Terry Gilliam is not only the sole American member of Monty Python, but he is responsible for the group's iconic animations and co-directed the group's movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. When the members began to focus more on their individual work in the mid-1970s, Gilliam emerged as a visionary film director. Though beloved by his fans, Gilliam's films are often too quirky for mainstream audiences and are often hampered by insufferable production problems. Nonetheless, it's impossible to find much fault with Gilliam's funniest fantasy films, including Time Bandits, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Fisher King and what is considered his masterpiece, Brazil. While the humor in his non-Python work is darker and more subtle, it proves Gilliam is a immensely versatile comedian. Gilliam's movies have won major awards - including several BAFTA Awards for Brazil and Baron Munchausen - but they are all in categories like Production Design, Visual Effects, and Costume Design. Gilliam's sole Oscar nomination was for the screenplay of Brazil, which he co-wrote with others. In recent years he has been awarded a number of Lifetime Achievement awards from several prestigious organizations, but considering Gilliam's gifts as a comedic filmmaker they seem like consolation prizes. Are there any comedy filmmakers that you think should have made this list? Share your pick in the comments below.
Chris McKittrick is a published author of fiction and non-fiction and has spoken about film and comic books at conferences across the United States. In addition to his work at WhatCulture!, he is a regular contributor to CreativeScreenwriting.com, MovieBuzzers.com, and DailyActor.com, a website focused on acting in all media. For more information, visit his website at http://www.chrismckit.com.
