6. Handmade Films Releases Blockbusting Time Bandits (1981) Kickstarting Terry Gilliam's Solo Filmmaking Career
Monty Python's Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin joined forces to write a screenplay about time traveling dwarves who jump from era to era to steal as much as they can. Glancing over a two page treatment, George thinks its a good idea and sets the ball rolling while Denis O'Brien sets about securing the cash needed for its epic sets and production design. With Sean Connery added to the cast and Terry Gilliam's imaginative visual style given freedom to run wild, Time Bandits was the kind of quirky risk that could only have been made at Handmade Films. Always one to help out where he could, George would write and perform the film's closing song Dream Away and help on the promotional trail as well. Time Bandits became a huge hit in America, won rave reviews and went on to make back its $5m budget back eight times over. Time Bandits gave Handmade Films considerable muscle to get more movies in the can in the following years (including two more celebrated Michael Palin projects A Private Function and The Missionary) while also giving inexperienced, but passionate filmmakers a chance to get their projects off the ground.
Dave Lancaster
Despite a fear of using plastic cutlery and drinking overly milky brews, Dave is open to indulging in most other things at least once especially when it comes to movies and music.
10 of his favourite films are: Masaki Kobayashi's Hara-Kiri, Ingmar Bergman's Persona, Martin Brest's Midnight Run, Lawrence Kasdan's The Big Chill, Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves, Peter Medak's The Ruling Class, H.G. Clouzot's Les Diaboliques, Hector Babenco's Kiss of the Spider Woman, Fritz Lang's The Testament of Dr. Mabuse and Sidney Lumet's Network.
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