The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Blu-ray Movie Review

This latest from Terry Gilliam earns a top-flight Blu-ray release.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 6, 2010

You can't stop stories form being told.

Famed Director Terry Gilliam, known for his oddball pictures that prove visually alluring and structurally well beyond what audiences have come to accept as the "norm" in mainstream Hollywood fare, once again delivers a topsy-turvy picture of high artistic value in The Imagunarium of Doctor Parnassus. A film that's intricately-woven, stylistically ablaze in cockeyed visuals, and packed with eye candy backdrops that all create a most unique world where anything can happen, Gilliam delivers an intricately-detailed fantasyland adventure that's reminiscent of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen but aided by far more advanced visuals than was available to the director some 20 years ago. Parnassus is a picture that won't appeal to all audiences; it's fairly complex in theme, and the story is often overshadowed by the grand-scale special effects and otherworldly visuals that often dominate the screen, but the picture is also oddly enthralling as spectacle if nothing else, and while it might might leave some audiences in a daze, there's no escaping the film's worth as one of the most uniquely enchanting movies in recent memory.

Let's make a deal.

A traveling troupe of performers wanders through the streets of modern-day London, setting up shop where they may and barely pulling in enough revenue to keep them going from one location to the next. As the story comes into focus, it is revealed that the troupe's patriarch -- Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) -- had previously won a wager with the devil, called here "Mr. Nick" (Tom Waits, The Book of Eli), that gave him immortality, but not freedom from the aging process. Parnassus in turn made a second deal, which allowed him a youthful appearance so he might fall in love, but at the cost of any of hi future childrens' souls when they turned 16 years of age. His daughter Valentina (Lily Cole) -- days away from her 16th birthday -- is part of the troupe, along with Anton (Andrew Garfield) and Percy (Verne Troyer). The gang rescues a mysterious man named Tony (Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight) who joins the troupe and convinces them to breathe new life into the look and allure of their wares while better exploiting the magical world that exists within and adding his own unique flair to the experience that's sure to separate customers from the contents of their pocketbooks. Nevertheless, the imminent loss of Valentina looms large, but Tony just might have a solution in mind for that pesky little problem, too.

For those that know Terry Gilliam through what is arguably his most popular work of the past two decades -- Twelve Monkeys -- The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus might come as a bit of a surprise and even a shock, but his unique sense of directorial style carries over, even if Parnassus proves a far more colorfully vibrant picture than does the grimy and bleak Monkeys. Parnassus is littered with plenty of cockeyed and otherwise untraditional camera angles, often giving it a more personal feel while at the same time reinforcing the dreamlike feel and fantastical story lines that accompany the movie. In a movie such as Parnassus, however, the "hows" seem a bit more important to the experience than the "whys," which is exactly how Gilliam juggles the film's structure and gets away with constructing a picture that's anything but straightforward, whether in terms of his camera work, thematic and dramatic structure, or psychedelic visuals in the form of computer-generated special effects. No doubt its marvelously distinctive visuals, costuming, and makeup dominate each and every frame, sometimes even to the detriment of the flow, cohesion, and even absolute comprehension of the story. No worries, though, because The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a film that's meant to be "experienced" rather than merely "seen" and even "understood." Still, Gilliam manages to allow themes that touch on subjects such as redemption, love, and friendship to shine through even the glossiest and most colorful of visuals.

Matching the picture's pastel-dominant fantasy landscapes are equally colorful characters that ignite the screen and often give to the movie the feel of a stage production, particularly aided by their heavy make-up, the rickety set piece that is the imaginarium's traveling wagon, and various costume choices that lend yet another touch of surrealism to the experience. Indeed, even many of the special effects -- particularly backgrounds -- within the imaginarium appear two-dimmensional as if made of paper or some form of flimsy cloth, and there's only sometimes a real sense of real space to them. It all lends to the feel that the movie is somehow never quite what it seems, a theme Gilliam seems to have injected into every aspect of the film, whether the effects, costumes, or even the backbone of the story itself. All in all, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus proves highly enchanting and alluring, even if none of its elements make much sense beyond a very base level. It's neither the most exciting nor emotionally satisfying picture out there -- in fact, as to the latter, it's only really satisfying from a purely visual perspective -- but it's well worth a watch for its wondrous and grand feel, not to mention as a glimpse into the creative mind of a director who is today arguably Hollywood's most unique.

