Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Jabberwocky (Criterion Blu-ray Review) – Terry Gilliam’s first directorial fantasy returns (including its little gay Easter Egg)

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In 1977 Monty Python had made their TV series and their first film, The Holy Grail, but hadn’t yet brought us Life Of Brian or The Meaning Of Life. In amongst this came Jabberwocky, which wasn’t a Python movie (although their production company was involved), but marked Terry Gilliam’s first movie as a solo director, and starred Michael Palin and Terry Jones.

The result is a movie that’s semi-Python, with echoes of the zany, off-the-wall humour, but which is still its own beast.

Palin plays Dennis, an apprentice cooper in a fantasy medieval kingdom. He’s desperately in love with Griselda (Annette Badland), and so to prove himself – and after a falling out with his father – he sets off to the city to make his fortune. [Read more…]

Adam Driver & Michael Palin Up For Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote

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adam-driverYou’ve got to hope that when/if it’s going to be made, Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is going to be good. The film has been so beset by disasters that it spawned a feature-length documentary about it, 2002’s Lost In La Mancha.

Now though it’s back on track, with Screen Daily reporting that Adam Driver and Michael Palin are now set to star in the movie. Driver is taking over the role that was originally going to be played by Johnny Depp, with the likes of Ewan McGregor and Jack O’Connell attached to it over the years. Michael Palin meanwhile will play the title role.

In case you don’t know the story, after several years of trying to get it off the ground, the movie finally went into production in 2000, with Johnny Depp and Jean Rochefort starring. However very quickly a combination of factors, ranging from Rochefort getting seriously ill to a storm wrecking the sets, meant to the whole thing had to be called off.

Over the years Gilliam has tried on numerous occasions to get it off the ground again, but a range of issues, mainly surrounding financing, means it’s never happened. He’ll be hoping for more luck this time around, to the this revisionist version of Cervantes’ classic tale.

A new synopsis lets us know that: ‘There was a time when Toby was a young film student full of ideals. So he decided to shoot a film adapted from the story of Don Quixote in a pretty Spanish village.

‘But those days are gone and now Toby is an arrogant publicist, libidinous and jaded. Money and glitter have corrupted him, and while he is in Spain where he finishes filming an ad, he has to juggle with his boss’s wife – Jacqui – a calamitous weather, and his own ego. This is when a mysterious gypsy comes to find him with an old copy of his student film: Toby is upset and decides to go in search of a little village where he had made his first work a long time ago. He discovers with horror that his little film has had terrible effects on this quiet place. Angelica, the girl full of innocence, became a high-class call girl; and the old man who played Don Quixote lost his mind, convinced in his delusion of being the real “Knight of the Sorrowful Countenance.”

‘A series of incidents lead to a fire that threatens to destroy the village. Wanted by the police, Toby is “saved” by the old fool who takes him for his faithful squire Sancho, and drives on the roads in search of his perfect wife, Dulcinea.

‘During this journey, Toby will face demons, real and imaginary, modern and medieval. Damsels will be saved, jousts will be completed, and giants will be killed!

Reality and fantasy merge in this strange journey, until a spooky ending.’

The current plan is to start shooting in September.

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The Zero Theorem Trailer – Back into the wild world of Terry Gilliam with Christoph Waltz

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Terry Gilliam’s storytelling can sometimes be a bit iffy, but his movies are always great to look at, and The Zero Theorem looks like it will be no exception. It also has a story that offers plenty of potential as well.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘An eccentric and reclusive computer genius plagued with existential angst works on a mysterious project aimed at discovering the purpose of existence – or the lack thereof – once and for all. However, it is only once he experiences the power of love and desire that he is able to understand his very reason for being.’

Christoph Waltz leads the cast with David Thewlis, Melanie Thierry, Ben Whishaw, Tilda Swinton and Matt Damon also starring. It’s due out in the UK in March, although no US release is set yet. [Read more…]

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Terry Gilliam Creates A Fantastical World Of Ads In The First Clip From Zero Theorem

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Terry Gilliam loves to create fantastical worlds, but either because of the technology of the time or a limited budget (which has been his issue in recent years), it’s often felt like he was incredibly constrained but doing really well to create something visually unique with what he had.

