The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (Terry Gilliam, 2009): France | Canada | UK

Reveiwed by Anaiya Mussolini. Viewed at The Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA as part of the 2009 AFI film festival.

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus is about a Dr. that has the ability to use his mind to change the very existence of reality. It is about a traveling crew of performers who try to make their money enticing the audience to join in on what they call their perfect desires. All you have to do is go through the mirror and your every wish can come true. Along with every good character there are some bad ones along the way. It is the devil who plays games with the Dr. Parnassus to win souls and may the best man win.

The mise-en-scene is a fantasy world.  Everything from the costumes, to the setting, to the acting will entice you and keep you memorized. This movie takes you away from everything; you’re worries and your troubles because it is so different and magical.  That is why you are not supposed to really get it.  There were so many people saying I did not really get it. I believe that extraordinary films are not supposed to be figured out, at least not from watching it only once.  It takes a lot of skill and talent to have the ability to keep an audience guessing, after all who really likes predictability when watching a movie. I know I don’t.

This movie depicts an enchanting world which is at your very fingertips if you just take the leap, but if too many people take the leap, it can lead to destruction. It also captures this new world kind of feel with castles and costumes are just amazing. Even the characters make you feel like you are in dream, where it is okay to be a kid again. It is like this distant world that we know absolutely nothing about. The stories in the movies can not stop from being told.  I also like how this movie is appropriate for kids. That makes it nice that an entire family can enjoy one of Terry Gilliam’s masterpieces.

There is an amazing dance scene where there are under water with floating mermaids, plants and even a Buddha. It just makes you truly appreciate the eccentric mind behind this film. I also like how there is some romance mixed in with plenty of comedy. It is one of those movies that embody everything you would want to just escape life and reality.

Heath Ledger plays a man that the crew helped save and he becomes the very man that ultimately broke the crew up.  The way in which he changes when he goes through the mirror shows that he does in fact have more than one face, showing his mistrustful character. In the end, the best man will win. I want you to be aware when watching this movie that it will take you on a journey of hope, fantasy and adventure. In the end the Dr. and the Devil still feel up for a game, but as Mini Me says, come on, stick to the straight and narrow, we got work to do.

I will let you decide the story for I do not want to ruin it for you, and I also admit that I do not fully get it either but that is the beauty in movies. I highly recommend this film. Be ready to be amazed.