battle Chess"...when a knight took another knight, well...I think we can all guess how that dance went (even if you never played the game).

[@rex-racer]

Budget restrictions can often bring out the best in film-I’m thinking of some classics from around Grail’s time, like the original Star Wars (ep 4) and Rocky. The moral is, keep going; a great idea with determination can succeed big time-if not financially, then at least artistically.

[@CinemaStix]

This. Also, Grail earned something like 28x its budget back at the box office. So.. definitely both in this case.

[@darthvirgin7157]

JAWS. Bruce was completely being uncooperative.

[@lannifincoris6482]

I was going to metion Star Wars, the one and only, too. All these painters, carpenters, model builders all the creative people building this movie, have a big part in its succses..

[@atomictraveller]

why is there a moral? the ma5ons will just 5hit on it anyway. there ar eno morals anymore jus tlike there's no society.

[@gregbors8364]

Star Wars wasn’t a low-budget production, though. It cost $11 million to make which was about twice the budget of standard theatrical releases at that time

[@oskariratinen1213]

Holy Grail is more an overly prolonged Monty Python sketch than a movie, and I love every second of it. These guys simply couldn't fail even when all possible odds were stacked against them. Holy Grail had all the makings of a nightmarish production hell, but they turned that into one of the best comedies ever made through their sheer talent.

[@marcblanchet678]

heehee, "spoilers" on a 50 year old movie. wonderful work as usual, thank you.

[@CinemaStix]

Heh. Yeah :) But ya never know. The number of people I’ve brought the movie up to in the last few weeks who have given me blank looks was a bit… surprising, to say the least.

[@morgantrias3103]

New people born every year.

[@mistertwister2000]

“There are some who call me . . . . . . . . . Tim?” Will forever be a part of my and my brothers’ vocabulary

[@pinverarity]

:vigorous nodding: Inexplicably hilarious, even after 40+ years and ~30 viewings.

[@WildBluntHickok]

Fun fact: the character was actually named something more archiaic sounding but John Cleese forgot it and just ad-libbed a confused sounding "Tim?" Of course the Python lads know a good line when they hear it (even if it's not in the script) so Tim he became.

[@1492irina]

The painted garter stitch (knitted) armor is still my favorite thing about the props

[@robertfitzjohn4755]

Some of the cavalry were wearing it at the Battle of Hastings re-enactment on the original site in 2000. I was there as a Norman archer, and when they rode past it was obvious to me as I'd previously made my own (chain)mail shirt. Of course, I had a close up view, whereas the crowd were at some distance, so hopefully they didn't notice. I expect the cavalry were mostly English Civil War re-enactors and the outfits had been hired for them.

[@Skaatje]

Now you must cut down the mightiest tree in the forest with a herring!

[@KyleJMitchell]

"WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITH!"

[@tetsujin_144]

it can't be done!

[@KarlRoyale]

OK maybe if you had a salmon, but really a herring is just silly.

[@williambowling8211]

@@KarlRoyale Personally, I'd use a swordfish. Preferably one named Wanda.

[@SnowghostFilms]

@@tetsujin_144Argh! You said the word! The word the knights of Ni cannot hear!

[@SteveDCM]

You know it’s a great day when CinemaStix does

[@rankrevolution2000]

indeed

[@MultiEman21]

Does what? 🤣

[@Disaster_Tourist]

@@MultiEman21 Endings are hard.

[@NeonNijahn]

They do indeed.

[@itap8880]

@@MultiEman21 Idk, maybe CinemaStix does know it's a great day.

[@thekinginyellow1744]

9:30 "Is that the ending?" "yes." "Well that was shit!" I'll be honest, that was what I thought the first time I saw the movie. By the twentieth time I watched it though, I began to really appreciate it.

[@andymanaus1077]

Even in Flying Circus, they would occasionally declare a skit too silly and simply walk off stage halfway through. I was very disappointed at not seeing the imminent battle scene but over time I've come to appreciate its complete Monty Pythonness. These guys are not just comedy geniuses, most of them have actual genius level IQs as well.

[@ixinor]

Isn't it marvelous how many budget movies were very successful and still are talked about? Whenever financial means is an issue, people become very creative together. Especially if the whole team supports the idea.

[@juddgoswick2024]

"[Thunk] Message for you, Sir!" was my email sound for years. I should bring it back out...

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

An old pal, Romilly Squire at 8.56 and he was in many scenes, including being one of 'The Knights Who Say Ni'. He was on most of the shoot and had lots of stories of course. He was an accomplished artist and provided illustrations of coats of arms for official purposes. He was a good guy too. RIP Romilly.

