Editing Time Bandits (section)

==Production==
===Development===
In November 1979, [[Terry Gilliam]] developed the concept for ''Time Bandits'' after he had started work on ''[[Brazil (1985 film)|Brazil]]''. [[Monty Python]] manager and producer [[Denis O'Brien (producer)|Denis O'Brien]] had difficulty understanding the concept of ''Brazil'', so Gilliam decided on the idea of a family film. O'Brien had set up [[HandMade Films]] in London for the former [[The Beatles|Beatle]] [[George Harrison]] to produce ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian|Life of Brian]]'' and the initiative was to produce more films with Python talent. When Gilliam's pitch was accepted he co-wrote the script with fellow Python [[Michael Palin]].<ref name="gizmodo">{{cite web |last=Sellers |first=Robert |title=It's a miracle that Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits even got made |url=https://gizmodo.com/its-a-miracle-that-terry-gilliams-time-bandits-even-g-1332560707 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-us |date=17 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |title='Terry Gilliam: Career in 40 Minutes' |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=boxxgJIwbtc&feature=youtu.be |date=14 March 2014 |publisher=Total Film |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

===Casting===
[[Sean Connery]] was cast as Agamemnon after he met producer O'Brien on a golf course. A reference in the script introduced the character with the joke description: "Removing his helmet reveals himself to be none other than Sean Connery or an actor of equal but cheaper stature". Connery was a Python fan and agreed to do the role for a nominal fee in return for a share of the gross profits.<ref name="Gilliam/Palin 1">{{cite AV media |title='Gilliam/Palin Interview on Time Bandits, Part 1 of 3' |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x5LHk-OrcWo&feature=youtu.be |date=16 March 2008 |publisher=Oddmartian2 |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name="gizmodo" />

The part of Robin Hood was originally written for Palin but [[John Cleese]] was eventually cast as his name was considered more bankable. Palin decided to appear with [[Shelley Duvall]] in the small recurring roles of Vincent and Pansy. Cleese based his performance on the [[Prince Edward, Duke of Kent|Duke of Kent]] by watching him having meaningless conversations with footballers at the [[FA Cup Final]] during the team line-up before the match. Cleese remarked: "It always struck me as the most extraordinary ritual, the complete futility of that walking up and down thing".<ref name="gizmodo" />

[[Ralph Richardson]]'s casting as the Supreme Being was because he was regarded "pretty much near God in the acting profession".<ref name="Gilliam/Palin 2">{{cite AV media |title='Gilliam/Palin Interview on Time Bandits, Part 2 of 3' |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3ofj3XeywjM&feature=youtu.be |date=16 March 2008 |publisher=Oddmartian2 |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Richardson took his role seriously, marking out his lines in red ink and occasionally saying, "God wouldn't say that".<ref name="gizmodo" />

[[Ruth Gordon]] and [[Gilda Radner]] were considered for the role of Mrs. Ogre. Palin felt Gordon was the best choice but she had to drop out after sustaining an injury shooting ''[[Any Which Way You Can]]''. The studio wanted Radner considering her bankable, but Gilliam campaigned for [[Katherine Helmond]] due to the popularity of the TV comedy ''[[Soap (TV series)|Soap]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Bradford |title=The Lost Roles of Gilda Radner |url=https://www.vulture.com/2012/03/the-lost-roles-of-gilda-radner.html |website=Vulture |language=en-us |date=22 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731174928/https://www.vulture.com/2012/03/the-lost-roles-of-gilda-radner.html |archive-date=31 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Barnes |first=Mike |title=Katherine Helmond, the Man-Crazy Mother on 'Who's the Boss?' Dies at 89 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/katherine-helmond-dead-whos-the-boss-star-89-877766/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=1 March 2019}}</ref><ref name="WP">{{cite news |last=Ar |first=Gary |title=Terry Gilliam: On the Trail of 'Time Bandits' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/1981/11/15/terry-gilliam-on-the-trail-of-time-bandits/d04966ff-a7f5-4c51-86c7-7980a75b84d8/ |newspaper=Washington Post |date=15 November 1981}}</ref>

[[Jonathan Pryce]] was offered the role of Evil but opted for another film (''[[Loophole (1981 film)|Loophole]]'') for a higher fee as "he was broke" at the time.<ref>{{cite web |last=Riley |first=Jenelle |title=Jonathan Pryce Revisits 'The Caretaker' and Plays Doctor in 'Hysteria' |url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/jonathan-pryce-revisits-caretaker-plays-doctor-hysteria-51775/ |website=backstage.com |language=en |date=5 November 2019}}</ref>

===Filming===
Filming was partly on location with [[Raglan Castle]] standing in for [[Castiglione delle Stiviere]], [[Epping Forest]] as [[Sherwood Forest]] and [[Aït Benhaddou]] as Agamemnon's palace in [[Mycenae]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Filming Locations for Time Bandits (1981), in Berkshire, Kent, Wales and Morocco. |url=http://movie-locations.com/movies/t/Time-Bandits.php |website=The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Time Bandits |url=https://www.reelstreets.com/films/time-bandits/ |website=reelstreets.com}}</ref> Interior scenes were filmed at [[Fountain Studios|Lee International Film Studios]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Time Bandits (1981) |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b697b6106 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811133843/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b697b6106 |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2016 |website=BFI |language=en}}</ref> Gilliam said he wanted to film from a "kid's point of view" and therefore shot from a low camera angle. He also said, "fearing a child wouldn't sustain the film ... let's surround him with people of a similar height".<ref>{{cite AV media |title='Mark Lawson Talks to Terry Gilliam 3/4' |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=818&v=CfCxkFySvNk&feature=youtu.be |date=2014-11-17 |publisher=alexomat2 |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

During post-production, Gilliam had argued about changing the story's downbeat ending with O'Brien, who was also pressuring him to include some of Harrison's songs. Harrison eventually wrote and performed the closing credits song "[[Dream Away (George Harrison song)|Dream Away]]". The lyrics contained Harrison's comments on ''Time Bandits'' and on Gilliam's behaviour during the making of the film.<ref>{{cite web|first=Dom|last=Robinson|title=Time Bandits: Special Edition on Blu-ray – The DVDfever Review|url=https://dvd-fever.co.uk/time-bandits-special-edition-on-blu-ray-the-dvdfever-review/2/|website=DVDfever|date=26 August 2013|access-date=11 July 2020}}</ref>

=== Japanese release ===
The theatrical release in Japan was 1983. At cinemas outside of major metropolitan areas, preview screenings were shown as a double feature alongside the domestic production ''[[Harmagedon (film)|Harmagedon]]''.<ref>[[角川春樹]]『試写室の椅子』（角川書店、1985年）p.269</ref><ref name="allcinema">[https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/18816 映画 バンデットQ (1981)について] allcinema映画データベース</ref> Therefore, for commercial reasons on the part of the distributor who wanted to sell it as a children's programme, editing was carried out in a manner unique to Japan that "neglected the true intent of the work." Part of the scene of Robin Hood and the cannibal couple,<ref name="allcinema" /> and the last scene where the parents disappear were cut, resulting in a running time of approximately 103 minutes, approximately 13 minutes shorter than the original.<ref>[http://www.kinenote.com/main/public/cinema/detail.aspx?cinema_id=11438 バンデットQ - 作品情報] KINENOTE（[[キネマ旬報映画データベース]]）</ref>

The last scene was used uncut when it was aired on TV ("[[Sunday Western Movie Theater]]" broadcast on 10 January 1988). Each videogram version (LD, DVD, Blu-ray) released in Japan is the original full-length version.<ref name="allcinema" />