Time Bandits (1980): The definitive article of 1980s Kid’s Adventure Movies (Review)

Falling in with fellow 1980s fantasy adventure movies like The Princess Bride, Labyrinth, The Goonies, Dark Crystal and The NeverEnding Story – Time Bandits is an icon from a time when kids’ movies meant films for all the family. Fast forward a few decades, and studios have adopted a ‘them & us’ mentality: films now serve to keep them quiet for 90 minutes, little more than relief for tired parents. Time Bandits, however, is the best sort of blast from the past.

Kevin is interested in the heroes of history but has to put up with his parents, whose only interest is how many seconds it takes their latest device to cook food. Going to bed one night, a man riding a horse explodes through his cupboard door, only to disappear as quickly as he appeared. The next night, Kevin goes to bed expecting the same spontaneous wonder and escape, only to be confronted by a gang of dwarves grasping a map whilst claiming to be on the run from a supreme being. Getting mixed up with this gang of thieves, Kevin goes on an adventure as these bandits attempt to steal icons and artefacts throughout history.

Made in 1981, Time Bandits is very much in awe of Monty Python – from the writing collaboration of Michael Palin & Gilliam to the sort of subversions the comedy troupe was famous for (a trailer on disc exemplifies this). The main cast of Kevin, Randall, Fidgit, Strutter, Og, Vermin & Wally take much of the film seriously, minus some choice one-liners. Instead, comedic duties derive from the big, small and monstrous characters and antagonists that the Bandits meet.

As the Bandits jump from time hole to time hole, they meet an ensemble of Pythonesque characters. There is the most inept couple recurring through history in Shelley Duval and Michael Palin, John Cleese as Robin Hood in an inspired casting gag, and an ogre with a bad back – the list goes on. The thing that unites them all is that they are all in the shadow of the ominously named Evil (David Warner). History is under the foot of the time of legends, a place where rules matter little. For example, his lackeys beg to be killed, as a dog begs for a treat. Character ideology that scans with many Python creations, with the closest kin being Holy Grail’s Tim – who, coincidentally, is also played by Gilliam.

While the script revolves around historical figures and events, accuracy is nowhere to be found, as Palin and Gilliam are two silly men having fun at the expense of history. Figures like King Agamemnon and Napoleon – brought to life by Sean Connery and Ian Holm – may be legendary figures because of their achievements and character. In the hands of these two intelligent men, they go way past the point of being parodies and headfirst into absurdist exaggeration. Historical purists will probably be breathless with fury over the film’s trivialisations and approach this as was intended, however, and the subversions will be another string in the bow of this adventure through time. As the script goes to get lengths to express – nothing is ever as it seems.

There are moments of world bending and fantasy, yet it is in the time of legends where Gilliam really has his fun. With his background as an animator, he litters the world with the weird. It is amazing that everything on screen – and there are some big, bold concepts at play – was achieved through committed, efficient design and photography. Every effect, affectation and idea are as fresh in 1981 as in the 2010s. And that can be said of none of the movies that I opened this article citing. The design was king, from the practicalities of making shots work to the matter-of-fact aspects of the characters and how they interact with the world. Take the monsters, Gilliam and his production designers don’t shy away from making anything scary – the skeletal figures in black robes are up there with the Skeksis from Dark Crystal, which became infamous for scarring kids across the world. If the ’80s taught the world anything, it’s that kids love being scared.

As a child who grew up with films like this, it’s a joy to see such an unabashed masterpiece of the era revived and refreshed for the next generation – and us collectors looking back too. The only thing that really dates the film is the relative youth of certain actors – the print is as fresh (and clean) as a daisy. Arrow have outdone themselves, and there is no better time than now to introduce a new generation to this funny and exciting capsule of what films for children and the family can and should be. There will always be a space for kids’ movies that treat them as an audience to be respected rather than one that should be kept quiet for someone else’s benefit.

Thanks for reading our review of Time Bandits

For more Movie talk, check out our podcast CINEMA ECLECTICA