[@ebercondrell6603]

That ending is sacred, seeing it for the first time was a completely new experience. I never felt so betrayed and yet so compelled to laugh at the same time.

[@Axgoodofdunemaul]

As an American man who was over 30 when this movie came out, who had barely just discovered Monty Python, I would like to say this: I was also a lifelong science fiction and fantasy fan at the time. That was a rare thing in the early 1970s. In between being convulsed with laughing at the movie, I realized that this was one of the best fantasy movies (about old European folklore) I had ever seen! I have watched it 100 times since then. The thing little recognized about the Monty gang is that they actually respect their material and take it seriously. You can see it in their art direction, costuming and photography. There is nothing casual, slapdash, cheap or ignorant about any of their movies or other works. Good job, CinemaStix, and thanks.

[@odopsha]

The first time I watched this movie was by accident, but I immediately realized that the world would never be the same again. It's like a moose bite.

[@undine120]

The first time I watched this, at 11, I was pulled away from my friends house 5 minutes before the end with the charge about to happen. I forced my parents that night to rent it, and fast forwarded it to the spot where I left off. I was devastated to learn that after a perfect film to that point it just... stopped. Imagine pausing there for like 90 minutes after your friends had hyped the movie up, after you had so thoroughly enjoyed it, all for it to just... end with a whimper.

[@kryxena]

I feel that!

[@ruslbicycle6006]

I was also a little kid when I first watched it. My little sister cried and said it wasn't fair, the ending. I was just confused, I knew it was all a joke but it really took me a while for that to sink in.

[@trooperthatsall5250]

Last Sunday at York my wife and I walking the walls, I standing at the ramparts looking out quoted the "your father is a hamster and your mother smelled of elderberries" like in a outrageous french accent, made my wife and I laugh hard on how silly it was but how fitting to the place we were situated. Absolutely nothing touches it now days, classic one liners ~Trooper

[@SharTheo]

Elderberry was used for spirits, and hamsters are known to be promiscuous. So "your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries" suggests perhaps maybe at some level, your father is a drunkard and your mother was easy to get. One of the oldest medieval "yo momma" jokes.

[@captainpoppleton]

You have to go back & do the quote right.

[@huntress1013]

Did the same thing a couple of years ago while I studied in Scotland 😂 Good times...

[@williambowling8211]

@@captainpoppleton "Go away or I shall taunt you a second time-a"

[@Simon-xc5oy]

Careful!!!! Doing that in public in 2024 will get you arrested for being funny! You might upset a minority or a woke warrior....Comedy today is a total loss, and Python is still streets ahead of any comedy today. It was truly unique..

[@MeltonECartes]

One of the many things I love about HG is that the cinematography is actually beautiful (and the production design, art direction). I love comedies that are grounded in realism.

[@YourDoomIsSealed]

If I had to limit it to 3, it would be Grail, This is Spinal Tap and....(a lesser known but brilliant piece) What We Do In The Shadows.

[@ReginaOfficialWilson]

I tried cutting down the mightiest tree in the forest with a herring, but all I got was a really angry squirrel wielding a pinecone!

[@eminkilicaslan8945]

This movie is perfect example of restrictions bearing creativity. Their passion was expletive to lack of budget. That's why this movie so beloved.

[@crazyman8472]

“And there was much rejoicing!” 😜

[@midnightmosesuk]

hooray.

[@SuzieNerds]

yaaaaaaaaay

[@stewartbugler6157]

I honestly think the holy grail is the holy trail of movies. There's so many jokes that get better on rewatching. Like there are so many films that break the fourth wall but this film it's genuinely like they couldn't afford a fourth wall it's never there. Like my favourite line is something like. "Its that old man from scene 22" which cracks me up every time as python has this deadpan mastery like they didn't just reference a script.

[@riloegaming]

The complete lack of continuity and almost nihilistic way Holy Grail fails to even remotely take itself seriously was incredibly ahead of its time, but also felt earned; randomness that felt purposeful. The decisions they made due to cut costs were all intentional and brilliantly placed, despite not necessarily being the plan from the start.

[@simontautorat1014]

The best scene was when the frenchman pointed out their missing horses and arthur told him the money is tight so they couldnt afford those. :)

[@chahleybrosfullsignal]

I still love that to this day The Holy Grail is the most authentic depiction of the Arthurian legend, being one of if not the only film to portray Lancelots vision of the grail, as well as being basically the only film in the past 60 years to properly depict period accurate historical armour and heraldry. The fact *any* of the knights wear gambesons and clothed brigandine puts the film even above Peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings films at times, despite those films using actual kilometers worth of chainmail while Monty Python used Twine and tweed.

