... Form hereon in, much like it's only stablemate 'The Princess Bride', 'Time Bandits' sidesteps condescending, sentimental moralising, and enters a world that never preaches to children. Instead, Gilliam and Palin decide to give them the heebie-jeebies, and entertain the living daylights out ... Read review
Who are the Time Bandits?Where do they come from and how much do they cost?They are ... more
timeless yet always late; immortal; yet destructible; capable of intergalactic, inter-cosmic travel, yet unable to tie their own shoelaces.Six cheeky dwarves steal a precious map showing a series of time holes scattered across the universe enabling them to travel back in time. Whilst visiting the past, they cause havoc and rob famous historical figures of their riches in the process. Watching from afar is the Evil Genius, who will stop at nothing to get his hands on their map for his own evil purpose.With 11 year old Kevin in tow, a great time travelling adventure ensues, full of superb make believe characters and very famous faces!
Born from the brilliant minds of Monty Python's Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin, Time ... more
Bandits is a British masterstroke in fantasy adventure. When a young boy's wardrobe shapeshifts into the gateway of another world, he finds himself embroiled in a series of eccentric encounters with famous historical figures; Napoleon, Robin Hood and ancient Greek leader, Agamemnon. There, backed by an arsenal of guerrilla dwarves, he must overcome evil forces, quantum leaps in time and 1980's suburban conditioning in order to save history, the present and the future.Loaded with astutely observed, rapid-fire humour, this critically acclaimed smash-hit remains one of Britain's most-enduring ensemble comedies. Boasting music by George Harrison, who co-produced the film alongside writer/director Gilliam, it stars Academy Award(r)-winners Sean Connery and Jim Broadbent, plus fellow Python's John Cleese and co-writer Michael Palin, in a classic - and timeless - comedy.
They are timeless yet always late; immortal, yet destructible; capable of intergalactic, ... more
inter-cosmic travel, yet unable to tie their own shoelaces. Six cheeky dwarves steal a precious map showing a series of time holes scattered across the universe enabling them to travel back in time. Whilst visiting the past, they cause havoc and rob famous historical figures of their riches in the process. Watching from afar is the Evil Genius, who will stop at nothing to get his hands on their map for his own evil purpose.With 11 year old Kevin in tow, a great time travelling adventure ensues, full of superb make believe characters and very famous faces!
In Terry Gilliam's fantastic voyage through time and space, ayoung boy named Kevin (Craig ... more
Warnock) escapes his gadget-obsessedparents to join a band of time-traveling dwarves. Armed with a mapstolen from the Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson), they plundertreasure from Napoleon (Ian Holm) and Agamemnon (Sean Connery) -but the Evil Genius (David Warner) is watching their every move!Featuring a darkly playful script by Gilliam and costar MichaelPalin, Time Banditsis all at once giddy fairy tale,revisionist history lesson, and satire on technology gone awry. Special Features: Audio commentary by director Terry Gilliam, cowriter/actorMichael Palin, and actors John Cleese, David Warner, and CraigWarnock Time Banditsscrapbook Original theatrical trailer Subtitles for the deaf and hearing-impaired Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Advantages: Typically inventive Gilliam Fare Disadvantages: Poor 5.1 mix..if I have to
...1981 slice of nightmarish fairytale time travelling sci-fi historical war drama comedy. Well, it is Terry Gilliam after all, I didn't say this was going to be plain sailing. Reaching into the crevices of his imagination, he has put on screen an endlessly enjoyable romp through, time, space and your childhood wardrobe.
Co-written with fellow Python Michael Palin, who one suspects gave the screenplay a solidity and kept it within boundaries, ... ...are hopping their way across time and space by use of holes in the fabric of, well...existence. That the latest hole has dumped them in Kevin's wardrobe and not Napoleonic warfields is an oversight, and is soon to be remedied, with Kevin as an unwilling participant.
So begins a twisted, warped rollercoaster ride through the pages of history, mythology and just plain lunacy. Kevin and the gang of Time Bandits constantly stay one halfwitted ... more
That most uneasy of genres, childrens fantasy, is given an almighty shake up by Terry Gilliam in this 1981 slice of nightmarish fairytale time travelling sci-fi historical war drama comedy. Well, it is Terry Gilliam after all, I didn't say this was going to be plain sailing. Reaching into the crevices of his imagination, he has put on screen an endlessly enjoyable romp through, time, space and your childhood wardrobe.
