Inside the Head of Terry Gilliam

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Terry Gilliam is one of the most multifaceted, visionary talents alive. He first found fame as a member of Monty Python, the surreal comedy troupe that has had a cult following since its inception in 1969 right up to today. Had Gilliam stopped there, his artistic immortality would have been guaranteed. But over the decades his talent has rampaged across different genres - comedy, opera and above all cinema. He ranks among the tiny handful of film directors the world’s leading actors will drop everything for. Hollywood royalty including Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Robin Williams, Uma Thurman and Johnny Depp have flocked to work on his masterpieces Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
On October 7, Gilliam made an exclusive appearance at Royal Festival Hall, presented by Intelligence Squared and Southbank Centre. Joined on stage by BBC arts editor Will Gompertz, he took us on an immersive, multimedia journey through the many inspirations he has drawn on - from the Bible and Mad magazine to Grimm’s fairy tales and the films of Powell and Pressburger. Using images and film clips, Gilliam and Gompertz explored the diverse influences that have fused together in Gilliam’s imagination. What, they asked, does creativity thrive on, and how can it be fostered in all of our lives?

[@Marius-vw9hp]

I want to see a 3 hour long autobiographical movie about the 6 Monty Pythons, written by themselves and directed by Gilliam.

[@barbarakirk3064]

A follow-on from the Graham Chapman doc where a lot of animation by different directors was used?

[@hippocritic]

His enthusiasm is infectious.

[@dystopia47]

Hopefully thats the only thing. No he's a genius

[@annalisavajda252]

I think him interesting but I am not easily enthused at all anymore.

[@JoshuaCraigStrain]

True !! And a bit exhausting .

[@alonzotanner1226]

Gilliam must be the only american I've ever seen who hasn't lost his accent after moving to England and living there for so long. The Monty Python troup is awesome!

[@douglaslally156]

He's from Minnesota but did spend most of his life in the UK. You can definitely hear a bit of Brit in his speech, although it's subtle. Connie Booth is from Indiana and she definitely acquired a touch of Brit. On a side note, Carol Cleveland was raised in America until she was 18 when she moved to the UK.

[@chuckabutty888]

He just takes life as it comes with all the ups and downs and enjoys it to the full. Great way to live.

[@substitute91]

When he's among the Phythons doing interviews and shows, he always the less speaking Python, but i always thought he is someone unique, just like the rest of the Pythons. Each of them is Python-esque of course. But it is so refreshing listening to his thought here, and how eccentric he is. Which is why Monty Python is such an intelligent social satire comedy troupe! They're icon!

[@charlysteenstevens9314]

I am 72 years old and familiar with that period of comedians. They vigorously worked to create the culture which has now turned on them.

[@Aalborg42]

Many years ago we had taped Brazil on VHS.. I was so crazy about it that I for a long period got up 2 hours before I really should in the morning.. just so that I could watch Brazil before I went off to School

[@citizenVader]

What a lovely treat. Thanks for the upload! I really genuinely enjoyed it.

[@rmurphy440m]

I hope I have that kind of energy at that age!

[@OzzMazz]

I like the way you provide sub-titles and signing. Great interview.

[@Chillton]

I love how batshit crazy this guy is :D

[@tjenadonn6158]

He's like if David Lynch and Brian Blessed tried to inhabit the same body.

[@zenpaganwarrior]

You wish you were this type of batshit crazy successful visionary film director Terry is!

[@ExtremeBogom]

Gilliam is a true eccentric.

[@edellis515]

Christ he's nuts and wonderful

[@barbarakirk3064]

Re: the comic strip in which a man fell in love with his daughter's Barbie doll. Armstrong & Miller did a sketch with a similar story later.

[@rustyrelicsfarm2406]

John Cleese was in that comic if i'm correct.

[@daniv8983]

He laughs the whole time :)

[@abdelghafourajini5228]

Thank you

[@Winduct]

Samurai Gilliam.

[@irishelk3]

He laughs like Winnie the Pooh

[@ianfullerton1]

at around 59:19 he says something about Forrest Gump ripping off Philip K. Dick. Anybody know what he is referencing?

