Terry Gilliam
Total Film|October 2019
From Monty Python’s resident animator to director of Time Bandits, Brazil and Twelve Monkeys, Terry Gilliam has brought us his twisted, surreal visions of the world for the past five decades. But as Python turns 50 and the celebrations begin, the Hollywood rebel is ready for something completely different.
James Mottram
Terry Gilliam

In Cannes 2018, Terry Gilliam arrived with The Man Who Killed Don Quixote finally complete. And what happened? Legal fights with former producer Paulo Branco almost derailed the closing night screening and caused Amazon Studios to pull out of releasing it. Worse still, Gilliam had just suffered a perforated medullary artery. Just his luck after 25 years of trying to get Quixote made.

Thankfully, the 78-year-old Gilliam is fighting fit when TF catches up with him a year later. Well, almost. The Minnesota native, who formally renounced his US citizenship in 2006, has just been playing with his granddaughter. “I’m exhausted… she’s obviously trying to kill me and make room for herself!” he giggles, something he does with huge frequency.

Gilliam is back talking about where it all began. Fifty years ago, a giant pink foot splatted for the first time on our screens as Gilliam’s animations for Monty Python’s Flying Circus were unleashed. It wasn’t his first TV gig – he’d met fellow Pythons, Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Terry Jones on children’s show Do Not Adjust Your Set – but the groundbreaking BBC sketch comedy was the perfect platform for his surreal worldview.

By 1975, Gilliam had graduated, codirecting with Jones the group’s first feature, medieval romp Monty Python And The Holy Grail, before picking Palin for the lead in his first solo effort, Jabberwocky, two years later. This blend of dark fairytale, fantasy and humor would come to characterize the Gilliam style in everything from Time Bandits to The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen to The Brothers Grimm.

This story is from the October 2019 edition of Total Film.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2019 edition of Total Film.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM TOTAL FILMView All
Dune: Part Two – Desert Power
Total Film

Dune: Part Two – Desert Power

Like a colossal sandworm racing towards the rhythmic beat of a thumper, Dune: Part Two is almost upon us. And this time, it's war. Total Film returns to Arrakis with writer/director Denis Villeneuve and his (inter) stellar cast to spill the spice on the sci-fi event of the year.

time-read
10+ mins  |
February 2024
Here Be Dragons
Total Film

Here Be Dragons

DAMSEL – Millie Bobby Brown fights fire with fire in the bedtime story that’s finally being told the right way.

time-read
4 mins  |
February 2024
Back to School
Total Film

Back to School

MONSTER – Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest takes us into a child’s viewpoint once again...

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
JESSIE BUCKLEY
Total Film

JESSIE BUCKLEY

Catapulting to fame over the last five years, instinctive Irish actor Jessie Buckley has wowed in films (Wild Rose, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Men) and TV (Chernobyl, Fargo S4). She was Oscar-nominated for The Lost Daughter, won a Laurence Olivier award for Cabaret and now she's spewing wild profanities at Olivia Colman in hilarious period comedy Wicked Little Letters.....

time-read
10+ mins  |
February 2024
Marty me
Total Film

Marty me

Thelma Schoonmaker has edited every Martin Scorsese movie since 1980's Raging Bull. The three-time Oscar winner tells Total Film all about their legendary relationship, and why movies like Good Fellas, The Departed and Killers of the Flower Moon are a cut above...

time-read
7 mins  |
February 2024
FRISKY BUSINESS
Total Film

FRISKY BUSINESS

Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan star as queer friends being chased by dumb male criminals in Drive-Away Dolls, a road movie/ romantic comedy/crime caper by husband-and-wife team Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke. Total Film hitches a ride with the directors and stars to talk dark laughs, dim crims and dildos…

time-read
9 mins  |
February 2024
JACK MY LIFE IN PICTURES BLACK
Total Film

JACK MY LIFE IN PICTURES BLACK

Over the years he's made us laugh as rockers, animated critters and videogame avatars. As he prepares to go full Dragon Warrior again in the fourth Kung Fu Panda movie, JACK BLACK riffs on some of his biggest hits with Total Film

time-read
8 mins  |
February 2024
DOG DAYS
Total Film

DOG DAYS

Pablo Berger's animated silent’ movie brings the noise.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
BEHIND PARADISE
Total Film

BEHIND PARADISE

RED ISLAND A coming-of-age-tale that creatively explores France’s colonial past.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024
THE SIXTH SENSE
Total Film

THE SIXTH SENSE

MADAME WEB Dakota Johnson brings wit and grit to Sony’s clairvoyant-superhero-origin-story thriller.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2024