After a decade of writing and development to adapt Cervantes’ Don Quixote, Terry Gilliam first began production on The Man Who Killed Don Quixote in 2000 starring Jean Rochefort as Quixote and Johnny Depp as Toby, a modern-day marketing executive, but numerous issues led to the film being canceled. Writers/directors Keith Fulton & Louis Pepe, who had previously made The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys, a documentary about the making of Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys, were shooting footage for another making-of documentary, but instead created Lost in La Mancha, a documentary that told the story of the doomed project.
Buy He Dreams of Giants Blu-rayOver the years, Gilliam tried numerous times to restart the project with the likes of fellow Python Michael Palin and John Hurt as Quixote. In 2017, he was finally successful in resuming production with Jonathan Pryce, who had a different role in the 2000 film, as Quixote and Adam Driver as Toby, who is a filmmaker in this version of the script. Fulton & Pepe’s He Dreams of Giants is a sequel that documents the making of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018).
The viewer gets to see behind-the-scenes footage during the different stages of production and hear Gilliam’s reflections before and during, and possibly after, the film was shot. It appears from watching Giants making a film can be as obsessive and as difficult as Quixote’s quest, suggesting Gilliam’s connection and devotion to the material, which was stronger than other failed film projects. He also feels a connection to director Guido Anselmi, another frustrated filmmaker, from Fellini’s 8 ½.
What makes Giants unique and compelling is that Gilliam and his some of his crew have already aborted one attempt, so that potential outcome is always a lurking concern, especially because of the continuing compromises that have to be made as they have half the budget they did for the 2000 production and back then that was half what they needed. Gilliam’s battles with the business people have been an issue throughout his career and is referenced.
The video for this made-on-demand BD-R is available in 1080p. The aspect ratio is fluid due to the use of modern-day footage (2.39:1) and various sources of archival material. The modern-day footage presents solid colors, a sharp focus, and a clean image. The image quality of archival footage varies. The audio is available in Dolby Digital 5.1, which is fine for a talking-heads documentary. The dialogue is clear and the track is free from defect. The only extras are trailers
The audience for He Dreams of Giants might be limited to Gilliam fans and those curious about the process of movie making, but it certainly provides an interesting look at a filmmaker in the latter stage of his career titling at windmills one more time.
