*so THIS is comedy...* Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Reaction: FIRST TIME WATCHING

[@nickreacts6394]

Is this the best of Monty Python?? (also the Naked Gun is up now on Patreon)

[@LadyIarConnacht]

This movie spawned 1,000 memes. "Camelot" was a 1960 Broadway musical that was generally despised by serious Arthurian students. There are actually a lot of real things from the Middle Ages in this movie, such as the persecution of cats, silly taunting of enemies, French invasions, knights taking over parts of forests, "scientific" witch hunts, etc.

[@dabegmister]

It's the only one that I like there's a lot of people that like the Life of Brian but I didn't get a lot of the jokes as much as I did with this

[@joeb918]

I’d argue their series was better, this is the Monty Python most everyone knows, even those who aren’t even aware of the show… but this movie is definitely up there along with Life of Bryan. The latter was and remains quite controversial because of its subject. Thanks to George Harrison however we have it as he funded it personally quite a bit as he really wanted to see it. As well as this movie, we can also thank the bands Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin who helped fund Holy Grail.

[@HH-hd7nd]

Life of Brian is a must watch. They could only afford 1 horse for the movie. That's the reason why they came up with the coconuts.

[@brettg274]

Best one IMO, and it gets funnier with every viewing.

[@inarar5334]

The best part of the "cop out" ending is that not only did they not kill the historian, they couldn't have. The killer was riding a horse.

[@denvan3143]

I noted this detail years ago but never saw a mention of it until I made a comment in another reaction video to _Grail._ Now I see the comment everywhere. I’ve always wondered if this wasn’t a sort of Easter egg the Pythoners put in the movie. It’s literally the only horse featured in the film. It’s a case of false arrest.

[@Excanda]

@@denvan3143 Do you really think the cops care about that? They arrested people waving real swords around, so they did a good job. They don't care about the money problems that Monty Python had making this film. Thou you have to give it to them, to actually come up with coconuts and then trying to rationalise how they could have gotten the coconuts that is dedication.

[@SirWasted]

omg i never thougt of that

[@debrafujioka9792]

They couldn't afford horses

[@Excanda]

@@debrafujioka9792 They could afford 1 horse. The rest was too expensive. But you have to give it to them planning the cop-out from halfway through the movie is genius.

[@katrinacash6393]

In Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the police only showed up to arrest everybody at the end because there was no money in the budget for the battle, making the ending a literal cop out (this was also the reason why coconuts were used instead of horses ).

[@chadjenkins4876]

I've always liked to think they were just some friends role-playing but took it too far and killed the historian

[@katrinacash6393]

@@group-music Yes, one. Not enough for Arthur and his coconut-clacking companion let alone the cast.

[@katrinacash6393]

@@group-music Maybe you will believe John Cleese. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2K1hHytmt2db8k

[@yorkieandthechihuahua]

@@group-music Personally I suspect you're both right. I would guess it went something like this... We can't afford horses for the knights anyone got any ideas? Maybe. You know what would be funny...

[@zoa1-99.......]

Let's be real, they're the only guys who has ever DARED to end a film like that, and it totally works!

[@Toonwalla2010]

Ah Monty Python! A classic. I remember on the DVD there was an extra "how to" guide clip on how to slam the dvd cover on your head like the chanting monks.

[@keithgoodnight3463]

Terry Jones, Monty Python member and co-director of the movie, was educated as an Arthurian scholar and worked some of the more obscure aspects of the legends into the story. The most notable is that Lancelot really did have a penchant for stampeding into a fight and just mowing down everyone in his way, although in the myths it was always actual bad guys. (All of the Monty Python troupe were academics before, for whatever reason, going into writing comedy. Several had degrees in philosophy; Graham Chapman, who plays Arthur in the movie, was a medical doctor.)

[@melenatorr]

Also, of the knights we have in this movie, only Galahad ever got close to the Grail.

[@NeilPro42]

It's also the case that Galahad was Galahad the pure, which is why he was being tempted with sex and turning it down. And Lancelot already being there and pushing him out is a reference to the fact that Lancelot fucks ... a lot.

[@Harv72b]

Case in point: when they yell "run away" whenever retreating from battle. Because "retreat" had not yet entered the English lexicon in the time of Arthur.

