Time Bandits

Question: Evil tells of his assistants, "tell me about computers". And he later says, "show me subscriber trunk dialing". Why does such a powerful entity have an interest in technology? (01:30:45 - 01:31:35)

Chosen answer: This technology may pose a threat, as a counter, to Evil's magic, or it could be used to enhance his own powers.

Phixius ★

Answer: Remember his whole speech about technology being his version of the universe, while the Supreme Being concentrated on nature?

Brian Katcher

Answer: None of them appeared in Time Bandits, but all four have worked with director Terry Gilliam (Pitt and Stowe in Twelve Monkeys, Plummer and Ruehl in The Fisher King) - presumably their interviews were about Gilliam generally. The Supreme Being was played by Sir Ralph Richardson.

Tailkinker ★

Question: What was Vincent's personal problem, and when he had it, why did he ask for fruit?

Answer: Probably diarrhoea, and he needs fruit for fibre. The "special..." he says he doesn't need to wear anymore might be diapers.

Answer: Most likely a sexual dysfunction, asking for fruit was a ploy to avoid answering any more personal questions.

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Mistakes

Factual error: When the Titanic sinks all six dwarves and Kevin end up in the sea clutching a lifebelt. The water in which the Titanic sank was freezing - that is how most of the casualties died, by freezing, not drowning. In water like that you'd be lucky to stay conscious for more than a few minutes. Despite this none of them show the slightest effect of the cold. Maybe the dwarves have some 'magical' ability to withstand lethal cold, but Kevin doesn't even react to being plunged into freezing cold water. He'd be screaming in pain, but he doesn't even show the slightest sign of discomfort.

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Quotes

Randall: People who are always right make me sick.
Fidgit: That's why you get along with yourself so well.

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Trivia

Trivia: Throughout the film there are several references to a character named Horseflesh, (such as "Horseflesh would never get us into this mess"). Despite the character being credited at the end of the movie he's never properly shown onscreen. There's a paragraph devoted to him in the published "Time Bandits" screenplay: "The trouble is quite frankly that if Horseflesh had been in it he would have made seven dwarves, and we'd have libel suits from Disney and all sorts of things. But we liked the name, so he remains the mystery dwarf." According to the interview with Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam on the extras DVD (produced in 2002), Terry Gilliam states that Horseflesh is the dwarf seen with Evil, though it isn't mentioned who he is; in the original script he had quite a few lines, but they were cut, eg "The map! Evil one, the very map I promised you, is yours" (from script excerpt shown on DVD).

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