Online versions of the Goldenrod Handouts have color images & live links: May 3, 2016 (XXXII:14) http://csac.buffalo.edu/goldenrodhandouts.html , THE (1991, 137 min)

Directed by Terry Gilliam Written by Richard LaGravenese Produced by Debra Hill and Lynda Obst Music Cinematography Roger Pratt Film Editing Lesley Walker Casting Howard Feuer Production Design Mel Bourne

Academy Awards, USA 1992 Won: Best Actress in a Supporting Role—Mercedes Ruehl Nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role—, Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen— Richard LaGravenese, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration— Mel Bourne and Cindy Carr, Best Music, Original Score— George Fenton

Jeff Bridges…Jack Adam Bryant…Radio Engineer Paul Lombardi…Radio Engineer David Hyde Pierce…Lou Rosen William Preston…John the Bum Ted Ross…Limo Bum Al Fann…Superintendent Lara Harris…Sondra Stephen Bridgewater…Porno Customer Warren Olney…TV Anchorman …Lydia Frazer Smith…News Reporter John Heffernan…Stockbroker Bum Mercedes Ruehl…Anne Chris Howell…Red Knight Kathy Najimy…Crazed Video Customer …Homeless Cabaret Singer Harry Shearer… Actor Ben Starr Tom Waits…Disabled Veteran (uncredited) Melinda Culea …Sitcom Wife James Remini…Bum at Hotel TERRY GILLIAM (b. November 22, 1940) was born in Mark Bowden…Doorman Minnesota near Medicine Lake. When he was 12 his family John Ottavino…Father at Hotel moved to where he became a fan of Mad Brian Michaels…Little Boy magazine. In his early 20's he was often stopped by the Jayce Bartok…First Punk police who often suspected him of being a drug addict and Dan Futterman…Second Punk Gilliam had to explain that he worked in advertisement. Robin Williams…Parry Gilliam said these experiences made him understand how it Bradley Gregg …Hippie Bum was like to be Black or Mexican and gave him sympathy William Jay Marshall…Jamaican Bum for the poor. In the political turmoil in the 60's, Gilliam Gilliam——2 feared he might develop into a terrorist and decided to TV Series), Marty (1968, TV Series) and Do Not Adjust leave the USA. After moving to England he landed a job Your Set (1968, TV Series). He has also acted in 24 films, on the children's television show video games, and television series including Absolutely as an animator. There he would meet his future Anything (2015), Jupiter Ascending (2015), 9-Month collaborators in : , and Stretch (2013), I rec u (2012), A Liar's Autobiography: The . In 2006 he renounced his American Untrue Story of Monty Python's (2012), citizenship. Gilliam was originally known for the bizarre The Monster of Nix (2011, Short), The Legend of sequences in Monty Python's Flying Circus Hallowdega (2010, Short), Not the Messiah: He's a Very (1969) using cutout pictures and photographs. Over time Naughty Boy (2010), Locked Out (2006), The Adventures the director added many more distinct signatures to his of Baron Munchausen (1988), Spies Like Us (1985), Brazil work such as: features people/animals bursting through (1985), The Crimson Permanent Assurance (1983, Short), walls or ceilings, begins and The Meaning of Life (1983), ends his films with the same Life of Brian (1979), shot, heavy use of wide Jabberwocky (1977), Monty angle lenses and Dutch tilt Python and the shots. For all of Gilliam’s (1975), Monty Python's famous films, he is perhaps Flying Circus (1969-1974, equally as infamous for TV Series), Monty Python's those he turns down Fliegender Zirkus (1971, TV including the opportunity to Movie), And Now for direct Who Framed Roger Something Completely Rabbit (1988), Enemy Mine Different (1971) and (1985), and Forrest Gump Euroshow 71 (1971, TV (1994) and Alien: Movie). Resurrection (1997). Has been off and on to write and RICHARD LAGRAVENESE direct a movie adaptation of (b. October 30, 1959 in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's graphic novel , ) is a writer and director, known for "Watchmen." Gilliam has said he attempted to write an P.S. I Love You (2007), (1996) accurate screenplay but it would be unfilmable, but he and Unbroken (2014). He began his career as a playwright would consider directing it if it were made into 10 or 12- and stand-up comic in . It was here during part cable television series. He has both written and the early 1980s, billed as "The Double R" comedy duo, in directed, (2013), collaboration with playwright Richard O’Donnell, (2011, Short), The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus LaGravenese co-penned and consecutively performed in (2009), Tideland (2005, screenplay), Fear and Loathing in several Off-Off-Broadway productions including Spare (1998, screenplay), The Adventures of Baron Parts, Blood-brothers at The 78th Street Theatre Lab, The Munchausen (1988), The Crimson Permanent Assurance Lion Theatre, and West Bank Cafe. LaGravenese wrote The (1983, Short), The Meaning of Life (1983, animation and Fisher King on spec in the late 1980s and was nominated special sequence and written by), (1981), for an Oscar for his first solo screenplay for this film. In Jabberwocky (1977, screenplay), Monty Python and the fact, his former boss, producer Aaron Russo with whom Holy Grail (1975), (1974, Short), he’d worked on the bomb Rude Awakenings (1989), tried Storytime (1968, Short). He has also directed The Legend numerous times to buy the “Fisher King” screenplay from of Hallowdega (2010, Short), The Brothers Grimm (2005), LaGravenese. The writer has said this about the Twelve Monkeys (1995), The Fisher King (1991), Brazil experience: “He fired me. I was literally banned from the (1985). In addition he wrote for over 30 films and TV set of “Rude Awakening” because I would not sell him series, some of which include (2014, ‘Fisher King’. I didn’t know a lot, but I knew enough not to Mostly), Education Tips No. 41: Choosing a Really sell him my spec screenplay”. In 2002, he was the Expensive School (2003, Video short), Eric Idle: Exploits recipient of the 's Distinguished Monty Python (2002), Python Night: 30 Years of Monty Screenwriter Award. He has written for 21 films and TV Python (1999, TV Movie documentary), Parrot Sketch Not programs: The Comedian (2017, post-production), Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python (1989, TV Dangerous Liaisons (2014, TV Movie), Unbroken (2014, Special), Life of Brian (1979), Monty Python's Flying screenplay), The Last Five Years (2014, screenplay), The Circus (1969, TV Series), Monty Python's Fliegender Divide (2014, TV Series, created by - 8 episodes), Behind Zirkus (1971, TV Movie), And Now for Something the Candelabra (2013, TV Movie, screenplay), Beautiful Completely Different (1971), (1968, Creatures (2013, screenplay), Water for Elephants (2011, Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—3 screenplay), P.S. I Love You (2007, screenplay), Freedom composing for wildlife programs. In 2012 he said with Writers (2007, screenplay), Paris, je t'aime (2006, segment reference to The Blue Planet: "The minute I heard the title I "Pigalle"), Beloved (1998, screenplay), was sold. I just thought it was so great that I turned down (1998, written by), The Horse Whisperer (1998, the offer of doing another film in the States and flew screenplay), The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996, screen straight back home." He was nominated for Best Original story, screenplay), (1995, screenplay), Score for tonight’s film. His compositional output includes The Bridges of Madison County (1995, screenplay), A Wild Oats (2016, completed), I, Daniel Blake (2016, Little Princess (1995, filming), The Lady in the Van screenplay), (1994, (2015), The Zero Theorem (2013), screenplay), The Fisher King Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight (1991, written by), and Rude (2013), The Angels' Share (2012), Awakening (1989, screenplay). Baka: A Cry from the Rainforest (2012, Documentary), The Bounty GEORGE FENTON (b. October Hunter (2010), 2009 Life (2009, TV 19, 1950 in London, England) is Mini-Series documentary,10 known for his work on Gandhi episodes), Looking for Eric (2009), (1982), Groundhog Day (1993) Fool's Gold (2008), Love and Death and the BBC series The Blue in Shanghai (2007, TV Movie Planet and Planet Earth. He attended St Edward's School documentary), It's a Free World... (2007), Planet Earth in Oxford where "he learnt his music" from Peter (2006, TV Mini-Series documentary, 11 episodes), The Whitehouse, however, beyond this he has no further formal Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), Last Holiday (2006), training in music. Fenton's involvement with St Edward's Bewitched (2005), Valiant (2005), Tickets (2005), Hitch continued as an adult and he has been a governor of the (2005), Deep Blue (2003, Documentary), Imagining school since 1998. Initially Fenton worked as an actor, Argentina (2003), Sweet Home Alabama (2002), Sweet getting an early break in 1968 with a part in Alan Bennett's Sixteen (2002), The Navigators (2001), Summer Catch first West End play Forty Years On. He had some success (2001), Bread and Roses (2000), Anna and the King as an actor in the early 1970s appearing in the film Private (1999), Grey Owl (1999), Entropy (1999), You've Got Mail Road, in Alan Bennett's first television play A Day Out (1998), Living Out Loud (1998), My Name Is Joe (1998), directed by , and in the soap opera The Object of My Affection (1998), Dangerous Beauty Emmerdale Farm. In 1969 Fenton tried his hand as a (1998), Heaven's Prisoners (1996), Mary Reilly (1996), recording artist with a cover of song China Moon (1994), Shadowlands (1993), Born Yesterday “Maxwell's Silver Hammer” and in 1973 he dabbled in (1993), Groundhog Day (1993), Hero (1992), Final band management helping to get the folk-rock band Hunter Analysis (1992), The Fisher King (1991), White Palace Muskett a recording contract with Bradley's Records. (1990), The Long Walk Home (1990), Memphis Belle While working as an actor Fenton was frequently asked by (1990), We're No Angels (1989), The Dressmaker (1988), directors to play an instrument and he decided on a career Dangerous Liaisons (1988), High Spirits (1988), Cry switch to composing music. By the late 1970s Fenton was Freedom (1987), Billy the Kid and the Green Baize working regularly in television, becoming a popular choice Vampire (1987), 84 Charing Cross Road (1987), White of composer for dozens of television productions. These Mischief (1987), Clockwise (1986), The Company of included Shoestring, a BBC police drama, which ran for 21 Wolves (1984), The Jewel in the Crown (1984, TV Mini- episodes in 1979-1980, and Bergerac, which ran for a Series, 8 episodes), No Country for Old Men (1981, TV decade from 1981-1991, and for which he won a BAFTA Movie), Hussy (1980), One Fine Day (1979, TV Movie), in 1982. His film scoring as a professional composer began Me! I'm Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1978, TV Movie), and in 1982[22] with 's biopic Gandhi Private Road (1971). for which he was nominated — with his collaborator, Ravi Shankar — for the Academy Award for Original Music ROGER PRATT (b. February 27, 1947 in Leicester, Score. Fenton's career as a composer of film scores owes a Leicestershire, England) is known for his work on Harry debt of gratitude to Attenborough's asking him to compose Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Harry Potter for Gandhi. Fenton has also composed for a number of and the Goblet of Fire (2005) and Twelve Monkeys (1995). notable wildlife television programs, often collaborating In 2000 he was nominated for an Oscar for Best with the wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough and Cinematography for The End of the Affair (1999). His nature documentary filmmaker Alastair Fothergill. He cinematographic work for films includes Keeping Rosy started on the BBC's long-running series Wildlife on One (2014), The Karate Kid (2010), Dorian Gray (2009), and Natural World, and continued with specials such as (2007), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Polar Bear. He has spoken of how much he likes Fire (2005), Troy (2004), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—4

