The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

On the scale of wildly undisciplined Terry Gilliam films, this actually ranks as being surprisingly coherent. This is even more amazing given the appalling tragedy that happened mid-shoot. We've long been schooled to expect his movies to be accompanied by a certain amount of mayhem, but it's usually more prosaic: a public, full-on row with the producers for instance. For a time it looked like Parnassus would share the fate of Don Quixote and end up abandoned. As it is, the solution works a treat, with the costume, hair and makeup of Johhny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell (as Tony in the Imaginarium) all bearing a passing resemblance to Heath Ledger as Tony in the real world - and also giving rise to a hilarious double take when Johnny Depp catches sight of his reflection. This being a Gilliam film the plotting is, shall we say, haphazard, and the performances occasionally swing very broad indeed. There are also a couple of moments that distractingly scream "Monty Python", particularly the singing policemen. But the other thing that one gets with a Gilliam film is an astonishing imagination at work. This is most obvious in the fantasy world through the mirror but also applies to the Imaginarium itself, a vibrant archaic presence in drab modern London, and the flashbacks to Parnassus' deals with Mr Nick. And yet, for all its qualities, it will always be known as Heath Ledger's last film and it's intriguing to wonder how he would have played the three Imaginarium Tonys, particularly the third, when his true colours are fully revealed.