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Dark Knights and Holy Fools: The Art and Films of Terry Gilliam: From Before Python to Beyond Fear and Loathing
 
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Dark Knights and Holy Fools: The Art and Films of Terry Gilliam: From Before Python to Beyond Fear and Loathing [Paperback]

Bob McCabe (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)


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Book Description

July 16, 1999
Award-winning film director, animator, and actor Terry Gilliam has been one of the most original, controversial, and successful filmmakers of the last three decades. Since 1969, when he became the only American among the otherwise all-British Monty Python team. Terry Gilliam's work has won plaudits and acclaim for its originality and imagination. His films are renowned for the quality of performances from some of Hollywood's top acting talent, such as Robert de Niro, Brad Pitt, Robin Williams and Johnny Depp.

For the first time, this book traces thirty years of the work and art of Terry Gilliam, from his pre-Python days through to the astounding adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, released in 1998.

Using Gilliam's own drawings, storyboard and scripts, this book builds to a complete overview of the director's work, examining in detail his striking visual sense ad labyrinthing stories of Man against bureaucracy (Brazil, Twelve Monkeys), triumphant tales of imagination winning over mediocrity (Time Bandits, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Fisher King) and, of course, something completely different (Monty Python and the Holy Grail).


Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

With Dark Knights and Holy Fools, film writer Bob McCabe has done a masterful job of depicting the evolution of a filmmaker and his vision. Terry Gilliam, of course, is the mind behind the bizarre and hilarious animations for Monty Python's Flying Circus, as well as the films Time Bandits, Brazil, and The Fisher King, among others. Using interviews with Gilliam and a few of his collaborators, McCabe takes readers on a chronological journey through the Python alum's work, going back as far as cartoons from his high school and college days. The book is gloriously stuffed with Gilliam's playfully wicked and distinctly rounded drawings--everything from political posters to stills from Python clips to pencilled storyboards for his films. The storyboards in particular are fascinating because they give insight into how Gilliam's mind works as he maps out his movies.

Dark Knights and Holy Fools also offers interesting glimpses at the inner workings of the film industry. McCabe chronicles Gilliam's well-publicized battles with studios over budgets, running lengths, and less-than-sunny endings, illustrating the frustrations of trying to push art through a bureaucracy (and, to a lesser extent, the frustrations of trying to reason with a visionary). Just as engrossing are the accounts of how ideas that don't quite fit into one film can materialize in another, and the amount of pure serendipity that went into some of the indelible images Gilliam has created. This is a lavish and thoughtful treatment of one of our most unpredictable modern directors. --Ali Davis --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Universe (July 16, 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0789302659
  • ISBN-13: 978-0789302656
  • Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.8 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #848,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars BUY THIS BOOK NOW!!! STOP STANDING THERE....NOW!!!, July 11, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Dark Knights and Holy Fools: The Art and Films of Terry Gilliam: From Before Python to Beyond Fear and Loathing (Paperback)
This is definitely THE book,about a very visual man!!(Not counting Gilliam's own "Animations of Mortality") Unlike all the other books,which want to psychoanalize Gilliam,his attitude toward Hollywood,and other cattle poop! This one talks about his work,has some great mini-interviews after each chapter,and has tons of little seen Terry Gilliam Art and Photos!! This is the type of book other so-called Python authors should've made!! Buy it for the ART...stay for the written words!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Strange goings on, February 25, 2000
This book does go into good detail of each of Gilliam's films, but I was left thinking that I wanted to know more on certain films. Now I want a making of book on each of his films! A bonus is the three chapters that mention the projects that he never got off the ground - as gilliam is famous for having problems with the studios. The major let down is the layout of the text. Still a good read - and a great colectable for Gilliam fans.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb!, October 12, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Dark Knights and Holy Fools: The Art and Films of Terry Gilliam: From Before Python to Beyond Fear and Loathing (Paperback)
Gilliam fans, cinema fans -- you need this book. It's about time Gilliam's cinematic canon was given the attention and credit it's (over)due. Fans of Gilliam's films, as well as Python fans, will enjoy the added insight from these fresh accounts of Terry G's history, and anyone who appreciates intelligent, imaginative filmmaking owes it to themself to become more familiar with Gilliam's ideas, creative processes, and the extensive canvas of his work through this book. Despite occasional poor book design (text placed over obscure images is cumbersome to read) and a shameful dearth of captions indicating what many of the illustrations are, McCabe presents an outstanding, well-balanced and accessible account of the life, times, battles and triumphs of one the precious few original and visionary artistic minds of our era. My only complaint about this book is it's too short. Thank you, Terry, for sharing this with us.
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