Review of Lost in La Mancha (2002) by Phil D — 25 Dec 2008

Terry Gilliam is fascinating. Not only can he make brilliant, visually masterful films, but he can make failing at making a film interesting and entertaining. Gilliam and the rest of the crew of 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote' start out with passion, talent, and memories of past experiences both good and bad. For Gilliam, his big-budget flop 'The Adventures of Baron Munchausen' seems to be on his mind every day during the making of his new film. Eventually, due to bad weather, noisy jets, a sick Jean Rochefort, creative differences and pesky insurance troubles, Gilliam and crew are forced to (SPOILER?) abandon production.

Tjis is a remarkably informative and entertaining documentary that not only lets us get a glimpse at what happens when a film fails to get made, but shows how dreamers are inevitably crushed when faced with the drearyness of the real world. I hope Gilliam succeeds the next time around, because he sure has the talent to bring what he imagines to the screen.