Lost in La Mancha (2003)
87%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
2 wins & 11 nominations total
A remarkable behind-the-scenes look at a movie that wasn’t, Lost in La Mancha is an incisive, entertaining document of the difficulties inherent in the moviemaking process
Lost in La Mancha is a documentary that shows the behind-the-scenes of a movie gone wrong, and it’s a must-watch for anyone who thinks making movies is easy. Terry Gilliam, the director, never once took off his microphone or asked the filmmakers to stop rolling, which is impressive considering everything that went wrong. From nature to human failings to just plain bad luck, everything seemed to conspire against the filmmaker. But hey, at least we got a fascinating study in the cinematic arts and a gem for all those that love the movies, even the ones that don’t get made. Plus, it’s worth watching just to catch glimpses of the Gilliam works and to be strangely reassured that disasters and misfortune happen even to the best artists.
Production Company(ies)
B S B C I P Lorimar Film Entertainment,
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Bardenas Reales, Navarra, Spain
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
2002
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.33 : 1
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Runtime:1h 32m
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Language(s):English, Spanish, French
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 31, 2003 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 24, 2003
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Lost in La Mancha, Terry Gilliam, Don Quixote, Johnny Depp, documentary, Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe, Lucy Darwin, film financing, film insurance, flash floods, cast no-shows, serious injuries, setbacks, R rating, $731.6K box office, Jeff Bridges, Miriam Cutler, film editing, reviewed by Kevin Maher, Peter Bradshaw, David Ansen, Roger Moore, Rene Rodriguez, Bill Muller, Allen Almachar, Joe Lozito, Jason Gorber, Jeffrey Overstreet, Jacob Bricca, Miriam Cutler, Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman, Songs From the Second Floor, Born Into Brothels, Deliver Us From Evil, In This World, directed by Keith Fulton, directed by Louis Pepe, produced by Lucy Darwin, reviewed by Times (UK), Guardian, Newsweek, Orlando Sentinel, Miami Herald, Arizona Republic, The MacGuffin, Big Picture Big Sound, Looking Closer, Los Angeles Alternative, Don Quixote adaptation, film production, film financing, film insurance, film setbacks, film crew, film cast, film director, film producer, film editing, film music, film critic reviews, film audience reviews, film box office performance, film budget, film genre, film MPAA rating
Worldwide gross: $1,407,019
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,333,629
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,372
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 254,485
US/Canada gross: $732,393
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,214,720
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,141
US/Canada opening weekend: $63,303
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $104,992
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,915
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Keith Fulton – Director
Louis Pepe – Director
Lucy Darwin – Producer
Jacob Bricca – Film Editing
Miriam Cutler – Original Music
Director(s)
Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Lucy Darwin
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
2 wins & 11 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (103) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (97) | Rotten (6)
Gilliam compels throughout…
April 15, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A documentary that should be shown in all film schools.
April 13, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Anyone who thinks making movies is easy needs to see this hilariously painful cautionary tale. It’s a tribute to Gilliam that he never once took off his mike or asked the filmmakers to stop rolling.
March 9, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Wondrous document of a film gone wrong and an artist who inspires fans, cast and crew, even as he terrifies financiers, insurers and anyone more firmly footed in filmmaking reality.
May 23, 2003 | Rating: 5/5
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
A fascinating record of how the movie fell apart, piece by piece, with everything short of a natural disaster conspiring against the filmmaker.
May 2, 2003 | Rating: 3/4
Rene Rodriguez
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
A fascinating study in the cinematic arts, as we watch a talented director and a committed crew and cast thwarted by nature, human failings and just plain bad luck.
May 1, 2003 | Rating: 4/5
Bill Muller
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
A gem … for all those that love the movies, even the ones that don’t get made.
August 14, 2020
Allen Almachar
The MacGuffin
December 27, 2007 | Rating: 3/4
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound
In the end, I’m left with an immeasurable appreciation for how bloody hard 1st A.D.’s work on set, and the crap they’ve got to deal with.
June 21, 2007 | Rating: A
Jason Gorber
Film Scouts
It’s worth watching to catch glimpses of the Gilliam works, and to be strangely reassured that disasters and misfortune happen even to the best artists.
January 15, 2005 | Rating: B+
Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer
entertaining without always being compelling
September 30, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
Jay Antani
Los Angeles Alternative
I’d pay to watch Terry Gilliam take out his trash, but there’s nothing in Lost in La Mancha much more exciting than that.
July 7, 2004
Martin Scribbs
Low IQ Canadian…
Plot
Director Terry Gilliam is the latest filmmaker to try and bring Miguel de Cervantes y Saavedra’s “Don Quixote de la Mancha” to the big screen, the movie to be called The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. Before filming even begins, Gilliam, who has moved from Hollywood studio to European financing, will have to scale back his vision as his budget has been slashed from $40 million to $32 million, still astronomical by European standards. But Gilliam is a dreamer, much like his title character, and his vision for the movie is uncompromising, meaning with the reduced budget that there is no margin for error and that some of his department heads may have to achieve miracles with their allotted moneys. During pre-production and actual filming, what Gilliam does not foresee is contractual and health issues with his actors, and the effects of Mother Nature. The question is does Gilliam have a Plan B if/when things go wrong.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Lost in La Mancha on Fresh Kernels.
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