The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Directed by Terry Gilliam
By Robert Bell

With characters on the edge of society, free from social order, surrounded by dilapidated buildings and other forms of urban decay, Imaginarium is undoubtedly a Terry Gilliam film, and a return to form for a director whose forays into the mainstream (Brothers Grimm) and the obliquely esoteric (Tideland) proved less than successful. Here, the struggle between blissful ignorance and passionate sagacity takes literal form in a film that should confuse many but speak volumes to some.

Faustian bargains compound as a travelling theatre company, led by the immortal Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer), provides wayward viewers a look into their souls when passing through a mirror imaginarium, where they must choose between whimsy and base human proclivities dictated by the devil (played by Tom Waits).

While these righteous figures battle for the heart of mankind, time ticks down in the real world for the daughter of Doctor Parnassus, Valentina (Lily Cole), whose fate is tied to a century-old bet. After a failed suicide attempt, Tony (Heath Ledger), a philanthropist of questionable moral character, winds up in the middle of this fable, ultimately deciding the fates of all involved.

The wildly exaggerated environments on the other side of the mirror of introspection won't surprise anyone familiar with the animations of Mr. Gilliam. Talking hot air balloons, ladders to the sky and a river made of serpent tongues are just a few of the incarnations on display, as Tony transforms into various physical bodies on a CGI canvas. It creates not only an unhinged fantastical world for the film to exist within but also provides logicality to Ledger's transformation into Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell.

