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The Fisher King [DVD] [1991]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Arthurian mythology and modern-day decay seem perfect complements to each other in Terry Gilliam's drama/comedy/fantasy The Fisher King. Shock jock Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) makes an off-handed radio remark that causes a man to go on a killing spree, leaving Lucas unhinged with guilt. His later, chance meeting with Parry (Robin Williams), a homeless man suffering from dementia, gets him involved in the unlikely quest for the Holy Grail. The rickety and patently unrealistic stand that insanity is just a wonderful place to be and that the homeless are all errant knights wears awfully thin, but, there are numerous moments of sad grace and violent beauty in this film. The screenplay by Richard LaGravenese launched his successful career and his smart wordplay helped garner Mercedes Ruehl an Oscar as Lucas' girlfriend. --Keith Simanton


One of Gilliam's Best
Review date: 2010-08-06 Rating: 8 out of 10

Anyone familiar with the work of Terry Gilliam, I'm sure will be aware of his distinctive ability to splice and integrate genres and themes within his films. In 1985's `Brazil' we see drama, satire and romance fused with fantasy and sci-fi, while 2006's genre defying `Tideland', my personal Gilliam favourite, combines elements of dream-like surrealism with gritty drama. With `The Fisher King' (1991) we see a slightly more conventional platform for Gilliam's unique vision. Set in New York, `The Fisher King' could be described as part drama, part comedy and part romance, primarily following the relationship between a suicidal DJ named Jack (Jeff Bridges) and a psychologically deranged homeless man called Parry (Robin Williams), as they embark on a quest for personal redemption and romance.

For a number of reasons, I really enjoyed `The Fisher King'. To begin with, the direction is as reliably inventive and visually resplendent as one would expect from Gilliam. In one especially notable scene, we see a bustling subway station magically transformed into a majestic ballroom, the passengers passing through the station also being subject to this transformation, now gracefully dancing with, and amongst one another. This transition takes place as the homeless Parry follows Lydia (Amanda Plummer), the woman with whom he has fallen deeply in love with over the course of seeing her pass through the station every day. Gilliam's masterful direction in whimsically altering the physical surroundings of the character as a means to represent their state of mind is a common trait in his work, and is as ambitious and awe-inspiring as ever.

The cast of `The Fisher King' are equally impressive in their performances, with Jeff Bridges turning in a typically solid, perfectly measured portrayal of Jack Lucas. However, one of the strongest and most surprising aspects of the film is the superb performance from Robin Williams as Parry. For me Williams has always been a source of massive irritation. A performer whose sheer presence can be enough to ruin a scene, for fear of a typically `wacky' outburst, usually consisting of him shouting lots and leaping around like an over-excited child. An insufferably drawn out and familiar routine, I think you'll agree. Yet here he manages to keep the balance just right, maintaining the manic edge of the character whilst providing a subtle aura of shyness and fragility that is at times both deeply moving and heart-warming. The moment that he finally professes his love for Lydia almost had me in tears, such was the beauty of the performances in the scene from Williams and Plummer.

In many ways `The Fisher King' could be seen as Gilliam's most ambitious film. Though many may argue otherwise, that the likes of `Brazil' and `Tideland' are far more visually experimental and deal with seemingly more difficult subject matter, it is for this very reason that I believe the opposite. For Terry Gilliam to release a `difficult' or `surreal' film is generally a to be expected, whereas to produce a mainstream film that is at times funny, heart-warming, tragic and romantic, is in my view, a somewhat more difficult challenge. Particularly, as it retains all the classic Gilliam hallmarks of experimentalism and creative integrity. Although it doesn't quite take the crown of Gilliam's best from `Tideland', it's certainly a close runner-up.



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Reviews


Knockout performance by Bridges.
Review date: 2010-07-05 Rating: 10 out of 10

How good is Jeff Bridges in this film? Robin Williams has some wonderful moments - especially when mining the dark emotional turmoil called up by the murder of his wife where he becomes almost scary - but Bridges performance is one of fantastic subtlety and range. His manic-cynical shock jock is close to demonic, hinting at utterly vacant. Check out the close up when he learns of the disaster his offhand misanthropy has created...a masterclass in screen acting. He gets great rants but like all the best he is such a generous actor and reactor and wonderful to watch while he is listening.

The supporting cast are similarly great - for me only the daffy Amanda Plummer comes anywhere close to hamming it up (though I admit Robin Williams has a few moments which are little more than sops to the stand-up crowd). All in all great, dark Gilliam movie with all of his best features held in tow by a firm plot, strong lucid handling and a fine series of subtle references to Hollywood past and present.

The Fisher King
Review date: 2010-06-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

I love this film- it makes you believe in human kindness and a little bit of magic!

Brilliant
Review date: 2010-06-05 Rating: 10 out of 10

Loved this film. A hard arsed cynical shock jock meets lowly homeless eccentric happy in his environment apart from one thing.

This film sees them exchange some wonderfully funny moments, their meeting changes their lives forever.

One of the worst films ever.
Review date: 2010-02-22 Rating: 2 out of 10

I think if you had to combine a separate set of elements into a film that combined to make me detest it as much as possible you would come pretty close to the Fisher King. Why so? It combines a false humility about its central message, the characterisation is unbelievable, the modern parable like theme engendered to show generic human truths is so cloyed and contrived that it is just nauseating, and finally Robin Williams. When Robin Williams is good, he is funny, sharp and quick, when he is bad he plays to the oh so sweet as Mum's apple tart stereotype that you just can't stomach it. Finally there are some scenes in here invoking the parable like message in this that are completely incongruous. Whilst many appear to like this film on this board I must disagree, for me the Fisher King is one of the most pretentious films ever made. It is simply awful.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Mercedes Ruehl
Robin Williams
Jeff Bridges
Amanda Plummer

Creators:
Robin Williams (Primary Contributor)
Jeff Bridges (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Uca
Manufacturer: Uca
EAN: 5050582409444
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2006-02-06
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 137 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1991
Language: Arabic (Subtitled)
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Language: Turkish (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)

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