'Grimm' proves exquisitely beautiful, sadly flawed

An imagination as broad and deep as Gilliam’s would surely cram several craniums.

For it to fit inside one brain is a feat of nature, indeed.

In tackling his latest film, Gilliam focuses on a pair of imaginative geniuses whose works have been engrained in our collective consciousness for some 200 years.

Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm collected and published 209 “fairy tales” – folk stories that had been handed down for hundreds of years already – that have entertained and educated generations since.

Many a child’s initial understanding of the basic concepts of right and wrong, heroes and villains, fair play, justice and just desserts has come about during a “Grimm” moment.

It should also be noted that during their lifetimes the Grimms published other important works, including “German Mythology,” “Old German Tales,” “The History of the German Language” and a German dictionary.

Jake and Will – as they are referred to in the film – were far from the rapscallions Gilliam presents onscreen. That fact is merely one of the problems with the director’s exquisitely beautiful but sadly flawed film.

Gilliam’s work dates back to the 1970s where, as the sole American in Britain’s brilliant Monty Python comedy troupe, he was responsible for the hilarious and always off-kilter cut-and-paste animation that graced the group’s “Flying Circus” TV show.

Gilliam’s style has influenced animation since. Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of “South Park,” are obvious fans and students.

When the Pythons first began making films, someone had to be credited as “director,” and Gilliam was elected.

He soon headed out to pursue his own visions.

“Time Bandits” was a fairy tale that was obviously influenced by the Grimms.

“Brazil” broke entirely new visual ground.

With “The Fisher King,” Gilliam reached a zenith.

Recently he had to scrap a film version of “Don Quixote.” Hopes are high that somehow that project will eventually find its way to screen or DVD.

On the rebound from “Quixote,” Gilliam fashioned “The Brothers Grimm” from a screenplay by “The Skeleton Key” writer Ehren Kruger. Not satisfied with the initial script, Gilliam and Tony Grisoni rewrote it.

They are credited as “Dress Pattern Makers” at the film’s end.

The rewrite didn’t save “The Brothers Grimm” in the story department. It remains a mishmash of splattered narrative pulling itself apart at the seams.

It is confounding and confusing.

But that’s the writing.

The visuals – on the other hand – are subtly spectacular (if that isn’t a contradiction).

While critics usually eschew touting style over substance, there are the rare exceptions. “The Brothers Grimm,” like “The City of Lost Children,” is definitely one.

Forget the plot, which involves Matt Damon and Heath Ledger as the title characters. They gallivant around early 19th century Europe bilking superstitious townsfolk out of money.

Think “Ghostbusters, 1800.”

Then comes the surprise that tries its hardest to drive the film.

While the Grimms ordinarily “don’t believe in spooks,” the haunted forest facing them now is a different matter.

Village children have been disappearing. The trees in the forest readily realign themselves. A marauding wolf may be related to the brothers’ beautiful and headstrong local contact. Angelika has lost a father and other kin to this forest. She is as true to her cause as the Grimms are out for a quick buck.

The plot(s) move in so many directions they defy a viewer to follow.

Maybe Gilliam shouldn’t be taken to task for this. His brain probably works at a higher frequency than the rest of ours.

Nobody can actually understand what Jimi Hendrix was doing to a guitar, but the listener somehow knew it was a force to be revered. So, too, the films of Terry Gilliam.

The sheer artistic vision Gilliam displays in this film is reason enough to see “The Brothers Grimm” and to put it in your collection when it comes out on DVD.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.