Monty Python and the Holy Grail - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Monty Python and the Holy Grail



Movie:
4K Video:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:


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Movie
We are the knights who say...NI!

Back in 1975, no one really knew what an influence Monty Python and the Holy Grail would be on comedy. It rode onto the scene with coconuts instead of horses, and just walked over the idea of the “serious” comedy and lampooned Arthurian legend in a way that would make Peter Sellers green with envy. Growing up in the 90s (I was an 80s kid, but wasn’t really cognizant of films till about 1990) Monty Python was the stuff of legend, and by the time I hit college right at the turn of the 21st century it was basically a given that my friends and I would be quoting lines from their films to the point where our parents probably wanted to disown us just to make the quotes stop. I have owned the VHS, the DVD, the special edition DVD, the Blu-ray, and a second copy of the Blu-ray because I gave away my first copy to a friend, so the second I saw a 4K UHD was on the menu, I knew that I would be adding this to the collection, too.

The Plot…….yeahhhhhhhh, let's just say that a traditional breakdown of the film’s plot would be fruitless, as The Holy Grail is more or less a series of vignettes and side stories regarding Arthur and his knights as they go about the countryside looking for the holy grail of legend. Graham Chapman helms the film as King Arthur, clip-clopping his way through the British countryside in search of Knights to aid him in his quest to recover the grail. However, said knights are about as bumbling as he is, and end up slicing and dicing a black knight, getting trapped by the harpies of the Castle Anthrax (We all deserve a spanking!), re-enacting Game of Thrones “Red Wedding” episode with John Cleese, and of course sheer absurdity that I couldn’t even possible describe in the form of animated side skits.

Honestly, the cast and the skits are the main selling points of the whole film. While there is a generalized goal to get the grail (which really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things) but nobody cares about that. We’re just here for Terry Gilliam, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, and the rest of the Monty Python comedy troupe to pop up in every scene (many times playing different characters in the same scene) to hit us with some of the most hilarious physical comedy of the last 50 years.

The second half of the coin is the fact that The Holy Grail has basically burnt itself into pop culture over the last 50 years, and many lines are still spoken today (even if not everyone knows where they came from). Basically, if you’ve ever heard “NI!!!”, “Message for you, sir!”, “The holy hand grenade of Antioch”, the killer bunny, or men using coconuts to simulate horse hooves, then yes, this is that film.

Simply put, Monty Python and The Holy Grail is one of the most impeccably done bits of absurdist slapstick comedies that has ever been invented. Barley pushing the PG rating, they manage to have people of all ages rolling in the aisles, and tearing up. The comedy is extremely well crafted and nuanced, going back to a time when British comedy was considered some of the best in the world. The comedians are having a ball as they jump from one role to the next, taking everything so seriously that it, in and of itself, adds to the absurdity of it all.




Rating:

Not Rated by the MPAA




4K Video: Video:

The 4K UHD transfer for this film is absolutely stunning, considering that this was a grungy little budget film shot in 1975. The Blu-ray has always looked really good for its age, but the new master struck for this sucker is amazing. There are some obvious issues from the filming that stick out, such as a few soft angles, some grain spikes, and the obvious splicing of animated bits into the live action (such as the monster in the cave), which are more an issue with how they filmed this little endeavor of love more than it is a technical issue. That being said, the film looks amazing, with bright colors that aren’t artificially boosted by the Dolby Vision, and fine details that are generally stunning. Check out the Black Knight sequence where spurts of blood pulsate from every severed limb, or the nuance on the stone walls when Lancelot goes to rescue the “princess”. Grain is presented wonderfully, with no signs of clumping, swarming, or obvious digital manipulation, which is so prevalent these days. Basically, this is a PERFECT transfer in every way, and gives us the film in a manner that I have never seen look so authentic to the time period, yet so immaculate.





Audio:

Coming in JUUUUUUUST behind the video is the really impressive Dolby Atmos remixing of a film that’s been remixed at least 3 times (and has the 5.1 and Mono track in DTS-HD MA lossless as well for purists). I’m usually very skeptical about Mono tracks that remixed up to Atmos, but they did a fantastic job with this one, replicating the base sound of the original mixing, and tweaking and shifting it slightly to expand everything out. There are certainly limitations based upon the source material, but the Atmos track takes the front-heavy mix of old and expands outward, adding in some discrete surround usage, amplifying bassy elements (such as the hand grenade exploding), and adding some punch to the track. For those who prefer the most straightforward mix, the 2.0 Mono lossless track is still there and sounds quite nice, albeit a bit tinny and thin at times.






Extras:

4K UHD 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

Blu-ray Disc
• 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 Score: ​

Monty Python and The Holy Grail is easily in the top 5 comedy films of all time, and has stood the test of time just as easily as many newer films. 50 years later, we have people talking about a bunch of bumbling British comedians looking to buy a shrubbery, or the exact number needed to count for the holy hand grenade. The 4K UHD disc may seem a bit overkill with the Atmos track, but it’s a solid upmix, and the new 4K transfer is absolutely stunning. Add in an absolute plethora of extras, and this steelbook is a must-buy.



Technical Specifications:

Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Connie Booth
Directed by: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Written by: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 HEVC
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core), English DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DTS-HD MA Mono,
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Studio: Sony Pictures
Rated: NR
Runtime: 92 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: August 26th, 2025

Recommendation: Must Buy

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[Asere]

Thank you for the review! The Monty films is something that you would have had to grow up watching in order to appreciate them, I was not one of those and through the years including last week I tried to give this one a shot and it wasn't for me. I will continue to try I promise. This time I will get my wife involved that laughs at anything.