Co-written with fellow Python Michael Palin, who one suspects gave the screenplay a solidity and kept it within boundaries, Gilliam tells the tale of schoolboy Kevin. Kevin lives in suburbia, with suburbanite parents, glued to their television watching gameshows and keeping up with the Joneses. So far, so familiar territory. Form hereon in, much like it's only stablemate 'The Princess Bride', 'Time Bandits' sidesteps condescending, sentimental moralising, and enters a world that never preaches to children. Instead, Gilliam and Palin decide to give them the heebie-jeebies, and entertain the living daylights out of them.
Shut away in his bedroom, Kevin loses himself in books. Books about history, about derring-do, about chivalry and honour before death. These books are read beneath the covers of his duvet, with the help of a torch. A torch which will soon be used to pinpoint the worrying noises in his bedroom. Something is seriously wrong in his room. If he didn't know better, he'd say a collection of motley dwarf pickpockets were fighting to get out of his wardrobe. Being a dark tale, that's exactly the contents of his wardrobe, and out spill the meanest bunch of 4ft tall cutthroats the screen has ever seen.
Using a map stolen from the 'Supreme Being', this bunch of gardeners gone bad (I kid you not), have turned to crime, and are hopping their way across time and space by use of holes in the fabric of, well...existence. That the latest hole has dumped them in Kevin's wardrobe and not Napoleonic warfields is an oversight, and is soon to be remedied, with Kevin as an unwilling participant.
So begins a twisted, warped rollercoaster ride through the pages of history, mythology and just plain lunacy. Kevin and the gang of Time Bandits constantly stay one halfwitted step ahead of the Supreme Being, but they also have another foe in the shape of the Evil Genius. He'd also rather like to get his hands on the map.
Pitched at children and adults alike, 'Time Bandits' succeeds in keeping everyone happy, for every single second of it's 116 minute run time. The pratfalls, special effects and stunts will delight children, while adults will delight at the script which throws enough Python irreverence forth to keep the 'grown ups' content.
The cast are uniformly excellent. Craig Warnock is superb as the befuddled, bemused, irritated and intrigued Kevin, whose IQ is more than the combined bandits. Said bandits, lead by the late David Rappaport are not as one might suspect funny because they are dwarves, required to do no more than bump into each other and fall about. Gilliam and Palin thankfully have more respect than that. Instead, the bandits are a bunch of ill mannered, squabbling, selfish graspers. Their stupidity is presented by way of their unstinting desire to line their own pockets. Not at any point is their physical disability the point of the humour. Visually it's obviously a masterstroke, and in terms of sheer quirkiness it's second to none, and gives the actors a chance to emerge beyond 'Ewok' costumes, and be human. All too human.
David Warner is dryness incarnate as the Evil Genius. As unsettling as ever, bedecked in a superb costume courtesy of Gilliam's imagination by way of HR Giger, Warner threatens to steal the show. He has competition too. Ralph Richardson is the bureaucratic Supreme Being. Shelley Duvall pops up in Sherwood Forest, falling victim to Robin Hood as played by John Cleese. This segment is probably the funniest of the bunch, and Cleese's decision to play the robber of the rich as the Duke of Edinburgh is comedy to die for. Michael Palin crops up in a returning role, and Katherine Helmond and Peter Vaughan light up the screen as Mr and Mrs Ogre. Ian Holm is a superbly paranoid Napolean, and watch out for familiar faces such as Jim Broadbent and Frances de la Tour.
The biggest shock, certainly to Gilliam, is that Sean Connery appears. His script, in describing Agamemnon, suggested that the character removes his helmet to reveal someone like Sean Connery. Wild dreams became reality, and Connery slashed his fee to appear, and he lends much warmth to the role, and weight to the picture.
Produced by George Harrisons 'Handmade', the film is clearly existing on a slim budget, but that is almost to Gilliam and co's advantage. Forced to be creative in all areas rather than lean on costly special effects, what appears on screen is all the magical for it. Naturally there are special effects aplenty, but they are deployed with great care and skill and trample over todays ten a penny CGI churnings. Production design by Milly Burns is jaw dropping, all detail and depth, and retaining a blacker than black nightmare quality throughout. Apply the same to multi-Oscar winning costume designer James Acheson. Both have put Gilliams scribblings on screen in highly satisfying ways. The film is a joy to look at.
