Review of Lost in La Mancha (2002) by P B — 15 Nov 2007

Oh, what a tragedy that Terry Gilliam's film adaptation of Don Quixote never made it to the big screen!

This documentary reveals all the hardships that stood in the way of this movie ever getting made, and at times it is just painful to watch. This is the definition of watching a train-wreck. In the beginning you are watching them gleefully beginning pre-production, and though they are aware that the task at hand is a difficult (and expensive) one, their optimism overshadows their doubts. I was cringing in my seat at the sight of all the hard work and dedication that had gone into producing nothing (beautiful costumes, elaborate set designs, and lots and lots of money gone to waste).

You watch them building the sets and putting together costumes and props, and you are aware that the project will fail...the tragedy of the film is that [I]they[/I] aren't. They push ahead through numerous hardships, each one of them inspired by and dedicated to the thought of the finished product, which they all believe so intently in. You see Terry Gilliam's ideas manifesting into reality (life-size knight puppets and giant statues) and you see that the film is promising and unique, but the entire time you know that everything they create will just end up in storage.

Then you watch it dawn on them --the fact that it's hopeless-- and it's awful awful awful because you knew it throughout the entire movie and you feel like you should have warned them. It's heartbreaking to see reality win out over dreams in real life, especially when the movie you are making is about that very thing.

Hopefully Terry will be able to resurrect this film someday. It really does look like something worth seeing; I'd like to be the first in line at the theatre. I'd want to think there is no Curse of Quixote (every film adaptation of the book that has been attempted has failed) and that eventually someone will be able to bring this magnificent story to the silver screen, but I never want to see another movie about someone's failure to do so ever again.

Overall I suppose it's a good warning for filmmakers --plan ahead, plan ahead, rehearse, rehearse, REHEARSE!-- and for Terry Gilliam fans, but I found myself drifting off at some points. I guess it's worth a viewing for those who are interested :fresh:, but the average movie-goer can probably just skip it.

BTW: That one giant had THE flabbiest man-boobs I have ever seen. And in slow motion... wow...