[@bokoblinlogic1619]

Idk how Lotr relates to this because it is completely different

[@thomasley4006]

It’s just the most inventive comedy ever. I remember seeing it for the first time in cinema - and already being in stitches from the opening subtitles („Wi nøt trei a høliday in Sweden this yër?“). And it just never stops from there.

[@jimt828]

Lets not forget Ralph the Wonder Llama!

[@marton_dobo]

I recently saw this and then watched Excalibur 1981 and had the idea that what if John Boorman saw The Holy Grail in 1975 and thought: "what if I make the same movie but seriously?" And it turned out amazing as well

[@jfu5222]

Sir Bedevere, elucidating as he lifts the visor on his ridiculous helmet, has always been my favorite. When he hops off the platform in the "she's a witch" scene is my favorite instant in the film, for some reason it just slays me.

[@rkah6187]

The witch scene is my absolute favourite :D and of course 'I thought we were an autonomous collective'

[@CoffeeAcorn]

Love the cop out, it’s so abrupt but fits

[@nickedinburgh34]

Nice phrasing as a non-spoiler. My hat tips to you.

[@whwhywhywhywhywhywhy]

I'm incredibly stupid for not getting that, that was the joke

[@rgallitan]

Also, despite watching this movie repeatedly over the last 40 years, I was just clued in last week that the end is a callback to the beginning. There's no end titles - not even a The End card - because the team for that had all been sacked.

[@untexan]

@@rgallitanWell, sort of. Back then end titles were still rare in movies. Star Wars was the movie that began changing that. Also as you’ll remember, they did complete the credits in an entirely different style at great expense and at the last minute.

[@oliversomething4821]

8:39 That "film composer" was the one and only Neil Innes, who also helped create such timeless comedy as *The Rutles, Rutland Weekend Television,* and his own show *Innes Book of Records.*

[@FranssensM]

Yeah he gets mentioned later as “an extra”. No extra he. He was the minstrel for sir Robin, one of my favourite bits.

[@fordprefect80]

Yeah, he was their friend and unofficial Python member.

[@olsmokey]

Big fan of the Rutles here.

[@davidwright8432]

'Bold, brave Sir Robin' - Neil Innes' utter classic song!

[@phaedrus000]

I love how excited Gilliam is in that interview.

[@fatih.tavukcu]

The ending was brilliant! My friends older brother told us that he and the rest of the audience in the cinema apparently spent the whole credits waiting for some sort of conclusion after the cops show up hahaha

[@macsnafu]

One of my favorite lines from the movie was used in an animated sequence. And there were bad times, and they were forced to eat the bard; And there was much rejoicing!

[@SuzieNerds]

My favorite line immediately follows that: yaaaaaaaaay

[@simonkevnorris]

There are so many great lines enough for everyone. "She turned me into a Newt, I got better."

[@hkgcgsdhjgd]

If anyone ever thinks you need to spend a zillion dollars to make a great movie, just show them this. This movie was infinitely better because of its shoestring budget, not in spite of it.

[@drewbobaggins5212]

Lancelot twatting the castle walls with his sword always gets me.

[@Whoischrislewis]

The knight lifting his shield visor up every other scene 😂

[@michaelpatrick5224]

This movie was pivotal to my growth in understanding humor. I didn't get this movie when I was about 15, but as i got older, the humor started to grow on me, and since then my love of British humor has grown. As a kid I was very much an introvert, so this movie helped me to not only get humor but also to understand other people.

[@RobertRFalk]

My DVD of HG has a special "Spot the Rabbit" feature: When the killer rabbit icon appears, you can click on it & see items like receipts for things in the movie. For example, the girls at Castle Anthrax weren't paid but the production co. bought them lunch; you can see the receipt.

[@hlafrond965]

I saw this many times, but a memorable was a a big theatre. Outside were these big signs advertising the movie. One sign board said "Makes Ben Hur look like an epic." Also it was a few times in before I paid attention to the credits. Hilarious 😂.

[@GrandAdmThrawn]

I remember when I first watched this movie and the last "battle" scene started with all the preparations and drums and everything and .... yeah I was laughing so hard my stomach started hurting xD

[@mia_djojowasito_malik]

Pink Floyd & Led Zeppelin financed this??! Noooooooo, i had no idea haha cool. Thanks for making these videos lol 🙏🙏

[@baxtronx5972]

Life of Brian was financed by George Harrison.

[@gabbleratchet1890]

@@baxtronx5972 Which Harrison explained by saying, "I just wanted to see the film." Perfect.

