So you've seen Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail

[JRMurdock]

and your friends and family all think you're insane for having watched it over 100 times. You know the lines better than the lines for all three Star Wars Movies (or is it just me who memorizes lines from movies?). You use the lines at any given chance knowing it'll draw a snicker from those 'in the know'. You've even got a story or two relating to a time when you introduced someone to the movie.

Let's hear that story!

Here's mine.

My friend and I went to the local used book store (well, it was local to me then, not so local now). As luck would have it, we'd just seen MP: TQFTHG prior to going to the store. Our minds were fresh with the images of the Ka-nig-its, large wooden bunnies (not to mention vicious, man-eating bunnies), and castles.

Whist perusing the wares of the local bookstore, we overheard a pair of young lads reading outloud in bland mono-tone voices, a script that sounded oh so familiar.

"We are the knights who say. . . is this nigh?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"We are the knights who say nigh. Nigh. Nigh."

This was an affront to even the most casual watchers of MP: TQFTHG. It was horrible to hear the words spoken in such a manner. We set out to right the wrong as if we were the ones who had been turned to newts. Well, we got better.

Without a word, but with large grins, we snuck up on the pair. With high shrill voices we corrected the wrong.

"We are the knights who say NI! NI! NI!"

The two youths, who'd been reading from a copy of the screen play for MP: TQFTHG were frightened beyond belief. They nearly dropped the precious document to the ground. We snatched the booklet from their hands and gave them a proper reading of the scene. When we had finished, they were in stiches (for we didn't need the script to recite most of the scene). We convinced them to see the error in their ways and head straight from the store and rent?. . . I say NAY! Purchase a copy of MP: TQFTHG. Watch it as many times as the llamas will allow (10,000 whooping llamas can't be wrong ya know) and my friend and I purchased the screenplay.

This was a day worth rememberance. Do you have such a day? Please, share.

 

[Dominus]

I actually have it sitting on my TV right now alone with The Life of Brian. One of the funniest movies ever made, though I don't have a story about it, sorry.

 

[Sammie]

Dude, it's going to take a hell of a lot to beat that story. Thank you!

 

[Leiali]

I can't remember if the holy hand grenade of Antioch and the Killer Rabbit are in the Quest for the holy grail. But if it is, my story is about a killer rabbit....

I was round at a friends house watching a very important episode of.....well, I don't really want to say Dawson's Creek....

My friend has a menagerie of pets, one being a rabbit. It usually ignores me - the feeling is mutual.
Anyway Dawson was finally about to get some, my friend and I were hanging on the edge of the sofa, the cats were in the next room, and the rabbit was on the other side of the room from us. Just at an extremely critical point in the conversation (Dawson does nothing but talk most of the time after all), the rabbit (called Monkey by the way) jumped me. We are talking LEAPT at me from a great distance. Needless to say I was extremely girly, screamed and jumped up at the same time. My friend was no use as a) she didn't have the holy hand grenade of Antioch. and b) she thought it was hilarious and was too busy laughing at me.

Come to think of it, isn't the killer rabbit in the Life of Brian?

 

[JRMurdock]

Yes, the killer beastie with big sharp pointy fangs that wants to eat your head off lives in the Holy Grail. He is destoyed by brother Maynard who brings out the Holy Hand Grenade and countus thou to three. Two is not the number thou shall count and five is right out.

 

[ironchef texmex]

I stopped breathing.

Yes, it was the rabbit. He launched himself into the knights of the round and I started laughing... and couldn't stop. It went on and on. I started choking. Choking and laughing at the same time. I couldn't draw a breath. Of course I was all alone. I'd never heard of the "Holy Grail buddy system" rule and there was no one to call 911.

I got really scared. 'Died laughing' is a joke. You don't want to actually *die laughing*. They'd make fun of you at the funeral.

 

[FicusFan]

Mine is not really funny, but it shows how the movie has infiltrated all levels of life.

I was at a museum and went into the gift shop to look around. I found something and got in line. In front of me was this small, thin, elderly, white haired woman. She was being waited on by the clerk, a 20-30 something woman. I didn't hear their whole conversation, but I did hear her say to the older woman, '...oh we also have one about swallows'. The older lady didn't miss a beat, she looked at her and said "African or European". The younger one was totally confused, and the elderly lady and I stood in line just chuckling away.

 

[NeonKnight]

I have the DVD and Michael Palin goes back to the various locations for the obligatory "Making of the Movie" extra.

He recalls the story of how the Scottish castle commision was initally thrilled with the film to be shot at one of their locations. However when they found out it was the comedy act Monty Python, their initial enthusiasm turned to panic!