[@pubuapubua]

@@Harv72b That's a gorgeous tidbit

[@acgearsandarms1343]

To quote Galahad, “They’re doctors?”

[@shainewhite2781]

"Tis but a scratch." "A scratch!? Your arms off!" "No, it isn't." "Well, what's that?" "I've had worse." "You liar!" "Come on, you pansy!"

[@nickreacts6394]

I feel like this is one of the most insanely films quotable ever!

[@sister1976]

The entire film is quotable. At one point my friends and I could quote more or less the entire manuscript, lol. And soooo many of the lines are now just part of my vocabulary 😂 Monthly Python are pretty epic! Meaning if Life is more like a string of sketches than a movie-story, but a lot of fun! If you can find their performance from Hollywood Bowl, that's pretty epic too :)

[@MacTechG4]

When I injure myself accidentally (hazards of clumsiness…) my callback line is always “I’ve ‘ad worse!” Delivered in a thick British accent

[@verlysgaminglife]

Sir Robin's minstrels singing how he was "bravely running away" always makes me laugh. My dad showed this to my brothers and me when we were kids and it was always the part that stuck out the most for me. there are many more memorable lines, but yeah. "Brave Sir Robin" is still totally funny.

[@SaulOhio]

When danger reared its ugly head he bravely turned his tail and fled.

[@ganggreen9012]

At the cave..."You made me soil my armor"..."I've done it again".

[@Blindingstarshine]

Unfortunately in the cold winter they were forced to eat the very same minstrels. ...what a shame!

[@vegeta6169]

@@SaulOhio Yes brave Sir Robin turned about and gallantly he chickened out.

[@Alfonso88279]

My favorite joke here is the one with the swallow. I liked it at the start of movie, but when it paid off in the end it was amazing. Then Arthur said something like "these are things that a king has to know" or something similar, taking advantage to look kingly, I just loved every second of it.

[@matthewmarcinko9157]

This is what the Monty Python troupe is best at: episodic segments with the jokes coming fast. That was the appeal of their "Monty Python's Flying Circus" program on BBC TV.

[@katequick3602]

One of my all-time favorites. I quote this film all the time. I heard that the original ending was that they found the grail and were sitting around the table celebrating and some said "What do we do now?" And they yelled "Hide it again!". Not sure how true that story is but I loved that idea so much. Also, they ended up creating 'Spam-A-Lot' as a Broadway musical which was pretty much this movie with a few added songs and characters and a different ending. It was hilarious as well, even just listening to the soundtrack is funny.

[@Y_.R]

Spam-A-Lot was nominated for 14 Tony awards and it won best musical. I saw it and it was hilarious!

[@weirdbeard2244]

I read that they wanted them to find the grail at the Harrods department store, steal it and have Jesus as the getaway driver, but they didn’t the budget.

[@jb888888888]

@@weirdbeard2244 Have you _seen_ Jesus' appearance fee? There's a reason he hasn't been booked in almost 2000 years.

[@robertsonsid]

There is another movie "And Now for Something Completely Different". It puts together all the best skits from the show. Plus, it teaches you "How not be seen".

[@RevStickleback]

There also the Live at the Hollywood Bowl filming, which is a series of sketches done live (including a couple that they wrote before the Monty Python TV series)

[@KD9YCE]

I love Tim the Enchanter. If I had magical powers like that I would also totally use them all the time for absolutely no reason.

[@TTM9691]

Dude, this is one of the best Holy Grail reactions, partly because you're familiar with the Arthurian legends. You're catching references and jokes that not every reactor gets. Python always rewards those with brains! You even noticed how well it was filmed. The Mel Brooks comparison is completely apt: a non-stop barrage of comedy, getting a laugh no matter what the cost, be it cerebral, wordplay, slapstick, satire, whatever it takes, and the story comes second. THANKS THOR!

[@mikejankowski6321]

Great reaction, it is fun watching you laugh at all this. My favorite aspects: the cinematography of the last charge and Scene 24, the serious costuming of the old man in Scene 24 and the bridge, the running gag of the swallow and coconut, the absolute silliness of Camelot and keeping Prince Herbert in the room, and of course the French taunting. Don't ask me to pick just one. For the budget they had, they produced a world-class product and it has stood the test of time.

