Troubled productions: hits and misses

Former Monty Python member Terry Gilliam is the king of the troubled production. Sometimes he comes out on top and sometimes the movie never comes out. His behind the scenes battles with Universal Pictures over the release version of his 1985 film “Brazil” were legendary and became the basis for a nonfiction book. The film went on to gain a cult and critical following and became one of the films Gilliam rested his reputation on. His next film, “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen,” did not fare as well. After cost overruns, producer and studio troubles, Gilliam’s film was a rushed and unhappy affair that disappointed audiences, who stayed away in droves. Gilliam’s career recovered, but he was met with disaster again in 2000, when his film “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” was met with several on-set mishaps including the debilitating back injuries of one of his main stars (French actor Jean Rochefort). The film was eventually abandoned mid-shoot. Gilliam then embarked on “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” starring Heath Ledger, who died before principal photography was finished. Luckily, Jude Law, Colin Ferrell and Johnny Depp stepped in to assist Gilliam in completing the film, which earned two Academy Award nominations.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The media is buzzing about Julie Taymor‘s “ Spider-Man” woes, but it wasn’t all that long ago that “Grendel” was making headlines. In 2006 the director and her composer partner Elliot Goldenthal launched their first opera, a $2.8 million production, backed by the L.A. Opera and Lincoln Center Festival. The production, nearly two decades in the making, tells the “Beowulf” tale from Grendel the monster’s point-of-view.

Just two days before opening night, the L.A. Opera was forced to postpone the show. The official word was, “computer malfunctions caused a large pivoting platform, central to scenery designer George Tsypin’s large-scale set, to stop working, causing the platform’s internal mechanisms to break.” The delay cost the production $300,000 and weak reviews added insult to injury. But somehow “Grendel” still managed to break even. The opera recouped the losses and even profited an additional $70,000, with the last three shows completely sold out.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

Lil Wayne’s “Rebirth” went from a much-delayed album into a punchline, as the rapper’s rock ‘n’ roll explorations became one of the worst reviewed albums of 2010. The Cash Money/UMG release debuted at No. 2 in February, selling a paltry 175,000 copies. This was for Wayne diehards only, to put it nicely, as many will recall that the rapper’s previous effort, “Tha Carter III,” sold just over 1 million copies when it debuted in 2008. The album’s first single, “Prom Queen,” was released about one year before “Rebirth” hit shelves, as multiple projected release dates throughout 2009 came and went. The album was ultimately released around the time Lil Wayne was to begin serving an one-year jail sentence, ensuring that as little promotion as possible would greet it.  (Hector Mata / Associated Press)

The tale behind this album inspired a book, and was the subject of the documentary “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.” The making of the album started rather normal, with Wilco ready to record a new set of songs for their label Reprise. Then things got weird. Reprise rejected the album. Wilco fired the fan-beloved band member Jay Bennett late into the project -- after dumping Ken Coomer at the start of it. Suddenly, it began to look like the album wouldn’t be released in time for the band to tour, so Wilco issued it on its own website. The story has a happy ending, as the album topped many a critic’s list, and ultimately became Wilco’s breakthrough effort. Oddly enough, it was released on Nonesuch, which, like Reprise, is owned by the Warner Music Group.  (Margo Cohn / Chicago Tribune)