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So, the peasants arguing with King Arthur is a satire with a real basis. You see, the etymology of "Communism" derives from the resource-sharing practices of serfs ("commonfolk") during the Middle Ages. A Lord would allow his commoners to live off the surplus production of the land owed to him, and they chose to distribute their resources similarly to what is advocated by Marxist Communists. The joke is that the peasants here are using modern Communist discourse to discuss social norms that are literally 1+ millennia old.
For budget reasons , only one real horse in one scene , with horses you need to hire people to look after those horses , you also need to train actors to ride . Also end scene with lot of extras as troops , one days work to cut cost down . You can see it later in 1983 , Rowan Atkinson , Black Adder TV series , season 1 , real horses , real outdoor scenes and BBC heads were furious about how much it cost , so rest 3 seasons are filmed indoor studio sets .
I didn't find it very funny when I was younger (I remember being a little bored for some of it), but at some point it clicked for me and I now find it hilarious.
@@Will-nn6ux I didn't see it until after I graduated High School. Friends of mine in band would quote it all the time after they watched it, but I didn't see it until a few years after. I was dying of laughter the first time I saw it.
I've seen plenty of millenials react to Monty Python and love it, so it's not a generational thing. Mary just doesn't get absurdist humour, it was painful watching her trying to reason why they didn't just ride a real horse, completely missing the joke. But it would be a boring planet if everyone liked the same things. So now she's seen it, she realizes that type of humour isn't for her, which is fine. Each to their own, variety is the spice of life, and other cliches.
I think it's just one of those things were everyone lines up with certain comedy or not. I grew up with a lot of people questioning why I enjoyed this movie, and even remember a period where people who enjoyed it were lumped together as idiots. It's just a very particular brand of humor that lands or it doesn't, and that's okay.
@@TheGoIsWin21 And that's why Monty Python fans have a tribe. We have an unspoken understanding of each others' tastes and sensibility. I'm friends with all kinds of people, but the ones that get Python understand me better than anybody else.
@@ugsopswhat you are saying is in agreement though. OP commented that other millennials did enjoy it and this type of humour might not be Mary’s cup of tea.
Weirdly, a certain amount of this film is actually a pretty good parody of medieval literature. There's a bit in The Morte D'Arthur where Sir Gareth keeps having to chop a baddy's head off, and his girlfriend's sister keeps sticking it back on again and she won't say what her motive for doing so is. Really not so different to The Black Knight and his flesh wounds...
For a while, that was the E-mail sound on my phone, complete with the arrow sound effect. I even went through the trouble of cleaning up the background noise.
@@MaryCherryOfficial despite you not getting this move, I think you'll love 'Life of Brian'. Check out their tv show. Watch a few of their sketches. Monty Python is simply about being silly, and nothing more than that. Once you get their humor, you just might love watching this movie. Probably not, but I'm trying my best here 😛😛🤪🤪🙂🙂😎😎
Monty Python doesn't seem to be your type of humor. That said, you had me laughing more than I usually do when watching this, with your deadpan reactions and by taking it more seriously than it should be taken. So thank you for that!
Rule #1: Never take Monty Python seriously. Rule #2: When taking Monty Python seriously, see rule #1. Rule #3: Except on alternate Tuesdays, when the sun is shining and there is a killer rabbit in Hollywood.
lol No, this film isn't dated (i first watched it in the 90s, when it was 20 years old, and i still loved it)....Monty Python get funnier the more times you watch them (and embrace their silly comical style).
No part of any Monty Python media should be taken seriously. All of it is just silliness and jokes. You wouldn't be into it if you have a serious or a literal personality
I enjoyed that you commented on the accents of the French Guard and Tim, and I'm not sure you noticed that they were both the same actor. John Cleese is a comedic legend!
One of the most consistently hilarious comedies ever made. It's insane how almost supernaturally talented every member of Monty Python was and still is.
This movie is super-meta. I remember watching it for the first time in high school. A short while after, I showed it to my sister and she cracked up as much as I did.
I think you’re the first person I’ve seen watch this movie with this level of seriousness 😂 Like I’ve never seen anyone show so much compassion for the deaths, any even! Except sometimes for the guy who was definitely dead and not fooling anyone. This definitely gets better with rewatches, especially keeping in mind it’s absurdist comedy. Some jokes I didn’t find that funny and also thought dragged when I first watched it are hilarious now.
can pretty much guarantee every comedic actor/actress/writer/director etc. that you enjoy are either massive fans and inspired by the Pythons or the people who they do were. the unpredictability and sophistication is what makes their movies, and sketch TV series, comedy pure genius.
Just laughing so hard at Mary NOT laughing at most of the jokes, reminds me of the Family Guy where Meg said "I'm a girl I dont even like the good Monty Python stuff'. She was so sure the witch wasnt going to weigh the same as a duck LOL
As for the witch weighing the same as a duck - I don't think Mary got the metaphoric slam on society that humanity's scientific tools just might be as inaccurate as our process of logical thinking.
@@harryhill8543 But she also didn't weigh as much as the duck, when they were both removed, you see the duck's cage hanging lower, so it was rigged from the start anyway.
As a geriatric millennial everyone was still swapping quotes from this when I was at uni. It took me watching their TV series to really appreciate what they were doing in this film. Even then, it's a big ask to have people come to a film and already be primed for that exact style of humour. I think giving the The Meaning Of Life would be well worth it because it really gives you everything you need to enjoy the comedy. This one really needs you to be a fan to get all the wink-and-nudge stuff on a first viewing
I disagree. This movie works fine as a Monty Python introduction. The intro credits spell it out distinctly in a very blunt manner that this film is a social satire. Either the audience is in on the joke, or they are the butt of the joke.
I grew up on Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Robert Aspirin, etc. You might want to check out some other absurd and abstract humor to gain an appreciation for Monty Python.
Someone else once pointed out that at the end, the cops have the wrong people, because the knight that killed the historian actually had a real horse - the only one in the movie
The ending scene at the end was Lancelot getting arrested for the murder of the famous historian. Of course, he was innocent because the real killer was on horseback, and the knights were on foot with coconuts.
