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Monday, December 21
The Imaginarium
of Doctor Parnassus
The Lark Knightcap
Trailers & Mo | Official Website
When we first catch a glimpse of Heath Ledger in his final cinematic performance, he's presumed dead, hanging by a rope off of a London bridge (not the London Bridge mind you!). That image is instantly off-putting, and naturally very very very eerie and disturbing, and yet, he's brought back to life by the good Doctor Parnassus (a disheveled and soulful Christopher Plummer) and his band of merry(but not money)makers (Lily Cole, showing some range as well as leg, Andrew Garfield, forever our Boy A+, and Verne Troyer, who fits the Gilliam dwarf quota to a tee, but is too much of a distraction here). If only real life worked like that!!! WE MISS SO YOU SO DANGS MUCH HEATH!!!!!!
If the topsy-turvy fate and wild backstory 0f Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is unknownst to you, lettuce qwikly fill yas in: Ledger (a perfect fit for Gilliam's madness) died during the production, and since he was one of the major characters/stars, the whole thing was ready to go kaput for goodsies. Sound familiar? If you haven't seen the doc Lost In LaMancha about Gilliam's partial filmed, and then aborted Don Quixote adaptation, then you should ASAPsss, but if you have then yous will have an idea of how Gilliam's films seem to be cursed and temples of doomed. Anywho, in steps Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell to help finish up where Ledger left off. They each get a turn to play Ledger's role, all dressed and facial haired up identically (love how Gilliam and the actors pull off the feat, with a slight wink), and you know what, watching them three walk in Heath's shoes is so darn curiousssess that it makes the film somewhat watchable, even if it be the only real draw
The plot is confusing and an absolute mess (something about an ongoing bet thru the centuries between Dr P and the devil, a throaty Tom Waits, and like Dr P's imaginary world where everyone gets the happiness they be seekings), but the confusings has nothings to do with Ledger's absence (even though he's in the film a lot mo than one would think). Then again, it's Gilliam movie, so of course it's gonna be convoluted and brain melting!! And of course, since it's a Gilliam movie, it's wondrous and wholly unique, but really hard to enjoy on an initial viewing, probably rewarding on a second viewing, yet almos impossible to even want to see a second time. Gilliam!!!! More 12 Monkeys, less monkeying around, for the love of blob!!!
Tall Tails: even premiere photos involving Terry G are mindbenders!!!
hat tip to Dispencer4Hires for dem snaps
Verdictgo: Jeepers Worth A Curious Peepers
Dr P opens in NY & LA on Christmassss and 'everywhere' on January 8th
and until next thyme the balcony is clothed...
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