[@oneworldfamily]

Mia, I recommend reading Eric Idle's autobiography. It's not only a entertaining read, but also explains how the Pythons (and especially Eric) hung out with these bands, including the Rolling Stones. Well worth reading! Adam, UK.

[@YourDoomIsSealed]

I'm so glad I'm the age that I am...growing up in the 70's....Monty Python, Dark Side of the Moon...bike helmets not even a thing...god-DAMN those days gave us all the resilience we needed! As opposed to....yikes...."OMG I was mis-gendered!" (which is to say...gendered).

[@oneworldfamily]

@@YourDoomIsSealed Agree with everything apart from the bike helmets. I was with a friend when we were children in the 80s and he came off his bike. He wasn't going fast and only fell sideways. But he hit his head on the road and from that moment ended up with lifelong brain damage and an altered personality. It happened so fast that there was no way he could have brought his arms up to protect his head. I wouldn't dare cycle without a helmet on.

[@noctodemus]

One of the things I drill into my design students is the fact that constraints will goad you to creativity you never imagined. This film is a master class in just that.

[@cedhome7945]

I did 4 days work with Mr Jones on the BBC crusade's series and it was typical waiting around for the next shot then do what you where doing 4 hours ago!!! We where told not to hassle Mr Jones but Caerphilly castle has a big damp hall with an old out of tune piano, boredom overtaking him he sat down and tried to play it ,one of my mates broke the ice with "oh we didn't recognise you with your clothes on " he took it in good faith and everyone relaxed . At the end of shooting he thanked everyone and we said we didn't want to annoy him with python phrases he said that's ok I have forgotten most of it,this was the que for my friend to present him with a after eight mint and say " it's just a wafer thin mint Mr creosote" he called us **** of all the sketches this is the one that everyone remembers 😄

[@0That_Guy0]

The reasoning for the rather "unique" ending in this film is still one of my favourite movie trivia to date.

[@captainlengthwidth6692]

I drove past The Castle Aaaaargh! (Stalker Castle) on my way to Oban to renew my driving licence today.

[@andrewbranson8539]

The gorilla hand during the book of the film scene gets me every time. Such a silly little thing. And Lancelot hitting the torch on the steps during the wedding massacre.

[@pyotrberia9741]

When they are talking about running to the cars at the end of the day: "Cars? The car, the car", they are the Four Yorkshiremen.

[@darthvirgin7157]

RIP Terry Jones.

[@Wobblybob2004]

8:39 The films composer was Neil Innes, who was "the seventh python"

[@throttlegalsmagazineaustra7361]

Ron Nasty

[@michaellekl1203]

I can't even recall how many times I've watched this movie. First time I've seen it might be almost 30 years ago. I'm now 36, from Germany, and I grew up with the humour of the Pythons. In 2019 I've been to Scotland and visting "Castle Aaaaargh" (Castle Stalker) was like the first thing on my agenda. And it was a beautiful experience to see one of the filming locations of this iconic movie in person. 🤩

[@dr.emilschaffhausen4683]

Running. Running. Running. "Ahaa" "Hey" That cracked me up.

[@alecwilliams8425]

I think what solidifies this movie as a cult classic is the fact that it threw the rulebook for filming out the 'castle window' and basically said if you think it's stupid, nonsensical or downright mad throw it in, it'll probably be hilarious.

[@DawsonVonDarkcastle]

Horses. They couldn't afford horses. Your welcome

[@vickanid1862]

One of the best comedies out there! During my time, I've had actual incidents that were very Monty Python. One of the best ones were when I was looking for lunch at a Hawaiian Walgreens (yes, they did have a lunch counter once). The counter person was telling me what was in their dishes...and they all had SPAM (except for the edamame one which had very little Spam in it). Yes, I sung the SPAM song as I left.

[@A-Gambino]

The person you called the composer and extra was Neil Innes He first came to prominence in the pioneering comedy rock group Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later became a frequent collaborator with the Monty Python troupe on their BBC television series and films, and is often called the "seventh Python"

[@ChrispyNut]

I've only had "Ugh, Message for you sir!" as my text message alert for , but it's at least a decade, probably longer. In all the years, only once has anyone ever recognised it and called it out. I do wonder how many recognise, but say nothing due to politeness and/or uncertainty :|

[@SuzieNerds]

My dad’s text notification for the longest time was the arrow hitting him, until everyone decided to keep their phones on silent. Pretty sure if I asked him, it still is, though.