4:18 It's called self-flagellation where monks would wander cities and villages, whipping their own backs bloody to appease God so he would take the Plague from them, so yes, they thought very much this was what God wanted from them. And since mixing open wounds with an airborn disease isn't very bright, Monty Python thought this was a more appropriate portrayal of that practice.
The reason for the coconuts was because several European swallows showed up on set carrying them on strings, due to their migration and the string held underneath their dorsal wings.
This is one of the most "dead from the neck up" reactions I think I've ever seen. It's actually incredible. But also pretty much what I expected from her tbh.
Audiences at the time of production had a better knowledge of the period in history ir was parodying Bring out your dead, monks self-flagellating etc etc
Oh come on, audiences even now have a better understanding of medieval period. My 14 year old nephew knows about the self flagellation, the plagues, etc. I think it's specifically the girl who is unaware here.
I knew you'd feel this way, and this is why I tell the uninitiated to start with Life Of Brian (which is better), not "Holy Grail". Not that I expect you to watch it now! PS: It's not a "nostalgia" thing, it was a cult movie made for fans of the TV series (which was totally random and absurdist). The uneven pacing of the movie is not something that is a matter of aging poorly, it was always there. Some bits were great, some not, and most fans know that going in. "Life Of Brian" is a much more evolved work, has a great beginning, middle and end, brilliant satire on the history of religion (specifically Christianity)....and had a much bigger budget to include camels!
Yup, I do agree that Life of Brian is the best Monty Python movie. I have heard (and this decades ago) that Americans prefer Holy Grail, while the Brits generally preferred Life of Brian
@@edfrancis66 PS: A rereading of your comment made me realize you had said "decades ago", so sorry if that came out overly "harsh"! In general, I think most people think of them as a "set". But for someone who doesn't know the show, I always say start with "Life Of Brian". (I think the subject matter is also a little more familiar and relevant to most people than the Arthurian legends)
"Why does everyone have such an unbearable voice?" Because most of the characters are performed by Python Michael Palin who is very good at what he does. Best. Mike.
Monty Python humor is on another level that is hard for many to attain. Satire, irony...those are the most difficult humor concepts to "understand" / interpret for laughs. Add in the absurdism, deep political & social commentary, ungodly creative animation and you might find your brain very taxed. The layers of Python humor take a long time to reveal themselves....just watch a season of the TV show. The visual comedy of the Pythons is actually their "lowest" form of comedy and they don't rely on gags with one-line humor payoffs much (many "reaction" viewers might find appeal in quick humor-sugar-buzz humor, but that isn't found here). Just take the scenes with the constitutional peasants as an example. You could spend days examining the depth of those hilarious conversations....and the least funny part is probably the visuals. It's cerebral humor, and that requires a good amount of cerebralism (new word, eh?) to digest. Once you have the acquired Python taste, nothing else will suit your pallet. They were a one of a kind group, the Beatles of comedy (George Harrison's words, as I recall). The Pythons broke the mold for comedy movies with MPATHG, and the 1980's generation was to benefit (absurdism comedies became very popular). The only thing bad about the movie is that I didn't win an Oscar for my performance. Get on with it! KA
Us English and the French have had a long history of warring, and only became allies in 1904. Seriously, it was considered tradition for English Kings to war with France.
Well English kings had lands in France by inheritance and kings from the what became France took them so obviously there were wars. As for alliance..after Napoleon had been defeated there was normally co-operation. The Crimean war for example, and the UK was anti-Bismarck. But after World War II of course there was de Gaulle and he froze out the UK.
For 1975, this movie was groundbreaking. Add to that the fact that it is made by Brits and they make fun of their own lore. As a 12-year-old I found it absolutely hilarious.
To answer your question: No, the film production could not afford horses. And no - horses weren't cheap, quite the opposite. On the extreme end, was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth around the 17th century. It was not unheard of for a single horse (together with saddle, and bridle) to be sold in Poland for the same money that in France at the time would buy you a castle, and two villages. To put it in perspective a bit further: in 16th c. Poland, a thatcher, or a bricklayer would make 4-5 grams of silver per day. A hussar's horse (I'm talking about the Polish Winged Hussars, not the later light cavalry version from the time of the Napoleonic Wars) could cost as much as 30 kg of silver - the equivalent of 30 cannons, or 1000 matchlock muskets. And those horses had a casualty rate of approx. 30% per battle - the Polish Winged Hussars were literally throwing money at their enemies with reckless abandon. So yes - horses used to be very expensive.
Nothing sadder than seeing a real human being not laugh during the black knight scene 😂😂😂 I'm literally dying laughing just thinking about the scene and simultaneously crying on the inside for you
"Can't they just get real horses." No they couldn't. This was Monty Python's first movie. They had a very limited budget, so they couldn't afford horses or riding lessons (none of them knew how to ride horses). So they just decided to write that limitation as a joke in the movie itself.
Did you skip the opening credits? If you did, that could explain your initial confusion. The opening credits really set up the film nicely. If you skipped them, you should go back and watch! Loved the reaction, though. Keep up the good work!
You see it all the time in the movies that when people are stabbed, they always remove the weapon, but ask any trauma doctor, and they'll tell you that anytime you are stabbed or impaled by an object or weapon, DO NOT REMOVE IT! It is providing pressure to the wound and preventing you from bleeding out. Wait until you are in the care of a trauma team.
As an American, dry brit humor has always been my favorite. It just hits me a certain way. This movie especially. I grew up watching Absolutely Fabulous with my mum, and i was a HP fan, so that likely has something to do with it. 😂
Mary’s the first of many many reactors I’ve seen who doesn’t get this humor. Mary is very literal and that’s why. For fun, Mary, watch one of the other reactions to this movie and see hysterical laughter.
