Plot: What’s it about?
The tales of Baron Munchausen are well known, even to the extent that a play about his supposed adventures has been put into production. In the same city where Munchausen was said to reside, the play is being put on, but the performance is halted thanks to an attack by the Turks. As the battle rages around the theatre, a man arrives who claims to be the real Baron Munchausen (John Neville) and he claims the war is his own fault. As he begins to spin the tale of how this all came to be, the line between reality and fantasy begins to disappear. Is he the real Munchausen? Is he just a crazy man on the loose, or does he have the chance to end this war before it destroys his beloved city?
You can tell this is a Terry Gilliam picture, his fingerprints are visible and his style is unmistakable. I’ve enjoyed numerous Gilliam films, but The Adventures of Baron Munchausen isn’t one of his better works. The main issues come from the storyline, which is too loose and wandering, even for a Gilliam picture. Had some of the strands been tightened up or cut out, the plot could have worked better and the film been more satisfying. But Gilliam does deliver in terms of vision, as the movie’s world is filled with dream-like visuals. The lush costumes, wild characters, and imaginative production design elements. So while the substance is a little off, the style is here in droves. The movie is sure to delight some and disappoint others, but there is enough positive here to make a solid recommendation. This Blu-ray release isn’t a revelation, but it is a decent upgrade and for dedicated fans, this is the one you’ll want in your collection.
Video: How does it look?
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a welcome improvement over the standard release, but don’t expect the world from this transfer. The image shows impressive detail, with subtle touches visible and more than solid depth. I wouldn’t call this a night & day difference and the visuals don’t pop off the screen, but clarity is much enhanced, to be sure. I was also impressed by the colors, which seem richer and fuller here, though contrast does come off as a little inconsistent at times. The tolls of time have also impact the material, which looks uneven and worn, though not to an extreme level. I do think this is a nice looking presentation, but even a high definition spit shine can only do so much when the source material is a little shaky, as it is here.
Audio: How does it sound?
I wasn’t blown away by this Dolby TrueHD 5.1 option, but the overall sound has been fine tuned and this is the best version you’ll hear on home video. The mix shows the age of the source, as impact is minimal and even the most intense scenes come off as laid back. The audio is thin, but acceptable. I do think dialogue sounds quite good, while the music provides more of a boost than I had expected. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Terry Gilliam and actor Charles McKeown provide audio comments and as always, Gilliam is a pleasure to listen to. He talks at length about the trials of the production, from studio interference to financial limitations. He is quite candid and open about the process, which gives us an inside look at the clash between art & business in the film world. McKeown chimes in here and there, but Gilliam is the main draw and gets most of the air time here. Another great inclusion is a seventy-two minute, three part look behind the scenes. As discussed in the commentary, the battle between studio and filmmaker is on showcase in candid fashion, but that isn’t all we’re shown. A good deal of time is spent on the special effects process, the difficulties of bringing Gilliam’s vision to life, which also prove to be well worth a look. This disc also includes three storyboard sequences, deleted scenes, and a trivia track to give us even more behind the scenes information.
