UPDATE: According to news reports on January 28, the unfinished Terry Gilliam project starring Heath Ledger will be completed.
While his family and friends mourn Heath Ledger, the actor's death leaves Terry Gilliam (pictured), Monty Pythoner and imaginative director of Brazil and 12 Monkeys, in the lurch again. When his star Jean Rochefort had a heart attack, Gilliam famously had to stop production on his Don Quixote co-starring Johnny Depp and brilliantly chronicled in Lost in La Mancha, made by Temple U grads Keith Fulton and Lou Pepe.
Ledger died during production of Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, a twisty, Fausty story starring Ledger, Christopher Plummer and Tom Waits. The film's fate is in the hands of its insurers. Our hearts go out to Gilliam, who has not only lost a beloved colleague (he and Ledger worked together on The Brothers Grimm), but may have lost a second movie.
As the link above reports, it's rare that a major star dies during production. It happened to Jean Harlow on Saratoga, with her part fleshed out by doubles. It happened again with Marilyn Monroe on Something's Got to Give, which was never completed. And with Natalie Wood's Brainstorm, which was completed using a stunt double. Apart from I, Claudius and the John Candy western mentioned, I can't think of other unfinished films. But given the footage from Don Quizote shown in Lost in La Mancha, that's one I'd certainly like to see. You? Your favorite Gilliam film?
Comments (13)
Carrie--
Marlon Brando, Debra Winger and Johnny Depp were all involved in the ill-fated "Divine Rapture," which had already started filming about 10 years ago when the plug was pulled. Here's a link for more info on it:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,298372,00.html
Posted by Joe | January 25, 2008 12:43 PM
Posted on January 25, 2008 12:43
my favorite terry gilliam film is Brazil.
i'm not sure it his best work ( 12 monkeys ), but is is more energetic than some of his later films and better written.
Posted by marc snyder | January 25, 2008 1:17 PM
Posted on January 25, 2008 13:17
There should be half a River Phoenix film called "Dark Blood" floating around there somewhere.
If "Tideland" is any indication, maybe giving Terry Gilliam final cut isn't such a good idea.
Put me squarely in the "Brazil" camp.
Posted by David | January 25, 2008 2:16 PM
Posted on January 25, 2008 14:16
Rambo.
Posted by Sly | January 25, 2008 2:17 PM
Posted on January 25, 2008 14:17
Yul Brynner took over for Tyrone Power in "Solomon and Sheba" (1960) when Power died during the production. All of Power's scenes were reshot by Brynner. To the best of my knowledge, Power's scenes have never been seen because the releasing company, United Artists, was not in the habit of saving anything.
Posted by Mike | January 25, 2008 4:11 PM
Posted on January 25, 2008 16:11
Ed Wood finished Plan 9 From Outer Space with his dentist subbing for the recently departed Bela Lugosi. You can tell which scenes are which because the new guy held a cape over his face.
As for Gilliam, one can only imagine his anguish. Brazil is his most successful work, but i'm also partial to The Fisher King.
Posted by Bob Ross | January 26, 2008 10:29 AM
Posted on January 26, 2008 10:29
Thanks for these informative posts. I'm with Bob re: Brazil and Fisher King as Gilliam's most fully realized films. And I have genuine affection for "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen," one of the first films to feature Sarah Polley, the actress/auteur Oscar-nominated for the adapted screenplay of "Away from Her." Gilliam is a film explorer dedicated to imagining and charting that zone between the real and the imagined.
Posted by Carrie | January 26, 2008 3:20 PM
Posted on January 26, 2008 15:20
Let's not forget Brandon Lee and "The Crow." It's unfortunate that, sometimes, when stars pass before their final films come out, their final films usually aren't that great, but with Lee, he left behind a great supernatural action film.
As for Gilliam, I think "Brazil" is slightly overrated. I'm kinda rattling around "12 Monkeys," "Fisher King," and "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas" as my favorites. Forced to choose, I'd probably go with "Fisher," if only for Jeff Bridges's wildly underrated performance.
Posted by Christopher | January 27, 2008 8:05 PM
Posted on January 27, 2008 20:05
Way too harsh in your Rambo review. I agree the first 20 minutes were a F-, but after the flashback sequence it really picked up. Granted, Stallone has lost his touch with the dialogue and there was a lack of head turns, but the ending was great and it some some great kills. All in all, a solid action movie and a nice end to the series. Better than the latest Rocky.
Posted by Richard Crenna | January 28, 2008 9:11 AM
Posted on January 28, 2008 09:11
My favorite Terry Gilliam movie is "Time Bandits." It was charming and quirky, while retaining a nice sense of modesty that is lost in Gilliam's later movies.
I, too am a fan of Jeff Bridges' work in "The Fisher King." Since I've said elsewhere that he's my favorite current actor, that's not surprising.
"Brazil" gave me a splitting headache, thanks to a sold out theater's forcing me to sit in the very first row. Not the movie's fault, but I can't imagine ever summoning the intestinal fortitude to try again.
If I remember correctly, I think Robert Walker died shortly before filming for "My Son John" was finished. The story I've read was that director Leo McCarey borrowed footage from Walker's death scene in "Strangers On a Train" to fill in the gaps in "My Son John's" ending. Having not seen McCarey's movie, I can't vouch for the accuracy of that story.
Posted by wwolfe | January 28, 2008 7:17 PM
Posted on January 28, 2008 19:17
You're absolutely right about "My Son John" and the shots from "Strangers on a Train." (It's a strident piece of anti-Soivet propaganda that's a real period piece.) I love "Time Bandits," especially the anachonistic z-i-i-i-p sound made by a Polaroid Instamatic in a number of ancient-historical contexts.
Posted by Carrie | January 28, 2008 9:26 PM
Posted on January 28, 2008 21:26
The final scene in Rambo is the greatest moment in cinematic history.
Posted by Richard Crenna's Ghost | January 29, 2008 5:08 PM
Posted on January 29, 2008 17:08
While I love his directoral work, I most enjoy his animations for Monty Python
Posted by phillygirl64 | February 1, 2008 5:50 PM
Posted on February 1, 2008 17:50