Review: THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS

Delving into the wonders of the human imagination, Terry Gilliam once again displays his cinematic genius for us to behold. THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS isn’t perfect, but what it lacks in complete fluidity and CGI-mastery, it makes up for with shear dream-like imagination. The film is an adventure of the senses and a tale of the human conscience that is thought provoking and awe-inspiring.

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS is follows a small band of colorful vaudevillians, or… at least that’s what they appear to be on the surface. Christopher Plummer (INSIDE MAN) plays an elderly man named Doctor Parnassus, who claims to be thousands of years old, travels from spot to spot in urban England with two youthful followers and a tiny dwarf name Percy, played by Verne Troyer (AUSTIN POWERS).

Baby-faced Lily Cole (RAGE) plays the porcelain beauty Valentina, Parnassus’ daughter whom he affectionately calls Scruffy. Andrew Garfield (THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL) plays Anton, Parnassus’ loyal young assistant, whom also harbors a secret crush on Valentina, but is conflicted by his love for her and his newly discovered knowledge of Parnassus’ tragic secret about his Valentina, of which she herself is ignorant.

Enter the devious and diabolical Mr. Nick, whom you may know more intimately as the devil himself. Singer and actor Tom Waits portrays the red-headed Prince of Lies with a fiery and mischievous charisma that makes one wonder why it has taken this long for someone to cast the multi-talented veteran of the performing arts in such a fitting role… with all due respect, of course. Mr. Nick and Parnassus share an odd and age-old relationship that falls somewhere uncomfortably between bitter enemies and strange bedfellows. Their sorted history is intertwined in such a way that they almost depend upon each other in an addictive fashion.

As Mr. Nick renews a long-dormant game of wagers with Parnassus over the fate of Valentina, the troupe of performers happens upon a strange, seemingly dead man named Tony (Heath Ledger) whom will prove unexpectedly pivotal to the eventual outcome of the contest between Parnassus and The Dark One.

Following films such as BRAZIL and THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, of which I hold great admiration for, Gilliam continues his seemingly untouchable knack for vividly translating his own remarkable visions onto the big screen with unbelievable clarity. In staying with the spirit of being unbiased and offering a fair criticism, PARNASSUS does feel, just slightly, like the production was rushed and compromises had to be made.

Considering the trials and tribulations of making this film, as with many of Gilliam’s works, it’s only a mild set back to the overall experience. One must have been living deep within a dark cave, shut off completely from civilized society, not already to have know of the unfortunate passing of actor Heath Ledger during the film’s production, and… that’s just the most tragic of the obstacles endured.

Fate has not yet found a way to thwart the ingenuity of Mr. Gilliam, as he managed to piece together a nearly seamless patch, mending his story. In what I am sure is partially respect for their fellow thespians as well as for the director, the trio of Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Ferrell filled the void of unexposed celluloid as the Tony character, primarily during the scenes that take place within the wondrous worlds which lie just beyond Parnassus’ mysterious mirror.

While Johnny Depp served his purpose almost flawlessly as he does, and Jude Law and Colin Ferrell were all far from disappointing, the scenes for which Heath Ledger was with us are simply marvelous. After bequeathing to us his spectacular and unforgettable performance as The Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT, Ledger further fortifies his legacy as an immensely gifted actor in his prime, lost before his time… as the man with a secret, taken in by Parnassus.

Heath Ledger immersed himself in this role and outshines his repertoire of replacements in a sadly limited number of scenes that truly sell his character completely. Christopher Plummer also continues his long and illustrious career of magnificent performances as the troubled old monk who finds that immortality is more of a curse than a blessing.

The special effects in THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS are not at the level we’ve seen from LORD OF THE RINGS and other such tremendous epics, but they do convey the necessary emotions and usher the audience through dreamscapes and nightmares that hint at both Salvador Dali and Willy Wonka. From giant cosmic jellyfish to colorful bubble-spouting candy lands, the environments appear to have been downloaded directly from Gilliam’s inner child.

Gilliam gives us all of his tell-tale visual treats, from distorted perspectives and musical accompaniments that lend brilliantly to the visual landscape, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS is as much a feat of artistic accomplishment as it is a testimony of what it means to persevere and never give up on your dreams, both on screen and off. Such is the genius of Gilliam’s work, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS is worthy of praise, but in all honesty his widely unappreciated brilliance risks going relatively unseen, misunderstood and far too easily forgotten. I not only recommend giving this film a chance, I urge viewers to give themselves entirely to the experience with an open mind and a child-like sense of wonder. In doing so, you may just find yourself sitting forward in your seat with eyes glued to the screen as I did and leave the theater fully satisfied.