"We apologize for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible have been sacked ... We apologize again for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked have been sacked." – Monty Python and the Holy Grail
If you’ve watched any of the Monty Python movies, then you’re familiar with its slapstick comedy, dry British humor, political jokes, puns, and sexual innuendos. In addition, the Monty Python films break the fourth wall quite a few times, a technique that either feels really awkward and uncomfortable or works extremely well. In Monty Python’s case, it’s usually the latter. Part of what makes the Monty Python movies so funny is their ability to go way over the top with the humor while the actors still take themselves very seriously. Monty Python is definitely an acquired taste, and therefore, is not for everyone.
However, if you do enjoy these outrageously comedic films, here are several other similar movies that you might also enjoy. Warning: this article is full of punchline spoilers, shenanigans, and ridiculous content. Proceed if you dare. Or, with care. Either works. Or doesn’t. You decide. (We apologize. Those responsible for this list have been sacked).
8 This Is Spinal Tap
“Well, I’m sure I’d feel much worse if I weren’t under such heavy sedation.” This Is Spinal Tap is a 1984 American rockumentary (or musical mockumentary type film) about the fictional British band, Spinal Tap. Follow the journey the band takes as they deal with multiple name changes, getting music on the charts, undersold concerts, and rejection due to their sexist cover art. This Is Spinal Tap keeps things raw and real and delivers on all the best behind-the-scenes moments as we witness the band both on and off the stage. “It’s such a fine line between stupid, and uh…clever.”
7 Jabberwocky
“Jabberwocky, so terrifying that no one will be admitted to the theater until the last ten minutes of this film.” A long, long time ago, before you were alive, there lived a great, er, not so great carnivorous monster that terrorized the people of the dark ages. This beast was called, as the title of this film implies, a Jabberwocky. To save the kingdom from this monstrous creature, the king declares a jousting tournament to find the best knight for the task.
Misunderstandings and romantic affairs ensue, and innocent young Dennis Cooper, a cooper wannabe, finds himself in prime position to become a prince, marry the princess, and live happily ever after, providing he can complete one small task: killing the Jabberwocky. Directed by Terry Gilliam, a former Monty Python member, Jabberwocky (like the Lewis Carroll poem it's loosely based on) is a lot of nonsensical fun.
6 Yellowbeard
Nearly everybody has heard of Blackbeard, one of the most notorious pirates to ever sail the seven and a half seas. Indeed, the Queen Anne’s Revenge was known to strike terror into the very hearts of every fish the ship sailed over. While you may be well acquainted with Blackbeard, you may not have heard of the equally terrifying Yellowbeard. With his flowing beard of yellow hair, to his crazed eyes, all who cross paths with Yellowbeard know that he is a pirate not to be messed with, including his wife. Starring and co-written by Monty Python member Graham Chapman, Yellowbeard is an underrated '80s cult classic with a great cast most people seem to have forgotten about. “She couldn’t be your mother! No woman ever slept with me and lived.”
5 Three Amigos
What’s better than watching one bumbling buffoon on the big screen? Why, three, of course! Join silent cowboy movie stars Lucky Day (Steve Martin), Dusty Bottoms (Chevy Chase), and Ned Nederlander (Martin Short) as they embark on a daring and ridiculous quest to vanquish the villainous El Guapo (Alfonso Arau). Unbeknown to Carmen (Patrice Martinez), who hires the Three Amigos, they are not actually heroes but are unlucky film stars whose careers took a turn for the worst with the recent bombing of their newest film. Unbeknownst to the Three Amigos, they are not hired for a film gig, but are in fact expected to deal with the notorious El Guapo. The combination of the three lead talents is great, and the film doesn't get the credit it deserves for inspiring extremely similar comedies like Galay Quest and Tropic Thunder.
4 High Anxiety
Are you a fan of Alfred Hitchcock’s films? Alfred Hitchcock is the master of suspense, the king of thrillers, and the expert at expert shots. That is camera shots in his films, not shots as in gunshots, but those are also very common in his movies. Well, if you love Alfred Hitchcock films then you may or may not enjoy High Anxiety, a great parody of Hitchcock films by comedic mastermind Mel Brooks. After recently getting promoted to the director of the Psychoneurotic Institute for the Very, Very Nervous, Dr. Richard H. Thorndyke (Mel Brooks) begins to experience several strange and bizarre events. Dr. Thorndyke is soon accused of murder and his sanity is questioned. Is he mentally insane or mentally stable? Perhaps both? Or neither?
3 Time Bandits
Make time to watch Time Bandits, a 1981 British fantasy adventure film (and another directed by Gilliam) starring Sean Connery, John Cleese, Craig Warnock, and Shelley Duvall. Young Kevin is thrust into adventure when six dwarfs randomly emerge from his closet one night. Their quest is one of nobility and honesty: to steal as much treasure as possible before the Supreme Being, a floating, menacing head catches them. As they jump in between different time periods, Kevin meets several prominent historical figures such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Robin Hood, and King Agamemnon. Don’t miss Time Bandits, the film where even the deceased don’t have an excuse for being lazy. “Dead? No excuse for laying off work.”
2 Airplane!
Prepare for takeoff as you watch Airplane!, a hilarious comedy about a drunken pilot with a pathological fear of flying. The pilot (Robert Hays) must safely land the plane after everyone on board suffers from food poisoning. Released in theaters in 1980, this spoof comedy takes a swing at popular disaster films released throughout the 70s. Jam-packed with large inflatable dummies, wise remarks, and stupid questions, Airplane! has it all. “Surely you can't be serious!?" "Don't call me Shirley."
1 Blazing Saddles
"He rode a blazing saddle. He wore a shining star. His job, to offer battle. To bad men near and far." Grab your cowboy hat, your favorite pair of boots, and your trusty steed when you watch the laugh-out-loud comedy Blazing Saddles, also from director Mel Brooks. The wild wild west parody is full of cowboys, outlaws, drunken fools, and ridiculous jokes that somehow work, thanks to their deadpan delivery. “Well, my name is Jim, but most people call me… Jim.” While the characters are serious in their convictions, the film doesn’t take itself too seriously overall even when being risqué, which is the reason why it strangely works.