The Death of Stalin

Based on the graphic novel La Mort de Staline by Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin, The Death of Stalin is a fictionalized story about the death of Joseph Stalin where several of his associates try to figure out what to do with some fighting each other to be the next leader of the Soviet Union. Directed by Armando Iannucci and screenplay by Iannucci, David Schneider, and Ian Martin, the film is a satirical political comedy that explores a power struggle within the Soviet Union as it gets out of control with those wanting to make some changes with others wanting to maintain Stalin’s legacy. Starring Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, Olga Kurylenko, Michael Palin, Andrea Riseborough, Adrian McLaughlin, Paul Whitehouse, Dermot Crowley, Paul Chahidi, and Jeffrey Tambor. The Death of Stalin is a wild and farcical film from Armando Iannucci.

It’s 1953 in the Soviet Union as Joseph Stalin is content with his rule until he suffers a cerebral hemorrhage and later dies leaving government officials unsure of what to do next and who should take over as the leader of the Soviet Union. That is the film’s plot as a whole where it is about the death of a leader of a superpower and everyone trying to figure out if they should tell the country that their leader had died as well as who should replace him officially. The film’s screenplay by Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, and Ian Martin with contributions by Peter Fellows explore a real-life event as it is dramatized into a farce that relates to power struggles, conspiracies, and all sorts of shit that happens following the death of a world leader. The story opens with Joseph Stalin (Adrian McLaughlin) listening to a live orchestra as he wants a recording of it where its lead radio broadcaster Yuri Andreyev asks the orchestra to play the entire concerto all over again for Stalin which prompts pianist Maria Yudina (Olga Kurylenko) to slip a note into the recording sleeve that Stalin would find while he listens to the recording.

It is when Stalin would suffer his hemorrhage as Interior Ministry head Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale) would be the second person to find Stalin in that state after the maid was the first to report what had happened. Moscow Party head Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi) and Deputy General Secretary Georgy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor) would get the word as they all try to cover things but also contact Stalin’s daughter Svetlana (Andrea Riseborough) and his troubled son Vasily (Rupert Friend) as it leads to more chaos. The film’s script play into these meetings between various officials including the Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotiv (Michael Palin) to discuss funeral plans while there’s some backstabbing, scheming, and all sorts of shit about who should be the leader with Beria making Malenkov the new leader of the Soviet Union despite his inexperience in political matters. Many would also question whether Stalin would go for anything that is happening with Khrushchev trying to fix everything as he knows that Beria is causing trouble as he also appeals to a few to get rid of Beria who is threatening everyone with blackmail as a way to maintain his position of power.

Iannucci’s direction is definitely engaging in terms of its usage of hand-held cameras as well as maintain this air of disorder throughout the course of the film. Shot mainly in Britain with some exterior shots set in Kiev, Ukraine as the exterior of 1950s Moscow, Iannucci play into some of the absurdity that goes during the final days of Stalinism where he would shoots scenes of people getting killed though it’s shown mainly off screen while there are these moments of a list of who to kill and such as it is presented in this amazing dolly-tracking shot at a prison. While there’s some wide shots of the location including some striking wide compositions of a few conversations that goes inside the Kremlin and at other places. Much of Iannucci’s direction is intimate with its usage of hand-held cameras to capture some of the conversations whether it’s in a close-up or in a medium shot.

Iannucci also uses a lot of profane language for the film as it play into the frustration and chaos that ensues following Stalin’s death as well as the planning of the funeral that Khrushchev is tasked with. The scene of people walking to see Stalin’s casket for a state funeral where Khrushchev, Beria, Molotiv, Malenkov, and several others are bickering quietly while not facing each other as their backs are surrounding the casket. The film’s third act that would involve the actions of Field Marshal Georgy Zhukov (Jason Isaacs) who adds to chaos while Malenkov believes he has authority where he is in denial over his new role. Iannucci’s approach to the climax relates to this end of an era but also the beginning of something new though the ideas of the old would come to haunt this new era that would play into the demise of the Soviet Union. Overall, Iannucci creates a whimsical yet exhilarating film about a power struggle among government officials following the death of Joseph Stalin.

Cinematographer Zac Nicholson does amazing work with the film’s cinematography with its low-key approach to some of the exterior scenes at night including the streets of Moscow during a funeral march as well as some dazzling lights for some of the scenes at the halls of the Kremlin. Editor Peter Lambert does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts to play into some of the humor as well as the film’s chaotic tone. Production designer Cristina Casali, with set decorator Charlotte Dirickx plus art directors Jane Brodie and David Hindle, does incredible work with the interior of Stalin’s home and his office as well as the rooms and halls inside the Kremlin and in the prisons. Costume designer Suzie Harman does fantastic work with the uniforms including the ridiculous white one that Malenkov would wear during the funeral as well the numerous medals that Zhukov wears.

Hair/makeup designer Nicole Stafford does superb work with the look of Stalin as well as the scar in Zhukov’s face. Special effects supervisor Neal Champion, along with visual effects supervisors Laurent Gillet and Ronald Grauer, does terrific work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects including some set dressing for the exteriors to present 1950s Moscow. Sound mixer Martin Beresford does wonderful work with the sound as it is largely straightforward as it also play into the chaos in some of the arguments that is heard in another room as well as the sounds of gunshots from afar. The film’s music by Chris Willis is brilliant for its orchestral score that feature bombastic string arrangements that is similar to the traditional Soviet music of the times while its soundtrack feature an array of classical music pieces.

The casting by Sarah Crowe is great as it feature some notable small roles from Justin Edwards and Nicholas Woodeson as a couple of orchestral conductors for the concerto that Stalin wanted a recording of, Sylvestra Le Touzel as Khrushchev’s wife Nina, Diana Quick as Molotov’s incarcerated wife Polina who is freed after Stalin’s death, Gerald Lepkowski as a young Leonid Brezhnev, and Adrian McLaughlin as Joseph Stalin as this leader who rules with an iron fist until he suddenly falls ill and then dies. The trio of Dermot Crowley, Paul Chahidi, and Paul Whitehouse in their respective roles as deputy chairman Lazar Kaganovich, council chairman Nikolai Bulganin, and political official Anastas Mikoyan as three men who are trying to figure out who to side with as well as ponder what to do next for the Soviet Union.

Rupert Friend is hilarious as Vasily Stalin as Stalin’s alcoholic and unstable son who believes his father’s death was a conspiracy created by Westerners while Andrea Riseborough is fantastic as Stalin’s daughter Svetlana who is trying to make sense of what happened but is also angry over the chaos that is happening where Riseborough gets a few moments to be funny. Paddy Considine is superb as the Soviet radio broadcaster Yuri Andreyev who is trying to get a recording of a concerto to happen while Olga Kurylenko is terrific as pianist Maria Yudina who hates Stalin as she reluctantly re-plays the concerto and later his funeral. Jason Isaacs is excellent as Field Marshal Georgy Zhukov as this no-nonsense military official who is upset over his army being confined to the barracks as he also has some simmering issues with Beria. Jeffrey Tambor is brilliant as Deputy General Secretary Georgy Malenkov who becomes Beria’s puppet as he believes he is going to become the next leader despite his inexperience and denial over the fact that he has no clue on how to run a country.

Michael Palin is amazing as Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov as a political official who was close to Stalin as he deals with the aftermath as well as do some political maneuvering knowing that Beria is a liability to the future of the Soviet Union. Simon Russell Beale is incredible as Interior Ministry head Lavrentiy Beria as this political official trying to maneuver, backstab, and bullshit his way into power while trying to maintain some idea of what he feel could be beneficial to the Soviet Union. Finally, there’s Steve Buscemi in a phenomenal performance as Nikita Khrushchev who was then the Moscow party head as he is trying to figure out what to do next as he is tasked to plan Stalin’s funeral while realizing that he has to take the reins in leading the Soviet Union as it’s a comical and engaging performance from Buscemi.

The Death of Stalin is a spectacular film from Armando Iannucci. Featuring a great ensemble cast, witty commentary on political scheming, gorgeous visuals, and a sumptuous music score and satirical views on history. The film is definitely a wild comedy that isn’t afraid to be profane nor is it trying to follow a historical event in total accuracy in favor of studying a group of individuals fighting for power. In the end, The Death of Stalin is a sensational film from Armando Iannucci.

