For 35 years, critically acclaimed director Terry Gilliam has introduced audiences to the fantastic and the bizarre with films such as BRAZIL, THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, THE FISHER KING, and 12 MONKEYS. His latest film, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS, follows its characters through a new world of dreams and desire, but was not without its own challenges. Halfway through filming, actor Heath Ledger’s death led to Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell taking over his role. In this interview for Sundancechannel.com, Gilliam discusses the inspiration, casting, and the autobiographical nature of THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS.

For more of our interview with Terry Gilliam and to view clips from THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS, visit Sundance Channel’s Digital Shorts.

The IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS opens in New York and Los Angeles December 25th, nationwide January 8th.

Since Sundance Channel shows so many GLBT-themed films, I’d be remiss to not point out After Elton’s recent list of iconic gay movie roles. They based their inclusions on cultural significance and cultural impact, spotlighting “10 performances that we believe changed the popular perception of gay men in some important ways.” The list is thorough and thoughtful.

Obvious mentions like Tom Hanks in PHILADELPHIA and Heath Ledger in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN are included. But it’s the more obscure inclusions that have me rushing to my change up my Netflix queue. Those mentions include Daniel Day-Lewis & Gordon Warnecke in 1985’s MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE and Colin Farrell in A HOME AT THE END OF THE WORLD.

But it is Bruce Davison’s turn in LONGTIME COMPANION that I find the most compelling. Released in 1990 it was still ahead of its time and the actor rightfully deserved his Oscar nod.

Terry Gilliam next fantastical foray comes in the form of THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS starring Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell, and Christopher Plummer as the titular character. Doctor Parnassus, the leader of a traveling theater troupe that offers audience members a chance to go beyond reality through a magical mirror in his possession, makes a Faustian bargain with the devil in exchange for immortality. 1000 years later, the devil comes to collect his due by targeting the doctor’s daughter. When a mysterious stranger named Tony (portrayed by Ledger, Depp, Law, and Farrell) joins the imaginarium, the troupe embarks upon parallel worlds to rescue the girl.

Production was suspended upon Ledger’s death in January 22, 2008. Actors Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law were cast to replace Ledger, portraying the new idea of transformed versions of Ledger’s character, Tony, traveling through a magical realm. With the role recast, filming resumed in Vancouver in March 2008. Depp, Farrell, and Law opted to redirect their wages for the role to Ledger’s young daughter, Matilda, and Gilliam dedicates the film to Ledger in the film’s credits.

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS opens October 16, 2009.