Holy Grail

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1975 comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones and is written by and starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The plot parodies King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail as Arthur and his Knights on the round table look for the grout through a series of surreal low budget sketches encountering funny obstacles along the path. However, the Holy Grail is more than just a comedic parody film it is a postmodern deconstruction of multiple metanarratives within the film including Arthurian chivalry, Christianity, logic and the very medium of film itself.

In the beginning of the film already distracts its very own format with the opening credit sequence being subverted. The credits promote the country of Sweden with Swedish subtitles as a popular tourist site before the titles line is fired and the credits change. Already we are shown the artificiality of film is a post-modernist deconstruction of film itself. This post-modern mif n and work within the film. Arthur believes himself to be a great night but the film destroys this notion and supposes version of reality by exposing the character of Arthur as a violent power obsessed madman. After feeling chivalry is exposed through the deconstruction of Arthur’s character is instead being brave and heroic nights are egocentric all stubborn hardheaded mean-spirited and idiotic. This is further showcase when Arthur the main character of the film is seemingly ignored within this opening scene is as if the film itself does not even care for its characters. This further showcases the post-modern metanarrative deconstruction at work within the film, as Arthur is shown to be a self-serving hypocritical coward.

The futility and irrelevance of everything is changed to the bring out your dead scene but like everything with the holy Grail this is subverted through comedy, this is further showcase through a post-modernist deconstruction of mediaeval knights as one peasants as the other “he must be a king” “why” “he hasn’t got shit all over him”. The film breaks down Arthurian chivalry. As within the film Arthur is at power hungry king who demands people bow down to him going against the traditional representation of King Arthur again showcasing the subversion and deconstruction at play within the film. The film breaks down please epic tales of King Arthur showcasing the existence as irrelevant or even unimportant. Instead, Monty Python and the holy girl explores the grotesque reality of the characters situation is showcase with Arthur telling the story of the lady in the lake to which they present the prizes is no way to form a system the government. Again, how perceptions are converted and walked through the film’s retelling of this supposedly epic tale. Arthur attacking the peasants it shows that instead of oak heroic leader he is just a power-hungry madman. He demands the peasants bow down to him have a question his rule they are attacked.  This leads to authors power of the country mocked and belted throughout the film.

With the immortal black like the film further shows the classic legends being deconstructed through a post-modern metanarrative is used for the downward swing of comedy. Whilst most stories are an upward swing that elevates a story to make it universal, a downward swing is where a classical story becomes deformed and grotesque. The film also shows a post-modernist deconstruction of the Salem witch trials. The film highlights the idea of taking a dark part of history and using things in highlighting the observant team and ridiculousness of these practices and the idiocy of the people involved beat peasants or knights. If post-modern moments such as this several moments of the film, created in order to serve the characters own narcissistic goals without a care for the plot or others. With Arthur’s return to Camelot the film undercuts the importance of the situation by turning it into a musical number for the knights to site to go to Camelot anyway. This further showcases a post-modernist deconstruction of typical legends of King Arthur showcasing the unimportance and lack of care these supposed heroes have towards Dataquest throughout the film. Monty Python undercuts probably one of the most important features of any King Arthur story that being Camelot. Instead-turned this into a musical number before they end up not going there anyway. This further showcases the film as a post-modernist deconstruction of the typical King Arthur legend showcasing an important and lucky care to the supposed heroes throughout the film.

The film also breaks down the metanarrative of Christianity, being that God is good and all loving however in Monty Python and the holy Grail the opposite is true. God is portrayed as Dick again showcasing any lack of amazement within the film and still is approaching this fantastical journey with a pen now sense of disappointment.

This destruction of ideas is also showcased through what is known as a downward swing. Unlike most stories which are upward things allowing the story to be elevated to a universal state a down between takes a classic story and you forms into a grotesque interpretation of itself. This is showcasing the French soldiers who don’t care for Arthur or his Knights. This undermines the importance of that these characters represent instead mocks and belittles them. This is further showcase with the subversion of the Trojan’s idea (in this case a rabbit) where they forget to climb inside of it as the structure is fired back at them. Again the preconceptions of the narrative is destroyed and instead the heroes of the trays as idiots. This idea of a post-modernist metanarrative is further showcase with a narrator breaking the fourth wall in the dressing audience with footage that is supposedly set in reality. However with the narrative being killed by a fictional night the film shows that even breaking the fourth wall in and of itself is merely a deconstruction within a deconstruction of the medium of film within the holy Grail.

