Humor Analysis of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Passage2020, 8(3), 73-88

Humor analysis of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Fauzan Romdhoni Kusnandi, Isti Siti Saleha Gandana, Nia Nafisah English Language and Literature Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

ABSTRACT This study entitled Humor analysis of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) aims to analyzes humor that exists in a British comedy film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), which is directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, to understand the humor and what the humor implied. Employing textual analysis, this study uses Vandaele's (2002) humor mechanism and film form proposed by Bordwell, Thompson, and Smith (2017) as the tools of analysis. The study indicates that the humor is constructed based on the four contexts as described by Vandaele (2002): (1) (De-) normalization, (2) solution, (3) conditioning, and (4) evaluation. Furthermore, the humor signifies the film author’s credibility to deliver humor that is enjoyable to many people, especially those who have been exposed to western culture.

Keywords: film, humor, humor mechanism, incongruity, Monty Python and The Holy Grail.

INTRODUCTION & Smith, 2017). In just a century, film has exploded into something big and Every day, people from all over the sought after by a lot of people that it globe are exposed to humor in their turns itself into one of modern day’s lives, whether at school, in their source of entertainment. Humor and workplaces, their social activities, and film often go hand-in-hand, and this is even on the internet. Humor is proven with many genres of film that universally recognized by many integrates humor, as a part of its cultures, as humor is a universal narrative. To name a few, take action- phenomenon that occurred almost comedy, romantic-comedy, sitcom, everywhere (Sen, 2012). Humor itself parody movie, and satirical movies. is one of the topics that is widely Humor in films is quite popular, one discussed in many fields of study example of this statement is Thor: across the history of mankind. As Ragnarok (Waititi, 2017). This Billig (2005) describes, humor has action-adventure comedy film has a been discussed since the time of total revenue of USD 853,977,126 Aristotle and beyond until the present worldwide, according to Internet day; humor also has a lot of important Movie Database (n.d) with an roles in society. One such example is estimated film budget of USD described by Meyer (2000) who said 180,000,000. Through this film that humor is a powerful revenue, one can assume that the film communication tool, especially for has achieved some degree of success. politicians who can use humor as a Humor in this film is one of the tool for rallying people into reasons why this film is commercially supporting their cause, Nevertheless, successful. The humor of this film is humor can have a ‘double-edged described by one reviewer as sword’ because if it is used too much “sublimely silly, saucy, and refuse to and too aggressive, it may drive take themselves seriously.” people away from joining a cause (O'Sullivan, 2017). Humor in film is (Meyer, 2000). Furthermore, Meyer also nothing new. Thousands of also believes that humor can also be comedy films have emerged into used as a form of attack against social cinema for generations. From misbehavior to drive society back to L'arroseur arrosé (1895) to Jojo what it considers itself ‘normal’ Rabbit (2019), humor in film has been which Billig (2005) also believed in. around for a long time. Along with Humor also has its uses in the health time, the classics of comedy films sector, workplaces, and even start to appear, one such case is a film education (Raskin, 2008). However, made by Monty Python. people often overlook the deeper According to their official meaning and the use of humor, and website, Monty python is a comedy consider it merely as a form of troupe originated from England. They amusement, especially if the humor are famous for their unique style of lies within a form of entertainment, comedy. Their style of comedy often namely, a film. deconstructs its viewers’ perception Film, also known as motion of everything and anything, even how pictures, is one of the youngest forms comedy sketches work (Gent, 2014). of art medium (Bordwell, Thompson Monty Python is known for its TV series, Monty Python’s Flying Circus theory violates the common (1969-1974) which is popular in assumption that people have in their England. Monty python also won mind to provoke humor (Meyer, several awards such as BAFTA 2000). However, the problem with awards for Outstanding British humor studies is that there is no Contribution to Cinema (1988), AFI agreement between researchers about star award (1998), and European Film which theories that is viable as the Award Lifetime Achievement Award answer for humor theory as most of (2001). these theories proponent believed that However, studying humor is not their theory could explain all forms of as simple as assuming a film's success humor (Buijzen & Valkenburg, through its revenue, award, and 2004). Although many researchers prestige. Humor is an agree that these theories are interdisciplinary theory that spans complementary, researchers believe across multiple bodies of academics, that both theories can complement such as psychology, anthropology, each other to explain humorous philosophy, medicine, occurrences (Veatch, 1998; Meyer, communication, education, 2000; Buijzen & Valkenburg, 2004). linguistics, literature, and so on Vandaele (2002) combines both (Veatch, 1998). Three theories always incongruity and superiority theory, to emerge in many articles regarding constructs a framework called Humor humor, which are Superiority theory, Mechanism, and this framework will incongruity theory, and relief theory be used to answer the research (Berger, 1993 Buijzen & Valkenburg, questions in this study. 2004; Meyer, 2000). According to Previous studies on humor in film are Superiority theory, people laugh quite plentiful these days. One of the because they feel some kind of Studies of film and humor is triumph over others or feel superior to conducted by Fink (2013). In his them (Meyer, 2000 as cited by study, Fink made a case study on an Buijzen & Valkenburg, 2004). The American animated sitcom The theory suggests that people are Simpson (1989-present) and analyzed amused and joyous when they see the film based on its comic approach. themselves as superior to others Similarly, Juckel, Bellman, and Varan (Buijzen & Valkenburg, 2004). Then, (2016) analyzed other US-based relief theory theorizes that humor and sitcoms to find an approach to laughter are evoked because of the identify its style of humor using a reduction of stress and the release of topology of humor. Coincidentally, nervous energy (Meyer, 2000). This the framework of the study also uses reduction of stress may reveal film as a subject of analysis. repressed desire and the overcome of However, most of the studies social inhibitors (Buijzen & mentioned before mainly focus on the Valkenburg, 2004). narrative aspect of a film as its Lastly, incongruity theory primary source of humor analysis. suggests that people are laughing at Thus, studies that incorporate film things they find surprising or elements and humor theories remain unexpected (Berger, 1976; Deckers & scarce. Divine, 1981; McGhee, 1979 as cited This study aims to investigate by Meyer, 2000). Moreover, the how humor operates in one of Monty Passage2020, 8(3), 73-88

