Watch Jabberwocky

Jabberwocky is a darkly comedic fantasy film directed by Terry Gilliam and released in 1977. The movie stars Michael Palin as Dennis Cooper, a young man living in medieval England who seeks his fortune in a world of absurdity and chaos. Along with his friend, Griselda Fishfinger, Dennis finds himself on a hilarious and dangerous quest to defeat the Jabberwock, a terrifying monster terrorizing a far-off kingdom.

The movie opens with Dennis living in a small village and trying to make a living as a cooper, or barrel-maker. His father is abusive and belittling, and his soon-to-be wife is more interested in his property than him. In an effort to escape his miserable life, Dennis sets out on a journey to the city of Grimsby, where he hopes to find work and a new life for himself.

On his way to Grimsby, Dennis encounters a variety of strange and grotesque characters, including a group of travelling actors who perform in exchange for food, and a group of roving knights who champion the weak and helpless. But as he gets closer to the city, he begins to realize that life outside his small village is not much better.

Once in Grimsby, Dennis gets a job working for a merchant named Mr. Fishfinger, whose daughter, Griselda, takes a shine to him. She helps him get settled and try to find work as a cooper, but things quickly go off the rails when the Jabberwock invades the nearby kingdom of Bruno the Questionable.

Dennis and Griselda get caught up in the conflict, and soon find themselves on a mission to slay the Jabberwock and save the kingdom. Along the way, they face all sorts of absurd challenges, from dealing with corrupt officials to fending off attacks by a band of dangerous outlaws.

The movie is filled with Terry Gilliam's characteristic surrealism and dark humor. The Jabberwock is a grotesque monster that is both terrifying and hilarious, and the various characters Dennis encounters on his journey are similarly bizarre and off-kilter.

Michael Palin is excellent in the role of Dennis, playing the character as a bumbling but determined young man trying to make his way in a world that doesn't make any sense. The supporting cast, including Harry H. Corbett as Mr. Fishfinger and John Le Mesurier as the King of Bruno, are all great as well.

Overall, Jabberwocky is a wonderfully weird and entertaining movie that should please fans of Terry Gilliam's other work, as well as anyone who appreciates dark humor and absurdist fantasy. It may not be as well-known as some of Gilliam's other films, but it is definitely worth checking out for anyone looking for something off the beaten path.

Jabberwocky is a 1977 fantasy movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1 and a MetaScore of 61.