Terry Gilliam fans were in for a treat on Thursday as the iconoclastic filmmaker's latest venture, "The Zero Theorem", was previewed in a Hall H panel at Comic-Con. While Mr. Gilliam was not in attendance, he did provide an video message to frame the project and introduce the trailer. Under the conceit that he was "... being held captive by the film's producers until 'The Zero Theorem' is finished" - perhaps a reference to his unfinished "Don Quixote" project of a few years back - the filmmaker delivered his message from a cramped workroom, speaking directly and occasionally frantically into the camera. His presentation didn't reveal the plot of the film, and the trailer that followed didn't illuminate much in that regard. But nonetheless, it was quintessential Terry Gilliam: fantastical steampunk-esque settings, a solitary hero battered by his environment and longing for escape, dream landscapes pierced by menacing authoritarian voiceovers, and pacing that escalates to some sort of a crescendo - but what exactly that is, it isn't yet clear.
Representing Mr. Gilliam on the panel were his daughter, Amy Gilliam, and "Zero Theorem" producers Zev Foreman and Dean Zanuck. The trio didn't shed much light on the film itself, though the producers did note that working on the project was "a lot different than working with a first-time filmmaker" because Mr. Gilliam's vision is very clear. When asked about how her working relationship with her father has evolved, Ms. Gilliam shared that their family life was, "a bit like being in a Terry Gilliam movie; there's never a dull moment, and it's always full of lots of stimulation", and this led her to want to work with him professionally, "...not only because I think he's a phenomenal filmmaker, but (also because) to work that closely with a great artist is a good challenge, and it's really nice to do that with someone that you care about and believe in." Asked about her dad's creative process, she stated that "visually, he always has new ways of approaching a story; he never stops exploring, every moment he's creating, and if you give him an idea he's got a better idea. My challenge is always to be ahead of him, and I never can be."
Mr. Zanuck talked about observing Mr. Gilliam's process for translating his ideas to the screen: "It's amazing to see what he does with the written word: we (were working from) a small screenplay, and then each set you step onto just blows your mind. What could be a very small indie (film) becomes an event, and each set is something you've never seen before."
The panel wrapped up their remarks and fielded a few questions from the audience before announcing that as a special feature, they would be screening the first 10 minutes of the film. While the trailer gave an impression of what the finished product would feel like, the opening scenes actually revealed some of the story setup, as well as showcasing Christoph Waltz in the lead role as Qohen Leth. Mr. Waltz's Leth is a man struggling to survive in an overly aggressive, impersonally commercial world, and seeking the answer to a math problem (the titular "zero theorem") that is expected to reveal the meaning of life. There are echoes here of Mr. Gilliam's earlier work, including "Brazil" and "Twelve Monkeys", and moments that feel like nods to "Blade Runner" and even "Minority Report". But the post-modern melange reveals itself to be all Gilliam as we see Leth gird himself for his day ahead, then wince before stepping out the door of his quiet apartment and onto a busy street, where he is immediately assaulted by the antagonistic din of the outside world. The exaggeratedly awful elements of modern life - looming buildings, flashing lights, honking horns, and garish colors - set the stage for what promises to be another thought-provoking tale of a man struggling to maintain independence against the relentless Theorem" - they won't be disappointed.