While undoubtedly chaotic in execution, deliberately resembling the madness of modern social structures and implicit cynicism, this capricious parable remains grounded with a self-reflexivity and sense of humour that know exactly when to give way to dramatic didactics.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus manages to be fun and imminently watchable while delivering a sharp social criticism for us to think about. (E1)
Dvd Reviews: Dante’s Inferno - Dir. by Victor Cook
Dvd Reviews: Daytime Drinking - Dir. by Young-Seok Noh
Dvd Reviews: The Godfather [Blu-Ray] - Dir. by Francis Ford Coppola
Film Reviews: Dear John - Dir. by Lasse Hallstrom
Film Reviews: Frozen - Dir. by Adam Green
Film Reviews: Saint John of Las Vegas - Dir. by Hue Rhodes
Film Reviews: From Paris With Love - Dir. by Pierre Morel
Dvd Reviews: Turner Classic Movies Sci-Fi Adventures
Dvd Reviews: Zombieland - Dir. by Ruben Fleischer
Dvd Reviews: Troubled Water - Dir. by Erik Poppe
Dvd Reviews: Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me - Dir. by Beth McCarthy
Music DVD Reviews: Various - GonerFest 4
Dvd Reviews: Surrogates - Dir. by Jonathan Mostow
Dvd Reviews: Turner Classic Movies Greatest Classic Films: Marx Brothers
Dvd Reviews: thirtysomething: The Complete Second Season
Dvd Reviews: Don’t You Forget About Me - Dir. by Matt Austin Sadowski
Dvd Reviews: Aziz Ansari - Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening
Dvd Reviews: Amelia - Dir. by Mira Nair
Dvd Reviews: Small Wonder: The Complete First Season
Dvd Reviews: Whiteout - Dir. by Domenic Sena
Dvd Reviews: Free Style - Dir. by William Dear
Film Reviews: Edge of Darkness - Dir. by Martin Campbell
Film Reviews: When In Rome - Dir. by Mark Steven Johnson
Film Reviews: The Yes Men Fix the World - Dir. by Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno & Kurt Engfehr
Film Reviews: La Donation - Dir. by Bernard Emond
Dvd Reviews: Saw VI - Dir. by Kevin Greutert
Dvd Reviews: Mary & Max - Dir. by Adam Elliott
Dvd Reviews: Little Ashes - Dir. by Paul Morrison
Dvd Reviews: Black Belt Jones / Hot Potato / Black Samson / Three The Hard Way - Dir. by Robert Clouse; Oscar Williams; Charles Bail; Gordon Parks Jr.
Videogame Reviews: Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks [Nintendo DS]
Videogame Reviews: The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces [Wii]
Film Reviews: Extraordinary Measures - Dir. by Tom Vaughan
Film Reviews: Petropolis: Aerial Perspective on the Alberta Tar Sands - Dir. by Peter Mettler
Film Reviews: Tooth Fairy - Dir. by Michael Lembeck
Film Reviews: The Last Station - Dir. by Michael Hoffman
Film Reviews: Creation - Dir. by Jon Amiel
Film Reviews: Creation - Dir. by Jon Amiel
Dvd Reviews: Moon [Blu-Ray] - Dir. by Duncan Jones
Music DVD Reviews: Exodus - Shovel Headed Tour Machine: Live At Wacken And Other Assorted Atrocities
Dvd Reviews: The Invention Of Lying [Blu-Ray] - Dir. by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson
Dvd Reviews: Pandorum - Dir. by Christian Alvart
Dvd Reviews: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell - Dir. by Bob Gosse
Dvd Reviews: Weeds Season Five
Dvd Reviews: The Age Of Stupid - Dir. by Franny Armstrong
Dvd Reviews: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs - Dir. by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Dvd Reviews: Whip It - Dir. by Drew Barrymore
Dvd Reviews: Adam - Dir. by Max Mayer
Dvd Reviews: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Ultimate Edition [Blu-Ray]
Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets: Ultimate Edition [Blu-Ray] - Dir. by Chris Columbus
Dvd Reviews: According to Greta - Dir. by Nancy Bardawil
Dvd Reviews: Downloading Nancy - Dir. by Johan Renck
Dvd Reviews: Gamer - Dir. by Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor
Dvd Reviews: The Drummer - Dir. by Kenneth Bi
Dvd Reviews: Outrage - Dir. by Kirby Dick
Toro y Moi - Causers of This
Last year's most exhilarating subgenre alternated between the ridiculous names of "chillwave" and "glo-fi." Chaz Bundick, or Toro y Moi, may be the last of the bunch to have his say, but he has two reasons to be excited: Causers of This is the first of two albums he's prepared for 2010 and he... Full Review
Dallas and Travis Good
The centre of Blue Rodeo's universe is a non-descript building on the Danforth in Toronto, housing their management company Starfish Entertainment and their renowned Woodshed Recording Studio. If the band have any roommates at the Woodshed, then it's the Sadies.... Read More
Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields - It's Only Time
Whimsical curmudgeon Stephin Merritt is undeniably one of the most significant artists of the past 20 years. A clever wordsmith equally devoted to Human League and Cole Porter, Merritt's nascent musical explorations produced the lo-fi, synthesized sound of the Magnetic Fields. Even then, with his intellectual interest in diverse pop and folk instrumentation and the timeless art of charming, sentimental songs, glimmers of a contemporary pop genius shone through.... Read More
Viewing the October 2007 Issue: • Contents Page • News • Click Hear • Articles --> On the Cover  •  Front Five  •  Points  •  Comics  •  Questionnaire  •  Release Dates  •  Research  •  Timeline  •  Videogames  •  Web Exclusives • Music Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Aggressive Tendencies  •  Beats & Rhymes  •  Destination Out  •  Frequencies  •  Groove  •  No Future  •  Pop Rocks  •  Wood, Wires & Whiskey  •  Concert Reviews • Motion Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Dvd Reviews  •  Film Reviews  •  Music DVD Reviews  •  TIFF  •  Videogame Reviews • Music School --> Label Life  •  Meet & Greet  •  Need to Know  •  What I Play • Contests • Contact --> About Us  • Advertising  • Distribution  • Getting Reviewed  • Getting Published  • Letters To The Editor  • Partnerships  • Subscriptions • Exclaim! Radio --> Aggressive Tendencies Radio  • Beats & Rhymes Radio  • Frequencies Radio  • Destination Out Radio  • Groove Radio  • No Future Radio  • Pop Rocks Radio  • Wood, Wires & Whiskey Radio • Exclaim! TV • Home & Latest Issue • Browse Issues