简介：RussianiconoclastOlegKovalov’sabsurdistindictmentoftotalitarianismmixesliveaction,cartoonsandarchivalfootagefrompre-PerestroikaRussiaandtheThirdReichtotellthestoryofeccentricSt.PetersburgpoetDaniilKharms.KharmswasamisunderstoodFuturistwhowantedtofashionhislifeintoaworkofartbutinsteadwastossedintothegulagfordistractinghiscomradesfromtheirindustrialdutiesandtheProletarianideal.DirecorKovalov(bestknownintheWestforhisdocumentarySergeiEisenstein:Autobiography)usesaplayfultouchandstriking,sometimesbizarresetpiecestotellhistale.Intheprocessheleavestheviewerwithmanyexquisiteimages(likeanenigmatic,stockingedwomandressedinaman’shat,suitcoatandglassesastrideastylizedcameradolly)toaddtohisorhermentalscrapbook. Kovalov'sfirstfeatureisaparanoidgrotesquepictureofthetotalitarianSovietpast,basedonthelifeandworkofDaniilKharms.MotifsfromthelifeandworkofAbsurdistwriterDaniilKharmsinspiredKovalovtocreateaparanoidandgrotesquepictureofthetotalitarianpast.InaLeningradcommunalhousein1939hangsthescentofasuppressedsexualitythatobsessesallthecharacters:fromtheweakandshyPoettotheJudgewhotriesonthemaskofHelmutBergerfromVisconti'sTheDamned.Thehallucinogenicimagesthatresultcanonlyhaveoneresult:massiveaggression,anarmadaofbombers,armedcrowdsthatflingthemselvesintothestrugglewiththefuryofspermatozoids.ThefilmisfullofnewsreelfootagefromthetimeofStalinismandtheThirdReichthatarecutveryingeniouslythroughthefeaturefragments.Withatypicalmixtureofaversionandaffection,ironyandamazement,Kovalovmanagestoevoketheinsanityofthisperiod.…