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IMDbPro

Time Bandits

  • 19811981
  • PGPG
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
65K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,964
1,073
Time Bandits (1981)
Trailer For Time Bandits
Play trailer3:09
2 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureComedyFantasy
A young boy accidentally joins a band of time travelling dwarves, as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal.A young boy accidentally joins a band of time travelling dwarves, as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal.A young boy accidentally joins a band of time travelling dwarves, as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
65K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,964
1,073
    • Terry Gilliam
    • Michael Palin
    • Terry Gilliam
  • Stars
    • Sean Connery
    • Shelley Duvall
    • John Cleese
    • Terry Gilliam
    • Michael Palin
    • Terry Gilliam
  • Stars
    • Sean Connery
    • Shelley Duvall
    • John Cleese
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 218User reviews
    • 155Critic reviews
    • 79Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos2

    Time Bandits
    Trailer 3:09
    Watch Time Bandits
    Sneak Previews Season 4 Episode 8
    Video 29:51
    Watch Sneak Previews Season 4 Episode 8

    Photos179

    Shelley Duvall and Michael Palin in Time Bandits (1981)
    Katherine Helmond and Peter Vaughan in Time Bandits (1981)
    Malcolm Dixon in Time Bandits (1981)
    Mike Edmonds in Time Bandits (1981)
    Tiny Ross in Time Bandits (1981)
    Jack Purvis in Time Bandits (1981)
    David Warner in Time Bandits (1981)
    Time Bandits (1981)
    Time Bandits (1981)
    Ian Muir in Time Bandits (1981)
    Ian Muir in Time Bandits (1981)
    Ian Muir in Time Bandits (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sean Connery
    Sean Connery
    • King Agamemnon…
    Shelley Duvall
    Shelley Duvall
    • Dame Pansy…
    John Cleese
    John Cleese
    • Robin Hood
    Katherine Helmond
    Katherine Helmond
    • Mrs. Ogre
    Ian Holm
    Ian Holm
    • Napoleon
    Michael Palin
    Michael Palin
    • Vincent
    Ralph Richardson
    Ralph Richardson
    • Supreme Being
    Peter Vaughan
    Peter Vaughan
    • Winston the Ogre
    David Warner
    David Warner
    • Evil Genius
    David Rappaport
    David Rappaport
    • Randall
    Kenny Baker
    Kenny Baker
    • Fidgit
    Malcolm Dixon
    Malcolm Dixon
    • Strutter
    Mike Edmonds
    Mike Edmonds
    • Og
    Jack Purvis
    Jack Purvis
    • Wally
    Tiny Ross
    Tiny Ross
    • Vermin
    Craig Warnock
    • Kevin
    David Daker
    David Daker
    • Kevin's Father
    Sheila Fearn
    • Kevin's Mother
      • Terry Gilliam
      • Michael Palin
      • Terry Gilliam
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the original script, King Agamemnon was introduced as: "The warrior took off his helmet, revealing someone that looks exactly like Sean Connery, or an actor of equal but cheaper stature." To writer, producer, and director Terry Gilliam's surprise, the script ended up in Connery's hands. He expressed interest in the part, and his agent approached them for the role.
    • Goofs
      Numerous inaccuracies in the "historical" scenes. The film means to depict history as visualized by a well-read 11-year-old, not a formally trained historian. This is consistent with the theme of whimsical, casual time travel wherein history is deliberately contaminated.
    • Quotes

      Evil: God isn't interested in technology. He cares nothing for the microchip or the silicon revolution. Look how he spends his time, forty-three species of parrots! Nipples for men!

      Robert: Slugs.

      Evil: Slugs! HE created slugs! They can't hear. They can't speak. They can't operate machinery. Are we not in the hands of a lunatic?

