The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (2009)
Directed by Terry Gilliam
Length: 123 minutes
Rated PG-13 for violent images, some sensuality, language and smoking
When eating a fine piece of meat, you are often encouraged to slowly chew and savor the experience, letting your pallet absorb and savor the tastes and textures. However, we typically just gobble what is in front of us and move on to the next thing. Movies, like a fine piece of meat, are similar: some can be easily devoured allowing you to instantly form an opinion. Others, such as Terry Gilliam's latest, require a bit of chewing. While the film will more famously be known as Heath Ledger's last, there is an interesting, weird, and almost absurd charm to this marbling.
In my best attempt at summarizing the premise, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus follows a traveling sideshow that allows you to enter the imagination of the film's namesake. However, we soon learn that the real reason Dr. Parnassus, played by Hollywood vet Christopher Plummer (Up, The Last Station), is seeking adventurous patrons has nothing to do with money, but something much more valuable - souls. Over many centuries, the immortal Dr. Parnassus and Mr. Nick aka the Devil, played by none other than Tom Waits (The Book of Eli), have competed on several occasions to see who could collect the most souls. But the traditional carnival sideshow act has lost its luster on today's cynical youth, leading to an ineffectual and ridiculed show. All of this changes when Parnassus and his crew find young Tony, initially played by Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight). With the help of the young and charming Tony, Parnassus is soon able to start collecting souls again; but Tony has a secret that threatens to cost the good doctor the prize at hand in his wager with the devil - his daughter.
Yes, the movie is as ridiculous as the plot; in fact, I cannot even begin to describe the ridiculousness. Inside the imagination of Dr. Parnassus, we find a colorful world of unimaginable possibilities - it's like one giant acid trip mixed with Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Only adding to the madness is the change in appearance of Tony. With the death of Ledger during production, director Terry Gilliam was forced to rework the script in order to finish the movie. This led to the casting of Johnny Depp (Alice in Wonderland, The Rum Diary), Jude Law (Repo Men, Contagion), and Colin Farrell (Ondine, Crazy Heart) as alternate versions of Tony found within the imagination of Dr. Parnassus. While it may sound confusing, it actually comes off quite nicely and flows well.
Let's just be frank about it, Terry Gilliam is one weird dude. Everything he has ever done or been involved in just takes the level of weirdness higher every time. From his background as a member of the Monty Python troop, to his films like Brazil and 12 Monkeys, Gilliam definitely knows how to make you say "huh?". This film certainly isn't for the casual movie fan - I dare say many of you will probably feel slighted if you were to watch this. Though many will be drawn by the prospect of Heath Ledger's last film, you'd be better off savoring his sublime performance in The Dark Knight. But if you are looking for a good film to enjoy, say recreational activities with, than look no further than The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.
Final Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Favorite Quote:
Dr. Parnassus: "Percy, what would I do without you?"
Percy: "Get a midget."
Oscar Nominations:
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Best Achievement in Costume Design
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