Las aventuras del barón de Munchausen

The original Baron Munchausen is a fictional character created by Rudolf Erich Raspe in the late 18th century, loosely based on the real life baron, Hieronymus Karl Friedrich, Freiherr von Münchhausen. The character was one of the most popular pop culture icons of his day, if you can use such terms to describe him.

And then one of the most outlandish directors of our time, Terry Gilliam, got a hold of him, and the rest is history. Gilliam, originally of Monty Python fame, is an eclectic director of the weird, whose movies are always almost immediately recognizable due to their unique imagery, elaborate sets and odd manners of speech and story-telling.

Likewise here. I'd almost call this pairing of source material and director as fated in heaven. Munchausen is very much a larger-than-life character. He lives in the realms of excess, in the realm of fantasy and make-belief. Very much the realm where Terry Gilliam spends most of his days.

It also helps that the film is breathtakingly beautiful. The sets are elaborate and detailed, the costumes are lavish, the lines of dialogue are heavily sprinkled with childlike wonder and the whole tale simply goes from one unbelievable situation to another.

That being said, the film can be off-putting in how often it jumps from one subject matter to another. Plus the framing story happening in the theater is a bit lacking when compared to the actual adventures. Then again, both these things fit Baron Munchausen very well indeed, so one cannot exactly complain.

Very good film. I'd even call it one of Terry Gilliam's best. An innovative blast with oozes of content, imagination, imagery and whimsy. Very easily recommended.

A magical film about the power and importance of story telling and imagination. The creation of the ever fecund mind of Terry Gilliam, this may very well be my favorite movie (ah, but it is so very hard to choose). Filled with a spirit of adventure, and a deftness far too rare these days, it is the delightful tale of the adventurous life of Baron Munchausen. He is a hero of the grand old sort, a kind of 17th century James Bond.

Baron Munchausen has a knowledge of fine wines, is popular with the ladies, and is the finest soldier in the kingdom. He has a band of sidekicks (the fastest man, the strongest, one with amazing sight, another with amazing lungs and hearing) who assist him in fighting the Turks; traveling to meet the King of the Moon; falling into the center of the earth to meet Vulcan and Aphrodite; and playing cards with the Grim reaper, after being swallowed by an enormous monster-fish the size of an island.

Along the way Gilliam's wit skewers rationalism, science, realism, practicality and pragmatics. As much an explication of faith as a depiction of what makes life truly worth living, and what is worth dying for, I rent this again and again. It is only my own foolishness that has prevented me from purchasing a copy. Literally wonderful.

Watch for fabulous cameos from a whole host of unexpected people, including Robin Williams and Sting.

Yet another wild, whacked out fantasy from Terry Gilliam, the only American born member of the Monty Python comedy troupe.

This is the story of Baron Munchausen (Neville), an old man still being chased by an Arabian king because after winning a bet Munchausen took too much money out of the king's vaults and now the king and his army are apparently attacking a colony because Munchausen's there. With the help of toothy little girl (Sarah Polley before she grew up to do the remake of "Dawn of the Dead") and rounding up his old comrades (among them Eric Idle, the "third tallest member of Monty Python"). All sorts of wild insanity ensues.

This was the last of Gilliam's "trilogy of the imagination", the other two entries in this so called trilogy being "Time Bandits" and "Brazil". If Terry Gilliam has a flaw with his fantasies, it may very well be that he drags out some gags too long, even if its a really good gag. Though I'm not entirely sure I enjoy his work, I must say I admire Gilliam and the recklessness of his projects, because at least he's got the balls to try to do things differently. To this day, he still ranks as being one of the most off the wall, unconventional director chaps out there.

All in all, I think I liked this one better than either "Time Bandits" or "Brazil" (though "Brazil" probably has the most racy commentary of Gilliam's so called trilogy).

