Dom Durakov

A year past due:

Дом Дураков (House of Fools):

Crazy in Love?



The film House of Fools is a dark comedy, a romance, and a war film (without being a war film). It takes place during the Chechen war, at an asylum where the doctor has left the residents in order to find a bus. Zhanna, a schizophrenic girl, is the film's heroine, who tries to keep the residents together. There are many elements that give this film, based on a true story, a surreal feeling.

The first, and probably most prominent, element is the film's use of music. One of the major plot themes is Zhanna's belief that Bryan Adams, the Canadian pop star, is her fiancé. Throughout the movie, Bryan Adams is envisioned by Zhanna: at their wedding, he taking care of her while the asylum is getting raided, while she is sleeping. The song he sings is "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" and its lyrics have great significance, especially in relation to Zhanna and her relationships with different men in the film (all of whom, coincidentally, are artists- a singer, an "actor" and a poet).

It first highlights the relationship between Zhanna and Bryan. Because he is the one singing to her in her dreams, and because she feels he is her fiancé, it shows the significance of his place in her life. However, there comes a moment when not even Bryan can take her away from the reality of the war outside the asylum. It is when the asylum is being raided; Zhanna is covered in blood and has just found the Lithuanian woman shot in her room. Suddenly, Bryan shows up and comforts her. This is short lived; however, as the Chechen soldiers interrupt the reverie. This interruption shows that Bryan's place is no longer as important to Zhanna as before (she has already denounced him as her fiancé at this point, having chosen Ahmed). Also, the end of the movie shows Bryan Adams leaving Zhanna…he disappears and she's left with her white hat.

The song also relates to Zhanna and Ahmed. The lyrics are a guideline on how to love a woman. Zhanna, having memorized this song and its meaning, has probably assumed that Ahmed knows how to love a woman, especially since he's asked for her hand in marriage. She decides to leave Bryan, in order to start a life with Ahmed. Ahmed, though, does not love her that way (or if he does, he shows it in an odd way). Finally, the lyrics seem to show that Ali does know how to love a woman. This is seen when he accepts Ahmed in front of the doctor, in order for Zhanna to be happy. I actually wonder if Ali, as a poet, could be seen as a tangible Bryan Adams- writing his poetry for Zhanna.

The accordion and its music also play a significant part in this film. It gives such a carnival feel, lightening situations that are in no way happy. Zhanna uses her accordion to get away from unpleasant incidents, like nurses struggling with a patient or the Chechen fighting at the engagement party. She even starts playing it when the asylum is getting bombed; it seems to be a defense mechanism. The instrument, though, is what causes Ahmed and Zhanna to first interact and, perhaps, fall in love. It is also the thing that is played during the patients' gym class, which seems to be their favorite time of day.

Another thing that stood out musically was the nasheed sung by the Chechen bandits at the engagement party. It was so haunting and calming. It was, again, the use of music in an attempt to keep peace.

The themes of the grotesque and also the carnival are prominent in this film. First, there are the over-the-top characters. Vika and Shorty first come to mind. Vika is a lady, reminiscent of Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeny Todd. She is loud, stubborn, and her makeup makes her resemble a clown. Shorty is a little person with crazy hair and mannerisms. Goga is also a somewhat clownish character. He, with his outrageous costumes, was a lot like Jamie Farr's character in M*A*S*H.

The characters, mixed with the carnival-esque accordion music, gave the film a feel of Cirque du Soleil. I was especially reminded of the movie of the show Alegria. The characters had similar qualities, and even had a romance amidst darker things. Zhanna states at one point that she wants to be in the circus. That's why she plays the accordion (though only one song) and dances. I saw Zhanna and Ali as ring leaders in the group, rather than actual participants in the "circus." They kept the peace more than the actual nurses and doctors.

However, it is after Zhanna is left by Ahmed that she is no longer a leader, but rather becomes a participant. It is also when things move from bizarre to grotesque. As recently abandoned Zhanna plays her accordion in the rain, amongst the wreckage, her makeup has run and she looks freakishly like a Harlequin. She then utters what I found to be the most haunting lines in the film:

Ahmed, I love you. Don't kill me.