Secrets (2002), Chocolat (2000), 102 Dalmatians (2000), actor"), set the tone for the types of roles Jeff would The End of the Affair (1999), The Avengers (1998), Twelve acquaint himself with his fans -- rambling, reckless, Monkeys (1995), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), rascally and usually unpredictable). Perhaps it was his Shadowlands (1993), The Fisher King (1991), Batman trademark ease and naturalistic approach that made him (1989), Paris by Night (1988), Mona Lisa (1986), Brazil somewhat under-appreciated at that time when Hollywood (1985), The Meaning of Life (1983, segment "The Crimson was run by a Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro and Al Permanent Assurance"), and The Spirit of Cheshire (1980, Pacino-like intensity. Neverthless, Jeff continued to be a Short). scene-stealing favorite into the next decade, notably as the video game programmer in the 1982 science-fiction cult classic TRON (1982), and the struggling musician brother vying with brother Beau Bridges over the attentions of sexy singer in The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989). Jeff became a third-time Oscar nominee with his highly intriguing (and strangely sexy) portrayal of a blank- faced alien in Starman (1984), and earned even higher regard as the ever-optimistic inventor Preston Tucker in Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988). He was considered, along with Nick Nolte, for the role of Det. Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice (1984). Both were deemed too expensive, and Don Johnson got the part. He was also considered for Christopher Walken's role in The Deer Hunter (1978). His good friend, Terry Gilliam, wanted him for the part of "James Cole" in Twelve Monkeys (1995), but the part went to Bruce Willis because at the time he was a more bankable star. However, the star Bridges trades parts JEFF BRIDGES (b. December 4, 1949 in Los Angeles, with most is Kurt Russell. Turned down the role of "Snake ) is probably best known for his iconic role as Plissken" in Escape from New York (1981). The role went “The Dude” in the Cohen Brother’s cult classic, The Big to Kurt Russell. Strangely Bridges was also considered for Lebowski (1998). He the son of well-known film and TV the lead in The Thing (1982), a role also played by Kurt star Lloyd Bridges and his long-time wife Dorothy Dean Russell. Additionally, Bridges was set to star in Tequila Bridges (née Simpson). He grew up amid the happening Sunrise (1988) with Nick Nolte, but when Nolte dropped Hollywood scene with big brother Beau Bridges. Both out, so did he. Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell starred in the boys popped up, without billing, alongside their mother in film. More recently he seized the moment as a bald-pated the film The Company She Keeps (1951), and appeared on villain as Robert Downey Jr.'s nemesis in Iron Man (2008) occasion with their famous dad on his popular underwater and then, at age 60, he capped his rewarding career by TV series Sea Hunt (1958) while growing up. At age 14, winning the elusive Oscar, plus the Golden Globe and Jeff toured with his father in a stage production of Screen Actor Guild awards (among many others), for his "Anniversary Waltz". The "troublesome teen" years proved down-and-out country singer Bad Blake in Crazy Heart just that for Jeff and his parents were compelled at one (2009). Bridges next starred in TRON: Legacy (2010), point to intervene when problems with drugs and marijuana reprising one of his more famous roles, and received got out of hand. He recovered and began shaping his another Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role in the nascent young adult career appearing on TV as a younger remake True Grit (2010). Bridges is only the fifth version of his father in the acclaimed TV-movie Silent actor in Oscar history to be nominated for an award for Night, Lonely Night (1969), and in the strange Burgess playing a part that had already won a previous actor: John Meredith film The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970). Wayne won Best Actor for playing Rooster Cogburn in Following fine notices for his portrayal of a white student True Grit (1969), the same role that earned Bridges the caught up in the racially-themed Halls of Anger (1970), his nomination. In 2014, he co-produced and starred in an career-maker arrived just a year later when he earned a adaptation of the Lois Lowry science fiction drama The coming-of-age role in the critically-acclaimed ensemble Giver (2014). Bridges’ acting work includes Hell or High film The Last Picture Show (1971). The Peter Water (2016), The Little Prince (2015), Seventh Son Bogdanovich- directed film made stars out off its young (2014), The Giver (2014), R.I.P.D. (2013), Pablo (2012), leads (Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, Cybill Shepherd) and True Grit (2010), Crazy Heart (2009), The Men Who Stare Oscar winners out of its older cast (Ben Johnson, Cloris at Goats (2009), A Dog Year (2009), The Open Road Leachman). The part of Duane Jackson, for which Jeff (2009), How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008), received his first Oscar-nomination (for "best supporting Iron Man (2008), Surf's Up (2007), Stick It (2006), The Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—5