[@dusty111]

Love your reaction man! And yes, they couldn't afford horses so they went with the coconuts. Also fun fact: the enchanter was supposed to have a long and complicated name but he forgot it and went with Tim (that's why it sounds like a question). The ending was a literal "cop-out". I'm glad you enjoyed it, it's one of my all time favorites!

[@stevedavis5704]

It’s also been said they didn’t push for horses cuz nobody knew how to ride anyway. The one brief shot of the horseman was the full extent of the budget and skill.

[@dusty111]

@@stevedavis5704 heard it too, stuff like that just makes it even more fun to watch

[@SilverionX]

I heard his name was always Tim. It's apparently in all the scrips and stuff. Improv wasn't Monty Pythons thing really.

[@rama30]

I used to manage a theater. During the intermission we would turn the house lights on full. So fun watching people get up and start to leave only to hustle back 10 seconds later.

[@mystical_grace]

You asked how the duck and the "witch" weighed the same. Re-watch the scene between Bedivere and Arthur (after the weighing) and you'll see that the scale that the duck was on is far heavier than the other scale. It was rigged from the beginning 😂

[@camillaroberts6476]

as were all witch trials at the time!

[@RicktheCrofter]

Except she admits to being a witch at the end. She says, after being weighed, “It’s a fair cop.”

[@Kodanikage]

A really cool part of the movie is just how many historically accurate things included to hilarious effect. The collection of the dead during the plague and killing of cats “because it was thought that the plague came cats” did actually happen. As did hurling dead/diseased animals during sieges.

[@boretrk]

I think my favorite detail is that the Frenchman stresses the k in knight when mocking Arthur. At the time of Arthur the k would have been pronounced. It didn't become silent until Normandy brought in French pronunciation rules.

[@papercup2517]

@@boretrk Another nice language detail that was 100% correct - at least according to a commenter on another reaction - was when they say "Run away! Run away!" which is not just wonderfully comical, but accurate since at the time the story was set the word "Retreat" had not yet entered the English language...

[@circuitgamer7759]

Just want to mention - King Arthur (or anyone in his group) couldn't have been the one to kill the historian because he didn't have a horse, and the murderer did. Also, there's a LOT of historical references in this, and it's surprisingly historically accurate. I don't know which things are references myself, but I'm sure someone could give you a full list of the true historical references.

[@takkycat]

There are two I can think of off the top of my head and they both have to do with the Black Plague. People did go about collecting the dead to burn, and there was a group during that time that would walk around whipping themselves because they thought the plague was a punishment from God!

[@arisucheddar3097]

My favorite thing that people think is made up, is the butt trumpet sequence. Marginalia is fantastic.

[@Serai3]

I love the insults. Calling your mother a hamster was calling her a 'ho, and saying your dad smelled of elderberries meant he was a drunk. As to marginalia (per Arisu Cheddar), the killer rabbit is straight out of that genre of art. Marginalia are the little drawings that monks used to create in the margins of the books they were copying. That job got _really_ boring, and you find all kinds of strangeness tucked away in those little corners. For some strange reason, rabbits keep cropping up doing all manner of things like jousting, torturing, and killing. A rabbit who bites people's heads off would have fit right in.

[@Serai3]

@@arisucheddar3097 That's straight out of Bosch.

[@itsnub5597]

“One day this will all be yours” “The curtains?” 😂 The more I watch this film the more and more I like The tale of sir Lancelot than I already do, it’s just too good Edit: I also like to think that John Cleese forgot or didn’t know the name of his character when he was playing as the wizard and came up with Tim on the spot Edit: I have now learned now that is the case by the comments, in which that makes it a thousand times better

[@thunder_wolf23]

That is exactly what happened. The pyromancer was supposed to have this long, ridiculous name and John completely forgot what it was. You can see the moment of "oh crap" in his face.

[@cjleach3442]

Some tidbits: They couldn't afford horses so that's why they came up with the coconuts. The "witch" was dating/married to one of the main characters. "There are some who call me......Tim." The actor forgot what the name was supposed to be and just said Tim. Early days of Magic the Gathering, any creature that could tap to deal 1 damage to something was called a Tim after this movie. If you pay attention to the details, you will realize that they couldn't have murdered the historian as none of them actually had a horse. And my favorite scene has got to be Robin's minstrels. I was able to sing their songs from memory since I was a teenager. Maybe couldn't today, but pretty close.

