This week my movie to watch was Terry Gilliam's "Jabberwocky," from 1977.
Of the Gilliam films I've seen, it's the most, uh, Gilliam.
The story, of course, is based on Lewis Carroll's poem of the same name, and is an attempt to give a bit of backstory to the hero of the poem, who goes into the tulgey wood to slay the beast.
While Michael Palin is game as the protagonist, the story gets muddled really quickly and frankly just stays in the muddle. They occasionally quote bits of the poem in the form of a Punch and Judy show, but the rest is just a "Look! We Did A Grotty Midieval Movie!" set piece that is rather boring.
As I do with these films, I spent time spotting actors I know from other films. John Le Mesurier (the Major from Keeping Up Appearances" is at his smarmy best as a chamberlain who doesn't want the beast killed as refugees are making the city rich. Kenneth "Admiral Piett" Colley is pretty funny as a fanatic who decides *he* wants to receive the torture promised Palin's character, who is caught dressed up as a nun. David Prowse, who plays the physical presence of Darth Vader is also there, in disguise as the Black Knight.
I don't recommend the film, though. Even for Gilliam, it's a mess.
(Kenneth Colley, center)
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