Written by Old Bluffer 2nd Jun 2005
Most Monty Python deaths are distinguished by bizarre genius, but this fiendishly difficult riddle test is wonderfully strange even for them.
Having braved killer rabbits, bloody peasants, biscuit loving mutants and the dreaded Knights who say... Niiii!, King Arthur finally makes it to the Bridge of Death.
It is fairly obvious even to the dimwitted knights that they must cross this bridge in order to continue in their Quest, but it is guarded by The Old Man From Scene Twenty Four.
This crotchety old fellow will ask anyone who dares try and cross, five three questions. Answer them all correctly and they can pass. But get one wrong and they will be cast into the Gorge of Eternal Peril.
This all sounds rather dangerous to Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot, so he valiantly proposes Sir Lancelot be the first to face the challenge.
Lancelot is well up for this, albeit slightly disappointed he isn't allowed to just hack the Old Man into little pieces. Nevertheless, he steels himself and prepares to answer the questions:
Bridgekeeper: "Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see."
Lancelot: - Ask me the questions, bridgekeeper. I am not afraid.
"What... is your name?"
- My name is 'Sir Lancelot of Camelot'.
"What... is your quest?"
- To seek the Holy Grail.
"What... is your favourite colour?"
- Blue.
"Right. Off you go."
Sir Robin may be taking this test a little lightly...
Lancelot duly crosses the bridge, leaving behind an incredulous Sir Robin. At last, this is a challenge he can face!
So, with an expression of Ultimate Smugness, he swaggers forwards to be the next to be interrogated by the Old Man.
"What... is your name?"
- 'Sir Robin of Camelot'.
"What... is your quest?"
- To seek the Holy Grail.
"What... is the capital of Assyria?"
- I don't know that! Arrrrrgggghhhh!
This is one Quiz Master you don't want to mess with - look at the malevolent glee in his face!
This last cry occurs because as soon as he admits to his ignorance about ancient lands*, an ancient magical force hurls Robin off the bridge and into the gorge.
This death is rated extremely highly, both because of the sheer madness of it, but also because of Eric Idle's magnificently indignant expression at the hardness of his final question!
Read the next death in this scene!
* The capital of Assyria was apparently 'Assur' by the way!
This is an amazing death and is forever quoted and I too am shocked by the lack of comments on it.
Am shocked by lack of comments on this amazing death. Hereby encourage others to be similarly shocked re: lack of comments and fill comments area with comments complaining about lack of comments. Love to Martha, James and the twins,
Be back by Christmas,
Colonel William Haddock
I forget: is this the death where he was plunged into the gorge because of the coconut question or the favorite color question? I only ask because 1: I haven't seen the movie in a while and my DVD is lost, and 2: the favorite color one is better.
Favorite color question. Same question the Old Man From Scene 24 asked Lancelot(though Lancelot got it right)
Old Man: What... is your favorite color?
Galahad: Blue! ...No, yellow-(gets blasted high into the air and soaring into the gorge)
I personally liked Sir Robin's demise more. He gets so cocky(for the first time ever in his life), expecting to be asked the same question when suddenly the Old Man surprises him with a hard one.
"What... is the capitol of Assyria?"
Is this REALLY worth 100%???
Is it that good?? Look at the company it shares. Roy Batty (Blade Runner) and Kane (Alien) are quite right being rated as highly. I can't comment on the Killer Klown, but to have these four as being rated as 100%... I can't see this as really being up there. I do love the film, and I love this particualr death, but I'd guess that Lancealot's death would be ranked higher.
I have to agree with Roy on this one, [[Milton Krest]] was a superior death to this one (Or at least the Killer Clowns one!) and you changed it's rating!
Check out this link for a reason why we change some ratings.
In general i like to try and keep contributor's ratings, but if i followed this religiously, there would be a hell of a lot of 100% ratings. I appreciate everyone has a personal favourite "death" scene, and the reasons are many and varied. What we really aim to do is create a rating system where all visitors can submit a rating for a particular death and it will average out the scores.
At this point it wont matter if people rate deaths as 100% because as more people rate it, the number will come down.
Now, as for 100% deaths, i think a few 100%ers slip through the net, but this will be sorted out soon. You have to remember that some of these ratings are quite controversial. For example, i think Malone's death in The Untouchables is rubbish. Again though, once the rating system is up and running it will not make too much difference what my rating is as the average will be pushed up by fans of the film. What i am trying to say in a long winded fashion is, for the time being, the final decision on ratings lies with Old Bluffer and myself.
btw RoyBatty - Lancelot doesnt actually die in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, although if he did, i suspect it would have been worthy of 100%
Thanks for the reply Mr MB.
After I had posted that last one, I realised my mistake! But hell... perhaps there should be an honourary category!?
heh, we could have him under the cheats death - but for someone as cool as Lancelot, i dont think he fits into this category!