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Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

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Re: Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

#61

Post by satori99 »

lisper wrote: post #59
satori99 wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It is one of the most prescient films ever made. "People think I am a prophet and that Brazil described the world we’re living in now a few years ago. But we were living in that world then; people just weren’t paying attention the way they do now." https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/magazine/terry-gilliam-is...

Interesting. I'm not sure I agree though. I was in my early 20s in 1985 and so I can tell you from personal experience that things were really very different back then than now. In 1985 it was possible to escape surveillance without to much difficulty. Nowadays it's nearly impossible. Also, in 1985 the stock villains weren't terrorists, they were Russians.

I think that the plot devices involving terrorism were the most prescient.

When I first saw the film as a young teenager in the 80s, I was fascinated that the terrorists philosophy or demands were never clearly defined beyond "anti-government". Terrorism was portrayed as a regrettable but normal part of life.

Perhaps people who lived through actual terrorist bombing campaigns in British cities can relate to this more, but for me it was a crazy idea that this sort of thing could be normalized to any extent.

And yet here we are.

Re: Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

#62

Post by lisper »

satori99 wrote: post #61
lisper wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting. I'm not sure I agree though. I was in my early 20s in 1985 and so I can tell you from personal experience that things were really very different back then than now. In 1985 it was possible to escape surveillance without to much difficulty. Nowadays it's nearly impossible. Also, in 1985 the stock villains weren't terrorists, they were Russians.

I think that the plot devices involving terrorism were the most prescient. When I first saw the film as a young teenager in the 80s, I was fascinated that the terrorists philosophy or demands were never clearly defined beyond "anti-government". Terrorism was portrayed as a regrettable but normal part of life. Perhaps people who lived through actual terrorist bombing campaigns in British cities can relate to this more…

I thought this scene made it pretty clear that the terrorist attacks in the film were false-flag operations carried out by the government:

                                     JILL
                         Who is this war against, Sam?

                                     SAM
                         Well, terrorists of course.

                                     JILL
                         How many terrorists have you met? 
                         Actual terrorists?

                                     SAM
                         Actual. terrorists? Well... it's 
                         only my first day.

Re: Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

#63

Post by satori99 »

lisper wrote: post #62
satori99 wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that the plot devices involving terrorism were the most prescient. When I first saw the film as a young teenager in the 80s, I was fascinated that the terrorists philosophy or demands were never clearly defined beyond "anti-government". Terrorism was portrayed as a regrettable but normal part of life. Perhaps people who lived through actual terrorist bombing campaigns in British cities can relate to this more…

I thought this scene made it pretty clear that the terrorist attacks in the film were false-flag operations carried out by the government: JILL Who is this war against, Sam? SAM Well, terrorists of course. JILL How many terrorists have you met? Actual terrorists? SAM Actual. terrorists? Well... it's only my first day.

Yeah. I can see that. But it's still implied.

I suppose the government would have considered Harry Tuttle to be a legitimate terrorist, but his motives were ... different.

Re: Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

#64

Post by lisper »

satori99 wrote: post #63
lisper wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought this scene made it pretty clear that the terrorist attacks in the film were false-flag operations carried out by the government: JILL Who is this war against, Sam? SAM Well, terrorists of course. JILL How many terrorists have you met? Actual terrorists? SAM Actual. terrorists? Well... it's only my first day.

Yeah. I can see that. But it's still implied. I suppose the government would have considered Harry Tuttle to be a legitimate terrorist, but his motives were ... different.

Yes, I think that was part of the point too.

In any case, I can see someone having the following conversation today:

Citizen: How many terrorists have been apprehended as a result of increased security at airports?

TSA official (if he's being honest): Well, none. But we've only been at it for eighteen years so there's still a chance.

Re: Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

#65

Post by satori99 »

lisper wrote: post #64
satori99 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah. I can see that. But it's still implied. I suppose the government would have considered Harry Tuttle to be a legitimate terrorist, but his motives were ... different.

Yes, I think that was part of the point too. In any case, I can see someone having the following conversation today: Citizen: How many terrorists have been apprehended as a result of increased security at airports? TSA official (if he's being honest): Well, none. But we've only been at it for eighteen years so there's still a chance.

"We're fielding all their strokes, running a lot of them out, and pretty consistently knocking them for six. I'd say they're nearly out of the game."

Re: Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

#66

Post by Talanes »

CalChris wrote: post #25

I remember seeing a snippet of this film like 15 years ago (with Johnny Depp). At that point it was never going to be finished. Now it's playing at the 4 Star in SF this Friday. I can't wait. https://screenmediafilms.net/productions/details/2795/The-Ma...

Thanks for the heads up. I can see the 4 Star from my doorstep, and I somehow missed this completely.

Re: Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

#68

Post by 8bitsrule »

Unfortunately, the plot, such as it is, unravels into delirious chaos during the second half. Toby even breaks the fourth wall at one point to wonder aloud, 'There's a plot?'

I've asked the universe that question many times, but all I ever get is a chuckle.

Re: Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

#69

Post by busyant »

tomohawk wrote: post #60
lisper wrote: post #27

Gilliam's "Brazil" is still my favorite film of all time. If you haven't seen it, you should. Note that there are multiple versions of this film floating around. Comparing them makes a very interesting study in film editing. The story of the making of "Brazil" is almost as interesting and fraught as Don Quixote. When watching Brazil it's important to keep in mind that it was made in 1985, before 9-11, before the inte…

Great movie. When you watch it, you need to pay attention to every little thing. For example, the movie opens with an advertisement for government services. The dittie is hysterical, but its easy to miss. That theme gets expanded quite a bit in the film culminating in a fantastic scene with Robert De Niro as a rogue heating engineer.

> That theme gets expanded quite a bit in the film culminating in a fantastic scene with Robert De Niro as a rogue heating engineer.

so good!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRfoIyx8KfU&t=2m10s

Re: Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film finally hits the big screen after 25 years

#70

Post by RobertKerans »

monocasa wrote: post #22
stevewillows wrote: post #16

I loved this film. Its quirky and scattered in all of the right ways. I really admire Gilliam's persistence over the years -- and I'm thankful that he was willing to allow not one, but two documentaries to be filmed about the struggle to be made. Critics have been a little lukewarm to the film, but everybody I know who has seen it has loved it. It has definitely lived up to the hype. Its a shame I wasn't able to catc…

The standard critics have it out for Terry Gilliam for a bunch of reasons not related to the quality if his work.

I love Gilliam films, and I'll watch anything he does, but I think this a stretch: he's _very_ patchy. No-one ever accuses him of not being interesting, of not being full of ideas, not having a unique vision. It's just that those ideas are so rarely fully realised, and his films tend to ramble. They often feel incomplete, more surface than depth, gossamer.

As I say, I love his films and I'd happily watch almost anything he's done, but I don't know how much of that is down to me being enamoured of what he obviously tries to achieve. I just can't see how the critics are wrong most of the time w/r/t his films, and to me those bad reviews have generally come across as respectfully disappointed more than anything else.

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