By saying "Your mother was a hampster and your father smelt of Elderberries" the Frenchman is saying Arthur's mother was a slut and his father was a drunk
The Pythons were basically the first modern comedy troupe to ditch the idea of the punch line. They felt it was a type of comedy that was played out, and so they would just write sketches that would go on for a bit and then end without a punchline. Saturday Night Live and other later comedy programs were massively influenced by them. Modern comedy in many ways wouldn’t exist without them (or at least it would be very different). The TV show is imo superior to the films as it’s the purest form of their comedy. I don’t think their comedy is dated, but it is one of those things that’s highly subjective. Some people don’t really enjoy them, and other people think they are the funniest thing they’ve ever seen. It’s basically always been like that, so I don’t think that has changed.
"You'd be a lot safer if you were on a horse..." Doubtful! Just look how scared poor Patsy is 😱 The servants/horses have some great little moments and reaction shots, likely because Terry Gilliam, co-director, plays Patsy (and the animator, and the old man from scene 24). For a Python adjacent movie directed by Terry Jones - Erik The Viking
Considering King Arthur didn't exist, the characterization was pretty spot on. :P It's okay to not like things of course, and Monty Python certainly is a very special type of comedy. Trying to make sense of pretty much anything they do is an exercise in futility. I will say the density of jokes in this film is higher than pretty much anything seen on screen. Again, sometimes you don't find things funny, and that's certainly okay. No one should trash you or hate you for having an opinion on such a subjective thing. If they do, they're very silly people.
Like any humor, "The Holy Grail" isn't for everyone. It took me sitting back and just *accepting* it. It's literally absurd. Perfectly nonsensical. The embodiment of chaos. There are no rules of any kind; it doesn't even adhere to an internal logic, much less any real-world one. I had to accept that, to get to a point where I could just allow it to happen. Their other most popular movie, "The Life of Brian", might be more enjoyable, so I hope you consider it. It actually makes sense. I mean, it's still Monty Python, so there's plenty of absurdity, but it runs consistently on an internal logic. When it shows you that is how works, that will be true for the rest of the film. Interestingly, those two movies are pretty much tied as their most popular. In a commentary for this movie, the Terrys mention that, in general, Americans preferred this one, while, also generally, Britons preferred "The Life of Brian". There was no value judgement; that was just an interesting observation they had. Thinking about your after-movie comments, I really do believe you might like "The Life of Brian". It's more "structured"; jokes have a set-up and a payoff, and often later get a callback. Everything makes a kind of sense, while "The Holy Grail" was meant to be nothing more than chaos incarnate.
the ending is everyone getting arrested and unsatisfying… it’s a literal cop out. someone on the internet pointed this out and im passing it on. i love this movie. 😂
In my opinion, this is one of the greatest comedies in cinematic history. 🤣🤣🤣 But like my Grandpa always used to say: "Sonny, if everybody liked the same things, everybody'd be after yer Grandma".😉
Fair enough. This style of British humor isn’t for everyone. However this movie was popular enough to spawn a Broadway musical “Spamalot” that still touring. Saw it in Londons West End. They sold killer rabbit slippers during the intermission.
My wife and I took her father to this movie in 1976. He did not get it and sat saying, "What the he'll is this?" We saw the stage play and the black Knight did not fall after the legs were cut off.
My favorite part of the film is that EVERYONE eventually just accepts that they aren’t really riding horses. Think of the money that could have been saved on all the Westerns throughout film history. Thanks for reacting to this one, Mary.
I think this film is best viewed as a series of arthurian-themed sketches rather than a contiguous story with continuity and narrative structure. I can see how this being your blind introduction to Python might mean you don't get the humour, especially if you weren't expecting it to be so absurd, but that absurdism is what Monty Python is all about.
The kind of jokes that “drag on” are actually meta in that they are playing with your patience and expectations. That is the point. It is like the DMV sloth scene in Zootopia.
Things they couldn't afford when making this movie: Horses (hence the coconuts) An actual Camelot set piece (hence the model & why they didn't go to Camelot) Enough actors to play all the different roles (hence the outrageous accents) To film a huge ending battle (hence the literal cop out)
I was lucky enough to see these guys live (5 down 1 to go tour). Each are legends of comedy. If you want to fully understand their humour however you are best watching the original TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Yeah, was a fantastic thing to go and see at the O2. Went about halfway through the run and again on the last night. Was introduced to Python by my Dad's LP's and tapes. Hearing Live at Drury Lane at age 12 taught me some fun things. 🤣
There is a *LOT* of trivia about this movie. The portrayal of the times is more accurate than most other movies that set themselves in these times. The coconuts-for-horses was because they couldn't afford actual horses. Some legendary rock groups helped fund the movie. The monks beating their heads with the boards is historically accurate, too... they were called Flagellants. In various places throughout the movie, you'll see people with birds. You'll also see a number of people doing things with cats. You know the horseman who killed the historian is *not* one of Arthur's band because none of them have horses. "Tim" the enchanter was named that because Cleese forgot the name and just said "Tim" and the cast just went with it. There are lots of other trivia which can be found on the web. As far as culture... this movie was HUGE in nerd/geek circles in the 70s and 80s. Practically the whole movie is quotable and we used to go around quoting it all the time. It was practically a 'secret language' among us. ;)
@@johnpaullogan1365 they punished themselves by flogging themselves a variety of ways. I certainly was taught in school that they whipped their backs and stuff... I'm sure Monty Python took some liberties to make it funny, but Flagellants were a real thing.
It says a lot about the commenters that she feels she has to apologize for not enjoying a movie... This is one of my favourite comedies, but I fully understand why people would not like it.
Comic con 2017, two mates were dressed up as characters, one as sir Robin, the other as the lead minstrel Waiting in a line someone recognised the costumes and made a commotion about it, resulting in some calling “three cheers for sir Robin”, the cosplayer went into the historical painting “noble hero” pose, someone then called for cheers for sir robins minstrel…everything calmed down, only for me to then say loud and clear - “and there was much rejoicing” EVERYONE burst out laughing…ahh, fond memories
As a huge Monty Python fan, it is understandable that this films humor may not be your cup of tea, while i enjoy Holy Grail, I do see your points, but if you want a real laugh, I'd recommend "Monty Python Life of Brian"
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is actually a police procedural drama set in the making of a low budget historical comedy. We see a historian brutally murdered by a man on horseback during the making of the historical film. The police investigate the scene. They track the murderer, finding evidence of carnage along the way. Finally they catch up with the notorious Monty Python gang and arrest them, resolving the storyline and ending the movie.
