MovieChat Forums > Kin-dza-dza! (1986) Discussion > Not exactly the best russian made movie....

Not exactly the best russian made movie...

posted 19 years ago by brancod
11 replies | jump to latest

Stalker, Solyaris, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Eraserhead and even low budget "Pi" and BBC Doctor Who series are masterpieces and lightyears ahead of this film. This film is painfully long, with humanoid aliens who make the viewer wonder how they figured out anti-gravity and teleportation. I could literally make a better movie than this with a cheap camcorder and video toaster on an old Amiga computer. Maybe something is lost in translation... Anyway if you want to watch a good russian sci-fi movie watch either Stalker or Solyaris and leave this film in the desert with telepathic aliens who go "koo".

[–] tracerhand 19 years ago

I think you've sort of missed the point of this movie. It's not supposed to be a realistic, swashbuckling sci-fi adventure, a la Star Wars or Dune. It's anti-technology, anti-utopian and in many ways, anti-action movie. It's about society. If you don't care about culture and the world, but more about shiny spaceships and skintight spacesuits, you probably won't like this too much. Save it for when you're a few years older - seriously!

[–] fulbert 19 years ago

Guys, are you serious? It's a sarcastic and funny comedy! It has nothing to do with "serious" utopias or anti-utopias or whatsoever. All the decorations were found at research labs scrapyards, and the guys were having fun while making the film. It's beloved (and hated) in Russia for its absurdity and originality, unlike disgusting Soviet sci-fi "blockbuster" - "Earth-Cassiopea". Kin-dza-dza's one of the best Russian sci-fi comedies (like Adams' Guide for English folks). In fact, the only one we have:)

[–] brancod 19 years ago

Well certain scenes did make me laugh, so I guess it works as a sci-fi comedy. I misunderstood the nature of the film. I understood it to be a serious sci-fi and was comparing it to hardcore sci-fi films like "Pi" or Chris Marker's "La Jetee". I'll watch this movie again with the expectation of a sci-fi comedy :)

[–] kadunc 19 years ago

i agree with fulbet, and i am glad to finally read a post from somebody who actually understand the nature of the film, i understand that it is hard for someone from, somewhere like america to fully understand and appreciate something like this, and i tought that there was no way to explain it, but comparing it with hitchhikers guide is a great idea... it is probably the closest you can get.

[–] JoshuaDysart 9 years ago

Awwww... come on! I'm from the States and I LOVE this movie. Let's not be too hasty in our broad generalizations. All kinds come from all over! Much love!

PS: And yes, the OP utterly missed the point of the flick.

[–] castrezana 19 years ago

Of course!!!

The knights who say "ni!" and the aliens who say "koo!".

Kni-Dza-Dza it's a good comedy, much more funnier than The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, for example.

The Tarkovisky's movies are great, wonderful, unique. Kin-Dza-Dza it's a very good comedy. Period.

[–] slay-er 16 years ago

It's more of a social satire. Also if you watched the movie on youtube, the subtitles are pretty innacurate with some funny bits lost in translation.

[–] twiggy232 15 years ago

ye i watched this last night, expecting it to be exactly what it was.

I find these kind of movies quite entertaining.

This was ok..i gave it a 6/10. It made me laugh a few times and was interesting, but i think comedies lose a lot of their vibe when reading subtitles, especially when they are not so accurate.
A lot of the comedy comes from the original nature of the language and the composition of the words, and obviously translating it you lose this.

Still a decent movie worth watching.

I think all counries should adopt the Koo "bow" or greeting! would be hilarious.

[–] kosmikino 13 years ago

Exactly one of the best Russian made movies...

As a huge fan of "communist" era Russian science-fiction who has pretty much watched everything made during this period (the ones with English subtitles anyway!) I can honestly say, this is one of the best films ever to come out of that era.

As a UK citizen, I have noticed that many people cannot get into films like this simply because the genre boundaries are blurred and the fixed binary terms of satire, dystopian fiction, comedy, science-fiction and cyberpunk don't really apply.

And for those that think Russian science-fiction began and ended with Solaris and Stalker - check out Aelita, Cosmic Voyage, Planet Of The Storms, Veld, Thirteenth Apostle, Town Zero, Guest From The Future, Purple Ball etc - to get an idea of the incredibly complex and diverse world of Soviet era scifi cinema and television.

[–] out-6 12 years ago

Checking this movie in line with Stalker and Solaris is like eating bbq ribs with foie gras. Both make me salivate though.

And yes, it's all bound to be lost in translation, it's SU thing. Say, The Great Lebowsky in Japanese?

[–] !!!deleted!!! (29543476) 10 years ago

This movie is waaaay better than any of the movies you named.
Nedless to say, I am appalled that you compared this masterpiece with
Doctor Who series.

I notticed some people misled you. This is a serious sci-fi movie.
It doesn't take its special effects too serious but nevertheless, it is a
brilliant social satire.