This deconstruction of the metanarrative is shown within the tales of Sir Robin and Sir Galahad. In the tale of Sir Robin, the scene acts as a deconstruction of the metanarrative of Arthurian chivalry. As showcased by the song being sung by minstrels so Robin is meant to be a brave heroic nights. However when confronted with danger this ideology is destroyed as he is exposed to be a coward and runs away as showcased by him confronting the three headed night rain away as his minstrels sing a song about him doing so. This is also shown as Sir Galahad the supposedly most pure and free. Often nights is seduced by a group of nuns inside the castle anthrax before Lancelot rescued him. The scene acts as a deconstruction of traditional heroic nights with Firth character traits such as chivalry being exposed through post-modernism as well as mocking the historical importance of religion and the supposed chastity of nuns. The film shows how post modernism is used just to serve peoples own self-centred ends their metanarratives showcasing their despicable deeds with meta narratives are not even true as the knights are exposed as hypocrite’s, cowards, and violent sociopaths.

In the knights who say nie scene we are shown the deconstruction and absurdity of the supposedly evil villains of the film. This is highlighted by the knight’s task then getting shrubbery for the before they are sent on another task to get another shrubbery into cut down a tree with a heavy before being defeated by them saying the word “it”.  After the sequence in which a cartoon man shouts at the sun and clouds for jumping and ringing his title for today’s drawing for the film further showcasing the artificiality of the universe, Lancelot receives a note from a distressed maiden (which in reality is just a wimpy Prince)  and rushes to rescue “her” murdering a bunch of people in the process. Instead of being the gallant heroes Lancelot is showcasing a deranged psychopath performing a ultimately pointless action further showcasing the post-modern deconstruction of the film’s protagonists. As well as this, Lancelot received as a note from a distressed maiden and rushes to her rescue. In the process murdering a bunch of people before finding out that there was not even a meeting to begin with and arrive over a wimpy Prince. This demonstrates Lancelot to be nothing more than a psychopathic killer and like King Arthur tries to benefit from the situation. This scene acts as a post-modern deconstruction of Arthurian chivalry as the king gets Lancelot to kill the bride father again showing the deconstruction of traditional heroes. This post-modern metanarrative deconstruction is further shown with Arthur abusing his power by attacking the peasants by saying “nie”. However, beyond this throughout the film we are shown the real world interacting with the fictional one truly showcasing the post-modern metanarrative. the audience’s perception of the film is t distorted as warped faith and logic casts doubt upon it is classical logic and if it can be destroyed then how can it be trusted.

Within the film magic and sorcery is again showcased with a banal and oppressive in this and ultimately pointless. We she’s demonstrated with the sorcerer Tim the Enchanter. As with anything else in the film magic and sorcery is shown with a banal unimpressive this and at the pointlessness. With this scene building up the monster in the cave which it stands out as a rabbit, the film destroys its own narrative before creating a metanarrative destroying the previous narrative whereby the rabbit turns out to be a vicious killer decapitating the night all of which is very much cemented in post-modernism.

The monster is defeated when the Knight throws the holy hand grenade at the rabbit lining up the holy hand grenade itself is a parody of the Globus cruciger a real-life religious object traditionally held by the Pope. This scene further indicates the post-modern deconstruction of the film showcasing a parody and mockery of religion.

As they enter the cave, they find the legendary black beast of aragh a 2D animated cartoon monster which they proceed to run away from. The fact that they only survive due to the animated dying of a sudden heart attack showcases the films post-modernist metanarrative commenting on itself and breaking down the film conventions at the fine through the fourth wall break. This scene further showcases the destruction of the heroic tropes commonly associated with nights as they run away and only survive due to the artificiality of the film. Breaking down the classic traits of the historical film is also shown with the bridge keeper seen. As the bridge keeper asked the knights stupid questions as the scene acts as a post-modern deconstruction of the historical epic and for them trying to act against this and apply a sense of the logic and reason to their predicament they are punished. It is only when Arthur actively engages with films deconstruction in that he succeeds by being allowed to cross the bridge. The film then has a small intermission further highlighting the artificiality of the film’s existence.

Once they get to Castle Arge it turns out that the French are already there. This destroys the notion of a heroic end with the people that taunted them at the beginning of the film still having the power to do so showcasing the endeavour is pointless and by extension the protagonists as hopeless. As a big battle scene prepares to happen the climax of the film is interrupted as the police show up and arrest the knights, putting their hands over the camera making it obvious that they are watching a film. The end of Monty Python and the holy Grail distorts the very medium of film showcasing the artificiality of the experience of cinema.

Monty Python and the holy Grail showcases a post-modern metanarrative to unravel the artificial construct of its nature mirroring the artificial nature of Arthurian chivalry throughout the film. These deconstructions of religion and logic are deconstructed within a deconstruction of hero tropes which are deconstructed within the deconstruction of the medium of film showcasing the film as a masterpiece of post-modernism.