Well, if this first clip from Zero Theorem is anything to go by, Gilliam’s brain has been allowed out to create a big, bold world. It’s still familiar as his though, from the which of the past and the future to the slightly strange looking and dress of the people. The clip show us a bald Christoph Waltz wandering through a world that’s been taken over by ads.

Zero Theorem is about an eccentric and reclusive computer genius (Waltz), who is plagued with existential angst while working on a mysterious project aimed at discovering the purpose of existence, or­ the lack thereof,­ once and for all. However, it is only once he experiences the power of love and desire that he is able to understand his very reason for being. The story, by Pat Rushin, was partially inspired by Gilliam’s own Brazil, so it’s very apt Terry has taken the project on.

Ben Whishaw, Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton, David Thewlis, Mélanie Thierry, Lucas Hedges and Sanjeev Bhaskar co-star. The film just premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and will hopefully be released fairly soon. [Read more…]

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Katniss & Peeta Get A Hunger Games Victors Banner, Plus The First Poster For Terry Gilliam’s Zero Theorem

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catching-fire-victory-panel-posterThe Victors Emerge is a new banner for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which show Katniss and Peeta looking slinky in skin-tight outfits. It’s the first in a series of pics due to debut on the new site, TheHungerGamesExplorer.com. The image sees them gearing up for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, also known as The Quarter Quell, which brings many past victors back to head go into the arena once more. The film’s out in November.

Also just released, via TheFilmStage, is the first poster for Terry Gilliam’s Zero Theorem. The movie is about an eccentric and reclusive computer genius (Christoph Waltz), who is plagued with existential angst while working on a mysterious project aimed at discovering the purpose of existence, or­ the lack thereof,­ once and for all. However, it is only once he experiences the power of love and desire that he is able to understand his very reason for being.

Ben Whishaw, Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton, David Thewlis, Mélanie Thierry, Lucas Hedges and Sanjeev Bhaskar co-star. The story, by Pat Rushin, was partially inspired by Gilliam’s own Brazil, so it’s very apt Terry has taken the project on.

zero-theorem-poster1

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First Look At Christoph Waltz & Co. In Terry Gilliam’s Zero Theorem

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zero-theroem-pic1
Comic-Con has now officially kicked off, with the first day including the screening of some footage from Terry Gilliam’s upcoming movie, The Zero Theorem. While you had to be in San Diego to see that (although there’s a chance it’ll pop up online), the first two official images from the film have also been released, via Empire.

Zero Theorem is about an eccentric and reclusive computer genius (Christoph Waltz), who is plagued with existential angst while working on a mysterious project aimed at discovering the purpose of existence, or­ the lack thereof,­ once and for all. However, it is only once he experiences the power of love and desire that he is able to understand his very reason for being.

The story, by Pat Rushin, was partially inspired by Gilliam’s own Brazil, so it’s very apt Terry has taken the project on.

Ben Whishaw, Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton, David Thewlis, Mélanie Thierry, Lucas Hedges and Sanjeev Bhaskar co-star. No UK or US release date is currently set.

zero-theroem-pic2

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Matt Damon, Peter Stormare & Sanjeev Bhaskar Up For Gilliam’s Zero Theorem

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Terry Gilliam is about to start shooting the very intriguing Zero Theorem, and he’s busy rounding out the cast, as it’s been revealed that Matt Damon is taking a small role in the movie, while Peter Stormare and Sanjeev Bhaskar have also signed up. Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton and Melanie Thierry are already set to star.

