Review of Jabberwocky (1977) by Ponter S — 23 Jun 2008

Gilliam's first solo feature effort: well, he didn't completely manage to make the break away from Python, what with the lead actor, and the superb opening of the dismemberment of Terry Jones, but even so, it's more than worth a claim on your attention, even if it occasionally seems to resemble a collection of funny bits rather than a complete entity in itself.

The decision to cast (in Palin's words) the 'Mount Olympus' of British comedy acting talents more than yields dividends: I'm probably most fond of Max Wall & John Le Mesurier as the decrepit King & consort, and Deborah Fallender's completely loopy fairy-tale princess (she, particularly, in fact, is so good it makes you wonder what the hell happened to her).

In summary, you are unlikely to see a film that manages to be quite so enjoyable while still managing to contain the vastest amount of human excrescences this side of the Sex & the City movie, a film I can quite comfortably state to be nowhere near as amusing as this one, without even having so much as to force my arse through the wretched thing.

Thank you & goodnight...