So what do you think of when I say Soviet sci-fi? Yakov Protazanov’s “Aelita: Queen of Mars” (1924)? Andrei Tarkovsky’s “Solaris” (1972)? How about Georgi Daneliya’s “Kin-dza-dza!” (1986)? “Aelita” is a creaky cult silent space adventure where Russian space travelers introduce oppressed Martians to the freedoms of communism and “Solaris” ties cosmonaut isolation together with repressed memories and LOVE-GHOST SPACE-MANIFESTATIONS and is a pretty well-known film from a legendary director, but “Kin-dza-dza!” remains fairly obscure in the west…and this bothers me. Like so many weird and wonderful foreign films, it is currently unavailable on home video. This just won’t do.
Today I would like us all to take a quiet moment and consider this immortal cult science-fiction comedy known as “Kin-dza-dza!“
Here’s the setup for this oh-so-sweet movie. A humorless construction foreman (known only as Uncle Vova)—on his way to the supermarket for his wife—is accosted by a younger comrade (known only as The Fiddler). The Fiddler tells the stranger that a shoeless man, presumably drunk and insane, is lost. They offer to call a policeman for him, but the shoeless man insists he is from another planet and continues to fiddle with his space gadget. Incredulous, the two strangers reach for the device and are suddenly transported from downtown Moscow to a barren desert wasteland. It is the planet of Pluke in the Kin-dza-dza galaxy. And so our tale begins.
At first Uncle Vova (Stanislav Lyubshin) remains staunchly skeptical that they are indeed on another planet (clearly for his own sanity). The Fiddler (Levan Gabriadze) suggests interplanetary possibilities, but Vova dismisses them all in favor of some earth desert estimations. They wander about in the parched abyss, when suddenly, out of nowhere, a large, rusty, rickety flying metal bucket (riddled with dings and dents) hovers right up to them and makes a sloppy landing in front of the earthlings. Before reason and understanding can be found, the hatch opens and a short, stocky gentleman in simple, uncouth togs (Wef, played by Evgeni Leonov) steps out, accompanied by a similarly dressed taller gentleman in a man-sized canary cage (Bee, played by Yuriy Yakovlev) and together they engage in synchronized squatting whilst reciting the fictitious word “koo” in unison over and over (aka they perform an impromptu Plukanian variety show). Utterly bewildered, yet unyieldingly accepting of this peculiar performance, Vova and the Fiddler attempt communication. They attempt Russian, Georgian, English, and French and all they ever hear back from the two unkempt aeronauts are the unmistakable words, “koo” and “kyoo.” This comprises the bulk of the Plukanian language. Eventually the stranded Soviets figure out that they can bribe their new friends to take them in their craft in exchange for matches.
After many minutes with the human-like “aliens” everybody starts to speak Russian. Apparently the Plukanians are telepathic and it took them some time to learn the thoughts and subsequent language of the earthlings. Once the language barrier is removed we get a lesson in interplanetary culture…also Uncle Vova and the Fiddler must wear tiny bells on their noses out of respect. The desert planet of Pluke is a real tough place. Everyone (like eight people) is mean and only thinks of themselves. Their resources are all but wiped out and the land is sparsely populated (like eight people) and is drying up. Promises are worth little or nothing as you will more likely be swindled and cheated than helped. There are two types of people on the planet: the Chatlanians and the Patsaks, the latter of which (although indistinguishable from the former) is considered to be of a lower caste and must perform degrading rituals (such as being in a man-sized canary cage while in the presence of Chatlanians) to avoid punishment for impudence. The class differentiation seems almost entirely arbitrary. The higher class Chatlanians get to sleep on beds without nails and they cannot be beaten in the middle of the night. The lower class Patsaks are not so lucky. Matches are apparently very valuable. Water is rare. Police are corrupt. There are about thirteen words in the Plukanian language that can be translated. All other words are “koo.” A popular expletive is “kyoo.”
A particularly humorous bit comes at about the halfway mark where a title screen comes up and summarizes all of the words on Pluke we have learned so far. It doesn’t take long.
I won’t go into all the elements of the plot. “Kin-dza-dza!” is essentially a space travel comedy (reminiscent of Douglas Adams’ work in the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” series) about two dudes trying to get back to Moscow and learning about human nature and friendship. That’s really all you need to know. The rest is just a string of absurdity, oddity, and japery. Be it the fear of being turned into a cactus by a higher being, or singing earth songs for money, or the ludicrousness of the many bizarre rituals lower castes must perform, or the way in which the earthlings are deceived and must use their heads to get wise and make it on Pluke, it’s all for a laugh. And it’s a good laugh too. Amidst the budding friendships and backstabbing there is always room for bizarre absurdist humor.
One thing that is particularly striking about the film are the jabs at capitalism and some of its pro-communist themes. (*quick scan to see if Joseph McCarthy has been resurrected from the grave…ok, good. Wikipedia doesn’t mention anything.) One of the reasons why Pluke is so backwards and dehydrated is because of class struggles and wanton spending and exhaustion of natural resources. It is a dog eat dog world and nobody trusts each other and many have been reduced to begging. Only when the stiff Uncle Vova can accept his traveling companion, the Fiddler, and the Plukanians as his comrades can they return to earth. We even learn Uncle Vova and the Fiddler’s real names: Vladimir and Gedevan. There must be social equality and mutual understanding in order for progress to take shape. Although Wef and Bee may never fully understand self-sacrifice or friendship and may never fully trust the earthlings they wind up helping them get back to earth anyway.
It’s a kooky movie all around. “Kin-dza-dza!” is a consistently odd and humorous space saga with interesting characters and a truly absurd sense of humor. It is an amusing journey with philosophical and social undertones which as of yet remains unavailable in the United States. *COUGH* WHICH AS OF YET REMAINS UNAVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES. Seriously. Someone needs to release this on DVD. It’s got it all: spaceships, singing, funny hats, you got it. It’s great.
Top 10 Reasons to See “Kin-dza-dza!”
1. It’s funny!
2. The spaceships, although clunky, are just as awesome as anything in “Star Wars.”
3. It’s interesting to see a film from such a pro-communist perspective…the opposite of say, Krzysztof Kieślowski or Zbyněk Brynych which represent a more markedly anti-communist sentiment.
4. Did I not already mention the humorousness of the headgear (aka funny hats).
5. Grown men wear bells on their noses.
6. It’s one of the more original outer-space movies you’re likely to find.
7. It’s obscure and kitschy and therefore tickles your “anti-mainstream hipster” sensibilities.
8. Although visually sparse and minimalistic at times, the juxtapositions and mise-en-scène are wonderfully surreal (at times it feels to be a cross between Jodorowsky’s “El Topo” and Monty Python).
9. If you enjoyed reading “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” then you will definitely like this movie.
10. Koo!
Bonus Reason:
11. Kyoo!
picture references:
ninakinert.blogspot.com
jesselawrence.com
oeff.jp
avaxhome.ws
levmishkin.wordpress.com
