Time Bandits (1981)

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 | Evil | Map | Dwarf | Fortress

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:

Director Trademark: [Terry Gilliam] [cages]This film uses cages identical to the cage Jill is imprisoned in, in Giliam's film Brazil (1985).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: At Agamemnon's feast, in the absolute silence following the gang's vanishing act, a guest can be seen clapping enthusiastically.

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

My favorite film of all time.

This is THE definitive work on the nature of good and evil. It asks the age old question: Who is the Supreme Being, and what is it exactly that he wants from us? Terry Gilliam gives us a morality tale wrapped inside a an epic poem seen in the guise of an abstract painting.

As a film, all the seperate elements are perfect, and blended together seemlessly by the hand of the maestro Gilliam. It is not only a brilliant comedy, but an enthralling story as well. This is a film that sparks discussion and debate that goes on well into the night.

It is the rarest of all cinematic creatures-- a movie that is a genuine pleasure to watch and one that makes you think.