python’s feature films, Monty Python and since the Monty Python group and the Holy Grail (1975) using the directly directs, writes, and acts on framework of Vandaele's (2002) this film themselves. Monty python’s humor mechanism, and Bordwell, works are chosen specifically due to Thompson, and Smith Film Form the troupe's tendency to write and act (2017). This particular film is selected their sketches themselves and also due to the humorous content this film due to their cult-like popularity. provides, the absurdity of the humor, narrative aspects consist of the remark METHODOLOGY of the sequences, which explained what happened in the sequence and This study is a text-based what does made the sequence analysis. According to McKee humorous. Then the humor aspects (2002), textual analysis is a method include a listing of contexts of humor that is used when researchers want to in each sequence and its make sense of a text by making an superiority/incongruity stimuli. “educated guess” (p. 1) to make After the data was collected, the meaning to the said text. In this study, collected data were interpreted and a textual analysis was used to analyzed using Vandaele’s Humor examine the humor that exists in the Mechanism Framework (2002) to film’s narrative and cinematographic categorize the context of humor in aspects to uncover how humor each sequence and its stimuli, and operates in the film. Bordwell, Thompson, and Smith’s Film Form (2017) to elaborate the The data in this study is film aspect in each sequence. collected in the form of a humorous Furthermore, both theories were used scene represented with screenshots, to uncover the relationship between which include humor that presents the film elements and the narrative from both narrative aspects and elements with humor. cinematic aspects. The film itself, Monty Python and the Holy Grail FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION (1975) is specifically chosen as this film is one of Monty Python's works Based on the analysis, it is found that received the most positive that the context of (De-) response among people. In collecting normalization appears the most the data, the film was first watched often in comparison to any other closely to understand the film humor contexts, appearing fifteen thoroughly and to provide a better times. The second most frequent contextual understanding of the film context that appeared is itself. Then, the film was sequenced Conditioning, with eleven based on its humorous scenes. appearances. Solution comes next, Furthermore, the sequences were with seven appearances, and finally broken down into three parts, which evaluation context with four were its film aspects, narrative appearances. The frequency of the aspects, and its humor aspects. Film humor’s contexts is summarized in aspects include film elements such as the table below. mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing style, and sounds. Then, the

