Top Film for Each Year of My Life – 1989

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

“And that was only one of the many occasions on which I met my death, an experience which I don't hesitate strongly to recommend.”
Once again, I return to a fantasy world of Terry Gilliam. If anyone has seen the documentary Lost in La Mancha heard many a reference to Munchausen. Much like Gilliam’s Quixote tale, Munchausen had numerous production setbacks and cost overruns. To top it off, studio politics practically buried the film upon its release. A change in the Columbia studio head led Munchausen to be pushed aside because the studio wanted to focus on the new projects, not those of the old regime. Sadly, Gilliam’s brilliant fantasy was one of these films.

Munchausen opened on only 46 screens and didn’t spread to many of the small markets. That’s shocking considering the film cost just over $46 million to make. Needless to say, the film bombed, which is a travesty. I only recently watched the film for the first time upon its DVD release and I only wish I had seen it sooner and in the theater. It’s an epic of beauty, wonder, and imagination.
Nothing else that came out in ’89 makes me feel the same enthusiasm as Munchausen. I don’t have too many complaints about the Oscar nominated films other than they feel so familiar. Stories of inspiration and a Vietnam film. And while I haven’t seen Driving Miss Daisy, I was shocked to discover that it won Best Picture for the year. Not to go on to an Oscar rant, but there was a time when the Best Picture nominees and winners were not only the best, but the most memorable films of the year. With the exception of Field of Dreams (partially because it’s on TV all the time), the rest of the nominees are fairly negligible. That may also be due to the weakness of ’89, in general. Nothing released that year cries out, “classic,” to me at least.

Nothing except Munchausen. From the astounding sets and effects to the huge performances (Oliver Reed is all kinds of incredible). The film is a sensory explosion. My one qualm is Robin Williams (credited as Ray D. Tutto). I’m not a fan of his shtick (though can tolerate it in The Fisher King). Had the part not been cut back, it would have been a reunion of Gilliam and Sean Connery, which would be much preferable. Aside from that (and the gimmick kind of works for the role) the film is a whimsical blast. And if there is one thing I believe about life, is that one must live it with whimsy (I believe more than one thing about life, incidentally). I can’t wait to show the film to my nieces.