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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Recent Reviews

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Recent Reviews
  • 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.
  • PvtCaboose91
    November 23, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "Can you put a price on your dreams?"


    To begin this review on a clichéd but nonetheless justified note, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (the latest motion picture of Terry Gilliam - best known as a piece of the Monty Python puzzle) has been saddled with an u

    ...( read more)nreasonable burden. The fact that this movie features the final acting performance of the late Heath Ledger (who passed away during filming) will likely throw audiences and critics off the scent. Audiences viewing this movie on account of Ledger (or Johnny Depp, who is given a brief cameo appearance) will walk away disappointed - The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is not a Heath Ledger film; it's a Terry Gilliam picture, meaning that it's a true oddity of a movie as opposed to a mainstream fantasy fare. Gilliam is a filmmaker recognised for creating peculiar cinematic flights of fancy with strange scenarios and trippy dream-like sequences (he was behind Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Brazil, 12 Monkeys, etc), so for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus the filmmaker has cooked up an elaborate, fantastical tale of travelling theatre performances, the afflictions of mortality, and a portal (flimsily disguised as a mirror) that ushers you into a world of your dreams.


    The titular Dr. Parnassus (Plummer) is a centuries-old showman who travels around contemporary London in a rickety horse-drawn carriage with a troupe of performers resembling a medieval pantomime. Their performance centres on a magic mirror, through which audiences can enter a surreal world that projects their innermost desires. From there, they are faced with a choice: succumb to their baser, more cowardly wishes, or opt to follow their more noble side. But little do Parnassus' actors know that he made a deal with the devil: in exchange for eternal life, Parnassus agrees to give the devil (played by Waits) his first child on her 16th birthday. And that birthday is fast approaching...


    Terry Gilliam, it would seem, is a cursed filmmaker - he has suffered some horrendously bad luck during most of his projects. Brazil was recut by Universal, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote was shut down completely after being beset with problems, and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen was dumped by Columbia. When Ledger died in January 2008, it was all too familiar. Gilliam's response to the tragedy was admirable - since the film is split into two worlds, fantasy and reality, and the footage featuring Ledger constituted the "real world" sequences, Gilliam was able to retool the script and hire three additional actors to play Tony (Ledger's character) in the fantasy sections: Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell (all of whom donated their pay to Ledger's daughter). The explanation behind the different appearances of Tony is that in the imaginary world, he becomes a projection of his own, and other people's desires. It's a seamless solution to a terrible setback, and the film as a whole comes across as remarkably cohesive.


    A speech delivered by Johnny Depp at one stage appears to pay direct tribute to Ledger - Depp stands beside a river as miniature boats float by which display images of celebrities who died young (like James Dean and Rudolph Valentino). He eulogises them as never growing old or ugly, and explains that they'll survive as "gods" in the mind of the public.
    Unlike Ledger's scene-stealing turn in The Dark Knight, his character in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is more low-key, though he's still captivating and full of energy. However Gilliam's film is not exactly the most fitting end to Ledger's career - it's not that he isn't good, but that this is an ensemble piece and he's no more interesting than anyone else around him (he only receives top billing out of sheer courtesy). In fact, there's no sign of Ledger for half an hour until the inescapably morbid sequence when he's found hanging under a bridge. Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell submit perfectly adequate work as the alternative appearances of Tony. To their credit, they all manage to embody the character and it's easy to accept the adjustment (especially if one remembers that in dreams, people often look like somebody else).


    The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was scripted by Gilliam and Charles McKeown (who worked together previously for Brazil and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen). In many ways, this is a typical Gilliam film - from the style (the use of hallucinatory imagery) to the very Gilliam-esque theme that there's redemption to be found in imagination and dreaming. For this venture, the writer-director is given the limitless capabilities of CGI. Gilliam has produced sumptuous imagery using more old-school effects, and therefore the finest computer-generated moments of this movie are utterly dazzling. The melding together of modern London urbanscapes with the ancient production design of the Parnassus carriage and the CGI wonderlands beyond the mirror is a spectacle of the highest regard.


    The fantasyland bursts with pure strangeness; allowing Gilliam the freedom to be his usual self. In fact, there are numerous sequences which feel like old Monty Python animations that have been enhanced with contemporary CGI. Unfortunately, though, for all the extravagant imagery, the film lacks characters to genuinely care about or relate to. A key problem also emerges during the middle section when the emotional core fades and nothing close to a satisfying or workable story emerges. Gilliam may have an eye for enthralling imagery, but he also has a tin ear for dialogue - the characters spout some pretty dull lines from time to time. While some have criticised the story as messy, one simply needs to pay attention - it's a perfectly straightforward narrative presented in an admirably unconventional and unpredictable fashion, and it asks an audience to draw their own conclusions. There's no problem with a movie that asks an audience to engage their brain.


