Jabberwocky (1977)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Terry Gilliam

Writers:

Lewis Carroll (poem)
Charles Alverson (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 April 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

Jabberwocky: the monster so horrible that people caught the plague to avoid it

Plot:

After the death of his father the young cooper 'Dennis Cooper' goes to town where he has to pass several adventures...

Plot Keywords:

Monster | Kingdom | Medieval | Knight | Cult Comedy

Cast

Michael Palin	...	Dennis Cooper
Harry H. Corbett	...	The Squire
John Le Mesurier	...	The Chamberlain
Warren Mitchell	...	Mr. Fishfinger
Max Wall	...	King Bruno the Questionable
Rodney Bewes	...	The Other Squire
John Bird	...	1st Herald
Bernard Bresslaw	...	The Landlord
Antony Carrick	...	3rd Merchant (as Anthony Carrick)
Peter Cellier	...	1st Merchant
Deborah Fallender	...	The Princess
Derek Francis	...	Bishop
Terry Gilliam	...	Man with Rock
Neil Innes	...	2nd Herald
Terry Jones	...	Poacher

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (1977) (cut) | UK:PG (1993) | Finland:K-16 (1989) | Australia:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Australia:M (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Bosherton Quarry, Bosherston, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK

Company:

Python Films

Trivia:

The last film of 'Harold Goodwin'.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Wires can be seen holding up the head of the monster at the end of the film.

Quotes:

Narrator: It is the middle of the dark ages, ages darker than anyone had expected.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in What the Pythons Did Next... (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Great Gate Of Kiev

Not Python

I think the mistake a lot of people make is to see this as another Python film. It isn't, and one of the reasons it improves with each viewing is that you come to realise that. In contrast to "Holy Grail" which is essentially a series of sketches, this is a proper film with its own rules and a style which is based much more on gentle whimsy and sly satire than in-your-face Pythonesque clowning.

High points are the cast of veteran British comedy and music hall actors - what a lovely swansong this is for the likes of Max Wall, Harry H Corbett and John le Measurier - the attention to detail, which is quite remarkable, and the constant reversal of expectations. And I love the deadpan little touches like John le Measurier addressing the King as "Darling".

This and "Time Bandits" are my favourite Gilliam movies, I always feel he works better on a small budget where his imagination has to do the work, rather than the somewhat overblown likes of "Brazil"