Heath Ledger’s first on-screen appearance in “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” shocks the audience as his shadow reflects over London’s Thames River. Clad in white, he dangles from a noose as the camera pans toward his seemingly lifeless body.
This first image is an all-too-eerie reminder of when Ledger was found dead in his apartment after an accidental drug overdose in January of 2008. Ledger died halfway through filming, but the plot provided the avenue for writer and director Terry Gillam to continue the movie after Ledger’s untimely death.
Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell stepped up to play different versions of Ledger’s character. Once Gillam made the decision to carry on filming, he had to backtrack and rework earlier scenes in the movie so the changes appeared plausible and seamless.
In “Imaginarium” Ledger plays Tony, a businessman who’s rescued from his precarious position by members of a traveling theater troupe led by the title figure, Parnassus (Christopher Plummer). Disoriented, unconscious and suffering from amnesia, Tony joins the rest of the troupe as he attempts to regain his memory.
The troupe’s eclectic mix includes Parnassus’s daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole), a young orphan named Anton (Andrew Garfield) and Percy, a cynical dwarf played by Verne Troyer (yup, Mini Me). The medieval theater troupe juxtaposes the lights and industry of London, and Doctor Parnassus and crew bounce between real life and a fantasyland accessed through a magical mirror.
Each time a different person enters the realm behind the mirror, the scenery shifts to match his or her imagination. A rich socialite sees a world of stiletto heels and Faberge eggs, whereas a young boy’s imagination carries him to a land made entirely of sweets. However, the imaginarium offers more than just a break from reality. It offers a choice.
And so the core of the movie reveals itself. Years ago, Parnassus wagered with the devil (Tom Waits) for the chance at immortality. The inhabitant can either chose the path of imagination and righteousness, represented by Parnassus, or wander into the hands of evil.
“Imaginarium” is now playing at Butler Plaza, and the trailer is available at theimaginariumofdoctorparnassusmovie.com. The choice is yours: Enter the fantasy behind the imaginarium and see what lies ahead.