Frequency of Humor’s Context The table indicates that Monty Categ Sequence Python and the Holy Grail is a film N ory that (De-) normalized the Arthurian o conte Incongruit Superior tot y ity legend to create its humor. The xt al Arthurian Legend is a collection of 1,3,4,5,7, 1,3,4,5, 15 medieval stories in which King (De-) 8,9,10,11, 7,8,9,10 Arthur is the main protagonist norm 14,15,16, ,11, 1 (Augustyn, 2020) alizati 17,19,21 14,15,1 on 6,17,19, Furthermore, the analysis 21 reveals that the humor in Monty 2,4,5,6,10 2,4,5,6, 11 Python and the Holy Grail operates Condi ,12, 10,12,1 based on contexts, which are made of 2 tionin 13,15,16, 3, a mix of incongruity and superiority g 17,18 15,16,1 stimuli (triggers) that are present in 7,18 the film. The incongruity and 8,11,15,1 8,11,15, 7 Soluti superiority triggers are 3 6,17,20,2 16,17,2 on interwoven into four specific 1 0,21 contexts: (De-) normalization, Evalu 3,7,12,16 3,7,12,1 4 4 Conditioning, Solution, and ation 6 Evaluation. These triggers, in turn, are used to evoke reactions from the audience. (DE-) NORMALIZATION

(De-) normalization Contexts arises when both superiority and incongruity triggers appear in the text that causes a cognitive violation, also known as an unexpected moment that caught people off guard. The moment refers to a situation where an event is expected to happen but in reality, Figure 1 Opening credit with Swedish Subtitle something else happens, or in some cases, the event does not occur at all. In this film, (De-) normalization contexts appear the most frequently with 15 sequences from a total of 21 sequences. An example is given in Sequence 1, the opening sequence. In this sequence, the opening credits show the people who are involved in Figure 2 the Swedish subtitles start to shown the creation of this film. Besides a list irrelevant things of names, this credit also showed a Swedish subtitle However, several seconds later, the subtitle starts to turn weird as the subtitler begins to talk about other things, like visiting Sweden sequences throughout the film. In (Fig.2), telephone system, etc. which Sequence 5, (De-) normalization causes the subtitler to be sacked or context appears when King Arthur fired (Fig.3). has to fight the Black Knight. During their fight, King Arthur manages to dismember the black knight’s arm, which the Black Knight manages to shrug it off as a “scratch wound”. This continues until all of the Black Knight limbs are severed. The fight between the Black Knight and King Arthur is the indication of (De-) normalization Figure 3 the Swedish Subtitler fired mid-credit context in two ways. First, it has an Since the addition in the incongruity triggers, which is credits is not expected, this sequence absolute incongruity, as it is logically indicates (De-) normalization context impossible for anyone to lose their because both incongruity and limb and shrug it off as a flesh wound. superiority triggers work together to Second, superiority triggers, which is form the humor. affirmative superiority, which is a In this sequence, three types of type of superiority trigger that affirms incongruity triggers appear on the the feeling of superiority instead of sequence: narrative, linguistic, and creating a target that is ridiculed, with pragmatic incongruity. Narrative a subcategory of cueing, which relies incongruity triggers appear when the on timing to create humor. These audience realized that the opening combinations of superiority and credit has a mini-plot that is not part incongruity then create humor when of the story, instead of just credit the the viewer sees that the black knight’s people who made this film. arm just casually severed and the Meanwhile, linguistic and black knight just shrug it off which is pragmatic incongruity triggers appear a cue for the audience that “it’s the when the audience realized that the joke”. Swedish subtitle is mainly “Swedish It can be seen from the above accented” English (Fig.2) and the fact figures that the Monty Python group that the subtitler breaks a maxim of applies (De-) normalization context in conversation, which is to be relevant. various ways, ranging from its narrative aspect to its cinematic aspects, such as mise-en-scene, camerawork, and its editing. In its narrative sense, (De-) normalization appears in how outlandish the story goes, as it is outlandish to see a modern police car in supposedly 932 A.D. England, a coconut shell that is used as a joke to mimicking a horse Figure 4 Despite losing 3/4 of his limbs, The galloping turn into an actual plot Black Knight insist to fight King Arthur point, and many more. The narrative (De-) normalization context also does not shy away from breaking also appears in the other fourteen the fourth wall as there are many Passage2020, 8(3), 73-88