[@tofersiefken]

I think you would enjoy The Meaning of Life. It is structured more like a series of sketches around some core themes, rather than a contiguous narrative arc, and is hilarious. There is also a musical sequence that will likely have you laughing out loud as you try to sing along, but no spoilers about the topic.

[@josheldridge8546]

Also notable for being their first movie after Life of Brian. Some people have said TMoL was their way of saying "y'all were offended by Life of Brian? this is us actually setting out to offend."

[@briansharwood4022]

Though I get a lot of flak from my friends (and may well get more from y'all here), Meaning of Life is my fave Monty Python film. Great suggestion!!

[@jackal59]

It also has a scene that, when I saw it in the theater, had people jumping up and running for the exits. I was laughing so hard that I was gasping for air and bracing me knees against the seat in front of me to keep from falling to the floor.

[@josheldridge8546]

@@jackal59 Mr Creosote?

[@ethanlivemere1162]

The Death scene is one of my favorite Monty Python sketches

[@matthewganong1730]

Props to you, because very few first time reactors seem to pick up on the fact that Galahad is supposed to be chaste, so they lose the point of the entire Castle Anthrax scene.

[@HallowedPhoenix]

My favorite sequence is Lancelot killing everyone, it was so funny 🤣 I love these reactions, I think the Meaning of Life would be a good one. 😊❤️

[@phoenixfire124]

The meaning of life is my favorite monty python movie

[@user-pe9gz8si8k]

the meaning of life is my favorite film of theirs

[@isabelsilva62023]

The animation is a trademark of their tv series "Monty Python Flying Circus".

[@kateorgera5907]

I recommend listening to the Spamalot Original Broadway Cast Rercording, it's a great companion to this film. Tim Curry is brilliant as Arthur.

[@KT-iy9vc]

Back in the 80s a local independent theater used to show this, Meaning of Life, or Life of Brian on Friday and Saturday nights at midnight numerous times per year and we would go see them A LOT. The whole crowd reciting along, providing stock joke answers, etc. Good stuff. Especially while intoxicated.

[@stratocruising]

Midnight movies! When it was 2001 (movie, not year), all the stoners would sit in the front row for the light show at the end. When it was Rocky Horror, everyone would recite the lines with the characters.

[@sister1976]

The entire film is quotable. At one point my friends and I could quote more or less the entire manuscript, lol. And soooo many of the lines are now just part of my vocabulary 😂 Monthly Python are pretty epic! Meaning if Life is more like a string of sketches than a movie-story, but a lot of fun! If you can find their performance from Hollywood Bowl, that's pretty epic too :)

[@ejtappan1802]

Yes!!! My college buddies and I would just quote this movie back and forth to each other all day long, lol.

[@sharkdentures3247]

Right there with you. Clearly, my friends & I weren't part of the "cool, popular crowd" in school. But with something THIS funny, who cares?

[@spacedinosaur8733]

Everyone in the room started quoting it during my AF promotion test between the AFSC & Gen AF History & leadership parts. It was great!

[@VanArchon]

"THE SALMON MOUSSE!" "Darling you didn't use canned salmon did you?

[@JeccaJ]

The creators of the Worms games were big Python fans and various versions of the games include Moose, Llamas, cows and the Holy Hand Grenade as weaponry choices. Much fun!

[@stevedavis5704]

There is no ending credits cuz they fired the credits writers at the beginning. I have heard tell that they didn’t have a big battle at the end cuz they lacked the budget for one. The had a fairly small budget from a variety of sources including the band Led Zeppelin. There’s a movie called ‘Yellowbeard ‘ that has some of the Monty Python people in it plus Cheech and Chong which I think you would enjoy watching.

[@pdoll96]

This is how I choose my tribe…if you don’t find MP and the holy grail funny..we can’t hang lol

[@torontomame]

Speaking of musicals, some of the Pythons did later turn this movie into a hit musical called "Spamalot". (The Pythons had recurring skits about Spam on their TV show, Monty Python's Flying Circus.)

[@heikira438]

The whole movie is quotable. "What do you mean? An African or European Swallow?"

[@nickreacts6394]

The important questions in life...

[@Philbert-s2c]

For me the only film that comes close in quotability is Guy Ritchie's "Snatch."

[@QuisletEsq]

How do you know so much about swallows? You have to know those sorts of things when you are king.

