Plot
A young boy accidently joins a band of dwarves as they jump from time-period to time-period looking for treasure to steal.
Release Year: 1981
Rating: 6.9/10 (27,522 voted)
Director:
Terry Gilliam
Stars: Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, John Cleese
Storyline Kevin, an imaginative child, goes on a time-travelling adventure with a bunch of treasure-hunting dwarves, who have "borrowed" a map to the Universe's time holes from The Supreme Being.
Writers: Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam
Cast: John Cleese
-
Robin Hood
Sean Connery
-
King Agamemnon
/
Fireman
Shelley Duvall
-
Dame Pansy
/
Pansy
Katherine Helmond
-
Mrs. Ogre
Ian Holm
-
Napoleon
Michael Palin
-
Vincent
Ralph Richardson
-
Supreme Being
Peter Vaughan
-
Winston the Ogre
David Warner
-
Evil Genius
David Rappaport
-
Randall
Kenny Baker
-
Fidgit
Malcolm Dixon
-
Strutter
Mike Edmonds
-
Og
Jack Purvis
-
Wally
Tiny Ross
-
Vermin
Taglines:
...they didn't make history, they stole it!
Release Date: 6 November 1981
Filming Locations: Epping Forest, Essex, England, UK
Box Office Details
Budget: $5,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $6,507,356
(USA)
(8 November 1981)
(821 Screens)
Gross: $42,365,581
(USA)
Technical Specs
Runtime:|
USA:
|
Japan:
(original release)
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Director Trademark:
[Terry Gilliam]
[cages]
This film uses cages identical to the cage Jill is imprisoned in, in Giliam's film
Brazil.
Goofs:
Continuity:
Right after Randall breaks the glass separating them from the fortress, he is shown taking the map back. And then the immediate next scene, from overhead, shows him doing the exact same motion again.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Announcer:
Yes, folks... Moderna Designs present the latest in kitchen luxury. The Moderna Wonder Major All Automatic Convenience Center-ette gives you all the time in the world to do the things you really want to do... An infrared freezer-oven complex that can make you a meal from packet to plate in 15 1/2 seconds. Kevin's Mother:
Morrisons have got one that can do that in eight seconds. Kevin's Father:
Oh? Kevin's Mother:
Block of ice to Beef Bourguignon in eight seconds. Lucky things. Kevin:
Dad, did you know that the ancient Greek warriors had to learn 44 different ways of unarmed combat?
[...]
User Review
It's a wavelength thing
Rating:
It IS a wavelength thing. Terry Gilliam's films are ALL Terry Gilliam
films. They all have that certain something, some kind of feeling about
them that makes them instantly recognizable. The same can be said of the
Coen brothers. Unfortunately, movies that are that personal and unique do
not work for everybody. For the people that just can't get into Gilliam
films, I hope there's another filmmaker that inspires childlike wonderment
in you. Because it's a great feeling.
Time Bandits is magic. I've seen it many times (over 10) and each time, I
find something new about it. It's a fine example of a movie that works
for
children and adults alike. When I saw it for the first time at age 8, I
enjoyed the fantasy, adventure, and basic good vs. evil story. As I got
older I started appreciating the social commentary on consumerism, the
Python-esque humor, and just how imaginative and skillfully done the movie
is. After watching it again yesterday, I'm having trouble deciding which
is
the better movie; Brazil or Time Bandits.
0