Time Bandits (1981) 110 Minutes

Movienight celebrated its Official First Anniversary with this pick. The crow-

ded Back Yard enjoyed candled cup cakes as Movienight’s Archivist,

Tooda, toasted our First Year in his preamble to this seemingly well-received

Selection.

History was the focus of the evening, and in many ways it repeated itself.

Sadly Jaja’s absence was the first example of how the night reflected our

first night one year ago. It was Tooda’s pick again, and again he shared the

title of his Back Up Pick (‘Big Trouble in Little China’) after the screening.

Once again the weather was clear, and spirits were high.

Joining the Crew for the celebration were Messrs. Simonetti and Towne, as well as the welcome addition of Coolbaugh’s cousin Anna. Chris Pratt was there as well, but an emergency called him away, and his dedication to his friend was a fine example of the camaraderie Movienight stands in honor of.

The stellar cast of Gilliam’s ‘Time Bandits’ marked the first appearance of many cinema legends. Sean Connery, Katherine Helmond, David Rappaport, Ralph Richardson, and Shelly Duvall all make their debuts with this Selection. Returning faces include Python vets John Cleese and Michael Palin (‘The Meaning of Life’) as well as Ian Holm (‘Big Night’) and David Warner (‘Straw Dogs’).

Though he had directed the short at the start of ‘The Meaning of Life,’ as Nubs famously skipped the first ten minutes of that pick, ‘Time Bandits’ marks Terry Gilliam’s directorial debut on the Stucco.

Happy Birthday, Movienight!

“Right. Come on then. Back to Creation. We mustn’t waste any more time. They’ll think I’ve lost control again and put it all down to evolution.”

Written by: Michael Palin & Terry Gilliam

Directed by: Terry Gilliam

SELECTOR Comments:

I had not seen this film in a long time, but holy shit does it hold up. I was looking for a film that spoke to the passage of time to mark our First Year, and knew ‘Back to the Future’ wouldn’t stand a chance in the Back Yard. ‘Time Bandits’ is childhood. It deals with dreams and nightmares in a way that is totally authentic and made me travel through time myself, remembering my own youth as I felt strong kinship to Kevin’s outlook. There is an intrinsic nobility to a child. When we were young we had a simple understanding of right and wrong, there was a purity to that outlook and through it good and evil were distinct and disparate. Gilliam’s film gets that, and so many things, right on the nose.

The striking image of the knight on horseback bursting through Kevin’s dresser is haunting. It evokes the visceral nature of imagination as it is surreal and concrete at the same time. I was struck with this viewing how similar the shot of Kevin in his bed in the middle of the forest was to the same shot in ‘An American Werewolf in London’s dream sequence. As they both were made in 1981 it’s hard to say who lifted from whom, but I thought I’d note it here.

‘Time Bandits’ is replete with these sorts of images. The enormous boat on the giant’s head, the shattering of the whimsical Invisible Barrier, the cages hanging in the midst of a giant void - all of them are so painterly in their execution, and powerful in their presence. Gilliam is a master of imagery, and his evolution from Monty Python’s animator to ‘Time Bandits’ director is a straight line.

The majesty of the imagined realms in ‘Time Bandits’ is perfectly punctuated by the immensely mundane world which Kevin shares with his parents. It is a bleak, plastic covered, unloving vision of suburbia, and its darkness makes Kevin’s loss at the film’s end seem more a blessing than a tragedy.

All of the performances are equally strong, and they give the film a sense of true ensemble. David Rappaport carries the bulk of the film, and he is an excellent actor regardless of his height or his sad death. David Warner is deliciously evil as Evil, and he brings a fearsome weight to his role.

Commonly categorized as a children’s film, I find ‘Time Bandits’ to be exceedingly adult in its dealing with the vagaries of history and the nature of evil. It is too often overlooked, and am very pleased it has joined our canon.

Well, Year Two is underway, and I am honored to be allowed to usher it in with this fine film and our excellent Crew.

next >

< previous