The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is the story of a 18th Century German nobleman and his many adventures as it is told in a whimsical fashion where many wonder if they’re true. The third part of a trilogy based on the ideas of imagination, the film is a sprawling tale where a man tries to fight against forces while coming to terms with his own drawbacks as a hero as he is played by John Neville. Also starring Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, Uma Thurman, Oliver Reed, and Jonathan Pryce. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a spectacular and absolutely adventurous film from Terry Gilliam.

The film explores the world of a famous German nobleman during the Ottoman Wars of the late 18th Century where he is a man known for his great adventures where he returns to save a town ravaged by war as he felt responsible for being the one that caused all of it. With the help of a young girl named Sally (Sarah Polley), Baron Munchausen would travel through different worlds to retrieve the men who had helped him in his many adventures yet is battling age and the new realities of his quest as it plays into the idea of fantasy vs. reality. Especially as Munchausen is trying to tell this story of his adventures while a young girl wants to know if anything he is saying is true. All of which plays into a man wanting to die as he deals with a world that is becoming more complicated as there are forces who have other ideas about conflict and such.

The film’s screenplay by Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown definitely play into this idea of a man wanting to live a life that no longer exist as the men who had been with him in his adventures now live very different lives without the powers they once had. The film begins with theater actors led by Sally’s father (Bill Paterson) who tell Munchausen’s story until the real Munchausen appears to reveal that the reason this small town is at war is all because of a wager that Munchausen won which upset the Turkish sultan Mahmud I (Peter Jeffrey) who wanted to cut Munchausen’s head off. Once Sally realizes that the man who claims to be Munchausen is real, she would stowaway in his hot-air balloon to help him retrieve his old friends for the film’s second act.

Yet, the fast-running Berthold (Eric Idle), the strongman Albrecht (Winston Dennis), the midget with strong ears and wind-power in Gustavus (Jack Purvis), and the sharpshooter Adolphus (Charles McKeown) aren’t the same as they share a sense of resentment towards Munchausen as they reluctantly join him. Throughout the course of the film, Munchausen would face many challenges that plays into mythical figures of the universe such as a delusional moon-king (Robin Williams), Vulcan (Oliver Reed), and all other things that would tempt Munchausen into believing he’s young and still part of the world until he would anger the wrong people and put himself and Sally into situations that would test their will. Especially as it comes to the climatic confrontation with the Turkish army where Munchausen is still caught up in his idea of defeating the Turkish in such a way that it almost seems unreal and more of a fantasy.

Gilliam’s direction is quite lavish in the way he tells the story as it opens up with scenes of an 18th Century town being destroyed where people are watching a performance of Munchausen’s story in this theater that is on the verge of collapse. It is part of this world that Gilliam sets up where he definitely infuses a lot of dark humor into the film where it’s very offbeat as well as fanatical considering how troubled Munchausen is as he wishes for death due to his old age. Adding to that feeling of death is the presence of the Angel of Death who would appear to reveal that it’s Munchausen’s time to go only to be evaded by many circumstances. Much of Gilliam’s compositions include a lot of wide shots and medium shots plus some stylish usage of some crane shots and visual effects that play into this world that is extremely off-the-wall in terms of what the universe is like.

Gilliam’s approach to set pieces definitely showcase that sense of a world that is quite strange where he plays with the idea of mythological figures like Vulcan and Venus (Uma Thurman) as Munchausen would charm the latter much to the dismay of the former. There is a sense of a world where it does have this idea of nostalgia and fantasy that Munchausen seems to try and hold on to where he becomes oblivious to what is happening in the real world thinking it will be okay for a while. The film’s third act would definitely play into that idea of reality vs. fantasy as it is this constant struggle that Munchausen would face as he would deal with the realities of war and death in a manner that only Munchausen would do no matter how fanatical he can be. Overall, Gilliam crafts a very sensational and whimsical film about a heroic man dealing with aging and living up to the idea of fantasy.

Cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography with its usage of lights for some of the war sequences set at night as well as some of the interior settings and a chilling scene inside the body of a sea monster. Editor Peter Hollywood does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and action sequences. Production designer Dante Feretti, with set decorator Francesca Lo Schiavo and supervising art director Massimo Razzi, does phenomenal work with the set designs from the lavish staging of the moon city as well as the European town that Munchausen needs to protect as well as the stage play and other sets as it‘s one of the film‘s major highlights.

Costume designer Gabriella Pescucci does fantastic work with the film‘s lavish costumes from the ragged period clothing of the people of the town as well as the costumes made for the stage shows as well as Munchausen‘s uniform. Hair/makeup designer Maggie Weston does superb work with the different aging makeup that Munchausen would endure in his journey as well as the look of the younger versions of his gang. Special effects supervisor Richard Conway does terrific work with some of the film‘s visual effects with the movement of the moon-king‘s floating head as well as some of the shots set in outer space. Sound editor Peter Pennell does superb work with the sound effects as well as the layering of sounds in the battle scenes and other lavish sequences. The film’s music by Michael Kamen is amazing for its bombastic score that is quite triumphant at times in its orchestral setting as well as comical to play into the film’s humor.

The casting by Francesco Cinieri, Irene Lamb, and Margery Simkin is just incredible as the film features some cameo appearances from Sting as a soldier, Terry Gilliam as an irritating singer, Ray Cooper as a functionary for the city official, Alison Steadman as an actress with a baby, and Robin Williams in an un-credited appearance as the delusional yet funny the King of the Moon. Bill Paterson is terrific as the theater company leader who is also Sarah’s father as he struggles to get his play on Munchausen going. Charles McKeown, Jack Purvis, and Winston Dennis are excellent in their respective roles as Adolphus, Gustavus, and Albrecht as well the actors who would play these characters to add to that sense of fantasy vs. reality. Valentina Cortese is wonderful in a dual role as Queen Ariadne who is a former lover of Munchausen as well as a stage actress that is in love with Munchausen. Peter Jeffrey is superb as the Sultan Mahmud I who starts a war only because of a wager he lost to Munchausen.

Uma Thurman is amazing in a dual role as the young actress Violet who is trying get some attention as well as the role of Venus whose beauty is indescribable as she is charmed by Munchausen. Oliver Reed is fantastic as the eccentric yet hot-tempered fire god Vulcan who welcomes Munchausen only to be upset when Munchausen gets to dance with Venus. Jonathan Pryce is great as the very smarmy city official the Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson who wants to maintain order in the city as he is also someone that represents the dark realities of the world. Eric Idle is brilliant in a dual role as Berthold and the actor who played him as a man who can run with great speed as he loses him memory for a short time only to feel resentful towards Munchausen for abandoning him.

Sarah Polley is phenomenal as Sally as this young girl who would join Munchausen in his adventure as she would be this person who would try to ground him into reality and also make him not give up. Finally, there’s John Neville in a remarkable performance as the titular character as an aging hero who is caught up in living in a world that no longer exists while wishing for death due to the harsh realities that he’s dealing with as it is a truly astonishing performance from Neville.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a tremendously extravagant and incredible film from Terry Gilliam. Armed with a great ensemble cast as well as amazing technical work from its crew, the film is truly a visual feast filled with dazzling set pieces and images. Especially as it’s backed by this compelling story revolving around the ideas of reality vs. fantasy as a man deals with age and death. In the end, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a dazzling and exhilarating film from Terry Gilliam.

Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Time Bandits - Brazil - The Fisher King - 12 Monkeys - Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - The Brothers Grimm - Tideland - The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - The Zero Theorem - The Auteurs #38: Terry Gilliam

© thevoid99 2014

Topsy-Turvy

Written and directed by Mike Leigh, Topsy-Turvy is the story about Gilbert and Sullivan’s attempt to create their greatest play in The Mikado as the two men fight each other creatively and personally through this 15-month ordeal that culminates with its premiere in 1885. While the film is a fictional account of the making of The Mikado, Leigh approach his same improvisational style to directing actors to explore what goes in the world of creating art. Starring Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville, Shirley Henderson, Kevin McKidd, Dexter Fletcher, Alison Steadman, Ron Cook, and Andy Serkis. Topsy-Turvy is a delightful yet engrossing film from Mike Leigh.

