Plot
An account of Baron Munchausen's supposed travels and fantastical experiences with his band of misfits.

Release Year: 1988

Rating: 7.0/10 (23,879 voted)

Critic's Score: 69/100

Director: Terry Gilliam

Stars: John Neville, Eric Idle, Sarah Polley

Storyline
The fantastic tale of an 18th century aristocrat, his talented henchmen and a little girl in their efforts to save a town from defeat by the Turks. Being swallowed by a giant sea-monster, a trip to the moon, a dance with Venus and an escape from the Grim Reaper are only some of the improbable adventures.

Writers: Charles McKeown, Terry Gilliam

Cast:
John Neville - Hieronymus Karl Frederick Baron von Munchausen
Eric Idle - Desmond / Berthold
Sarah Polley - Sally Salt
Oliver Reed - Vulcan
Charles McKeown - Rupert / Adolphus
Winston Dennis - Bill / Albrecht
Jack Purvis - Jeremy / Gustavus
Valentina Cortese - Queen Ariadne / Violet
Jonathan Pryce - The Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson
Bill Paterson - Henry Salt
Peter Jeffrey - Sultan
Uma Thurman - Venus / Rose
Alison Steadman - Daisy
Ray Cooper - Functionary
Don Henderson - Commander

Taglines: A true story. We've got the film to prove it.

Release Date: 10 March 1989

Filming Locations: Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Box Office Details

Budget: $46,630,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $597,400 (USA) (10 March 1989) (46 Screens)

Gross: $8,083,123 (USA)

Runtime: 126 min

Trivia:
Robin Williams played the King of the Moon. The credits list "Ray D. Tutto". This is the English transliteration of the Italian phrase "Re di Tutto", which means "King of Everything", which was how the King of the Moon introduces himself to the Baron. Robin Williams performed the part as soon as he arrived in England after a transatlantic flight.

Goofs:
Anachronisms: A sousaphone is used in the victory celebration honoring the Baron. The sousaphone, however, was invented in 1908.

Quotes:
Baron Munchausen: I'm Baron Munchausen!
Berthold: That sounds nasty. Is it contagious?

The King Of The Moon, and other wild things

Rating: 9/10

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is one of those films that you either love or hate. You may hate it because the inner child in you has not been released. You may love it because the inner child in you have full reign and want a wonderful fairy tale. This film has all the elements, flying ships (A balloon made of ladies knickers), monsters (A gigantic whale that looks like an island), and a little girl observing all the fantastical adventures. A city is under siege and a theater troupe is trying to perform a play during all of this. In comes an elderly man (The wonderful John Neville)who claims that the troupe has it all wrong and that he, himself, is the real Baron and wants to tell the story straight. From there, his adventure really takes off. He and Sally (The cute as a button Sarah Polley)go off in search of his friends to help save the city: Berthold (Clever Eric Idle), the fastest man around; Albrecht, the strongest man in the world; Adolphus, the man with the sharpest sight around and Gustavus, the man with the keen hearing and breath that can blow elephants off their feet. The gangs adventures bring them to the Moon, where the King (Wild as ever Robin Williams)has trouble holding on to his head, to the Underworld, where Venus (Beautiful Uma Thurman)drives her hubby Vulcan (The wonderful Oliver Reed) insane with jealousy. The story and the visuals (Especially the Moon) are beautiful and the ending is interesting. You get so caught up in the story that the viewer gets lost in what is real and what is not. Great for teens and up. Kids may get scared at some of the scenes.

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