Monty Python, or as many people have come to associate the
name with Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Originally a comedy
group Monty Python expanded their horizons to the land of cinema taking a
parodic approach to many different genres of film. In many cases the films in
themselves are parodic of comedies as well as the source material used in
creation. Monty Python and the Holy Grail as stated is in the parodic
portion of the genre cycle. The move in itself is self-aware of its nonsense and
in many cases goes over the top for it’s gags or jokes purely for the comedic
effect. Within the first few moments of the film we see an example of these
over the top gags, wherein a pair of characters approach a wall, one galloping
and the other clacking coconuts together to simulate a horse trotting.
The gag
of the coconuts and galloping continues throughout the film, with even a select
few character commenting on how “medieval Europeans” came across coconuts.
Characters even are presented in an over the top comedic manner, such as introduction
of the Knights who say “Ni!” also referred to as the Knights of Ni who upon any
form of irritation exclaim “Ni!” at varying intervals. Another example of
characters being portrayed over the top just for the sake of a gag or a joke is
that of the Black Knight, whose reputation has earned him a place in internet
history. The Black Knight’s reputation has extended far beyond the film and
even became an internet meme for his iconic lines
“Tis but a scratch” and “Just
a flesh wound” both said after having an arm cleaved by King Arthur. The final
scene of the movie in itself is a large set up pun, where the “final battle” is
broken up by the police that were investigating the death of a historian. The
introduction of the police and the aforementioned investigation hammer the
final nail that the movie was self-aware. The “quest for the Holy Grail” was
but a group of LARPers that got too invested in the story. An iconic scene that
tends to be brought up when speaking of the comedic and parodic aspect of
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the scene with the
Rabbit of Caerbannog. During the film the Knights are tasked with slaying the “Caebannog”
when the group approaches, they are met with a small white rabbit. The parodic
nature of this scene is that while many comedies would end the joke with the reveal,
Monty Python continues to show that the rabbit is very much so a most vicious
beast as it decapitates a knight with one swift leap and an even more so vicious
bite. The rabbit is bested with a weapon so powerful and comedic it has extended
to the realm of video games, seen in both the Fallout franchise as well as the
Worms franchise, as well as the
Ready Player One film.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Monty Python is the quintessential
“cult classic” comedic group, known mainly for
Monty Python and the Holy
Grail their other films have created a wave in the parodic step of the genre
cycle.
The notable
weapon being the “Holy Hand Grenade” quite a comedic choice of weaponry for a “medieval”
film such as
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Monty Python is the quintessential
“cult classic” comedic group, known mainly for
Monty Python and the Holy
Grail their other films have created a wave in the parodic step of the genre
cycle.
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