Jabberwocky (1977)

Let's make one thing clear. This, as most critics are quick to jump to, is NOT simply Gilliam trying to recapture Holy Grail. I take it as more of Gilliam simply liking the mediaeval theme and elaborating on it a bit, this time with a more plot-driven tail.

Palin stars as a kind-hearted bumbling son of a barrel maker. After being denounced by his own father on his death bed and ousted by his love, he decided to leave his comfortable country existence for city life. Only problem is that recently the city has been under storm by a very large and frightening monster. Plain makes it to the city, where he struggles a bit before meeting a squire who gives him food, room, and a job. The king stages a tournament to see which of his knights is to fight the monster, and Palin eventually ends up chasing after it.

The plot, sort of like BRAZIL, is presented in a bunch of confusing images. It's easy to get lost while watching this film, added to the confusing editing it the fact that most copies of it aren't of very good quality.

Some of the humour falls flat, and the editing is a bit too confusing, but the harsh, overly-realistic set and costume design and the great Gilliam cinematography more than make up for it. For once, a medieval odyssey as it would have actually looked.

Fmovies: I was flicking through the stations looking for my favourite type of film - low budget comedies and b movies. Lucky me to find Jabberwocky!

I missed the beginning but soon realised I had strayed upon a gem of a film. Michael Palin in a ridiculous outfit in a filthy wretched medieval city! The scenery is perfect and on one level is quite realistic. Starving people, outside 'toilets' and general squalor - but this is a comedy and the characters are hilarious!!!

I noticed Warren Mitchel (Alf Garnet) and Bernard Bresslaw (from the Carry On's) in there too making for a very funny film

There are many memorable scenes and the humour is in a monty python style with plenty of slapstick and toilet humour

The low budget wasn't really noticable, and I thought overall had a more produced feel than the holy grail which really was low budget film!

I would definately recommend this film to anyone who likes crazy off beat comedies

Its not exactly a kids film because its gory in places and the princess at one point seems to lose her clothes, but older kids will probably love it... a bit like how the Goonies was almost too scary to be a kids film

I give it 5 turnips out of 5

A Python spin-off, owing much to the earlier 'Monty Python and The Holy Grail', Jabberwocky is a fine film in its own right, featuring a tremendous cast of British stalwarts, a regrettably high percentage of whom have since died. Harry H Corbett, John Le Mesurier, Max Wall, Bernard Bresslaw and Brian Glover all feature and none is still with us.

Disinherited by his father and therefore unable to win the hand of the appalling Griselda Fishfinger, who snacks on raw potatoes, gormless but optimistic Dennis Cooper (Michael Palin) sets off for the city to make his fortune. The city is somewhat under siege by the vicious Jabberwock(y), a beast influenced by Lewis Carrol's doggerel poem of the same name. Dennis, in the time-honoured tradition, is ultimately required to rid the city of the threat and accordingly claim half of King Bruno the Questionable's creaking kingdom and the hand in marriage of his beautiful daughter, notwithstanding the dubious but apparently lingering attractions of 'Greasy' Griselda.

The riotous succession of eccentric characters encountered along the way is what it's all about, of course, with a memorable string of ridiculous situations and occurrences and liberal spattering of mud and gore to be undergone. This film rewards repeated viewing, when previously unappreciated subtleties emerge. The Fishfinger family's changing attitude to Dennis, according to his perceived fortunes, Dennis narrowly escaping death or serious injury on a regular basis, Gordon Kaye appearing briefly, dressed inexplicably as a nun, the kingdom by degrees collapsing, there's a beggar who attracts charity by means of auto-amputation, street-racing merchants, the King displaying only intermittent episodes of lucidity, characters who step out of line are suddenly and brutally eliminated - it's all great fun.

Jabberwocky is less well known than the pure Python films, but none the worse for that.

Jabberwocky fmovies. Jabberwocky has more gore and mayhem than a mace fight, and that is its theme, purely and simply. It's an ode to carnivorous, vicious, rampaging monsters, exploding people, dismemberment, impalement, et cetera. The climax is met after what seems like endless rising action, loaded to the brim with blood and guts. That is its charm.

The cinematography is grainy and bad, almost on purpose, but it's definitely not charming. What Terry Gilliam gives this film that works so well is a great intensity in its pace. It begins fairly slowly, but it sneaks up on you and accosts you.

Its sense of humor is one of the most morbid I've ever experienced, and it's very funny, I must say. All of the things I said this film is an ode to are at some point played for laughs at least a handful of times in Jabberwocky.

I suppose the verdict on Jabberwocky is that it's not a great film and it's not one that I care to see again, b ut during the time I was watching it, I was laughing and I was successfully bashed by its intense outpour of action, violence, and excitement, all in wonderfully bad taste.

This often neglected first solo directing effort of Gilliam's is certainly much better than its maligned reputation would have you believe. While it is though sledding the first time through, it gains appreciably with repeated viewings, but does demand you pay attention. Amongst all the excrement, garbage and filth, Gilliam and his co-writer actually have a little something to say about big business, but mainly JABBERWOCKY is very, very funny. Strong stomachs are required, however.

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"