Terry Gilliam: Filmography, biography and photos

It seems that Terry Gilliam, whose films have been watching with pleasure for already a generation, was always a celebrity. In fact, it is very far from the truth, despite the fact that in recent decades it is really widely known among a certain circle of people. Real career was brought to him by the director and screenwriter, although at different times he was also a multiplier, composer and actor.

early years

Most people believe that Terry Gilliam was born in the same place where he creates - in the UK. However, this is not so: he was born in Minneapolis, USA, November 22, 1940. In America, he graduated from college in Los Angeles, where he studied political science and was engaged in the production of an amateur humorous magazine, while sending some of his work to the editor of a youth publication. The latter, obviously, proved useful to him in life a little more than the specialty he received.

Carier start

Soon after receiving the diploma, Gilliam became an artist-animator and got acquainted with the British journalist John Cleese, who invited him to work in Europe. Very quickly, Terry made friends with a small group of actors who developed humorous telecasts, which almost immediately became popular. This was the birth of the legendary band Monty Python. Its peculiarity was that each participant was involved in the development of scenarios, mise en scenes and other elements of the show. It became so popular that after five years, full-length films began to appear while preserving the characteristic humor based mainly on parodying the generally accepted norms.

Initially, in the "Monty Python" Terry Gilliam was engaged exclusively in the concept, music and animation inserts, but in 1971 he himself appeared on the screen, and in 1975 acted as a co-director. Perhaps, this determined his further life, especially since by that time he had already received British citizenship and firmly settled in a new place.

Personal life

Despite all the popularity that fell on him, Gilliam did not follow the path that many people go in the same conditions. His life is not written by tabloids, he does not find references to his new passions in magazines (after getting married in 1973 with the make-up artist Maggie Weston, who worked side by side with him, he became an exemplary family man). Having married, they did not leave a career: at different times the couple became nominees for various prestigious film awards, including Golden Globe and Oscar.

Perhaps he dreamed of his son, but became the father of three wonderful daughters, one of whom later started producing and worked on the "Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" - a film that gave the world to Terri Gilliam.

Filmography

He does not get tired to surprise with his efficiency. In total, this person took part in more than 120 films, doing a variety of work. List them all - the task is not easy, therefore, perhaps, it is worth mentioning only those in which he acted as a director.

• "Barmaglot" ("Jabberwocks") - the first independent film, albeit very close in spirit to "Monty Python", was met by spectators and critics rather coldly (1977).
• "Bandits of Time" - there is a separation from the established style (1981).
• "Brazil" - Terry Gilliam though was known for his previous works, the real success was after this film (1985).
• "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" - four nominations for "Oscar" (1988).
• "Fisher King" is another masterpiece in the genre of psychological drama, nomination for the Golden Globe (1991).
• "12 monkeys" - a film that occupies a prominent place in the career of its creator (1995).
• "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" - this film also became a cult, despite the failure at the box office (1998).
• "The Brothers Grimm" - the film was met quite cool, but the fees covered the budget (2005).
• "The land of tides" - due to some peculiarities, the tape was almost not shown on a wide screen, some critics were outraged by the content (2005).
• "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" - one of the most famous and large-scale productions of Gilliam, whose work was the last role of Heath Ledger. Two nominations for the Oscar (2009).
• "Zero's Theorem" was presented at the Venice Film Festival, quite ambiguously accepted by viewers and critics (2013).

"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"

Terry Gilliam decided to film this film, already having more than a solid experience both as a director and as a screenwriter. Carefully reworking the legend of Dr. Faust, he assembled a starry and experienced actor and crew, intending to create a movie masterpiece.

It's hard to say for sure whether Terry Gilliam has succeeded in this endeavor, because the film has yet to pass the test of time. The picture is phantasmagoric, the world created by the director is constantly changing, so the meaning can slip away. In the midst of the work on the film, one of the main performers, Heath Ledger, was found dead, which at first questioned the future of the tape, because many of the scenes with him were already filmed. Nevertheless, even from this predicament Terry Gilliam found a brilliant way out: the role was played by Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell.

Yes, perhaps, this is not the easiest film for perception, however it is beautiful, interesting and looks in one breath. In the end, it becomes obvious that nominations for "Oscar" were not in vain.

Current projects and ideas

Despite the success, the hero of our narrative is not going to stop there. In the interview, Gilliam confesses that he always wanted to make a film about Don Quixote, because he associates himself with this character struggling with imaginary difficulties. And, it seems, his dream will soon come true. In 2017, the release of the tape "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" was announced, the work on which the director began in the 90s, but was forced to suspend due to some circumstances. According to the plot, a resident of the XXI century will fall into medieval Spain, where he will be mistaken for Sancho Panza. Perhaps this is not exactly what Gilliam dreams about, but who knows what his next film will be? In any case, we can expect that if Terry is a screenwriter, the audience will be provided with a good portion of excellent corporate humor.