Country : UK
Medium : Colour
Duration : 115′
Video : Arte Films
Production : George Harrison
Scenario : Terry Gilliam
Screenplay : Michael Palin
Music : Mike moran and George Harrison
Director of photography : Peter Biziou
Plot : Whilst his parents are only interested in watching the television, Kevin prefers to read stories from history, particularly those about Agamemnon and Napoleon. One night, however, he travels in a dream to a distant place where he meets six dwarves who specialise in thefts of all kinds, the “time bandits”. The first of Kevin’s journey’s with the dwarves takes him to Castiglione, a battlefield during the First Italian Campaign.
Cast : Ian Holm (Napoleon) ; Sean Connery (Agamemnon) ; John Cleese (Robin Hood) ; Shelley Duvall (Pansy) ; Ralph Richardson (The Supreme Being/God) ; Peter Vaughan (Ogre) ; David Warner (Evil Genius) ; David Rappaport (Randall) ; Kenny Baker (Fidgit) ; Malcom Dixon (Strutter) ; Mike Edmonds (Og) ; Jack Purvis (Wally) ; Tiny Ross (Vermin) ; Craig Warnock (Kevin) ; David Daker (Kevin’s Father) ; Sheila Fearn (Kevin’s Mother) ; Katherine Helmond
Extract : « General Ney. – Excuse me. The town mayor is here with his councillors. They would like to give up. If they surrender you will receive the whole of the region which stretches from the West of Lombardy to the South of Italy.
Napoleon. – Oh, this is all so boring ! »
Review : It required the zany humour of Monty Python to present Bonaparte in 1796 in the uniform of the emperor of 1805. In fact, the emperor’s cameo is surprisingly amusing. The film itself is completely off-the-wall and typical of films of the early 80s – these days however, the effect is slightly dated.