Vulture got the news on Damon, after they bumped into him at the premiere of Argo. He told them, ‘I’m just doing a very small part in [The Zero Theorem]. Someone finally gave him money to do this one, thank God. It’s with Christoph Waltz and Tilda Swinton. I’d do anything for Terry. It’s been ten years since I last worked with him [in The Brothers Grimm]. I wrote Terry this whole e-mail, because we had this whole conversation about what the character would look like, because the story takes place in the future, but he had a specific look that he wanted, but then I had to [points to shaved head, which he has for Elysium], and I said, “Terry, what should we do?” And he said, “Actually, we can take advantage of the fact that your head is shaved. Why don’t we change your hairline?” So he mocked up a picture and sent me a real receding hairline, with white spiked hair. “We might as well take advantage of the fact that you’re bald and really do something, present you in a way you’ve never been seen before.”’

We don’t know too much about Peter Stormare and Sanjeev Bhaskar’s characters either, although announcing the casting on Facebook, Gilliam said “Excitement at the front! Zero Theorem now has two more brilliant actors on board: Peter Stormare and Sanjeev Bhaskar. Not just comic geniuses but great friends. They will be sharing two parts at the same time. I hope you like the look.” Quite what that means isn’t clear.

The movie is about a scientist (Waltz) working on a theorem to determine the reason for human existence, who gets numerous visitors, some of whom may be deliberately trying to delay his work.

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David Thewlis Takes On Terry Gilliam’s Zero Theorem

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Terry Gilliam never has an easy time setting up a movie, but it looks like it’s all steam ahead on The Zero Theorem, which is set to start shooting in Bucharest next month. We already knew Christoph Waltz is set to take the lead role, and now The Playlist has discovered David Thewlis has signed up too.

Unfortunately we don’t know what part he’ll be playing, but the film is set in an Orwellian corporate world where “mancams” serve as the eyes of a shadowy figure known only as Management. Waltz will play Qohen Leth, an eccentric and reclusive computer genius plagued with existential angst who works on a mysterious project aimed at discovering the purpose of existence – or the lack thereof – once and for all.

His work is interrupted now and then by surprise visits from Bainsley, a flamboyantly lusty love interest, and Bob, the rebellious whiz-kid teenage son of Management. But these visits turn out to be intentional diversions orchestrated by Management to keep control on Qohen’s progress.

It all sounds perfectly Gilliam-esque and could make for a very interesting movie.

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Christoph Waltz Up For Terry Gilliam’s Zero Theorem

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It’s been three years since Terry Gilliam’s last movie, The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus, hit cinemas. It now looks like he’s finally ready to return with a new movie, as Deadline reports that Gilliam has snagged Christoph Waltz to star in The Zero Theorem.

It would appear to be a great mix of actor and director for a film set in ‘an Orwellian corporate world where “mancams” serve as the eyes of a shadowy figure known only as Management’. Waltz will play Qohen Leth, an eccentric and reclusive computer genius plagued with existential angst who works on a mysterious project aimed at discovering the purpose of existence – or the lack thereof – once and for all.

His work is interrupted now and then by surprise visits from Bainsley, a flamboyantly lusty love interest, and Bob, the rebellious whiz-kid teenage son of Management. But these visits turn out to be intentional diversions orchestrated by Management to keep control of Qohen’s progress.

It sounds like a suitably weird premise for a Gilliam movie, with more than a few shades of Brazil. While Gilliam’s movie have a horrible habit of falling to bits, this one looks a little more secure than most as pre-production has already started in Romania, with plans to start shooting on October 22nd.

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Brazil (Blu-ray)

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A masterpiece to some, a source of utter befuddlement to others, Terry Gilliam’s Brazil has been dividing opinions now for over 25 years. Now it reaches Blu-ray, which is certainly a good way to show off the film’s extraordinary production design.

Set in a dystopian mix of the future and the past, Jonathan Pryce plays Sam Lowry, a man trying to live a quiet life as part of a vast bureaucracy, but who has extravagant dreams where he’s a flying, monster-slaying hero. During his waking life though, he’s mainly trying to be efficient and stop his plastic surgery obsessed mother from pushing him around. [Read more…]