[@jlerrickson]

I happen to love The Meaning of Life, though many people consider it to be their least favorite. One of my favorite sequences (the Crimson Permanent Assurance) comes from that film. But Holy Grail will always be iconic.

[@josheldridge8546]

Man, I tell you --seeing that live donor sketch at four years old leaves a mark on you.

[@jlerrickson]

@@josheldridge8546 but the song is fantastic 😆

[@spacedinosaur8733]

I'd love the Crimson Permanent Assurance to be it's own movie.

[@lewisner]

My favourite is the Grim Reaper.

[@Serai3]

Believe it or not, that gambit of throwing animals off the castle walls comes from an actual event in history. A town in France called Carcasonne was being beseiged. The leader was a woman whose husband was away in the war. They got pretty close to being starved out, and then she decided to have all the food animals thrown at the besiegers, to give the impression that they had plenty of food and the army ought to give up. Well, it worked - they gave up and left! :D

[@MrBoyneboy]

Fun Fact : George Harrison ( The Beatles ) put up the money to make this film and is actually an extra in the Sir Lancelot rescue scene if you look closely you can see him .

[@Yggdrasil42]

It's hard to chose but I thin my favorite is the witch weighing scene. The way the peasants go wild whenever the word witch is uttered. The scientific method of the Knight. The dove with the coconut. The way "I got better" is delivered. Just great.

[@mikejankowski6321]

I didn't list these among my favorites but they are right up there. Everything John Cleese did was perfect.

[@helloweener2007]

Yes, they could not effort money for real horses and they had only money for one castle for filming. All castles in the movie is Doune Castle in Scotland. My favourite movie with the Monty Python cast is "Fierce Creatures".

[@katertom]

You should check out Time Bandits, a film created by a group of Monty Python members. It's a wonderful fantasy film with a lot of humor.

[@linkloudenback8359]

This was the group’s first movie.They had no real experience at making movies, but they did have experience making television shows.So they shot the movie the same way they did the television show as sort of sketches.It’s not based on a movie but just the original myth of Excalibur.It’s part of the comedic styling of British comedy to satire their own culture.

[@Shadyoaksretirement]

I didn't expect you to react to this!! A classic 🤣

[@nickreacts6394]

I now understand why hahaha

[@mikejankowski6321]

You probably didn't expect The Spanish Inquisition, either!

[@Shadyoaksretirement]

@Mike Jankowski you sly dog... 🤣 Honestly it's insane it took 8 hours for someone to make the joke 💀🫠

[@mikejankowski6321]

@@Shadyoaksretirement I was delayed due to trouble at mill.

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

I like how the cop called a shield 🛡 an offensive weapon. Yes I know a shield can be used as an offensive weapon but it's primarily used to defend

[@thefleasofathousandcamels6498]

How do you know so much about swallow? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.

[@davidfox5383]

Such a classic. The killer bunny rabbit gets me every time, and I love the monster dying because the animator has a heart attack. I'm not a fan of The Meaning of Life.

[@kyrabergen3553]

If you've never seen Mel Brooks' "Dracula: Dead and Loving It!" yet, I recommend that one!

[@B_B-420]

"They couldn't afford horses for the movie, or is this knight very poor?" They couldn't afford any horses. The ending is also what it is, because they ran out of money. Originally everyone was supposed to storm the French castle, but they could only pay the extras for 1 day of shooting. Terry Gilliam (one of the members of Monty Python) also drew all of the animations in the film himself for free to save on production costs.

[@randabeast]

My favorite is the "constitutional peasant"

[@MacAisling]

My favorite bits are Sir Robin’s minstrels and the line “tell me again how sheep’s bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes”. The line is a literary reference. Mel Brooks makes a reference to the same book/event in History of the World part 1 in the song about the Inquisition. I think Monty Python’s Flying Circus had much the same status in the UK as Saturday Night Live does in the US.

[@QuisletEsq]

The ending is a cop out. I also like how even after Lancelot kills most of the dancers, the others keep dancing.

[@RatchetFanGirl27]

I got that rabbit tattooed on me! Grew up with this movie!

[@ericailiarski8854]

It's funny that you mentioned musicals because this movie was actually turned into a stage musical (called Spamalot). It takes the jokes and gags from the movie and adds onto it in a brilliant and hilarious way. If you're interested you could check it out on your own time.

