Already the subject of the documentary Lost In La Mancha, Terry Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote has been described as the "film that didn't want to be made". The story is a modern take on Cervantes' novel Don Quixote, about an elderly 17th century noble who wants to become a knight. Gilliams version would have had a modern business man travel back in time and become mistaken for Quixote's squire, Sancho Panza.
Production began in 2000, after Gilliam spent two years casting the role of Don Quixote. The role went to French actor Jean Rochefort, who had to learn English for the part, and he would act alongside Johnny Depp as his reluctant squire. The shoot got off to a rocky start when the location in Spain was discovered to be near a functioning military base, and jets flying over head ruined audio recordings. It was decided the ruined audio would be re dubbed in post production. On the second day of shooting a flash flood washed away equipment, and changed the color of most of the scenery, rendering the previous footage unusable. The killing blow came when Rochefort suffered a double herniated disc, rendering him in constant pain and unable to act. Feeling that too much time was already spent on the project, and that Rochefort was irreplaceable, Gilliam called time on the film.
Not wanting to give up, Gilliam has spent the last few years trying to raise the money for another attempt at the project, and sorting out legal issues concerning rights to the film stemming from the first failed shoot. In 2009, all seemed well and the project was moving forward, with Rochefort and Depp being replaced by Robert Duvall and Ewan McGregor. This attempt didn't reach the shooting stage, with the funding collapsing during pre-production, and McGregor leaving the project. That was the last we heard of the project.
Now, speaking to the blog Money Into Light, the film's writer Tony Grisoni, who also worked with Gilliam on Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas and Tideland, has revealed they are still moving forward with the project. He had this to say, "Us Survivors of Don Q are a strange kind of dysfunctional family. Every year since we have rewritten the screenplay. You will be pleased to hear the Don is back up and in the saddle, and ready to ride under new colors".
I am glad this project isn't dead. It sounds like a very interesting story. Gilliam has proven himself to be a very capable and imaginative director, and you really have to admire his determination to get this film made.
