Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

[Justin D.]

Before Heath Ledger died, he was in the middle of making The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. After he died, the part was taken up by three other great actors: Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. Official synopsis of the film:

Many centuries ago, Dr. Parnassus [Christopher Plummer] won immortality in a bet that found the malevolent Mr. Nick coming up short. While few would be foolish enough to try their luck against the powers of darkness a second time, Dr. Parnassus did precisely that — this time trading his mortality for youth on the understanding that his firstborn would become the property of Mr. Nick [Tom Waits] when the child reaches his or her 16th birthday. Flash-forward to the present day, and Dr. Parnassus’ daughter, Valentina, is about to celebrate her sweet sixteen. Dr. Parnassus is desperate to save his little girl from her fiery fate, and when Mr. Nick arrives to collect, the good doctor presents the Prince of Darkness with a wager too enticing to refuse: Dr. Parnassus and Mr. Nick will each compete to seduce five souls, with possession of Valentina going to whomever manages to complete the task first.

. . .

Here's the trailer. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR-o_I3alHo)

It looks great, and it looks like Terry Gilliam somehow out Gilliamed himself.

[kmeyers]

This does look great. I've been looking forward to this for a long time.

[noh-varr]

My most anticipated movie of the year. I can't wait to see this movie, this movie just oozes awesomeness.

[Murrocko]

Looks pretty cool, but I wouldn't be telling the truth if I didn't say that I'm mostly seeing this movie because it's Heath's last performance.

[Legato]

Looks pretty cool, but I wouldn't be telling the truth if I didn't say that I'm mostly seeing this movie because it's Heath's last performance.

Same. Out of curiosity on how much of the movie did Heath finished.

[noh-varr]

Looks pretty cool, but I wouldn't be telling the truth if I didn't say that I'm mostly seeing this movie because it's Heath's last performance.

Anything that gets people to see a Terry Gilliam movie is good. Personally I'm more interested in the fact that Tom Waits plays the Devil in this one then seeing Heath's final performance.

[berk]

I might NOT see this Terry Gilliam movie because I'm so repelled by the marketing strategy. Ledger wasn't a good actor, and his performance in Batman was one of the worst aspects of an already bad film.

[jesse_custer]

I hope it's good.

[Mac Danny]

Tom waits is the Devil. I will see this film.

[Legato]

I might NOT see this Terry Gilliam movie because I'm so repelled by the marketing strategy. Ledger wasn't a good actor, and his performance in Batman was one of the worst aspects of an already bad film.

Have no idea how wrong you are.

[Justin D.]

I might NOT see this Terry Gilliam movie because I'm so repelled by the marketing strategy. Ledger wasn't a good actor, and his performance in Batman was one of the worst aspects of an already bad film.

What repellent marketing strategy? Replacing the deceased Ledger with three other great actors isn't a marketing strategy, but story-telling choice.

[Bouncing Boy]

Have no idea how wrong you are.
On several levels no less.

[jesse_custer]

At the very least, Ledger was a decent actor. Brokeback Mountain was pretty boring, but he carried that film on his back with an excellent performance.

And his character in Monster's Ball was tough to watch. Ledger's acting lead my mind to a dark place before the character even got there.

[Legato]

On several levels no less.

Having remembered his early work his acting was average at best but in much later films he was gradually improving. I still question on had it not been for his tragic death would Ledger still won that oscar for his role of The Joker. He would still be nominated due to the dedication Ledger had in playing the part. I also admire that he used The Killing Joke as his source of inspiration for playing the character. He is far from a worse actor and anyone who thinks that should have their heads examined.

[Ontir]

I got to see this film last night, and I loved it. Upon seeing the trailer I thought it may be the 1st time technology has caught up with the imagination of Terry Gilliam, and that proved to be pretty accurate. The story is solid and darkly whimsical, utilizing practical affects, a variety of CGI styles, theatrical flats and the cut-out animation he did for "Monty Python." Christopher Plummer is dependably wonderful. Lilly Cole is great. I loved the playfulness of her performance at every turn. Andrew Garfield also of the great film Boy A continues to impress, and Tom Waits is prefect as "the Devil." Heath Ledger is absolutely wonderful, and that only serves to compound the tragedy. He had so much more to offer. To Gilliam's credit, the use of Depp, Law and Farrell not only works, but actually adds to the magical qualities of the film.

