terry gilliam’s the imaginarium of doctor parnassus

I was a young, imaginative kid when I saw The Adventures of Baron Munchausen way back in 1988. It was the first movie I’ve seen that contained what I believe is real movie magic. The imagery that I saw was a product of vision and brilliance, where fantasy was captured as a world of pure hallucinatory indulgence. And this never really left me and actually expanded my own curiosity and imagination as I grow older. From that moment on, I became a Terry Gilliam fan.

It was just this year that I find myself again revisiting his films as if I was the same kid back then. Time Bandits was a great adventure that I hope kids of this generation could see in an afternoon film showing at their schools. At this day and age, the story of the Fisher King has never been much relevant. The bewitching story of the Brother’s Grimm tells the immortal struggle between fear and courage. And oh, what about Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Yeah, I know right?

Now these may be films that any critic wouldn’t bother recommending, after all they are not box-office or art-house treasures. But Terry Gilliam’s works are films of cult following. And with the director showcasing his skills in a succession of finely crafted movies, fans like I am could only ecstatically wait until the release of the next one. Which brings us to…

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

I’ll stop now. You’re probably aware of who’s in this film and what’s it all about. And if you’re as excited as me, you’d probably blog about it too. I talk about the movie all the time like a kid all giddy about his new toy. But I guess it’s just the fan in me, being just as amazed 20 years ago.