TWELVE MONKEYS (1995)

MORGAN'S GRADE

A   B   C   D   F

Terry Gilliam's nightmarish low-tech/high-tech future vision takes place in 1997, after a deadly virus has killed 99% of the human population--forcing the survivors to flee beneath our planet's surface. This leaves the animals topside to rule the Earth once again. Scientists select James Cole, an imprisoned sociopath, to return to the past and gather information useful in the defense against the contagion. Once back in time, he is to investigate the mysterious' Army of the Twelve Monkeys and report his findings that they are planning to release the virus into select cities. But, he is wanted by the authorities for murder and kidnapping, plus he refuses to return to the future when he falls in love.

Bruce Willis (James Cole), Madeleine Stowe (Dr. Kathryn Railly), Brad Pitt (Jeffrey Goines), Frederick Strother (L.J Washington), Christopher Plummer (Dr. Leland Goines), David Morse (Dr. Peters), Lisa Gay Hamilton (Teddy), Jon Seda (Jose), Michael Chance (Scarface), Vernon Campbell (Tiny), Joey Perillo (Detective Franki), Rozwill Young (Billings), Robert O'Neill (Wayne), Christopher Meloni (Detective Dalva), Frank Gorshin (Dr. Owen Fletcher), Rick Warner (Dr. Casey), Anthony 'Chip' Brienza (Dr. Goodin), Jann Ellis (Marilou), Joseph Melito (Young Cole), Harry O'Toole (Louie), Felix A. Pire (Fale), Matt Ross (Bee), Kevin Thigpen (Kweskin), Joseph McKenna (Wallace), Michael Ryan Segal (Weller).

THE FUTURE IS HISTORY.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Terry Gilliam. WRITERS: David Webb Peoples, Janet Peoples and based on the Chris Marker film La Jetee. PRODUCER: Charles Roven. ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Mark Egerton and Kelley Smith-Wait. CO-PRODUCER: Lloyd Phillips. EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Robert Kosberg, Gary Levinsohn and Robert Cavallo. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Paul Buckmaster; non original music by: Bernard Herrmann (from Vertigo), Charles Olins and Astor Piazzolla (from suite Punta del Este). DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures.

FACTS

RELEASE DATE: December 27th, 1995 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $13.8 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $57.1 million (USA) WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $157.9 million BUDGET: $29 million (USA) - Director Terry Gilliam first met Willis while casting his film The Fisher King. He was impressed by the sensitivity shown by him in the scene from Die Hard where McClane talks about his wife while pulling glass from his feet. Talking to Willis, Gilliam discovered that this part was adlibbed by Willis. Gilliam remembered this, and was convinced to cast him in this film. - Willis has said that this is only the second film where he decided to take a role in a film after only one reading of the script. The other film was Pulp Fiction. - Gilliam gave Willis a list of "Willis acting cliches" not to be used during the film, including the "steely blue eyes look." - Features a fresnel (flat) lens, as did Brazil (1985), also directed by Gilliam. - The voice of a reporter on the radio says, "This is Roger Pratt reporting." Pratt was the film's director of photography. - Right after Dr. Leland Goines gets off the phone with Dr. Reilly, Dr. Peters can be seen handling a tray of seven vials filled with golden liquid. Twice in the movie, a passage of the Book of Revelations is quotted referring to seven golden vials filled with God's wrath. - Nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Costume Design and Best Supporting Actor.

QUOTES

Goines: There is no such thing as right and wrong, there's just popular opinion.

Goines: Telephone call? Telephone call? That's communication with the outside world. Doctor's 'discretion'. Nuh-uh. Look, hey -- all of these nuts could just make phone calls, they could spread insanity, oozing through telephone cables, oozing into the ears of all these poor sane people, infecting them. Wackos everywhere, plague of madness.

Goines: You know what crazy is? Crazy is majority rules!

Cole: Look at them. They're just asking for it. Maybe the human race deserves to be wiped out. Goines: Wiping out the human race? That's a great idea. That's great. But more of a long-term thing. I mean, first we have to focus on more immediate goals.

Goines: Sorry. Sorry. I got a little agitated. The thought of escape crossed my mind, and then suddenly -- suddenly -- suddenly I felt like bending the fucking bars back, ripping the goddamn window frames and eating them - yes, eating them! Leaping, leaping, leaping! Colonics for everyone! All right! You dumb assholes. I'm a mental patient. I'm supposed to act out!

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"Plays with present/past/future tense in ways both clever and confusing; at the very least, it's the kind of movie that leaves you with plenty to talk about afterward." -- Leonard Maltin

Goines: You're a total nutcase, completely deranged, delusional, paranoid. Your thought process is all fucked up. Your information train is jammed, man!

"All of this is done very well, and the more you know about movies (especially the technical side), the more you're likely to admire it. But a comedy it's not. And as an entertainment, it appeals more to the mind than to the senses." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

"Exhilarating momentum" -- Desson Howe, Washington Post

"Densely plotted, visually dynamic." -- Rita Kempley, Washington Post

"It's good to see Willis carrying a movie of genuine ambition and Pitt showing a comically flaky side that ought to be exploited more." -- Mike Clark, USA Today

"Best of all, this movie challenges the mind -- something that too few productions can be accused of these days." -- James Berardinelli