Even through its somewhat cryptic story and majestic visual flair, the shadow of the late Heath Ledger looms largest over The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Ledger certainly turns in a very good performance in what would be his last role that he sadly left incomplete, his untimely death threatening to not only halt the production but scrap the film altogether. Fortunately, Gilliam -- who ends the picture with the words "A film from Heath Ledger and friends" -- chose to continue on with the project and ultimately cast several replacements to film Ledger's unfinished scenes. As fate would have it, Ledger's final picture allows for his character to be easily and, insofar as the story goes, even understandably, replaced. Also chalk up to serendipity the fact that Ledger had completed his scenes within "the real world" before his passing, allowing for the change in actors within the imaginarium to make sense within the confines of the story, seeing as that it's a fantasy land where anything seems possible. Gilliam carefully screened candidates to replace Ledger and settled on a new face for every major sequence within the imaginarium, casting Johnny Depp (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes) and Colin Ferrell (Minority Report). Each manages to add their own unique flair while also maintaining not only Ledger's look but the spirit of his performance and the nuances of his character. The remainder of the cast is also strong, with longtime veteran Christopher Plummer impressing in his take on the aged, frazzled, and emotionally lost title character.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus pulls into Blu-ray and unveils another top-quality transfer from Sony. This 1080p, 1.85:1-framed image dazzles throughout with its impeccable detailing and exceptionally strong color palette, both of which are evident whether in some of the bleaker and darker shots of the "real world" or the many bright and vibrant pastel-dominated segments within the imaginarium. Though blacks sometimes have a slightly washed out appearance, the remainder of the image boasts a wonderfully crisp, detailed, and dimensional experience that's a rival for some of the best transfers out there. This image reveals an enormous amount of detail throughout; the troupe's old wagon is awash with intricately-rendered little surfaces and objects, the well-worn look of the thing a sight to behold. The transfer's fantastic depth and clarity is wonderfully evidenced in chapter five as the troupe finds itself in a run-down and abandoned industrial-looking section of London after rescuing Tony; distant debris is meticulously resolved, pebbles and dirt on the ground showcase fantastically believable texturing, and the overall clarity of the scene brings it to life not necessarily as an eye-popping visual extravaganza but as an honest and incredibly lifelike scene. Indeed, the picture's exceptional coloring, intricate detailing, and sense of depth remain throughout; no doubt the "real world" segments enjoy a bit more in the areas of realistic textures and natural colors that might even be described as a touch faded, but the world of the imaginarium boasts its own visual scheme that's impeccably realized in each scene with a broad array of incredibly bright colors. Also boasting wonderfully natural flesh tones and an overall high quality film-like appearance, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus makes for another fine transfer from Sony.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

No sleight-of-hand here; The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus wields an honest and satisfying DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Just as good -- if not slightly better than -- the overall video quality, Sony's latest DTS track dazzles the senses and truly opens up the exciting world of The Imaginarium with a full, crisp, and convincing audio presentation. The track covers the entire spectrum of sound, from the most subtle of atmospherics to several convincing explosions that let loose a positive burst from the low end. Indeed, explosions and various pyrotechnic presentations send palpable shockwaves through the listening area via tight, clean bass that's strong but not overwhelming. There's exceptional power and crispness to other effects, such as bursting balloons in one early scene or a chase through the imaginarium on a tall broken ladder-as-stilts later on. The track is awash in surround effects, both discrete and atmospheric, that create a strong sense of space and wonder to the track. It's always convincing and a pleasure to behold, whether the many whirling, crashing, and otherwise extreme effects that surround the listener while in the imaginarium, or more subtly supportive effects such as blowing winds and the generally light din of the city in the "real world" segments. Various other sound effects that play front-and-center in the track -- for example a buzzing alarm clock in one shot -- all feature startlingly real clarity. The picture's score also enjoys exceptional fidelity, and dialogue reproduction never falters. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus delivers the goods, sonically, its lossless track a rip-roaring adventure of sound that's as imaginative and satisfying as the movie's unique visuals.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus opens up the fantastical world behind the movie through a myriad of quality supplemental features. First among them is Terry Gilliam Film Introduction (1080p, 2:57), a brief primer of sorts to the film (attention disc renters: watch through to the end of this supplement, you cheapskate!), followed by an audio commentary track with Director Terry Gilliam. The director jumps right in with a discussion of how the script came about and his collaboration on the project with Brazil and Munchausen Co-writer Charles McKeown. He goes on to share his thoughts on the film's look and design, the quality of the cast, the film's music, set and costume design, shooting locales, special effects, the themes of the film and the elements of the story, the purpose behind some of the unexplained elements in the film and Gilliam's desire to create something of an open-ended story to allow audiences to come to their own conclusions, the editing process, Heath Ledger's performance and the process of completing his scenes, and plenty more. Gilliam proves himself a good commentator, and this track makes for a nice supportive listen for the film.

