Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1975 · Directed by Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
The comedy that every subsequent comedy has been quoting, often without knowing it. If someone says "tis but a scratch" and the room doesn't laugh, those are not your people.
Why It's Cult
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the rare cult film that became so successful it looped back to mainstream and has stayed there. The fact that it's still genuinely funny fifty years later — not historically interesting, actually funny — is a miracle. The killer rabbit, the Black Knight, the French taunter. All still land.
The Plot, Officially
History is turned on its comic head when, in tenth-century England, King Arthur travels the countryside to find knights who will join him at the Round Table in Camelot. Gathering up the men is a tale in itself but after a bit of a party at Camelot, many decide to leave only to be stopped by God, who sends them on a quest: to find the Holy Grail. After a series of individual adventures, the knights are reunited but must face a wizard named Tim the Enchanter, killer rabbits and lessons in the use of holy hand grenades. Their quest comes to an end however when the Police intervene - just what you would expect in a Monty Python movie.
Gateway Scenes
Act 1
The Black Knight scene. "Tis but a scratch."
Five minutes. Instant convert.
Starring
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle
Where to Watch
via JustWatch →