This is considered by many to be one of the funniest movies ever made, so glad you're reacting to it. I grew up on the BBC show Monty Pythons Flying Circus here in the US So I was already familiar with the cast. Terry Gilliam also did all the animation in the movie and the TV show.
Im an English academic with a serious scientific approach to life. This film I found most interesting but couldn't believe some of the basic errors! Only today I weighed my wife. She weighed 11 stone (We don't weigh people in pounds in London). I have a pet duck who weighed considerably less than my wife. It can only be concluded that a terrible injustice was done here........ Indeed this was certainly not 'a fair cop'. - Moving on, I have found a strand of creeper now I just need a couple of swallows and a coconut to complete my experiment! ;-)
I definitely recommend watching the *Life of Brian*! I think it will nicely cover most of your gripes with this movie. The Holy Grail is much more a series of skits than a movie, whereas the Life of Brian has a much more continuous story and themes. I find the main character much more likeable as well.
Imo I'm not sure if it's as much a generational thing (although that's certainly an aspect to an extent) as much as it's a "British or not" thing (I'm roughly the same age as Mary and this is a great movie). This is very uniquely British comedy. Many people I know my age and younger appreciate Monty Python.
Comedy is a matter of personal taste, nothing is universally funny. My dad is 63 and he doesn't find this movie funny in the slightest, whereas I'm 32 and I think it's hilarious
Monty Python is known for not finishing skits. They often start a funny premise, get a laugh out of it, and interrupt themselves. That's one of the reasons why the movie ended the way it did.
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Listen see the movie Life Of Brian by Monty Python. Listen me you gonna just love it. Trust me. Do you agree guys ?
So, the peasants arguing with King Arthur is a satire with a real basis. You see, the etymology of "Communism" derives from the resource-sharing practices of serfs ("commonfolk") during the Middle Ages. A Lord would allow his commoners to live off the surplus production of the land owed to him, and they chose to distribute their resources similarly to what is advocated by Marxist Communists.
The joke is that the peasants here are using modern Communist discourse to discuss social norms that are literally 1+ millennia old.
For budget reasons , only one real horse in one scene , with horses you need to hire people to look after those horses , you also need to train actors to ride .
Also end scene with lot of extras as troops , one days work to cut cost down .
You can see it later in 1983 , Rowan Atkinson , Black Adder TV series , season 1 , real horses , real outdoor scenes and BBC heads were furious about how much it cost , so rest 3 seasons are filmed indoor studio sets .
@@rafailkarampetsos6914 Life of Brian is a much better film, but I still zone out before it finishes usually.
You also have to take into account the considerably higher level of drug intake at the time, which may substantially improve one's appreciation of it.
Monty Python's humor is as much a vibe as anything. You either vibe with it or not. It's not for everyone. :)
Agree, if its you type of humor than it timeless even now. Plenty of humor not a fan of that is very popular but just a matter of preference.
I didn't find it very funny when I was younger (I remember being a little bored for some of it), but at some point it clicked for me and I now find it hilarious.
@@Will-nn6ux I didn't see it until after I graduated High School. Friends of mine in band would quote it all the time after they watched it, but I didn't see it until a few years after. I was dying of laughter the first time I saw it.
A bit of school+ helps too!
Thanks for not being rude about differing opinions cybry 😊 I appreciate that a lot 🎉
So enjoyable watching Mary trying to make sense out of one of the most nonsensical movies ever.
Yeah, she's trying to make sense of something intentionally made to not make sense, and that is comedy in its own right.
Monty Python: 100
Mary: -1
True. You either get or you don't... She didn't.
She went in way too serious
@@wyrmshadow4374 now i'm picturing Ledger's Joker
The reason for the coconuts was simply because the budget couldn't afford to rent horses day after day
And it's also proof that the knight who murdered the historian wasn't with Arthur's group... because he was the only one with a real horse!
@@ZondaFRoadster i'm 33 years old, but now i know
@@ZondaFRoadster Exactly!
LMAO! Thank you!
@@ZondaFRoadster that's hilarious, I never thought of it that way😁
I've seen plenty of millenials react to Monty Python and love it, so it's not a generational thing. Mary just doesn't get absurdist humour, it was painful watching her trying to reason why they didn't just ride a real horse, completely missing the joke.
But it would be a boring planet if everyone liked the same things. So now she's seen it, she realizes that type of humour isn't for her, which is fine. Each to their own, variety is the spice of life, and other cliches.
I don't think that is the case. This is the second comedy/satire I've watched and she reacted the same way.
I think it's just one of those things were everyone lines up with certain comedy or not. I grew up with a lot of people questioning why I enjoyed this movie, and even remember a period where people who enjoyed it were lumped together as idiots.
It's just a very particular brand of humor that lands or it doesn't, and that's okay.
true
@@TheGoIsWin21 And that's why Monty Python fans have a tribe. We have an unspoken understanding of each others' tastes and sensibility. I'm friends with all kinds of people, but the ones that get Python understand me better than anybody else.
@@ugsopswhat you are saying is in agreement though. OP commented that other millennials did enjoy it and this type of humour might not be Mary’s cup of tea.
Pure absurdist comedy. These guys are geniuses.
You mean Genii?
Weirdly, a certain amount of this film is actually a pretty good parody of medieval literature. There's a bit in The Morte D'Arthur where Sir Gareth keeps having to chop a baddy's head off, and his girlfriend's sister keeps sticking it back on again and she won't say what her motive for doing so is. Really not so different to The Black Knight and his flesh wounds...
I'm amazed that so few people find the "message for you sir!" bit funny. Cracks me up every time!
Yep, it's up there with "watery tart", "very small rocks", and "I got better" for funniest line of the film.
I love how dutifully he presses that phrase out of his dying lungs lol
Well almost dying...
@@grife3000 Moistened bint is the one that always gets me.
For a while, that was the E-mail sound on my phone, complete with the arrow sound effect. I even went through the trouble of cleaning up the background noise.