instances where the character However, in this scene, the target of addresses the audience or ridicule is in fact, King Arthur. acknowledging that they are inside of Because King Arthur's tale is a film. considered silly by the peasant who Monty python group also explains how a body of government is applies (De-) normalization context in elected in real life. This misuse of the cinematic aspects of a film such as camera angle usage is done to evoke a mise-en-scene, cinematography, and sense of incongruity in the viewer's editing. In the mise-en-scene, for mind, especially those who example, because most of the roles in understand about cinematic this film are acted by the Monty terminology, which means it adds python themselves, some character's another layer of humor. costumes might seems incongruous. Moreover, Monty python also The reason some of the costume applies (De-) normalization onto its choices are incongruous is that in editing technique, on Sequence 16, addition to the knights, they also play the tale of Sir Lancelot, there is a other characters, including some of scene where a guard looking at sir the women in this film. Although the Lancelot approaching their castle to practice of cross-dressing is a “save” the “princess”. However, common practice in a theatrical play, Monty python reuses the same shot it is seldom seen in a cinematic film. where sir Lancelot approaching the Therefore, seeing the practice done in castle and loop it several times, which a film is surprising to most of the creates a humorous sense of audience, unless they already knew impending doom. After several Monty Python, as they quite repetitions, then this shot is edited to frequently do cross-dressing in their where Sir Lancelot appears and kills previous work. one of the castle guards. The timing of Then, in the cinematography the cut and the previous shot made it aspect, Monty python utilized (De-) look like sir Lancelot just moves fast normalization context in the use of a from the open field to the front gate. camera angle. In Sequence 4, lordless Thus, Monty python utilization of castle, Monty python uses low angle (De-) normalization context is not shot of King Arthur, to show his only seen in the text or dialog, but also power as the king of the Briton, and a through its cinematic aspects. high angle for Dennis, a dirt peasant.

CONDITIONING

Meanwhile, conditioning and incongruity triggers. The result is context arises when incongruity and a burst of laugher in the audience superiority triggers work together to when they find out that a certain thing create humor by stimulating certain they know (in this case, stereotypes) preconditions that we learn in the exaggerated in this text/film (which is text/film and/or outside of the text an Aggressive superiority triggers as that we read/ film that we watch, such the stereotype become a target of as a social stereotype that we often ridicule) or acknowledge how silly experience. This precondition is then the stereotypes are presented in the reinforced or altered using superiority text/film (which is an affirmative

Superiority trigger). In total, 11 the French as rude in their research. sequences have conditioning context, Then, back to the film, the stereotype slightly less than (De-) normalization that exists in the real world is then with 15 sequences. exaggerated by the group to challenge Monty python uses the the audience's pre-existing conditioning context to challenge the preconditioning of the French people. audience’s pre-existing conditioning. In this sequence, the Frenchman In Sequence two, the audience can admits that he has an outrageous hear the sound of a galloping horse; accent, while also mocking King however, a few seconds later, King Arthur and his Knights (“I'm French! Arthur revealed only pretending to Why do think I have this outrageous ride horses using two halves of a accent, you silly king!”) After no so coconut shell. Then throughout most long ago lying to them about having a of the film, the audience is holy grail in their possession. conditioned to associate banging two halves of the coconut as riding horses, Frenchmen: (To King Arthur): which then is challenged again when “Oh, yes, it's very nice-a” a knight with an actual horse appears Frenchmen: (To his French to kill the famous historian. This ever- fellow): “I told him we already got changing conditioning made the one (giggle)”). audience always be surprised by the Although the Frenchman spoke humor that is delivered by the Monty with a silly accent all the time, the Python group. words such as “outrageous” and Monty python also “nice-a” are so heavily accented that challenges the audience's pre-existing it sounds ridiculous. conditioning. The behavior of Frenchmen in Sequence 10 and the disregard of the established lore of King Arthur by Dennis the peasant in Sequence 4. In Sequence 10, King Arthur encounters a castle full of Frenchmen. In the real world, The Frenchmen are Figure 5 The french rudeness is exaggerated in this film to the point that it looks silly often stereotyped as rude people, which is a stereotype that is known Furthermore, as shown in among other westerners as studies Figure 5, the French are seen doing conducted by Ferber (2008) and physical mockery to King Arthur and Larrivée and Longhi (2012) confirm. his knights, this physical mockery Ferber's research suggests that the consists of tapping his helmet American stereotypes French people repeatedly and extending both hands as an arrogant and rude person, which and placing his thumb on his temple happen due to past disagreement while making “pffffrt” sounds to between American and French people mock King Arthur and his knights. in the Iraqi war, and the American The Frenchmen also verbally mock media portrayal of the French after king Arthur with ridiculously the fact. Furthermore, in Larrivée and offensive words like “English pig- Longhi’s (2012) research, they dogs”, “empty-headed animal food confirm that the British stereotyping trough wiper”, and another Passage2020, 8(3), 73-88

