And now for something completley different.....

            Silly, goofy, eccentric and flat out insane, these are the words used to describe director Terry Gilliam. Terry Gilliam is one of the few directors considered to be an auteur of film. His visions of the present, past and future are unique and vivid in the way they depict realism. Terry Gilliam’s visions of realism cannot even be described as realism, it is magical realism. He creates worlds in which the audience feels engulfed by surreal images, bright colors and unique camera angles. Terry Gilliam didn’t get his start in film though; he got his start back in 1969 when he joined a comedy troupe by the name of Monty Python.

            Terry Gilliam was the only American of the Monty Python group and he didn’t contribute much to the acting. What Gilliam was best known for was his unconventional animations. Gilliam was the one who created the bizarre animations that gave Monty Python its unique look and feel. During the television series Gilliam didn’t act much except for his famous part as one of the men in the Spanish Inquisition. It wasn’t until the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail when Gilliam’s love for film started to show. Gilliam co-directed the film with fellow Python member Terry Jones. Monty Python and the Holy Grail was a huge success and made the Python’s an international hit, which gave Gilliam the opportunity to make his first film, Jabberwocky. Gilliam wrote and directed Jabberwocky which gained critical success but did not earn much at the box office. Gilliam’s next film, Brazil, became his masterpiece. Brazil is Gilliam’s most acclaimed film and is one of his four films that are in the Criterion collection. 

            Gilliam’s use of dutch angles, wide lenses and low angles give his films a unique look that make his movies instantly recognizable. He has directed three actors that were nominated for their roles; Brad Pitt for Twelve Monkeys, Robin Williams and Mercedes Ruehl for The Fisher King. Ruehl won for Best Supporting Actress. Gilliam was also nominated for best original screenplay for his film Brazil, unfortunately he did not win. Terry Gilliam was actually J.K. Rowling’s first choice to direct Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone but the studio turned down her request saying they wanted a more family friendly director. Brazil may be Gilliam’s most critically acclaimed work but his most famous is his film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas didn’t receive much critical acclaim but the film has influenced many young directors and musicians. Most recently the band Avenged Sevenfold based their music video “Bat Country” off the film. The creators of South Park, Tray Parker and Matt Stone, said they owe a lot to Terry Gilliam for his contributions to animation. Terry Gilliam may not be the most influential or well known filmmaker or Python member, but his art has had a significant impact on our culture.