Anne Thompson again is making the rounds at Cannes, asking potential buyers what they thought of any films they may have seen early. Of Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” she writes, “It’s apparently quite gorgeous to look at, with some ardent fans, but one exec called it ‘soulless.’ “
She couches that thought by reminding that this comes from a potential buyer looking for a product to sell, that’s potentially mainstream and not critics (who tend to rave about difficult and uncommercial films). It’s also just one buyer’s opinion. Clearly some people like SPC are interested in the film (but have they spent all their money already?)
Meanwhile, talking to the U.K. Times Online, Gilliam is still eyeing a fall release. “We want to be in that last third for the Academy Awards! Maybe we’ll get another award for Heath. We’re going to get as many awards as possible for him, long after he’s gone,” he said.
Gilliam tells the British outlet that he thinks some of the film will be difficult to deal with, especially hinting at some of the parts of the film which will likely be seen as eerily foreshadowing Heath Ledger’s real-life fate (they’re in the script, which we’ve read and know, but won’t spoil).
“I think there are going to be moments in Parnassus; I’m just waiting to hear what the audience does when they see certain shots. There are lines that we refused to change after Heath died. It’s like the script was prescient. It’s really spooky.”
What’s next for him? His plan is “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,” (which he’s talked about in recent months) but the U.K. paper says Gilliam won’t wait for Johny Depp forever if he can’t find a hole in his schedule and suggests that he’ll go with another free actor if he has to.
