A film a quarter century in the making, Terry Gilliam’s epic quest to bring his Don Quixote to the big screen finally came to fruition last may in Cannes. Not to say that the final steps weren’t treacherous – a producer sued last minute to pull the plug, again, and Gilliam himself had a heart attack just a few days before!
That Shelf filmed these interviews hours before the film was to receive its public premiere closing the 2018 festival. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the camaraderie between the cast members. Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce were a particular delight, and Terry himself looked no worse for wear given his travails.
A year on and the film is finally making its way to theatres without the splash such a long gestation should likely receive. That’s a shame, for the film is fascinating if flawed, a testament to mad tenacity perfectly in keeping with the fable’s main themes.
