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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Stars: Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, Lily Cole, Andrew Garfield, Verne Troyer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law Director: Terry Gilliam Scriptwriters: Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown Cinematography: Nicola Pecorini Infinity Features Entertainment Rating: PG 13 Running Length: 125 minutes Director Terry Gilliam caught my attention with Time Bandits, and there is a bit of that film in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Special effects that have a 3-D look, people dodging flying objects or climbing enormous obstacles and all the while, a story with an other-worldly touch to it. Imaginarium will also be known as the last film for the late Heath Ledger, who does good work here. When he died, director Gilliam was faced with a dilemma---continue or fold. Three stars, friends of Ledger, stepped up to take Ledger’s role, and when each star appears, it is seamless and as though Ledger were there. Also, each star has a bit of their personality in their section, and Jack Sparrow still lingers. With Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole, Tom Waits, Verne Troyer and Andrew Garfield, you have stellar acting and, indeed, this is an actor’s film. The story concerns Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) and is set in present-day with a Victorian touch. The Doctor has a horse-drawn wagon with a folding tent show and everyone dressed in 19th century garb. The trick is that when you pay and enter a special mirror, you enter the land of your dreams, and presumably, when leaving, are so happy you gladly pay more to the Doctor. This really IS a land of dreams and comes from the mind of the Doctor. The problem is, that the Doctor made a pact with the devil (a droll Tom Waits) and some unfortunate souls end up with the devil (Mr. Nick), in exchange, the Doctor has lived many centuries. Now, the prize is the Doctor’s daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole) about to reach her 16th birthday. Along comes con man, Tony (Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell). He is rescued by Lily and Anton (assistant to the Doctor and played by Andrew Garfield) after almost being killed by hit men. Tony says he has no memory of his past. Percy (Verne Troyer, the midget in the show) is a lifelong friend of the Doctor’s and almost runs the show, himself. As the wagon teeters from town to town, the devil isn’t far behind, ladies are falling for Tony, the Doctor worries about what will happen at Lily’s special birthday, and we are privy to the imagination of the Doctor as he struggles to provide mental treats for the paying audience. Heath Ledger and the actors following him, are convincing. Enough said there, and Christopher Plummer gets to sink his teeth into the role of an old man who wagers with the devil. They are sly hands at this. Tom Waits is a devil who can appear anywhere and has such a grin you just know he can’t be trusted. If he has a friend at all, it is the Doctor. Lily Cole is a beautiful Valentina, who has brains and clearly loves her father. Verne Troyer’s Percy, seems to get pushed around a lot, but he comes back in full force, plus he appears in places you don’t expect. He also gets some of the best lines. Andrew Garfield’s Anton is a young man in love, who also is a versatile performer in this traveling show, and has enough energy to literally bounce around the stage. He has a face with many expressions. This is an ensemble cast that pulled together through a difficult production time. It takes awhile to get into the storyline. The idea of a 19th century-style wagon sitting in the parking lot of a 21st century shopping center, makes one think of “Doctor Who,” but this is the charm of the barker (Tony or Anton), who brings in the paying audience to experience “something different.” This is a lush, detailed production with wit, action, and twists you don’t expect. Rapidly going from inside the mirror to present time and a muddy parking lot are humorous and there is a great deal of humor here, especially with Tom Waits devil, or the side remarks by Verne Troyer. I was pleasantly surprised at The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. As with all sleight-of-hand shows, there are tricks of the trade and you learn then one by one. No one could do the film without a script and this one is rich, indeed. Copyright 2010 Marie Asner
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