They were at the peak of their careers. Terry Gilliam had signed Brazil, Fisher King And The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen and Bruce Willis had triumphed in Crystal trap And pulp Fiction. Their meeting sparked sparks forr The Army of the 12 Monkeysa brilliant science fiction film which is being released in theaters in a restored copy before being available on Blu-Ray DVD on December 5.
“I immediately imagined Bruce Willis in the role of the hero, an inmate sent to the past to try to prevent a deadly epidemic,” explains Terry Gilliam to 20 minutes last Strasbourg Festival. I was struck by its potential for emotion in a scene from crystal trap where he talks to his wife on the phone. Came to visit me on the set of Fisher King, he wanted to confide to me his desire to stand out from his tough image. »
Brad Pitt and the giant condom
Helped by an understanding psychiatrist played by Madeleine Stowe, the hero, a lost man, crosses various eras while trying to accomplish his mission. “Bruce let himself be totally overwhelmed by his role,” remembers Terry Gilliam. He exposed himself in every sense of the word. Especially when he agreed to wear a transparent suit that we nicknamed the “giant condom” to tease him. »
The actor has rarely been as touching as in this film. “He was very focused and didn’t mingle with the crew until the day Brad Pitt arrived on set,” laughs Terry Gilliam.
The young actor had just suddenly achieved superstar status thanks to Edward Zwick’s Legends of the Fall. “He became the favorite on set in no time, which pushed Bruce to compete in funnyness off-take. They were quite a team on set. » Their duo is also remarkable on screen when Brad Pitt, in the skin of an unstable heir with spectacular fits of madness, stands up to his partner who regularly steals the spotlight.
Bruce Willis then in great shape
“Filming with the two biggest stars of the moment required extra organization,” says the director. It was worth it and it was touching to see how protective Bruce could be of Brad to warn him against the hazards of fame. » Bruce Willis’ current illness makes it even more moving to see him back in great shape for his skin-deep performance in Army of the 12 Monkeysa timeless masterpiece.