Behind the Mirror (1080p, 3:28) is a brief overview that features the cast describing their parts while Director Terry Gilliam and other crew members speak on the look and feel of the film and the story behind it, intercut with clips form the film. The Imaginarium of Terry Gilliam (1080p, 6:32) takes a closer look at the ideas found in the film, its look and visual effects, and the work and style of Terry Gilliam. Next up is Building the Monastery (1080p, 7:16), a piece detailing the construction of one of the film's larger set pieces and the models and special effects that bring it to life. 'The Drunk' Multi-Angle Progression Sequence (1080p, 2:12) allows users to toggle between a sequence in various stages of completion, including its pre-visualization sequence, storyboards, blue screen footage, visual effects pass, and the final shot as seen in the film, or to view them four at a time on-screen.

Heath Ledger and Friends (1080p, 5:46) more closely examines the effects of Heath Ledger's death on the film and the subsequent integration of Actors Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell into the picture. Heath Ledger Wardrobe Test (1080p, 2:02) shows the actor trying on various costumes, included with optional video commentary from Director Terry Gilliam. Next is Interview With Heath Ledger (1080p, 3:09), a snippet from a 2007 radio interview with the late star. Doctor Parnassus Around the World (1080p, 6:00) features a compilation of red carpet footage from various Imaginarium premiers around the globe. Cast & Crew Presentation On Stage (1080p, 8:27) features Director Terry Gilliam introducing some of his closest friends as they arrive on-stage. The Artwork of Doctor Parnassus (1080p, 4:29) is next, a piece showcasing the director sharing some of his artistic renditions that inspired the film. Additionally, the disc features a deleted scene (1080p, 4:25) with optional Terry Gilliam commentary; BD-Live functionality; Sony's MovieIQ connectivity; a trailer for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (1080p, 1:45); and additional 1080p trailers for Dear John, Not the Messiah, The Young Victoria, Nine , Extraordinary Measures, Hachi: A Dog's Tale, An Education, It Might Get Loud, Whatever Works, Coco Before Chanel, Soul Power, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, A Single Man, The Road, and Chloe.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The true strength of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus lies in its visuals and the performances of its cast. Its not often that a movie works when its dominant force is its fantastical special effects that often overwhelm the thematic elements, but Terry Gilliam once again proves a master of this rare art form and delivers in Parnassus a film that's more about what it looks like than what it has to say. Nevertheless, the film will be remembered first as Actor Heath Ledger's final performance before his untimely death; Ledger does his part proud, and Gilliam manages to keep Ledger and his character in the film by casting several of the effects-laden imaginarium scenes with a trio of different actors who both pay homage to Ledger and his character while also adding an interesting new dimension to the picture. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus isn't a film that's going to appeal to all audiences, but those that choose to watch and become lost in the unique world of Terry Gilliam's latest work of visceral art should get enough out of it to enjoy the experience. Sony's Blu-ray release of The Iaginarium of Doctor Parnassus doesn't disappoint. Boasting striking visuals, a top-notch soundtrack, and a fine assortment of extras, fans can purchase with confidence, but newcomers might want to give the movie a rent first.