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	...	Squire (Ethel)
John Le Mesurier	...	Passelewe
Warren Mitchell	...	Mr. Fishfinger
Max Wall	...	King Bruno the Questionable
Rodney Bewes	...	Other Squire
John Bird	...	First herald
Bernard Bresslaw	...	Landlord
Antony Carrick	...	Third merchant (as Anthony Carrick)
Peter Cellier	...	First merchant
Deborah Fallender	...	Princess
Derek Francis	...	Bishop
Terry Gilliam	...	Man with Rock
Neil Innes	...	Second 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:

John Cleese and Iain Cuthbertson turned down roles in this movie.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the Princess' nude scene, she obviously has modern tan lines.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#29.7)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

The Great Gate Of Kiev

Gilliam's first solo venture

A hit-and-miss post-Python affair, directed by Terry Gilliam and featuring former teammates Terry Jones (briefly) and Michael Palin (throughout), alongside a Who's Who of British comedy including Max Wall, Bernard Bresslaw, Harry H Corbett, John Bird, Neil Innes, John Le Mesurier, Warren Mitchell, Graham Crowden, and others.

Jabberwocky starts off in a promising way, using the Lewis Carroll poem plus gory visuals as the monster claims its first victim. After that it meanders along with the story of Dennis the cooper (a caricature very like Python's Arthur Pewtey) as he goes to the big city in search of fame and fortune. Max Wall is delightfully funny as King Bruno the Questionable, but several of the gags fall flat and are just too silly to be funny.

All this aside, it was a fine idea, done on a shoe-string budget, and has a lot of good amongst the dross. Remembered with affection.