Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975, 4K UHD Blu-ray) Review
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: 8/26/2025
Rating: PG
Film Grade: A-
The Story: The setting is 932 AD, and King Arthur travels across the whole of Britain, searching for worthy knights to join his Round Table. It’s during this task that he’s presented with a mission from God himself, to seek out the one and only Holy Grail. The assembled band of (mostly) heroic knights will face dangers great and small as they attempt to complete their challenging quest.
My Take: I first caught part of this movie when it aired on our local PBS station sometime in the late 1970s. I was instantly hooked by the weirdly irreverent and comedic take on the well-known legend of King Arthur and his heroic Knights of the Round Table. I was unaware of the Pythons at that time, and my appreciation of the movie led to the discovery of the TV series, of which I became a fan. Later, as I delved into the world of role-playing games, the movie became a touchpoint for us nerds, incorporating references to the film as comedic relief during some of the more harrowing encounters. This was not a singularity among our group, as snippets of dialog are still frequently heard at conventions and other gatherings of geeks throughout the land.
My next encounter with the film was during my college years, where many of the socio-political references that had completely flown over my head as a teen finally registered. Not that one could take the movie as any kind of serious political commentary, but it serves as a fun reflection of the various absurdities that lie within. Peasants discussing the intricacies of different governments, the hazards of frothing mobs twisted by logical fallacies, and arranged marriages for political power and control are just some of the subtexts that are cheekily played with, but never dwelled on, to the bemusement of the audience.
It's been some years since watching the movie, so the 50th anniversary is a perfect time to revisit it. What surprised me upon viewing, is just how seriously the movie was filmed. Bear with me for a minute. Set aside the dry humor, silly events, and low-budget costumes and props. If one just views the movie with regard to the framing, pacing, and camera angles, the story is treated quite seriously. For example, take the scene with the Black Knight. The fight choreography is handled as a realistic approach for the first half, setting up a palpable sense of peril. It’s only until the script suddenly turn silly for that feeling to end. Another when the troop treads through the forest before encountering the Knights Who Say Ni. The haze, glances at lurking shadowy figures, intercut with close-up shots at Arthur’s eyes, all create a feeling of anxiety and trepidation leading up to what eventually turns into a ridiculous demand. Up to those points, the movie can easily be viewed as a straightforward adventure. It’s that seriousness that sets the stage for the contrasting absurdity that follows.
The other contributing factor is the almost entirely deadpan approach to the characters. While the lines and circumstances revel in absurdity, they’re enhanced by the masterfully dry delivery. From the stoic and regal reading of King Arthur’s lines, to the old hermit’s warnings about the dreadful caves, to the awe-inspiring powers of the mysterious enchanter, all are handled with the utmost sincerity even if the audience knows that we’re being played with. It’s often said that comedians have all the skills to portray even the most serious of roles, and this movie lends credence to that thought. Put any of these actors into a similar action movie without the comedy, and they would have been entirely credible.
With all that greatness, the one weakness of the film is its ending. This was more bothersome to me in my younger days, and I’ve come to accept it for what it is over the intervening decades. While disappointing that we didn’t get a true resolution to the story, it is set up by the many moments where the fourth wall is not just broken, but shattered. That’s the sole reason for docking from an A grade, so those that don’t feel cheated by it can adjust accordingly.
Visuals: The movie is presented in 4K UHD for the first time with this release, but don’t expect any miracles with the visuals. The UHD aspect makes itself known during certain scenes, such as the Bring Out Your Dead segment, where highlights are much brighter than in the accompanying Blu-ray disc. Grain is prominent throughout; there’s been no artificial scrubbing applied here, thankfully, with more definition to the grain than on the Blu-ray, which looks splotchier in comparison.
There are some extremely soft shots, such as at the end of the movie with the approaching boat. This is undoubtably an issue with the film itself rather than any transfer issues on the disc. In general, there is slightly more detail and gradation with this 4K disc. It’s not a night and day difference, but preferable to the earlier versions.