Door in the Floor (2004), Seabiscuit (2003), Scenes of the Crime (2001), The Contender (2000), Arlington Road (1999), The Big Lebowski (1998), The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), White Squall (1996), Wild Bill (1995), Blown Away (1994), The Vanishing (1993), American Heart (1992), The Fisher King (1991), Texasville (1990), The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), See You in the Morning (1989), Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988), Nadine (1987), The Morning After (1986), 8 Million Ways to Die (1986), Starman (1984), Against All Odds (1984), The Last Unicorn (1982), Cutter's Way (1981), Heaven's Gate (1980), The American Success Company (1980), Winter Kills (1979), King Kong (1976), Hearts of the West (1975), Rancho Deluxe (1975), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), The Iceman Cometh (1973), The Last American Hero (1973), Bad Company (1972), Fat City (1972), The Last ROBIN WILLIAMS (b. Saturday, July 21st, 1951, in Picture Show (1971), Halls of Anger (1970), Lassie (1969, , —d. August 11, 2014, age 63, in Tiburon, TV Series), The F.B.I. (1969, TV Series), The Lloyd California) is the great-great-grandson of Mississippi Bridges Show (1962-1963, TV Series), Sea Hunt (1958- Governor and Senator, Anselm J. McLaurin. His mother 1960, TV Series), and The Company She Keeps (1951). was a former model from Mississippi, and his father was a Ford Motor Company executive from Indiana. He was a MERCEDES RUEHL (b. February 28, 1948 in Jackson very overweight child, as a result, nobody would play with Heights, , New York) is the daughter of FBI agents him. He started talking in different voices to entertain and moved frequently with her family before settling in himself. Robin briefly studied political science before Silver Spring, Maryland. After graduating from the College enrolling at Juilliard School to study theatre. After leaving of New Rochelle in 1969, she performed in community Juilliard, he performed in nightclubs where he was theater and supported herself with odd jobs in New York discovered for the role of "Mork, from Ork", in an episode City while pursuing a stage career. She won two Obie of (1974). The episode, Happy Days: My awards and a Tony for Best Actress for , a Favorite Orkan (1978), led to his famous spin-off weekly role she reprised for the screen version in 1993. Primarily a TV series, Mork & Mindy (1978). When he auditioned for stage actress, Ruehl is well known for her performances in the role of Mork from Ork on Happy Days (1974), the cult-classic The Warriros (1979), Big (1988) and The producer told him to sit down. Williams Fisher King (1991), which was her most successful role to immediately sat on his head on the chair. Marshall hired date. Her performance in tonight’s film earned her an him, saying that he was the only alien who auditioned. He Oscar, a Golden Globe, Saturn Award, American Comedy made his feature starring debut playing the title role in Award, BSFC Award, CFCA Award, LAFCA Award and a Popeye (1980), directed by . Williams' Pasinetti Award. She is also one of 26 actresses to have continuous comedies and wild comic talents involved a won an Academy Award for their performance in a great deal of improvisation, following in the footsteps of comedy. In addition to the above credits she has starred in his idol Jonathan Winters. Always the joker, on and off set, 63 films or TV shows some of which are The Mysteries of One week after Christopher Reeve's tragic horse riding Laura (2016, TV Series), Law & Order: Special Victims accident, Robin visited him in the hospital. However, he Unit (2015, TV Series), El Jefe (2012, TV Movie), Law & was dressed from head to toe in scrubs, spoke with a Order (2004-2009, TV Series), Entourage (2006-2008, TV Russian accent, and had a surgical mask on. He was acting Series), The Amati Girls (2000), Out of the Cold (1999), as if he was a real doctor and did a bunch of wacky antics. The Minus Man (1999), Roseanna's Grave (1997), After he took off his mask, Reeve stated that, "That was the (1995-1997, TV Series), Indictment: The McMartin Trial first time he laughed since the accident!" In 2004, Williams (1995, TV Movie), Last Action Hero (1993), Another You dedicated his winning the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the (1991), (1990, TV Series), Crazy People Golden Globe Awards to his good friend Christopher (1990), (1989), Slaves of New Reeve. Williams also proved to be an effective dramatic York (1989), (1988), Big (1988), actor, receiving Academy Award nominations for Best Leader of the Band (1987), The Secret of My Succe$s Actor in a Leading Role in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), 84 Charing Cross Road (1987), (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), and The Fisher King (1987), Heartburn (1986), Four Friends (1981), and Dona (1991), before winning the Academy Award for Best Actor Flor and Her Two Husbands (1976). in a Supporting Role in Good Will Hunting (1997). During the 1990s, Williams became a beloved hero to children the Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—6 world over for his roles in a string of hit family-oriented opposite Robin Williams in tonight’s film, The Fisher King films, including Hook (1991), FernGully: The Last (1991). However, Plummer may be best remembered for Rainforest (1992), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), her work as the hold-up girl in the diner in Quentin Jumanji (1995), Flubber (1997), and Bicentennial Man Tarantino’s classic Pulp Fiction (1994). Tarantino wrote (1999). He continued entertaining children and families the parts of two robbers who hold up a restaurant into the 21st century with his work in Robots (2005), specifically for Plummer and her partner-in-screen-crime Happy Feet (2006), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at Tim Roth. Since that standout role, Plummer has continued the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Happy Feet to appear in a wide variety of films, including The 2 (2011), and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Prophecy (1995), Freeway (1996), and My Life Without Me (2014). Other more adult-oriented films for which (2003). Plummer is also an accomplished stage actress. Her Williams received acclaim include The World According to highly acclaimed work on Broadway has garnered her a Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Awakenings Tony award and two Tony Award nominations as well as (1990), (1996), Insomnia (2002), One Hour the Outer Critics Circle Award and . In Photo (2002), World's Greatest Dad (2009), and Boulevard television, she is the recipient of three Emmy Awards: (2014). On Monday, August 11th, Outstanding Guest Actress in a 2014, Robin Williams was found Drama Series on Law & Order: dead at his home in Tiburon, Special Victims Unit (1999) for California USA, the victim of an playing "Miranda Cole” in 2005, apparent suicide, according to the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Marin County Sheriff's Drama Series for The Outer Limits Department. A 911 call was (1995) in 1996, and Outstanding received at 11:55 AM PDT, Supporting Actress in a Miniseries firefighters and paramedics or a Special for Miss Rose White arrived at his home at 12:00 PM (1992) in 1993. She was also PDT, and he was pronounced nominated in 1989 for dead at 12:02 PM PDT. In Outstanding Supporting Actress in addition to the above films, Williams acted in Absolutely a Drama Series L.A. Law (1986). Often cast in quirky or Anything (2015), Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013), The Big off-beat roles, Plummer was quoted as saying, “I like Wedding (2013Old Dogs (2009), Night at the Museum: devilish, thorny, dirty, mean roles, muck and mire, Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Shrink (2009), World's unbelievably sad, unbelievably happy, burdened. Inner Greatest Dad (2009), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit conflict - that's where drama is”. She had acted in over 100 (2008, TV Series), Man of the Year (2006), Everyone's films and television shows, including Reversion (2015), Hero (2006), The Big White (2005), The Final Cut (2004), Honeyglue (2015), The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Insomnia (2002), One Hour Photo (2002), A.I. Artificial (2013), Phineas and Ferb (2009-2013, TV Series), Abigail Intelligence (2001), Bicentennial Man (1999), Jakob the Harm (2012), Small Apartments (2012), Sophomore Liar (1999), Patch Adams (1998), What Dreams May (2012), Vampire (2011), 1,001 Ways to Enjoy the Come (1998), Deconstructing Harry (1997), Hamlet Missionary Position (2010), 45 R.P.M. (2008), (1996), The Secret Agent (1996), To Wong Foo Thanks for Inconceivable (2008), Affinity (2008), Red (2008), Everything, Julie Newmar (1995), The Larry Sanders Show Battlestar Galactica (2006, TV Series), Law & Order: (1992-1994, TV Series), Homicide: Life on the Street Special Victims Unit (2004, TV Series), My Life Without (1994, TV Series), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Dead Again Me (2003), The Gray in Between (2002), Triggermen (1991), Awakenings (1990), Cadillac Man (1990), Dead (2002), For the People (2002, TV Series), Martin Eden Poets Society (1989), Portrait of a White Marriage (1988), (2000), The Outer Limits (1996-2000, TV Series), Seven The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), Good Days to Live (2000), The Million Dollar Hotel (2000), 8 ½ Morning, Vietnam (1987), Seize the Day (1986), Club Women (1999), L.A. Without a Map (1998), Hysteria Paradise (1986), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), The (1997), A Simple Wish (1997), Hercules (1997), American Survivors (1983), Eight Is Enough (1977, TV Series), Perfekt (1997), The Vampyre Wars (1996), Dead Girl Laugh-In (1977, TV Series), The Show (1996), Dark Skies (1996, TV Series), Don't Look Back (1977, TV Series), and Can I Do It 'Till I Need Glasses? (1996, TV Movie), The Final Cut (1996), Drunks (1995), (1977). The Prophecy (1995), Butterfly Kiss (1995), Pulp Fiction (1994), Whose Child Is This? The War for Baby Jessica AMANDA PLUMMER (b. March 23, 1957 in New York (1993, TV Movie), Needful Things (1993), So I Married an City, New York) is the daughter of Canadian actor Axe Murderer (1993), The Lounge People (1992), Freejack Christopher Plummer and American actress Tammy (1992), The Fisher King (1991), Gryphon (1990, TV Grimes, whose breakthrough role came when she starred Movie), L.A. Law (1989-1990, TV Series), Kojak: None So Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—7