Musically it's a collaborative effort, with Python regulars De Wolfe serving up the majority of the score. George Harrison chips in with an enjoyable tune to close the picture, while Trevor Jones and MIke Moran contribute period flavour. Peter Biziou photographs the picture nicely, no doubt restrained by budgetary and scheduling restrictions, but he lights the film well and we are never in doubt of the solidity of the fantasy worlds.
The DVD itself? Anchor Bay again come up trumps with content and quality. We are treated to an informal and relaxed 'chat' between Palin and Gilliam about the film. Unstuffy, and natural, it's nice to be caught between them as memories resurface. Some of the content crops up again on the commentary which adds in John Cleese, and as you would expect is largely interesting and entertaining.
There are production notes, bios of Gilliam, Palin and Connery. Most tantalising though are storyboards of the lost sequence involving a Spidery set of witches. There are numerous ways to watch these storyboards, and to see how the sequence would have fitted into the finished product. A scrap book and photo gallery round off the package which boasts nice menus and cover design. A well cared for product, presented in its original ratio - an anormorphic transfer for widescreen televisions. Sound is available in the original mix, or as one of Anchor Bays horrid echoing 5.1 remixes.
Currently available as part of Play.com's Anchor Bay clearout, £7.99 for the interested, 'Time Bandits' should be in everyone's collection. Grabbing magpie-like at every conceivable genre, children and adults alike will be enthralled. It's rated a PG, the Evil Genius will put the wind up youngsters, but do give it a go, hide behind a cushion if you must.
Advantages: Ideal for older kids/teens and oldies like me!! Sean Connery was fantastic. Disadvantages: Not really suitable for younger children
== TIME BANDITS ==
=== FILM ONLY REVIEW ===
I can't believe that this film is over twenty years old - shows that I'm getting old, I would have classed it as a 'new film'.
Time Bandits was originally released in 1981 and has a running time of approximately 120 minutes,.
=== THE PLOT ===
Time Bandits centres around a boy, called Kevin, who joins a group of six dwarves on a trip through various historical periods. The dwarves are in the service ... ...shows the flaws in the Time Continuum. These flaws allow the travellers to get to different places in time through portals. As you would expect, such a map is highly sought after, and their problems start when the Evil Genius tries to steal the map and have dominion over Time. === THE STORY ===
Kevin is kidnapped by the dwarves who enter his bedroom through a Time Portal in his wardrobe.
The Bandits have a plan to travel through time and carry ...
baherbc 26.10.2009
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Advantages: Imagery is wonderful Disadvantages: Dragged a little towards the end
== TIME BANDITS (1981) ==
=== FILM ONLY REVIEW ===
As we have just celebrated 40 years of the wonderful Monty Python, I thought that I would review a film that has connections with the Python gang. Time Bandits was directed by Python star Terry Gilliam, who wrote the screenplay with fellow Monty Python colleague Michael Palin and also had appearances from John Cleese and Michael Palin. The film is one of the most famous of more than 30 films produced ... ...can take them to different time periods in history. Led by the midget bandits, Kevin steps through the doorway of time and lands in an adventure like none he could ever imagine. The little voyager's dart around from era to era robbing from some of history's best-known figures. You have to admit, time travel is a great way to commit theft and dodge the police. Who's going to be looking for you in the centuries before and after you commit a crime? ...
oldchem 27.10.2009
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Advantages: An enduring and interesting story. Good effects. Disadvantages: Maybe not suitable for young children.
...work and I noticed that Time Bandits had been released on DVD as well as video. It reminded me that it had been a while since I had seen this film and I thought I was long overdue for writing an opinion about it. I was also shocked to discover that the film is now 20 years old; am I old enough to remember a film that is that old and happy to see that it is still watchable today. I have only seen it on television, so it is on the film in general that ... ...1981 and has a running time of approximately 120 minutes, although I have usually watched it on Channel 4 so the inevitable advert breaks add something to the viewing time. It is a strange film, but one that still gives me enjoyment, even after watching it many times.
Before I give a basic plot outline, and my feelings about the film, here are the details of cast, etc, for those of you who like to know.
