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When Heath Ledger passed away last year, he was in the middle of shooting director Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. It seemed like the movie would have to remain unfinished, until a plot convention was created that allowed Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell to step in and take turns sharing Ledger's final role. Both Depp and Law have finally opened up about what it was like to fill in for Ledger during an interview with HitFix. Depp praised the production, particularly the performances.
It was an honor to represent Heath. He was the only player out there breathing heavy down the back of every established actor's neck with a thundering and ungovernable talent that came up on you quick, hissing rather mischievously with that cheeky grin, "Hey... get on out of my way boys, I'm coming through..." and does he ever!!! Heath is a marvel, Christopher Plummer beyond anything he's ever done, [Tom] Waits as the Devil is a God, Lily Cole and Andrew Garfield, the very foundation, are spectacular, Verne Troyer simply kicks ass and as for my other cohorts, Colin Farrell and Jude Law, they most certainly did Master Ledger very proud, I salute them.
Though the circumstances of my involvement are extremely heart-rending and unbelievably sad, I feel privileged to have been asked aboard to stand in on behalf of dear Heath.
Law admitted it wasn't easy to say yes to the project.
I have always loved Terry Gilliam's films. Their heart, their soul, their mind, always inventive, touching, funny, and relevant. When I got the call, it was a double tug. I liked Heath very much as a man andadmired him as an actor. To help finish his final piece of work was a tribute I felt compelled to make. To help Terry finish his film was an honor paid to a man I adore. I had a great time on the job. Though we were all there in remembrance, Heath's heart pushed us with great lightness to the finish.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is currently playing in limited release and opens nationwide on January 8, 2010.
Posted 12.31.09 by Ryan -
Writer-director Terry Gilliam discusses the unique nature of his latest film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, in a new clip, "Behind the Mirror,"exclusive to Yahoo Movies UK. In the clip, Gilliam describes Imaginarium as a "compendium" of ideas and themes that he's "played with" in other films.
It's magical. It's very moving, I think it's touching, it's funny. It's all sorts of things. So, in many ways, both the most mature thing I've done and the most juvenile thing I've done.
Producer Amy Gilliam also provides commentary, along with several of the film's stars, including Christopher Plummer and Lily Cole.
In conjunction with the clip, a new poster has also been released. Previous posters have spotlighted the various incarnations of Tony, as played by Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and the late Heath Ledger, but the latest poster features Cole as Valentina in a whimsical design.
Posted 10.16.09 by BrentJS -
Several new teasers and one-sheets have been released to get movie watchers hyped up about fall and winter releases.
Director Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus gets the deluxe treatment in a new teaser poster featuring the late Heath Ledger, as well as Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law, and ... floating heads? The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus opens December 25.
Lionsgate serves up a dose of "Nazi horror" with the obscure Blood Creek, by director Joel Schumacher. Blood Creek stars Dominic Purcell and Michael Fassbender and recently opened in select theaters.
And, if you're looking for something on the lighter side, there's Disney's return to animated 2-D, The Princess and the Frog, about a young girl (Princess Tiana) living in the French Quarter of New Orleans during the Jazz Age. The Princess and the Frog features the voices of Terrence Howard, John Goodman, and Oprah Winfrey and opens December 11.
Posted 09.28.09 by BrentJS -
Actor Colin Farrell is a busy man. He recently attended the Toronto International Film Festival, where he had three movies to promote: Ondine, Triage, and London Boulevard.
Despite the fact that he's been keeping busy with smaller productions, Farrell told Irish Central that he would like to return to Hollywood to do a major genre movie.
I love good action films. I love the spectacle of guns in the cinema, I really do.
It's just whatever you respond to. If I could find something that was a really big film that I liked [I would do it].
Of course, acting is as much a business as anything else, and a leading role in a blockbuster can do wonders for an actor's bank account.
I'd love a big payday check. I have no moral revulsion to that at all.
Farrell also said that the fact he's about to become a father with his Ondine co-star, Alicja Bachleda, will not affect the roles he will go after.
Like, just do Pixar films? I don't think so.
Farrell also recently filled in for the late Heath Ledger in Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, playing a "transformation" of Ledger's character, as did Jude Law and Johnny Depp.
