In 2000, director Terry Gilliam (of Monty Python fame) tried to film the novel 'Man of La Mancha' for the big screen. However the whole production was plagued with problems, from filming just outside an air force base in Spain, to torrential rain and floods. In the end the film was so far behind schedule it had to be abandoned.

This documentary follows the production from pre-production right through to the heart breaking moment when Gilliam realises he cannot complete this labour of love due to these unforseen circumstances. The documentary shows a few snippets of what looked like it could have been a great film with a post modern twist (in the shape of Johnny Depp as a time traveller) but staying faithful to the original novel. The photography looks great and the film makers original intention of making a 'making of' documentary for the dvd/tv promo becomes a fascinating piece of the risks of making an independently financed big budget film outside of the studio system.… more »

In 2000, director Terry Gilliam (of Monty Python fame) tried to film the novel 'Man of La Mancha' for the big screen. However the whole production was plagued with problems, from filming just outside an air force base in Spain, to torrential rain and floods. In the end the film was so far behind schedule it had to be abandoned.

This documentary follows the production from pre-production right through to the heart breaking moment when Gilliam realises he cannot complete this labour of love due to these unforseen circumstances. The documentary shows a few snippets of what looked like it could have been a great film with a post modern twist (in the shape of Johnny Depp as a time traveller) but staying faithful to the original novel. The photography looks great and the film makers original intention of making a 'making of' documentary for the dvd/tv promo becomes a fascinating piece of the risks of making an independently financed big budget film outside of the studio system. Gilliam chose to shoot in Spain (where the novel is set) but it all goes very wrong for him leading one to wonder if there is a curse on the novel (several people have tried to film this over the years, including Orson Welles, and few have actually managed to complete production).

This is a real insight into the effort that goes into making any film, and how even the biggest names in the business aren't immune to bad luck and bad judgement. This is film for anyone interested in the world of film making, from those with just a passing interest to the film student. This dvd is seriously great value!