[@zachariahread7189]

Jo

[@irishelk3]

I’m not a big marvel fan, but I think he would have made the best ever Joker movie, because he’s like a joker himself, that really mischievous laugh of his, he’s like a real deceiver. He could play the jokers dad.

[@MegaMacReal]

He’ll probably _have_ to direct a comic book movie if he wants a Hollywood job again.

[@budakbaongsiah]

Wha- Joker is DC, not Marvel.

[@wild-radio7373]

@5:53 !EXACTLY ♡♡♡ 🤜🏻👍🤛🏻

[@wild-radio7373]

You are my hero, sir

[@rustyrelicsfarm2406]

Is it me or does the man interviewing Terry look like the stereotypical English Villian?

[@versioncity1]

More of a librarian or academic.... although he has got slightly evil teeth/smile. Maybe in the right movie....

[@farswept]

O YEAH big name drop there around 15:30. Wally Wood. Talk about "comic book porn," check out "Naughty Knotty Woody" from Eros Comics. That's right.

[@MobiusBandwidth]

the only director who's films I will see because he directed them.

[@09nob]

what about Kubrick???????????????????????

[@MrFTW733]

7:16 38:39

[@Lasselucidora]

Answer to the last question: Terry is a Monty Python.

[@sidv192]

The same way the Rolling Stones were just an above average Bar Band until the acquired Charlie Watts.

[@nukliozz]

The audience looks like the lost brothers of Harry Potter

[@gmann6269]

The sleeves on Terry's outfit are a bit like the sleeves on a wizard's robe as well.

[@TheOnceAndFutureDoug]

Happily John Hurt is clear so they're filming!

[@eliotmccann2589]

Only if the film's insurance underwriters sign off on it- Gilliam had this problem before with the previous actor. I remain hopeful it goes ahead though.

[@TheOnceAndFutureDoug]

Far as I'm aware they've officially started filming. So fingers crossed we might see this movie!!!

[@TheOnceAndFutureDoug]

Yeah, a lot of articles have been reporting that but no one has listed a source. Last sourced confirmation I can find is end of March by the producer and that still says Hurt. Someone updated the IMDB page but that doesn't mean much...

[@daniv8983]

:( RIP John Hurt

[@gregj.5226]

Wow

[@bobbest1611]

must have been a nice college--a car in a student room? my college room you could only fit a motorcycle.

[@rmurray8913]

guy gives me anxiety

[@allwaizeright9705]

I prefer Terry Gilliam's cut of BRAZIL...

[@SpaceCattttt]

Too bad he only told his story up until Brazil. I wanted to hear him speak about Tideland, which I consider to be his true masterpiece.

[@MatthewC33199]

Wait, are you serious? Tideland is considered to be his worst.

[@Hydrocorax]

There's no consensus at all on which Gilliam films work best and which work least well, critics or simple appreciators like us. That's one of the marks of an artist who's actually affected their genre. There's certainly no consensus on Tideland. While many critics agreed with Matthew C., many also agreed with teppolundgren, and it won the 2005 International Federation of Film Critics Award.

[@tomdavid9843]

i need a translation video

[@skidmark2704]

I keep hearing that gilliam looks like a jedi. Can't see it. Huge sleeved robe, unbraided padawan tail. Just not the look. Unrelated is their a sarcasm font?

[@AnnaLVajda]

There should be a sarcasm font but I usually just read things in various tones anyway and usually detect it anyway.

[@jdsartre9520]

bad interviewer. "every gov t loves a terrified populace" how do you not follow up on that? "terry, tell us what you mean by that. can you expound on that?"

[@fredd6883]

Are you blind, can you not see for yourself? What he should have added is that religion loves a terrified populace even more! Wake up!

[@caesarblanko1399]

11:45 every goverment loves.... hallo corona

[@rewIndustry]

how is your logo intelligent? IQ is not intelligence, we know this, and squaring the quotient of intelligence is nonsense, surely?

[@basclips01]

Go vegetarian terry