Related: In the Loop

© thevoid99 2019

Monty Python's Life of Brian

Directed by Terry Jones and written and starring Monty Python (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin), Monty Python’s Life of Brian is the story of a young man who is born on the same day as Jesus Christ at the hut next door where he is later mistaken to be a messianic figure. The film is a satire of sorts that discusses some of the fallacies of religion as well as ideas of faith and life itself. Also starring Python cohorts Carol Cleveland and Neil Innes along with Terence Blayer and Sue Jones-Davies. Monty Python’s Life of Brian is an outrageous yet hilarious film from Monty Python.

It’s 33 A.D. Judea where a young man whose disdain for the Romans has him join a group only to get himself into a series of misadventures where he is mistaken to be a messiah as people listen to him and misinterpret what he’s saying. That is what the film is about as it play into people trying to find some meaning in life while creating their own interpretations into its ideas as a young man is caught in the middle of all of this chaos as well as a conflict between Romans and various anti-Roman factions. The film’s screenplay by the Monty Python troupe focuses largely on this young man in Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman) who was born on the same day at a hut next to Jesus Christ where three wise men mistake him for the Messiah on his birth date only to realize it’s the wrong baby.

Brian is smitten with a young woman in Judith Iscariot (Sue Jones-Davies) who is part of anti-Roman faction in the People’s Front of Judea who spent more time coming up with ideas and arguing amongst with one another and other separate factions rather than fight the Romans. Brian would prove himself for PFJ yet an attempted invasion of the home of Pontius Pilate (Michael Palin) would go wrong with Brian get himself into these misadventures involving aliens and all sorts of shit. The script play into these ideas of faith and religion and how they can be misinterpreted and used for the wrong reasons with Brian being a martyr and scapegoat of sorts when he never did anything wrong. Even to the point that his mother (Terry Jones) tries to tell his followers that he is not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy.

Terry Jones’ direction definitely plays with the ideas that is expected with religious iconography and imagery while infusing it with some humor. Shot on location in Tunisia, the film does play into the period of those times where it opens with the three wise men going into a hut where Brian’s mother is watching after her newborn baby thinking it’s the Messiah only to realize it’s at the next hut. The film would also feature Jesus Christ’s Sermon on the Mount where it is presented in a medium shot and then the camera pulls back into a wide shot as it play into this historical moment yet there’s people shouting “speak up” as they misinterpret what he’s saying leading a funny moment of confusion. While much of Jones’ compositions in the close-ups, medium, and wide shots are straightforward with some long takes to play into the humor. It still add to this offbeat humor where scenes such as an old man being stoned for saying Jehovah’s name with women dressed up as men wearing fake beards or an argument among the PFJ about the Romans where some reminded that Romans brought many things to Judea.

Jones’ direction also play into this air of absurdity about the idea of messianic figures where there’s a street in Judea of a row of messiahs trying to spread their ideas while Brian is trying to hide from the Romans at the PFJ’s secret compound. Jones also play into some of the silliness of the Roman empire as Pontius Pilate is a man with a bad speech impediment while there’s other things that do make the Romans somewhat incompetent. It is all about these ideas of people trying to follow an idea or look for something to be guided by yet Brian is trying to say some of the most sensible things out there in a world where no one has any common sense. Overall, Jones crafts a witty yet whimsical film about a young man who is mistaken as the Messiah.

Cinematographer Peter Biziou does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography in its usage of natural lighting as well as some stylish bits for some of the scenes at night that help play into the atmosphere of the locations. Editor Julian Doyle does excellent work with the editing as it uses rhythmic cuts to play into the humor as well as some of the absurd aspects of the film. Animation/production designer Terry Gilliam and art director Roger Christian do amazing work with the look of the homes of a few of the characters as well as some of the exteriors of the Roman buildings while Gilliam’s animation for the film’s opening credits and a sequence of Brian briefly meeting aliens is just hilarious. Costume designers Charles Knode and Hazel Pethig do fantastic work with the look of the Roman uniforms and robes to the more ragged look of the common folk including some of the more posh look of some of the rich people in Judea.

Hair/makeup designers Elaine Carew and Maggie Weston do terrific work with the look of the wigs and hairstyle of the characters as well as the fake beards the women wear to participate in the stoning. Sound recordist Garth Marshall does superb work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of some of the sermons as well as the chaos that goes in involving large crowds. The film’s music by Geoffrey Burgon is wonderful for its mixture of bombastic orchestral music that is synonymous of biblical films while it features a couple of original songs including its theme presented in a style similar to James Bond films and the playful Always Look on the Bright Side of Life that play up into the idea of existence and life itself.

The film’s incredible cast include some notable small roles and appearances from Spike Milligan as a prophet speaking with other prophets, John Young as the watchmen for the PFJ, Neil Innes as a weedy Samaritan, Gwen Taylor as the wife of Big Nose, Terence Bayler and Carol Cleveland as a rich couple in Mr. and Mrs. Gregory respectively, Kenneth Colley as Jesus Christ, and one of the film’s executive producers and financiers in George Harrison in a cameo appearance as a mount owner in Mr. Papadopoulos. Sue Jones-Davies is fantastic as Judith Iscariot as a member of the PFJ who falls for Brian as she tries to make sense of all of the chaos while believing that Brian is doing some good for the world.

In multiple role, the members of Monty Python all do tremendous work in the multiple characters they play with Terry Gilliam as a man misinterpreting what Jesus said as well as small roles as a dirty prophet, a follower of Brian, a jailer, and a deaf aide of the crucifixion ceremony. Terry Jones’ performances as a silent holy man who fails his vow of silence, a saintly passerby who stupidly carries someone else’s cross, and Brian’s mother is hilarious with him being at his funniest as Brian’s mother. Eric Idle is great in the various roles as PFJ member Stan who wants to be a woman named Loretta, a Jewish prankster, a haggler, the woman who threw the first stone, a dumb youth, a member of the crucifixion ceremony, and a man crucified who leads the sing-a-long.

Michael Palin’s performances as a man named Big Nose, an ex-leper, one of the wise men, a prophet that doesn’t say anything exciting, a member of the PFJ, and other various roles including Pontius Pilate with a speech impediment is just so funny in the way he makes Pilate look like a fool. John Cleese is amazing in the roles of one of the wise men, a high priest who organizes the stoning, a centurion leader, an overzealous follower of Brian, and PFJ leader Reg who tries to get some ideas going only to not go through with them. Finally, there’s Graham Chapman in a phenomenal performance as the titular character as this young man who is mistaken as a messiah while trying to rebel against the Romans while Chapman also does some funny brief roles as one of the wise men and Pilate’s friend Biggus Dickus.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian is an outstanding film from Monty Python. Featuring gorgeous visuals, soaring music, amazing set design, a great cast, and compelling themes about faith, religion, and the faults of humanity using faith in the worst ways. It’s a film that isn’t afraid to take shots at some of the ideas of religion and do it in a way that is extremely funny. In the end, Monty Python’s Life of Brian is a tremendous film from Terry Jones and Monty Python.

Monty Python Films: (And Now for Something Completely Different) – Monty Python and the Holy Grail - (Live at the Hollywood Bowl) – Monty Python's the Meaning of Life - (Almost the Truth (Lawyer’s Cut))

© thevoid99 2018

A Fish Called Wanda

Directed by Charles Crichton and John Cleese and screenplay by Cleese from a story by Crichton and Cleese, A Fish Called Wanda is the story of a diamond heist crew who try to double-cross each other as they try to find the lost diamonds while getting a captured criminal’s barrister involved. It’s a film that plays into a world where a bunch of people are motivated by greed as a lot of hilarity ensues as it involves involving two American criminals doing their heist in London. Starring John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Tom Georgeson, Maria Aitken, Cynthia Cleese, Patricia Hayes, and Michael Palin. A Fish Called Wanda is an absolutely ripping and enthralling film from Charles Crichton and John Cleese.