ridiculously offensive name-calling, target of ridicule by a peasant who including intentionally believes in a more relatable, modern mispronouncing knights as system. The act of disregarding the “kniggits”. This portrayal of The lore of a story is highly incongruous Frenchmen is incongruously and rarely seen, especially at the time exaggerated, people who know the this film premiered. stereotype may laugh at the fact that it is exaggerated to point of it being silly, or they may laugh because they acknowledge how silly the stereotype looks in this film. Besides the exaggeration of stereotypes, the disregard of King Arthur lore in the film is also breaking people's precondition, as usually in Figure 6 Dennis Blatantly disregard the established lore of King Arthur tale and mocking any type of literary works, there are it some lore or rules that have to respect. In the original story of King Arthur, it In conclusion, Monty python's is said that the lady of the lake gives ability to mess with the audience's King Arthur the Excalibur, a magical pre-existing conditioning is sword, which is the reason king interesting as not only did they use it Arthur becoming a king. However, in to evoke humor, but also made a Sequence 4, shown in figure 6 below, social commentary/criticism about a the original story of how King Arthur certain topic such as stereotype, can reach kinghood is made to be a government system, etc.

SOLUTION

Context of solution is composed of In Sequence 11, as seen in incongruity and superiority triggers Figure 7, a historian in modern that require further knowledge to be clothes is narrating the steps King obtained before the humor appears, Arthur and his knights will take to otherwise, the humor will be missed. obtain the Holy Grail. Unfortunately Fortunately, in this film, most of the for him, after he almost finishes further knowledge is given as the film narrating the story, a knight appears plays. In total, there are seven on horseback and kills the historian. contexts of solution, four of which are The appearance of the knight creates connected to the end sequence of this a cognitive violation as it can be film. interpreted that both the historian, which come from the modern times, and the knight who supposedly come from 932 A.D. exist at the same time, which is impossible, thus this scene alone is a (De-) normalization context. However, as the film goes on, Figure 7 the famous historian murdered by a the audience is given additional knight with a real horse context about what happened after the

3 historian's death at the end of several informs the audience of the timeframe sequences, namely Sequence 15, between the last time king Arthur was Sequence 17, and Sequence 19. In there and the arrival of the police to Sequence 17, as shown in figure 8, the the location. These two scenes act as police are seen in the same scene additional knowledge that indicates where King Arthur and his knight that the police are a part of the overall have been previously seen, which is plot and not randomly placed. This shown through the use of the mise-en- additional information is then used by scene element, setting. The use of the audience to create a new setting is indicated by the broken understanding of Sequence 11. picket fence from where the shrubbery used to be in Sequence 15. This additional information is important as it tells the audience that the police are onto King Arthur and his knight.

Then, at the end of Sequence 20 and Sequence 21, shown in figure 9, the police are seen apprehending Sir Lancelot and King Arthur, in two different locations. After the arrest of King Arthur, the film then ends Figure 9 police arresting the knights abruptly, leaving only a blank screen and background music. These two sequences act as the final piece of information that reveals another purpose of Sequence 11, which is a tie-in for the film ends. Without the additional information that is given throughout Sequence 11 and onward, the final sequence will not be as humorous and absurd as it currently is. Even though these sequences is not

Figure 8 Police investigating the last known remotely humorous initially, it locations of King Arthur becomes increasingly humorous each time the scene gets revisited and A similar pattern is shown at the explored. end of Sequence 19, where the police In conclusion, Monty python are near the cave entrance that King is utilizing solution context by adding Arthur and his knights previously more information to existing humor to enter. In this scene, one can see that extend the value of that particular the cave entrance is littered with a humor and rewarding those who pay body of dead knights. The dead attention to the film. knight's body is important as it

