MOVIE

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Directed by Terry Jones•1h 31m•Published Aug 3, 2021•Episode length 2h 34m

Episode 81 - Monty Python & The Holy Grail

AdventureComedyFantasy

Top cast

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Graham Chapman

King Arthur / Voice of God / Middle Head / Hiccoughing Guard

John Cleese

Second Swallow-Savvy Guard / The Black Knight / Peasant 3 / Sir Launcelot the Brave / Taunting French Guard / Tim the Enchanter

Eric Idle

Dead Collector / Peasant 1 / Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir Launcelot / First Swamp Castle Guard / Concorde / Roger the Shrubber / Brother Maynard

Terry Gilliam

Patsy / Green Knight / Old Man from Scene 24 (Bridgekeeper) / Sir Bors / Animator / Gorilla Hand

Terry Jones

Dennis's Mother / Sir Bedevere / Left Head / Prince Herbert / Voice of Cartoon Scribe

Michael Palin

First Swallow-Savvy Guard / Dennis / Peasant 2 / Right Head / Sir Galahad the Pure / Narrator / King of Swamp Castle / Brother Maynard's Brother / Leader of The Knights Who Say NI!

Connie Booth

The Witch

Carol Cleveland

Zoot / Dingo

Neil Innes

First Monk / Singing Minstrel / Page Crushed by the Rabbit / Peasant #4

Bee Duffell

Old Crone

Director

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Terry Jones

Director

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Overview

King Arthur, accompanied by his squire, recruits his Knights of the Round Table, including Sir Bedevere the Wise, Sir Lancelot the Brave, Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot and Sir Galahad the Pure. On the way, Arthur battles the Black Knight who, despite having had all his limbs chopped off, insists he can still fight. They reach Camelot, but Arthur decides not to enter, as "it is a silly place".

Show notes

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Ni! We demand a sacrifice of.... a shrubbery! Join your favourite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam, Ellie, and Georgia as we're up for facing a little bit of peril in search of Camelot in Monty Python & The Holy Grail. We question your parentage using accusations of hamsters and elderberries in our 81st episod…

Read full show notes

How the Python crew decided to divide the parts up between themselves
Just how much adlibbing occurred on set
Who some of the surprising financiers of the film were
What can happen if you just rock up to the film set
The benefits and drawbacks to shooting outside
Which Python member played the most parts?
Which Python member died on screen the most
Ian talks about Postmodernism and how this film is one of the earliest champions of it in film
We share our own participation in the stage musical, Spamalot
We recite far too many lines after promising we wouldn't do that exact thing
What one line could Ian not make out as a young man due to the accent and foreign expression
How did the disruption of expectations - which the Pythons were famous for - work in this film, given it's a long-form version of storytelling?
Whether or not Monty Python & The Holy Grail is the Best Film Ever
Now go away or we shall taunt you a second time!

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of 'Mistake' by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor

Also massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/