[@mycroft16]

This was a favorite for family reunions. The cousins would all hang out and watch it one night. I was definitely too young the first about 5 times lol. Wasn't till years later that the whole Castle Anthrax bit took on an entirely different meaning. I died laughing when I got it. Monty Python are the epitome of British insanity. Some of their sketch humor goes completely off the deep end. This movie is brilliant. A timeless classic.

[@ebashford5334]

So much to love in this movie but my favorite parts are when they poke fun at the concept of royalty and their "divine rights". Arthur immediately gets that shit thrown all over him (at the castle Arrrrgh) when pompously proclaiming his mandate from God is one of the funniest bits. I also like the satirical Knight who say ni, poking fun at how we are so easily offended by certain words. Satire like that is why I like MP better than Mel Brooks. The silliness is about the same but MP does the historical satire much better, more precisely targeted and it helps that Terry Jones is a historian.

[@smylyface]

This movie came out when I was in middle school. It took a good two years for us to get tired of riding our "horses" through the halls. The movie had a resurgence in the 80's while I was in high school prompting us to get back on our horses. Twas a simpler time.

[@andscifi]

What I like most about this movie is how accurate to many of the stories it is. To me it becomes funnier when you realize that there actually are stories of lancelot going into berserker mode and killing a bunch of people. The main difference is that in the original story he was trying to save Gwenevere.

[@carnilia]

I love Meaning of Life, and definitely think it’s worth watching, even if you don’t do it as a reaction. Some high key iconic stuff in that one.

[@balintkovacs4089]

Fun fact about the movie: The actor playing the enchanter said "Tim?" because he actually forgot his character's name. They just went with it in the final version.

[@joeb918]

The whole movie is a parody of the Arthurian legend, however there is a rather overly serious 1960 musical called Camelot, the musical number and the film is sort of, but not directly parodying that musical as well… interestingly Eric Idle of the Monty Python troupe would go on to fully transform Holy Grail into a musical called Spamalot and it’s awesome. No they cowapulted it…

[@alanwhetstone3922]

The Holy Hand grenade is in the movie Ready Player One

[@Pokyhawk]

In answer to your question, yes. Their budget was so small in the making of this movie that, to save money, they eliminated the need for renting horses and teaching riding classes by using coconuts. Birthing the most talked about running movie joke in the 1970s Terry Gilliam (who played the servant of King Arthur named Patsy) was the artist behind all the animations used in the movies and shows. Which kind of explains a lot about his manic directing style.

[@suddenlyfrogs1906]

So you've seen a Fish called Wanda! :D There's a film with basically the exact same cast, Fierce creatures. Nowhere near as popular but I love it, especially Kevin Kline's secondary character. People dump on The Meaning of Life, but it's growing in popularity because it's really funny. No not quite this or Brian but it IS hilarious. Other films with Python actors that are awesome include Clockwise (John Cleese) Nuns on the Run (Eric Idle) as well as the legend himself Robbie Coltrane. Seriously funny. Jabberwocky (Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam) Erik the Viking (John Cleese and Terry Jones) Not to mention Tim Robbins as the main character, from Shawshank Redemption. Also, if you were more familiar with Python, you'd notice how many references there are in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, especially from Spike, which just makes me realise Spike has sat down (Possibly with Dru) and watched Monty Python at some point, and probably more than once.

[@sillyvance2202]

The black knight is 1 of my favorites"Tis just a scratch! " is a sentence I use in my real life ever since watching this as a child lol..

[@koichama5738]

Since you asked and you were kind enough to share a first time reaction to this beloved movie... I swear one of my favorite jokes in this movie... and all possible history is the three question wizard when he asks the airspeed of an unladen swallow. It is the perfect callback to the beginning of the movie and is just a joke layered upon a joke layered upon more jokes. The joke started when the movie's budget wasn't able to afford horses, so they comically used coconuts. It is perfection. Budget, led to coconuts, which led to self-awareness (You're using coconuts!), which led to discussion about migration habits and nitpicking migratory habits of birds (the persistence of persuing this trail of logic is funny enough) , which led to the discussion between the differences of the European and the African swallow, which led to this question referencing the others..... Which Author and the audience already know about. "A king has to know these things." Not to mention that the cheap and sudden ejection manner for a wrong question was funny enough..., but to turn the tables and get a third laugh for the same physical gag! Question wizard: "...I don't know AAAH!" blast off. Humanity has already reached its peak!

