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Of all directors currently working, there is arguably none more peculiar than Terry Gilliam. The former Monty Python troupe member's sense of storytelling and visual aesthetic is uniquely his own. His latest, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, has Gilliam's stamp all over it and you can catch it at Red River Theatres.
With a title like The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, it practically screams to have at least some of the plot explained. However, the film is so convoluted and multi-layered, an entirely separate article would need to be written just to cover everything. If that comes across as a mark against the movie, it's not intended to be. The fact is, this movie is creatively daring and rich with characterization and visual eye candy. In other words, your typical Terry Gilliam film.
In addition to the film being an ocular feast, the performances also help bring the story to life. Christopher Plummer as the title character expertly portrays him as a tortured soul trying to right the wrong of selling his daughter's soul to the Devil. Speaking of the Devil, he's played by Tom Waits which is an inspired casting choice if ever there was one. Waits is the most fun to watch because he clearly had fun playing that character.
Of course, the actor who would inevitably get the most attention in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is Heath Ledger, as this is his last role having died during production. Ledger's style and instincts fit well with a Gilliam tale, he also worked with the director on The Brothers Grimm. Gilliam enlisted Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell to be in scenes that Ledger hadn't filmed yet. It sounds like a gimmick but it ends up working really well with the story and makes sense within the world of this film. Depp, Law and Farrell each bring their own style to the role while at the same time acknowledging Ledger's portrayal. They clearly took this part out of love and respect for Gilliam and Ledger and it shows.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus isn't a movie that everyone will love; truthfully, no film is. But this is the kind of movie that doesn't get made very often. It's original, it's inventive, it's fantastic. Everyone should see this movie so they can see what it looks like when someone makes the movie he wants to make and doesn't care what anyone else thinks. Please head up to Red River Theatres to see this movie.
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