@@johnsensebe3153 me too! except it was my aol email sound
One does not simply expect Python movies to make sense and have a point.😂
This was my introduction to them 🤷🏽♀️
@@MaryCherryOfficial despite you not getting this move, I think you'll love 'Life of Brian'. Check out their tv show. Watch a few of their sketches. Monty Python is simply about being silly, and nothing more than that. Once you get their humor, you just might love watching this movie. Probably not, but I'm trying my best here 😛😛🤪🤪🙂🙂😎😎
@@MaryCherryOfficial As a big fan of yours...I would enjoy you reviewing a blank screen for an hour. 🙂
@manuelrobledo8072 One also does not simply expect the Spanish Inquisition.
Monty Python doesn't seem to be your type of humor. That said, you had me laughing more than I usually do when watching this, with your deadpan reactions and by taking it more seriously than it should be taken. So thank you for that!
Do you think she'd find the dead parrot sketch funny if she watched it?
@@daniellowenna3342 it's just asleep
@@Spencerinio5 It's pining for the fjords.
@@theevilascotcompany9255 Pinin' for the fjords?!
Agreed
Knew this would be lost on you Mary. Been watchin this since I was 5 years old. Absolute classic.
it was too intellegent and clever i think
@@christofferknight8567 lol settle down neckbeard
The trick to REALLY enjoying this is to rewatch it with friends while not sober.
I would 100% agree
Don’t need to be not-sober, you just have to understand that it’s silly and go along for the ride
Cannabis makes everything better.
Rule #1: Never take Monty Python seriously.
Rule #2: When taking Monty Python seriously, see rule #1.
Rule #3: Except on alternate Tuesdays, when the sun is shining and there is a killer rabbit in Hollywood.
Rule 4 there is no rule 4
Rule 5 no puffters
Rule 6 never expect a Spanish Inquisition
@@connorward2400 i thought 6 was always expect a spanish inquisition
Dayum! I forgot about those rules! :D
@@johnpaullogan1365 No, cuz NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition!!
lol No, this film isn't dated (i first watched it in the 90s, when it was 20 years old, and i still loved it)....Monty Python get funnier the more times you watch them (and embrace their silly comical style).
Exactly. She takes things way to literally and seriously.
Agreed - Not Dated. Social satire is timeless humor. The audience either gets the joke, or they are the butt of the joke.
4 minutes in and she still hasn't figured out that this is a comedy. I'm dying here 😃😱😛
No part of any Monty Python media should be taken seriously. All of it is just silliness and jokes. You wouldn't be into it if you have a serious or a literal personality
I love how Tim purely existed to show how they did indeed have a pyrotechnics budget
Which they pretty much used up in that one scene
Probably why they couldn't afford the horses...
@@vsGoliath96 their horse budget was completely blown on the one that the knight who murdered the historian rode!
@@realburglazofficial2613 And Roger the Shrubber
And John Cleese nearly got blown off a mountain for the long shot.
I didn't know it was possible to try and take Monty Python seriously, but here we are
I enjoyed that you commented on the accents of the French Guard and Tim, and I'm not sure you noticed that they were both the same actor. John Cleese is a comedic legend!
His American accent is terrible, though.
"...he is stuck in the 21st century..." - Considering the year this movie was made, it would be the 20th century.
One of the most consistently hilarious comedies ever made. It's insane how almost supernaturally talented every member of Monty Python was and still is.
This movie is super-meta. I remember watching it for the first time in high school. A short while after, I showed it to my sister and she cracked up as much as I did.
Nah. It's a hit by new viewers as well. It's classic British humor that still lives on to this day.
British sarcasm at its finest ...not everyone outside of the uk gets it but i cry laughing every time i watch it ...
Everyone with a three digit IQ gets it.
@@Daniel-wj8uf
And there you have it.
How do you watch a comedy, knowing it's a comedy, and still take most of it as if it was supposed to be serious and make sense?
Because she was already hating it before she started to watch it.
I think you’re the first person I’ve seen watch this movie with this level of seriousness 😂 Like I’ve never seen anyone show so much compassion for the deaths, any even! Except sometimes for the guy who was definitely dead and not fooling anyone.
This definitely gets better with rewatches, especially keeping in mind it’s absurdist comedy. Some jokes I didn’t find that funny and also thought dragged when I first watched it are hilarious now.
can pretty much guarantee every comedic actor/actress/writer/director etc. that you enjoy are either massive fans and inspired by the Pythons or the people who they do were. the unpredictability and sophistication is what makes their movies, and sketch TV series, comedy pure genius.
I highly recommend "Monty Python's Life of Brian".
Enthusiastically seconded
A wafer thin mint...
Please don't. She'll probably think it's a documentary.
Just laughing so hard at Mary NOT laughing at most of the jokes, reminds me of the Family Guy where Meg said "I'm a girl I dont even like the good Monty Python stuff'. She was so sure the witch wasnt going to weigh the same as a duck LOL
As for the witch weighing the same as a duck - I don't think Mary got the metaphoric slam on society that humanity's scientific tools just might be as inaccurate as our process of logical thinking.
@@dunringill1747 of the fact the witch confessed she was an actual witch lol
@@harryhill8543 It's a fair cop. Lol
@@harryhill8543 But she also didn't weigh as much as the duck, when they were both removed, you see the duck's cage hanging lower, so it was rigged from the start anyway.
@@dunringill1747 ☝️ I missed that the first time I watched it. But that’s the real punchline of the entire scene.
You're thinking about it way too much, lol. The comedy is the absurdity of the scenes.
"What floats in water?" "Very small rocks" 😂
As a geriatric millennial everyone was still swapping quotes from this when I was at uni. It took me watching their TV series to really appreciate what they were doing in this film. Even then, it's a big ask to have people come to a film and already be primed for that exact style of humour. I think giving the The Meaning Of Life would be well worth it because it really gives you everything you need to enjoy the comedy. This one really needs you to be a fan to get all the wink-and-nudge stuff on a first viewing
Or just have a sense of humor. This one should be the easiest to understand and enjoy.
