GILLIAM’S JOURNEY

Been wondering what fantastical director Terry (Brothers Grimm) Gilliam has been up to? Well, wonder no more.

He is to direct "The Imaginarium of Doctors Parnassus".

You can easily guess what that is about, can't you? Sounds just like an old fashioned, simple, conventional tale, doesn't it?

Not bloody likely. This is another Gilliam fantasy, a modern day adventure one this time.

Dr. Parnassus’, played by stalwart Christopher Plummer, has the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others. With his traveling theater troupe, Parnassus offers audience members the chance to transcend mundane reality by passing through a magical mirror into a fantastic universe of limitless imagination.

However, Parnassus’ magic comes at a price. For centuries he’s been gambling with the devil, who is coming to collect his prize -- Parnassus’ precious 16 year old daughter, daughter, Valentina, played by newcomer Lily Cole.

Oblivious to the approaching danger, Valentina falls for Tony (Heath Ledger), a charming outsider with motives of his own.

In order to save his daughter and redeem himself, Parnassus makes one final bet with Mr. Nick which sends Tony, Valentina and the entire theater troupe on a ride of twists and turns, in and out of London and the Imaginarium’s spectacular landscape.

The producers say: “In a time when so many films follow set formulas, Terry’s imagination and visual gifts are priceless.”

Amen.

Principal photography will begin in London in December then moves to Vancouver.

Filed November 1, 2007