Audio: The 4K disc features a new Atmos mix of the soundtrack. While this won’t be confused with a native Atmos presentation, it does help expand the feel of the movie. Tops are used for some of the musical score, along with some discreet effects, such as God’s dialog, thunder, creatures flung from catapults, and the occasional bird noises. I’d recommend this track over the 5.1 version, and the mono track is included for purists.
While the movie is most remembered for Neil Innes’ hilariously delightful Camelot Song; the score also features some licensed music that is used to great effect. For example, Arthur’s Theme is actually a piece called Homeward Bound by composer Jack Trombey. Or, Oliver Armstrong’s Flying Messenger piece played over Launcelot’s ruthless rescue sequence. These heroic melodies are another illustration of the serious aspects of the film, as mentioned above, adding even more contrast to its featured humor.
Special Features: There's a treasure trove to unpack here which will take fans hours to fully devour. The one new featurette is commentary from contemporary comedians as they muse upon their first encounters and takes on this classic.
On the 4K disc:
- Near-Theatrical Version of the Film (in HD resolution) – Experience a slightly shorter version of the film, as seen on VHS!
- ‘Tis But a Tribute – 50 Years of Monty Python and the Holy Grail – Over 25 comedy luminaries share their memories of, affection for, and continued fascination with the film
On the Blu-ray Disc:
- Feature presented in HD resolution
- English 5.1 & Mono
- Special Features:
- Audio Commentary with Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones
- Audio Commentary with John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin
- 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Q&A with Terry, Terry, Mike, John and Eric!
- Outtakes and Extended Scenes with Introduction by Terry Jones
- Lost Animations with Introduction by Terry Gilliam
- Quest for the Holy Grail Locations with Michael Palin and Terry Jones
- Lego Knights: The Knights of the Round Table in LEGO
- Special Japanese Version
- How to Use Your Coconuts (An Educational Film)
- BBC Film Night on Location
- Three Songs to Sing-Along
- Photo Gallery
- Original Theatrical Trailer
Final Verdict: Fifty years later, we can safely regard this movie as a true classic. Yes, it’s primarily a narrative framework used to string together various sketches, but it does hold together thematically. At least until we get to the end. It helps that those sketches are just so, so good and varied. It’s one of those movies that leaves an instant impression upon viewers, creating vivid memories that persist long after one’s first encounter. This is at least partially due to the classical educational background of the Pythons, giving them the vast resources to string together an unusual variety of subject matters into a wry take on a genre film. Sadly, the comedy troupe has lost two of the founding members and the remaining individuals have gone on to other projects. There hasn’t been a similar group of talent to take up the mantle, illustrating just how impressive their catalog of work has been.
I give great credit to Sony for putting together this anniversary release. The Steelbook packaging itself is a delight, with irreverent quotes on the cover such as, “Makes Ben Hur look like an epic,” and “Another film completely different from some of the other films which aren’t quite the same as this one is.” These feel perfectly in line with the spirit of the Python’s prior works. The inside picture features what appears to be a candid cast photo capturing the feel of the production. There’s a generous number of extras included, offering the viewer a chance to connect even more deeply with the film.
This is also one of my wife’s favorite films and we had a wonderful time revisiting this upon its golden anniversary, and were pleasantly surprised at how much fun we had with the timeless humor. Highly recommended for fans of this outstanding movie.
Favorite Quote: Has there ever been a more quotable film? While others may rival it, the sheer number of memorable lines is something that sets this one atop the list, making it nearly impossible to select a single one. That said, I’m going to pick, “There are some who call me. . .Tim.” While a seemingly benign choice, it’s reflective of a hyper-dramatic lead up being subverted in a perfectly delivered and underplayed way. I’ll also admit to shamelessly modifying this line for one of my old Dungeons and Dragons characters – a shadowy ninja, affectionately named Tim.
I couldn't find a trailer specifically for this release, so here's one from a couple of years ago:
My Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup
4 Replies
884 Views