A tribute to Heath but not his greatest work…

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is due for Irish release on October 16. Even though it is a rich, colourful and imaginative film, most viewers will probably remember it only as Heath Ledger’s swan song. Ledger was two-thirds way through filming when he was found dead in a New York apartment.

The film, while perhaps not Ledger’s best work, is most definitely a tribute to the actor. It is credited as “a movie from Heath Ledger and friends”. Rather than cutting Ledger from the film completely, cast and crew worked to make it an apt send-off to the star.

The involvement of Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell after Ledger’s death was instrumental in bringing this movie to our screens. Producer Amy Gilliam says about the decision to continue filming: “A dead star wasn’t big enough. Now we needed a bigger star to continue the movie.” All money earned by Depp, Law and Farrell for this film will be given to Ledger’s daughter.

Had this movie been completed by Ledger alone, it would have been an extremely strong film demonstrating his wide range as a performer. With the role now split in four, each actor portrays a different part of the character’s personality. “I am not sure we’ve ended up with a better film having Johnny, Jude and Colin stepping in,” director Terry Gilliam says, “but it may prove a little more entertaining and, importantly, a bit more commercial. Just look who is in it.”

As the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight, Ledger wowed audiences worldwide and stole focus from both Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart completely. In this latest movie however, the same cannot be said. “With the final scenes, were the audience watching Heath play them, that would be a very different experience than watching Colin”, said Gilliam. Though The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a very strong tribute to Ledger’s life from the industry that made him such a legend, The Dark Knight is truly Ledger’s masterpiece. It is a better send-off for Heath Ledger in regards to his performance.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is worth watching to see this legend in action one last time but if expectations are too high, it may disappoint.