When my father first showed me the low-budget masterpiece that is Monty Python and the Holy Grail,  I nearly passed out from laughing so hard. This movie is filled to the brim with outlandish jokes and bizarre setpieces that will leave anyone shocked.

 From the hilariously iconic, “‘Tis but a scratch,” to the ludicrous police investigation subplot, this movie never ceases to make me roar in laughter.

  This movie features the mythical King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table forming and being sent on their quest for the fabled holy grail. Along the way, they run into three-headed monsters, odd forest knights with an ever-changing catchphrase, and the recurring French jokesters.

  In the mid-1970s, the comedy group known as Monty Python had previously had a show on the BBC network called Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a sketch comedy series that aired from 1969-1974. Just one year after the show ended they would release their literal cinema holy grail. 

  Spending roughly $410,000 in 1974, this movie had a very low budget. They didn’t have enough money to buy real horses, so they had to pretend to be riding horses, which ended up being a running gag in the movie.

  With such a low budget, it’s surprising that this movie even got made. What’s also surprising is how much the movie gets away with while having a PG rating. Sure, PG-13 didn’t exist back in the seventies, but this movie has some very violent scenes that may frighten anyone who doesn’t like the sight of blood.

Many movies drag out their ending to the point where they far overstay their welcome. Monty Python and the Holy Grail may be one of the only movies that ends before it should. The abrupt and frankly unsatisfying ending may disappoint a few, but to me, it elevates the movie and makes it all the more enjoyable.

  Many people don’t enjoy farce or slapstick comedy. This movie is full of that. From Trojan rabbits and a Batman-like grail signal, this movie is packed with zany moments filled with medieval mayhem and hijinks. The wacky antics never stop in this movie, and that’s what makes it great. It’s good to just enjoy yourself for an hour and a half of nonstop escapades.