I disagree. This movie works fine as a Monty Python introduction. The intro credits spell it out distinctly in a very blunt manner that this film is a social satire. Either the audience is in on the joke, or they are the butt of the joke.
Did no one tell Mary that this was an absurdist comedy movie?
No 😂
I grew up on Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Robert Aspirin, etc. You might want to check out some other absurd and abstract humor to gain an appreciation for Monty Python.
Someone else once pointed out that at the end, the cops have the wrong people, because the knight that killed the historian actually had a real horse - the only one in the movie
The ending scene at the end was Lancelot getting arrested for the murder of the famous historian. Of course, he was innocent because the real killer was on horseback, and the knights were on foot with coconuts.
The coconut thing is what was used in old films to make horse sounds, so they just spoofed it :)
Also there's the fact that the production couldn't afford real horses.
5.26 in and I've never seen anyone miss every single joke, every single attempt at irony, pathos, absurdity...
4:18 It's called self-flagellation where monks would wander cities and villages, whipping their own backs bloody to appease God so he would take the Plague from them, so yes, they thought very much this was what God wanted from them. And since mixing open wounds with an airborn disease isn't very bright, Monty Python thought this was a more appropriate portrayal of that practice.
The reason for the coconuts was because several European swallows showed up on set carrying them on strings, due to their migration and the string held underneath their dorsal wings.
Underrated comment
@@cinemappendix1389 Cheers. Anything you can do to help is very...well...uh...helpful.
"i don't think God wants you to hurt yourself". I see someone Has not heard of the medival flagellants
"I doubt this guy can fight" Never doubt the power of Excalibur. NEVER.
A big knife lobbed at him by a wet mad woman?! 😅
This is one of the most "dead from the neck up" reactions I think I've ever seen. It's actually incredible. But also pretty much what I expected from her tbh.
Audiences at the time of production had a better knowledge of the period in history ir was parodying
Bring out your dead, monks self-flagellating etc etc
Oh come on, audiences even now have a better understanding of medieval period. My 14 year old nephew knows about the self flagellation, the plagues, etc. I think it's specifically the girl who is unaware here.
I knew you'd feel this way, and this is why I tell the uninitiated to start with Life Of Brian (which is better), not "Holy Grail". Not that I expect you to watch it now! PS: It's not a "nostalgia" thing, it was a cult movie made for fans of the TV series (which was totally random and absurdist). The uneven pacing of the movie is not something that is a matter of aging poorly, it was always there. Some bits were great, some not, and most fans know that going in. "Life Of Brian" is a much more evolved work, has a great beginning, middle and end, brilliant satire on the history of religion (specifically Christianity)....and had a much bigger budget to include camels!
Yup, I do agree that Life of Brian is the best Monty Python movie. I have heard (and this decades ago) that Americans prefer Holy Grail, while the Brits generally preferred Life of Brian
@@edfrancis66 PS: A rereading of your comment made me realize you had said "decades ago", so sorry if that came out overly "harsh"! In general, I think most people think of them as a "set". But for someone who doesn't know the show, I always say start with "Life Of Brian". (I think the subject matter is also a little more familiar and relevant to most people than the Arthurian legends)
Life of Brian is better and more intelligent but Americans tend to recommend Holy Grail more.
@@starrynight1657 And where is your evidence of that?
@@TTM9691 UA-cam. Look at the number of reactions Holy Grail has had. And most American reactors prefer Holy Grail.
"Why does everyone have such an unbearable voice?" Because most of the characters are performed by Python Michael Palin who is very good at what he does. Best. Mike.
Palin has always been my favorite in the troupe.
Monty Python humor is on another level that is hard for many to attain. Satire, irony...those are the most difficult humor concepts to "understand" / interpret for laughs. Add in the absurdism, deep political & social commentary, ungodly creative animation and you might find your brain very taxed. The layers of Python humor take a long time to reveal themselves....just watch a season of the TV show. The visual comedy of the Pythons is actually their "lowest" form of comedy and they don't rely on gags with one-line humor payoffs much (many "reaction" viewers might find appeal in quick humor-sugar-buzz humor, but that isn't found here). Just take the scenes with the constitutional peasants as an example. You could spend days examining the depth of those hilarious conversations....and the least funny part is probably the visuals. It's cerebral humor, and that requires a good amount of cerebralism (new word, eh?) to digest. Once you have the acquired Python taste, nothing else will suit your pallet. They were a one of a kind group, the Beatles of comedy (George Harrison's words, as I recall). The Pythons broke the mold for comedy movies with MPATHG, and the 1980's generation was to benefit (absurdism comedies became very popular). The only thing bad about the movie is that I didn't win an Oscar for my performance. Get on with it! KA
Am I to assume that no one told Mary that this is a goofy comedy movie? She's trying to apply logic to everything.
You seemed to have taken it quite literal.
Us English and the French have had a long history of warring, and only became allies in 1904. Seriously, it was considered tradition for English Kings to war with France.
Well English kings had lands in France by inheritance and kings from the what became France took them so obviously there were wars.
As for alliance..after Napoleon had been defeated there was normally co-operation. The Crimean war for example, and the UK was anti-Bismarck.
But after World War II of course there was de Gaulle and he froze out the UK.
It's their fault for having such outrageous accents
For 1975, this movie was groundbreaking. Add to that the fact that it is made by Brits and they make fun of their own lore. As a 12-year-old I found it absolutely hilarious.
A legendary ridiculous comedy and Mary's trying to put common sense to it! LOL. Love your reactions!
To answer your question: No, the film production could not afford horses. And no - horses weren't cheap, quite the opposite. On the extreme end, was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth around the 17th century. It was not unheard of for a single horse (together with saddle, and bridle) to be sold in Poland for the same money that in France at the time would buy you a castle, and two villages. To put it in perspective a bit further:
in 16th c. Poland, a thatcher, or a bricklayer would make 4-5 grams of silver per day. A hussar's horse (I'm talking about the Polish Winged Hussars, not the later light cavalry version from the time of the Napoleonic Wars) could cost as much as 30 kg of silver - the equivalent of 30 cannons, or 1000 matchlock muskets. And those horses had a casualty rate of approx. 30% per battle - the Polish Winged Hussars were literally throwing money at their enemies with reckless abandon.
