12 Monkeys • The Next Reel

Terry Gilliam has said that 'The Fisher King' and 'Twelve Monkeys' were two of the easiest films for him to make. Perhaps that's because he found the right way to work in the studio system, perhaps it's because he found the right people to work with, perhaps it's because he wasn't working with his own scripts. It's hard to say why that is, but they certainly proved successful at the box office, showing that Gilliam wasn't box office poison and allowing him to continue his career. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we conclude our Terry Gilliam series with his 1995 film 'Twelve Monkeys.' We talk about what Gilliam did between 'The Fisher King' and this film and why he latched onto this film. We discuss the nature of the story and how it works for us now — is it a film we love or a film that ends up being forgotten not long after rewatching it. We chat about the three main actors — Bruce Willis, Madeline Stowe and Brad Pitt — and what they each bring to the table, as well as some of the fantastic supporting cast. We cover the nature of time travel and debate whether this film's rules really work, or if that matters as long as the rules apply within the film itself. And we chat about Terry Gilliam and what we've learned about him over the course of this series. It's a great way to finish up — tune in! Hey! You know what would be awesome? If you would drop us a positive rating on iTunes! If you like what we’re doing here on TNR, it really is the best way to make sure that this show appears when others search for it, plus, it’s just a nice thing to do. Thanks!! The Next Reel on iTunesThe Next Reel on FacebookThe Next Reel on TwitterThe Next Reel on FlickchartThe Next Reel on LetterboxdGuess the Movie with The Next Reel on InstagramCheck out the Posters with The Next Reel on Pinterest And for anyone interested in our fine bouquet of show hosts: Follow Andy Nelson on TwitterFollow Pete Wright on TwitterFollow Steve Sarmento on TwitterCheck out Tom Metz on IMDBFollow Mike Evans on TwitterFollow Chadd Stoops on TwitterFollow Steven Smart on LetterboxdSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible