THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS
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2009
DIRECTOR: Terry Gilliam
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Nicola Pecorini
WRITER: Terry Gilliam & Charles McKeown
BUDGET: $30,000,000
GROSS: $61,808,775 (worldwide)
While photography is pretty singularly a visual medium and books are a medium very much completely reliant on the words - film is an art form that spans mediums. The words are just as important a component to the success of a film (I mean artistic success - not commercial) as is how the film looks and what it does visually, both large and small (people who talk about film tend to sometimes forget that a low-budget film, or one that forgoes large sets and special effects, is still making a visual statement).
What is often the case though - and one of the reasons why I think so many pretentious film people tend to look down their nose at big-budget special effect-laden movies - is that many film makers focus their attention on the visual aspect of film making but forget about how important the words are. Which leads to films like The Transformers I and II, Terminator Salvation, Ecks Vs Sever… and I could go on, but you get what I'm saying). I bring this up, because The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a film with strong artistic visions that also remembered how important the text is.
No one familiar with Terry Gilliam's work could ever accuse him of not having a strong vision - but it could be said that sometimes that vision doesn’t work beyond just looking good - yes, I’m talking about Tideland.
However, with Dr. Parnassus, he has created a gorgeous film that is a feast for the eyes, with a story that is big and interesting. Gilliam isn't scared of grand story themes and here he takes on the classic deal-with-the devil scenario (in The Fisher King - my favorite of his films - he went with the holy grail).
Dr. Parnassus is a film I couldn't help but think of in the bigger discussion of visual ideas and the good and bad use of said ideas in movies. Which, in this case is, good use in a very good film.