History Creator / TerryGilliam

* BlackComedy: Oh, defiantly so.
* ButtMonkey: Most of his characters.
* CrapsackWorld: Several of his films involved depraved or outright crumbled societies.
* DerangedAnimation: It doesn't come more deranged than [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVgAzbuKjZY&feature=fvw that]].

* DutchAngle: Uses it moderately in some of his films.

* {{Determinator}}: If Terry Gilliam wants to make a movie, he will find a way to ''make the fucking movie'', no matter the [[DevelopmentHell production difficulties]], [[ExecutiveMeddling corporate intervention]], or [[AuthorExistenceFailure deaths of major cast members.]] No example of this is more famous - or infamous - than ''Don Quixote''. After ''eight'' failed attempts at making the movie over the course of '''nineteen years''', long after any other director would have given up, production finally wrapped in June 2017. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome The Man of La Mancha has finally slain his giant.]]

* {{Determinator}}: If Terry Gilliam wants to make a movie, he will find a way to ''make the fucking movie.'' No example of this is more famous - or infamous - than ''Don Quixote''. After ''eight'' failed attempts at making the movie over the course of '''nineteen years''', long after any other director would have given up, production finally wrapped in June 2017. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome The Man of La Mancha has finally slain his giant.]]

* ''Film/TheManWhoKilledDonQuixote'' (2018) -- Directed and co-written.

''Website/TheOnion'' once joked that if Terry Gilliam were to have a barbecue, [[http://www.theonion.com/content/node/32920 it would be beset by production delays]]. But his perilous productions have resulted in a portfolio of fascinating, if not always successful, films.

* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'' (1985) -- Directed and co-written (UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Original Screenplay nomination).

* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' (1969-74) -- Did many memorable animations for the series.
* ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' (1975) -- Acted, co-directed and provided animations.
* ''Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian'' (1979) -- Acted in & animated.
* ''Film/{{Jabberwocky}}'' (1977) -- Directed.
* ''Film/TimeBandits'' (1981) -- Directed.
* ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'' (1983) -- Co-directed.
* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'' (1985) -- Directed.
* ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'' (1988) -- Directed.

* ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' (1998) -- Directed.

* ''Film/{{Tideland}}'' (2005) -- Directed.
* ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' (2009) -- Directed.

* ''Film/TheManWhoKilledDonQuixote'' (2018) -- Directed.

Terrence Vance Gilliam (November 22, 1940-) is a cartoonist, animator and film director, best remembered as the token American member of Creator/MontyPython (although he revoked his American citizenship years later and became a full British citizen) and the surrealist cut-out animations he created for ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus''. As the series progressed, he also did many small roles the other actors didn't want to perform for various reasons, and had very few speaking parts, if you forget his voice acting during the animated segments (one of his most notable lines is "I want more beans!"; he was also Cardinal Fang of the Spanish Inquisition). He wrote a number of the sketches, and from there co-wrote the troupe's three films based on original material with the rest of the troupe, on which he also played much more parts than he usually would in the series. He co-directed ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' and directed the opening segment of ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'', "The Crimson Permanent Assurance".

In the 1990s, things were looking up with ''Film/TheFisherKing'' (1991), ''Film/TwelveMonkeys'' (1995), and ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' (1998). Then at the TurnOfTheMillennium, his films became a parade of bad situations behind the scenes. ''The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'' took '''nineteen years''' of on-and-off production to complete thanks to trials and tribulations covered in the documentary ''Lost in La Mancha''. ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' (2005) was beset by ExecutiveMeddling, this time via Bob and Harvey Weinstein. ''Film/{{Tideland}}'' (also 2005) made it to theaters, but was overlooked and shunned for its focus on pedophilia (plus it was set in, and filmed in a desert, but it ''just kept raining'' during filming). And finally, perhaps saddest of all, ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' (2009) became Creator/HeathLedger's final film when [[AuthorExistenceFailure he died before completing his role]].

* SelfInflictedHell: The DevelopmentHell of ''The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'', caused in no small part by Gilliam stubbornly clinging to his artistic vision in the face of a just as stubbornly adverse reality:

* ''Film/TheManWhoKilledDonQuixote'' (shooting completed in 2017) -- Directed.

