One of my fondest memories of my undergraduate college days is going with my frat brothers and various female friends to the `Midnight Movies' in the nearest civilized town (35 miles away). Of course this was usually during the school week, which somehow made it even more desirable. The trip was nearly always made to see Monty Python films.
For years I have lamented that few seem to remember Jabberwocky from the Python canon. It was not until I scanned the IMDb site this week that I discovered that it officially was NOT one of the Monty Python movies. This is a pity, since it perfectly maintains the flavor and feel of their other movies-although it may lack some of the frantic pace and rapid-fire gags.
I have just viewed Jabberwocky for the first time in several years and still find it to be an extremely enjoyable film. I still consider it a Monty Python film, whatever they say, and still consider it second in their canon, only to The Holy Grail. Like other Python films, Jabberwocky catches the essence of its time period. In these films, excrement, hunger, death and eminent danger are always close at hand-and well as some clever anachronisms. I'm not sure whether or not parodying the unrealistic romance of medieval times, as portrayed in movies, was one of the group's main goals. This certainly seems to have been a key point, though.
In Jabberwocky, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin continue their fine work from the Holy Grail-minus the rest of the gang, of course, just two years later. They tackle one of my favorite poems, Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky. The film actually combines slapstick comedy, historic adventure and horror. We don't see the hideous Jabberwock until the very end.and then it is quite in keeping with Sir John Tennial's rendition of it. Borrowing John Williams' Jaws score as the monster approaches, just two years after the movie, adds a nice comic touch.
To briefly summarize, Palin is Dennis Cooper, named so for being an apprentice to his father, a master cooper or barrel-maker (Paul Curran). Rather than his father, though, Dennis looks up to a neighbor and merchant, Mr. Fishfinger (Warren Mitchell). This finally leads to Dennis' father disowning him on his deathbed. Dennis bids good-bye to his true love, Fishfinger's fat, rude and uninterested daughter, Griselda (Annette Balland), before heading off to the big city to make his own way.
Meanwhile, the Jabberwock has been terrorizing the entire kingdom, destroying whole villages and forcing panic-stricken peasants to flee to the giant walled city. The wonderfully named King Bruno the Questionable (Max Wall) is being pressured by his chief chamberlain (Jon Le Mesurier) to rid the country of the monster, while leading merchants urge him NOT to do so. (Business has never been better than during the panicked migration to the city!)
Without giving out spoilers, let us say that Dennis finds more trouble than he had imagined in and out of the big city, including a jousting tournament to determine a champion to fight the Jabberwock (and a DELIGHTFUL means of finally choosing the champion after 2/3 of the nation's nights are killed or maimed in the competition) and several narrow escapes.
The movie has wonderful absurdities, such as Dennis' unrequited love for the obnoxious and unattractive Griselda, compared to the amorous advances of the lovely princess (Deborah Fallender), the king's first long-winded herald (John Bird), and a cult of masochistic religious fanatics. Anachronisms like `rush hour' in the city, `rats on a stick' and Dennis' constant efficiency-expert suggestions ring out delightfully among the muck and mire of ye olden times.
This film deserves neither to be forgotten nor to be trashed. It still provides laughs, chills and a somewhat thoughtful look (as in the true Python films) at history. Even the climactic scenes with the Jabberwock look pretty darn good for a fairly low-budget 1975 film! Check it out and enjoy.just beware the jubjub bird and shun the frumious bandersnatch!
For years I have lamented that few seem to remember Jabberwocky from the Python canon. It was not until I scanned the IMDb site this week that I discovered that it officially was NOT one of the Monty Python movies. This is a pity, since it perfectly maintains the flavor and feel of their other movies-although it may lack some of the frantic pace and rapid-fire gags.
I have just viewed Jabberwocky for the first time in several years and still find it to be an extremely enjoyable film. I still consider it a Monty Python film, whatever they say, and still consider it second in their canon, only to The Holy Grail. Like other Python films, Jabberwocky catches the essence of its time period. In these films, excrement, hunger, death and eminent danger are always close at hand-and well as some clever anachronisms. I'm not sure whether or not parodying the unrealistic romance of medieval times, as portrayed in movies, was one of the group's main goals. This certainly seems to have been a key point, though.
In Jabberwocky, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin continue their fine work from the Holy Grail-minus the rest of the gang, of course, just two years later. They tackle one of my favorite poems, Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky. The film actually combines slapstick comedy, historic adventure and horror. We don't see the hideous Jabberwock until the very end.and then it is quite in keeping with Sir John Tennial's rendition of it. Borrowing John Williams' Jaws score as the monster approaches, just two years after the movie, adds a nice comic touch.
To briefly summarize, Palin is Dennis Cooper, named so for being an apprentice to his father, a master cooper or barrel-maker (Paul Curran). Rather than his father, though, Dennis looks up to a neighbor and merchant, Mr. Fishfinger (Warren Mitchell). This finally leads to Dennis' father disowning him on his deathbed. Dennis bids good-bye to his true love, Fishfinger's fat, rude and uninterested daughter, Griselda (Annette Balland), before heading off to the big city to make his own way.
Meanwhile, the Jabberwock has been terrorizing the entire kingdom, destroying whole villages and forcing panic-stricken peasants to flee to the giant walled city. The wonderfully named King Bruno the Questionable (Max Wall) is being pressured by his chief chamberlain (Jon Le Mesurier) to rid the country of the monster, while leading merchants urge him NOT to do so. (Business has never been better than during the panicked migration to the city!)
Without giving out spoilers, let us say that Dennis finds more trouble than he had imagined in and out of the big city, including a jousting tournament to determine a champion to fight the Jabberwock (and a DELIGHTFUL means of finally choosing the champion after 2/3 of the nation's nights are killed or maimed in the competition) and several narrow escapes.
The movie has wonderful absurdities, such as Dennis' unrequited love for the obnoxious and unattractive Griselda, compared to the amorous advances of the lovely princess (Deborah Fallender), the king's first long-winded herald (John Bird), and a cult of masochistic religious fanatics. Anachronisms like `rush hour' in the city, `rats on a stick' and Dennis' constant efficiency-expert suggestions ring out delightfully among the muck and mire of ye olden times.
This film deserves neither to be forgotten nor to be trashed. It still provides laughs, chills and a somewhat thoughtful look (as in the true Python films) at history. Even the climactic scenes with the Jabberwock look pretty darn good for a fairly low-budget 1975 film! Check it out and enjoy.just beware the jubjub bird and shun the frumious bandersnatch!