After a diamond heist involving two Britons and two Americans that succeeded only for its aftermath to go wrong where the diamonds are lost and one of its lead criminal figures gets arrested. The American con-artist and her weapons-man boyfriend try to find the diamonds as the former tries to seduce a barrister into getting information only to fall for him. It’s a film that plays into the world of greed as many characters all try to double-cross each other to get the diamonds and run away to South America with the loot as a lot of mayhem and hi-jinks ensue. Yet, it’s really more about a group of individuals who all seek a better life or some kind of hefty payment as two of them are these Americans in Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her boyfriend Otto (Kevin Kline) as the latter is a loud-mouthed man who hates the British and thinks of himself as an intellectual.

Among the crew they’re with is the gangster George Thomason (Tom Georgeson) who would be arrested for the heist as he awaits trial and his right-hand man in an animal lover named Ken (Michael Palin) who has a bad stutter. John Cleese’s screenplay plays into many events that unfold where Wanda would try and seduce George’s barrister Archie (John Cleese) as she would eventually make Otto very jealous as he would confront Archie in very troubling ways. Yet, Archie falls for Wanda as he sees her as a chance to escape the unhappy life he has with a wife (Maria Aitken) who treats him like shit and a spoiled daughter (Cynthia Cleese) as he would eventually go on board to try and find the diamonds. One notable subplot that is integral to the story involves Ken’s attempt to kill an old lady (Patricia Hayes) who is a witness to George’s case where it plays into elements of black comedy. It adds to the film’s offbeat humor that includes some very funny dialogue and one-liners which often involve Otto’s hatred towards the British as he would always yell “asshole” towards a driver in his way.

The film’s direction by Charles Crichton, with Cleese serving as an un-credited co-director, is quite simple in terms of compositions and such. Notably in the way Crichton and Cleese would set up some of the comedy as they would shoot the film entirely on location in London as well as parts of Heathrow Airport. The film’s heist sequence that happens early is quite engaging for some of the angles that Crichton would create along with key shots that would play into the story. Critchton’s approach to dark humor that involves Ken’s attempt to kill an elderly witness has this strange mix of cruelty and hilarity as it relates to Ken’s love for animals and what he was trying to do. Other scenes involve Otto’s love to say things in Italian and Russian to turn Wanda on which is inter-cut with the life of Archie and how drab it is. The humor also has elements that are quite cartoonish as well as offbeat moments such as a scene where Archie meets Ken in the third act as Archie waits for Ken to give him some answers. Its climax at Heathrow wouldn’t just contain some of the funniest moments in the film but would also become one of its most adventurous. Overall, Crichton and Cleese create a very thrilling and hilarious film about a group of thieves trying to get back some diamonds.

Cinematographer Alan Hume does excellent work with the cinematography as it‘s quite straightforward for many of its daytime scenes along with some nice lighting for some of the scenes set at night. Editor John Jympson does amazing work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward with some rhythmic cuts for the heist scene and the film‘s climax at Heathrow. Production designer Roger Murray-Leach, with set decorator Stephenie McMillan and art director John Wood, does fantastic work with the look of the loft that Ken lives in as well as Archie‘s posh home and the place he and Wanda would go into for sex until a family comes in.

Costume designer Hazel Pethig does nice work with the costumes from the stylish clothes that Wanda wears to the more casual look of the men. Sound editor Jonathan Bates does terrific work with the sound from the way Otto screams “asshole“ in a few scenes to some of the comedic moments that occur in the film. The film’s music by John du Prez is brilliant for its score as it ranges from orchestral to very playful pieces as it adds some spark to the film’s humor and some string-based pieces into Otto’s antics.

The casting by Priscilla John is wonderful as it features some notable small appearances from Stephen Fry as a Briton Otto meets at the airport, Geoffrey Palmer as the trial judge, Cynthia Cleese as Archie’s spoiled daughter Portia, and Patricia Hayes as the old lady with the three Yorkshire Terriers who saw George during his escape. Maria Aitken is terrific as Archie’s very un-loving and pretentious wife who is more concerned with her riches rather than her marriage. Tom Georgeson is excellent as George as a gangster who leads the heist as he would be arrested as he hopes that Archie would get him out. Michael Palin is brilliant as Ken as an animal-loving man with a stutter who bungles his way to get rid of a key witness as Palin brings a lot of humor including some scenes where he is eyed by Otto as if he was gay or the scene involving some chips.

Kevin Kline is incredible as Otto as an Anglophobe man who hates being called stupid as Kline manages to steal the show with such energy and charm as he continuously brings in a lot of laughs from the things he says to some of the things he does in the film. Jamie Lee Curtis is fantastic as Wanda as a con artist who is eager to get the diamonds and double-cross Otto so she can escape from his clutches but finds herself falling for Archie when she’s supposed to seduce him as Curtis brings a lot of spark to the role. Finally, there’s John Cleese in a remarkable performance as Archie as a barrister who is roped into the scheme as he falls for Wanda while dealing with Otto and his own family life where Cleese brings a low-key approach to the humor as well as a very funny exchange against Kline in the film’s climax.

A Fish Called Wanda is a phenomenal film from Charles Crichton and John Cleese that features great performances from Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin. The film is truly one of the finest comedies ever created as it plays into the world of heist films as well as taking shots at the idea of intellectualism and American superiority. Even as it’s not afraid to be very silly as well as engage itself into very dark humor. In the end, A Fish Called Wanda is a magnificent film from Charles Crichton and John Cleese.

© thevoid99 2015

Jabberwocky

Based on the poem by Lewis Carroll, Jabberwocky is the story of a young cooper’s apprentice who founds himself dealing with a mysterious creature through some very accidental situations. Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles Alverson, the film is a humorous take on Carroll’s poem as it plays Gilliam’s absurd approach to humor as the film stars his fellow Monty Python cohort Michael Palin in the lead role of Dennis Cooper. Also starring Harry H. Corbett, John Le Mesurier, and Warren Mitchell. Jabberwocky is a strange yet witty film from Terry Gilliam.

The film is an offbeat tale about a young cooper’s apprentice who leaves his village to make a new life for himself where he enters the city kingdom through accidental means as he reluctantly becomes a squire and the object of affection for a princess. Yet, the kingdom is still being haunted by the mysterious creature known as the Jabberwocky as merchants and bishops continue to profit from the fear of the creature while its king (Max Wall) is trying to figure out how to defuse the crisis as he holds a tournament so a champion can fight the creature. It’s a film that is about a lot of things such as a young man’s desire to make a good life for a woman who doesn’t really love him as he does have ideas to improve commerce despite dealing with the indifference of merchants and other people.

The film’s screenplay is very strange where even though it has a simple structure and a story about a young man who accidentally finds himself in situations where he would face the Jabberwocky. It’s a story that is often quite messy as the themes of bureaucracy and commerce are explored where in the former, it involves these merchants who are trying to ensure that the creature stays alive so that money can be made. For the character of Dennis Cooper, he has ideas that he believes can help efficiency in the work place only to cause trouble where some of his accidental encounters puts him in places he didn’t want to be as all he wanted a simple life.

Terry Gilliam’s direction is a bit uneven at times where it’s obvious that he’s trying to refine his vision in what he wants to create. While he does create a lot of strange set pieces and visual motifs that are amazing to watch that includes the climatic appearance of the Jabberwocky. He also tries to infuse a lot of humor that is very eccentric and offbeat that is reminiscent of his work in Monty Python. These elements don’t really mesh together though Gilliam creates some unique compositions and moments that has some dark humor as well as recurring gags that play to the absurdity of the Dark Ages. Overall, Gilliam creates a pretty inconsistent yet entertaining film about a man who unwittingly finds himself facing off a monster.

Cinematographer Terry Bedford does excellent work with the grimy photography style for much of the film‘s exteriors with its smoke and fog as well as the lighting schemes in the castle interiors. Editor Michael Bradsell does nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward with some rhythmic cuts for its humorous moments. Production designer Roy Forge Smith and art director Mily Burns do fantastic work with the set pieces from the castle the king and his people live in as it‘s in ruins to the merchant homes and pubs surrounding the castle. Costume designers Charles Knode and Hazel Pethig do fine work with the period costume as it‘s often ragged at times as well as the look of the king.

