I thought most Monty Python movies are filled with witty philosophical comedy and an occasional phallic scene?
Though I loved Time Bandits it was pretty dark over all, does anyone else agree?
It came out right around the time in the eighties where dark fantastical humor was the fad - Dark Crystal came out about the same year.
It’s more a Terry Gilliam movie than a Python one. Python films generally involve the usual schtick from all the members of the team throughout, whereas Time Bandits only features Palin and Cleese in minor roles (although Palin gets a writing credit too) and none of the others.
Note from the link that IMDb recommends The Man Who Would Be King if you liked it, and I think you ought to compare it with The Fisher King and Brazil much more than …Holy Grail or The Meaning of Life.
Strictly speaking, Time Bandits isn’t a Monty Python movie, at all, though Gilliam, Cleese, and Palin were all involved in it (no Jones, Idle, or Chapman). And if you think Time Bandits was dark, you should check out Brazil, another Gilliam production, with Palin in a supporting character role.
And for a couple of other good films with Monty Python members, check out Erik the Viking and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.
My parents left me home alone to watch Time Bandits when I was about nine years old.
That was a bad idea on their part. Its pretty creepy for a film that appears to be a kids movie on the surface. It was being shown during a free HBO weekend. The that was shown beforehand was Gallipoli, another movie that probably was suitable for a home-alone nine year old.
I’m a big fan of Terry Gilliam’s movies for the most part, but I have lingering ill feelings about Time Bandits.
Dark??? It’s flat out hysterically funny. I saw it in the theater (much better than on TV) and just plain laughed non-stop.
Could someone suggest a “dark” scene we could discuss?
Er, the parents being killed and the kid left all by himself?
But wasn’t that the last scene of the whole movie?
Which may raise the question of whether a film’s final scene can “define” that entire film’s “mood”.
How about a big disembodied face flying down a tunnel, yelling “GIVE BACK WHAT YOU HAVE STOLEN!” One of the most lasting memories I have of that movie… strikes me as a pretty dark scene.
Of course, I was into dark things when I was a kid, so I didn’t mind much. And Time Bandits is pretty damn funny too. In fact, it’s the source of one of my all-time favorite lines:
Man, I need to see that movie again…
No, just an example of a dark scene you asked for.
There’s also the guy getting killed…Swineflesh?
I finally found the end credits song by George Harrison a while ago on Napster.
I saw Time Bandits in the theatre as well and have the DVD. I guess I never thought about it as being especially dark. I thought of it like I do the other Python movies, added levity to a situation that normally wouldn’t contain it. A guy pushing a cart calling for people to “bring out c’her dead”, a woman beating a carpet with a cat, etc. seem to be about the norm for Time Bandits as well.
The guy being shot during the Punch and Judy show to me, is along the same lines as an old man being knocked over the head and thrown on a cart of dead people. I can see Time Bandits going over the head of or frightening a younger audience, but I can’t see a movie discussing (even in a joking manner) spankings and oral sex, appropriate for a younger audience either. I don’t really think that should be a criteria to judge Time Bandits. YMMV
When I was a kid I loved it, especially the ending. His parents were useless and he was much better off without them. Plus it’s when that nice happy song starts.
“Scary” is not the same as “Dark.” Ergo, the Face of the Supreme Being, etc. are only momentarily scary. Most of the scary stuff turns out to be harmless later. E.g., later he says: “I am the Supreme Being, I’m not entirely dim.” etc. Ditto the troll on the boat is not truly scary. Strutter (?) gets turned into a pit and then hit by a pillar but turns out okay.
The parents were complete dimwits and worthy of having an amusing end to them. That’s Pythonesque, not dark. In the old Python shows, did you consider someone getting hit with the 2 ton weight “dark”? It’s the same thing.