Fire, I love you. Don't kill me.

Mud, I love you. Don't kill me.



It's heartbreaking, and this is the moment when we see her at her most mentally unstable. Up to this point, she just seems a bit quirky, and after this point she goes quickly downhill.

There is the bizarre Mass that seems to be going on down in the basement of the asylum. The old man upstairs is making noise for the first time, singing what sounds like some sort of Jewish piyyutim or maybe another nasheed. This is occurring while the rest of the patients are downstairs, crossing themselves and praying. Shorty even has his head covered. Goga breaks at this point, declaring that he can't take it anymore, and this is where the bizarreness continues. He goes outside, and amongst the smoking wreckage, he plays a recorder and dances a jig. It's so surreal, and combined with Zhanna's earlier playing of the accordion, it either causes one to focus on the odd situation or the chaos going on around the characters.

The names of the characters may also hold some significance. Zhanna is the heroine, and her name means God is Gracious. Grace is an unearned favor, received by God. This coincides with the conversation she has with the old man upstairs. They discuss God and his forgiveness, and the man likens it to eating an apple. He sees all the nations on it, and he can't destroy it…all he can do is forgive. At the end of the film, Zhanna stares at her apple and smiles. This is symbolic of her forgiving of Ahmed. The subtitles translated her name as Janna, and while I realize Janna and Zhanna have the same meaning, I can't help but relate Janna to Janus, the two-headed Roman God. This is because Janus had two heads, and Zhanna was schizophrenic. Also, Janus' two faces pointed toward the past and the future. Zhanna moves her from her past in the asylum to her future with Ahmed. The use of past and future is also evident in the use of trains in the movie. The patients gather as a community to watch the trains go by at night, and they signify a leaving. When Zhanna leaves the asylum to go to her engagement party, the patients gather together the same way they do to watch the trains leave.

Other characters' names have some significance. Vika means Victory. Vika is a loud, strong woman who is almost gun-happy. She is adamant to be taught how to shoot, and she is the one constantly demanding freedom. She is willing to fight for it. Ironically, when she feels victorious (when the doctor is discovered missing, and the patients attempt to leave) she gets scared by the tanks, and returns to her "prison." Ali means Exalted, and I would definitely characterize him as a guardian angel of sorts. He is the protector of everyone in the asylum. He even risks shunning (and eventually abuse) by the Chechen in order to make sure Zhanna is safe. Ahmed means Highly Praised. While I have some difficulty praising him, the fact that he comes back makes him more likable. However, I'm not entirely convinced he came back for Zhanna. He was most likely a coward, and knew Zhanna would help him stay safe. The patients, however, seemed to esteem him. Perhaps because they knew how much Zhanna cared for him, they accepted him in a scene that reminded me of a less grotesque version of Freaks. The scene where they're all eating and chanting: "Gooble Gobble Gooble Gobble; We accept her, we accept her; One of us, one of us."

This beautiful film was directed by Andrei Konchalovsky, who is the elder brother of Nikita Mikhalkov. I found his style a wonderful entwinement of real and surreal, beautiful and grotesque. Konchalovsky is actually married to Yuliya Vysotskaya, the actress who played Zhanna. He has recently directed a "True Story" of the Nutcracker story, and Yuliya will be playing the Mother/Snow Queen (www.imdb.com). The film is American, and stars Hollywood actors; however, I'm very excited to see it. If all Konchalovsky's films are as well done as House of Fools, I will definitely continue to watch them.

Russian Ark

Wow. Well, I wanted to like this film. I'd looked at the DVD cover many times in the library when it had been returned and thought it looked interesting. While parts of it were entertaining/interesting, for the most part I found this extremely hard to get through.

I kind of felt like I was touring the Winter Palace as part of a guided group...one where you have to follow at the pace of the person leading. I'm someone who likes to go on my own, at MY own pace. The camera spent so much time on things I wasn't interested in, and hurried through the things I was.