[@TheTaelus]

Start :: “ I’ll need to rewatch these credits” End :: “ what, no credits?”

[@lc8155]

Best Monty Python. Thanks for the reaction!

[@DanielOrme]

Almost all of us who watched this on its original release were prepared by having watched the TV series (which my friends and I could quote at length). It's great to see someone not as familiar with Python-style comedy still cracking up over it.

[@MrEAus]

I just noticed that right at the end, that cop seems to erroneously call the dude's shield an "offensive" weapon... though of course it's technically a _defensive_ item... don't know whether that was an actual "joke", but it caught my attention for the first time just here...

[@scottstevens7639]

There were only 4 movies made under the ‘Monty Python’ banner. This one and “Life of Brian” are the two most famous ones. “Meaning of Life” was the last and there was a fourth that came out before “Holy Grail” called “And Now For Something Completely Different”, which was just a ‘best of’ collection of skits from the TV show, undoubtedly meant to introduce audiences outside of Britain to their unique brand of humour. Outside of the Python banner however, there are actually quite a few projects that involve most members of the troupe. Terry Jones directed a somewhat flawed but still rather silly outing called “Eric the Viking”. Terry Gilliam is perhaps the most prolific Pythonite though. He’s perhaps best known for films like ‘12 Monkeys” with Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt or “The Fisher King” with Robin Williams. For my money, his best is “Brazil”, starring Jonathan Pryce (“Game of Thrones” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”) with a cool cameo by Robert DeNiro. Gilliam has directed many other distinctively weird and wonderful films like “Time Bandits”, “Jabberwocky”, “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen’ and “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”, which was the last onscreen performance of Heath Ledger before his death. All of these films bear the distinctive Python DNA.

[@southron_d1349]

The song and dance routine is probably a callback to the 1967 film "Camelot" - which in turn is based on the 1960 musical.

[@StatsJedi]

Now you know why the credits were at the START of the movie.

[@dabegmister]

This was one of me and my friend's favorite movies when we were kids we were born and late 80s and grew up in the 90s but we thought this was hilarious we quoted this movie so much and it's still quoted today amongst a lot of people

[@wcemichael]

I think the most repeated line in this movie is "Your mother was a hamster... and your father smelt of elderberries" This movie was parodied in a Gatorade commercial "May we hydrate at your castle?" and they launched the cow at them kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJDNe6J9eaxni6c

[@thegingergyrl455]

Yes! Monty Python. The dead Parrot sketch is my favorite sketch. If I need a giggle I will watch this movie. ❤the killer bunny rabbit is my favorite part of this.

[@nickreacts6394]

That was one of the first things I saw of Monty Python, sketch comedy perfection!

[@willcool713]

Mel Brooks was considered quirky, wacky, gag comedy, and a safe bet for movies, because he had an older, but solid fan base. Monty Python were comedic gods, treated like rock stars, with countless millions of fans worldwide, who worked on a shoestring budget. Monty Python may seem like tired jokes now, cute but not very punchy. But they set a whole new bar for comedy. Their work was revolutionary, entirely new and fresh at that time, as well as very progressive in thought.

[@macroman52]

I think the cartoonist, Terry Gilliam, was the art director, as well as co-director, which is why the battle scene, for instance, is so good.

[@rfresa]

I vividly remember the first time I saw this movie as a teenager at a summer music camp. My family now has multiple sets of coconuts to use for sound effects.

[@AFKeveryday]

Monty Python's Life of Brian, yes a must watch.. Airplane for sure.. do both.. thanks for covering these types of films.. i'm re-subscribing.. i loved your reaction

[@patrickfoster8335]

FYI the castle used for most of the movie is called Castle Doune located in Scotland. I've been there.

[@thetallestdwarf7041]

I must have seen this movie 15 times, and I never noticed the woman beating a cat against the wall during the "bring out your dead" scene. Kudos, Donar.

