time bandits

So I watched "time bandits" from 1981 and directed by the great Terry Gilliam. So is it a classic, yes but possibly just of the cult variety. Time bandits represents Gilliam's more playful side, a side that is directed at making kid's fairy tales. Other examples of this side include "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" and "the brothers Grimm". This film is his most successful attempt at making a kid's movie. However, this movie is not just for kids, I do remember making my dad take me to this when I was just 7. However, I have seen this movie at various points in my life and it held up at every stop, including this latest viewing. This film is a child's dream come true (or is it). It is strange at times, while making subtle statements on modern suburban life at other times. Statements that I may add still hold up today. The story centers around the adventures of a young boy, well played by Craig Warnock (this was one of the few things he did as an actor), as he joins a rag tag bunch of little people who work for the supreme being. These pint size creative assistants are hell bent on making a name for themselves as robbers. The first thing they steal is the supreme beings map of time portals allowing them to time travel and well become "time bandits." From there the movie is a mythical adventure partly based on historical figures and partly based on fairy tales. This movie is hilarious, it is stylistically a good example of the unique genius of Terry Gilliam, and has several cameos of great actors including Sean Connery. The one thing that is up for debate is was this a dream, was it real, or was it a dream so powerful it became real. I lean toward the last theory, just look for giant "leg-gos" and the last shot of the boys bedroom, to understand part of my justification for subscribing to this last theory. The end is odd and leaves many unresolved questions, but that is part of the beauty of this great film. This movie is not for everyone, it is for the indy lovers, the more creative among us, and the little kids who grow up and don't necessarily score with the head cheer leader.