EVALUATION

Evaluation context is made as the first song is causing Sir Robin from incongruity and superiority to be anxious and scared, while the triggers that come through indirect second song is full of ironic remarks. communication to form an irony, an The first song is listed below. expression when someone says “Bravely bold Sir Robin, rode something that has contradictory forth from Camelot. meaning to what they say, which He was not afraid to die, O causes the audience to reevaluate its Brave Sir Robin. meaning. In the film, Monty Python He was not at all afraid to be uses evaluation context in four killed in nasty ways. sequences, which is the least of all Brave, brave, brave, brave types of contexts. Sir Robin! He was not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp, Or to have his eyes gouged out, and his elbows broken. To have his kneecaps split, and his body burned away, And his limbs all hacked and Figure 10 Sir Robin feeling uneasy after hearing mangled, brave Sir Robin! a song from his minstrel His head smashed in and his In Sequence 12, the tale of Sir heart cut out, Robin, the audience is shown an And his liver removed and individual tale of King Arthur’s his bowels unplugged, Knights, Sir Robin. In his tale, he is And his nostrils raped and seen venturing into a forest along with his bottom burned off, his favorite minstrel. Along the way, And his penis...” the minstrel chants a song about how In the first song, it can be Sir Robin is a brave knight who is not considered ironic as this song is afraid to die in a nasty way. However, chanting about Sir Robin's bravery, the song is scaring Sir Robin to the which the audience will disagree with point he asks them to stop. After a as he is already introduced as a while, Sir Robin encounters a three- coward in the previous sequence. headed knight which blocks anyone Furthermore, the song itself is also who wants to pass. After knowing that incongruous as instead of singing a Sir Robin is the Knights of Camelot, tale of valor or achievement, it sings the Three-headed Knight decided to about how unfazed Sir Robin is about kill him. Scared, Sir Robin then killed in an incongruously gruesome decides to run when the Three-headed way, which is not true as Sir Robin Knight is arguing with each other become more anxious as he takes a head, which Sir Robin Minstrel glance at his minstrel every time the sarcastically celebrates him with song gets more gruesome and finally another song. In this sequence, the asks them to stop the song before it Minstrel songs are loaded with irony, was finished as he can't take it ROBIN: I didn't! anymore. MINSTREL (singing): And gallantly he chickened out bravely taking to his feet ROBIN: I never did! MINSTREL (singing): He beat a very brave retreat ROBIN: Oh, lie! MINSTREL (singing): Bravest of the brave Sir Robin ROBIN: I never! Figure 11 Sir Robin visibly scared while his In this exchange, the minstrel minstrel sang a song about him using two conflicting words, which In their second song, Sir are “brave” and every other word that Robin’s minstrel is mocking Sir is synonymously associated with Robin using ironic statements, which “runaway”. Therefore, it means that are listed in this exchange below. the minstrel is indirectly mocking Sir MINSTREL: Brave Sir Robin ran Robin, who has fled away from away danger, instead of praising him, which ROBIN: No! is then easily re-evaluated by the MINSTREL (singing): Bravely audience. ran away away In conclusion, to show the ROBIN: I didn't! context of evaluation, the Monty MINSTREL (singing): When Python group utilize the use of ironic danger reared its ugly head, He statement to evoke humor by showing bravely turned his tail and fled Sir Robin, which is a target of ridicule ROBIN: No! in this sequence, getting bullied by his MINSTREL (singing): Yes Brave minstrel repeatedly using irony- Sir Robin turned about loaded songs. HUMOR IN FILMS