The hair/makeup work of Elaine Carew, Scott Rakison, and Maggie Weston do terrific work with the look of some of the characters in their ragged look. Monster creators Clinton Carvers and Valerie Charlton is superb for its imaginative look as it‘s terrifying but also strange. Sound recordist Garth Marshall does amazing work with the sound from the use of sound effects and the way the creatures sound. The film’s music consists of pieces by Modest Mussorgsky, Hector Berlioz, and Jacques Ibert is brilliant as it plays to the humor and horror that occurs in the film.

The film’s cast features cameo appearances from director Terry Gilliam as well as fellow Python cohorts Terry Jones as a poacher and Neil Innes as a herald late in the film. Other notable small roles include David Prowse in a dual role as two knights in the Red Herring and the Black Knight, Bernard Bresslaw as a landlord, Alexandra Dane as the landlord’s wife, John Bird as the first herald who annoys the king and his council, Derek Francis as the bishop, Paul Curran as Dennis’ father, Harry H. Corbett as a mischievous squire, and Deborah Fallender as the princess who mistakes Dennis as a prince.

Annette Badland is funny as Dennis’ dismissive girlfriend Griselda while Warren Mitchell is terrific as her father who agrees with Dennis’ ideas about commerce. Max Wall is excellent as the aloof king who tries to figure out what to do while John Le Mesurier is fantastic as his chamberlain who aids him in how to defuse the situation. Finally there’s Michael Palin in a marvelous performance as Dennis Cooper as a young man just wanting to make something of himself as he deals with a new world as well as accidental situations that has him baffled about his place in the world.

Jabberwocky is a good though meandering film from Terry Gilliam. While it features a funny performance from Michael Palin and some cool visual moments that Gilliam would refine in his later work. It’s a film that wants to be all sorts of things but doesn’t mesh together with the themes that Gilliam wanted to explore with humor. Still, it has moments that are enjoyable and witty. In the end, Jabberwocky is a messy though decent film from Terry Gilliam.

Terry Gilliam Films: Time Bandits - Brazil - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - 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

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Directed by Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam and written and performed by Jones, Gilliam, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, and Michael Palin, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a parody film that explores the story King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table in their quest for the Holy Grail. The film is the first proper film by the Monty Python comedy troupe that is composed of entirely new material under the control of the group as it plays to the Arthurian legend plus ideas of death, mystique, coconuts, swallows, and all sorts of silly things. Also starring Python cohorts Carol Cleveland, Connie Booth, and Neil Innes. Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a very ridiculous, absurd, idiotic and… on second thought, it’s one of the funniest films ever made.

The film is an absurdist take on the legend of King Arthur and his quest for the Holy Grail where he and his Knights of the Round Table go into this quest to seek the Grail. While it sort of plays true to the legendary story, the Monty Python troupe decide to add a lot of inane things into the story. Some of which involve a lot of historical inaccuracies, dramatic liberties, coconuts, theories about politics, and of course, swallows. The first act of the script is about King Arthur forming the Knights of the Round Table and going on the quest to find the Grail. The second act involves the Arthur and his knights each venturing on a separate journey where they endure all sorts of things from a castle full of virginal women, a wedding, a three-headed knight, and the Knights who say “Ni!” The third act has the group reuniting to face more mysterious forces and face the Bridge of Death. It’s a script that has a lot of humor that is offbeat while being very loose in its tone and dialogue.

The film’s direction by Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam definitely showcased a contrast of two very different styles of presentation as the former was about the humor and its timing while the latter was more about the visuals. Gilliam’s approach to the fogginess of some of the scenes as well as the way some of the visual aspect of the film does give it a richness that isn’t seen much in comedies. That is balanced by Jones’ approach to humor where things are very loose as he would find ways to put Gilliam’s animation sequences to help play into the story. Much of the direction not only use some wide and medium shots as well as close-ups while finding ways to give the humor the chance to be off the wall. Even as it includes scenes where the fourth wall is broken in some places as it would add to the absurdist humor of the film. Overall, the Monty Python troupe creates a film that is absolutely insane in terms of the way it told the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

Cinematographer Terry Bedford does amazing work with the cinematography from the look of the scenes in the fog to the scenes where King Arthur treks into a small, muddy village. Editor John Hackney does excellent work with the editing with its unique rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and musical numbers. Production designer Roy Forge Smith does brilliant work with the set pieces from the look of the castles to the design of the Trojan Rabbit, the dark cave, and the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Costume designer Hazel Pethig does wonderful work with the costumes from the look of the robes and costumes of the King Arthur and his knights as well some of the other characters in the story. Makeup artists Pam Luke and Pearl Rashbass do fantastic work with the makeup for the look of some of the characters like the knights, Tim the Enchanter, and the Bridgekeeper.

The special effects work of John Horton with additional photography by Julian Doyle are terrific for the mixture of animation and live action in some scenes as well as some of the weirder moments in the film involving rabbits and other crazy things. Sound mixer Hugh Strain does superb work with the sound to create some sound effects and some scenes on the film’s locations. The film’s music consists of classical music to play into that period along with some original songs by Neil Innes like the Camelot musical number and the songs that Sir Robin’s minstrels sings.

The film’s cast includes some notable small performances from John Young as a historian and a dead body who isn’t dead, Rita Davies as the historian’s wife, and Connie Booth as a woman accused of being a witch. Other funny small roles from Python cohorts include Carol Cleveland as the castle Anthrax leader Zoot and her twin Dingo and Neil Innes in various roles as Sir Robin’s singing minstrel, a laughing French knight, a baton minstrel, the head of chanting monks, and a page who gets constantly injured. Terry Gilliam is excellent in his various roles as King Arthur’s page Patsy, the Bridgekeeper/soothsayer, the Green Knight, the film’s animator, and a knight who is killed by a treacherous creature. Terry Jones is amazing in his lead role as Sir Bedevere while also playing the mother of a very political man, a three-headed knight, a French knight, and the effeminate Prince Herbert who just wants to sing a song about… stop that, stop that!

Eric Idle is superb as the Not-so-Brave Sir Robin who is always acting like a wimp as Idle also plays a dead collector, a singing knight, Sir Lancelot’s squire, a monk, Roger the Shrubber, and a confused castle guard. Michael Palin is brilliant as the pure Sir Galahad whose purity is his gift while he also plays the role of a political theorist, a three-headed knight, a king who hates music, a monk, and the head knight who says “ni”. John Cleese is fantastic as the very brave but over-doing Sir Lancelot as well as notable small roles like the Black Knight, Tim the Enchanter, and the taunting French knight. Finally, there’s Graham Chapman in a phenomenal performance as King Arthur as he has that gravitas to play the role he also has some small roles in one of the three knights and the voice of God.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a magnificent… no, it’s a stupendous… no it’s a… no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no you stupid blogger, you stupid critic. This film is not very good. It is terrible. It is…. Shut up!!!! *cuts the arm off of someone* It’s just a flesh wound! *scuffle* You stupid American writer! Your mother smells of elderberries and… I’m sorry. Let’s try this again. Monty Python and the Holy Grail is one of the greatest comedies ever and see it now or that Frenchman will taunt you a second-timer!

Monty Python Films: (And Now For Something Completely Different) - Monty Python’s Life of Brian - (Live at the Hollywood Bowl) - Monty Python's The Meaning of Life - (Almost the Truth (Lawyer’s Cut))

© thevoid99 2014

Monty Python's the Meaning of Life

Directed by Terry Jones and written and performed by Jones, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, and Michael Palin, Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life is a film that consists of various sketches performed by the Monty Python comedy troupe about life itself. Through various subjects matters in the evolution of living, the film spans through different styles musicals and satire. Also starring Python cohort Carol Cleveland. The Meaning of Life is a rip-roaring and witty comedy from Monty Python.

The film is an exploration through a series of sketches about the meaning of life from birth to death. Most of it is presented in forms of absurd humor from the ideas of birth control, war, adolescents, and even death. It’s a film that is quite loose in its presentation where it’s all based on sketches and such to play into the ideas of existence and what does it all mean. Though the film doesn’t give out any answers, it does provide a lot of questions as well as ideas about life and all of its absurdities. Though some of the sketches that the Monty Python troupe doesn’t really work, it is balanced by some fantastic sketches that play into some of the flaws about how life works and such. The film opens with a 17-minute short film written and directed by Terry Gilliam called The Crimson Permanent Assurance about a group of aging employees of a British firm who rebel against their new and younger corporate bosses as they fight against corporations as if they’re pirates.