Blind (1990, TV Movie), Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), I'd be hauled over by the cops. Up against the wall, and all Tales from the Crypt (1989, TV Series), Miami Vice (1989, this stuff. They had this monologue with me; it was never a TV Series), The Equalizer (1988, TV Series), Courtship dialogue. It was that I was a long-haired drug addict living (1987), Moonlighting (1987, TV Series), Static (1985), The off some rich guy's foolish daughter. And I said, "No, I Hotel New Hampshire (1984), Daniel (1983), The World work in advertising. I make twice as much as you do." According to Garp (1982), and Cattle Annie and Little Which is a stupid thing to say to a cop. [...] Britches (1981). “And it was like an epiphany. I suddenly felt what it was like to be a black or Mexican kid living in L.A. Before that, I thought I knew what the world was like, I thought I knew what poor people were, and then suddenly it all changed because of that simple thing of being brutalized by cops. And I got more and more angry and I just felt, I've got to get out of here—I'm a better cartoonist than I am a bomb maker. That's why so much of the U.S. is still standing.” Gilliam graduated from Occidental College in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Gilliam started his career as an animator and strip cartoonist. One of his early photographic strips for Help! featured future Python cast member . When Help! folded, Gilliam went to Europe, jokingly announcing in the very last issue that he was "being transferred to the (from Wikipedia) Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam European branch" of the magazine, which, of course, did (born 22 November 1940) is an American-born British not exist. Moving to England, he animated sequences for screenwriter, film director, animator, actor, comedian and the children's series Do Not Adjust Your Set, which also member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. featured Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Gilliam has directed 12 feature films… The only Monty Python "Python" not born in Britain, he became a naturalised Gilliam was a part of Monty Python's Flying British citizen in 1968 and formally renounced his Circus from its outset, at first credited as an animator (his American citizenship in 2006. name was listed separately after the other five in the Early life closing credits), later as a full member. His cartoons linked Gilliam was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the the show's sketches together, and defined the group's visual son of Beatrice (née Vance) and James Hall Gilliam. His language in other media (such as LP and book covers, and father was a travelling salesman for Folgers before the title sequences of their films). Gilliam's animations mix becoming a carpenter. Soon after, they moved to nearby his own art, characterised by soft gradients and odd, Medicine Lake, Minnesota. bulbous shapes, with backgrounds and moving cutouts The family moved to the Los Angeles neighbourhood of from antique photographs, mostly from the Victorian era. Panorama City in 1952. Gilliam attended Birmingham In 1978, Gilliam published a book called High School where he was class president and senior prom Animations of Mortality, which was an illustrated tongue- king. He was voted "Most Likely to Succeed", and in-cheek, semi-autobiographical how-to guide to his achieved straight A's. During high school, he began to animation techniques and visual language in them. avidly read Mad magazine, then edited by Harvey Roughly 15 years later, between the release of the Monty Kurtzman, which would later influence Gilliam's work. Python's Complete Waste of Time CD-ROM game in 1994 Gilliam later spoke to Salman Rushdie about which used many of Gilliam's animation templates, and the defining experiences in the 1960s that would set the making of Gilliam's film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas foundations for his views on the world, later influencing (1998), Gilliam was in negotiations with one software his art and career: company called Enteractive, Inc. to tentatively release in “I became terrified that I was going to be a full- the autumn of 1996 a CD-ROM under the same title as his time, bomb-throwing terrorist if I stayed [in the U.S.] 1978 book, containing all of his thousands of 1970s because it was the beginning of really bad times in animation templates as free license clip arts for people to America. It was '66–'67, it was the first police riot in Los create their own flash animations out of them, but the Angeles. [...] In college my major was political science, so project hovered in limbo for years, probably because my brain worked that way. [...] And I drove around this Enteractive was about to downsize critically in mid-1996 little English Hillman Minx—top down—and every night and later change its focus from CD-ROM multimedia Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—8 presentations to internet business solutions and web on North American soil, and while still being surreal, had hosting in 1997 (in the introduction to their 2004 book less fantastical plots than his previous trilogy. Terry Gilliam: Interviews, David Sterrit and Lucille Themes and philosophy Rhodes cited "the internet" overwhelming "the computer- “Well, I really want to encourage a kind of fantasy, communications market" as reason for why the Animations a kind of magic. I love the term magic realism, whoever of Mortality CD-ROM had never invented it – I do actually like it because it materialised). Around the time of Gilliam's says certain things. It's about expanding film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus how you see the world. I think we live in (2009), the project had morphed into the an age where we're just hammered, idea of releasing his 1970s animation hammered to think this is what the world templates as a free license download of is. Television's saying, everything's saying Adobe After Effects files or similar. 'That's the world.' And it's not the world. Besides doing the animations, he The world is a million possible things.”— also appeared in several sketches, though Terry Gilliam: Salman Rushdie talks with he rarely had any main roles and did Terry Gilliam considerably less acting in the sketches. He As for his philosophical did however have some notable sketch background in screenwriting and directing, roles such as Cardinal Fang of the Spanish Gilliam said on the TV show First Hand Inquisition, the bespectacled commenter on RoundhouseTV: "There's so many film who said "I can't add anything to that!" schools, so many media courses which I from the sketch, Kevin Garibaldi actually am opposed to. Because I think it's more important (the brat on the couch shouting "I want more beans!" from to be educated, to read, to learn things, because if you're "Most Awful Family in Britain 1974", Episode 45) and the gonna be in the media and if you'll have to say things, you Screaming Queen in a cape and mask singing "Ding dong have to know things. If you only know about cameras and merrily on high." More frequently, he played parts that no 'the media', what're you gonna be talking about except one else wanted to play (generally because they required a cameras and the media? So it's better learning about lot of make-up or uncomfortable costumes, such as a philosophy and art and architecture [and] literature, these recurring knight in armour who would end sketches by are the things to be concentrating on it seems to me. Then, walking on and hitting one of the other characters over the you can fly...!" head with a plucked chicken) and took a number of small His films are usually highly imaginative fantasies. roles in the films, including Patsy in Monty Python and the His long-time co-writer Charles McKeown comments Holy Grail (which he co-directed with Terry Jones, where about Gilliam's recurring interests, "the theme of Gilliam was responsible for photography, while Jones imagination, and the importance of imagination, to how would guide the actors' performances) and the jailer in you live and how you think and so on [...] that's very much Monty Python's Life of Brian. a Terry theme." Most of Gilliam's movies include plot-lines Directing that seem to occur partly or completely in the characters' With the gradual break-up of the Python troupe imaginations, raising questions about the definition of between Life of Brian in 1979 and The Meaning of Life in identity and sanity. He often shows his opposition to 1983, Gilliam became a screenwriter and director, building bureaucracy and authoritarian regimes. He also upon the experience he had acquired during the making of distinguishes "higher" and "lower" layers of society, with a Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Gilliam says he used to disturbing and ironic style. His movies usually feature a think of his films in terms of trilogies, starting with Time fight or struggle against a great power which may be an Bandits in 1981. The 1980s saw Gilliam's self-written emotional situation, a human-made idol, or even the person Trilogy of Imagination about "the ages of man" in Time himself, and the situations do not always end happily. Bandits (1981), Brazil (1985), and The Adventures of There is often a dark, paranoid atmosphere and unusual Baron Munchausen (1988). All are about the "craziness of characters who formerly were normal members of society. our awkwardly ordered society and the desire to escape it His scripts feature black comedy and often end with a dark through whatever means possible." All three movies focus tragicomic twist. on these struggles and attempts to escape them through As Gilliam is fascinated with the Baroque due to imagination; Time Bandits, through the eyes of a child, the historical age's pronounced struggle between Brazil, through the eyes of a thirty-something, and spirituality and logical rationality, there is often a rich Munchausen, through the eyes of an elderly man. baroqueness and dichotomous eclecticity about his movies, Throughout the 1990s, Gilliam directed his Trilogy with, for instance, high-tech computer monitors equipped of Americana: The Fisher King (1991), (1995), with low-tech magnifying lenses in Brazil, and in The and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), which played Fisher King a red knight covered with flapping bits of Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—9 cloth. He also is given to incongruous juxtapositions of “My films, I think, are better the second and third beauty and ugliness, or antique and modern. Regarding time, frankly, because you can now relax and go with the Gilliam's theme of modernity's struggle between flow that may not have been as apparent as the first time spirituality and rationality whereas the individual may you saw it and wallow in the details of the worlds we're become dominated by a tyrannical, soulless machinery of creating. [...] I try to clutter [my visuals] up, they're worthy disenchanted society, film critic Keith James Hamel of many viewings.” observed a specific affinity of Gilliam's movies with the In another interview, Gilliam mentioned, in writings of economic historian Arnold Toynbee and relation to the 9.8mm Kinoptic lens he had first used on sociologist Max Weber, specifically the latter's concept of Brazil, that wide-angle lenses make small film sets "look the Iron cage of modern rationality. big". The widest lens he has used so far is an 8mm Zeiss Look and style lens employed on The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Gilliam's films have a distinctive look not only in Production problems mise-en-scène but even Gilliam has made a more so in photography, few extremely expensive often recognisable from movies beset with just a short clip; to production problems. After create a surreal the lengthy quarrelling with atmosphere of Universal Studios over psychological unrest and Brazil, Gilliam's next a world out-of-balance, picture, The Adventures of Gilliam frequently uses Baron Munchausen, cost unusual camera angles, around US$46 million, and particularly low-angle then earned only about shots, high-angle shots, US$8 million in US ticket and Dutch angles. Roger sales. The film saw no wide Ebert has said "his domestic release from world is always hallucinatory in its richness of detail." , which was in the process of being sold Most of his movies are shot almost entirely with rectilinear at the time. ultra wide angle lenses of 28 mm focal length or less to In the mid-1990s, Gilliam and Charles McKeown achieve a distinctive signature style defined by extreme developed a script for Time Bandits 2, a project that never perspective distortion and extremely deep focus. Gilliam's came to be made. Several of the original actors had died. long-time director of photography has said, Gilliam also attempted to direct a version of Charles "with Terry and me, a long lens means something between Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities, which collapsed due to a 40mm and a 65mm." This attitude markedly differs from disagreements over its budget and choice of lead actor. the common definition in photography which qualifies In 1999, Gilliam attempted to film The Man Who 40mm to 65mm as the focal length of a normal lens Killed Don Quixote, budgeted at US$32.1 million, among instead, due to resembling the natural human field of view, the highest-budgeted films to use only European financing; unlike Gilliam's signature style defined by extreme but in the first week of shooting, the actor playing Don perspective distortion due to his usual choice of focal Quixote (Jean Rochefort) suffered a herniated disc, and a length. In fact, over the years, the 14mm lens has become flood severely damaged the set. The film was cancelled, informally known as "The Gilliam" among film-makers resulting in an insurance claim of US$15 million. Despite due to the director's frequent use of it since at least Brazil. the cancellation, the aborted project did yield the Gilliam has explained his preference for using wide-angle documentary , produced from film from lenses in his films: a second crew that had been hired by Gilliam to document “The wide-angle lenses, I think I choose them the making of Quixote. After the cancellation, both Gilliam because it makes me feel like I'm in the space of the film, and the film's co-lead, Johnny Depp, wanted to revive the I'm surrounded. My prevalent vision is full of detail, and project. The insurance company involved in the failed first that's what I like about it. It's actually harder to do, it's attempt withheld the rights to the screenplay for several harder to light. The other thing I like about wide-angle years but the production was finally restarted in 2008. lenses is that I'm not forcing the audience to look at just the Gilliam has attempted twice to adapt Alan Moore's one thing that is important. It's there, but there's other Watchmen comics into a film. Both attempts (in 1989 and things to occupy, and some people don't like that because 1996) were unsuccessful. Most recently, unforeseeable I'm not pointing things out as precisely as I could if I was problems again befell a Gilliam project when actor Heath to use a long lens where I'd focus just on the one thing and Ledger died in New York City during the filming of The everything else would be out of focus. [...] Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—10

