British director Terry Gilliam's latest film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, almost did not happen at all after the January 2008 death of its then lead actor Heath Ledger. When Gilliam received the phone call with the news, he says his first thought was: 'The film's over; it's as simple as that.'
The production was suspended, but Gilliam was determined to save the film. He initially considered using computer-generated imagery of the kind used in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to magically substitute the deceased actor.
In the end, actors Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law were cast to replace Ledger in scenes that saw a transformed version of Ledger's character travelling through magical realms.
'I'm 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,' Gilliam said. 'I'm delighted that Heath's brilliant performance can be shared with the world.'
Co-written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown, the film is a fantasy morality tale set in the present-day. It tells the story of Dr Parnassus and his extraordinary 'Imaginarium', a travelling show in which members of the audience get an opportunity to choose between light and joy or darkness and gloom.
Dr Parnassus has the gift of guiding people's imagination, but he also has a dark secret. A gambling addict, thousands of years ago he made a bet with the devil and won immortality. Centuries later, he made another deal and traded his immortality for youth. But he has to give his daughter Valentina to the devil on her 16th birthday.