The findings show that humor signifies Monty Python's effort to in Monty Python and the Holy Grail show their capability as comedy operates based on the four contexts, authors. The troupe can create humor Which are (De-) normalization, from complex source material such as Conditioning, Evaluation and, The Arthurian Legend. Furthermore, Solution contexts. These contexts Monty Python is also capable of helped me to identify the types of making a diverse set of humor, from humor appearing in the film. In this simple jokes such as the absurdity of film, Monty python utilized the four a killer rabbit in sequence 19 to more contexts by breaking people’s complex humor, where Monty Python expectations about how a film should criticizes mob mentality by ridiculing be, as the film does not look like a it in Sequence 6. In addition to the typical film at all. From start to finish, complex and diverse humor, the the film is full of incongruities that inclusion of cinematic aspects in their stimulate people to laugh. humor is also notable, such as the Therefore, the humor in incongruous use of editing to invoke Monty Python and the Holy Grail humor in Sequence 16 and the acknowledgment of non-diegetic it mostly explores humor that exists in sound which satirize musical film in its writing, such as plot and Sequence 16. Ultimately, the humor characterizations. While it is not in this film is made to entertain always required for all humor people, especially those who are research in a film to include humor exposed to western culture, as King analysis regarding its cinematic Arthur is a part of European aspects, it may help in enriching the Literature. Therefore, American, result of the analysis. British, and European people might Furthermore, the addition of a catch on with the humor as they are cinematic aspect to research humor in the main audience for their film as a film may help to explain how a film Monty Python only Premiere their can be humorous. Juckel, Bellman, film in the UK and US (Internet and Varan (2016) in their study argue Movie Database, n.d. ). It also means that different styles of filming might that other people such as those who affect the types of humor that exist in live in Asia and Africa might not be a film, which implied that with the able to enjoy the film as much as the addition of cinematic aspect to western people do unless they have analyze, a researcher can explore the necessary knowledge to more about why a film can be understand the film. humorous. Then, they are also able to Similarly, Briandana and show their authority toward their Dwityas (2018) briefly mention the audience through their comedic importance of cinematic aspects in a vision. Their comedic vision is well humorous film. They implied that it known due to their previous work, may have enriched our understanding Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969- of humor in a film and its implication 1974), which made those who watch toward society. However, in their their previous work attributing Monty research, the focus of their research is Python’s work as funny. Furthermore, the narrative aspect of the films they their involvement in most of the analyze, which means that the filmmaking process has helped them technical aspect of the cinematic maintain the Pythonesque of the film. aspect is ignored. Although it not However, this form of authority might mandatory to include the technical only affect those who are familiar aspect of a film when researching with their previous works. Thus, those comedic films, it might help to who are not familiar with Monty include it as it may have a significant Python's work before might not be impact on the research, as this affected as much. research suggests. Regarding its cinematic In conclusion, Monty Python aspects, most research on comedy proves themselves to be a good film is rarely acknowledging the comedy group by utilizing their impact of a cinematic aspect of a film humor to be entertaining by has on humor. In Fink's (2013) diversifying their film with many research, for example, although this kinds of humor that are suitable for research also analyzes humor in a many people's tastes, especially comedy film/TV shows, it did not people with the necessary knowledge explore the humor concerning its about western culture. It is discovered cinematic aspects of the film; rather, that after analyzing the film narrative Passage2020, 8(3), 73-88

and cinematic aspects that the one analyses a comedic film, as it may Cinematic aspect in a comedy film is enhance our understanding of why a should also be a consideration when film is humorous.

CONCLUSION The purpose of this research is looped edit of Sir Lancelot to analyze how the humor in Monty approaching the swamp castle in Python and The Holy Grail operates Sequence 16 and the use of mise-en- and what the humor signifies. The scene elements to indicate that the research drew on Vandaele’s Humor police are chasing King Arthur are Mechanism (2002) and the film form some examples of how a cinematic proposed by Bordwell, Thompson, aspect of a film helps enrich the and Smith (2017) as its theoretical humor in a film narrative aspect. and methodological framework. In conclusion, Monty Python The study found that the humor has shown us a recipe for a great operates based on contexts, which comedy film, by utilizing humor not referred to Vandaele’s Humor only in the narrative aspect but also in Mechanism (2002) comprising of the cinematic aspect of the film. Their (De-) normalization, solution, recipe for humor has helped them evaluation, and conditioning. reach the status of a renowned Furthermore, it is found that (De-) comedy group in the world, especially normalization is the most frequently in the western world (Calhoun et al., found context in the film, appearing 2020). Furthermore, by analyzing the fifteen times. The reason for the cinematic aspects of a comedy film, it abundance of (De-) normalization is helps us to understand more about because the context is embedded in how a comedy film can entertain us, both the narrative aspects of the film, as the cinematic aspect of a film can such as the absurdity of a killer rabbit, give us more context regarding the or the appearance of police at the end humor that exists in the narrative of the film and in the cinematic aspects of the film. This, in turn, can aspects of the film, such as in the provide us a better understanding of editing technique usage or in the the study of humor in general. humor that is shown through the use of mise-en-scene. Other types of REFERENCES humor contexts also appeared, with evaluation context being the least Archive - European Film Awards. discovered as it only has four (2001). Retrieved 19 October sequences associated with the 2019, from context. https://europeanfilmawards.eu/ Furthermore, this study en_EN/archive/2001/winner discovers the link between the Augustyn, A. (2020) Arthurian narrative aspect of a film and its Legend. In Encyclopædia cinematic aspects in the terms of Britannica Online. Retrieved humor. The link is that the cinematic from aspect helps to enrich the humor that http://www.britannica.com is found in the narrative aspects of the Berger, A. (1993). An anatomy of film, which, in turn, helps the overall humor. New Brunswick, N.J., value of the humor in this film. The U.S.A.: Transaction Publishers.

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