    • Crazy credits
      At the end of the credits the scene where the Bandits have their photo taken is replayed.
    • Alternate versions
      At least one version shown on US television cut the sequence of the knight bursting out of Kevin's closet and much of what came after that (Kevin's Dad telling him to keep the noise down, breakfast the following morning, etc.) This truncated version goes right from Kevin getting into bed to the Time Bandits emerging from the closet, but retains the rattling closet doors that announced the knight's arrival.
    • Connections
      Edited from A Night to Remember (1958)
    • Soundtracks
      Me And My Shadow
      Arranged by John Du Prez

      Composed by Billy Rose (as Rose), Al Jolson (as Jolson), and Dave Dreyer (as Dreyer)

      Published by Francis Day & Hunter

      Performed by David Rappaport, Kenny Baker, Malcolm Dixon, Mike Edmonds, Jack Purvis, and Tiny Ross

    User reviews218

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Imaginative fantasy about time travels in which our heroes take on several adventures and dangers
    This wonderful flick deal with a little boy (Craig Warnock won the role after a wide search for the right child actor) and six dwarfs (Kenny Baker , David Rappaport , Jack Purvis , among others) who are chased by the Supreme Being through time and space . As the kid accidentally joins a band as they jump from time-period to time-period looking for treasure to steal . All of them travel back in time via a map that charts a course through holes holes in the fabric of the universe . Along the way they meet historical characters such as Napoleon (49-year-old Ian Holm plays the 26-year-old Bonaparte) , Robin Hood (John Cleese , though Michael Palin wrote the role of Robin for himself, but Cleese wanted to play him), Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson) and King Agamemnon (the gold masks of Agamemnon's priests are replicas of a king's deathmask, found by Heinrich Schliemann at Mycenae in 1876 , it is in Museum of Atenas). At the end the motley group contends the Evil Genius (David Wagner , the apparatus on his head was influenced by H.R. Giger's work on Alien) .

    This is an imaginative , glamorous , chaotic fantasy based on the wonderful trips carried out by a group of adventurers along with a young English schoolboy . Fantastic film contains sense of adventure , thrills , and lots of imagination . From start to finish fantasy , action and delightful adventure are continued . Exciting and interesting screenplay written by Michael Palin and and Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame . Marvelous special effects are visually stunning and magnificently realized with no computer generator . Starring a considerable cast of top-names performers such as John Cleese as Robin Hood , Shelley Duvall as Dame , Ian Holm as Napoleon , Michael Palin as Vincent , Ralph Richardson as Supreme Being and David Warner as Evil and a young Jim Broadbent as a TV host . Special mention to Sean Connery as King Agamemnon and Fireman , Gilliam did not originally intend to cast Sean Connery as King Agamemnon , he merely wrote in the screenplay that when Agamemnon took off his helmet that he looked "exactly like Sean Connery." To Gilliam's surprise, the script found its way into Connery's hands and Connery subsequently expressed interest in doing the film.

    This big-budgeted , under-appreciated film achieved a limited hit at box office and panned by some critics ; however , today is very well considered . Colorful and glimmer cinematography by Peter Biziou . Thrilling as well as evocative original music by Mike Moran . The motion picture was imaginatively directed by Terry Gilliam . Terry shot the film in low camera angles throughout in order to give the audience the perspective of a dwarf or a child . Gilliam is an expert on wonderful , surreal atmospheres (Adventures of Baron Munchausen , Brazil , Fisher king , Doctor Parnasus). He is member of the comedy group "Monty Python" along with John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Graham Chapman. ¨Time bandits¨ might be described as an extraordinary fantasy full of imagination and color . It's a tale for teens and adults in which entertainment and amusement are guaranteed . Rating : Good , better than average . Worthwhile watching .
    helpful•11
    5
    • ma-cortes
    • Jan 11, 2014

    FAQ3

    • Was Kevin's experience real or did he dream it?
    • [1:21:41]Why did Evil (David Warner) trap the dwarves in cages instead of just destroying them?
    • What is the map for? What's its purpose?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 6, 1981 (United States)
      • United Kingdom
      • HandMade Films (United Kingdom)
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • La Alhambra palace, Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
    • Production company
      • HandMade Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 50 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby Stereo

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