phishtails Gilliam's first "Definitely NOT a Python Film" (as it was advertised on the movie poster) is typical of an artist's early attempt to escape from the pigeonhole of an annoyingly successful run in a cult-followed genre. If you need other examples, I cite William Shatner and Douglas Adams. Though he put more gore and serious satire in this film, the comparison to "Holy Grail" cannot be avoided. Gilliam's goal of escape ultimately hurt this film as he tried to squash his own artistic intuition that nevertheless surfaces in a battered and gasping form.The satire of a war-driven economy is brilliantly done, cast starkly against the backdrop of a nonsensical poem brought to life. The choice to make "real" a completely unrealistic story to justify a society's reaction to hide behind religion and governmental protection at the cost of personal freedom and happiness is nothing short of genius. It serves as a contrast to today's society in which many have given up those same freedoms and taken refuge from a threat that is imaginary.A few bad points: The film is low-budget and overstepped the limits of its budget in a few scenes. Film equipment makes an appearance here and there, and the Jabberwocky itself is a bit hokey. The costume and prop recycling from "Holy Grail" is glaringly apparent. I think if Gilliam had embraced this fact during its conception and production, this film would have gone in a much different direction. Better production? I couldn't say.Terry Gilliam is a brilliant director who has gifted us with gems such as "Brazil", "Fear and Loathing", and "Parnassus". I hold no illusions that this has colored my review of this film and possibly even added a star or two to its grade. If I had seen this movie before other Gilliam works, I would have been a bit confused by some of the inappropriate zaniness of some scenes. As a study of Gilliam's early works, it is a great milestone in his transition from Python-to-Director.If you are unfamiliar with Terry Gilliam's later films, I recommend that you NOT see this as your first. Come back to it later though -- it's an interesting by-line to director who later found his own brilliance.

Nick Selwood Jabberwocky is a great, very funny film. If you like Monty Python you will like this. If you like anything by Gilliam you will like this. Jabberwocky has something that The Holy Grail hasn't - even though the Holy Grail is a great funny film it doesn't stand up to repeat viewings half as well as Jabberwocky does in my opinion! (and I've seen both films about the same amount of times in case you were wondering!) There's so many funny quotable bits in this film that I don't know where to start. Also - there's just about anyone who was British and funny in the 70s in this film as well! Its my dad's favourite film of all time (hes only slightly annoyed - still - because he was going to be an extra in this film and couldn't make it due to work!).Don't get me wrong, I love Holy Grail (Life of Brian is better) but Jabberwocky tops Holy Grail for me now.Give it a try...you might be surprised how much you like it!

BeauEvil A number of comments here seem to lament the "squalidness" of the settings of "Jabberwocky". This is EXACTLY what keeps me coming back to this film.Above all else, I love TRUTH; genuine, unabashed, unashamed truth. I love the slop jar scene in "Rob Roy". I love the hominid scenes in "Body Heat. "The Road Warrior" and "Quest for Fire" are my favorite films. I don't desire the silly illusion that Medieval castles were scrubbed clean, opulently decorated, with long tables piled high with food and silver, while the whole place is lit up with aircraft landing lights. That's Hollywood BS. THIS is the truth! One could smell a town for a mile before arriving there.I don't even care for the Jabberwocky tale one whit. I didn't care for it in high school. I don't care for it now. If I could make my own edit, I would excise all references to the monster and leave a whimsical documentary of Medieval life, the easy dalliances of the superstars of that day, the daily quest for food and gain with few options, the birth of the middle class, the mores before Victorian times, the stumbling rebirth of pageantry, the cynicism of the clergy. God, SO MUCH to digest from one humble film! I love it so much, I want to soak in it. But, I think I'll avoid the fish. ;-)

Henry Kujawa Lately, I've found myself wanting to watch some films over and over. But there are also those films that, perversely enough, I take pleasure in watching-- KNOWING, with full intention, that I will never watch them again. Terry Gilliam's debut as director, JABBERWOCKY, is definitely one of those.Starring Michael Palin, it's like an extended episode of RIPPING YARNS, which was dull & tedious to begin with. It's filmed in the style of MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, which means its view of the ancient world is filthy and disgusting and hopeless, but it isn't 1/10th as funny.The highlight is the DeWolff library tracks, among them, excerpts of both "Night On Bald Mountain" (when the champion is surrounded by The Black Knight's hoods, sworn to stop him so as to "protect" the monster for the benefit of the city's merchants), and "Pictures at an Exhibition" (heard when Dennis returns to the city in accidental triumph with the beast's decapitated head).The film's got some talented actors hidden in there... among them, it turns out, Harry H. Corbett, who was the "and Son" on England's STEPTOE AND SON, the younger partner of Wilfred Brambell, who played Paul's grandfather in A HARD DAY'S NIGHT. Because he's chasing after an innkeeper's wife, he gets Michael Palin to fill in for him when his master is chosen champion to face the monster.Also in there-- I KNEW I'd seen this guy before, but for the life of me could not place him-- was Graham Crowden as the head of a bunch of religious fanatics. He'd played "Soldeed" on the DOCTOR WHO story "The Horns Of Nimon", and has long been accused of doing some of the worst over-acting in the show's history!! No wonder he seemed familiar, I knew I'd heard that raving lunatic voice somewhere before.Brian Glover ("Lugg" on CAMPION) was the city "armorer" whose shop is destroyed in a clumsy accident. And Kenneth Colley (who co-starred with Palin in an episode of RIPPING YARNS and was in the 2nd & 3rd STAR WARS films) is a fanatic who INSISTS he be catapulted to a violent yet glorious death. Insists!! Oh yeah, and the Black Knight (whose face we never see, of course) was David Prowse, who, the same year, became Darth Vader.See this only to satisfy curiosity... but if you do, go in with the lowest possible expectations.