In the Q&A, Gilliam said that they'd left London at the close of principal photography. He went to Toronto (IIRC), where the affects shots were to be done, and Ledger to New York on a Sunday. Tuesday he was dead and Gilliam didn't know what he was going to do. 2 days later, he received a call from Johnny Depp who asked him what he was going to do. Gilliam told him he just wanted to go home. Depp told him whatever he decided, he'd be there for him. That was the moment it turned around, and he found a way to bring Ledger's final performance to completion. Fortunately, a PA recorded Ledger doing a read-throuh of the script, and that recording allowed for the ADR, and it just worked out.

I can't wait to see it again!

[the goddamn batman]

I'm so stoked to see this. I hate Jude Law but whatever, everything else about this is a reason to see it.

Gilliam is a fucking genius!!!

[Jack]

The weird thing with this movie is how Ledger's character is clearly a creep, but when he's played by Johnny Depp suddenly he becomes charismatic.

I thought it was good but not great. Certainly not as bad as some of the reviews claim.

[Dr Cthulwho]

I really liked it. Not Gilliam's best, sure, but a great realization of his vision which is always great.

Liked all the acting as well. Tom Wait's as the Mr. Nick is great, he should play the devil more often. And I think while Ledger's passing was sad the way the film adapted around it was greatly realized - one could almost believe the multiple actors bit was always planned.

I'm so stoked to see this. I hate Jude Law but whatever, everything else about this is a reason to see it.

Gilliam is a fucking genius!!!

Don't worry, Jude doesn't stick out to much.

The weird thing with this movie is how Ledger's character is clearly a creep, but when he's played by Johnny Depp suddenly he becomes charismatic.

That was interesting, and why I thought the multiple actor bit worked well (sad it took Ledger dying to occur). The idea of manifestations of characteristics as it was - the Depp aspect charming a rich old women distinctive from the Law aspect etc.

[the goddamn batman]

He's in two movies I wanna see that both come out Christmas day.

I didn't hate him till I saw Slueth with Michael Caine. Then I realized I hate him. But I can tolerate him in the right film. Just not opposite a great actor like Caine... when it's just the two of them.

[Jack]

Liked all the acting as well. Tom Wait's as the Mr. Nick is great, he should play the devil more often. And I think while Ledger's passing was sad the way the film adapted around it was greatly realized - one could almost believe the multiple actors bit was always planned.I actually didn't know anything about the film before seeing it, and wasn't sure whether the multiple actors was the original concept or not. I looked it up when I got home, though, because it was logical that a movie coming out so long after an actor's death would have to have been in production past it, and the truth was the obvious scenario.

[Ontir]

Multiple actors was certainly not what Gilliam had intended, but after seeing it, it always should have been. It just makes sense, as does his use of Depp, Law and Farrell in each place, to convey a certain aspect of the original Ledger character.

Ledger was always a decent actor, but when you look at his last spate of films he manages to create solid and often surprisingly subtle characterizations. In "Monster's Ball," he's the flawed product and emulation of Billy Bob Thornton's character. With "Brokeback Mountain," he gives us a physically aggressive, yet emotionally weak character whose fear creates the bulk of the tension that charts the course of the film. In "I'm Not There," he perhaps mirrors his own life a bit too closely, and in "the Dark Knight," (and Berk, you're completely wrong) he is the unbolted pin upon which the wheel spins. With "Parnassus," he's an interloper who weaves his magic upon a largely unsuspecting family, as well as the audience itself. He had grown immensely in the last several years, and was preparing to direct. Had he lived, I believe he'd have been a major force in what the film industry is going to become over the next 40 years.