DIRECTOR – Terry Gillam
WRITERS – Terry ...
tange 24.09.2001
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Time Bandits is one of the early works of director Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame. It is a forerunner to such later greats as Brazil, The Fisher King and Baron Munchhausen and it shows exactly the kind of directorial talent Gilliam would later become. Time Bandits was written in collaboration with Michael Palin, and stars amongst others John Cleese so you should already get a hint as to the kind of movie experience you are in for... Well, yes ... ...gaps in the universe where time can be transended. The Supreme being wants his map back, and the dwarves keep dodging him so they can continue on their magical journey dragging Kevin in tow. They encounter a variety of characters from history, including Robin Hood(John Cleese), Agamemnon(Sean Connery) and Napoleon(Ian Holm) with the sole purpose of robbing them of their treasures every time. The Supreme Being is not the only one that want the map ...
wampyrii 24.07.2001
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The Time Bandits.
********************
~Introduction~ Please don't laugh but this was the first 'Video' I ever saw and so holds a special fondness for me.
The movie actually comes from a script originally co written by Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam.
Terry Gilliam was to follow this film up with equally whimsical fantasies such as Brazil and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.
~Synopsis~
Kevin is a bored young lad with overbearing parents ... ...on a riotous adventure through time stealing as much as they can carry and meeting a few odd balls along the way.
They are not only being chased by The Supreme Being but soon Pure evil becomes aware of them and wants the map for his own evil purposes.
Along the way there are madmen, wars, giants, ogres, well you get the picture.
~Starring~
David Warnock - Kevin
John Cleese - Robin Hood
Sean Connery - Agamemnon
Shelley Duvall - Dame Pansy
...
Maximus-Qualitus 07.10.2008
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The TimeBandits.
=
Co written by Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam and it shows. What a madcap film that kids will never tire off.
Poor Kevin is desperate for something to happen to get him away from his overbearing and controlling parents. But what is about to happen to him and the adventure he is about to goon is beyond his wildest and craziest dreams.
He is awoken one night by a bunch of thieving dwarves in his bedroom who are on the run from 'the supreme being' because they stole his map.
Kevin decides to join them as they leap frog through time with the aid of the very special map. Along the way he gets to meet Robin Hood, Napoleon and many more barmy characters.
I tall ends with Kevin and his new friends fighting the 'Evil one' who also wants the map.
Stars include, David Warnock as Kevin, John Cleese, Sean ...
Advantages: Beautiful highland scenery Disadvantages: A tad dated
in the middle of the street. It is suggested that she is buried there, which indicates the animosity that was felt towards her at the time in Scotland. Truth be told, this piece hasn't aged too well. The clothes sometimes look ridiculous and there are too many lulls in the action. For fans of retro it is interesting to look back at the fashions here. The plot is ridiculous and it shouldn't work at all. Yet it does. As an independent film made by graduates straight out of Oxford University it is a fine achievement.
Years after the VHS was deleted, Restless Natives was finally released on DVD in 2006 in collaboration with Studio Canal and Optimum Releasing. It was the winner of the Lloyds Bank National Screenwriting competition in 1984 and it is said that it was an inspiration behind the 2001 Hollywood movie Bandits starring ...
Limited Edition Map, Trailer, Scrapbook, Biographies, Film Notes, Dream Facts, Production Photo Gallery, Missing Story Board Scene, Story Board Extracts, Interview With Terry Gilliam And Michael Palin, Hidden Spiderwoman Story Board, Photo With Script, Original Treatment, Scene selection
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English
Aspect Ratio
1.85 Wide Screen
Professional reviews
Review
"...A cheerfully irreverent lark -- part fairy tale, part science fiction, part comedy..." (New York Times, p.C8, 06/11/1981)
"...BANDITS is good on technical virtuosity..." (Variety, 22/07/1981)
DVD Description
Plunging headfirst into history, director Terry Gilliam fearlessly brings the logic of children's fairy tales to bear as he navigates through myth and legend in a bizarre, ingenious retelling of THE WIZARD OF OZ. A boy and six good-natured little persons careen through time-twisting interactions with Napoleon, Robin Hood, and Agamemnon, among others, with a map the little people stole from their employer, the Supreme Being. But their intention is to rob their way through the past, which does not make their boss happy. Meanwhile, Evil is after the map in order to become the Supreme Being himself. The result is an extraordinarily visual extravaganza that overflows with Gilliam's ecstatic vision. The film is shot from a child's viewpoint, both through the character of Kevin and the placement of the camera. One of the morals of this thoroughly enjoyable, charming fantasy is that heroes aren't always all they're cracked up to be. Fun special effects and great supporting performances abound, including terrific turns by Ian Holm, John Cleese, Ralph Richardson, and especially David Warner as Evil.
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