简介："InthedelightfulSnakesandLadders,‘adidacticfictionaboutcartography’madeforFrenchtelevisiontopromoteamapexhibitionattheCentrePompidouinParis–aBorgesianmetaphysicalfantasywhoseheroprogressivelydiscoversthatFranceisalife-sizeboardgame(devotedtoSnakesandLaddersor‘TheGoose’sGame’)–onehastodealwithtattyspecialeffectsofEdwardD.WoodJrcalibre,alongwiththebrilliantconceitsandtwoseparateoff-screennarrators,maleandfemale. Attheoutset,thetroubledhero(PascalBonitzer)–whoisfoundtobevomitingoutdiceononeoccasion,andshakenasdicebyanenormoushandonanother–discoversthat‘heisthevictimoftheworstkindofnightmare,thedidacticnightmare.’SomeformofdidacticismseemsevidentineveryRuizprojectbut,aswithBorges,itisadidacticismthatoftenparodiesitselfandbecomescamp,yieldingpreciselythekindofnightmarethatensueswhen,throughadeliriumofliteralism,thoughtbecomesfleshandtheuniversebecomesabraindreamingofthoughtsyetunborn."-JonathanRosenbaum,ChicagoReader…