Terry Gilliam biography part 2: 1990 to present. (Terry Gilliam bio part 1)

1991 saw the release of Gilliam's next film entitled The Fisher King. A much more mainstream proportion than any of his previous films, and with the criticism of Munchausen still ringing in his ears, The Fisher King allowed Gilliam to demonstrate that he could bring in a film under budget, make it look fantastic and make it a commercial success, all of which were achieved (along with some Oscar wins and nominations along the way).

With his reputation substantially restored his next movie was Twelve Monkeys (1995). Based on the legendary 1960's flick La Jetee, the story revolves around a convict sent back from the future (where society has been wiped out by a mutated virus), to the past, in the hope that the virus can be obtained and prevented from mutating. With the studio fully behind the project and two mega stars heading the action (Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt) the film was a commercial and critical hit which further enhanced Gilliam's bankability.

1998 saw the release of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Based on the legendary writings of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing had long been thought impossible to bring to the movie screen. The previous directorial incumbent was Alex Cox who had to be relieved of his duties and Gilliam was drafted in to replace him. What he produced was very faithful to the drug addled writings it was based on and is a cult favourite with many progressive discerning film lovers, but given the nature of the story a wholesale mainstream hit was never likely to be on the cards. It is certainly the most uncompromising of Gilliam's work and it is hard to imagine anyone else even attempting a film of this nature, let alone achieving such amazing results.

Like many times in his post Munchausen career, Gilliam's thirst for making films has come into conflict with both studios and the movie backers, and the years after Fear and Loathing saw projects muted that he could not get backing for. None is more widely documented than his attempt in 2000 to make a film of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. This was something of a dream project for Gilliam and after lots of starts, stops, delays, and procrastination from the backers the film finally began shooting. After months of pre-production work being completed i.e. sets, models and costumes etc the shooting commences, but after only a couple of days the film is beset with technical hitches and even disasters (like the set being washed away in a flash flood). The film backers got cold feet and despite the money already spent, the film is unable to be resurrected. This is all documented in Lost in La Mancha which I would heartily recommend watching.

2005 saw Terry Gilliam back onto familiar ground with The Brothers Grimm. The story is a fictional take on the live's of fairy tale collectors, Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm. Gilliam's return to the screen seemed pretty much low key. The classic fairy tale / fantasy element was brought to life superbly with a very interesting script, but what did let the film down a bit was the cgi which was not as "perfect" as you would expect from a Gilliam film.

Also released in 2005 was Tideland a dark and disturbing tale about a young girl who goes to live in the country when her mother dies. She spends her days living in a fantasy world talking to her dolls heads. Elements of the story are reminiscent of Alice Through The Looking Glass (which is visually alluded to in parts of the film) and the whole movie flows slowly and beautifully between her reality and imagination. It marks something of a departure for Gilliam as the scrubland and natural vistas play a huge part in this film and it has the feeling of an Indie movie rather than a Hollywood one.

Currently filming and slated for release in 2009 is The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. The film looks like it has the hallmarks of a classic. It has a screenplay by Gilliam and Charles McKeown - the same team that came up with Munchausen and Brazil. The story is a sprawling tale full of imagination and mystery concerning a traveling theatre company traveling through magical realms. It has superb cast including Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger, Colin Farrell, Jude Law, Tom Waits and Mark Benton (not bad for a film with such a small budget of $30m). Heath Ledger died at a time when much of the filming had been done. Rather than recast and reshoot, Gilliam decided to keep the existing footage and have Depp, Farrell and Law portray versions of Ledgers transformations through time. The official site at The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus has just one picture on the site, but it looks so gorgeous it's whet the appetite already.

Terry Gilliam is undoubtedly the most creative and imaginative film director (and lets face it story teller) working in cinema today. From his early days working with the Pythons right up to his recent works his imagination and scope has continually pushed at the boundaries (and sometimes the budget) of what can be achieved in movie making. Is he is a modern day Michelangelo (the 16th Century artist rather than the ninja turtle) or a modern day Brother Grimm? - probably both. He is undoubtedly a genius and his films continue to astound and surprise (not an easy achievement in the modern world).

His attention to detail is also an amazing quality in his work. What particularly stands out for me is his unique style, the use of the wide angle lenses (like Kubrick) allow him to beautifully bring to life the (bigger) picture to such an extent it's like watching an old master at work. Added to this is his propensity towards the fairy tale ethic of storytelling that continually challenges and guides us masterfully through his movies. Here's hoping for many more films from him in the future.