Comments | hope_assassin: "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"

hope_assassin

"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"

Feb 12, 2010 00:19

Today, I went to see a movie I've already seen once but wasn't able to properly appreciate because I expected it to be something different entirely.

( The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus as seen through the eyes of a fangirl )

big screen gone small, heath ledger is the one and only, the confessions of a fangirl, review

Comments 17

breathless_dawn February 11 2010, 22:43:23 UTC

Unfortunately this film never had a US release, so I can't see it. But I've heard of it and I've heard it was lovely. Johnny Depp's role is what attracted me (as I'm probably one of his biggest fangirls ever) and I was quite upset upon realising it wouldn't be released where I live. Heath, of course, was another bonus *g*. I can't say I know anything of the plot, but it looked intersting in the trailers. It looked a bit like the brainchild of Tim Burton, and I love me some Tim Burton. If I ever get the opportunity, I will be sure to see the film :)

hope_assassin February 11 2010, 23:09:42 UTC

Whaaat, you don't get releases for films that aren't American? D: That's.... just ... horrid. Dx It would've been amazing to watch it on the big screen, seeing how it's very visually impacting and wonderfully colourful and imaginative.

And, yes, I have to admit that before becoming such a die-hard Heath Ledger fangirl, Johnny was number 1 for me as well and the first time I went to see this movie I went for Johnny's part in it and for Jude Law. But it's exactly the quartet of all of them, together with Farrell and Heath that make this character quite fascinating.

Speaking of Tim Burton, I'm really looking forward to Alice coming out next month. :33

freetraveller15 February 12 2010, 00:54:23 UTC

this film never had a US release

It depends on where you are in the US.
But as far as I know it has been released in several US cities.

This link (updated 2 days ago) should give you a list of the current US theaters showing it:

http://www.imaginariumofdrparnassus.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=130&t=1233

Hope you'll be able to see it.

P

daylight_broke February 11 2010, 22:58:24 UTC

This was a thoughtful, well written review of IMAGINAIRUM you wrote that doesn't include spoilers (I haven't seen the movie yet).

Also, a post that addresses your thoughts about Tony's speech about dying young: http://community.livejournal.com/inmemoryofheath/981854.html

hope_assassin February 11 2010, 23:12:49 UTC

You really reckon so? :333 I tried my best with it. I'm really sorry that I didn't take into consideration that someone could not have seen it yet! But it's a good thing that I didn't give away anything from the movie, seeing as I was so fixated upon Heath's performance rather than what the movie is actually about. xDDD

Ohh, yes, thank you, my dearest~! You are so full of useful info! *hugs tight* *goes to comment on the post*

By the way, are you planning on seeing the movie? Or maybe you're from the States and it doesn't get a release over there at all before the DVD comes out?

daylight_broke February 13 2010, 03:46:37 UTC

You did a good job with the review. It's always tricky to write a review for a movie without revealing any spoilers. But I don't mind it if people reveal movie spoilers.

I'm going to wait until the DVD of IMAGINARIUM to come out to actually see it. According to google search, the movie IMAGINARIUM is playing here in Seattle, America, at this time.

The cool thing about becoming a Heath fan is meeting other Heath fans on livejournal. Heath fans on livejournal are so gosh darn nice and always polite. If you can judge an actor based on what type of people he attracts as fans, then it's safe to say Heath was a gosh darn nice, polite gentleman.

hope_assassin February 13 2010, 11:39:15 UTC

Yeah, I'm not much spoiler sensitive myself, though there are times when I'd rather not be spoiled, so I do try to not spoil anything for anyone else because of that too.

Oh, I'd love to have that DVD as well when it comes out. <3 I wonder if there will be any scenes that they meant to include with Heath but couldn't, even with re-structuring the script. And if Jude and Johnny will say anything about him. I wanna know~

You're absolutely right in that observation about Heath Ledger fandom. And I think you were quite right about him being such a nice, polite gentleman. Makes you want to wonder why the journalists of his home Australia treated him so awfully and upset him for such a large portion of his career as an actor. The squirt-gun thing was really disappointing, I imagine, and then when some asshole ruined several attempts at a take for Candy--cannot believe those people...

Thread 6

freetraveller15 February 12 2010, 00:59:29 UTC

I agree very much with your impressions of the movie.
I only saw it once (in London, in October) and I really enjoyed, perhaps more than I'd expected. The visuals were stunning, and several performances were very good, besides Heath's.
I couldn't believe Heath was in the middle of shooting this movie when he died (he was also allegedly fighting a bitter cold and pneumonia), 'cause he looked so energetic on screen... and yes, I also read that according to Terry Heath ad-libbed some of the dialogue.