It’s among the many aspects of the film that showcases a sense of ambition in not just the troupe’s presentation but also in Terry Jones’ direction as he is going for something that is pretty big. Most notably the sequence for the song Every Sperm is Sacred as it is this lavish musical number with children and adults singing about birth control with some critiques towards religion such as Catholicism and Protestants as the latter makes critiques towards the former over not wearing condoms during sex. Much of the segments are structured in a narrative from birth to death as the first sketch is about a baby’s birth where doctors are more concerned about machines and such instead of the actual birth. It’s among these very offbeat sketches that plays into life’s evolutions such as a scene where a teacher showcases his students how to perform sex with another woman as it is later followed by a brutal rugby match where young kids are playing against adults.

Most of the sketches do play into silly ideas of war and such as well as a sequence in which Gilliam’s short tries to be in the main film at one point. Though some like the ones about conflict doesn’t entirely work as well as one very strange sketch about an American couple eating at a dungeon-themed Hawaiian resort as well as a talk-show sketch. The ones that do work do push the envelope of what can be done in comedy such as a man choosing his idea on how he would like to die. Yet, it is the Mr. Creosote sketch in which Terry Jones plays an obese man who vomits continuously and eats a massive meal at a posh French restaurant. The overall result is a messy yet very whimsical comedy about life and existence through the good, the bad, and the downright strange.

Cinematographer Peter Hannan does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography in providing many different palettes for the different sketches in the film with Roger Pratt providing the photography from Gilliam‘s short. Editor Julian Morris does terrific work with the editing in playing to the rhythm of the film‘s humor as well as create some stylish cuts for some of the sketches. Production designer Harry Lange, with art director Richard Dawking and set decorators Sharon Cartwright and Simon Wakefield, does fantastic work with much of the film‘s lavish set pieces from the look of the Every Sperm is Sacred sequence to the finale as the look also includes contributions from art director John Beard for the set pieces in Gilliam’s short film.

Costume designer James Acheson does brilliant work with the different array of costumes for the film for the actors to wear in the many different characters they play. Hair and makeup designer Maggie Weston does wonderful work with the look of the different characters the actors wear including the look of Mr. Creosote. Special effects supervisor George Gibbs does nice work with some of the film‘s visual effects such as the troupe playing fishes in a fish tank commenting in the film. Sound mixer Garth Marshall does superb work with the sound to play into some of the sound effects in the film while Debbie Kaplan does much of the sound for Gilliam‘s short. The film’s music by John du Prez is definitely delightful in terms of its playfulness along with some of the darker moments as well as it features some original songs written by the troupe.

The casting by Michelle Guish and Debbie McWilliams is great as it features some notable small appearances from Matt Frewer as a corporate executives attacked by the people of Permanent Assurance firm, Patricia Quinn as a woman who would have sex with a teacher for his class, and longtime Python cohort Carol Cleveland in a number of small roles including a receptionist and some voice works in Gilliam’s animated sketches. Finally, there’s the Monty Python troupe as they all give very exemplary performances in the many different characters they play. Terry Gilliam provides some pretty funny moments in his role as a Rastafarian getting an illegal liver transplant and a restaurant hostess along with some other small characters.

Terry Jones brings in some very memorable performances such as the wife of a million children, a priest, an army captain in battle, and most of all, Mr. Creosote. John Cleese plays the roles of the sex teacher, a priest, the grim reaper, an illegal organ dealer, and the waiter serving Mr. Creosote as he is just hilarious. Eric Idle plays the role of a Protestant housewife, a “meaning of life” singer, a posh restaurant waiter, a one-legged officer, and a Noel Coward-like singer that just showcases his talents as a singer and funny-man. Michael Palin is amazing in the many roles he plays such as a hospital administrator, a father of millions of kids, an army base sergeant, a female TV presenter, and a chaplain at the choose your death sketch. Finally, there’s Graham Chapman who is just superb in the different roles he plays such as a Protestant man, a doctor, a transvestite, a lounge singer, and the man in the choose your death game.

Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life is an extraordinary film from Terry Jones and the Monty Python troupe. While it doesn’t have the consistency of their previous films, it is still a fitting bow from the troupe as they at least create something that is compelling and funny about life in all of its mysteries. In the end, The Meaning of Life is a sensational film from Monty Python.

Monty Python Films: (And Now for Something Completely Different) - Monty Python & the Holy Grail - Monty Python’s Life of Brian - (Live at the Hollywood Bowl) - (Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut))

© thevoid99 2014

Time Bandits

Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Michael Palin, Time Bandits is the story of a boy who goes on an adventure with a group of time-traveling dwarves where he travels to different periods in time. The film is an exploration into the world of fantasy and man trying to fight the impossible as it is the first part of a trilogy of films about dreamers. Starring John Cleese, Sean Connery, Michael Palin, Shelley Duvall, Ralph Richardson, Ian Holm, Katherine Helmond, Peter Vaughn, and David Warner. Time Bandits is a funny yet enjoyable fantasy film from Terry Gilliam.

A young boy named Kevin (Craig Warnock) enjoys reading adventures about all sorts of things while his parents (David Daker and Sheila Fearn) are more obsessed with household appliances and TV shows. One day, a gang of time traveling dwarf bandits come out of his closet looking for a time hole as they carry a map that get them through each time hole in order to steal riches from different periods of time. Leading the pack is Randall (David Rappaport) as he admits to stealing the map from the Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson and the voice of Tony Jay) as Kevin finds himself being part of the adventure. There, Kevin and the bandits land in the Napoleonic wars where the bandits find themselves having to entertain Napoleon Bonaparte (Ian Holm) where they successfully steal some treasure.

After finding themselves in the Middle Ages where they meet Robin Hood (John Cleese) where they end up having their take being given to the poor, Randall and the bandits ponder where to go next. Unaware that a sorcerer known as Evil (David Warner) is watching them, the bandits continue their journey where they’re being chased by the Supreme Being as Kevin finds himself in Mycenaean Greece where he saved the life of King Agamemnon (Sean Connery). Being happy around King Agamemnon, Kevin hopes to stay there until the bandits finally appear to steal more riches and take Kevin where they find themselves in the 20th Century on a ship. Randall believes that through the map that there’s a place into the unknown that can lead them to something that is considered to be the most fantastic object of the world. Kevin reluctantly joins them where they encounter more trouble where Kevin realizes what is going on forcing he and the bandits to fight Evil.

The film is essentially the story about a young boy who joins a group of time-traveling dwarves into an adventure into different periods of time where they steal riches while going after something that is to be even better than riches unaware that they’re watched by an evil sorcerer. That’s pretty much what the story is about though it is a film that is about a boy trying to find a place where he belongs as he feels out of place with the modern world as his parents are just obsessed with the technologies of the times. Throughout this adventure with this gang of dwarves that likes to steal and do things, this young boy would encounter worlds that are very different from the modern world as he feels like he belongs there.

The screenplay by Terry Gilliam and his Monty Python cohort Michael Palin does have a traditional structure into the motivations of how young Kevin sees things throughout his journey. Notably as the journeys he takes would play into his development and understanding of the world itself. He enjoys going back in time but he doesn’t like what the dwarves do as things get more complicated in the third act when the dwarves begin to doubt Randall over his obsession with going into this mysterious world. Particularly as they’re all unaware that they’re being watched by this evil sorcerer who wants the map they can carry to spread evil into the world. While the script is essentially a fantasy story, it’s also very comical since a lot of the situations are absurd and things do very silly such as the fact that the characters often drop in on a couple (Michael Palin and Shelley Duvall) and ruining their moment.

Terry Gilliam’s direction is definitely big in terms of its presentation where it is all about these elaborate set pieces, different locations, and all sorts of hi-jinks the characters encounter. Through some amazing compositions where Gilliam puts a lot into the frame in order to establish the world the characters encounter. He also makes sure that it’s about this group of dwarves and this young boy while he does take his time to establish what the evil sorcerer wants to do. The direction also includes some vast wide shots of some of these elaborate set pieces where things often feel offbeat such as the climatic world in the third act. Still, Gilliam manages to find a way to keep things offbeat in its humor and intentions while creating something that can appeal to a young audience. Overall, Gilliam creates a fantastic film that plays up to world of imagination and the yearn to escape from the doldrums of the modern world.