So yes - horses used to be very expensive.
She is going to see this again one day, and realise that she missed most of the jokes
I doubt it.
Na I bet she'll never watch another Monty Python film again. The majority of the younger generations just don't find this movie funny.
Sam -
I'll take that bet.
It's so much better when you realize that the entire movie is basically a super massive, live action role play session.
Nothing sadder than seeing a real human being not laugh during the black knight scene 😂😂😂
I'm literally dying laughing just thinking about the scene and simultaneously crying on the inside for you
There are two types of people...
Those who immediately accept the coconuts as horses, and those who never do.
Life of Brian is lot more of a "regular" comedy, good balance between Monty Python and getting general audiences lots of LOLs.
"Can't they just get real horses."
No they couldn't. This was Monty Python's first movie. They had a very limited budget, so they couldn't afford horses or riding lessons (none of them knew how to ride horses). So they just decided to write that limitation as a joke in the movie itself.
Did you skip the opening credits? If you did, that could explain your initial confusion. The opening credits really set up the film nicely. If you skipped them, you should go back and watch! Loved the reaction, though. Keep up the good work!
You see it all the time in the movies that when people are stabbed, they always remove the weapon, but ask any trauma doctor, and they'll tell you that anytime you are stabbed or impaled by an object or weapon, DO NOT REMOVE IT! It is providing pressure to the wound and preventing you from bleeding out. Wait until you are in the care of a trauma team.
As an American, dry brit humor has always been my favorite. It just hits me a certain way. This movie especially. I grew up watching Absolutely Fabulous with my mum, and i was a HP fan, so that likely has something to do with it. 😂
Mary’s the first of many many reactors I’ve seen who doesn’t get this humor. Mary is very literal and that’s why.
For fun, Mary, watch one of the other reactions to this movie and see hysterical laughter.
. . . Does she think this is a historical drama?
No, watch my outro
By saying "Your mother was a hampster and your father smelt of Elderberries" the Frenchman is saying Arthur's mother was a slut and his father was a drunk
The Pythons were basically the first modern comedy troupe to ditch the idea of the punch line. They felt it was a type of comedy that was played out, and so they would just write sketches that would go on for a bit and then end without a punchline. Saturday Night Live and other later comedy programs were massively influenced by them. Modern comedy in many ways wouldn’t exist without them (or at least it would be very different). The TV show is imo superior to the films as it’s the purest form of their comedy. I don’t think their comedy is dated, but it is one of those things that’s highly subjective. Some people don’t really enjoy them, and other people think they are the funniest thing they’ve ever seen. It’s basically always been like that, so I don’t think that has changed.
I wish people would tell her if it's a comedy or not lol. Mary takes things so serious until it's so in her face XD
"You'd be a lot safer if you were on a horse..."
Doubtful! Just look how scared poor Patsy is 😱
The servants/horses have some great little moments and reaction shots, likely because Terry Gilliam, co-director, plays Patsy (and the animator, and the old man from scene 24).
For a Python adjacent movie directed by Terry Jones - Erik The Viking
Considering King Arthur didn't exist, the characterization was pretty spot on. :P
It's okay to not like things of course, and Monty Python certainly is a very special type of comedy. Trying to make sense of pretty much anything they do is an exercise in futility. I will say the density of jokes in this film is higher than pretty much anything seen on screen.
Again, sometimes you don't find things funny, and that's certainly okay. No one should trash you or hate you for having an opinion on such a subjective thing. If they do, they're very silly people.
As a french my english teatcher showed us this when i was 12, i was a fan of Monty python since the first 5 minutes 😘
Like any humor, "The Holy Grail" isn't for everyone. It took me sitting back and just *accepting* it. It's literally absurd. Perfectly nonsensical. The embodiment of chaos. There are no rules of any kind; it doesn't even adhere to an internal logic, much less any real-world one. I had to accept that, to get to a point where I could just allow it to happen.
Their other most popular movie, "The Life of Brian", might be more enjoyable, so I hope you consider it. It actually makes sense. I mean, it's still Monty Python, so there's plenty of absurdity, but it runs consistently on an internal logic. When it shows you that is how works, that will be true for the rest of the film.
Interestingly, those two movies are pretty much tied as their most popular. In a commentary for this movie, the Terrys mention that, in general, Americans preferred this one, while, also generally, Britons preferred "The Life of Brian". There was no value judgement; that was just an interesting observation they had.
Thinking about your after-movie comments, I really do believe you might like "The Life of Brian". It's more "structured"; jokes have a set-up and a payoff, and often later get a callback. Everything makes a kind of sense, while "The Holy Grail" was meant to be nothing more than chaos incarnate.
Definitely not a movie to overthink. Best to just go with it. Such a classic!
the ending is everyone getting arrested and unsatisfying… it’s a literal cop out. someone on the internet pointed this out and im passing it on. i love this movie. 😂
In my opinion, this is one of the greatest comedies in cinematic history. 🤣🤣🤣
But like my Grandpa always used to say: "Sonny, if everybody liked the same things, everybody'd be after yer Grandma".😉
Fair enough. This style of British humor isn’t for everyone. However this movie was popular enough to spawn a Broadway musical “Spamalot” that still touring.
Saw it in Londons West End. They sold killer rabbit slippers during the intermission.
My wife and I took her father to this movie in 1976. He did not get it and sat saying, "What the he'll is this?" We saw the stage play and the black Knight did not fall after the legs were cut off.
Tis but a scratch
another title is mary not understanding comedy for 25 mins straight
My favorite part of the film is that EVERYONE eventually just accepts that they aren’t really riding horses. Think of the money that could have been saved on all the Westerns throughout film history. Thanks for reacting to this one, Mary.
a lot of the time with these guys, the testing of your patience *is* the joke
I guess I’m impatient 😂
What’s funnier than a Monty Python movie? Watching a left-brained person watch a Monty Python movie.
