Classic Movie Review: 'The Adventures of Baron Munchausen' Joins The Criterion Collection

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989)

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Written by Charles McKeown, Terry Gilliam

Starring John Neville, Sarah Polley, Eric Idle, Robin Williams

Release Date March 10th, 1989

Published January 3rd, 2023

Terry Gilliam's delirious, chaotic, and fantastic, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, is now part of the Criterion Collection. Released in 1989, this wildly over the top, sensory overload inducing film remains, 34 years after release, as alive and full of imagination as ever. Even as special effects and cinematography have evolved past the somewhat aged looking Munchausen, Gilliam's dedication to practical effects gives his masterpiece a timeless look.

The story of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen begins on the stage where an acting troupe is acting out the supposedly fictitious adventures of Baron Munchausen. The story kicks into gear when the real Baron Munchausen (John Neville), charges the stage and demands to be allowed to tell the story of his adventures correctly. Thus, the Baron launches into a fantastical story about his conflict with the Grand Turk, one that began with a reasonable wager and ended with the Baron and his men leaving with all of the wealth of the empire.

The Baron's remarkable and vivid tale is interrupted when that same Grand Turk and his army begin to bombard the English city where this tale had been told. Caught off guard, it appears that the English are to be overrun by the Turks until the Baron makes a big move and creates for himself an airship on which he will fly across the galaxy to gather his servants to help fight the Turks. Stowing away on the Baron's airship is Sally Salt (Sarah Polley), a plucky youngster who is one of the few who believes that the Baron's fantasies are real.

And boy are they real. indeed, the Baron takes Sally to the Moon where The King of the Moon (Robin Williams), imprisons them. There they are able to recover The Baron's top assistant, played by Eric Idle. Naturally, there is an amazing escape that leads to another remarkable adventure that includes a brief bit of romance wherein The Baron is smitten with the wife of a dangerous bandit king. Uma Thurman is luminous as the Queen while the inimitable Oliver Reed chews the very large and practically crafted sets.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a wildly imaginative masterwork. It's pure chaos but in the best possible way. The flights of fantasy and the visual delights never rest while the extraordinary cast provides even more color with big, broad, and hilarious performances. Star John Neville grounds the story with elegant dignity and roguish charm, while Sarah Polley never succumbs to the clichés of a plucky child sidekick. Her Sally is an urgent part of the plot as she plays the part of the Baron's conscience.

The remaining supporting cast are exceptional as they bring lively imagination and bright broad laughs and adventure. It could go without saying, but I am going to say it, Robin Williams is a stand out. It's clear that Terry Gilliam gave Robin a wide berth to play around with the role of The King of the Moon and play around he does. Williams doesn't merely steal scenes, he comes crashing into the movie, dominates the proceedings and then rushes off as quick as he came. It's a classically Robin Williams performance of broad physicality and scatology. Your tolerance for Robin Williams at his most unhinged is probably a good gauge for whether or not you will enjoy The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

Roger Ebert noted in his 3 star 1989 review of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen that indeed, there was a real Baron Munchausen. He was a general, he fought on behalf of Russia against the Turkish army and had a habit for greatly embellishing his war stories. Terry Gilliam takes those embellishments and makes a movie entirely of the greatest, most outlandish embellishments imaginable. And he has a great deal of fun doing it. There is sooooo much fun to be had while watching The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and, for me, fun will always be the film's lasting legacy.

Now, for the first time, fans of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen can get the movie on 4K Blu Ray and DVD as part of the Criterion Collection. The new release features a fully restored print of the film, a new documentary on the making of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and a commentary track featuring Director Terry Gilliam and his co-screenwriter Charles McKeown. The Criterion Collection is home to hundreds of titles, some of the greatest films ever made, and it is incredible to see The Criterion Collection embracing the madness of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

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