SHADOWS Contactless: May 8, 8.30 SBS on Demand: THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE

After decades of struggle and massive setbacks, Terry Gilliam finally made his film about Don Quixote. The production troubles made for such a compelling tale that the documentary (made as a dvd extra) became a film in its own right. That film, Lost in La Mancha, is highly recommended and, if it were better available, I'd set it as homework. Gilliam didn't quite shrug but got back up and made what was easier to make but still within his preferred vision. And then finally this most recent resurrection of his lost project emerged, recast and reshot. And few seemed to notice.

That's a shame as it works perfectly well. Does it match the massive epic put in mind by all the legend about it? Nothing could. It does, however, present a lean and cleverly told tale of confounded hubris which some might well observe feels autobiographical. But all this is meta business. The film stands on its own without crutches of pity or worthiness. It's strong and it's fun.

Adam Driver is arguably a superior choice to the more famously cast Johnny Depp. Jonathan Pryce reunites with Gilliam from the days of Brazil and proved reliable. If you watch Lost in La Mancha you'll understand why that's important.

If this seems all a touch too convoluted and self-clever recall only how much of a struggle it was to get to the screen and how each peak and plummet might have affected its creator and forced him to reflect on where he has come from and why he still must fight for each new project. It's about past and present at every turn, how we are forgiving of ourselves in retrospect but disappointed at the way we have turned out now. This is a story of careers and so is the story of how we have lived. Gilliam went through windmills of disappointment bringing it us and has more than earned our attention.