It’s January 1884 as W.S. Gilbert (Jim Broadbent) and Arthur Sullivan (Allan Corduner) release their new opera Princess Ida to a lukewarm reception as Sullivan falls ill from kidney disease while Gilbert is dealing with writer’s block. Facing pressure to create a new piece for the Savoy, Sullivan goes on a holiday to France while Gilbert stays in England with his wife Kitty (Lesley Manville) who has been aware that having Princess Ida play during the hot British summer was a bad idea. After Sullivan’s return from France with mistress Fanny Ronalds (Eleanor David), he and Gilbert have no idea what to do as Sullivan refuses to repeat his own musical ideas while Gilbert has a hard time creating a new story.

With their producer Richard D’Oyly Carte (Ron Cook) deciding to revive their old play The Sorcerer as a way to make profit, Gilbert and Sullivan are unsure what to do as Sullivan refuses to repeat any ideas for a new libretto that Gilbert has written. Meanwhile, the actors who had worked in the Gilbert & Sullivan plays are becoming frustrated as some want a pay raise while dealing with their own personal issues. When Kitty convinces Gilbert to attend a Japanese exhibition of arts and crafts, Gilbert is suddenly inspired to write a new piece as it also inspires Sullivan to create The Mikado.

With all of the actors joining up for the project, complications arise as Gilbert wants an air of authenticity as he invites Japanese women to teach his actresses how to walk. Still, Gilbert and Sullivan are unsure about the opera itself where a decision about a song cut from the opera forces him to deal with the actors who felt very strongly about it. With opening night emerging, Gilbert and Sullivan wonder how the play will do as they also try to deal with its aftermath.

The film is about two men dealing with failure and the pressure to come up with something that would eventually be their best work. Yet, it’s also an in-depth look into the way art is made by two people who respect each other but at times, don’t really like each other. Sullivan is a guy that likes to have a good time with a mistress and enjoy a bit of decadence to escape his own kidney problems. Gilbert is the more anxiety-ridden as he wants to avoid dealing with his ailing mother while spending time with his wife. Yet, they’re both very creative personalities who really want to bring out the best opera out there to Victorian society as they’re also very stubborn artists.

Mike Leigh’s approach to the story deals with the world of creativity as well as the world of the late 1800s in British Victorian society where men wore suits and women wore big dresses with corsets inside. Leigh also explores the complex and often troubled relationship between Gilbert and Sullivan based on stories about the duo and the way they worked together. The story also allows Leigh to dwell into what the actors are thinking about their own performances in the play as well as their own personal lives. Yet, they all come together in the third act when the actors and the creative forces try to finish an opera they all believe could be great.

Since Leigh is known for never using a script and allowing his actors to improvise, it allows the film to have a tone that feels very loose through his direction. With rich compositions highlighting a lot on what goes on in and out of the stage as well what goes in the respective homes of Gilbert and Sullivan. Leigh crafts a film that is engaging into what goes in the world of creating art while having some amazing compositions such as high shots to see what middle-class people would see at a theater or what the actors are seeing. The overall work Leigh creates is sensational as he creates a truly funny yet mesmerizing film.

Cinematographer Dick Pope does an incredible job with the film‘s colorful photography from the way he sets the mood in the stage look for the differing plays to a more straightforward yet colorful look to many of the interiors settings in the film. Editor Robin Sales does an excellent job with the editing to create rhythmic cuts to capture the intensity of what goes on in the making of a stage as well as playing to the melody of some of the musical moments of the film. Production designer Eve Stewart, along with set decorator John Bush and art director Helen Scott, does a spectacular job with the set pieces created from the spacious living room of Gilbert to the more intimate bedroom of Sullivan plus the staging of the operas that is created in the film.

