The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parn...

Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Verne Troyer, Lily Cole, Colin Farrell

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantastical morality tale, set in the present-day. It tells the story of Dr. Parnassus and his extraordinary ‘Imaginarium’, a travelling show where members of ...( read more  read more... )the audience get an irresistible opportunity to choose between light and joy or darkness and gloom.

Blessed with the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, Doctor Parnassus is cursed with a dark secret. An inveterate gambler, thousands of years ago he made a bet with the devil, Mr. Nick, in which he won immortality. Centuries later, on meeting his one true love, Dr. Parnassus made another deal with the devil, trading his immortality for youth, on condition that when his daughter reached her 16th birthday, she would become the property of Mr Nick.

Valentina is now rapidly approaching this ‘coming of age’ milestone and Dr. Parnassus is desperate to protect her from her impending fate. Mr. Nick arrives to collect but, always keen to make a bet, renegotiates the wager. Now the winner of Valentina will be determined by whoever seduces the first five souls. Enlisting a series of wild, comical and compelling characters in his journey, Dr. Parnassus promises his daughter’s hand in marriage to the man that helps him win.

In this captivating, explosive and wonderfully imaginative race against time, Dr. Parnassus must fight to save his daughter in a never-ending landscape of surreal obstacles – and undo the mistakes of his past once and for all!

Id: 10942144

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Recent Reviews
  • allan913
    January 6, 2010
    allan913
    An extraordinary masterpiece of fantasy that totally stretches the imagination to limits not thought of. Director, Terry Gilliam's best film years. An incredibly original and dazzling fantasy adventure that would please anyone. A visually spectacular and outstanding movie. A eye...( read more)-popping feast for the eyes and ears. A truly exhilarating and breathtaking piece of work that caught me off guard and I'm glad it did. It's smart, stylish, thrilling and wonderfully funny. The sets and effects are beyond fantastic. This is what superb movie making is all about. This is a film that truly compels you with its story and characters and makes you believe the impossible totally possible. An instant classic of the genre that's both stunning and unforgettable. A remarkable send off to the late Heath Ledger, who gives a brilliant performance before his passing and shows us that their was still talent and it will be missed. But he's not alone, he has three other fantastic actors taking his place, helping complete the film giving great performances. Jude Law is wonderful. Johnny Depp is terrific. Colin Farrell is excellent. Christopher is fantastic.
  • RiderOfTheStorms
    January 6, 2010
    RiderOfTheStorms
    At least it was better then Brothers Grimm. Visually I loved the movie, the acting was fun and at times quite funny, but just the story isnt that great. Its interesting at first and it keeps u wanting more and bigger things but it left me kinda feeling like it was anti-climatic w...( read more)ith questions unanswered. I really enjoyed the acting though
  • stopitgoaway
    December 26, 2009
    stopitgoaway
    I saw this at the Munich film festival where Terry Gilliam introduced the film, and boy was he nervous. However, the film is of marvelous spectacle yet unprofound simplicity but limitless. It's along the lines of his magnificent visual storytelling as in The Adventures of Baron M...( read more)unchausen, leaving out the subtext like Brazil and Twelve Monkeys. Gilliam himself summed it up as simply a man looking for his daughter - and as he warned us to erase prior perception, it is not Ledger's film, it is about Dr. Parnassus (which is perhaps an incarnation of the director himself, regarding his lesser works this decade as the modern age has no interest in his classic stories - for that is reflected in the initial narrative of this film).

    Of course, it is impossible to review this film trying to ignore what impact Heath Ledger's passing had. So I'll sum it up now - it's as if they wrote it that way. It's wonderously entertaining and a joy to watch even if it starts slow waiting for Ledger to appear and leaving us with the conundrum of not knowing which character to support (even Tom Waits' deliciously slick pencil-line mustachioed portrayal of the Devil). It usually made sure it treaded back to fill potential plot holes which initially baffled one, so it makes it a satisfying viewing. Now for the statistics that everyone would be most curious about; Ledger is a supporting actor. Christopher Plummer (Dr. Parnassus) is lead. He is only in the film's second act (and perhaps the end of the first). He does appear between Depp and Law's turn but Farrell takes Tony Shepard's demise. Their appearance is not contrived and within plot - they appear for a scene within the Imaginarium each (and acknowledge the change too) - a place beyond the magic mirror (literally two pieces of foil curtained together in true Gilliam style) where people see their imaginations in vivid form, like a personal bliss. It is a film dominated by these special effects and art direction which the score delightfully compliments forming half the cinematic experience (though finding shades of Joker in Ledger's later scenes provides endless joy even with his efficient English accent layered on top). Nevertheless, Gilliam keeps his promise of at least one brilliant film per decade.
  • kiriyamakazou
    December 26, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    Obviously the film has problems, but when taking into consideration the circumstances behind the film, it's pretty darn great. I was completely swept away by the magical imagination sequences. The CGI bringing bizarre and wondrous things to life. The performances were also very s...( read more)trong, with Andrew Garfield given such a layered performance you can't really see where he will end up, especially when he comes into conflict with Ledger. Ledger gives a fine performance, but given his character has lost his memory it's also a fairly flat role. All of the revelations about Tony come in the imaginarium, which gives the interesting meaty parts to Depp, Law and Farrell. Farrell standing out a great deal as he gives a us a marvelous turn around. Each of the three 'replacement' stars plays their part well, they aren't trying to outdo each other or Ledger. Stealing the show is the musical God also known as Tom Waits. Here he plays the devil with all the charisma, charm and seedy sinister motions one would expect. He's simply fantastic, making the devil more than just an evil villain, he's also a guy having fun. It's a fascinating treat that one wishes Ledger could have completed.
  • rebvodka042099
    December 5, 2009
    rebvodka042099
    I was so highly anticipating to watch this. Not only because of Terry Gilliam's direction, but for the cast that gathers every single actor in Hollywood who is (or was in Ledger's case) actually talented.

