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Monty Python & the Holy Grail (1975) Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones Director: Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones Rating: PG Category: Comedy

To review a film like “Monty Python & the Holy Grail” thirty years after the fact is more than impossible, it’s completely unnecessary. Already widely considered to be one of the greatest comedies ever made, the British troupe’s debut feature is not only their silliest work to date, but it’s also their most accessible. Many Python fanatics would probably cite “The Life of Brian” as being the best, or “The Meaning of Life” as the most scabrous, but there’s not a person in the world who has never heard of, let alone experienced, “Holy Grail” at least once in their life, and that’s gotta count for something.

Set in 934 AD, but very much reflective of 13th Century England, the film tactlessly parodies the classic tale of King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his quest for the Holy Grail. Along with the aid of his lackey, Patsy (Terry Gilliam) – who follows the King around knocking two coconut halves together with the purpose of emulating the clip-clop sound of a horse – Arthur rounds up a new order of knights for his round table that include the likes of Sir Bedevere (Terry Jones), Sir Lancelot the Brave (John Cleese), Sir Galahad (Michael Palin), and Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot (Eric Idle). When the knights receive an order from God to track down the legendary artifact, however, they decide to go about the task individually, triggering several subplots that feature each knight on his selfish quest for fame.

More quotable than a volume of Bartlett’s, “Holy Grail” has gone on to inspire reincarnations of some of the film’s absolute best moments, as well as an award-winning Broadway musical. How could you possibly forget such characters like The Black Knight (“I’m invincible!”), The Frenchman (“Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries!”), The Knights Who Say “Ni!” and The Killer Rabbit, or hilarious send-ups like The Trojan Bunny (great idea, bad execution), The Holy Hand Grenade ("Bless this, O Lord, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy”) and the opening bit about whether or not a swallow could carry a coconut? Classic. Every one of them, and that’s just scraping the top of the barrel…

The film does have a few drawbacks – namely the dry stretches that make up most of the final act – but they’re few and far between when compared to the number of memorable gags that take place within the first hour. The musical numbers are also considerably weak (and would have been best left out completely), but they serve as a valuable benchmark for measuring the group’s eventual development. (Note: “The Meaning of Life” features some of the funniest songs ever written.) There also isn’t as much Gilliam-inspired animation as their earlier work would suggest, but it serves its purpose well as the link between the story’s many changes in narration. And yet, while “Monty Python & the Holy Grail” is far from being perfect, it’s still one of the funniest, silliest and all-out strangest films you’ll ever see. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time.

Extraordinarily Deluxe Edition DVD Review:
It seems like a new version of this film is released on DVD almost every year, and this time around, it doesn’t even feel particularly different. In fact, aside from the new title (“Extraordinarily Deluxe Edition”), the remastered video transfer, a couple of new extras, and the addition of the movie soundtrack (Album of the Soundtrack of the Trailer of the Film of Monty Python and the Holy Grail: Live from the Classic Cinema Silbury Hill), this three-disc release is exactly the same as the 2003 Collector’s Edition and the 2001 Special Edition. Unfortunately, as long as fans continue to update their collections with the latest version in stores, studios will continue to implement the double-dip strategy.

The first disc contains all old material and is unfortunately highlighted by two audio commentaries (both incredibly mellow and uninspiring) by directors Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, and stars John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin. Also included is an on-screen screenplay (read the script while you watch the film) and a “Follow the Killer Rabbit” feature that directs you to various extras (like storyboards and prop receipts) as you watch the film. Disc two is only slightly better, though not because it includes never-before-seen extras. These special features (ranging from a six minute sample of the Broadway production, to a trivia game, and a short commercial for the DVD you just bought) are all completely worthless, while “The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations” and “Sacred Relics” (which includes stock footage interviews, photos, and an interactive cast directory) at least offer some interesting behind-the-scenes material. The rest of the disc is filled with crap, though the short film “Knights of the Round Table in LEGO” is definitely worth checking out.