Film Reviews

Lost In La Mancha

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Jean Rochefort
• Details: US / 93 mins / (No Cert)

Frequently hilarious, but invariably insightful documentary on the problems which plagued, and eventually halted, the making of the Terry Gilliam movie, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. Plagued by errors, bad management, terrible luck and incredible misfortune, shooting only lasted a mere six days before the $32million production was shut down in a state of pandemonium. Directors Fulton and Pepe maintain a low profile throughout, allowing events to speak for themselves, and Gilliam is the unwitting central star, coming across as a man who is utterly driven by his singular desire to make the film, but reluctantly comes to accept that it may be a dream too far. Like all good documentaries, Lost in La Mancha doesn't offer any easy-to-digest critical observations of the follies of the central players. By simply documenting events and asking relevant questions, the directors (also responsible for the superb Twelve Monkeys companion piece, The Hamster Factory) have probably said as much about the inherent chaos of major league filmmaking as any documentary since Hearts of Darkness.

Review by Garreth Murphy