Costume designer Lindy Hemming does a magnificent job with the late 19th Century period costumes from the dresses look and feel to the costumes created for The Mikado opera. Hair & makeup designer Christine Blundell does a fabulous job with the way the hair looks to that 19th Century period for women as well as the wigs and makeup made for The Mikado. Sound recordist Tim Fraser and sound editor Peter Joly do stellar work with the sound from the way sound is made for some parts of the stage presentation to the intimacy that occurs during rehearsal. The film’s music is largely dominated by the works of Gilbert and Sullivan that is adapted by composer Carl Davis who uses pieces from other operas as score music to emphasize the drama and humor that includes the stage scene as it’s a highlight of the film.

The casting by Nina Gold is truly amazing for the large ensemble that is created for the film as all of the actors do their own singing for the film. Making appearances in the film, which includes a lot of Leigh regulars, are Ashley Jensen as a chorus member, Andy Serkis as an eccentric choreographer, Katrin Cartlidge as a friend that Sullivan entertains, Alison Steadman as a costume designer, Eve Pearce as Gilbert’s ailing mother, Naoko Mori as a Japanese waitress Gilbert meets at the exhibition, Dexter Fletcher as Sullivan’s butler, and Wendy Nottingham as Carte’s assistant Helen Lenoir. In standout supporting performances, there’s Vincent Franklin as the joyful Rutland Barrington and Martin Savage as the troubled yet gifted George Grossmith.

Dorothy Atkinson as the injured diva Jessie Bond, Eleanor David as Sullivan’s mistress Fanny Ronalds, and Shirley Henderson as the insecure yet talented Leonara Braham are all wonderful in their respective roles. Kevin McKidd is excellent as the demanding Duward Lely while Timothy Spall is superb as veteran lead Richard Temple who gets to play the title role in The Mikado. Ron Cook is terrific in a low-key performance as Gilbert and Sullivan’s producer Richard D’Oyly Carte while Lesley Manville is brilliant as Gilbert’s supportive wife Kitty.

Finally there’s the duo of Jim Broadbent and Alan Corduner in fantastic performances in the respective roles of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. Broadbent brings a great sense of turmoil and anguish in Gilbert that is striving to create the best opera he can while Corduner is the more humorous of the two as the funnier Sullivan. Though Broadbent and Corduner don’t have a lot of scenes together, the two do have great rapport together as these two different personalities who are trying to create an opera they will be remembered for. It’s definitely some of the best work for both Broadbent and Corduner for the way they portray Gilbert and Sullivan.

Topsy-Turvy is a splendid yet witty film from Mike Leigh featuring an outstanding ensemble cast led by Jim Broadbent and Alan Corduner. The film is definitely one of Leigh’s finest films in terms of its ambition and the way he brings a unique interpretation to the world of late 19th Century Victorian society. Notably in how he explores the world of creativity at its most troubled as he creates a wonderful study on that world while making it entertaining with the use of the music and operas of Gilbert & Sullivan. In the end, Topsy-Turvy is a superb yet dazzling film from Mike Leigh.

Mike Leigh Films: (Bleak Moments) - (Hard Labour) - (The Permissive Society) - (Nuts in May) - (Abigail’s Party) - (Kiss of Death) - (Who’s Who) - (Grown-Ups) - (Home Sweet Home) - (Meantime) - (Four Days in July) - (High Hopes) - Life is Sweet - Naked - Secrets & Lies - Career Girls - All or Nothing - Vera Drake - Happy-Go-Lucky - Another Year - Mr. Turner

© thevoid99 2012

Life is Sweet

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 11/9/05 w/ Additional Edits.

After the international success of 1989's High Hopes, British director Mike Leigh finally broke through to the film scene after years of TV work and overlooked films. With his unique approach of making films without a script while taking a cynical though hopeful view of post-Margaret Thatcher rule in the U.K. Leigh often explores the working class of the U.K. while not sugar-coating things like in traditional Hollywood films or the mainstream attempts made by other U.K. directors. In 1990, Leigh decides to make another film about post-Thatcher working class world about a family struggling day-to-day with the majority acting upbeat while dealing with friends and an anorexic daughter in Life is Sweet.