Cinematographer Peter Bizou does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from the very sunny and vast look of the King Agamemnon sequence to the more dreary look of the dark world that the sorcerer lives in. Editor Julian Doyle does wonderful work with the editing by creating some unique rhythms for the film’s action scenes along with some stylish slow-motion cuts for some of its intense moments. Production designer Milly Burns and art director Norman Garwood do amazing work with the vast set design that is created from the look of King Agamemnon’s palace, the castle where Napoleon is being entertained, and the dark underworld where the sorcerer lives in.

Costume designer James Acheson, with additional work from Hazel Cote, does terrific work with the costumes to capture the many different periods from the robes of King Agamemnon, the look of Robin Hood, and uniform worn by Napoleon. Hair and makeup work by Maggie Weston and Elaine Carew is superb for the look of some of the characters including the evil sorcerer that is over the top. The sound work of Allen Hurd is very good for the atmosphere that is created in parts of the films including the party scene at King Agamemnon’s hall. The music by Mike Moran is a delight to hear not just for its bombastic orchestral score but also for its playfulness as it serves as a great accompaniment to the film’s humorous moments. The music also includes a song by one of the film’s executives producers in George Harrison that plays up to the film’s whimsical charm.

The film’s cast is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some noteworthy small roles from Jim Broadbent as a game show host, Peter Vaughn as an ogre named Winston, Katherine Helmond as the ogre’s wife, David Daker and Sheila Fearn as Kevin’s parents, and Michael Palin and Shelley Duvall as a loving couple often interrupted by the appearances of the dwarves. Other appearances that are definitely played for laughs include Ian Holm as Napoleon Bonaparte and John Cleese as a somewhat dim-witted Robin Hood. Sean Connery is superb as King Agamemnon where he displays a great sense of prestige in his role. David Warner is terrific as the sorcerer Evil who is very over-the-top while Ralph Richardson is wonderful as the very witty Supreme Being.

The performances by the dwarves in Tiny Ross, Mike Edmonds, Jack Purvis, Malcolm Dixon, and Kenny Baker are definitely amazing to watch as well as Jack Rappaport as the conniving leader of the gang in Randall. Finally, there’s Craig Warnock in a marvelous performance as Kevin who is intrigued by the world of adventure and imagination as he deals with his journey as well as the evil forces that he later has to fight.

Time Bandits is an extraordinary yet witty film from Terry Gilliam. Armed with a great ensemble cast and amazing set pieces, the film is definitely among one of Gilliam’s best films. Notably as it’s also a very accessible film that offers something more to a wide audience including children. In the end, Time Bandits is a whimsical yet adventurous film from Terry Gilliam.

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

© thevoid99 2013

Brazil (Criterion DVD Box Set)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 4/13/05 with Additional Content and a New Conclusion.

The only American in the British comedy troupe Monty Python, Terry Gilliam stood out for his quirky and abstract animation sequences that came between some of the comedy sketches in their Monty Python's Flying Circus shows. Gilliam would often appear in the sketches sometimes as a small part where in the 70s when Monty Python branched out into films, Gilliam would co-direct the films like Monty Python & the Holy Grail and 1983's Monty Python & the Meaning of Life. When Monty Python disbanded shortly after the Meaning of Life, Gilliam went on his own to direct his own films after doing two solo features for 1977's Jabberwocky based on Lewis Carroll's story and Time Bandits in 1981 that included Python-mates Michael Palin and John Cleese (who wrote the film with Gilliam and Python's Eric Idle) along with Sean Connery. With the year 1984 looming and its relevance to the bleak, totalitarian novel of George Orwell, Gilliam decided to make his own version of 1984 with a bit of the over-the-top, surreal style of Federico Fellini that would become his masterpiece, 1985's Brazil.

Set in the 20th Century in a different world, Brazil is a grand, otherworldly film that combined Orwell's bleak, Metropolis-like vision of 1984 with many of Gilliam's Python's hijinks in tow. It's part sci-fi, part-comedy, part-drama, part-fantasy, and part-action all rolled into one. Though the film is called Brazil, it doesn't set itself in the country of Brazil or has anything to do with Brazil except for its song that is played throughout the film. What the film is about is an oppressed, meek man named Sam Lowry who often dreams into another world whenever he's feeling oppressed by his bleak world around him. After a mistake that has an innocent man killed, Lowry investigates to correct an error where he bumps into the girl of his dreams, a terrorist, and all sorts of people including those he works for at the Ministry of Information. Playing Lowry is Jonathan Pryce who makes a cowardly, meek man into an unlikely hero. With a cast that includes Gilliam's Python-mate Michael Palin along with Jim Broadbent, Katherine Helmond, Bob Hoskins, Kim Griest, Ian Holm, Ian Richardson, Peter Vaughn, Charles McKeown, and Robert de Niro. Brazil is a flat-out masterpiece that proves that there's no escape to imagination.

It's a typical day in the Ministry of Information when a technician (Ray Cooper) kills a fly in the ceiling, only to have that dead fly drop into a mechanized typewriter where an error occurs. The error forces a group of police-like guards to take a man named Mr. Buttle (Brian Miller) to have him be executed by the Information Retrieval group. Witnessing the capture is a woman named Jill Layton (Kim Griest) who notices that it's an error. The next day, a nervous office manager named Kurtzmann (Ian Holm) keeps peeping through his employees as he notices glitches in his computers where workers would watch movies. He calls for one of his loyal employees in Sam Lowry, only that he has overslept in his dream where he's a superhero, flying to find his dream girl. He wakes up to learn that he's overslept and the electricity in his apartment isn't working. He arrives where he bumps into his friend Jack Lint (Michael Palin) who works at the Information Retrieval office.

Lowry fixes Kurtzmann's computer problems as he heard that Lowry is up for a promotion at the Retrieval group but Lowry has turned it down because he enjoys his anonymity. He learns that his promotion has been pressured by his own mother Ida (Katherine Helmond), who knows the boss Eugene Helpmann (Peter Vaughn). Ida, who is currently getting a plastic surgery procedure to look young by Dr. Jaffe (Jim Broadbent) takes Sam to have dinner with friend Mrs. Terrain (Barbara Hicks) and her braces-wearing daughter Shirley (Kathryn Pogson). Ida and Mrs. Terrain hopes to have the two to get together but neither have any interest in another where Sam often feels pressured by his mother to not work for Information Retrieval. The problems with his mother, only makes Sam escape into his own dream world where he suddenly wakes up to learn that his air conditioning has broken down.

He calls Central Services to have his air conditioning fixed, only to learn that it will take them days to arrive. Then, a few minutes later, a man named Harry Tuttle (Robert de Niro) has arrived to fix the air conditioning since he intercepted Sam's call. Tuttle, who used to work for Central Services, fixes Sam's air conditioner without dealing with papers and claims, it's all for the work and to help someone. During the fixing, Central Services suddenly arrives with its fix-it guys Spoor (Bob Hoskins) and Dowser (Derrick O'Connor) to check up but because they didn’t have the forms to fix things, they’re forced to come back. Tuttle thanks Sam as he escapes through gliding down a wire as Sam learns he’s a terrorist because he fixes things without papers or money.

When Sam goes to work with Kurtzmann, Kurtzmann learns that an error did occur with Buttle when really, it was supposed to be Tuttle that should've been executed. Kurtzmann wants to deliver a check to Mrs. Buttle (Sheila Reid) but nerves have driven Kurtzmann to the edge. Sam will deliver the check personally as his fellow workers are secretly watching Casablanca. When Sam goes to deliver the check, Mrs. Buttle wants to know what has happened to her husband as he is attacked by her children as he witnesses Jill, wondering who she is since she resembles the girl in his dreams. He saw her earlier as she is now being suspected for being in cahoots with the terrorist group. Sam wants to know who she is but because he can't get information from his office, he has a reason now to take the promotion at Information Retrieval.

Upon returning home to his apartment, he learns that Spoor and Dowser has made things worse, especially when they learned that Tuttle was here. They have the paperwork where everything is screwed up. Sam goes to sleep to dream more where he battles a samurai warrior (Winston Dennis) to save his dream girl. Sam is waken up when a singing telegram girl (Diana Martin) arrives to tell him that his mother has invited him to a party. Sam doesn't want to go at first until he learns that Helpmann will be there. Sam arrives where he sees his mother, looking younger than ever while Mrs. Terrain looks worse thanks to an acid-like experimental procedure made by Dr. Chapman (Jack Purvis). Sam finally sees the wheelchair-bound Helpmann as he helps go into the bathroom and Helpmann decides to return a favor for Sam’s father by giving Sam the job which Sam accepts.

Sam takes his first day at Information Retrieval where he works with a talkative boss named Warrenn (Ian Richardson) and borrowing the computer of his neighbor Lime (Charles McKeown) where he finds more information on Jill, who is suspected for all sorts of crime and is a fugitive. He goes to Jack for guidance as he learns that Jack's job is to torture people as Jack suggest to change into a better suit with his daughter Holly (Holly Gilliam) watching. Sam, in a new suit, goes to find Jill where he sees her at the reception board where he goes after her and tries to tell her about Mr. Buttle. Jill doesn't trust Sam at first, only to give in when he doesn't give up, especially since he loves her. She takes him to a plant where she’s carrying a delivery but after an explosion, she is suspected for the bombing as she and Sam are captured. Sam, is returned to his office where Warrenn forces him to work overtime.

Sam comes home to find his apartment a complete mess that he cannot control as Spoor leaves him out. Then, Tuttle arrives to help Sam where after Tuttle's escape, Jill arrives as Sam decides to sneak into Helpmann’s secret elevator to delete Jill's files as the two fall in love, only to be captured by the Ministry. There, Sam wonders what is going on, where is Jill, and what is going to happen to him.

With an original screenplay written by Gilliam, Charles McKeown, and Tom Stoppard, Brazil has many elements that aren't just cerebral but also filled with satirical humor. The credit really goes to Gilliam for his extraordinary vision by bringing Orwell's bleak, totalitarian vision of bureaucracy that is almost inescapable and find humor in it. Imagine living in a world where like in Brazil where you're living in poverty, all the machines don’t work well, and forced to live in this state. It's a bleak film but one that has humor and spectacular visions. Gilliam and his fellow writers really create a fantastic story in which, our protagonist is someone an audience can connect with. Lowry is a dreamer, who doesn't want to be noticed and wants to live in his dream without facing any kind of realities or responsibility. It's a fantastic screenplay that deserved its recognition by the Oscars even though they were just nominated.

If the script of Brazil is intelligently witty, Gilliam as a director pulls all the stops into his vision. Here, he perfectly captures a totalitarian bleakness that is very otherworldly and now, it makes sense with our own American idealism where the American dream is over and we're forced to live in a country run by idiots. Gilliam is really a storyteller like Fellini that uses extravagance to advance a story that blurs the line of reality and fantasy. It's top-notch directing at its best and as for the film's ending. I won't reveal it but it is a happy ending when you think about but it makes you really think and it's one that Gilliam fought over for when he made Brazil and it’s true to his vision.

If Gilliam's directing is in its imaginative form, complementing that vision is cinematographer Roger Pratt who brings in a diverse approach to the film's vision, with little color in many of the film's bleakest scenes and productions while bringing a lot of colorful lighting in Lowry’s dream sequences, including the samurai battle scene with its mix of gray and color. Helping out in the visual department is production designer Norman Garwood along with art directors Keith Pain and John Beard for capturing the bleak, utopian nightmare of the Metropolis-like city with its poverty-stricken city and its upper class styles that really shows the contrast of the rich and poor, even in the building where Sam and Jack Lint works at.

For the film's retro-30s look, costume designer James Acheson brings in a costume style of 1930s-like suits for the males except for Robert de Niro's Tuttle character while most of the women wear these wonderful clothing with boot-like hats along with Gilliam's wife Maggie Weston for creating strange makeup and hair for Katherine Helmond's character. With a wonderfully diverse score from the late Michael Kamen, the orchestral arrangements that are filled with rich strings play up to the film's suspense and dreamy tone along with dreamy layers for the song of "Brazil".

Credit for capturing the behavior of the bureaucracy of Brazil is its cast that includes several fine small performances from Brian Miller, Ray Cooper, Barbara Hicks, Shirley Pogson, Jack Purvis, Diana Martin, Derrick O’Connor, Holly Gilliam, Charles McKeown, and Sheila Reid. While Bob Hoskins and future-Oscar winner Jim Broadbent had small roles, both actors delivers some hilarious standout moments in their respective roles as repairman and surgeon in their own unique way. Playing against type in a role that now stands as ironic is Robert de Niro as Harry Tuttle, who only appears in a few scenes but he is extremely funny whenever he's on board.

Ian Richardson and Peter Vaughn are great in their roles as the superiors of the building that Sam Lowry works for while Ian Holm really stands out with his neurotic performance as Kurtzmann. Katherine Helmond gives a funny, aloof performance as Sam Lowry's mother while Kim Griest is excellent in her role as Jill Layton with her tough-as-nails attitude and beauty. Of the supporting cast, the real standout is Michael Palin for his eccentric, strange performance as Jack Lint, with his nice guy, ignorant role as a man who doesn’t think torture is a bad thing.

In terms of performance from the whole cast, no one stands out better as Jonathan Pryce as the protagonist Sam Lowry. Pryce brings a complex and human performance as a man that couldn't stand the oppression he's living in and all the gadgets he has to be surrounded with. Pryce brings sympathy to Lowry in scenes involving his mother and her friends. Lowry is the guy we know and when he's in the dream sequence, Pryce is larger than life. He brings both comedy and drama into a great performance as this will be the role he will be remembered for as he continues to do great films like most recently, Pirates of the Caribbean.

***The Following Content is Additional Material Relating to the Criterion DVD Box Set Written on 9/9/10***

The 1999 3-disc Criterion DVD set is one of greatest releases from the Criterion Collection. The film is presented in its original 1:85:1 aspect ratio for widescreen while the film is assembled from both the American and European theatrical releases for the ultimate cut of the film at 142-minutes. Featuring a new remastered Dolby stereo surround soundtrack, the remastered film (which was remastered again in 2006 for a single-disc release) is all supervised by Terry Gilliam.

The only special feature in the first disc of the DVD aside from English subtitles for the hearing impaired is a full-length audio commentary track by Terry Gilliam. Gilliam talks about the making of film while reflecting on everything that is happening as he’s watching what he says is the fifth and final cut of the film. The only scenes that don’t appear in the final version that was assembled from the American and European theatrical releases are the clouds at closing credits and an extended scene at the end that appears in the shortened, studio-cut version of the film.

Gilliam praises the work of Jonathan Pryce and co-screenwriter Tom Stoppard throughout. Pryce for his physical comedy and expressions during scenes while Gilliam praises Stoppard for some of the dialogue and ideas he had. The name “Brazil” came from the idea of shooting the opening sequence in Brazil at the rain forest where it was later revised for the scene where a man kills a fly and the mess up of Tuttle/Buttle occurs. Gilliam also talks about Robert de Niro who was very nervous about doing the film though it was a small role. Yet, de Niro was very relaxed during the making of the film as Gilliam has fond memories.

Terry also talked about the casting of Jill where he wanted an unknown. While it’s been known that Gilliam had issues with Kim Griest, Gilliam underplays those issues as he liked her performance and felt she was right along despite the people who auditioned for the film. Among them were Ellen Barkin, Rosanna Arquette, Kathleen Turner, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rebecca de Mornay, and Madonna. Gilliam also talked about the scene with his daughter Holly and Michael Palin which she hated to do. She only had two days of work and in the second day, she didn’t want to say her lines. So in order to film her, Terry recalled having to operate the camera while his wife Maggie held the boom mic so she can do her famous line to Jonathan Pryce.

