NEW YORK – Director Terry Gilliam hasn't had a film on screen since his "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (search) came out in 1998. Now, he's got two projects opening back to back — this month and next.
Those seven years were the longest dry spell of his 31-year career.
"Tideland," to be released next month at the Toronto International Film Festival, is about a little girl who takes refuge from her dope-addicted father in a world of imaginary companions.
"The Brothers Grimm," which opens in this country next week, stars Matt Damon (search) and Heath Ledger (search) as the German philologists and kings of the fairy tale.
"Grimm" has been on hold for more than a year because of a dispute between Gilliam and Bob Weinstein (search), head of Dimension Films. The two went head-to-head over the final shape of the work, which at that point had been finished for months.
"He just had a different view of the film" Gilliam told The New York Times for its Sunday editions.
The film was finished after Gilliam took a six-month hiatus to make "Tideland" and the dispute was resolved.
"I actually think we made it better without succumbing to other people's idea about what would make it better," Gilliam told The Times, adding "Everybody's happy now. We're a big happy family."