Terry Gilliam and his use of the wide angle lenses.

Terry Gilliam is a filmmaker known for many things including surreal imagery, dystopian settings and a messy history with studios. However, the most distinct visual trademark of the auteur is his usage of wide angle lenses, which has led to the 14mm lens lovingly being dubbed the “Gilliam lens” amongst filmmakers.

The wide angle distorts and bends the image, allowing more of the mise-en-scène to be noticeable allowing for the intricate and rich set to be fully appreciated. The choice to use this lens forces Gilliam to create detailed sets that encourage world building. Another result of a wide angle lens is the deeper focal length which further allows the background storytelling to shine through. In an interview with NPR Gilliam said "The other thing I like about wide-angle lenses is that I'm not forcing the audience to look at just the one thing that is important.” (2009)

The sets also need to account for the lenses. Whilst shooting Brazil they wanted a shot of Jonathan Pryce’s character, Sam, to look small and powerless in the corner of a padded room. In order to shoot with the 9.8mm lens they were using they needed to make the walls taller than they usually would to exaggerate Sams blocking in the scene. It’s also more work to light a shot as now you have more props and potential characters requiring more powerful lights.

The shot types he likes to use often twists the audiences perception of whats happening. He utilises lots of camera movements, dutch angles and plays with the cameras height. The use of the close ups and dutch angles are most prevalent in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas which has Johnny Depp’s character, Raoul, extending his jaw as close to the lens as he can for the majority of the feature. The combinations of the angles, lens and sweat pouring from the character brings the viewer into the world and mindset of Raoul creating an intense and uneasy atmosphere.

Gilliam likes the use the wider lenses to extend the world of the films he’s creating as well as add to the dreamlike atmosphere. His longtime DP, Nicola Pecorini, even commented on his love of the wide angle lenses, saying, “With Terry and me, a long lens means something between a 40mm and a 65mm.” in an interview with Dreams online Magazine in 2011. Overall, the lenses encapsulate his style as they are grand in scale, allow for detail and expensive.

Written by Stewart McConnell

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Bibliography

Terry Gilliam - Dreams Fanzine | Information, Interviews, Insight and Behind-the-Scenes Reporting on the Work of Writer/Director/Animator Terry Gilliam (2011) “Nicola Pecorini on The Wholly Family | Terry Gilliam - Dreams Fanzine,” February. Available at: https://www.gilliamdreams.com/wholnico.htm#:~:text=Everything%20is%20relative%20though,%20and,manual%20or%20remote-controlled%20head.&text=Apart%20from%20the%20main%20three,Rome,%20all%20were%20from%20Napoli.

Sheehan, H. (2006) Welcome to Brazil. Available at: https://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/0603-Fall-2006/Shot-to-Remember-Brazil.aspx.

Air, F. (2009) “Gilliam’s ‘Imaginarium’: Surreal And All-Too-Real,” NPR, 22 December. Available at: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121751887.

Films mentioned

Brazil. 1985. [Film] Directed by T. Gilliam. United States: Embassy International Pictures.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. 1998. Directed by T Gilliam. United States: Universal Pictures