Gilliam also talks about his struggle with the studios as he reveals his hatred for Hollywood and the studio system. Even as he feels that filmmaking is a collaborative effort where it’s not just the director but the actors and crew members that are all trying to tell a story. The commentary also includes some technical details and other things Gilliam tries to recall as it’s definitely one of the most enjoyable commentaries for a film.

The second disc is a production notebook of everything that went on with the making of the film as well as the battle to release it. Featuring numerous special features, the second disc includes rare documentaries and interviews with those involved in the film. The first is a 56-minute documentary called The Battle of Brazil: A Video History by journalist Jack Mathews. The documentary chronicles the funding for the film and the battle to release it. Featuring interviews with Terry Gilliam, producer Arnon Milchan, studio executives Frank Price, Bob Rehme, and Marvin Antonowsky, L.A. film critic Kenneth Turan, and a 1985 audio interview with former Universal studios chief Sidney Sheinberg. The film goes into detail over the battle of the film.

It begins in the early 80s where Terry Gilliam met Arnon Milchan about a project he wanted to do called this project called Brazil. Milchan liked the idea but had a hard time selling studios about the project. At the 1983 Cannes Film Festival where Gilliam was promoting Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life and Milchan working to get buyers for Once Upon a Time in America. The two met Bob Rehme of Universal where he said yes to the project though Gilliam got an earlier offer from 20th Century Fox to do Brazil if he would direct the film Enemy Mines.

Things were going great until Rehme was out of the job as other people from Universal became concerned. When Gilliam submitted his first cut of 142-minutes, executives got worried and wanted him to cut the film. Though that cut was released in Europe by 20th Century Fox to critical acclaim, the executives at Universal were still unsure following a poor test screening in the U.S. Universal head Sidney Sheinberg decided to get involved and cut the film into 94-minutes taking out a lot of the fantasy sequences and focused on the love story. Gilliam got upset while he was still trying to cut a shorter version of 130-minutes for U.S. audiences as a battle ensued.

Gilliam made the battle public as he even got Robert de Niro to do a rare interview on national TV with Gilliam to support the film. Gilliam’s guerilla tactics worked as Jack Mathews was reporting all that was happening capturing both sides. Gilliam held secret screenings and then one for the L.A. Film Critics Association where the film won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. While Gilliam won the battle to release Brazil in the U.S. in New York City and Los Angeles in December of 1985. The film wasn’t a major commercial success though its reputation has grown since. Gilliam was happy that he at least, allowed directors to fight for their vision more.

The second documentary is a 30-minute documentary called What is Brazil? by Rob Hedden. A behind-the-scenes documentary with cast and crew interviews during the production as they ask what is Brazil? Gilliam talks about his collaboration with Tom Stoppard, who admittedly reveals not liking collaborations very much while is unsure what script Gilliam is shooting. The doc also has Michael Palin talking on the phone during the interview while pretending to be other characters. One of the highlights of the documentary is the lost eyeball sequence that was supposed to be part of the dream sequence but got cut out due to length.

The next series of special features is the Production Notebook that reveals everything about the film and its look. Among them is numerous texts and notes relating to the many drafts of the screenplay for Brazil. Featuring pictures and draft notes from Charles Alverson, who helped write in the numerous drafts of the script. The numerous texts and development for Brazil in script is truly mesmerizing with characters such as “the Oppressor” who was eventually cut out since there was no room for a true, main antagonist due to the involvement of Charles McKeown and Tom Stoppard in numerous drafts.

Also included in the script development section is a nine-minute video featuring Gilliam, McKeown, and Stoppard talking about the writing process. Whereas Stoppard was brought in for three drafts as he brought ideas that changed things. Gilliam brought McKeown to put some ideas back from previous drafts and keep the stuff that Stoppard wrote that Gilliam felt worked. The three men reveal how difficult it was to find a balance for the script where all three would be satisfied for what would be shot.

The storyboard material presented in the DVD reveal lots of text about the detail of what Gilliam wanted along with drawings that he made for the fantasy sequences in all nine of the dreams presented and where they were originally supposed to be in the film in its various drafts. The second dream sequence included the cut eyeball scene where Sam in his dream tries to save Jill. Others are variations while the final involved Helpmann as Father Christmas.

The production design section reveals in-depth detail in the work Gilliam and production designer Norman Garwood. A lot is revealed into re-creating a city that is in ruins with storyboards and stills into how looked early on to what it would look like in the film. Even in the creation of props and slogans that was needed to create this world as Garwood goes into detail of what Gilliam wanted. The costume design section features audio commentary costume designer James Acheson about the costumes in a five-minute segment. Acheson through pictures and still goes into detail of what inspired the costumes while talking about how easy it was to work with Robert de Niro and Katherine Helmond about their costumes. Yet, he says the least favorite costume he made was the samurai. The segment also featured a rare video clip of a stuntman working on the Icarus suit that Sam wears in his dream to show he would fly.

The next section is the special effects where it features audio commentary from Richard Conway discussing some of the raw footage unveiled during the making of the film. Among them is the flying sequence which features a mechanic dummy flapping his wings and going up in the air while Conway revealed how difficult it was. Even where Jonathan Pryce tried to do it with a harness that only lasted 10 seconds. For the deleted eyeball sequences, stills, storyboards, Conway’s commentary, and pictures of the eyeballs are revealed which were a nightmare to make as it got cut because not everything worked. Other effect details revealed are the miniatures used for second-unit shots relating to cars, sets that were built, and the famous brick hands that capture Sam in the dream sequence on the ground. Conway also admits that making the Samurai costume and the visual effects for that character was a nightmare while he and James Acheson felt even more sorry for Winston Dennis to play that character. Other raw footage revealed is the forces of darkness dragging Jill’s cage in a rare, raw shot while a scene with Mrs. Terrain’s remains was another awful experience due to the smell.

The last major special feature is a nine-minute interview with late composer Michael Kamen about the film’s score. Kamen talks about creating a score around the song Brazil, a song he didn’t like very much, while talking about variations he made including a few score pieces that didn’t make it to the film revealed through raw footage. Even the first dream sequence played to a musical piece by Strauss. One of the hardest parts about the score was getting permission from the song’s publisher so that Kamen could get credit for the arrangements. With the help of Ray Cooper, Kamen was about to work around the song and create suites which he was proud of doing.

Two other features included in the second disc is the film’s theatrical trailer and a photo gallery of production and publicity stills relating to the film which includes rare posters and such.

The third and final disc of the DVD set is the 94-minute Love Conquers All version of Brazil presented in rough form and in full screen. The film itself in this shortened version is in fact an abomination. Many of the film’s fantasy sequences are cut. There’s a lot of continuity errors. No motivations or proper introduction of characters. A lot of the satirical and political elements of the film is cut out. A lot of subplots relating to Buttle/Tuttle confusion and Sam’s mother is cut out with characters not being fully realized. The pacing in several scenes are off and musical cues are misused.

Included in the third disc is a full-length commentary track by Gilliam expert David Morgan. Morgan’s commentary reveals what is cut and what is added to the Love Conquers All version. Morgan reveals that this version of the film really confuses the audience of what they’re seeing. Notably with the bad edits and cut material along with the humor being poorly-timed. It’s a must-see just to see how bad a studio can mess up a film for their own intent.

Also included in the entire set is a booklet featuring an essay by Jack Mathews. Mathews’ essay summarizes its history, the battle, and its impact while presenting what is Gilliam’s final cut of the film. The Criterion DVD box set for Brazil is definitely a must-have for fans of the film. Even as it reveals loads of details into the production of the film, the battle to release it, and everything else. It’s definitely Gilliam’s masterpiece as fans get to see the film in its most completed form.

Brazil is truly one of the greatest films ever made from the wondrous mind of Terry Gilliam. Featuring a towering leading performance from Jonathan Pryce plus an amazing supporting cast that includes Robert de Niro, Michael Palin, Kim Griest, Katherine Helmond, Bob Hoskins, Jim Broadbent, Ian Holm, and Peter Vaughn. It’s a film that is truly ambitious while not being overly pretentious nor with an overblown message. While audiences might be befuddled by its plot description, they won’t be once they see the film which displays a smart sense of humor. In the end, Brazil is a mesmerizing, witty, and dazzling film from Terry Gilliam that gives voice to the oppressed dreamers.

Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Time Bandits - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - 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

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