Director: Terry Gilliam
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Runtime: 132 Minutes
Main Cast: Adam Driver, Jonathan Pryce, Stellan Skarsgard, Jordi Molla, Joana Ribeiro, Oscar Jaenada, Olga Kurylenko
Plot: Toby, once a starry-eyed film director is now an advertising director. Whilst shooting on location he realises how close he is to the town where he shot his first movie. When he visits, he comes across the man he hired to play the character Don Quixote…only the man believes that he really is Don Quixote.
My Thoughts: What a strange, odd movie! The Man Who Killed Don Quixote started production in the year 2000, and finally finished in 2017. There’s even a documentary about the problems and challenges the crew faced to actually bring this movie to our screens. Then in May 2018, it was released at the Cannes Film Festival. It got shown at several other festivals that year, and then got a 1-day theatrical release in the USA almost an entire year later. Finally, this month it got released on DVD & Blu-Ray! Phew…what a journey.
The movie is insane, that much is established within the first few minutes. When Toby meets his old cast member, he fully believes himself to be the great Don Quixote of La Mancha, and thinks Toby is his squire, Sancho. Hilarity ensues, but Toby starts to question what is actually real…and so did I! I completely lost the plot at about the halfway point, but it was so damn entertaining that I kind of didn’t care. I signed up for 2 hours of Adam Driver shouting the f-word in the way only he can, and I was in for the long haul.
I wonder if this is the kind of movie you actually need to be drunk for in order for it to make sense? Regardless, it’s a shame it wasn’t a masterpiece after taking so long to make, but it’s a lot of fun to watch. I found myself asking, but who is the man who killed Don Quixote? He isn’t even dead? And I guess my question got answered…in a very amusing way!
Best Bit: Towards the end, when the crazy got turned up to 11 and Toby gave into Don’s disillusions, that’s where it got fun. Plus, that black outfit with boots Adam Driver was wearing? Yes, please. Can that be Kylo Ren’s new get up? Anyway – that’s when Don Quixote meets his end. It’s hilarious!
Worst Bit: I think it was the moment that the gold in Toby’s hand turned out to be rocks or dirt or goodness knows what – and Stellan Skarsgard showed up again. That was when I realised I had no idea what was going on, and it was useless to try to work it all out.
Fun Trivia: The film is dedicated to the memory of John Hurt and Jean Rochefort. Terry Gilliam had chosen both to play Don Quixote in past incarnations of this project, and both died before the film was completed.
My Rating: 4 murderous GIANTS that I, Don Quixote of La Mancha shall…oh no wait, they’re just windmills.
I’m somewhat interested in this film?
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It’s definitely worth a watch – but the plot is nuts!
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I’ve heard good things about this movie! May need to give it a watch this summer.
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It’s absolutely crazy, I had no idea what was going on half the time but it was so funny that I didn’t care, ha!
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I knew u watched it for Driver! 😂
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Shhhhhhhhh! ;D
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I really want to see this as I’m a big fan of Terry Gilliam and I’m glad he’s able to get this film finished after all of the shit that had happened.
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I had a brief read about all the problems that occured and crickey, it’s a miracle it ever got finished!
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I saw it a couple of months ago at a local film festival and I really enjoyed it. Very weird, but oddly entertaining and sweet. Great review!
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Thank you! It’s such a shame the release has been so odd because I don’t think many people are going to see it 😦
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I watched this twice in a day because I lost my interest and didn’t follow the story very well the first time and therefore I understood nothing. I understood even less the second time lol I’m glad it worked better for you
Also, I dig the new look of the blog 🙂
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Haha I love that it made less sense the second time!
Also, I’m so sorry I’m only replying now – for some reason WordPress started throwing your comments into my spambox!
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I really want to see this for Driver but I’m prepared to just wtf my way through it since that’s what most of Gilliam’s movies are like. lol
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It’s a whole load of wtf from start to finish but it’s a lot of fun!!
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I have always enjoyed Terry Gilliam’s films, especially Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Baron Munchausen. So, I definitely want to see this movie!
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I looooooooove Monty Python and the Holy Grail! I hope you enjoy Don Quixote 🙂
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Thanks!!!
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Nice post! I actually think that it’s a great movie, and I wasn’t drunk when I saw it!
I wrote a. Review on my blog, of you want to pass by and have a read…
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Haha! I genuinely can’t decided if being drunk would be a help or a hinderance!
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