Welcome to the Imaginarium

So, I went to see The Imagninarium of Dr. Parnassus on Friday. I made a point of not inviting anyone along. One, because I just was not in the mood to jump on my cutting pony with my best dog Boo and do the amount of wrangling it takes to get even one person to a 7:30 show. Who’s had dinner? What’s close? No, I’m not going to see another movie. I swear it’s like herding cats sometimes. And I just wanted to enjoy a Friday night at the picture show.

The other reason I didn’t invite anyone is because it’s a Terry Gilliam movie. Either you’re a fan or you sit there for the entire movie wondering what the hell is going on and hating the person who dragged you to this insanity. I’m a fan. And I especially wanted to see this because when I went to see The Brother’s Grimm, I spent the entire film wondering if Heath Ledger was the only one who had been told that they were making a Terry Gilliam film (the idea that Gilliam may have directed the entire movie in disguise is not entirely unbelievable, and would actually make a pretty good premise for a Terry Gilliam film). Anyway, I wanted to see what they’d come up with on a second try.

And well, of course, poor Heath.

Is it the perfect Terry Gilliam film? No. I’m not entirely sure that the internal logic is completely consistent. The special effects are disconcertingly uneven in quality. Some lead to images that are just enchanting (I particularly liked the ladders to the sky and the floating monks). And others are so hokey they just throw you right out of the movie. Is it a good Terry Gilliam film? Yes. He is one of the few filmmakers working now who deals with the big issues: life, death, love in all its forms, art, honor, good vs. evil. And even dealing with those giant issues, he still keeps a lunatic sense of humor. Gilliam is willing to really reach stretch himself way, way out there trying for that brass ring. Yes, I’ll admit, in this instance he failed. But it is still an impressive leap.

And everyone from start to finish is most certainly aware that they are in a Terry Gilliam film. The performances are wonderful. The use of the other three actors (Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Ferrell) to fill in after Ledger’s death comes off seamlessly, and is one of those instances in art where (not to get to film snobby, but) improvisation yields something that you could never have imagined, but reveals a new layer in the story. The interplay between Christopher Plummer and Vern Troyer is incredible. Gilliam may have found his new muse in Vern Troyer. And Tom Waits as the Devil. Obvious, yet genius. And alas, poor Heath. We really did lose a very fine actor there.

In the end, the movie was like being at a carnival. So many sights and sounds and amazements, you may not be entirely sure just what exactly you saw. And as the credits rolled, I momentarily wondered what would happen if James Cameron and Terry Gilliam collaborated on a movie. It would certainly cost a billion dollars. And there would be an equal possibility that either they’d create an utter, embarrassing, career immolating fiasco or something blindingly brilliant. If they didn’t kill each other in the process.