Terry Gilliam
emerged as a filmmaking talent to be watched with his initial work done with
the Monty Python troupe, with his feature debut being Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). Although Time Bandits (1981) shifted into a
darker fantasy tone that has since become stylistically recognizable as
distinctly Gilliam, he still utilizes many of the talents from Monty Python
(even co-writing the screenplay with Michael Palin). This creates a blend of
irreverent zaniness and childlike sentimentality, fanciful settings and
realistic concerns. It is a children’s film that doesn’t pander or dumb down,
and one which contains layers of meaning to be stripped away with repeat
viewings and maturation.
Despite being a
fantasy family film, the themes and the mood of Time Bandits can often become
surprisingly dark. The beginning of the film is even more unsettling today than
I imagine it was thirty-some years ago, mostly because of how accurate the
futuristic prediction seems to have been. Our young hero, Kevin (Craig
Warnock), is being neglected by his technology-obsessed parents when his
imagination provides the opportunity for adventure, new friends, and his own
personal revolution. This fantasy begins with the sudden arrival of a band of time-traveling
dwarf thieves, who have stolen a map from the Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson)
and are fleeing by jumping across time and space.
Kevin joins them
as they take treasure from legends such as Napoleon (Ian Holm) and Agamemnon
(Sean Connery), only to have it taken away from them by Robin Hood (John
Cleese). The greatest of temptations for treasure, however, ends up being a
trap set for them by the Evil Genius (David Warner), who wants the map for
himself. The film jumps from location to location with incredible energy,
giving the film a whirlwind feeling to a narrative that always felt like a
modern science fiction update of The
Wizard of Oz anyway.
Time Bandits has
been released on Blu-ray previously, but this director-approved Blu-ray Special
Edition features a new 2K digital restoration that was supervised personally by
Gilliam. The playback also comes with an optional audio commentary track
featuring Gilliam, co-writer and actor Michael Palin, and actors John Cleese,
David Warner and Craig Warnock. The extras include a new featurette, narrated
by David Morgan and featuring production designer Milly Burns and costume
designer James Acheson. Also included is a conversation between Gilliam and
film scholar Peter von Bagh, recorded at the 1998 Midnight Sun Film Festival,
an interview by bit actress Shelley Duvall on Tom Snyder’s “Tomorrow” show from
1981, and a gallery of rare photographs taken on set. The package also comes
with an insert that has an essay by critic David Sterritt, and a collectible
Blu-ray cover.
Entertainment Value:
8.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8.5/10
Historical
Significance: 9/10
Special Features: 9/10
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