Written and directed by Leigh, Life is Sweet is about a chef and his wife living in a working class lifestyle in the Enfield area while taking care of their twin adult daughters. With the chef's dream of owning his own food stand ready to come true to the dismay of his wife and children, the wife takes another job in being a waitress to a friend's gourmet restaurant. While one of their daughters is a tomboy working as a plumber's apprentice, the other is an antisocial, anti-conventional girl with an eating disorder and a secret lover who is forced to do unconventional ideas of sex. Starring Leigh regulars Jim Broadbent, Alison Steadman, Stephen Rea, Timothy Spall, Claire Skinner, David Thewlis, and Jane Horrocks. Life is Sweet is a warm, delightful and realistic comedy-drama about a family trying to live day-by-day.

It's a nice Sunday in the London suburb of Enfield as a working-class mother Wendy (Alison Steadman) and her chef husband Andy (Jim Broadbent) spend the entire day with their 20-something twins. Natalie (Claire Skinner) is a tomboy who hopes to visit America in the future while her twin sister Nicola (Jane Horrocks) is a self-destructive, anti-conventional, anti-social young woman who couldn't stand to be around her family. Later that day, Andy's friend Patsy (Stephen Rea) visits to show Andy something though Wendy, is convinced that it's another scam. Though she is upbeat in her surroundings, even in her two-job lifestyle selling clothes to infants and running a day care for children. Wendy is hoping to just have a nice day while talking to Natalie about her lifestyle as a tomboy.

Later that day, family friend Aubrey (Timothy Spall) arrives with a pineapple to talk about the opening of his new gourmet restaurant. When Andy returns home with a beat-up trailer that used to be a food stand, Wendy and the kids are shocked. Andy though, is very happy that a chance for his dream in running his own food stand and working independently is finally coming true as he gives Patsy a huge thanks. With him and Wendy coming to see Aubrey's new restaurant, Aubrey is happy that his dream is finally coming until he learned that his waitress has quit on him to go on a trip to Prague. Wendy decides to help him as a waitress for the opening night, which is the next day while Andy gives him his full support.

After another day of work where Natalie works as a plumber's assistant saving her money for her trip to America, Nicola receives an unexpected visit from her secret lover (David Thewlis). Convinced that she is fat, though in reality looks gravely thin, she asks her lover to have sex with her while she's tied up and covered in jam. Wendy dresses up to serve as waitress as she and Aubrey's chef Paula (Moya Brady) is getting ready for opening night. The evening becomes a disaster as no one shows up leaving Aubrey drunk and Paula a bit distraught. Wendy's night is worse when Andy returns home drunk after drinking in a pub with Patsy as the two talk about what's going to happen next.

Andy apologizes about that night though he still plans to meet Patsy in a pub while helping out Aubrey before going to work as Wendy decides to sit out for the day. Nicola spends another day with her lover but his frustration over her unconventional tactics has gotten to him. With Wendy spending the day to clean her home, she has a heart-to-heart with Nicola about her behavior and pities her though Nicola doesn't want anything only to break down after the conversation. If Wendy's family problems weren’t bad enough, Andy gets injured leaving the entire family to realize what they have to do next.

Noted for working without a script, many of his films often have an improvisational feel in terms of dialogue and performance. Life is Sweet is no exception though in Leigh’s observant direction, he definitely does tell a story about a dysfunctional family trying to keep their feet on the ground while remaining optimistic, with the exception of Nicola. The structure of Leigh's story is wonderful since it's set in 3 days. The first day being an introduction to the family and their eccentric behavior along with their friends. Especially in the parallel to how Andy and Aubrey are both achieving the dreams. The second act is where those parallels began to differ with Aubrey's troubling first day and Andy in shock that his dream might actually come true after working in a job that he doesn't like. The third act and final day is where everything breaks down emotionally and spiritually where the family comes together and look forward to the next part of their life, no matter how downbeat it is.

It's just not family issues and the working-class area that Leigh talks about but also the dynamics of the individuals. The real driving force of the story is Wendy who is a fierce supporter of everyone despite their choices. She supports Natalie for her work and desire since she is more content with who she is while also supporting her husband for seizing his opportunity. Then there's Nicola whose world is a mess since she is a person who had a chance only to find herself to be immensely disillusioned, with very few people around her, and having a hatred for everything including herself and her surroundings. The scene where Wendy and Nicola begin to talk, it's Wendy who understands her more than Nicola does. It's the film's most emotional scene of the movie that leads to an aftermath where all the characters have to grow. The credit for all of these things goes to Mike Leigh though the only flaw in his direction is in that improvisation whether the audience isn't sure if some things are improvised or planned.