Best line: "We're out of virgins." - Jonathan Pryce

Fantastic film based on classic film from German Film studio UFA titled Baron Munchausen (1943) by Josef Von Baky with Hans Alberts. It contains stunning visuals - it's a feast for the eyes- , imagination and strange roles . The tall Baron Munchausen (John Neville), each time united his horse Bucefalo , undertakers several adventures and feats . He's a tale-teller who is accompanied by his faithful companions , a group formed by odd and riveting characters as a little girl (Sarah Polley) , an idiot (Eric Idle) whose feet run faster than sound , a giant man and a dwarf . Munchausen assured that he has visited the Moon and meets the king (Robin Williams) , Venus (Valentina Cortese) , visited inside of the volcano of the Gods (Oliver Reed) and fallen for Venus . Later on , being swallowed into the belly of a gigantic wale . All of this stories are woven into the movie's axis tale , the siege of a European town , Vienna, by a Turkish army whose caliph (Peter Jeffreys) is after Munchausen's head .

This is an imaginative , glamorous , chaotic fantasy based on the wonderful trips carried out by Munchausen , though a little bit tedium too and paced in fits and starts . Marvelous special effects are visually stunning and magnificently realized with no computer generator . Slick narrative but often confused , proceeded in a circular pace by means of flashbacks that flow into the present from past time and never quite what they seem . Starring a considerable cast of top-names performers as John Neville , Jonathan Pryce ,Eric Idle , Sting and Uma Thurman and Sarah Polley , both of then practically unknown and nowadays prestigious actresses . Impressive sets and breathtaking production design , being filmed in Belchite (Spain) location where took place several hard combats during Spanish Civil War .This big-budgeted , under-appreciated film was a flop at the box office and panned by the critics ; however , today is best considered . Colorful and glimmer cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno, Fellini's usual, and evocative musical score by Michael Kamen . The motion picture is imaginatively directed by Terry Gilliam , an expert on wonderful , surreal atmospheres ( Time bandits , Brazil , Fisher king , Doctor Parnasus). The film might be described as an extraordinary fantasy full of imagination and color . Rating : Good , better than average . Worthwhile watching .

In the late Eighteenth Century, a European town is under siege of the Turkish army. Meanwhile, the theater company owned by Henry Salt (Bill Paterson) entertains the dwellers with the production of "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen". Out of the blue, an old man interrupts the presentation claiming that he is Hieronymus Karl Frederick Baron von Munchausen (John Neville) and he tells that he is the one to be blamed by the Turkish attack.

The Baron Munchausen tells how he had won a bet against the Sultan (Petter Jeffrey) with the abilities of his servants Berthold (Eric Idle); Adolphus (Charles McKeown}; Albrecht (Winston Dennis); and Gustavus (Jack Purvis) and earned his treasure. Further, he offers to help the locals against the Turks and builds a balloon to seek out his missing servants.

During his journey, he finds the girl Sally (Sarah Polley) hidden in the balloon and they travel to the moon, where they meet the deranged King of the Moon Roger (Robin Williams) with his detachable head, and his wife, the Queen of the Moon Ariadne (Valentina Cortese) that has a crush on the Baron. They are arrested by the jealous Roger and find Berthold in the cage, but Ariadne releases them. When they escape from the moon, they meet Adolphus working to Vulcan (Oliver Reed) inside a volcano. The Baron Munchausen seduces the gorgeous Vulcan's wife Venus (Uma Thurman) and the jealous god throws them in a whirlpool. They are swallowed by a monster and they meet Albrecht and Gustavus in a ship inside the monster. They escape and return to the town to help the people against the invaders. But they are very old and their abilities are gone.

"The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" is one of the most delightful, non- sense and visually stunning fantasies of cinema history. "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" is also among my favorite books of my childhood and I first saw this film in the late 80's and then on VHS. I have just bought the imported DVD that surprisingly has Portuguese subtitles and today I have seen this film again.

Terry Gilliam directs with his peculiar surrealistic and ironic style and uses magnificent special effects for a 1988 film. It is amazing to realize that twenty-three years have passed since this film was released. The sweet Sarah Polley shows her talent with a great performance in one lead role. Uma Thurman is in the top of her eternal beauty. Robin Williams is an unknown actor and uncredited in the role of Roger, The King of the Moon. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "As Aventuras do Barão de Münchausen" ("The Adventures of Baron Munchausen")