Box office On the other hand, Gilliam's first successful From Terry Gilliam, Gilliamesque (HarperDesign, feature, Time Bandits (1981), earned more than eight times 2015): its original budget in the alone; Gilliam's My imagination was always stimulated by infamous box office flop The Adventures of Baron enclosed worlds with their own distinct hierarchies and sets Munchausen (1988) was nevertheless of rules—whether they be the virtual reality nominated for four (and of Disney’s Tomorrowland, or the medieval won, among other European prizes, three castles or Roman courts of the ‘sword and BAFTA Awards); his $24 million- sandal’ movie epics, which I loved just as budgeted film The Fisher King (1991) (his much. Such well-defined social structures first film not to feature a member from give you something to react against and take Python) grossed more than $41 million at the piss out of, and I’ve always—and I still United States box office; and 12 Monkeys do this—tended to simplify the world into a went on to take over US$168 million series of nice, clear-cut oppositions, which I worldwide; whilst The Brothers Grimm, can mess around at the edges of. It's when despite a mixed critical reception, grossed things become more abstract and unclear that over US$105 million worldwide. Gilliam's I start to struggle. $30 million-budgeted film The There are few more exotic and Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus had also compelling examples of a self- contained become an international box office success, community than the travelling show, and grossing over $60 million in worldwide some of my most vivid childhood memories theatrical release. According to Box Office Mojo, his films were supplied by the annual visits of the Clyde Beatty have grossed an average of $26,009,723…. circus, which used to set up in the car park in Panorama Personal life City and put the word out for local kids to come and help Gilliam has been married to British make-up and costume raise the tents. They’d give you a bit of money in return for designer Maggie Weston since 1973. She worked on Monty the work you did, but I found the carnival atmosphere so Python's Flying Circus, many of the Python movies, and intoxicating that I’d probably have done it for nothing. Gilliam's movies up to The Adventures of Baron They always needed extra pairs of hands and one year, Munchausen. They have three children, Amy Rainbow when I was thirteen or fourteen, I ended up helping out in Gilliam (born 1978), Holly Dubois Gilliam (born in the freak-show tent. The experience of seeing all the exotic October 1980), and Harry Thunder Gilliam (born on 3 circus acts sitting around playing cards—just like everyday April 1988), who have also appeared in and/or worked on people, except they were pin-heads or dwarves—has stayed several of Gilliam's films. with me to this day. It wasn’t just the revelation that these In 1968, Gilliam obtained British citizenship, then extraordinary people would behave in such a normal way held dual American and British citizenship for the next 38 that fascinated me—in retrospect that should have been years. In January 2006 he renounced his American obvious—it was the moment when the show would begin, citizenship. In an interview with Der Tagesspiegel, he the barkers would introduce them, ‘All the way from the described the action as a protest against then-President darkest Africa…’ and they’d have to instantly make that George W. Bush, and in an earlier interview with The A.V. transition to being ‘the leopard man’ or ‘the alligator Club, he also indicated that it was related to concerns about boy’…. future tax liability for his wife and children. As a result of I was always very gregarious and loved making renouncing his citizenship, Gilliam is only permitted to people laugh, but I think ultimately the reason I was never spend 29 days per year in the United States, fewer than going to become a performer first and foremost—and ordinary British citizens. Gilliam maintains a residence in certainly not an actor—was at heart I don’t have the Italy near the Umbria-Tuscany border. He has been neediness or incompleteness that will ultimately drive you instrumental in establishing the annual Umbria Film in that direction…. Festival, held in the nearby hill town of Montone. Gilliam also resides in North London. Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—11

