Directed by Terry Gilliam
As I have recently failed to deliver a book review I decided to share impressions of the film that I watched yesterday in the cinema. Unfavourable weather conditions made the whole trip rather challenging so I did hope that a great spectacle would compensate the effort. Besides, I had been waiting for this film for a very long time, in fact, since the moment I was dragged into Joker’s world of chaos and madness in the Dark Knight (starred by amazing Heath Ledger). My expectations had risen dangerously high and I had been looking forward to this film with trembling and anxious heart. Now I am pretty sure that going to the cinema in this mood should be severely forbidden. The less you expect, the less disappointed or the more delighted you are in the end.
The title imaginarium is a spectacle which enables its viewers to wander across their imagination and make their secret dreams come true. Such a travel across the fields of subconsciousness is possible thanks to the traveling theatre led by Doctor Parnassus accompanied by his daughter Valentina, Anton (in love with her) and Percy (dwarf). One day, under mysterious circumstances, they are joined by Tony (Ledger) who turns their world upside down. I read somewhere that as a model for his character served the British ex-prime-minister Tony Blair who used to talk the biggest nonsense and still believed it. Parnassus is a man who entered into a covenant with the devil in order to be rewarded with immortality and possibility to create his miraculous imaginarium. But, unfortunately, every debt must be paid. The story is as old as the hills but it also has a huge potential.
Well, what can I say? Despite my open-minded attitude, the film did not impress me and I will not put it among my favourite pictures. A lot of scenes are undoubtedly worth paying closer attention as they refer to Monty Python’s Flying Circus, the member of which Terry Gilliam (director) was. But the film as a whole turned out to be completely unconvincing. Applause was richly deserved only by Tom Waits as Mr. Nick (Devil). In general, his character was very interesting and you can say everything about the Devil except that he is a negative character. Mr. Nick is sly, ironic, irritating but pure evil is not his realm. Instead, he loves gambling and he is always ready to make a bet over human souls. I like the vision that this is always a man who chooses to make deals with the devil. There are always two ways: one is heading towards the Right, and the other – towards the Wrong so why does a man so often choose to go straight to the devil? I also adore the motif of never-ending story which makes the world go round. The story must be continued if we want our world to exist. What will happen if the story is interrupted? Check yourself.
I do not intend to write abundantly about acting. It is well-known that sudden death of Heath Ledger spoiled the director’s plans and it was necessary to change the screenplay and add new names to the film cast if the film were to appear in theatres. I think that introducing the idea of alter ego to a film on the power of imagination is quite a brilliant move. I was completely taken aback when after a few seconds I realised that this is not Heath Ledger I am watching but Johnny Depp! He looked like Ledger and he seemed to penetrate into his soul. This trick was performed perfectly.
And I wish the soundtrack had been more disturbing. Pity!
Nevertheless, Heath Ledger will stay alive in my memory, mainly because of his two earlier roles: Ennis in Brokeback Mountain and Joker in Dark Knight (worth watching for his role even if someone is not a fan of Batman’s adventures). See how Joker puts his dark philosophy into practice where the world is plunged into chaos and the good completes the evil.
And what about Parnassus? You can say it’s a beautiful story but I think that it lacks a pinch of magic.
My rating: 4/6
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