While I appreciate the purpose of the movie, and concede many positive aspects, the anticlimactic plot left me a lot to be desired. The costumes were beautiful, the interior decorations opulent, the party preparations and dinner settings up interesting...and the final ball scene was superb. The whole mazurka, the costumes, dancing AND the music, were, to me, the most interesting parts.

The final line, "destined to sail forever, to live forever" I'm thinking was a summary of the entire film, and the future of St. Petersburg. Like I said, I appreciate the film, and am glad to have seen it, but it was not one of my favorites from what we've watched.

The Return

I really enjoyed this film. Rarely am I that conflicted toward liking/disliking characters. My attitude toward the father went from disdain, to confusion, to respect, back to disdain; my reaction toward Ivan varied from seeing him as a child angry with a father who left, to just thinking he was a spoiled brat. Maybe the ambiguity makes the relationships more realistic. The only assertion I can make is that I didn't flat out dislike any of the characters.

The title The Return I first thought referred to the return of the father, and the upset it caused. Rethinking this, though, it could also have to do with the return from the island. The brothers came back completely changed from when they left, and the return home would have been significant.

There were many visual homages to Tarkovsky. The first was the boys flipping through the art book, to find the picture of their father. Almost the same exact scene occurs in The Mirror. Zvyaginstev also used elements in many of his shots. The sense of waiting is seen: in both there is a mother waiting for her husband, looking out into the distance. Finally, there was the Tarkovsky ending: the zooming out, behind trees.

One moment really stayed with me. The part where the father has his hood up, it's raining, and he's yelling at the boys to heave. It was such an ominously, captivating scene.

I was struck by how cool a head was kept by Andrey, especially after his father fell from the tower. I wonder if his trying to get along with his father was more for his mother's sake...I'm sure he felt the same as Ivan to an extent. When he told Ivan to get the axe I get really scared, because a) he'd been really level-headed about this and b) if their father was too heavy to carry, smaller pieces would be easier (I was afraid they were going to dismember him)...I was relieved to see it was used to cut a bough to carry him on. It was kind of heartbreaking to see Ivan, the one who had fought tooth and nail the entire time, be the one running to save his father in the sinking boat, yelling "Papa!" He willingly called him "Papa" for the first time the entire trip.

I think the hue of the movie, with all its blues and grays, had a calming effect- even during really tense scenes (though I tensed greatly when the father fell). The use of water aided in that as well.

Vladimir Garin

The kid who played Andrey, apparently drowned before the movie was even released. How's that for irony?

Brother

I really enjoyed this film. There were a bunch of elements that stood out to me.

I felt Danila's relationship with Nemets was almost fairy tale-esque. He was a traveler, and in helping a lower man, he was rewarded (in this case, with a group of "friends" and a cheap room). This was furthered when he is taken to that gazebo, and introduced to the group of, I think, hobos. He came with a present for his brother, but instead shares it with the men in the gazebo. I just kept thinking of cases where a traveler gives his last bit of bread to an elderly man/woman who ends up being enchanted and helping him out in the end. Nemets stuck with Danila, even when he didn't agree with what he was doing...he gave him guidance.

Maybe it was the organized crime motif, but parts did remind me of the film Boondock Saints. The attitudes and clothing, even the music to some extent, seemed very punk. Not to keep referencing other movies, but there were times I was like "Whoa, SLC Punk!"

I did notice there was not a lot of dialogue. The fraternal relationship was interesting. Though he was older, Viktor seemed to have the mentality of a younger sibling. Actually, I can't say that...I'm the elder sister, and my little sister is actually really protective of me. I was amazed at the love Danila felt for Viktor, even after he had betrayed him. I also found it interesting that Danila is so obviously jaded, and yet I kept forgetting that and saw him as an innocent- listening to his walkman and experiencing city life. Then he'd knock someone off and I'd remember that he's frighteningly familiar with weaponry and murder.