Helping Leigh in capturing a realistic vision is cinematographer Dick Pope in his first of many collaborations with Leigh. While the film is shot in grainy film stock, the film has an authentic look in what a London suburb looks like, especially in its lighting where everything feels and looks real. It's no wonder Leigh has chosen Pope to become his regular collaborator after all these years. Helping out in the look of the film for its look is production designer Alison Chitty where everything looks like a working class place and the attempted sophistication of Aubrey's restaurant. Lindy Hemming shines with her work on the costumes which goes from the authenticity of what the family is wearing to the zany clothing that Aubrey wears which includes a San Francisco Giants jacket, a hat, and all sorts of things. The film is nicely edited by Jon Gregory while Rachel Portman delivers a memorable film score that plays to the upbeat attitude of Wendy.

While the film has a small cast of eight main actors, it's still a wonderful ensemble featuring Moya Brady as Andy’s quiet, desperate chef and a young David Thewlis as Nicola's frustrated, eccentric lover. Stephen Rea gives a funny performance as Patsy, a con artist who opens the door for Andy’s dream while his generosity might come off as manipulative despite his intentions. Timothy Spall is also funny as Aubrey with his nerdy clothing and eccentric behavior but when his dream falls apart, Spall brings a lot of depth and sadness to his role despite being bad to the people around him. Claire Skinner is excellent as the content, driven Natalie who refuses to confirm her sexuality while dealing with her own family while knowing full-well of her sister's self-destructive behavior.

Of the supporting cast, no one gives a brilliant performance as Jane Horrocks as the anti-social, bulimic, anti-conventional Nicola. Horrocks throughout the film sneers and never smiles while talking about being an individual when really, she's just trying to destroy herself through all sorts of things. Whether it's through eating large amounts of food only to throw it up or to have strange sexual moments with her lover. Horrocks steals the show in every moment of the film, even when her mother cracks through her emotional shield. Future-Oscar winner Jim Broadbent brings a humorous, delightful performance as Andy who hopes for a better life and becomes fulfilled when his dream starts to come true. Broadbent brings a lot of warmth and humor to his role while in the final act, he brings a sense of hope and humor despite an incident that would affect the course of the film.

The best leading performance goes to Mike Leigh's then-wife Alison Steadman as Wendy. Steadman brings a lot of cheerfulness and optimism to her role no matter how grim in whatever situation she’s in. There's also a realness into her performance while playing well to Leigh's improvisational direction. Steadman carries the movie with such ease while having a lot of great, comedic, heartwarming scenes, and wonderful dramatic moments, especially in her emotional confrontation with Horrocks.

While not a perfect film, Life is Sweet is still a quintessential, realistic and funny film from Mike Leigh. While the film is currently unavailable on DVD and hard-to-find on video, it's a must-see for any fan of Mike Leigh's films. With a superb cast lead by Alison Steadman, Jim Broadbent, and Jane Horrocks along with a group of Leigh regulars like Claire Skinner, Timothy Spall, Stephen Rea, and David Thewlis. The film has something everyone can relate to, even in the characters or situations while it's also a wonderful portrayal of a dysfunctional but loving family. For a look into Mike Leigh's early success, Life is Sweet is the film to see.

Mike Leigh Films:  (Bleak Moments) - (The Permissive Society) - (Knock for Knock) - (Hard Labour) - (Nuts in May) - (Abigail's Party) - (Kiss of Death) - (Who's Who) - (Grown-Ups) - (Home Sweet Home) - (Meantime) - (Four Days in July) - (High Hopes) - Naked - Secrets & Lies - Career Girls - Topsy-Turvy - All or Nothing - Vera Drake - Happy-Go-Lucky - Another Year - Mr. Turner

(C) thevoid99 2011