puppetmaker | Run! Don't Walk and See the Imaginarium of Dr. Parnasus!

I need to convince you, dear reader, that you need to see a film and I can tell you very little about the actual film since I want you to discover it the same way I did.

Terry Gilliam is on my list of favorite movie-makers of all times along with Jim Henson and Tim Burton. Terry Gilliam has a very hard time getting his films made and distributed. It is amazing what that man goes through to get something up on the screen. This was no different. His leading man died and his funding vanished because it was based on the power of the star, his executive producer died right at the end of filming insuring that the film was in the can but not post production, and he got hit by a car that broke his back while in post production.

Not to mention the clown festival that occurred trying to get a distributor in the US. The opening date kept moving back in the US. It started as Thanksgiving film then Christmas Day and then limited opening Christmas Day and wide on January 8th. Wide is a joke. There is one theater in my area showing it and it is a bit of a drive from the house. Not much better on the other half of the Island or much of the US. Atlanta had it in a couple of places but if you were in the Midwest, well sorry I think you have to go to a very large city to see it. This film deserves to be seen and, like so many Gilliam’s films, the suits don’t get it so he gets screwed on the distribution.

So how is Heath Ledger’s last film? AMAZING! FANTASTIC! And half dozen other adjectives describing total awesomeness.

The cast is top notch. You have Christopher Plummer as the titled character of Dr. Parnasus who has amazing powers of the mind. Andrew Garfield as Aton the jack of all trades for the show. Vern Troyer as Percy who proved to me that he can really act with this role. He has a very difficult role that he just takes and makes it better. Lily Cole is Valentina and does a very good job as the much put upon daughter of the good Doctor. She has a rather unique look that reminds me of another Gilliam find named Uma Thurman. I expect more from her in the future. Then there is Tom Waits as Mr. Nick who almost steals the film at points. I know Mr. Waits has a music career that is going fairly well but he need to do more film.

But, I hear you ask, what about Heath? What about Johnny, Jude, and Colin? Did it work? Boy howdy yeah it did work and in spades. Heath is bloody brilliant and I honestly wish he could have finished the film and gone onto his next one but if this was the one he went out on, then it was not a bad one to make his last. Then there are the three friends who stepped in to pick up the baton and run with it. They donated their fees and any profits to Heath’s daughter Matilda so her future is secure. So go see this film and help Heath’s daughter.(Heath had not redone his will to include his daughter.) And each is at their very best in this. Colin has the hardest piece of the three but does it with panache. They had Depp for one day and three hours but he did an amazing job. Jude Law had a section that brings the plot galloping forward and it is set up for Colin’s piece. He takes the part and runs with it. Also I hadn’t realized how blue his eyes were until this film.

Mr. Gilliam has said in interviews that this piece is slightly autobiographical in that weird Terry Gilliam way. In Mr. Gilliam’s own words, “"It's autobiographical. I'm trying to bring a bit of fantasticality to London, an antidote to modern lives. I loved this idea of an ancient traveling show offering the kind of storytelling and wonder that we used to get, to people who are just into shoot-em-up action films." He brings us a character that represents the storyteller in a world that just doesn’t seem to have time for stories any more. (Side note to Mr. Gilliam, I will always have time for your stories) But it is not a sad film just has strong themes and images both happy and sad. It makes you think and takes you on a journey.

If you have a creative bone in your body, and I know you do, you must see this film. You will leave the theater uplifted and transformed in ways that you never knew that you could be. It is a Masterful work that I want everyone to share in. I also want the Imaginarium but that is a whole different entry.

So RUN, don’t walk and enter the Imaginarium of Dr. Parnasus. You will not regret the time or effort to do so.

I am grateful that we did see it on the big screen.