5 Movies That Magically Brought Their Stars Back From The Dead
2. Typical Gilliam Wierdness Hid The Lack Of Heath Ledger In The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus
The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus was as bizarre an experience as youd expect from Terry Gilliam. Setting the fairytale mysterious traveller/daughter bequeathed to evil when she comes of age plot against an already fantastical Victorian England, the film relishes in creating the titular Imaginarium, an altered state where anything is possible (trumping Inception by over a year) resided by a the devil-like Dr. Nick. Heath Ledgers Tony is the previously mentioned mysterious stranger and is certainly the meatiest role. Each time Tony enders the Imaginarium he changes, resembling Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law respectively, representing the element of his psyche being stripped open (or trick being pulled) at this point. Its a cool little gimmick that, if you didnt know the tragic circumstances, could be misconstrued as being always intentional to the plot. Of course, it wasnt; when Ledger overdosed Doctor Parnassus was only halfway through filming. However, with all of the real world elements of Tonys performance in the can, Gilliam realised he could simply create a new element of the Imaginarium and recast the role. Thus in came Depp, Farrell and Law, all friends of Ledger (Tom Cruise expressed an interest, but wasnt even considered as he didnt know the deceased actor). Its a smart switch that only works in a film as crazy as this, but in many ways helped it be an even more fitting tribute to the man.
The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus was as bizarre an experience as youd expect from Terry Gilliam. Setting the fairytale mysterious traveller/daughter bequeathed to evil when she comes of age plot against an already fantastical Victorian England, the film relishes in creating the titular Imaginarium, an altered state where anything is possible (trumping Inception by over a year) resided by a the devil-like Dr. Nick. Heath Ledgers Tony is the previously mentioned mysterious stranger and is certainly the meatiest role. Each time Tony enders the Imaginarium he changes, resembling Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law respectively, representing the element of his psyche being stripped open (or trick being pulled) at this point. Its a cool little gimmick that, if you didnt know the tragic circumstances, could be misconstrued as being always intentional to the plot. Of course, it wasnt; when Ledger overdosed Doctor Parnassus was only halfway through filming. However, with all of the real world elements of Tonys performance in the can, Gilliam realised he could simply create a new element of the Imaginarium and recast the role. Thus in came Depp, Farrell and Law, all friends of Ledger (Tom Cruise expressed an interest, but wasnt even considered as he didnt know the deceased actor). Its a smart switch that only works in a film as crazy as this, but in many ways helped it be an even more fitting tribute to the man.