The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

There are certain movies that have a reputation the proceeds them. Usually it something that generates Oscar talk before it’s completed or the latest in a string of blockbusters like the most recent PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, or the long awaited sequel to something like WALL STREET. IMAGINARIUM was one of these long awaited and much talked about pieces because it had the unfortunate fate of being the late Heath Ledgers final film.


When Ledger past in early 2008, the film was mid shoot and it was mentioned almost as a passing fact; “Ledger, who had been working on Terry Gilliam’s latest film, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS, was found late this afternoon.” As time went on and sleeping pills were found as part of the lethal (though nothing over intended dosage) combination in Ledger’s system, the film took on the role of scapegoat to some in the media; “Ledger said that the intensity and darkness of his latest role was affecting his sleep.” As summer came, and Ledger’s Oscar winning turn as the Joker in BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT hit theatres it became clear that that role was in fact the one that affected him so adversely. Around the same time, IMAGINARIUM began to make headlines because, in spite of the fact that one of his stars had died without completing his narrative arch, Gilliam had decided to continue the film without reshooting any of Ledger’s existing scenes.


Without any explanation of how this would work out, it also became known that Ledger’s role, Tony, would be completed by not one actor but three headline grabbing A-listers: Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. From a movie goers’ point of view, I think this is what really got interest in the film to peak because even though Gilliam’s phantasmagorical mind and reputation of- I’ll go with unique- narratives in his films made him the only person possible of pulling something like this off, it failed to reason how three men of vastly different ages and looks to pass for the same man portrayed by Ledger, who himself, resembled none of them.


The film was released in theaters in late 2009 but poor timing mixed with my unease with crying uncontrollably in public made me wait for the DVD release and this week, I finally watched it and I was not disappointed. The main points of the film, wanting eternal life and making deals with the Devil have appeared in many stories throughout time but the story of Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) manages to be fresh and exciting as we find out that the price he’s paid for it is his only daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole), who will be taken away by the Devil (Tom Waits) on her 16th birthday. Taking place on the last remaining days before this will occur; Parnassus and his mythical acting troupe must race against time to stop this from happening. The Devil has given Parnassus one last chance to reverse Valentina’s fate; he must get 5 souls to go through the Imaginarium (A magic mirror on the stage that allows patron’s to enter their own imaginations) before he can collect 5 soul of his own. Unfortunately for Parnassus, people are no longer interested in attending his traveling shows but, thanks to the serendipitous meeting with Tony, the mysterious stranger, all hope is not lost as bit by bit, Tony gathers up patrons for the shows and people start entering into the Imaginarium.


The film, not surprisingly for Gilliam, is a wonderland for the eyes as scene after scene becomes increasingly more stunning but the truly beautiful thing is how smoothly it plays. The setting of the film is London and the world of imagination and at the time of Ledger’s death all of his London scenes had been shot so what you see is Heath Ledger’s Tony taking an audience member through the mirror and reappearing on the other side in identical hair and costume but portrayed by Depp, Law, and Farrell as the way Tony is seen in the patron’s imagination. The first time viewers encounter this transformation, Tony is wearing a mask and he goes through about half of the fantasy following around a woman who then removes his mask and we see him stare in awe as his reflection is that of Johnny Depp and not Ledger. This moment for me was a bit of a shock as I truly believed that I was watching Ledger through the entire sequence, and was trying to figure out in my mind if maybe he had managed to shoot it before his death even though it was reported that he had only done the London side of things. The transition from Ledger to Law and later, Ledger to Farrell are just as seamless thought not as shocking once you get the concept.


Though it would seem to be the contrary, this movie is actually really easy to follow and the acting of everyone involved is top notch. I would recommend it to anyone who asked and am personally really glad that the film- billed as a Film by Heath Ledger and Friends rather than the contractual a Terry Gilliam Film- didn’t end up in a trash can.