10 Essential Time Travel Movies
8. Time Bandits (dir. Terry Gilliam, 1981)
Terry Gilliams first of two entries is the lighter of his time travel films, which provided him with his first big American hit outside Monty Python. The film follows a young boy called Kevin, whose boring suburban life changes when six time travelling dwarfs burst through his wardrobe, with a map that leads to treasure hidden throughout time. This merry and motley band travel through history, stealing treasure while evading the wicked plans of Evil himself (David Warner, in his second appearance on this list). While it isnt as weighty as Brazil or as head-scrambling as Twelve Monkeys, Time Bandits remains one of Gilliams most enjoyable films. Like his previous film Jabberwocky, the fingerprints of Python are all over it, with Michael Palin co-writing and supplying a cameo, and John Cleese turning up as Robin Hood. The time travel element is more of a plot device than a springboard for ideas, but it does set the stage for Gilliams famously elaborate production values and a bunch of really good jokes.
Terry Gilliams first of two entries is the lighter of his time travel films, which provided him with his first big American hit outside Monty Python. The film follows a young boy called Kevin, whose boring suburban life changes when six time travelling dwarfs burst through his wardrobe, with a map that leads to treasure hidden throughout time. This merry and motley band travel through history, stealing treasure while evading the wicked plans of Evil himself (David Warner, in his second appearance on this list). While it isnt as weighty as Brazil or as head-scrambling as Twelve Monkeys, Time Bandits remains one of Gilliams most enjoyable films. Like his previous film Jabberwocky, the fingerprints of Python are all over it, with Michael Palin co-writing and supplying a cameo, and John Cleese turning up as Robin Hood. The time travel element is more of a plot device than a springboard for ideas, but it does set the stage for Gilliams famously elaborate production values and a bunch of really good jokes. 