Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Cinéma vérité

The Adventures Of Baron Munchaussen(1988)
Directed By Terry Gilliam

Wikipedia spoke first: "Cinéma vérité is a style of documentary film making, combining naturalistic techniques with stylized cinematic devices of editing and camerawork, staged set-ups, and the use of the camera to provoke subjects. It is also known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics. In French the term means, roughly, "cinema of truth"."
Then philosopher Edgar Morin wrote: "There are two ways to conceive of the cinema of the Real: the first is to pretend that you can present reality to be seen; the second is to pose the problem of reality. In the same way, there were two ways to conceive cinéma vérité. The first was to pretend that you brought truth. The second was to pose the problem of truth."
Finally The King Of The Moon's Disembodied Head said to the body it was leaving behind, "I don't have time for flatulence and orgasms!" I love Terry Gilliam, because even before I gave two shits abut directors, I loved his movies, "Time Bandits" and "The Adventures Of Baron Munchaussen".This film is an epic children's fantasy about getting old and dying, and the role of the imagination there in. Baron Munchausen: "Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever."As always illusions and dreams go hand in hand with manipulation and lies, and the story that can give you a balloon ride to the moon, can just as simply keep you enslaved in your community huddled together in fear of invading and ever present barbarians. "Baron Munchausen:Why, why, why! Because it's all logic and reason now. Science, progress, laws of hydraulics, laws of social dynamics, laws of this, that, and the other. No place for three-legged cyclops in the South Seas. No place for cucumber trees and oceans of wine. No place for me."What I like about this film, is the fantastic set designs, and the creative zeal that oozes out of every frame. Not as funny as "Brazil" or "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas", but not as childish as "Time Bandits", either.Lively performances all around from it's cast of John Neville, Eric Idle, Oliver Reed, a young Uma Thurman, and Robin Williams (who went uncredited as his agents feared it would put a mark on his career should the film turn out a flop, which in fairness, it commercially was.)

It's just one of those great 80's fantasy films that has a texture CGI can't touch, as well as a genuine sense of humor, history, and a director who cares (maybe too much) about the images he is putting on screen.A classic fantasy story told by one of fantasy and cinema's great directors and visionaries."King of the Moon: I think, therefore you is"This is the 6th Munchausen film and the first in English, joining those from France, Germany, Czech Republic, and Russia.
Baron Karl Münchhausen was a real German Baron in the 17oo's who according to legend rode cannonballs and took frequent trips to the moon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Munchausen.He is still popping up from time to time, til this day: http://www.cgnews.com/2009/05/elastic-a52-create-artistic-opening-for-festival/

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