They eventualy relented, and to this day, visitors from around the world come to this particular castle in Scotland, every day, simply because of the movie "Holy Grail". The castle even provides empty cocoanut shells to the visitors. (for the proper knight-on-horseback sound effects.)

 

[saintjon]

Just the other day I had my cousin hook up the vcr so we could this true comic gem. The reason being was I had to show him, there we were playing Worms 3-D and he had no idea about the full implications/ origin of the Holy Hand Grenade

I was kind of worried when it got to the Black Knight scene, he's a little squeamish about violent movies, but when it got that part the poor kid couldn't stop laughing .

Ah that's not the best story, that movie and monty python in general has been a big part of my life for so long *sniffle* oh the memories...

Man the Spanish Inquisition I think has led to more public displays of Pythonism for me, it's just too fun to run around screaming "NO ONE EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!"

 

[Oorag]

Another little tidbit from the documentary: if you watch the trojan rabbit scene closely, you can see that Lancelot is the only knight brave enough to reach the castle wall as the knights are being pelted. He swings his sword once at the wall and then retreats. Apparently, you can actually still see the gash that Cleese's wild and unauthorized swing put into the national monument. The caretakers were furious, and I think MP's conduct actually got them kicked out of the place.

 

[saintjon]

Yeah I noticed that lol. Man, it must have been something to romp around with those guys back then.

 

[Evil Agent]

My only story is that when I was in Scotland last fall, and went on a day trip to the Highlands, we first stopped at a castle in a place called Doune, and it turned out to be the same castle from the film! The one that the French are stationed at, and then they throw the cows down from. Now that was cool!

 

[Msylvia]

I can't post my favorite one here. I'd have to kill you all. But whenever occasion allows, I love to go 'Run away! Run away!' or point at my friend's rabbit with the 'big pointy teeth'. Some people get it. And then, there are the sparrows.

 

[Ufay]

O how i love that movie. When i watched it the first time, i was a lil slow and didn't find it to funny. I watched it a second, then a third, and now i can't really refuse when someone brings it up. In fact, i've introduced prolly hundreds to the film. Me and my friend (who as seen it has much as i hav) can't help but quote the movie from time to time. My mother (who didn't see the point of the movie) found it rather bland. Until she too watched it again. I dont really have a funny story, but the ones posted before now are funny. Hard to beat.

 

[Rocket Sheep]

The first time I saw it was on late night telly... I had to hide behind the sofa and watch it from underneath because it was on so late and wasn't suitable for children. It was revolutionary... it's just that it didn't revolutionise anything... as John Cleese keeps lamenting. I think they just did it so well, no one wanted to compete.

I think I saw it at a very influential age tho... things have been very pythonesque ever since.

 

[Khallandra]

Oh oh oh I got that on Monday - still haven't had a chance to watch it - hopefully will soon - I've been waiting FOREVER to actually watch it

 

[Msylvia]

Well, now I have a new one.

Being a Tampa resident, I was expecting to be pummeled by a hurricane, so the night before the forecasted hit, I stocked up on alchohol, canned food,
candles, water, and movies.

One of the movies? Monty Python's Holy Grail, of course (this thread may be responsible for that)

I watched it Friday with my best friend, who had been evacuated from her place and was at mine. Or tried to. I could not relax enough to pay attn.
Even the Knights who say "Ni" couldn't make me laugh that day.

 

[Priestvyrce]

Long time ago(about 20 years or so) I first saw MP's Holy Grail. My buddies were reciting lines upon lines and nudging me to"WATCH THIS!" type of thing. I got so annoyed that I couldn't really enjoy the movie, but about a year later, I decided to rent it and watch it by myself. Remembering what my friends said about certain parts of the movie, I got alot of the inside jokes about the movie.

So one day, I knicked myself on the corner of a table and my friends asked if I was okay and in my best (some might worse) british accent, I said" Ah, tis but a scratch!". From there we started our hour long MP and the Holy Grail recitations.

 

[Heresy]

These are hilarious stories. I wish I had something interesting to share...the most that ever happened was that one of my friends and I tried to learn the Sir Robin song.... No real punch line here, did say I wish I had something interesting. ;_;

 

[Lifino]

While I have many memories that involve recreations of MP about the best was Larry, my History teacher for three years in Highschool. He was a washed up hippie who led class in a near nazi fashion. He would pace back and forth around the room carrying a wooden baseball bat, swinging it to keep his shoulders loose, and if someone lay thier head down and dozed off durring Lary's class he would wait until that poor student had slipped into a deep sleep then sneak over and smack the table infront of the kid with the baseball bat... Not a little tap, but a near ax-stroke-like blow...

Larry was a good guy.

AND since Larry taught history we would watch Monty Python ATSftHG. Nothing like an accurate accounting of the events at the courts of Spamalot.