I’d gone there with no expectation of getting a job, onto the screen after died in the middle of but Id saved enough money working at Camp Trinity to the shoot was the heroic last stand of a director who buy a bit of time, and I just wanted to give myself a chance refused to bow down to the dictates of a malevolent to make something happen. The first time I stepped out of destiny. But it wasn’t really like that. the station at Times Square, the impact of the looming tall Everyone was utterly stunned when the news of buildings hit me right in the guts. That’s the fundamental Heath’s death came through—it was beyond horrible. It difference between LA and New York—the former is flat, was impossible, unbelievable, unbearable. Not only had we while the latter is way over your head. People didn’t lost a wise and joyous friend, a part of our family, but an generally look at the best part of the buildings—which was extraordinary talent who, I have no doubt, would have been the tops—because their gaze was glued to the pavements, the greatest of his generation. I just said, ‘I don’t give a but my neck was craning upwards. I think that’s why so fuck about the film. I give up. It’s finished. I’m old and many of my films (Brazil tired and worn out and I and The Fisher King being want to go home.’ Luckily, I the obvious ones, but it surround myself with people applies also to Baron who don’t listen to anything Munchausen and Time I say. My daughter Amy— Bandits as well) ended up who was one of the film’s having a vertiginous producers— Nicola Pecorini aspect—because it’s taken and my friend Ray Cooper me decades to process the kept telling me, ‘You can’t overwhelming impact of my do that, you’ve got to finish first arrival in New York… it for Heath.’ Whatever When you grow arguments they used for a up—as I did—reading ’ fairy tales and the Bible, full week and a half—or maybe even two—to rouse me there’s no question that you see it as your duty to change from my slough of despond. Even then, I didn’t personally the world for the better. And I think that’s why, for all my have the strength and resilience to find a way forward, they frequent recourse to irony and/or sardonic sarcasm, my just pushed me to the point where I had no other choice, so films have always been repositories of idealism—both in it became the line of least resistance. terms of the process of making them and the subject matter My thought process started off like this: ‘OK, of the films themselves. Cynicism can often be the way of you’ve got to get someone to replace Heath, but there’s no covering up one’s own inability to do great deeds. In a way one person who is good enough, and even if there was, I I think that was what had so drawn me to the British sense don’t want to work with him even if he was available— of humour, because the Brits had almost patented that which he won’t be at this short notice—and we don’t have response—they’d failed an empire, but them by learning to the time to re-do the whole film.’ Then I realized, ‘He goes accept failure and make fun of it, they’d almost turned that through the magic mirror three times, so maybe we could into a positive thing…. get three different actors to play him.’ I was partly thinking In film-making terms, a lot of directors I’ve been of Luis Bunuel’s That Obscure Object of Desire, where friendly with—from John Landis to Martin Scorsese—have two different actresses play the same character but mainly tended to shoot with a trailer full of reference videos (now about how if the part was divided into three, Heat’s three it would probably be Netflix ) so they can study various replacements would only need to turn up for a few days. classic templates of the scene they’ve got in mind. But It’s amazing how often the most satisfying and being one of the those guys who sits in the National effective solutions to seemingly insurmountable film- Gallery trying to get a perfect copy of the Rembrandt has making problems turn out to be completely counter- never been what it’s about for me. I’m much more intuitive. If you need someone to play a giant, it’s always interested in using what I think I remember of something as best to ask a short fat-arse. And if you’re agonisingly short a template, rather than going back to check the actuality, of one A-list male lead, why not just get three to replace because that way I know it’s been through my alembic (the him? alembic being the distiller that alchemists use for turning I was determined that it was only going to be base metal into gold, although in my case it does tend to people who really knew and loved Heath, so my first call work the other way round.)… was to Johnny Depp, who said he would do anything to Losing one leading man in the middle of filming— help. His promise stopped the frantic retreat of the money as we did when Jean Rochefort’s double herniated disc people, who knew the film would never be finished, and killed Quixote—was very bad luck. Losing two was bought us time to get Jude Law and Colin Farrell to join starting to look like carelessness. I wish I could say that the ride to the rescue. Not only was it extraordinary for somehow wrestling The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus those three to step in at such short notice, they gave their Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—12 fees to Heath’s daughter. Heath’s spirit seemed to be heightens the sense of Jack’s being sealed in: the walls of infusing all of us. In fact, when we finished Dr Parnassus I the studio, shot from above with forced perspective, seem thought it was one of the best things I’d ever done. almost like a fortress or a fashionable bomb shelter. We I remember watching it all the way through and don’t really see Jack’s face during this sequence; we see thinking, ‘This is so good—I can’t make a better film than only close-ups of his mouth, or the back of his head, or his that.’ As it turned out, not as many people as I’d hoped shadow on a wall, like some kind of mysterious beast. And, agreed with me and Sony Classics, the American of course, we hear his voice—rich, quick, contemptuous, a distribution company, didn’t help by barely promoting te perfect example of the “shock jocks” who dominated film despite its stellar cast (unlike the Italians, who did a America’s airwaves in the 1980s. bang-up job, making almost twice the money in Italy that After Jack’s career is ruined and he has his fall we did in the US). At times like that, you find yourself from grace, Gilliam switches things around. Whereas wondering ‘What’s going on here? Have I been wrong, and before we were uncomfortably distanced from Jack, now they’ve been right all along? But then you—or at least I— we’re uncomfortably near; the camera juts up so close to just think, ‘Fuck ’em.’ his face that we wouldn’t be surprised if the lens bumped his nose. Meanwhile, the extreme high angles have become (For more on Terry Gilliam see the Goldenrod extreme low angles. Jack’s collision with the outside has Handout for The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus left him stripped of his identity, fragile and frayed, like an in our Fall 2015 BFS series, online at exposed, shattered nerve. http://csac.buffalo.edu/imaginarium.pdf ) But who is Jack Lucas? Listen closely to his opening tirade against yuppies in his DJ booth, and you Bilge Ebiri: “The Fisher King: In the Kingdom of the may realize that he’s describing himself: “These people . . . Imperfect,” Criterion notes they don’t feel love, they only negotiate ‘love moments’ . . Before he made The Fisher King, Terry Gilliam was . They’re repulsed by imperfection, horrified by the banal, known for his barbed, otherworldly fantasies. From the everything that America stands for.” (When we next see Orwellian dystopia of Brazil (1985) to the fabulist Jack, at his palatial apartment high in the sky, the first spectacles of Time Bandits words out of his mouth are (1981) and The Adventures of “I hate my cheeks.” Baron Munchausen (1988), Repulsed by imperfection, the director’s films seemed to indeed.) Even after he loses take place in an alternate everything, Jack’s universe, one informed as worldview remains largely much by myth and fairy tale the same. Drunkenly as by the Dadaist of speaking to a Pinocchio doll Monty Python. The Fisher beneath the golden statue of King certainly has some of William Tecumseh Sherman those familiar fantastical at a corner of Central Park, elements, but this 1991 Jack reflects: “You ever romantic drama would turn read Nietzsche? Nietzsche out to be something quite says there’s two kinds of unique—a Terry Gilliam film firmly planted in the here people in the world. People who are destined for greatness, and now. Working for the first time from a script written like Walt Disney and Hitler. Then there’s the rest of us. He by someone else—a then relatively unknown young writer called us ‘the bungled and the botched’ . . . We sometimes named Richard LaGravenese, who would go on to become get close to greatness, but we never get there.” one of Hollywood’s biggest screenwriters—the director Jack’s attitude reflects that of the city around him. created a film that took the textures of contemporary New You’re either a great success or an abject failure. In the York and gave them a magical spin, inventively balancing New York City of The Fisher King, the poor and LaGravenese’s interest in character and dramatic realism dispossessed bump up against monuments, limos, office with his own dark visual sensibility and penchant for social buildings, and the windows of posh restaurants, but they satire. With this film, Gilliam’s aesthetic entered the real remain largely invisible to those around them; on the rare world. And he has never made another movie like it. occasion when they are seen by someone, they’re a The Fisher King announces its departure from the nuisance. “I’m right here!” we hear a homeless man yelling very opening, with its sleek, modern spaces and pop madly into traffic as he stands in the middle of the street soundtrack. We’re in an environment of stylized, chilly outside a fancy hotel, arms outstretched, as if trying to see alienation, with popular DJ Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) if anyone notices. “We’re tired of looking at you people!” mouthing off to callers on his radio show. Gilliam Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—13 yell the young vigilantes who assault the homeless in a her rope with his moods, his self-loathing, and his casual later scene. disregard for her. Meanwhile, Parry’s love for the mousy, While The Fisher King is certainly heavily stylized, the klutzy office worker Lydia (Amanda Plummer) is also one- more fantastical qualities of Gilliam’s sensibility are sided: he watches her from afar, having memorized her largely absent from much of the film—perhaps because the every lonely move, more a benign stalker than a gentleman director tried to leave LaGravenese’s script mostly caller. And as we get to know her, it becomes clear that untouched. (In interviews, Gilliam has said that, after the Lydia herself is a deeply suspicious, wounded person— struggles to get The Adventures of Baron Munchausen someone who knows how it feels to “turn into a piece of made, he felt the need to do something more modest. And dirt” following a one-night stand, as she reveals in a brief, although he had vowed at the start of his heartbreaking monologue. career never to shoot someone else’s script, But slowly, humanity starts to he was completely taken with LaGravenese’s emerge amid the wreckage of these lives. If original screenplay.) It’s only after Jack the Grand Central sequence is The Fisher meets Parry (Robin Williams) that The King’s most notable set piece, it finds its Fisher King does, for a while, go Full curious opposite in another remarkable, Gilliam. Like a character out of Jabberwocky though smaller, scene. Jack, Anne, Parry, (1977) or Time Bandits, Parry first appears and Lydia all go out to eat at a Chinese as a DIY knight in not-so-shining, restaurant. In a surprisingly quiet, mostly repurposed armor; he comes to Jack’s rescue static, eye-level master shot, we watch their as our hero is being beaten, but he doesn’t so evening proceed from initial awkwardness much scare as bewilder Jack’s assailants. and suspicion to endearing slapstick and This is a comical figure, but with a tragic affection to, finally, Parry singing “Lydia, backstory, and his cheerfulness, we learn, is the Tattooed Lady,” as the camera pulls back more hysteria than anything else. He was to reveal that they’ve closed down the place. once a happily married academic, who lost his mind after The scene, marked by Williams’s inspired, almost his wife was murdered, a victim of the same massacre that Chaplinesque bits of physical comedy, is the most human precipitated Jack’s own professional meltdown. Not only one we’ve seen yet—far removed from the Dutch tilts, that, but Parry is tormented by visions of a terrifying, frantic pans, wide angles, and grotesque close-ups of the flaming Red Knight who pursues him whenever he recalls rest of the film. Instead, it’s a vision of patient bliss, the his former life. It’s a simple but grisly image—the jagged, first time in the movie that anyone seems genuinely happy. shredded patterns of the knight’s armor, we later learn, Trauma and kindness. These are the two elements mimic the splattered blood and brains of Parry’s wife. But that govern The Fisher King, and they’re represented by the Red Knight holds off when Jack is around; “He’s the two mythical figures that haunt the film. For besides scared of you,” Parry whispers. the Red Knight, we also have the Fisher King himself. The Thus do the two men’s fates become cosmically fable, which Parry wrote a dissertation on back in his intertwined—a remarkable thing in this city that seems to academic days, concerns a king who, in his search for the be built on alienation. From the enclosure of Jack’s DJ Holy Grail, has grown old and sick. As he lies dying, he booth to those confrontational close-ups, from those bum- asks for a fool to give him a drink. The fool does so, using bashing toughs to the commuters forever on the go, “this a nearby cup that turns out to be the Grail itself, and the jaded motherfucking city” (as Parry calls it) is a world king is restored. “How can you find that which my devoid of human connection or mercy or kindness. Indeed, brightest and bravest could not?” he asks, to which the fool that’s what makes the film’s most celebrated scene—a replies, “I don’t know. I only knew that you were thirsty.” dreamlike reverie in which the mass of rushing, faceless The king, corrupted by his search for glory, spent his whole commuters in Grand Central Terminal suddenly start life unable to see what the fool, concerned only with waltzing with one another—so magical. It’s a surreal helping a fellow human, saw right away. moment by any measure, but in this film, where nobody It’s a touching story, and one whose relevance to ever has any time for anyone, it stands out as particularly the tale of Parry and Jack is somewhat oblique, for at alien and fantastical—a vision of a city that can never be. different points in the film either of them could be said to (It’s worth noting that Gilliam himself imagined and added represent the fool or the king. But what the story of the this scene.) Fisher King does is push the film away from that tired Even the romantic relationships in the film are question of redemption. Jack initially sees in Parry a marked, at least initially, by distrust. Jack can’t express his chance to save himself and reclaim his former status, which love for his girlfriend, Anne (Mercedes Ruehl), in part he does in fact do for a time. But The Fisher King isn’t a because he sees her as beneath him, a symbol of how far movie about salvation. It’s a film about kindness, love, and he’s fallen. She, on the other hand, has reached the end of friendship in a world that seems to have no place for them. Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—14

