It must hurt to be Terry Gilliam.
I mean, what use is being one of the most original and fantastic directors of the 21st century if no one has enough faith in your work? The story of how Brazil was re-cut by Universal Pictures for U.S. distribution to create a more happy ending and how Gilliam had to conduct secret screenings, just so he could get the movie released without all the cuts is a classic one for film buffs. And, of course, Brazil has a near perfect score on the Tomatometer.
According to Anne Thompson at Variety, it looked like Gilliam’s latest The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus—which contains the last film shot of Heath Ledger before his death in January 2008—was doomed to a similar kind of fate because the Cannes festival organizers scheduled its screening two Fridays from now, when almost all buyers have packed their bags and are back in the States.
Now, Thompson confirmed courtesy of a scoop from an unnamed distributor who isn’t interested in the film that before the film hits France, it will be making a pitstop in New York City to be screened for buyers from Sony Pictures Classics.
Let’s hope that the news and reviews from Cannes are favorable, hmm?
Related Posts: Enough about Heath Ledger; won’t somebody think of Terry Gilliam?,Trio to complete Ledger’s role Doctor Parnassus…? (updated again: maybe)
Andrew Hankins says:
It’s beyond me why anyone would even hesitate to get this film out. I guess I’ll just have to be patient.
Gordon says:
Andrew: it’s because his movies tend to not make any money theatrically. As much as I love Baron Munchausen, it was one of the biggest flops in movie history when it came out. ($46 mil budget, $8 mil return, not counting marketing.)
Fear and Loathing? Dud. Twelve Monkey’s? Pretty good but not great, thanks to Bruce Willis (and a pre-box-office megastar Brad Pitt). Brothers Grimm? Dud.
Some of his movies are brilliant, but he’s inarguably a gamble; there’s no getting around that.