No. 4 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
While many may see this as a pick for 12-year-olds, one would be hard-pressed to find an indie comedy that has had greater impact on the cultural zeitgeist of America. The Pythons themselves have always been surprised by its enduring success here in the US, as their follow-up hit, Life of Brian, has always enjoyed more credibility in the UK. But, for some reason, we Americans can’t get enough of the Knights banging empty coconut shells together.
Their first “proper” feature film, Holy Grail was produced on a shoe-string budget between series 3 and 4 of the Python’s TV show, Flying Circus. The film was co-directed by American Python Terry Gilliam, who has since won both acclaim and notoriety in his native America, with hits and misses like Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. The famous coconuts were actually conceived as a means to trim the budget, as the production could not afford real horses.
The film expands upon one of their primary cinematic devices employed in their TV series, breaking the “fourth wall” and drawing attention to the medium – for example, Prince Herbert being continually berated by his father as he is about to break into song, “No, No… we’ll have no singing here” and the famous ending, where the film abruptly concludes during the rousing climax when the modern day policemen arrive, one of them putting his hand over the lens.
Like Camelot, the film is a silly place, but there is genius, freshness, and large amounts of joy to be found watching it, and it remains the pinnacle of the Python’s fabulous body of work (a few brief moments of Life of Brian excluded).
Classic Line: "On second thought, let's not go to Camelot. It is a silly place."
Coming tomorrow: No. 3 on our Top Indie Comedies list
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