I think this film is best viewed as a series of arthurian-themed sketches rather than a contiguous story with continuity and narrative structure.
I can see how this being your blind introduction to Python might mean you don't get the humour, especially if you weren't expecting it to be so absurd, but that absurdism is what Monty Python is all about.
Anyway, love the videos, and I hope you give Flying Circus or Life of Brian a try!
Of course Arthur is the King. He's the only one that hasn't got shit all over him.
The kind of jokes that “drag on” are actually meta in that they are playing with your patience and expectations. That is the point. It is like the DMV sloth scene in Zootopia.
Things they couldn't afford when making this movie:
Horses (hence the coconuts)
An actual Camelot set piece (hence the model & why they didn't go to Camelot)
Enough actors to play all the different roles (hence the outrageous accents)
To film a huge ending battle (hence the literal cop out)
i'm really sad to admit i never got the "copout" joke
You're taking this movie to seriously.
I was lucky enough to see these guys live (5 down 1 to go tour). Each are legends of comedy. If you want to fully understand their humour however you are best watching the original TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Nice I've only been able to see Eric Idle live during his "Greedy Bastard" tour
Yeah, was a fantastic thing to go and see at the O2. Went about halfway through the run and again on the last night. Was introduced to Python by my Dad's LP's and tapes. Hearing Live at Drury Lane at age 12 taught me some fun things. 🤣
You got it backwards; it was 1 Down 5 To Go. Because Graham Chapman had died.
Humor is totally lost on this generation.
I can't. I just can't.
There is a *LOT* of trivia about this movie. The portrayal of the times is more accurate than most other movies that set themselves in these times. The coconuts-for-horses was because they couldn't afford actual horses. Some legendary rock groups helped fund the movie. The monks beating their heads with the boards is historically accurate, too... they were called Flagellants. In various places throughout the movie, you'll see people with birds. You'll also see a number of people doing things with cats. You know the horseman who killed the historian is *not* one of Arthur's band because none of them have horses. "Tim" the enchanter was named that because Cleese forgot the name and just said "Tim" and the cast just went with it. There are lots of other trivia which can be found on the web.
As far as culture... this movie was HUGE in nerd/geek circles in the 70s and 80s. Practically the whole movie is quotable and we used to go around quoting it all the time. It was practically a 'secret language' among us. ;)
didn't flagellants normally whip themselves though. outside of here i never heard of a group hitting themselves in the face with a board repeatedly
@@johnpaullogan1365 they punished themselves by flogging themselves a variety of ways. I certainly was taught in school that they whipped their backs and stuff... I'm sure Monty Python took some liberties to make it funny, but Flagellants were a real thing.
Oh Mary, as much as I love your movie reactions I don't think you understand the concept of comedy
The films she mentioned as liking...
It says a lot about the commenters that she feels she has to apologize for not enjoying a movie... This is one of my favourite comedies, but I fully understand why people would not like it.
The other Monty Python films & their sketch show are also very good.
Comic con 2017, two mates were dressed up as characters, one as sir Robin, the other as the lead minstrel
Waiting in a line someone recognised the costumes and made a commotion about it, resulting in some calling “three cheers for sir Robin”, the cosplayer went into the historical painting “noble hero” pose, someone then called for cheers for sir robins minstrel…everything calmed down, only for me to then say loud and clear - “and there was much rejoicing”
EVERYONE burst out laughing…ahh, fond memories
As a huge Monty Python fan, it is understandable that this films humor may not be your cup of tea, while i enjoy Holy Grail, I do see your points, but if you want a real laugh, I'd recommend "Monty Python Life of Brian"
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is actually a police procedural drama set in the making of a low budget historical comedy.
We see a historian brutally murdered by a man on horseback during the making of the historical film. The police investigate the scene. They track the murderer, finding evidence of carnage along the way. Finally they catch up with the notorious Monty Python gang and arrest them, resolving the storyline and ending the movie.
Millennials inability to appreciate simple comedy is killing my soul
Imagine thinking one person represents an entire generation... Dummy 😂
One of my top movies of all time because of the pure stupidity of the humor! No problem with you not liking it as much, you are a sweetheart. Cheers
This is considered by many to be one of the funniest movies ever made, so glad you're reacting to it. I grew up on the BBC show Monty Pythons Flying Circus here in the US So I was already familiar with the cast. Terry Gilliam also did all the animation in the movie and the TV show.
Im an English academic with a serious scientific approach to life. This film I found most interesting but couldn't believe some of the basic errors! Only today I weighed my wife. She weighed 11 stone (We don't weigh people in pounds in London). I have a pet duck who weighed considerably less than my wife. It can only be concluded that a terrible injustice was done here........ Indeed this was certainly not 'a fair cop'. - Moving on, I have found a strand of creeper now I just need a couple of swallows and a coconut to complete my experiment! ;-)
I definitely recommend watching the *Life of Brian*! I think it will nicely cover most of your gripes with this movie. The Holy Grail is much more a series of skits than a movie, whereas the Life of Brian has a much more continuous story and themes. I find the main character much more likeable as well.
It’s the kind of movie you have to encounter at the right time of your life, so I don’t blame any reactors for not always vibing with this one.
She didn't get it. I never thought we would reach the point where younger generations didn't get Monty Python, but here we are.
Imo I'm not sure if it's as much a generational thing (although that's certainly an aspect to an extent) as much as it's a "British or not" thing (I'm roughly the same age as Mary and this is a great movie). This is very uniquely British comedy. Many people I know my age and younger appreciate Monty Python.
Plenty of people back in the day also didn't get it, calm down.
Comedy is a matter of personal taste, nothing is universally funny. My dad is 63 and he doesn't find this movie funny in the slightest, whereas I'm 32 and I think it's hilarious
@@sam_c95 And surrealism just really doesn't work for a lot of people, no matter what their age.
That’s what I tried to explain in my outro - but I guess a lot of people just didn’t watch it
Monty Python is known for not finishing skits. They often start a funny premise, get a laugh out of it, and interrupt themselves. That's one of the reasons why the movie ended the way it did.
This movie goes over many heads.
Carried by swallows on coconuts