* ''Film/TheManWhoKilledDonQuixote'' (shooting completed) -- Directed.

* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' (1969-74): Terry Gilliam did many memorable animations for the series.
* Acted in & co-directed: ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' (1975)
* Acted in & animated ''Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian'' (1979)
* ''Film/{{Jabberwocky}}'' (1977)
* ''Film/TimeBandits'' (1981)
* Co-directed: ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'' (1983)
* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'' (1985)
* ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'' (1988)
* ''Film/TheFisherKing'' (1991)
* ''Film/TwelveMonkeys'' (1995)
* ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' (1998)
* ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' (2005)
* ''Film/{{Tideland}}'' (2005)
* ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' (2009)
* ''Film/TheZeroTheorem'' (2014)

In the 1990s, things were looking up with ''Film/TheFisherKing'' (1991), ''Film/TwelveMonkeys'' (1995), and ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' (1998). Then at the TurnOfTheMillennium, his films became a parade of bad situations behind the scenes. ''The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'', which Gilliam has been sporadically working on for the past '''nineteen years''', still hasn't gotten anywhere near completion thanks to trials and tribulations covered in the documentary ''Lost in La Mancha''. ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' (2005) was beset by ExecutiveMeddling, this time via Bob and Harvey Weinstein. ''Film/{{Tideland}}'' (also 2005) made it to theaters, but was overlooked and shunned for its focus on pedophilia (plus it was set in, and filmed in a desert, but it ''just kept raining'' during filming). And finally, perhaps saddest of all, ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' (2009) became Creator/HeathLedger's final film when [[AuthorExistenceFailure he died before completing his role]].

In the 1990s, things were looking up with ''Film/TheFisherKing'' (1991), ''Film/TwelveMonkeys'' (1995), and ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' (1998). Then at the TurnOfTheMillennium, his films became a parade of bad situations behind the scenes. ''The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'', which Gilliam has been sporadically working on for the past '''nineteen years''', still hasn't been completed thanks to trials and tribulations covered in the documentary ''Lost in La Mancha''. ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' (2005) was beset by ExecutiveMeddling, this time via Bob and Harvey Weinstein. ''Film/{{Tideland}}'' (also 2005) made it to theaters, but was overlooked and shunned for its focus on pedophilia (plus it was set in, and filmed in a desert, but it ''just kept raining'' during filming). And finally, perhaps saddest of all, ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' (2009) became Creator/HeathLedger's final film when [[AuthorExistenceFailure he died before completing his role]].

In the 1990s, things were looking up with ''Film/TheFisherKing'' (1991), ''Film/TwelveMonkeys'' (1995), and ''Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'' (1998). Then at the TurnOfTheMillennium, his films became a parade of bad situations behind the scenes. ''The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'' was never completed thanks to trials and tribulations covered in the documentary ''Lost in La Mancha''. ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' (2005) was beset by ExecutiveMeddling, this time via Bob and Harvey Weinstein. ''Film/{{Tideland}}'' (also 2005) made it to theaters, but was overlooked and shunned for its focus on pedophilia (plus it was set in, and filmed in a desert, but it ''just kept raining'' during filming). And finally, perhaps saddest of all, ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' (2009) became Creator/HeathLedger's final film when [[AuthorExistenceFailure he died before completing his role]].

Bad luck simply doesn't cut it: the man's '''cursed'''.

* SavedFromDevelopmentHell: The Gilliam curse appears to have been broken, as it was reported in June 2017 that had ''{{Determinator finally}}'' finished ''Don Quixote'' after ''eight'' unsuccesful attempts over the course of '''nineteen years.'''

* SavedFromDevelopmentHell: The Gilliam curse appears to have been broken, as it was reported in June 2017 that had ''[[Determinator finally]]'' finished ''Don Quixote'' after ''eight'' unsuccesful attempts over the course of '''nineteen years.'''

** Ultimately ended as Gilliam [[https://www.facebook.com/Terry.Gilliam/photos/a.256735074385314.62810.256730041052484/1421392574586219/?type=3&theater wrote about production finally wrapping] after a decades-long battle to get it made.

