Poll

Your Favorite Terry Gilliam Film Is:

Jabberwocky
0 (0%)
Time Bandits
5 (7.7%)
Brazil
28 (43.1%)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
3 (4.6%)
The Fisher King
7 (10.8%)
Twelve Monkeys
11 (16.9%)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
6 (9.2%)
The Brothers Grimm
0 (0%)
Tideland
2 (3.1%)
The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
2 (3.1%)
The Zero Theorem
1 (1.5%)
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
0 (0%)
other
0 (0%)
haven't seen any
0 (0%)
don't like any
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 64

Author Topic: Gilliam, Terry  (Read 9420 times)

AAAutin

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #20 on: March 15, 2011, 06:08:25 PM »
9. THE BROTHERS GRIMM
8. THE IMAGINARIUM [...]
7. THE FISHER KING
6. BRAZIL
5. [...] BARON MUNCHAUSEN
4. 12 MONKEYS
3. THE MEANING OF LIFE
2. [...] HOLY GRAIL
1. FEAR & LOATHING [...]

Bondo

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #21 on: March 15, 2011, 06:22:05 PM »
Monty Python and the Holy Grail 5/5
12 Monkeys 4/5
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus 4/5
Brazil 3/5
The Fisher King 3/5
The Brothers' Grimm 2/5
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 2/5
Time Bandits 2/5
Tideland 1/5
« Last Edit: November 19, 2011, 04:31:25 PM by Bøndö »

jim brown

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #22 on: October 20, 2011, 04:13:50 PM »
Note: I've not seen Brazil since college and have little recollection of it. 


5. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - As a big fan of the source material, I thought this movie did a fine job of rendering Hunter S. Thompson's vision(s).  And I don't think anybody working today could have done it better.  I thought it captured the visuals of novel astutely; the characters rendered by Depp and DelToro were spot on; I even feel like it captured the spirit of the book.  But frankly, having read the novel rendered the movie unmemorable for me.  All those scenes, when I recall them, I recall them from the book, not the movie.  It did not need to exist.  I imagine I would feel the same way about The Catcher in the Rye if they were ever able to render a succesful vision of that. 

4. The Fisher King - It's been a while since I've seen it, but this movie has some beautifully realized moments and I remember it fondly.  Briefly: I thought Jeff Bridges was terrific as the bombastic shock jock whose hubristic fall provides the catalyst for the rest of the movie.  I thought the violent bar scene provided the kind of shock that I didn't expect from Gilliam.  And I absolutely loved Mercedes Rhuel in this film.  There were scenes of poetry that I expect from Gilliam, and some old tropes (e.g.: the haunting visits by the Red Knight) that he's done better in other films (Munchausen).  Most negatively, I have a problem with Robin Williams in almost any form (except, for some reason, in Kenneth Branagh's Dead Again).  He was fine here, probably my 3rd or 4th least-problematic performance by him, but my issues with him as an actor never fully disappeared. 

(Random memory: this was nominated for a couple of Academy Awards.  I was watching the nominations being announced on live TV by Karl Malden and Kathleen Turner.  Malden kept calling it "The King Fisher" during the proceeding.  Finally Turner turned to him and whispered audibly: Fisher King.) 

3. Twelve Monkeys - I like the disjointedness of it all: I felt as discombobulated as Bruce Willis every time he was abruptly pulled into a new scenario.  And I thought Willis was great - I completely bought his performance.  Visually, I thought it was striking - the greyness of Philadelphia seemed to permeate every frame.  And I liked the story - how poignantly hopeless it all seems, but for the trying.  Lastly, the casting of Brad Pitt was almost compensated by the casting of Frank Gorshin.
 
2. Time Bandits - Magical and cynical at the same time: boyish wonder spoiled by the pettiness and treacheries of adults.  Humor abounds, a huge cast of singular characters, and an ending that would never be allowed by Hollywood. 
 
1. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - There isn't a frame of this movie I don't love.  I think a lot of Gilliam's films have trouble with pacing and the shifting of tone.  I don't find that here at all.  It's just a beautiful, jaunty contemplation of fantasy v. reality, imagination v. reason.  I love John Neville's brilliant turn as Munchausen, so self-involved and aloof, and yet he moves in the important spheres of beauty and imagination (as contrasted with Jonathan Pryce's petty official, who seeks to squash anything superlative).  It's exciting and fantastical, funny and just a little bit sad, and there was always something beautiful to gawk at on the screen.  It's everything I've come to expect from a Gilliam movie. 

« Last Edit: October 20, 2011, 04:34:30 PM by jim brown »
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Jared

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #23 on: October 20, 2011, 04:49:06 PM »
Looking over the movies he's made, Ive kind of suprised myself in seeing that Im not all that high on Gilliams work.

Brazil, Time Bandits, 12 Monkeys and Fisher King are all 3/5 movies for me.

Fear and Loathing is 1/5

oneaprilday

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #24 on: October 20, 2011, 04:56:09 PM »
1. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - There isn't a frame of this movie I don't love.  I think a lot of Gilliam's films have trouble with pacing and the shifting of tone.  I don't find that here at all.  It's just a beautiful, jaunty contemplation of fantasy v. reality, imagination v. reason.  I love John Neville's brilliant turn as Munchausen, so self-involved and aloof, and yet he moves in the important spheres of beauty and imagination (as contrasted with Jonathan Pryce's petty official, who seeks to squash anything superlative).  It's exciting and fantastical, funny and just a little bit sad, and there was always something beautiful to gawk at on the screen.  It's everything I've come to expect from a Gilliam movie.
Nice to see the love for this one!  I like it a lot, too.  Have you seen The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus?  It had a good deal in common, I thought, with Munchausen (though the latter is a little more successful, I think).   And you should re-watch Brazil - it's my favorite. :)

jim brown

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #25 on: October 20, 2011, 05:50:05 PM »
Brazil is definitely on my list to re-watch. 

I want to see Imaginarium - I'm just a little anxious that I might not like it.  I feel his failures more poignantly than I do other directors I follow. 

I'm always rooting for Gilliam.  I think of all his struggles as an artist and I just want him to have a big, beautiful artistic, critical and box office success.  Just one.
Kevin: Yes, why does there have to be evil?

Supreme Being: I think it has something to do with free will.

-------------------------------------------------------

Verna: I suppose you think you raised hell.

Tom: Sister, when I've raised hell you'll know it.

oldkid

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #26 on: October 20, 2011, 06:12:08 PM »
I think that since you really enjoyed Munchausen, you'd really like Imaginarium-- they are pretty similar in my mind, although Imaginarium is less comedic, they are both pretty chaotic.

My complete Gilliam list (sans Brothers Grimm):

1. Brazil-- 5/5
2. Tideland-- 5/5
3. Monty Python and the Holy Grail-- 5/5
4. The Fisher King-- 5/5
5. The Meaning of Life-- 4/5
6. 12 Monkeys-- 3.5/5
7.  The Adventures of Baron Munchausen-- 3.5/5
8. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus-- 3.5/5
9. Time Bandits-- 3/5
10. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas-- 3/5
 
I think they are all great in their own ways.  FaLiLV is a bold experiment, which might work for some, but for all the art involved, it just seemed dull and off-putting.
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Totoro

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #27 on: October 20, 2011, 06:18:00 PM »
Brazil (A)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (B+) -Due for a revisit
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (B+)
12 Monkeys (C)
The Brothers Grimm (D+)

Ryecatcher

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #28 on: October 20, 2011, 11:58:35 PM »
Brazil, followed by Time Bandits.

I really didn't like what he did with Fear and Loathing... past the first 15 minutes. Too much of what Ballgame would call 'page-to-screen' for my liking.
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mousterpiece

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Re: Directors Best Poll - Terry Gilliam
« Reply #29 on: December 06, 2011, 10:22:09 AM »
I chose Brazil, but Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the top choice for me in his entire filmography.

1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
2. Brazil
3. Twelve Monkeys
4. Time Bandits
5. The Fisher King
6. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
7. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
8. The Brothers Grimm
9. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
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