And so the real miracle at the heart of this film is the film one thinks about when they think "beleaguered the act of human kindness that it builds to, when Jack Terry Gilliam movie". Lucas, the very voice of New York’s cynicism and But it’s interesting to hear its narrative in the ruthlessness, does something for another person out of context of those that were there at the time looking back on genuine friendship. And his act transforms the world getting the film made. Out on DVD/Blu-Ray this week around them. Can it last? In Gilliam’s films, dreamers and thanks to the Criterion Collection, the DVD extras paint a romantics can change the very nature of reality—witness lesser-known picture: Terry Gilliam close to being locked Baron Munchausen, whose tall tales turn out to be true, or in director’s jail after what “Fisher King” screenwriter the young protagonist of Time Bandits, whose imaginings Richard LaGravenese described as the “traumatic, seem to will into existence a fantastical adventure. But devastating experience” of making “The Adventures of there’s also the cautionary tale of Brazil’s Sam Lowry, who Baron Munchausen” which went badly over budget. eventually disappears into a mad vision of happiness and Interstitial ad test love, only to have it turn out to be a horrible illusion. When In fact, “The Fisher King” was Gilliam’s first Gilliam’s U.S. distributor on that last film attempted to Hollywood experience and the first film he did not self- recut it before its release, they removed that final bit of generate, a rule he broke for himself. According to the context to try to give the film a happy ending—the DVD extra interviews, producer Lynda Obst had to fight infamous and disastrous “Love Conquers All” version. But Tri-Star tooth and nail to hire Gilliam because the same in The Fisher King, Gilliam knowingly, and unironically, exec had worked with him on ‘Munchausen’ and said gives us a love-conquers-all ending. In the film’s closing “over my dead body” would he land the gig. Eventually, shot, as Parry and Jack lie naked and happy in Central Obst, producer Debra Hill and screenwriter LaGravenese Park, The Fisher King dares to show us, at last, New York got their man, got their way, and were part of what’s City as a place of happiness, as colorful fireworks spell out become a classic and magical touchstone in Gilliam’s “The End.” It’s another magical moment. But whether this career. one is real or illusory is, one suspects, up to us. Set in a fairy tale New York that’s ultra grim and highly stylized, “The Fisher King” centers on a disgraced radio deejay (Jeff Bridges) who finds personal salvation after he is saved from death by a strange vagabond (Robin Williams) who takes him into a dark, extraordinary quest for the Holy Grail. The fantastical movie also features two romantic subplots with Mercedes Ruehl and Amanda Plummer and could arguably be called Gilliam’s most creative and yet crowd-pleasing film despite its lack of his trademark visual effects. “Fisher King” is his most humanist, most soulful film, mostly a four-hander about damaged people with a compassionate worldview. On the eve of the Criterion release, we spoke to Gilliam about the making of “The Fisher King,” working with the late Robin Williams, his butting-heads relationship with Hollywood and much, much more.

Gilliam: Where are you calling from? New York, which is a good segue since its such a Rodrigo Perez, “Terry Gilliam Talks Criterion Release quintessential New York movie, though not the in a Of “The Fisher King,” Working With The Late Robin sense. More in the way you celebrate its Williams & Much More, THE PLAYLIST, 24 June 2015 dilapidated corners and are eager to explore its steamy When you look back Terry Gilliam’s embattled, and sweaty underbelly. Sisyphean career, documented in films like “Lost In La Is it all sunshiny and happy and sweet and pastel Mancha” or chronicled in stories of the filmmaker taking colors now? out an ad in Variety against Universal for holding “Brazil” Not quite, but it is Starbucks-ified and ransom” and eventually winning that battle, one generally commodified obviously. Your vision of New York has a doesn’t think of the mythic comedy “The Fisher King.” lot of character. Critically acclaimed, universally loved, and nominated for The one thing we thought we'd done to make New five Academy Awards including a Best Actor nomination York modern is the dance in Grand Central Station. They for the late Robin Williams (it won Best Supporting Actor actually do that now: on New Year's Eve, they have an for Mercedes Ruehl), “The Fisher King” is generally not orchestra playing and people dance like right out of that Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—15 scene. It started a year after "Fisher King" came out so we again and it was literally just a couple weeks after Robin must have had some big influence. died. I was not looking forward to it. I just thought, “Oh, Absolutely. That scene is now iconic. “Fisher this is going to be a killer.” But I came out, I was just King” is such a Terry Gilliam Film, but it’s interesting grinning and smiling. Robin's alive, he'll be alive forever to be reminded that you with this film. That were hired for the gig and it character, Parry, is so wasn't one of your own Robin, he’s such a complete creations. cross section of who Robin Yeah. I was in a was. It was joyous watching depressed mood because I'd it again. In the end, I made ‘Munchausen’ and the thought, “Wow, this is a studio basically dumped it. great monument to Robin.” So I thought my film career Working with was finally over and I'm him… I think the real finished. My agent started reason they hired me, was sending me scripts and they that I was the bait to lure were trying to get me to do Robin in. We just worked the “The Addams Family” [but] they kept delaying together on ‘Munchausen.’ I was the honey trap. That was sending the script until it was perfect. And it didn’t make a easy. Robin was right there for the get-go. To me then the difference, I wasn't interested. And he sent this other script, biggest thing was to make sure Robin and I didn't float off an interesting bit of writing. I started reading and I stayed into the ether there. We just could wind each other up up till—I don't know what time in the morning it was— I brilliantly and just get extremely silly. Jeff was the anchor, thought this is really great writing. That was Richard that's why Jeff was so important; he became the anchor to LaGravenese’s first ever script. He had written it on spec. keep the whole film, Robin, myself grounded. I said, "I really like this, I like these characters, I So you had to curb your improvisational and understand what it's all about." That was the beginning of manic tendencies? Rein Robin in a bit? it. Oh yeah. With Robin, there was this volcano of But I had to say, "Okay, I'm going to put my head ideas and stuff all ready to pour out all the time. I'd would in the lion's mouth." Because I swore I'd never work in find that sometimes after about five or six takes I'd say, Hollywood and so I did it: I broke all the rules I'd set "Okay Robin just go for it, just do whatever you want." myself and off we went. Then he'd get it out of his system, that was the good thing. Considering some of the stories, I’d then I said, "Well, let's do one more take, leave one or two of imagine this one was of your better Hollywood those things in, I'll tell you which one and then we'll go experiences. back to the script because the script is still the bible of this It was great because it was so easy. Sure, there baby." It was really important because Robin, always felt were special effects and stuff for the Red Knight and the he had to give more because I think the fans expected horse, but it was basically, four wonderful actors, [and] more. They wanted all the facets of himself. I could say, including Michael Jeter, five. In that sense it was really "No, come on you got to stick to character here." And he easy. did. Jeff was such a good balance for him because Jeff And the script! Let me tell you, the script that I never would break character and Robin would always read had so many stupid things in it in their attempt to get watch Jeff and always be, “Okay, okay I'll keep calm here the film greenlit! They turned it more into a caper, a and stop trying to be funny for the sake of being funny, just robbery; stealing the grail on roller skates. There's all this be true to the character.” We got through it, it was nonsense in there: “what is this crap?” It just didn't make wonderful. any sense. So I got a hold of Richard, I said, "What's this Actually, one night Robin was finished early so he all about?" He explained to me that these [parts] were some went uptown to do a comedy set. "I'm going to be up on the studio notes that they had insisted on. I said, "Let me see east side, I just got to do a stand up routine, just to get the your very first script,” which he sent me. And it was great. stuff out of my system." I was in disbelief, so me, Jeff, his “We'll make this one instead!" brother Beau Bridges and an unsuspecting audience were Robin Williams, his memory, his presence treated to a surprise 45-minute impromptu stand-up. He obviously hangs over this film in a different way now was brilliant. He had to get all these ideas out of his system that he’s gone. What are your recollections working every so often otherwise he'd explode. with him? In the Criterion extras, LaGravenese You know, when we were doing this newer, remembers you saying something to the effect, “this cleaned up Criterion version, I had to look at the movie was not a Terry Gilliam film,” you were making Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—16 someone else's script, someone else's story. But it is still Oh yeah. I mean, I hated Hollywood and it was very much a Terry Gilliam film. always like that. That was the result of having grown up in I just loved those characters when I read Richard's South Fernando Valley. I'm seeing Hollywood over the script. I know these people, I hills there and longing for it, understand them. I'm really a and yet hating the way the bit of all of them. Richard, system works and a lot of this is his first film and I kept the kind of films that were him around the set the whole heralded. It was only after time, I said, "Rich, this is “Time Bandits” which we your film and I don't want to made completely outside of fuck it up. Every time I have the system that I went to an idea I'm going to throw it Hollywood. “Time Bandits” past you and if you're in America is still the comfortable with it, we will go, but otherwise you got to be biggest hit of any of the films that I've done in America the one monitoring what's going on here." profits-wise. That’s unusual and very generous on a It was only after the success of “Time Bandits” Hollywood production. that I went up to Hollywood for the first time. I rang up all Having been in Monty Python and all the writers the heads of most of the studios and said, "Hi, I'd like to being first, you just appreciate what writing is about. I come and have a talk." Of course, they couldn't wait to talk know how the system really doesn't respect writers: at least to the guy who just had this huge success. Then I'd sit and Hollywood doesn't. Directors tend to be ego maniacs who talk to them and they kept waiting for me to pitch my next are trying to make their film, so everything in me was movie, they were really dumbfounded that I had no movie rebelling against who I was supposed to be. It was a nice to pitch. I said, "I just want to meet you, so when I have to way of working because I felt it was a true collaboration. pick up a phone and talk to you in the future, I know what That was the key thing with the cast, with Mercedes you're like." They really thought I was mad. [Ruehl,] Amanda [Plummer] and Robin. They just held Have your films have been embattled because the whole thing together and I tried to just be there to you're almost square pegging it, like you've got these support them and not impose myself on it, but I failed. ideas that are grand and big and Hollywood is small, in Obviously it’s me is all over that picture. terms of their vision? Afterwards, Mercedes wins an Oscar, Robin is My problem always is just that I really want to nominated for Best Actor and the movie gets five control what I do, it's a simple fact. My argument has nominations total. Did that put you back in the good always been: my mistakes I think are more interesting than books with Hollywood? studio executive’s mistakes. It just seems, if you're going to Oh yeah. I mean Hollywood loves success. It's as hire someone, trust them. It's like with me directing, the simple as that. “Brazil” was my Gilliam-the-bad-boy-who- people I hire or choose to work with, I then let them do took-on-the-studios and won [movie], which is not what they do, what they're good at. I don't try to control it. allowed. So ‘Munchausen’ was my comeuppance and I I mean, I work in a totally collaborative way. I find the think it was like Orson Welles “Magnificent studios are basically peopled by very nervous executives Ambersons.” So “Fisher King” was my chance to be who are paid much more than their worth and they're redeemed. terrified in being involved in something that doesn't That's how it works. We were number one for, I succeed. They're all over you the whole time. I find it very don't know how many weeks, and that makes a big difficult to work like that. difference. You're on an easy path, going to do whatever How much do you think Hollywood has else you do next. That's the irony of the whole thing, changed? because I've never been a great fan of Hollywood and yet It's terrible. I mean, I used to complain about them, the films I made in Hollywood, “Fisher King” and “Twelve but now it's just they're so frightened. I think they're worse Monkeys,” are the easy ones. Because I had the money, I now, even when we were doing “Fisher King,” there were wasn't scrambling around and they were well supported. people there with real character, interesting people running They were both big successes. My relationship is a bit studios and working there. Now I find there's just drones, strained, probably self-destructive, when it comes to there seems to be nobody with any big ideas, it's just dealing with Hollywood. I should relax, embrace the place repetition, repetition. Throwing huge amounts of money at and continue. things. Much has been written about it, but to be fair, And now you have this whole system where would you characterize your relationship with everyone wants to do the cinematic universe thing Hollywood over the years, maybe as being antagonistic? because of Marvel. Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—17

