In theaters

MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, 91 minutes, PG, directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, written by Gilliam, Jones, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Pain. Starts tomorrow, Railroad Square Cinema, Waterville.

Twenty-six years after the original release of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the film returns to theaters with “23 seconds of missing footage,” a clever selling point that proves the Pythons still have it in them when it comes to spoofing pop culture.

Indeed, in an era where director’s cuts are increasingly becoming the norm, especially on DVD, the idea that the Pythons’ second film features less than half a minute of missing material – all of which, incidentally, swirls around Sir Galahad and the lusty sisters at Castle Anthrax – is too silly and funny to resist.

Perhaps the film’s greatest triumph is in how well it’s held up – in keeping with the title of the Pythons’ first film, it still offers audiences something completely different. With a fresh print and new stereo sound, it also looks and sounds better than ever.

This isn’t the Pythons’ best film – that belongs to “Life of Brian,” which sustained its laughs and provoked audiences in ways that “Grail” doesn’t. But as the Pythons offer their unique twist on King Arthur and his knights’ quest for the Holy Grail, their film is nevertheless packed with a mother lode of memorable moments, from the hilarious opening credits, which are subtitled in faux-Swedish, to the famous scene in which King Arthur (Graham Chapman) hacks the Black Knight (John Cleese) to bloody stumps.

The ending was controversial in 1975 and it will remain so, but it was nevertheless the right choice – it not only maintains with the film’s absurdist tone, but it dares to turn the movie even further onto its side.

“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” isn’t perfect – it can be wildly uneven and sometimes it’s dull. But when it unleashes the full Monty of its cast’s genius for dialogue, it can be unforgettable. Indeed, “I unclog my nose in your direction, you son of a window dresser!” remains as quotable today as it did in 1975, and “Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries,” seems directly responsible for influencing much of Dame Edna’s career.

In a culture currently kneecapped by the likes of “Bubble Boy,” “Freddy Got Fingered,” “Say it Isn’t So” and “Rush Hour 2,” “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” showcases how much we’ve lost in the years since its release – and how far we need to go to get back to smarter comedies.

Grade: B+

On video and DVD

EXIT WOUNDS, 100 minutes, R, directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, written by Ed Horowitz and Richard D. Ovidio, based on the novel by John Westermann.

“Exit Wounds” is just the sort of pumped-up fare one expects from Steven Seagal, the late-’80s action hero who made a name for himself as the second-rate Schwarzenegger, the third-rate Stallone and the fourth-rate Chuck Norris in such films as “Under Siege,” “Marked for Death,” “Above the Law,” “Hard to Kill” and “On Deadly Ground.”

His new film features him as Orin Boyd, a “lone wolf” detective from Detroit who’s another version of the same character Seagal has played for years – a renegade outsider who loves to infuriate his superiors by not following the rules.

After saving the vice president of the United States from a shoot-out on Detroit’s Bell Isle Bridge, Boyd isn’t thanked for his efforts. Instead, he’s criticized for his “reckless behavior” and demoted to the unsavory 15th Precinct, where, as a traffic cop, he must now suffer the humiliation of anger management classes designed to keep his rage in check.

But things aren’t what they seem at the precinct (are things ever what they seem at the precinct?). Soon, Boyd becomes aware that some of his beefy new colleagues are dirty cops trying to push millions in heroin to Latrell Walker (rap star DMX), a smooth operator who eventually joins the rest of the cast in revealing that even he isn’t what he seems.

With Tom Arnold and Anthony Anderson offering their dim brand of comedic relief, “Exit Wounds” has the stink of old ideas and action cliches all over it. Unlike Stallone’s comeback in “Get Carter” and Schwarzenegger’s return in “The 6th Day” and “End of Days,” Seagal isn’t responsible for infusing the action scenes with their modest energy. Instead, the energy comes from director Andrzej Bartkowiak’s rapid jump cuts, a cheat that won’t fool anyone.

Grade: D

Christopher Smith is the Bangor Daily News film critic.

His reviews appear Mondays

in Style, Thursdays in the

scene, Tuesdays on “NEWS CENTER at 5” and Thursdays on “NEWS CENTER at 5:30”

on WLBZ-2 and WCSH-6. He

can be reached at BDNFilm1@aol.com.

THE VIDEO CORNER

Renting a video? NEWS film critic Christopher Smith can help. Below are his grades of recent releases in video stores.

Joe Dirt ? D+

See Spot Run ? F

Willy Wonka and the

Chocolate Factory ? A-

Hannibal ? C+

Say it Isn?t So ? D

15 Minutes ? D+

Blow Dry ? C+

Enemy at the Gates ? C

An Everlasting Piece ? B+

Get Over It ? B-

Josie and the Pussycats ? F

Tomcats ? F

Chocolat ? A-

The Mexican ? C-

3000 Miles to Graceland ? D

The Brothers ? B

Head Over Heels ? D

The Trumpet

of the Swan ? C+

Pollock ? A-

Sweet November ? D-

Valentine ? F

The Gift ? B+

Family Man ? D-

Saving Silverman ? F

Down to Earth ? D

Monkeybone ? D

Thirteen Days ? A-

Unbreakable ? C+

The Wedding Planner ? D+

You Can Count on Me ? A

Proof of Life ? C-

Save the Last Dance ? C-

State and Main ? B

O Brother, Where Art Thou ? A-

Cast Away ? A-