Beware The Jabberwocky!

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

by Lewis Carrol


I at long last got to see Terry Gilliam's first movie Jabberwocky. This not-a-Monty Python-movie-despite-having-three-Pythons-in-the-cast movie is very much like the more famous and more successful Monty Python and the Holy Grail. There is much in the looks of these two movies that makes you identify them together immediately. Both are medieval satires that point out the rigors of life in such grim times as well as point up snafus in modern culture.

According to the commentary, Gilliam and Michael Palin who played the hero Dennis Cooper wanted this to be more a straightforward movie, with a more rigorous narrative structure than a Python film. They do accomplish that early in the movie, but halfway through the thing becomes a very broad Pythonesque farce which actually undermines the work in the early parts to establish a bit of affinity for the characters.

There are good performances here, and some stellar scenery and atmosphere. But the movie drags more than a bit before we finally at long last get to see the Jabberwocky in the movies' somewhat underwhelming battle royal finale. Doubtless I'd have been more impressed in the 70's, but even allowing for suitmation adjustments, I found it a wee bit awkward, though admittedly clever.


The movie's problem is a classic one, it's neither fish nor fowl, and that confusion makes a muddle of what it can ultimately accomplish. When those involved want to claim this is not a Python film, I understand why they'd say that, but the sensibility is certainly the same and anyone just going to the theater would certainly assume it. Not embracing that reality is why this movie ultimately is unimpressive. And I think Gilliam and Palin realize that now.

As I was watching the movie I noticed the crumbling condition of the kingdom, brought down by corruption and malaise, and I noted it reminded of The Gormenghast novels. Gilliam makes note of that similarity in the commentary, and it makes wish that he'd tackle that literary ediface; he's the perfect director for Mervyn Peake's epic story.

The Jabberwocky poem does weave through the movie and we do get all the lines, but the connection thematically is pretty vague if it exists at all. Like a weak Python movie, this is a film with some funny set pieces, but which doesn't cohere enought to be much more. I've waited decades to see this, and I have to say I'm rather disappointed.

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