The King Arthur legend thrived for centuries changed but untainted. That is, untainted until Monty Python came along. Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail (directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones in 1975) attempts (and succeeds, for that matter) to satirize the Legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table using a range of different techniques. These techniques include, but are not limited to, deflating the heroic stereotype, breaking the dramatic illusion and using anachronisms.
Monty Python takes the mickey out of a popular myth by destroying the stereotype of knights in general, and also the stereotype of knights of the round table, who are supposed to be the knightliest of knights. The stereotypical knight was …show more content…
Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.’” - Scene 3, Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail
The knights’ belongings are stored in modern hiking bags, and the tools they used making the “trojan bunny” are electric power tools, which didn’t exist at the time.
The historian and his wife, and the police are probably the biggest anachronisms in the whole film. Their actions are modern, like the murder investigation and the frisk search of Lancelot.
Legends are old and, to some degree, respected. To add modern elements would have been unthinkable until Monty Python.
Deflating the heroic stereotype, breaking dramatic illusions and using anachronisms are all ways of satirising a legend, particularly the legends of good and kind people, or royalty, or both. They are also good ways of adding humour to a film. Monty Python, using these techniques, has succeeded in making a film that will be watched and rewatched over and over (in fact, some will eventually write essays on it!) They did something that hasn’t been done before. They have gotten their point across and made sure it will not be forgotten. (To be honest, I don’t think the llamas will be forgotten
Monty Python takes the mickey out of a popular myth by destroying the stereotype of knights in general, and also the stereotype of knights of the round table, who are supposed to be the knightliest of knights. The stereotypical knight was …show more content…
Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.’” - Scene 3, Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail
The knights’ belongings are stored in modern hiking bags, and the tools they used making the “trojan bunny” are electric power tools, which didn’t exist at the time.
The historian and his wife, and the police are probably the biggest anachronisms in the whole film. Their actions are modern, like the murder investigation and the frisk search of Lancelot.
Legends are old and, to some degree, respected. To add modern elements would have been unthinkable until Monty Python.
Deflating the heroic stereotype, breaking dramatic illusions and using anachronisms are all ways of satirising a legend, particularly the legends of good and kind people, or royalty, or both. They are also good ways of adding humour to a film. Monty Python, using these techniques, has succeeded in making a film that will be watched and rewatched over and over (in fact, some will eventually write essays on it!) They did something that hasn’t been done before. They have gotten their point across and made sure it will not be forgotten. (To be honest, I don’t think the llamas will be forgotten