Kin-dza-dza! (1986)

This movie is absolutely sympathetic. Done in the Soviet Communist era, it has nothing in common with that typical propaganda. On the contrary, it is an original piece, full of poetry and humor. Hard to fit in a particular genre, it has a bit of everything: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi. The actors are full of charm, precise and inspired direction, original and generous story, pleasant music. The word Ku is repeated too often, obsessively even. I think it is intentionally, as a parable to the communist society, where everything was obsessive... There are scenes in the movie that led me to Tarkovsky's "Stalker". Other scenes, like for example the one with The Huge Woman at Subway Station, or the one with The Fat Woman Settled Under the Ferris Wheel, made me think at some of Fellini's films.

This is an extremely unusual movie, especially in the light of modern western cinematography. However, it is a story that might deeply touch you. Happenings seems completely nonsensical in the beginning, because the movie is not as descriptional as today movies usually are. However, the ideas that are presented are deeply interesting. Acting might look artificial at first, but is intentionally so. All actors did a fantastic job. In regard to costumography and scenography, it is weird to a point you will wonder how is possible someone thought about something like that.All in all, this is a fantastic movie, a gem, and is definitely worth your time.Also - it will make you laugh. Some scenes are simply hilarious. It is like something that enlightened Monty Python team would make.

Vladimir Nikolaevich and Skripach are two Earthlings who inexplicably find themselves transported to an alien planet, a vast post-apocalyptic desert, populated by greasy caricatures of people speaking an autistic, monosyllabic language, and strewn with an assortment of peculiar buildings of all shapes and sizes.If there's one thing you can't take away from KIN DZA DZA is that it is imaginative and to an extent a pleasantly absurd sci-fi adventure romp. It is mostly light-hearted fare but not, as it appears, with something of a cerebral nature hiding behind the surface. There is a passing mention on racism and equality but it's never too serious. Where it faulters is in assuming a succession of encounters with cartoonish characters and visits in cartoonish places is enough to sustain its 126 minute length.The best parts of the movie are easily the location work and the set-design. While the camera-work leaves a lot to be desired, the desert landscapes carry with them an air of natural awe. Some of the truly fantastic set-pieces construced include a ferris-wheel in the middle of the desert surrounded by old cabins, a gigantic balloon, a toilet-cum-escape-pod and a weird underground complex where hundreds of people slave away on some kind of labour.The inhabitants of this alien planet speak in a weird language. Every minute someone's saying "Koo!" to someone else, "koo" substituting for almost every word. They call matches "Ketse", their cylindrical spaceships that looks like cans of beans "Pepelats". There are also different races on this planet, the "Chatlans" and the "Patsak" chief among them. This kind of baboonish banter however soon outstays its welcome and becomes a major annoyance. Also, "We don't need Skripanch" seems to be a running joke similar to THE BIG LEBOWSKI's "Shut up Donnie!".Take away however all the little gimmicks KIN DZA DZA consists of and there's no story left to hold it together. The two earthlings simply wander from one place to the next trying to return home, stopping occasionally to sing inside a wooden cage. That's it. A bunch of weird ideas, locations and characters strung together to no purpose. Is it simply a pastiche? An allegory to something? A ready-made cult curio? You be the judge.

To the person from Russia to speak about this film easier. I am pleasantly surprised, that this film is pleasant to foreigners. I also am pleasantly surprised, that foreigners protect this film from fools. Thanks! To look this film it is necessary slowly, it is necessary to listen and understand, that actors speak. In this film plays great Russian actor Leonov, play talented actors Yakovlev and Lyubshin. I wish to remind, that the native land of modern realistic actor's school is Russia.The director of film - an outstanding director of cinema of the USSR. The brilliant script is written by the director together with Gabriadze.It is very complex to look film with subtitles. But, in my opinion, it is a unique way to keep film in an original kind. Dear ladies and gentlemen! My advice: look this film, one of the best films of my Native land.