Time Bandits (1981)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Terry Gilliam

Writers:

Michael Palin (written by) &
Terry Gilliam (written by)

Release Date:

6 November 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

All the dreams you've ever had and not just the good ones

Plot:

A young boy accidently joins a band of dwarves as they jump from time-period to time-period looking for treasure to steal.

Plot Keywords:

Treasure | Fortress | Evil | Dwarf | Map

Awards:

1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

John Cleese	...	Robin Hood
Sean Connery	...	King Agamemnon / Fireman
Shelley Duvall	...	Dame Pansy / Pansy
Katherine Helmond	...	Mrs. Ogre
Ian Holm	...	Napoleon
Michael Palin	...	Vincent
Ralph Richardson	...	Supreme Being
Peter Vaughan	...	Winston the Ogre
David Warner	...	Evil Genius
David Rappaport	...	Randall
Kenny Baker	...	Fidgit
Malcolm Dixon	...	Strutter
Mike Edmonds	...	Og
Jack Purvis	...	Wally
Tiny Ross	...	Vermin

Runtime:

116 min | USA:110 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:K-11 (VET id: 90845) | France:U | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Haywood, Birch Hill, Bracknell, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

HandMade Films

Trivia:

Ruth Gordon was cast as Mrs. Ogre but replaced before filming because of a broken limb.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Though the Napoleon scene took place in 1796, we see Napoleon is wearing the Legion of Honor (Légion d'Honneur). The medal was not constructed until May 19th 1802.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Announcer: Yes, folks... Moderna Designs present the latest in kitchen luxury. The Moderna Wonder Major All Automatic Convenience Center-ette gives you all the time in the world to do the things you really want to do... An infrared freezer-oven complex that can make you a meal from packet to plate in 15 1/2 seconds.
Kevin's Mother: Morrisons have got one that can do that in eight seconds.
Kevin's Father: Oh?
Kevin's Mother: Block of ice to Beef Bourguignon in eight seconds. Lucky things.
Kevin: Dad, did you know that the ancient Greek warriors had to learn 44 different ways of unarmed combat?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Flushed Away (2006)

Soundtrack:

Dream Away

It's a wavelength thing

It IS a wavelength thing. Terry Gilliam's films are ALL Terry Gilliam films. They all have that certain something, some kind of feeling about them that makes them instantly recognizable. The same can be said of the Coen brothers. Unfortunately, movies that are that personal and unique do not work for everybody. For the people that just can't get into Gilliam films, I hope there's another filmmaker that inspires childlike wonderment in you. Because it's a great feeling. Time Bandits is magic. I've seen it many times (over 10) and each time, I find something new about it. It's a fine example of a movie that works for children and adults alike. When I saw it for the first time at age 8, I enjoyed the fantasy, adventure, and basic good vs. evil story. As I got older I started appreciating the social commentary on consumerism, the Python-esque humor, and just how imaginative and skillfully done the movie is. After watching it again yesterday, I'm having trouble deciding which is the better movie; Brazil or Time Bandits.