The Imaginarium
of Dr.Parnassus
Sony
R4 DVD
The Imaginarium
of Doctor Parnassus
is an adult fantasy film written by Terry Gilliam and directed by Gilliam and
Charles McKeown. The film is a superb example of
Gilliam’s enigmatic style which combines amazing CGI, bizarre fantasy and
excellent character development. While the death of Heath Ledger certainly was
a sad event for the all those connected to the film, using various actors to
play the various “facets” of Ledger’s character ultimately worked to the
benefit of the film. Tony is played by Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin
Farrell. Each character reveals a new layer of his character, a bit like
peeling back the skin of an onion. It is
a surprisingly effective device especially since each transformation is
accompanied by a further entry through the mirror of Doctor Parnassus into the
depths of Tony’s psyche.
Parnassus
illustrates Gilliam’s scepticism about religious and supernatural figures.
While Parnassus has some sort of power and is able to transport people through
a mirror to explore the inner realms of their psyche, he is controlled by ego.
He has spent his long lifetime gambling for souls with the devil, played by the
irascible Tom Waits and has now reached the end of his journey as he have to
hand his daughter’s soul over to him when she reaches puberty if he cannot win
this last bet. Both Parnassus and Tony, who is escaping criminals he duped
while using his charity as a front for fraud, are classic examples of the
hypocrisy of the righteous and superbly well developed as characters.
The
film combines a sardonic and witty take on modern life matched with the imagery
of a sideshow or travelling fortune teller. This circus like element gives the
movie an unusual feel which is both playful yet menacing,
it is humorous yet with a darkness in the shadows.
The
CGI in the film is breathtaking, it has some 647 computer generated imagery
effects shots and the worlds Gilliam creates are quite amazing. At the same
time he does not allow them to override the plot or characters and each
reflects the slow revealing of Tony and of Doctor Parnassus himself.
The
combination of a fascinating plot, unusual characters and quite amazing fantasy
sequences make this a must see film.
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