The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

[kyser_soze]

Yeah, there was grumbling and mumbling about that from me, I can tell ya.

 

[Biddlybee]

Like you said, it was just flat... not sure why I expected more from Gilliam tbh

 

[elevendayempire]

Typical Gilliam - great visually, great story concept which he half tells well, film just feels a bit...flat, really. Not a bad film by any means, and it's got some great ideas and sequences (altho why TG got Farrell to do the longest fantasy sequence and Depp the shortest is beyond me, altho I have to say even Depp's 'I can do that wacky thing with my eyes' schtick is starting to wear a bit thin...

That was because Depp was busy filming Public Enemies, so they only had him for one day's shooting. Bit harsh to criticise Parnassus for that, given that Depp donated his free time and his salary to help complete the film.

 

[kyser_soze]

I put him and Tim Burton in the same general critical area - genuinely fantastical imaginations, let down by either:

1. Having a great story, but no emotional hooks in the characters

2. Having amazing characters but shite story...Burton I think is more prone to this than Gilliam

3. Completely loosing control over story (Munchausen)

 

[elevendayempire]

Mm, nice idea, shame - apart from Depp - about the execution. I mean, why isn't Jake Gyllenhaal playing one of the parts? Or Christian Bale?

...why did I write this? Good heavens. Anyway, I now realise that the reason they picked Depp, Farrell and Law was because they were Ledger's mates, which I hadn't been aware of.

 

[kyser_soze]

That was because Depp was busy filming Public Enemies, so they only had him for one day's shooting. Bit harsh to criticise Parnassus for that, given that Depp donated his free time and his salary to help complete the film.

Not a criticism of the film as a whole, and I didn't know they only had him for one day.

Also - Heath's fucking accent! All over the shop!

 

[elevendayempire]

Not a criticism of the film as a whole, and I didn't know they only had him for one day.

Also - Heath's fucking accent! All over the shop!

Mm, I suspect they may have been planning to do some post-production ADR work to iron out the wandering accent - but obviously that was off the cards after Ledger died.

 

[Lea]

Saw this yesterday. Although not bad, not overly impressed either. The story didn't seem to go anywhere but the visuals were fantastic.

 

[fractionMan]

brazil - shit, 12 monkeys - shit, munchausen - shit, jabberwocky - shit, time bandits - shit. i will never waste my time with a gilliam film again.

taste fail

 

[fractionMan]

tideland is ace too

 

[stupid dogbot]

As is The Fisher King.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

I put him and Tim Burton in the same general critical area - genuinely fantastical imaginations, let down by either:

1. Having a great story, but no emotional hooks in the characters

2. Having amazing characters but shite story...Burton I think is more prone to this than Gilliam

3. Completely loosing control over story (Munchausen)

Gilliam's much better than Burton. His films are much much richer. I wish he was doing Alince in Wonderland tbh. Burton's so one note, all he can do is goth goth goth.

 

[fractionMan]

big fish wasn't gothic

 

[Red Faction]

brazil - shit, 12 monkeys - shit, munchausen - shit, jabberwocky - shit, time bandits - shit. i will never waste my time with a gilliam film again.

try life of brian

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

...why did I write this? Good heavens. Anyway, I now realise that the reason they picked Depp, Farrell and Law was because they were Ledger's mates, which I hadn't been aware of.

I believe they all donated their pay to his daughter.

 

[discokermit]

try life of brian

good, but co directed.

 

[elbows]

How come Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas doesnt get a mention when debating the merits or lack thereof of Gillian films?

Anyway I will be watching the Imaginarium at some point because all the Gilliam films Ive seen to date have fallen into the 'flawed but great' category.

 

[catinthehat]

Saw Tideland a couple of weeks ago. Thought it was excellent. I love his stuff.

 

[Balbi]

It's a great film, go and see it on the big screen to get the full effect.

 

[discokermit]

i will never waste my time with a gilliam film again.

well, i did waste my time again. awful film. awful acting (is that woman evolving into a fish? her eyes are almost on the side of her head!), awful plot, awful dialogue. some interesting sets but some very ropey cgi.

 

[mrs quoad]

well, i did waste my time again. awful film. awful acting (is that woman evolving into a fish? her eyes are almost on the side of her head!), awful plot, awful dialogue. some interesting sets but some very ropey cgi.

'That woman' studies at Cambridge

I'd previously talked to my current partner-in-progress about how there was a model at Cambridge... and how her beauty is *cough* unconventional

Went to see it last night, and I was left... so-so. Kinda, yeah, it's ok Fills the time, like. But there're some bits when the plot (what plot?) seems to've been forgotten.

T'partner-in-progress loved it. Absolutely loved it. So did another dr. lass who's a housemate of mine. Whilst the other houseblerk said "I felt I was having someone else's imagination forcibly rammed down my throat". So, well. Bit of a gender divide, this end at least

No real objections though, like. Though the acting was pretty awful