Posted 09.21.09 by BrentJS -
As clips and new still images are released for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, we're reminded of just how talented Heath Ledger was as an actor and how much the film world has lost.
When director Terry Gilliam announced he would move forward with the movie in the wake of Ledger's death, many criticized his decision. It took the combined efforts of actors Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law to try to fill the void — and to avoid having to render Ledger's remaining scenes using CGI. Gilliam has defended his decision to continue on, saying that he did so to honor Heath and his work and "to touch people's hearts and souls as Heath was able to do."
I am grateful to Johnny, Colin, and Jude for coming on board and to everyone else who has made it possible for us to finish the film.
I am delighted that Heath's brilliant performance can be shared with the world.
Posted 09.17.09 by BrentJS -
Variety reports that Heath Ledger's final movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, will have its U.S. premiere on October 11 at the close of the Hamptons Film Festival. The movie will then move to wide release on Christmas Day. It's the completion of a long road for Parnassus, which premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival but didn't receive American distribution until recently.
Ledger was filming the movie when he died unexpectedly in January 2008. Director Terry Gilliam (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Brazil) then enlisted the help of Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law, who stepped in to complete Ledger's role. They will represent transformations of Ledger's character, an enigmatic outsider who joins the traveling troupe of Dr. Parnassus and gives his audiences visions of alternate realities.
Also starring in the movie are Verne Troyer (aka Mini Me), Lily Cole, and veteran Christopher Plummer in the title role.
Posted 09.08.09 by reelz -
Heath Ledger's final movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, debuted at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year but never received an American distribution deal. Now Variety reports that it may be released before the year is out. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group may pick up the movie and distribute it via Sony Pictures Classics. An official announcement is expected later this week.
Ledger was filming the movie when he died unexpectedly in January 2008. Director Terry Gilliam (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Brazil) then enlisted the help of Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law, who stepped in to complete Ledger's role. They will represent transformations of Ledger's character, an enigmatic outsider who joins the traveling troupe of Dr. Parnassus and gives his audiences visions of alternate realities.
Also starring in the movie are Verne Troyer (aka Mini Me), Lily Cole, and veteran Christopher Plummer in the title role.
A short clip featuring Ledger that was released earlier this year and the official trailer follow.
Posted 08.13.09 by reelz -
Only days ago, famed director Terry Gilliam announced that actor Johnny Depp would no longer be starring in his labor-of-love film, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. The movie has been in development for nearly a decade, with Depp attached to star since 2002. Gilliam said that he would not be deterred by Depp's absence.
I wanted to shoot Don Quixote next spring. (Depp) said he's not available and we have both agreed that I'm going to die soon, so it would be nice to get this film under my belt.
Now, it appears that Gilliam may have found Depp's replacement. An undisclosed source claims that Gilliam is a "fan" of Irish actor Colin Farrell and may offer him the lead role. Both Depp and Farrell have worked with Gilliam before; they recently helped Gilliam complete The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus — along with Jude Law — following the death of the film's star, Heath Ledger.
Posted 08.10.09 by BrentJS -
Over the weekend, French site Comme au Cinema posted three new clips from The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, the movie Heath Ledger was working on when he died in January 2008.
Director Terry Gilliam enlisted the help of Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law, who stepped in to complete Ledger's role. They will reportedly represent transformations of Ledger's character, an enigmatic outsider who joins the traveling troupe of Dr. Parnassus and gives his audiences visions of alternate realities.
The clips (included below) feature Ledger along with Verne Troyer (aka Mini Me), Lily Cole and veteran Christopher Plummer in the title role.
Posted 05.26.09 by reelz -
This past weekend, the first video of Heath Ledger's final performance surfaced on YouTube. Here's the clip from The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus:
Ledger was at work on Parnassus when he died in January 2008, and Gilliam enlisted the help of Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law, who stepped in to complete Ledger's role. They will reportedly represent transformations of Ledger's character, an enigmatic outsider who joins the traveling troupe of Dr. Parnassus and gives his audiences visions of alternate realities. Also in the cast are Tom Waits, Verne Troyer (aka Mini Me), and veteran Christopher Plummer in the title role.
In addition, the movie's unofficial fan site has posted several stills and storyboards.
Posted 05.18.09 by reelz