I read quite a few reviews of 'The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus' before I finally got around to seeing this amazing film. Most reviewers comment on the basic plot / story line, the Terry Gilliam style of visual effects, the actors' individual performances, etc but what surprised me the most is the sheer spiritual depth of this movie which no one seems to talk about or recognize. I cannot think of any other film that is as multi-layered in this regard. It appears the state of mind / soul of the viewer determines the viewing experience. People who are primarily focused on the physical and little on the spiritual world will miss a lot of what this film is about and therefore will not be able to adequately appreciate it.
I would actually find it to be quite a challenge to verbally explain certain meanings/messages as in a way they're perceived on a spiritual level first and kind of need to be 'translated' into words - that's a really rare thing in movies these days and something I highly value.
There is a lot of symbolism in this film. For example, look up the meaning of 'The Hanged Man' tarot card, which appears in the film several times... http://www.tarotteachings.com/hanged-man-tarot-card-meanings.html . I now understand why it was impossible for Terry Gilliam to remove that hanging scene - it is an integral part of the movie...
Even if you can't understand the deeper meanings of this film, it's still very entertaining due to the wonderful visual effects and strong acting performances. Heath Ledger managed to demonstrate a completely new acting style (his variety of characters in a few brief years is simply astounding), Lily Cole was perfectly chosen for her role and as she has said so herself, her acting benefited greatly from the mentoring she received from Heath during the filming. She did a wonderful job and I think she's got amazing potential. I can't wait to see how she'll develop as an actress in years to come. I also really enjoyed Christopher Plummer. He managed to play a very difficult role that could have easily destroyed the whole film if his acting skills weren't so impeccable.
Incidentally, when you watch the film, experiment viewing Dr Parnassus as a reflection of one's eternal soul and the other actors as various aspects of life rather than specific characters and the film takes on a whole new meaning...
I thought the casting in general is superb and one can't help but walk away from this film feeling enriched. I watched it with my 13-year old son who was completely mesmerized from start to finish...
I'm so glad and grateful Terry Gilliam completed this profound film because I personally consider it a much more suitable last performance of Heath Ledger than what the Joker would have been. I feel Heath has left us with a deeply meaningful message - a precious gift to be cherished.
Make sure you go and see this movie. Try to not intellectualize it but instead keep your mind open and 'let everything come to you.'
I would actually find it to be quite a challenge to verbally explain certain meanings/messages as in a way they're perceived on a spiritual level first and kind of need to be 'translated' into words - that's a really rare thing in movies these days and something I highly value.
There is a lot of symbolism in this film. For example, look up the meaning of 'The Hanged Man' tarot card, which appears in the film several times... http://www.tarotteachings.com/hanged-man-tarot-card-meanings.html . I now understand why it was impossible for Terry Gilliam to remove that hanging scene - it is an integral part of the movie...
Even if you can't understand the deeper meanings of this film, it's still very entertaining due to the wonderful visual effects and strong acting performances. Heath Ledger managed to demonstrate a completely new acting style (his variety of characters in a few brief years is simply astounding), Lily Cole was perfectly chosen for her role and as she has said so herself, her acting benefited greatly from the mentoring she received from Heath during the filming. She did a wonderful job and I think she's got amazing potential. I can't wait to see how she'll develop as an actress in years to come. I also really enjoyed Christopher Plummer. He managed to play a very difficult role that could have easily destroyed the whole film if his acting skills weren't so impeccable.
Incidentally, when you watch the film, experiment viewing Dr Parnassus as a reflection of one's eternal soul and the other actors as various aspects of life rather than specific characters and the film takes on a whole new meaning...
I thought the casting in general is superb and one can't help but walk away from this film feeling enriched. I watched it with my 13-year old son who was completely mesmerized from start to finish...
I'm so glad and grateful Terry Gilliam completed this profound film because I personally consider it a much more suitable last performance of Heath Ledger than what the Joker would have been. I feel Heath has left us with a deeply meaningful message - a precious gift to be cherished.
Make sure you go and see this movie. Try to not intellectualize it but instead keep your mind open and 'let everything come to you.'