IMDb > The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 60 | slideshow) Videos (see all 17)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) -- A story-telling doctor's deal with the devil sends him scrambling to save his daughter on the eve of her 16th birthday.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) -- Clip: Ahh, you're right, love is beautiful
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) -- Trailer for this magnificent visual journey from Director Terry Gilliam
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Italian Trailer (Flash)

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   5,804 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 189% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Terry Gilliam (written by)
Charles McKeown (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 October 2009 (UK) more
Plot:
A traveling theater company gives its audience much more than they were expecting. | full synopsis
Awards:
5 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(464 articles)
Tea Party Promo from Alice in Wonderland
 (From ShockYa. 25 December 2009, 11:00 PM, PST)

Bazmann’s Christmas Address
 (From HeyUGuys. 25 December 2009, 7:00 AM, PST)

User Reviews:
This ambitious project is often remarkable to look out but is ultimately muddled and ostentatious more (39 total)
US Showtimes:
AMC Century City 15 9:40am | 12:45pm | 4:00 | 7:00 | 10:00 (personalize) more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Andrew Garfield ... Anton

Christopher Plummer ... Doctor Parnassus

Richard Riddell ... Martin
Katie Lyons ... Martin's Girlfriend
Richard Shanks ... Friend of Martin

Lily Cole ... Valentina

Verne Troyer ... Percy
Bruce Crawford ... Face Changed Martin

Johnny Harris ... Policeman
Lorraine Cheshire ... Mum
Mark Benton ... Dad
Lewis Gott ... Diego

Sian Scott ... Linda
Simon Day ... Uncle Bob (as Simon Daye)
Moya Brady ... Aunty Flo
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
L'Imaginarium du Docteur Parnassus (France)
The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (International: English title) (alternative spelling)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for violent images, some sensuality, language and smoking.
Runtime:
122 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Colin Farrell and Christopher Plummer had previously been in Alexander (2004) and The New World (2005) together. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Johnny Depp jumps through the curtain he shouts "Never believe what you read in The Sun," whereas in fact his deceiving life story was published in the Daily Mail. more
Quotes:
Tony: [From trailer]
[Introducing the Imaginarium]
Tony: ... the *extraordinary* Dr. Par-nassus!
more
Movie Connections:

FAQ

Is it true that Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell have decided to donate their earnings from this movie to Matilda Ledger?
How will the death of Heath Ledger affect this film?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
more
13 out of 28 people found the following review useful.
This ambitious project is often remarkable to look out but is ultimately muddled and ostentatious, 30 October 2009
5/10
Author: Troy_Campbell from Sydney, Australia

Nobody makes a movie like Terry Gilliam. For better or worse, the director of Brazil, Twelve Monkeys and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas puts on screen whatever happens to be in his head. You can't expect coherence, plausibility or realism to enter into the proceedings; they are pushed aside for weird and wonderful images, fantasy sequences and warped stories. Imaginarium follows this trend. Too much, in fact. Gilliam's embellishments come off feeling self-indulgent and pretentious. The term 'overbearing' is synonymous with Gilliam at the best of times, but it fits the bill more than normal here. Nobody is asking for a sacrifice of artistic integrity, however a straighter line every now and then would serve him, and this film, well.

Gilliam's faults begin with his screenplay. Superfluous and bloated in many parts, it can never really find its feet due to extended scenes which are really just not necessary. The moral of the story is not only metaphorically hammered home but by the midway point becomes boring and monotonous to boot. We understand that regret can be a heavy burden to carry; is it necessary to remind us every minute of the entire 122 minute runtime? Repetitiveness aside, Gilliam at least manages to make the twists and turns unpredictable and fun to watch, the final reveal about Tony is a corker and most definitely unexpected.

Witnessing the final performance of Ledger is emotionally confusing. You desperately want this to be a turn worthy of remembering him by, the ultimate swansong to match The Dark Knight, yet deep down it is apparent this is nowhere near his best work. Perhaps if he got to finish the role things might have been different, as it stands Depp, Law and Farrell admirably flesh out the remaining of his role. Playing the eponymous Doc, Plummer is solid and reliable, if never overly outstanding whilst newcomer Cole is intriguing as the porcelain-like heroine; should be interesting to see how she fares with roles that require more than just reacting. The absolute standout is Waits, his smooth and arrogant Devil is worth the price of admission all on his own.

This ambitious project is often remarkable to look out but is ultimately muddled and ostentatious.

2.5 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Ordinary, 3 - Good, 4 - Excellent, 5 - Classic)

Was the above review useful to you?
more (39 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
This film is not for everyone - I lasted 30 mins jamie147
Review for Doctor Parnassus FilmSnobNyc
I want to see this because of Heath... Sny190
Heath Ledger was good but.... paul_klein94
Wide Release? NeonTiger21
Trailer reminds me of TAO Baron Munchausen bcscover
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Stardust Bedazzled The Brothers Grimm Mulholland Dr. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Adventure section IMDb UK section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.