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The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

List Price: $14.94
Your Price: $10.46
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brilliant and Overlooked
Review: this was one of the best movies of the decade, and certainly Gilliam's greatest movie triumph -- a film that he struggled with the studio over. Not suprising, actually. I remember seeing it in theaters and my jaw dropping in disbelief that Hollywood had actually made a picture this imaginative, lyrical, inventive, and daring. Fresh is another great adjective. Hands down the best film of 1989 (the uninspiring, middle-of-the-road "Driving Miss Daisy" won the Oscar). Even the film's symbolism is first rate as in the end when Munchausen leads the people out of the confining walls of the city (the limited mindset of the Age of Reason). The film score alone is an absolute gem.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Viewed in the spirit of the TALL TALE.....
Review: For those who can watch the film in the spirit in which it was
made, the experience is WONDERFUL. If you cannot or will not enter into the spirit of the (now dying) "TALL TALE", then the film must be an utter bore. I found it WONDERFUL. Like any work
of art, one can only get from it what one already brings.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not Gilliam's best
Review: Gilliam's follow-up to Brazil is a mess. It takes a long time for anything really interesting to happen. Once things get moving, they never really come together. One moment, the heroes are on the Moon. Then they're in a whale. Then they're in an industrial Hell --- and then the Baron dances in the air with Venus. Why is it all happening? I'm not sure.

Gilliam's idea is great. He's made a movie full of tall tales with an old man at the center. The Baron is sincere; he's not a liar. But no one believes him. The trouble is, you spend most of the movie watching the scenery and forgetting the plot. No particular bit of dialogue stands out. None of the characters are memorable (except Robin Williams' King of the Moon). It's a shame this movie is such a disappointment. Gilliam had good ideas, but they were poorly executed. It would have helped if the script put a different spin on the Baron Munchausen idea.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A wonderful fantasy movie!
Review: This movie is absolutely a wonderful movie. I loved this movie very much. I haven't seen a fantasy movie like this. If you love fantasy movies, I sure you will love this movie,too. You won't disappointed. Scenes are unbelieverable!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Yay for X-Python Directors!
Review: The first time I watched this I wasn't too impressed. But it grew on me. It is not a serious movie, so if you are buying it because you liked 12 Monkeys, you are in for a suprise. This is much more like Time Bandits or The Holy Grail in the level of sillyness.

The movie is a simple tale of a man who tells tall tales, and his magical friends. They all go on a long trip together, not only around the world, but to the moon as well. In the end, everything is made right by magic, quite by suprise.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The fantasy not to end all, but to resurrect the genre!!
Review: I've seen this movie so many times it's hard to fathom it whenever I meet somebody who's never even heard of it. Gilliam's my fav director of all time and despite the production problems that occurred with this film the result was a beautiful accomplishment to resurrect the fantasy genre. Thus opening the door for such films as Lord of the Rings and others of the sort.

Eric Idle's hilarious and the ensemble cast of popular British actors is a treat. The young Uma Thurman shines in one of her first starring roles as well.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: most beautifull film ever...
Review: This movie is one of the most visually pleasing films I have ever seen and the plot, acting and of course scenery and wardrobe are marvelous. The only thing I wish for this film is that it could have been longer. I feel like it could have kept going and going and I would never get tired of it. It was just a beautiful and spectacular film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantasie is made.
Review: Baron Munchausen is a very good movie. However you should not let small children see it, unless they are not scared easily. It has a very good plot though there are sudden shifts that require your mind to follow the movie closely the first few times. It is the best fantasy movie ever made. To better understand the movie you should know about Roman and Greek gods and posess knowledge of other historical fantasies. I would recomend this movie to people only over the age of 12. It is rated PG but should have a PG - 13 rating.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Where'e Criterion when you need them!
Review: When I first saw Terry Gilliam's "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen", It was 1989 and I was in my last year of college in Columbia, Missouri, though I didn't know it would be my last year at that time (Alas, I'm a Dropout). I remember running into a few counterculture acquaintances that night, and feverishly describing the entire movie to them-spoilers be dammed. I've never done that with another movie before or since, which speaks volumes not only of my enthusiasm for the film, but of the film's narrative pull (There are tons of infinitely more linear movies around, but I would be hard pressed to recite a plot of any of them as easily as I did this one. Maybe that's why I'm a dropout). This isn't the kind of blockbuster movie that is generally made nowadays, where CGI takes the place of a soul. This is the old way, with models, trick photography, and ingenuity.

The movie itself I would give 5 plus stars in a heartbeat, the DVD probably warrants about a 3. Brief bios of Gilliam and Eric Idle, and the theatrical trailer, which, considering how badly this movie was publicized, isn't much of a bonus. The Baron needs someone like Criterion to come along and give him the royal treatment, as Gilliam's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" has gotten recently. This is the second Terry Gilliam film whose troubled history inspired a book ("Losing the Light" now out of print, I believe). Also, few filmmakers give better commentaries on DVD than TG, so one of those would be welcome. An upgraded image and sound transfer would be in order, also. This version is okay in those departments, but only just. I bought this for the same reason I bought "Local Hero", because the movies are necessary, but in both cases, a nice special edition is long overdue.

My final star rating is an average, by the way...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: DON'T BUY THIS MOVIE!
Review: Okay, buy it -- see if I care. I guess it might be a good idea, since I can practically guarantee that the majority of the tamed populace hasn't even heard of this film... I lost count of how many people I've spoken with who've not seen "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen," but lemme tell ya that number was up there. Consider this movie like "Time Bandits" (another great Gilliam) and "The Princess Bride" put together... It has that sort of fairytale quality that runs the gamut of dark and light. Everybody will like this movie unless they are ultra squares! Dads -- get this in disguise of a family movie(it is, in fact a great family choice), and when it gets to the part where Venus (Uma Thurman) appears from her shell, get your PAUSE on and your drink on. Aw, yeah. (eeaw.)


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