* SelfInflictedHell: The DevelopmentHell of ''The Man who killed Don Quixote'', caused in no small part by Gilliam stubbornly clinging to his artistic vision in the face of a just as stubbornly adverse reality:

* SelfInflictedHell: The DevelopmentHell of ''The Man who killed Don Quixote'', caused in no small part by Gilliam stubbornly clinging to his artistic vision on the face of a just as stubbornly adverse reality:
** The successive castings of archetypical actors to play Don Quixote, all over 70-80 years old, [[LostInImitation despite the book character being canonically in his early fifties]], who end injured because they cannot handle the physicality of the character or are diagnosed of age-related heath problems before they can shoot the movie, inevitably putting filming on hold again.

Terrence Vance Gilliam (November 22, 1940-) is a cartoonist, animator and film directors, best remembered as the token American member of Creator/MontyPython (although he revoked his American citizenship years later and became a full British citizen) and the surrealist cut-out animations he created for ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus''. As the series progressed, he also did many small roles the other actors didn't want to perform for various reasons, and had very few speaking parts, if you forget his voice acting during the animated segments (one of his most notable lines is "I want more beans!"; he was also Cardinal Fang of the Spanish Inquisition). He wrote a number of the sketches, and from there co-wrote the troupe's three films based on original material with the rest of the troupe, on which he also played much more parts than he usually would in the series. He co-directed ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' and directed the opening segment of ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'', "The Crimson Permanent Assurance".

Terrence Vance Gilliam (November 22, 1940-) is an American cartoonist, animator and film directors, best remembered as the token American member of Creator/MontyPython (although he does have British citizenship) and the surrealist cut-out animations he created for ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus''. As the series progressed, he also did many small roles the other actors didn't want to perform for various reasons, and had very few speaking parts, if you forget his voice acting during the animated segments (one of his most notable lines is "I want more beans!"; he was also Cardinal Fang of the Spanish Inquisition). He wrote a number of the sketches, and from there co-wrote the troupe's three films based on original material with the rest of the troupe, on which he also played much more parts than he usually would in the series. He co-directed ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' and directed the opening segment of ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'', "The Crimson Permanent Assurance".

''TheOnion'' once joked that if Terry Gilliam were to have a barbecue, [[http://www.theonion.com/content/node/32920 it would be beset by production delays]]. But his perilous productions have resulted in a portfolio of fascinating, if not always successful, films.

Terrence Vance Gilliam (November 22, 1940-) was the only American in the Creator/MontyPython troupe (although he does have British citizenship) and added the most surreal elements of the show through his many animations. As the series progressed, he also did many small roles the other actors didn't want to perform for various reasons, and had very few speaking parts, if you forget his voice acting during the animated segments (one of his most notable lines is "I want more beans!"; he was also Cardinal Fang of the Spanish Inquisition). He wrote a number of the sketches, and from there co-wrote the troupe's three films based on original material with the rest of the troupe, on which he also played much more parts than he usually would in the series. He co-directed ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' and directed the opening segment of ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'', "The Crimson Permanent Assurance".

'''Terrence Vance Gilliam''' (November 22, 1940-) was the only American in the Creator/MontyPython troupe (although he does have British citizenship) and added the most surreal elements of the show through his many animations. As the series progressed, he also did many small roles the other actors didn't want to perform for various reasons, and had very few speaking parts, if you forget his voice acting during the animated segments (one of his most notable lines is "I want more beans!"; he was also Cardinal Fang of the Spanish Inquisition). He wrote a number of the sketches, and from there co-wrote the troupe's three films based on original material with the rest of the troupe, on which he also played much more parts than he usually would in the series. He co-directed ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' and directed the opening segment of ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'', "The Crimson Permanent Assurance".

* ObstructiveBureaucrat: His entire career has been about flights of fancy, so naturally his films tend to rail against iron-fisted bureaucracies and the narrow-minded jobsworths who staff them. Probably the pinnacle of this trope was the beginning of ''Baron Munchausen'', when city administrator Creator/JonathanPryce -- graduating from playing a BeleagueredBureaucrat in {{Film/Brazil}} -- orders the execution of a soldier[[labelnote:*]]''{{Music/Sting}}, in a cameo''[[/labelnote]]. The offense? The soldier was ''so good at his job he made everybody else look bad''. A title card reveals this as "The Age of Reason".