Johnny Depp - The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Page 3

**White Noise** · 07-01-2009, 10:35 PM

^^ I agree. I've been a fan since 10 things also. So it was a huge shock, still is..

**InitialSwitch** · 07-01-2009, 10:51 PM

Yeah, especially since we were close to the same age. It just breaks your heart. He was so young and he didn't die because he was doing drugs and living on the edge. He was just trying to be a good dad and do the best job he could...

Katinka · 07-01-2009, 11:27 PM

Some thinks only seem to be useless and we will never understand why they did happening.

**White Noise** · 07-02-2009, 04:20 PM

^^^ It's sad to think someone like Heath died so young, when there are people out there who have done so many drugs you wonder how they're still alive (Courntey Love for one), not to say that she should die, just the drug use.

Katinka · 07-03-2009, 06:13 PM

How Terry Gilliam saved Heath Ledger's final movie

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Is there a filmmaker in the world with worse luck than Terry Gilliam? He was directing Heath Ledger in "The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus," when the actor died -- and it's not the first time he has lost a leading man.
Is there a filmmaker in the world with worse luck than Terry Gilliam?

Jean Rochefort didn't die eight years ago, but Gilliam had to abandon "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" after a few days when 70-year-old star Jean Rochefort became seriously ill and a flash flood washed away the entire set. The whole fiasco is captured in documentary "Lost in La Mancha."

But the animator-turned-director who made his name with the surreal opening sequences of "Monty Python" is also known for never giving up.

He saved "Parnassus" by enlisting the help of Ledger's friends, among them Johnny Depp. He has even resurrected "Don Quixote," which will start shooting next year.

The Screening Room talks to "The Fisher King" and "Brazil" director about Heath Ledger, Ibiza Film Festival and why he'll never shake off the Monty Python label.

The Screening Room: Heath Ledger's death during "Parnassus" was tragic but but how did you deal with losing your star in the middle of production?

Terry Gilliam: I was just its like, now you've got to use your imagination because reality has bitten very hard. And, so, you call your friend Johnny [Depp] and say, "Heath just died. Can you help me?" And he says, "Fine, whatever. Whatever you need. I'll do it." That's how it started. Then I got Jude [Law] and Colin [Farrell], they came ... the point is that they were all friends of Heath too. It had to be people that were close to him in order to do what we did.

TSR: How do you feel about it now you've had some time to reflect?

TG: The experience was awful. That's why we can laugh now. Making films is really hard, and this one was particularly hard.

TSR: What is the most rewarding part of making films?

TG: I don't know, I mean you know writing and coming up with the ideas -- that's the exciting bit. Then it's the slog of just getting through the shoot because there is never enough time

TSR: You are a patron of the Ibiza Film Festival which is only three years old. How did that come about?

TG: The festival of Ibiza approached me a couple of years ago. John Hurt was already a patron, and I know John and I thought that it would be nice. I like being a patron of things, I like patronizing things. And if its not going to be people, I'll patronize a festival.

TSR: Why do you think film festivals are important?

TG: The most important thing about them is you get to see films you would never get to see because the distribution system is so dominated by Hollywood. In every country, you get Hollywood movies plus local movies. Beyond that it's very hard.

TSR: Tell us about how directing "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," your big feature directing break came about?

TG: With the success of "Python," we decided to make "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and Terry Jones [fellow Monty Python member] and I said, "Anybody named Terry gets to direct the film," and the others foolishly agreed. We directed the film and our names went up as "directed by," and we were film directors. Bingo! Just like that.

TSR: "Monty Python" was hugely successful but is the downside that you'll never shake off the label of being an ex-Python?

TG: Python is going to be stuck with me 'til I'm dead and probably afterwards. That's what's gonna be on the grave, as well. I know exactly what I'd like put on my gravestone: "Terry Gilliam. RIP and all that. He giggled in awe."

TSR: What is your film philosophy?
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TG: All films are learning processes. I am still trying to work out how you make a movie. I didn't study at film school or any of those things I didn't bother with film theory. Mine is the Mary Poppins theory of film -- a bit of sugar helps the medicine go down. And I have always got medicine I want to give to people.

TSR: Which film are you most proud of?

TG: "Brazil" is the on that will probably be stamped on my grave because that on seemed to have made a big effect on a lot of people. And that's all I'm trying to do is affect people.

TSR: What have you learned over the 30 plus years you have been making films?

TG: There is no one thing -- it's just going through life. I don't' think you ever learn just one thing. At some point you start unlearning things. I have been working hard to unlearn everything I know.

TSR: Where are you with "Don Quixote?"

TG: "Quixote..." It's been almost eight years since it fell on its little face. We had been trying to get the script back from the legal entanglement it was in ... and finally pulled that off. I had in those intervening years never read the script because I knew it was the best thing I had ever written. It was perfect -- I finally did it. I got it back and re-read it and have now been busy re-writing it.

TSR: What advice would you offer to aspiring filmmakers?

TG: Talent is less important in filmmaking than patience. If you really want your films to say something that you hope is unique, then patience and stamina, thick skin and a kind of stupidity. A mule-like stupidity is what you really need.

SOURCE: How Terry Gilliam saved Heath Ledger's final movie - CNN.com

**LaraCroft01** · 07-03-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by White Noise (View Post)

^^^ It's sad to think someone like Heath died so young, when there are people out there who have done so many drugs you wonder how they're still alive (Courntey Love for one), not to say that she should die, just the drug use.

I know! how is Keith Richards still around, but Heath is gone. I don`t get it, and I would never want Keith Richards to be gone, I think it`s great he`s still around and doing his thing, he`s a very talented guy, but he has done a lot of hard drugs for a long time, and Heath had a bad mix up of pills and died. It`s crazy. I can`t believe he`s gone.

I`m with InitialSwitch, out of all the celebrity deaths in the past two years, that was the hardest one. I couldn`t believe it and still can`t.

**White Noise** · 07-06-2009, 11:42 AM

Thanks for the article Kathi.

I agree as well that out of all the celeb deaths, that was the most shocking.

Katinka · 07-08-2009, 12:05 PM

you're welcome

**White Noise** · 07-08-2009, 08:40 PM

Now I wish I knew the release date for Canada!

**LaraCroft01** · 07-20-2009, 09:51 PM

Me too!

The new Vanity Fair has a great article on Heath Ledger, his last days, his demons, Michell and Matilda, and how they saved this film. It's one of the best articles on HL I have read. I really, really recommend it!

**White Noise** · 07-20-2009, 11:10 PM

I wish I didn't have so many bills to pay to have those few extra dollars to get the Vanity Fair issue!

If anyone can scan the article, that would be great!

Katinka · 07-21-2009, 12:59 AM

I think you can find it some on the internet

**White Noise** · 07-21-2009, 04:04 AM

Yeah but that means searching, and it's 4am right now....

**LaraCroft01** · 07-22-2009, 11:36 AM

I'm sure it's out there! If not it's well worth it to buy it. Johnny's mentioned and how he became a part of it. He only had a day and a half to film his scenes!

**White Noise** · 07-22-2009, 05:51 PM

He's a professional, and it was important to Heath to get it done, so I'm sure he was fantastic!