Yeah, I know. Listen I love comic books, but when It reminded me a little bit of ‘Munchausen’ they dominate cinemas, like they do now, just the Marvel because again, the studio effectively dumped universe taking over, I just find it ridiculous. The difficulty ‘Munchausen.’ They did a hundred seventeen prints in all. is if you're outside the system or doing smaller films, But over the years, I bump into people it's one of their they're really hard to get through because you're competing favorite films of mine. I think most of my films tend to age with $80 million in advertising. That's why the really well. “Fear And Loathing In Los Vegas” was a box talented people are now drifting towards TV. office disaster, ten million dollars is all it made. But it's Do you ever regret agreeing to be part of the considered a classic now [laughs]. documentary “Man Of La Mancha” which documented What about director’s cuts? Are there any in in excruciating detail the failure of “The Man Who the vaults? Maybe something like your version of “The Killed Don Quixote”? Maybe in a way it crystallized Brothers Grimm”? your narrative—the “mad man,” ‘Brothers Grimm’ was so an the “risk taker” or however some unhappy experience. I really don't even might see it? How do you feel approve of the idea of going back and about that movie? doing a director’s cut. Either you do it Well, I think the narrative… properly the first time or you don’t. listen those stories are waiting there Don't put your name on it if you don’t all the time. Especially Hollywood believe in it. I think we did about as which loves to put you in a box with good as we could with it, however the these kinds of stories. I'm apparently shooting is where the problems trouble, I'm Quixote-esque and mad, lay. There is a book about [the making ridiculous, and a talent that should of ‘Brothers Grimm’] which is basically be doing many more Marvel films. I relying a lot of the diaries of Nicola don't really worry about it, I don't think about it. The Pecorini [an Additional Photographer on the film] and my ‘Quixote’ thing is my madness, there's no question about continuity girls. I skimmed the book recently and I realized that. It's been twenty-five years and I'm still on course to I was completely crazed making that movie, I was really make it. miserable. I wasn't out of control, but I just wasn't enjoying When you look at the standards of Hollywood it. So going to work each morning was an effort as opposed acceptance and success, “Fisher King” kind of looks to pleasure. like your most Hollywood effort in comparison to the It wasn't a good situation, right? others. Relatively of course. No it was really bad. The main reason I think that I It was perverse. It was interesting: the producers continued is the crew was really good. I just loved working were two women, it was a script written by a first time with [ and Heath Ledger] they were brilliant script writer. It was me going into Hollywood just out of and a joy. I just wish I had ended up able to overcome my sheer perverseness, to break all my own rules. Then we unhappiness with the situation. That's one of the things I ended up with something that was just beautiful. The heart know, I've got to have enough air to breathe when working. of it was that script, Richard's script was there and I always If I don't, I just don't work well. I think I’d put that film said, casting the right people would be the trick for it. I just lower down on my lists. hope I didn't fuck up everybody else. I kind of think I didn't We talked a little bit about Marvel. You know fuck up too badly. they’re doing new “Star Wars” films now and it’s Is there a film maybe that you think is franchise, franchise, franchise. What would it take for overlooked in your body of work that you think that you to be involved in one of those things? Would you could use a second chance in this kind of Criterion even want to? setting? Because these releases gives the audience a The idea of dealing with a sequel doesn't interest second chance to reevaluate things and also a critical me. I just think, what bothers me about them is they just an reevaluation. example of how the audiences have been so trained, Oh yeah. I've, well I'd be quite happy if dumbed down to just go and see the same thing again and they did “Tideland,” ‘Parnassus’ and ‘Zero Theorem.’ again, rather than being adventurous and discovering new Get on with it guys. I think [“The Imaginarium of things. The system has been pretty successful in getting Doctor] Parnassus” is the one that I feel got some, got people to march in lock step, much more than ever before. short shrift. It was handled so badly by Sony [Pictures] That's, it's like the McDonald-ization of Hollywood. You Classics. In Italy they made twice the money than they did know exactly what you're going to get when you see “The in the U.S., which is impossible. It was interesting to see Avengers,” it's neither wonderful or ... it's just a Big Mac. how the selling of the film really seemed to make all the You know what you're going to get. That's I think really difference in people's perception of something. sad. That's why the cable stuff is so popular, so good Gilliam—THE FISHER KING—18 because people do want to see other things. Here's their a next generation to carry on after his death. His kingdom suffers chance to do so. What's better than bingeing on “Breaking as he does, his impotence affecting the fertility of the land and Bad”? reducing it to a barren wasteland. All he is able to do is fish in the river near his castle, , and wait for someone who might be able to heal him. Healing involves the expectation of “Fisher King,” from Wikipedia: the use of magic. Knights travel from many lands to heal the In Arthurian legend the Fisher King, or the Wounded King, is Fisher King, but only the chosen can accomplish the feat. This is the last in a long line charged with keeping the Holy Grail. in earlier stories; in later versions, he is joined by Versions of his story vary widely, but he is always wounded in and . the legs or groin and incapable of moving on his own. In the (For the rest of this long and well-informed Wikipedia Fisher King legends, he becomes impotent and unable to perform article, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_King ) his task himself, and he also becomes unable to father or support

THAT’S IT FOR SPRING 2016 BUFFALO FILM SEMINARS XXXII: SEE YOU TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, FOR THE FIRST SCREENING IN OUR THIRTY-THIRD SERIES!

CONTACTS:...email Diane Christian: [email protected]…email Bruce Jackson [email protected] the series schedule, annotations, links and updates: http://buffalofilmseminars.com...to subscribe to the weekly email informational notes, send an email to addto [email protected] cast and crew info on any film: http://imdb.com/

The links underlined in the text of the handout are hot in the online version. The Buffalo Film Seminars are presented by the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Dipson Amherst Theatre, with support from the Robert and Patricia Colby Foundation and the Buffalo News.

What can we say: we’re ending with a picture of two naked guys in Central Park separated by a Pinocchio puppet. A perfect end to a terrific season. Thanks for being part of it. B&D