The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus Review
Heath Ledger's Last Film Directed By Terry Gilliam
Oct 21, 2009
Terry Gilliam has a history of troubled productions (most notably with Brazil (1985) and the aborted Don Quixote) but none with the tragic tale which has propelled The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus in to the public eye. The death of Heath Ledger midway through the shoot would have derailed most productions, but Gilliam found the resolve to continue, and came up with an ingenious method of keeping the film alive.
The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus itself focuses on the immortal titular character, played with an ageing resignation by Christopher Plummer,and his Imaginarium, a rickety old structure which contains a mirror through which people can pass into their imagination and fantasies.
Parnassus has spent thousands of years making deals with Mr. Nick (Tom Waits), the last of which calls for Parnassus' daughter Valentina (model Lily Cole) to be given away to him upon her 16th birthday. As the day approaches, Parnassus and his crew, made up of Valentina, Anton (Andrew Garfield), and Percy (Verne Troyer), discover Tony (Heath Ledger) hanging from Lambeth Bridge.
Proclaiming amnesia, Tony becomes part of the crew, and begins to increase business for the Imaginarium. At the same time, Mr. Nick gives Parnassus a final wager: first to five souls. If Parnassus wins, then Valentina stays with him. If he loses, Mr. Nick gets his prize. From there the film loses structure. as Tony's shady past is revealed and the film moves at a dizzying speed for its final third.
Heath Ledger
The publicity generated for The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus comes predominantly from Ledger's unfortunate demise and posthumous success in The Dark Knight (2008). The visibility of Gilliam's latest is in stark contrast to his last release, 2005's Tideland.
As such, Ledger's performance is made more prominent. As Tony, he performs well, creating an irritated, worried, yet charming character, who from the off is untrustworthy. The frenzied nature of some of the film does not allow Ledger to inhabit Tony completely, and key aspects such as his wooing of Valentina is rushed.
When Ledger died, he had shot most of the scenes which involved him outside of the Imaginarium. In order to complete the film, Gilliam hit upon the idea of having Tony take on a form desired by those with whom he enters the Imaginarium. As a result, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell take on the role at various points. All three perform well, and the trick is fluid enough that it seems as if it was always intended. Ultimately, however, Tony's vague history does not validate the emotions intended from the film's conclusion.
Lily Cole
The competent performances of Ledger and his replacements are not particularly surprising due to the actors' histories. Where the film does provide a shock is in the work of Lily Cole, predominantly a model, and Tom Waits, best known as a singer.
Cole as Valentina is physically perfect. A barely-legal, nymph-like character, naive and restless, Valentina is in effect the key character of the film. Torn between her father's stories and a desire for the real world, the question of imagination versus normality burns through her. For Valentina, her perfect story is one which ends in the happy-ever-after, love and children vein.
Cole for the most part shows decent acting chops, although at some points she loses her way amongst the hectic action going on around her. Tom Waits, on the other hand, shows considerable confidence, unperturbed by those around him and concentrating on his slimy character.
Christopher Plummer shows the most polished performance, portraying a variety of emotions, imbuing his lines with meaning and impact, and keeping a consistency of tone and manner which the others lack.
Terry Gilliam
Gilliam's great strengths do not always lie in the performance side of directing. There are many scenes in The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus which involve characters talking over one another, as if they are unaware of their prompts and timing. In some cases this is effective, in others it detracts from the film. In particular, Andrew Garfield as Anton often seems lost in the scene.
Where Gilliam is strong, however, is in his use of visual ideas. Doctor Parnassus is an engaging visual feast, the contrast between a dark, decrepit London and the bright, CGI-filled world of the Imaginarium proving effective. The cramped 'space' inside the travelling Imaginarium is juxtaposed with the freeing, large open spaces within the imaginations of those who step through the mirror.
Gilliam is a passionate filmmaker, who is willing to try things, and it is this sense of adventure and care which carries the film through. The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus is narratively flawed, with occasionally uneven performances, but it is at the same time engaging and entertaining, partly because of its problems.
That Gilliam can invoke such a plethora of ideas and visuals into a ninety-minute film on a $30 million budget is testament to his resourcefulness as a filmmaker. Whilst its problems balance between unforeseen and correctable, The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus is never less than interesting, and proves that Gilliam, even at 69, is still full of invention.
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