I agree the 3 actors who stepped in did a good job overall, and I wish Johnny Depp were on screen a little longer, but overall their perfomances were very good. I agree Johnny was perhaps the most convincing of the 3 in playing Heath's character, not just because of his acting talent, but because of his physicality.

Thank you for your post,
P

hope_assassin February 12 2010, 01:23:51 UTC

You are most certainly better with first impressions than I am then. You gathered pretty much as much as I did with your one viewing of the film, whereas I needed to see it twice to see the big picture.

He was having health issues too? DDDD: I didn't know that. *feels even more saddened* Poor Heath... I guess it was just all turned against him at that time, hadn't it?...

Yeah, I do agree that Johnny did a very interesting and strong interpretation of Tony's character. I really wished that it could've been him and not Colin Farrell in that final entry in the Imaginarium, but oh well, we can't always get what we want, right? xD

No, no, my dear, thank YOU for your comment. <3

Much love from me for sharing your impressions as well.

rhomboideus February 12 2010, 04:13:22 UTC

Oh I really enjoyed reading your review as I have many of the same feelings about it. And you know I think it took me three viewings to see how layered and complicated the thinking that went into it is. My first viewing (along with the very mixed up feelings about seeing Heath), it seemed like the story was all on the surface and that it didn't hold together great, but was an entertaining film. But now I see that there's much more there---the element of social satire is really genius.
And this makes me happy because I was miserable about it at first, because of Heath, and now I believe that it is a movie he would have been proud of and happy to be associated with.

hope_assassin February 12 2010, 11:53:57 UTC

I don't think I'm going to get the chance to see it a third time because I think they're stopping it from circulating in our cinemas soon but I too like how visually imaginative and wonderful it is of a movie. Like yourself, I had very mixed feelings about it at first but watching it again gave me the opportunity to gather more impressions and thus clear my feelings about it up. :3

And I think that you're quite right - I think Heath would've definitely been really proud of be associated with this movie. :33 After all, it is thanks to their love for him that his friends worked so hard for such a long time to keep it alive and dedicate it to him.

quiesscent February 16 2010, 07:26:44 UTC

Don't wanna read all due spoilers and such but tell me...

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THAT MOVIE FOR SO LONG!!!! Since it wasn't released in the US it didn't arrive in Mexico which sucks big time =/. I WANNA SEE HEATH'S LAST MOVE *sniff*

where did you get it?? XDD

hope_assassin February 16 2010, 09:44:47 UTC

Actually, my friend daylight_broke here read the whole of it and said that there's no spoilers in this huge batch of text at all. :D

Well, I'm from Bulgaria and if we limited ourselves to Bulgarian-only movie produce, people would riot. So we have the movie circulating in our theaters since it makes no difference to us whether it's British or American. :D

I hope you'll be able to get to see this movie soon! It's really amazing and great! Visually imaginative and just altogether mind-boggling in many ways. :3

quiesscent February 16 2010, 20:08:57 UTC

My bad! *goes read* lol
Oh nooo I wanna see it so badly now!!! I hate the fact that if the US doesn't release a movie, then Mexico doesn't get it either hmph.

Ah Rally-chan you write so beautifully it almost feels I was there with you at the cinema *A*. I'm dying to see Heath's last work since omg it sounds like such a complex movie that I bet Heath really outdid himself in it *www*. Moreover I do have to say that another fact that makes me wanna watch this so bad is Johnny Depp, since both him and Heath are my top to favorite actors xD and actually all four of them are great, so nnnngggghhh!!

What category is it nomited for? I wish it wins though!

hope_assassin February 16 2010, 22:16:56 UTC

You poor dear! D: It's really so bad that you can't get to see it because America didn't get it--that just sucks so big time... D:

And heheh, I do take pride in my writing after all, that's why I insist on pimping my stuff. xDDD And it is quite the complex movie indeed, made even more complex probably by the fact that Heath passed away in the making of it but Terry Gilliam (the director, who was one of Heath's closest friends in the industry, someone who had great respect for him as an actor and as a person) wanted to keep the work he had done alive, so they re-structured the plot and turned the movie into the end product that we now see. :3 At least when it comes out in DVD you'll see what it's all about. :333 ( ... )