I love that there was a McDonalds....obvious product placement. Was that perhaps to show western influence? I thought it was funny when he went off on that French guy for being American. I had figured out he was French, and then I got confused when Danila was calling him American...I felt better when it turned out he was the confused one. However, that scene showed an attitude toward Americans, and it wasn't a good one. -But then there was a prominently displayed Golden Arch...it even framed Danila as the camera zoomed out. Perhaps a mixed attitude toward western culture?

It seems the characters in these movies really like their watermelons. This is not the first time a scene has made use of the watermelon. In this movie it was to make Danila appear a bit more casual before he killed people- in Little Vera the parents give one to Viktor before he leaves. Sveta's dog was hilarious. At first I didn't know what it was, and thought of the movie Critters, then I smiled every time it ran away from the camera.

The use of music was great. You could tell it was going to be an important element, especially to Danila, from the beginning, when he asks what the song is. He frequents music stores, concerts, and almost always has his headphones on. Eventually, this obsession with music is what saves his life, when his discman blocks a bullet. I would definitely watch this again, and will probably recommend it to my sister.

Little Vera

While I found almost all of these characters interesting, I found few of them to be very sympathetic. Sergei was just a jerk; Vera (while she did have sympathetic moments) seemed to just rebel for the sake of rebellion; Viktor, while he IS a protective older brother, was friends with Sergei until his sister was dating him...and the parents...oh, the parents. The father, though an alcoholic, I believe was the most sympathetic character in Little Vera. The man he is at home is quite different from the man he is in public- just look at how nicely cleaned up he is when they are sending Viktor back to Moscow.

As much as I disliked her, the mother is the one I was most interested in. I just don't see how a mother can be SO deluded about her child. I understand she works, and it seems she works a lot (she took off to make that dinner for Sergei). I know she knows the disarray her family life is in, yet she's doing nothing for it. Vera's screaming at the end, and it's only after Viktor is cleansing her system that the parents stumble out. The mother asks if something's wrong...okay, obviously something is wrong. Even if she didn't know details, a mother should realize that a situation REALLY isn't right. THEN! Instead of checking on her daughter, she sweeps up broken dishes. Maybe she's using dissociation to deal with her problems, but really she just looks like a delusional mother.

I mentioned Vera's more sympathetic moments. The parent/child role is definitely reversed with she and her father. She is the one who takes care of him, even lying to the police to help him. The scene that most sticks out to me is when he goes to find her at the beach, and there they are huddled under shelter, holding each other...it was touching. I think it was also sad that the last words uttered are "Viktor...Vera...". I think this shows how much the father did care about his children. I kind of wish the ending had been cleaner, haha. Open endings tend to frustrate me.

Oh! Speaking of the beach scene- water generally symbolizes a purification- so doesn't it seem appropriate that it is at the ocean that truths come out? Vera being had for a bigger apartment and all?

Also, as far as western influence...was that a picture of John Wayne on Vera's wall?

Commissar

There were a couple of things that stood out to me in this film.

First, the movie begins with a haunting lullaby being sung while soldiers are marching. I feel like these two can be related, because lullabies are sung to help one sleep. Sleep is generally, especially in poetry (or song) a euphemism for death. So wouldn't it be appropriate for this lullaby to be playing while these soldiers are marching, most likely, to their deaths?

I'm also wondering if the "delusions" Vavilova had could be seen as a sort of displacement (I think that's the word I want...). I mean, here she is pregnant, going through something she's never been through before. Perhaps as a means of "survival" she had to mentally place herself in a situation to which she was more familiar. There are soldiers in a desert, pushing things that aren't going anywhere. Then, they're all running into the water, like a release. It makes some sense to me that her unfamiliarity with birth and pregnancy would cause her to NEED to relate to something that she could more readily deal with. As far as the scythes, though, I'm not sure...maybe symbolic of the pain she was experiencing?

I liked the incorporation of Judaism...the mezuzah on the door, and especially the grandmother's Yiddish. Last semester, while studying short stories, we touched on Isaac Bashevis Singer and I got hooked. If you go to the Nobel prize website, you can actually hear his speech (the first part of which, is all Yiddish).