    Terry Gilliam remains a fascinating moviemaker with the ability to amaze. Happily, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a spellbinding dosage of classic Gilliam. To lose a leading actor partway through production and have the creative intelligence required to retool the narrative in a way that still makes sense is a testament to Gilliam's artistic tenacity that makes his work so interesting.
  • SarahG1988
    November 7, 2009
    SarahG1988
    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 the audience get an irresistible opportunity to choose between light and joy o...( read more)r darkness and gloom. Blessed with the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, Dr Parnassus is cursed with a dark secret.

    The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a film which I have been waiting to see for a long while. Not just because it contains Heath Ledger's last performance but because it's Terry Gilliam's latest film.

    TMODP is an extroidnary tale in that you can not take your eyes off the screen. There's so much attention paid to the 4 characters that we see than your'e imediatly into the film. Just perfect to watch. The story seems quite complex at times but for some reason it all makes sense in the end. With some great great performances in this film and some of the best cinematography I've seen this year, it creates the idea world of "the imaginirum of Doctor Parnassus.

    As I watched the film, I couldnt help but think about the extrodinary syblosim that is part of this film. The mind of DP, is reprensenting something symbolic for every character in the film. Every character has this different imagination but creates such authenticity; something not often seen in mainstream films.

    More to follow....
  • emilebond007
    December 31, 2009
    emilebond007
    What a big awful mess...

    Heath Ledger's last performance was the only good part, even though this movie made him look so bad.
  • painislove808
    December 31, 2009
    painislove808
    It's seems very nice
  • khaerylauzan
    December 30, 2009
    khaerylauzan
    the last of Heath Ledger...
  • jschartrand
    December 30, 2009
    jschartrand
    Stunning, beautiful, complex and ratherly sad, Gilliam creates another modern masterpiece about universal themes. Damn it's beautiful.
  • mrbicklethepickle
    December 30, 2009
    mrbicklethepickle
    Wow, this film was very odd, different and original. And I loved it. The whole concept was so interesting, the way it was portrayed onscreen was beautiful. I thought it was marvelous. I didn't think it was hard to follow, which was one of my worries going into this film. It glide...( read more)d right through. Although the special effects might nove have been as spectacular as other films, it was a visual treat for sure. The cinematography and the costumes were so beautiful. Especially the costumes, whether it's their everyday poor clothes to their show costumes, they were breathtaking. You would never guess that this movie takes place in modern times though just by looking at the trailer.

    Heath Ledger was so good in this. I really liked the scene between Anton (Andrew Garfield) and Tony (Heath) in which Tony is demanding to get his pipe back, and Anton is playing a little joke on him, by using magic to not give it to him. It was really funny because Tony was all like "Ha Ha...give it back", and Anton was clearly amused how ticked off Tony was getting. However I didn't like the first scene where we are introduced to Tony because here is hanging from a rope, believed dead. The only through running through my mind was "Did we have to see dead Heath?". It was so heartbreaking to see that. But otherwise, Heath did very well in this film. And I wish he was still around of course to bring us more great films.

    Johnny Depp was good too. He didn't have a very big part, but he was charming as hell. And he did deliver one of the most memorable lines ( in my opinion) which was "Nothing is permanent, not even death". Which I think is so ironic considering that Heath died while the film was still being made. But it's also a very beautiful message thatr works well in the movie.

    Jude Law was the most surprising for me. In a good way mind you. I think he was the best incarnation of Tony. It's surprising because I am such a big fan of Johnny, but I think Jude really got Tony's mannerisms down.

    Colin did a good job, but it was hard to like him, perhaps its because at that point of the film, we realize how much of a douchebag Tony is. All the other Tony's were nice and charming, Colin's Tony wasn't very likeable. Oh well.

    I really ended up liking Andrew Garfield, who plays Anton. I loved his character, I liked his acting. He was also cute, and there is something endearing about him. I think I will have to look into some more of his work. Christopher Plummer was very good in this too. I really liked Lily Cole. But Verne Troyer really stole the show. He was so funny in this. Hysterical.

    Terry Gilliam (the director) deserves two thumbs up from me. I really liked the style and how he brought this world to life. You could almost walk into the world yourself and get lost in it. There was some moments in the film (especially the dancing/singing policeman) that really reminded me of Monty Python. But hey it's Terry Gilliam.

    So I would recommend this film. I think for any of you who are looking for something different, something original and who doesn't mind a little weirdness on the way, this film is for you. My last words of thought...simply gorgeous.
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