Time Bandits
Short description
A young boy named Kevin is visited by six dwarfs who emerge from his wardrobe. These figures are former servants of the Supreme Being and have stolen a map that reveals gaps in the fabric of time. Using this map to plunder treasures from various eras, the dwarfs take Kevin along on their journey. Together, they encounter historical and legendary figures such as Napoleon, Robin Hood, and King Agamemnon, and visit the Titanic, while attempting to evade the Supreme Being and other threats.
Directed by Terry Gilliam, this adventure comedy is the third of 14 films in his directing career, following Jabberwocky and preceding The Crimson Permanent Assurance. Gilliam also served as a producer and co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Palin. The cast features Craig Warnock in the lead role, supported by David Rappaport, Kenny Baker, Mike Edmonds, Malcolm Dixon, and Tiny Ross, with 40 credited performers in total.
Produced in the United Kingdom by HandMade Films, the movie had a budget of 5 million USD and earned 42 million USD at the worldwide box office. On IMDb, the film holds a rating of 6.9/10 from 67,137 votes, while on TMDB it has a rating of 6.6/10 from 1,203 votes. Film critics rated the movie higher than the general audience, giving it a score of 7.8/10 based on 54 reviews.
What's left behind the scenes
- George Harrison served as the film's executive producer and 'additional music composer'.
- The film was shot in a London studio and on location in England, Wales, and Morocco. All the little people involved in the film are genuine actors with dwarfism. The cameras were deliberately set low, filming from the perspective of a little person or a child. The scene of the 'Titanic' sinking underwater is borrowed from the 1958 film 'A Night to Remember'.
- Little Craig Warnock, who played Kevin, landed the role by chance. After a long search for a young boy for 'Time Bandits,' the agent saw Warnock's brother and sent him an audition invitation. Little Craig went with his brother. The director preferred Craig to his brother. Terry Gilliam noted that the boy seemed quite intelligent, thoughtful, and quiet in contrast to his peers.
- The same cages can be seen in this film as the one in which Jill is imprisoned in Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil'.
- The original script about King Agamemnon read: "...The warrior removed his helmet and revealed a face very similar to Sean Connery." It was a surprise to the director when Connery became interested in the script for this film and agreed to play King Agamemnon.
- The costume worn by Ralph Richardson in the film is his own.
- According to the script, Mrs. Ogre was supposed to resemble her husband – the sea monster Ogr, which implied complex makeup. Katherine Helmond, playing this role, suggested to the director the idea of instead making Mrs. Ogre resemble a typical New England housewife. Gilliam agreed.
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