THERE is no escaping the uncomfortable truth that audiences will flock to
The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus to witness the final performance of Oscar-winning actor Heath Ledger before his accidental drug overdose.
Director Terry Gilliam’s picture was part-way through principal photography when the world lost one of its brightest talents. But Gilliam took the decision to rework the script, casting three actors (Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell) as stand-ins for the absent star in three dreamlike sequences.
The result is a film that is every bit disjointed and befuddling as it is visually arresting and fanciful.
Immortal soothsayer Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) bargained with The Devil (Tom Waits) many centuries ago and now Old Nick has come to collect the soul of his teenage daughter Valentina (Lily Cole), who works on a travelling circus fronted by Parnassus and his assistants Anton (Andrew Garfield) and Percy (Verne Troyer).
To keep The Devil at bay, Parnassus must win the souls of five strangers by inviting them through his magic mirror into a world beyond their wildest imagination.
Suicidal Tony (Ledger) could be the first through the looking-glass but where will the soothsayer find the others?
The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus is a strangely voyeuristic experience that starts with a chill when we see his character hanging from a noose beneath Blackfriars Bridge in London.
In truth, Ledger is a supporting player in this haphazard tale. Plummer, Garfield and Cole are centre stage, the latter impressing as a child doomed to suffer the sins of her father.
Depp and Law barely have any screen time while Farrell fares slightly better and captures the mannerisms and vocal patterns of Ledger to provide a clear link.
Animated sequences and production design are top notch, but the two-hour running time tests the patience.