WELLESNET MESSAGE BOARD

Cinema Retro reports that director Terry Gilliam is taking another run at filming The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, after the false start of nine years ago, recorded in the 2002 documentary Lost in La Mancha. The man just never gives up! Find out more at http://www.cinemaretro.com.
Terry Gilliam also had the devil of a time completing The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus after the death of its star Heath Ledger. Such amazing persistence on Gilliam's part is to be commended!

There's been the occasional report about the relaunch since Gilliam repurchased the rights to his own screenplay from the Completion Guarantor a year or more ago (he lost them as part of the collapse of the first attempt.)

Johnny Depp is still attached to the project, but Gilliam must grab him between commitments to major Hollywood films. At one point Michael Palin was suggested as Quixote, despite his retirement from films (if not increasingly unambitious travel documentaries,) though I haven't heard his name mentioned in recent months.

Gilliam will keep after a project literally until death, unlike Welles, who went off in a huff to make wine commercials on TV in 1942.

Store Hadji wrote:Gilliam will keep after a project literally until death, unlike Welles, who went off in a huff to make wine commercials on TV in 1942.

Did he really? :shock: I suppose that shows considerable foresight, doesn't it?

;)

Finally found some clips from Gilliam's current cursed project. I think they look exquisite, but I'm hopelessly partial:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/dor/objec ... 72909.html

Thanks so much for posting that link!

What I liked most about the clips was the interaction between the characters which seemed quite charming and well-written. I know Gilliam can pull off the extravagant visuals, but I'm pleased that the tone appears less arch than MUNCHAUSEN and GRIMM (both of which this film resembles). I'm optimistic regarding PARNASSUS' artistic success, but ultimately I'm just glad the film was finished. The first thing that went through my mind when I heard the news of Heath Ledger's passing was "Oh no...he was shooting Gilliam's new movie!" Now, according to a number of reviews, both the film and Ledger's performance have come through fine. Here's hoping PARNASSUS gets a U.S. distribution deal soon.

Official trailer:

http://www.smart.co.uk/dreams/parnteas.htm