[@ChrispyNut]

@@SuzieNerds No, you must change it. "There can be, only One!" 🙂

[@brejackal]

Big Python fan but one general, really dig your stuff! It is so well produced and gets your point across clearly. Rare in the content world even rarer in your genre. Will continue support👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@MichaelAarons1701]

I always thought the looped running was part of the gag just to draw it out so that his suddenly being _right there_ strikes funnier because, otherwise, it doesn’t seem like he’s getting anywhere.

[@FlyoverStatePark]

As a kid, the ending left me so confused and unsatisfied, but as I grew older, I understood that it couldn't have ended any other way.

[@tomcatoblepas3550]

The Lancelot timpani drum running scene is still the peak of comedy.

[@seen921]

You need to make at least 3 more of these. The number shall be 3 … not 5 … but 3 These are great

[@platonkarataev550]

How about 4 ?

[@bokoblinlogic1619]

@@platonkarataev550no greater than 3

[@markyoung3384]

2 is right out.

[@williambowling8211]

@@markyoung3384 Four shalt thou not count neither shalt thou count two unless thou proceed unto three. FIVE is right out.

[@YourDoomIsSealed]

Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three...five is RIGHT OUT.

[@sushimamba4281]

I remember watching this in a cinema with a buddy when we were 12. We laughed so much we decided to remain in the theater and watch it a second time. I never noticed the film was low budget. I only noticed that it was hilarious.

[@davidwright8432]

Budget is irrelevant (huge or tiny). Result is EVERYTHING.

[@Dicska]

Back when I was a kid, we only had a few pirated video tapes at home, so I ended up re-watching them dozens, if not hundreds of times. One of them was Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The tape was damaged, so I only saw it from the raining ducks and chickens scene. It was dubbed and some of the puns or other jokes were lost in translation. Being a wee kid, I didn't even get some of the references. It was still _the_ comedy film at home. We watched it so many times with my brothers that 3 decades later we still quote it whenever it's appropriate. Now that I realise how little they had to make this masterpiece, I owe infinite gratitude to everyone still making this possible, from Led Zeppelin to the last uni student. Thank you, folks. You made my childhood a little better.

[@CinemaStix]

In case you’re as much a lover of physical media as I am, or would just like to get more into it (because it’s never too late), I’ve tagged some product links in the description of the video to the 40th anniversary edition of the Grail on BluRay, as well as the BluRay player that I personally use at home. These are affiliate links. So using them does support me directly. :)

[@VIK_1903]

WE NEED AT LEAST ONE PYTHON VID PER MONTH UNTIL 2034. THANKS!

[@buttermilkjudas]

there are no such links in the description that i can find.

[@CinemaStix]

Hehe. A Python residency.

[@CinemaStix]

Hm. I’m not sure why. At least in the mobile app, they appear for me in a special box at the top of the description. Are you on the phone or the computer? In any case, it unfortunately looks like the listing is out of stock anyway. Will update when that changes (this is the issue-physical media being a dying breed).

[@buttermilkjudas]

@@CinemaStix I'm on a laptop. I tried providing a screenshot of the description box but I believe the link caused KZbin to remove my original comment.

[@Thecrazyvaclav]

Terry jones lifting his face guard up every time he speaks or needs to see anything always makes me smile

[@lisahoshowsky4251]

The “we got it done” after explaining how convoluted it was to film them playing multiple characters in the same scene honestly seems the to sum up most of the experience filming this😂😂

[@alxsytb]

i think the thing about the limitied resources in this is, like all art. it kinda thrives on restrictions. prompts, limitations of the medium all that is how people get creative trying to work around it. its why the movie is just quite so creative. its also in this case what helps the movie become this wonderfully coherent yet incoherent fever dream, literally the perfect drunk/stoned watch for a movie night

[@louise123185]

bro is changing titles by the hour again and we love it.

[@MaximGhost]

I don't care how many mind-numbing, repetitive documentaries are made about "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" I will watch every single one. Multiple times.

[@stephenmcnally9878]

Thanks for these videos. I remember watching this back in the mid 90s with my friend and loving every minute

[@mateuspyluchmann]

Great video! It shows how much you love these works of art and how they were made ❤

[@TheShortGirl666]

The Lance-A-Lot running bit always gets me

[@TexasTimeLord]

Imagine reading the Arthurian Legend-based script and skipping to the ending where it states that Arthur and his knights were suddenly arrested by modern day British constables. The end

[@greenman6141]

I saw it in a cinema when it was first released. A big old fashioned Movie Palace, complete with red velvet curtain, albeit threat bare. The only time in my life watching a film, when I've laughed so hard, so uncontrollably, that it became just too painful and I had to lie down flat, on the floor. These days my favourite single line: "Camelot? Good pig country." Michael Palin. Sigh. He was even in Blow Up.