I just watched this film for the first time recently, and I have to say, I was impressed. This film was a little too long for my taste, but in the end, the positives far outweighed that aspect.
Terry Gilliam's vision of dystopia is one that succeeds in being both funny, as well as dark and creepy at the same time, a combination I've seen used effectively only a few other times. The story is also a heartbreaking one, if you do what I did and rented the original cut of the film, as opposed to the "love conquers all" version, which from what I've heard really sucks.
I especially loved how Gilliam portrayed the government as being dominant, yet very inefficient at the same time. Everything is just bogged down in regulations, procedures, and red tape. Being a resident of New York State, I could totally relate. :teddyr:
I really like this film, though it is hard to watch. As you say, it is both funny and heartbreaking. It is absolutely beautiful to watch, but the story is brutal as well as touching. I'm working up to watching Gilliam's Tideland, which appears to be along the same lines (not story-wise; just in that it is brutal and beautiful at the same time). So far, I've loved all of Gilliam's films that I have watched (the weakest I've seen are The Fisher King and The Brothers Grimm). But I especially love his "trilogy" of films--Time Bandits, Brazil, and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen--that deal with childhood, adulthood, and old age.
Quote from: Derf on November 07, 2007, 02:21:05 PM
I'm working up to watching Gilliam's Tideland, which appears to be along the same lines (not story-wise; just in that it is brutal and beautiful at the same time).
It takes a lot to disturb and offend me.
Tideland almost made me turn it off at least three times. It is a seriously f'ed up movie. I watched it all the way through once and that was enough for a life time. :thumbdown:
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone unless they were a hard-core Gilliam fan.
I actually liked The Fisher King a lot. I guess the fact that it has Robin Williams makes it tough for hardcore Gilliam fans to like. But if you compare it to Brazil and Munchausen and Time Bandits...yeah, I can see where you're coming from on that, Derf.
Quote from: Oldskool138 on November 07, 2007, 02:29:47 PM
Quote from: Derf on November 07, 2007, 02:21:05 PM
I'm working up to watching Gilliam's Tideland, which appears to be along the same lines (not story-wise; just in that it is brutal and beautiful at the same time).
It takes a lot to disturb and offend me. Tideland almost made me turn it off at least three times. It is a seriously f'ed up movie. I watched it all the way through once and that was enough for a life time. :thumbdown:
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone unless they were a hard-core Gilliam fan.
I loved
Tideland! I was lucky enough to see it during its limited theatrical run, and it's a beautiful sight on the big screen. I read the book beforehand so I knew what to expect (the film is tamer than the book, by the way), but there were still some uncomfortable moments. I don't feel it's as messed up as many viewers believe it to be.
Anyways, as for
Brazil, I usually name it as my favorite film. There's a lot to take in, and after repeated viewings I've noticed more flaws, but overall I think it's a very accomplished film. I'm really pretty biased towards liking any Terry Gilliam film, but I'd say my least favorite is
The Brothers Grimm. For some reason I'm not the biggest fan of
Time Bandits, but I still watch it once in a while.
Quote from: D-Man on November 07, 2007, 03:59:32 PM
I actually liked The Fisher King a lot. I guess the fact that it has Robin Williams makes it tough for hardcore Gilliam fans to like. But if you compare it to Brazil and Munchausen and Time Bandits...yeah, I can see where you're coming from on that, Derf.
It wasn't the fact that it starred Robin Williams that put me off on this film (although, granted, I saw more of Williams in this movie than I ever wanted to, if you know what I mean--bouncing schlongs in the moonlight aren't my cup of tea). It just didn't feel like a Gilliam film to me; the look was more mainstream, as was the story. It felt like Gilliam was trying to make a commercially successful movie, and in doing so, left behind much of what makes his work unique. I had the same feeling with
The Brothers Grimm, although it at least looked a bit more like a Gilliam movie. And for the record,
The Fisher King was more enjoyable to me than
The Brothers Grimm.
Time Bandits I love and have on DVD and I love Munchhausen. It was quite breathtaking. Haven't seen Fisher King or Tideland. And I think I watched Brazil a few times, but never to the end. From what I remember, it's a weird movie and I didn't get it. So I'll have to rent it again and sit down in a quiet room and watch it to the end.
Not sure about Gilliam as a filmmaker though. He's a little too out there for my taste and it seems like his movies have no point. But maybe you have to be a fan to "get" them anyway.
I saw The Brothers Grimm, but didn't like it as much as I expected to, so I felt quite disappointed. My 16 yo son loved it. It was quite lavish as Terry Gilliam movies tend to be, but I found the plot a little baffling. I did like Monica Bellucci as the evil queen though.
I really don't think that Terry Gilliam has ever topped Brazil. It's his best film IMO and one of my personal top ten favorite movies of all time.
Truly haunting, funny, scary and truly mind bending all at the same time.
Brazil has more of a political message (not that that's wrong) so it's kind of different from his other movies. It's a very dark movie, very good though I don't watch it as often as Munchhausen. I like both of them, along with Time Bandits, which is a bit weaker IMO.
I did enjoy Fisher King and while it is more mainstream than most of Terry's movies it does have the blurring of fantasy/reality in it. One thing though, it really doesn't work as a date movie, at least on a first date. D'oh!
Quote from: Torgo on November 08, 2007, 11:33:55 PM
I really don't think that Terry Gilliam has ever topped Brazil. It's his best film IMO and one of my personal top ten favorite movies of all time.
Truly haunting, funny, scary and truly mind bending all at the same time.
I think he came close with 12 Monkeys.
I love Brazil even if its a little too long. My personal favoratie Gilliam film is Munchhuasen, its also I feel his most unkown, and underated film because nobody I know, even other Gilliam fans know of it.Can't even find it on DVD at Best Buy. My least favorite is Brothers Grimm, which I think is one of the biggest pieces of crap ever put on film.