    It started off quite promising and I had no issues with it - but af...( read more)ter the parallel world with the mirror began, it became frivolous and nothing more than a movie trying to impress you, even though it lacks substantial script and character quality. Depp and Farrell are the two versions of Ledger I loved the most, Lily Cole was excellent for a first-timer in the business, but story-wise, it's deeply indifferent. I was bored, it seemed to drag on forever, and it wasn't funny nor sad nor engaging nor anything beyond a visual masterpiece. I've loved many of Gilliam's previous movies but this one seemed to go too far and reach nowhere in the end.

    And at the end you're not even sure what the point was. I can't remember what they were trying to say, and I can hardly remember if it even had a soundtrack or anything beyond some Burton-like special effects. People say that you need to have a vivid imagination to see this movie with an open mind. But believe me, my imagination is running wild and my mind is as open as the sky, and I didn't like it despite.
  • LilMisChatterbox
    January 6, 2010
    LilMisChatterbox
    This movie looks really good :)) fun to watch
  • gackt71322
    January 6, 2010
    gackt71322
    Animasi oke, story diawal menarik tapi lama2 a litlle bit confused n jd datar..
  • richardhayden1
    January 6, 2010
    richardhayden1
    Parnassus is a mountain in Greece upon the slopes of which lies the Oracle of Delphi, the home of the Classical prognositcator. It is a typical Terry Gilliam device that allows us to conclude that the director wishes us to draw parrallels to the fact that Parnassus is a metaphor ...( read more)for poetry, for literature and, in fact, for imagination.

    Knowing how fond Gilliams is of pondering the art of storytelling, it should come as no surprise that he has returned to the theme for his latest movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. And, for the most part, the telling of tales within it works well.

    A travelling troup of struggling Vaudevillian players made up of the erstwhile Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer), assisted by his daughter Valentina (Lily Cole), Anton (Andew Garfield) and Percy (Verne Troyer), trawl seedy nightside London, searching for an audience for the Imaginarium, a stage mirror that, guided by Parnassus, can show a person their inner dreams.

    But Parnassus is haunted, broken by a deal he made with the Devil (Tom Waits) to gain immortality in exchange for his first-born on her sixteenth birthday. As Valentina's fateful anniversary approaches, the Devil offers the Doctor a new wager; save five sould through the power of the Imaginarium before the Devil can claim them for himself, and Valentina will go free.

    Parnassus accepts.

    And into this unhappy gathering lands Tony (Heath Ledger), saved from death by Valentina. At first a charming rogue with unconvincing amnesia, Tony falls into the group and sets about updating the show for a modern audience with some guile and skill, gathering souls at a pace.

    And then the mirror begins to play tricks. When Tony passes through with the souls he is trying to save, he is changed by their imaginations, cast in a new image. And these changes draw out his darkness.

    Slowly but surely the Devil closes the gap.

    Essentially, the film is about redemption for some, justice for others and setting old mistakes right. However, it is not without its problems.

    As you would expect from a Gilliam film, the variety and dexterity of the art on display is often breathtaking. From the grimy broken-down Victoriana of the Imaginarium to the sumtuous surreal landscapes on the far side of the mirror.

    But this actually presents the first problem. The CGI mirror-worlds are too slick, too arch, very obviously generated scenes. They jar from the physicality of the set designs for the real-word side of the mirror. Independently, they are great; yet they do not complement one another.

    The second problem lies in Tony's character arc. We witness him arrive as a scurrilous rogue guarding secrets but also offering a third corner of a love triangle between Anton and Valentina. We are invited to like him while not quite trusting him.

    As the film progresses and Tony's efforts increasingly benefit the troupe, the audience's support for him grows.

    But as his darkness is revealed in the Imaginarium, we lose sight of him as a friendly face. And by the time we enter the final movement, he is painted only in shades of black to the extent that even the Devil appears a more palatable ally.

    I can handle misdirection and even a surprising character twist but they must be served retrospective logic. That is not here. Tony's descent is meteoric and purposeless. I was unhappy with it.

    Surprisingly, this lack of comfort was not caused by the casting of three other actors to conclude the role begun by Ledger before his death. The narrative explanation for the appearances of Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell not only allows the film to survive, but also works as a brilliant narrative device in itself. If you were unaware of Ledger's death, you would not learn of it from the casting in this film.

    As with much of Gilliam's work there is much to praise here, but there is also much to be disappointed by. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a great idea with customary artistic brilliance, let down by jarring styles and awkward characterisation.
  • mareth
    January 6, 2010
    mareth
    Worth seeing a coupla times. Great imagination.
  • inspecteursexuel
    January 6, 2010
    inspecteursexuel
    un bon film mais j'ai l'impression que le film a perdu certain de son authenticité du a la mort de Heath ledger
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