[@chris...9497]

I saw this film in the theater when it was first released and I've watched it many times since then. But it was only in the last couple years I came to learn this isn't a film of Arthurian Legend spoofery exactly, but a murder mystery during a movie filming. When you stitch together the story of the murder of the Historian, the rest of it becomes incidental. To this day, I still use quotes from this film, but have to restrict it to those who I know 'know'. My daughter (born in 1988) grew up in a Monty Python rich environment. We shared a relishment of the viciousness of rabbits (I had a house rabbit, a most unpleasant creature). I took her to Eric Idle's American tour in the 1990s where he presented live in a small venue many of the classic Monty Python skits (I was surprised she knew ALL the words at the age of 13 to the "Sit On My Face March") and she got to speak to and get an autograph from the Man himself. Eric has daughters; he seemed shocked to see my daughter there and asked "How old ARE you?!" The year before, she had attended her first concert and met the event's performer, Weird Al. In the photo of the meeting, she had that look of "Kill me now; I'm already in heaven".

[@CousinWhatIsIt]

A great 80s comedy that's got a joke-after-joke feel to it is "Better Off Dead" with John Cusack.

[@thedoctor4327]

Besides Life of Brian I also recommend checking out Terry Gilliam’s (one of Holy Grail’s directors) other films. I particularly recommend: - Brazil - Time Bandits - Adventures of Baron Munchausen - The Fisher King - 12 Monkeys

[@outernothingness1177]

The Meaning of Life is well worth a go. It's a lot darker than the other two, but in my mind absolutely brilliant. And they actually had a decent budget for once.

[@somersetcace1]

Great reaction. I think your comparison to Brooks is correct in a general context, but it's kind of like a British comedy version of that kind of humor. Interestingly, Blazing Saddles came out in 1974 and this in 1975.

[@louhillen8254]

Monty Python is just genius. This and Life of Brian ❤

[@Artoveli]

Long before I ever saw the movie, I had a friend who quoted it constantly. But there was ONE scene she had somehow never mentioned anything about, so it completely blindsided me when I finally did see it- the Knights of Ni. I still think it’s the funniest part of the film.😆

[@Prototype-357]

My favorite sequence of this movie is the one with Dennis the politically aware peasant, the dialogue and the delivery at that part is so snippy, I love it so much!

[@margretrosenberg420]

There was a musical stage play made from this movie, named "Spamalot," so I first saw this on stage in a theater. My greatest regret from that night is that I didn't take enough money along to buy myself a pair of bunny slippers with fangs.

[@StephenLWilson]

Here is what I have noticed about this movie, which I very much like: - It was made the very next year after Blazing Saddles. Blazing Saddles, to me, was the beginning and set the standard for many comedic tropes and such - Grail borrowed the extreme 4th wall break - Grail borrowed cutting dramatically from period to modern - When the wizard pauses and says "Tim," it reminds me of almost an homage to Gene Wilder when he wakes up in the jail and introduces himself. "Some people call me...........Jim" - My belief is that Blazing Saddles began with Mel Brooks or someone in the group suggesting they make a movie as if it were a cartoon. I am curious to find out if Grail borrowed from cartoons in England, as well - To my knowledge, the only real horse used was during the first "real time" scene with the crime scene reporter getting "knighted" Thanks for the great reaction! 8-)

[@kingarthur4ever]

Amazing to think that Monty Python & The Holy Grail was released a year after Blazing Saddles. Great era for comedy! (MP was filming the movie around the time that BS was released, so I don't think there was much of an influence there - but both Brooks and the MP crew had great humor).

[@SpiderandMosquito]

One of my favorite, underrated quotes has got to be "-and that, my ledge, is how we know the world to be banana shaped."

[@stephanierakowski2729]

There are also critics of actual British history with the whipping of the cats where animals were also punished as familiars in witchcraft trials and the Peoples rebellion with the peasant who didn’t vote for Arthur to be king along with the legend. The Python guys are all highly educated

[@NeilPro42]

The song number at camelot is a reference to an arthurian musical that was contemporary at the time titled Camelot

[@DeLee596]

I love that you get this movie. So many reactors don't.

[@StevesTubes]

"Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?" The whole silly discussion and the call backs are probably my favorite bits. Adding to the humor is referencing the silliness of using coconuts instead of horses for the audience as well as the movie characters.

[@HobGungan]

I do think Meaning of Life is worth seeing. The others are "better", but it still has a lot of classic and underrated bits.

[@lazerfluxxy7370]

I love how they fully utilised their low budget and incorporated it completely into the movie until it seems like it was completely intentional. And yes ,I am a fan of this movie,thank you for asking.