If your life were a movie, who is your director?  It’s an interesting question I think, so I thought I’d propose it for readers here.  Think about your life as a film… who has been the director?  Whose style and influence seems to be similar to the guidelines your life has been shaped by?

Firstly, in this scenario, god is not an acceptable answer.  God is not a director, he is a film critic.  Maybe your director’s sole (soul heh) goal is appeal to the film critics, but god’s not a director.

Secondly, I’ll help get you started by telling you who I think is directing the movie of my life.  The Life of Monty… a Terry Gilliam film.

I think my life story is equal parts funny, tragic, bizarre, insane, fantasy, fear, romance, and indescribable.  What better director to have than Terry Gilliam?

Mr. G has directed such gems as Monty Python’s Holy Grail (co-directed with Terry Jones), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 12 Monkeys, The Fisher King, Brazil, Time Bandits, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and The Brothers Grimm.  He’s an anti-establishment director that would rather tell a story with real characters and real consequences and not something with Hollywood polish where everyone lives happily ever after.  He’s a bit manic, a bit passionate, and all artist.

I look at moments of my life that echo Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.  I see the Fisher King too.  I said at one point in my life that there was no character in film that identified personally with more than Sam Lowery in Brazil.  I like to think of myself as fun and entertaining, but have a deeper, darker side that often remains unexplored.  Such attributes are key to a Gilliam protagonist.

So who is directing your life story?  Is Quentin Tarentino setting you up to be the next stylish thug in a dark suit?  Is Spielberg sending you on a fishing trip?  Did Peter Jackson make your height challenged self feel big again?  Did John Hughes define your life in ways only pegged pants and big hair could?

Tell us.  Who and why?