The 20th Century

source: The Twentieth Century

After Hemingway received the Nobel Prize for "The Old Man and the Sea" he was asked about it's many metaphors and their validity. Hem answered in words to the effect that it was true those symbols represented many things depending on what the reader brought to the sitting. Well friends, this jeweled marvel is very much like a woman or sea, capable of bestowing or witholding great treasures! I just discovered it and now the world seems just a little less desolate, a little more comforting. And why are we affronted by and attack those things we don't understand? The very best professional critics are guilty of the same. Ok so I'm laying it on pretty thick but I'm trying make a strong point to the hosers. All I ask is that you please at lease skim a Wiki page before lending this, my new favorite film a discouraging rating.

This isn't a typical movie. It's more like a theater production of something to do with something. I'm sure it had some point and so it's lucky it's not being given one star. Is this historical? Some boot sniffer, the SNIFFER sir, I call thee a sniffer!! It's kind of entertaining in a never will I ever bother watching this again sort of way. I don't understand people saying things about Monty Python because some of that stuff is actually funny. The Holy Grail is the best of Monty Python and this movie has none of that charm whatsoever. It's a bit like when people would hear some "alternative" music in the late 80s and describe it as like R. E. M. It was nothing like REM but people associate certain things with certain things. Of course REM are so mainstream it's laughable but in a world ruled by synth pop or hair metal it was different at the time. Where does that leave The Smiths, The Cure, The Psychedelic Furs and a million other bands that were at that time the latest of the waves of newness. But I digest, nom nom. This movie is sort of not funny, but it's oddness makes it seem unusual.

Influenced by Jodorowsky films like El Topo and the Holy Mountain, this film was bizarre. Men wear Women clothes and Women wear Men Clothes, but I like them.

Some people don't understand that the cinematography of this movie is based on German Expressionism. Just for this, this movie is already worth a watch. You'll see triangular shapes standing for mountains, cubes for buildings, with neons lights and triangular shaped windows. A visual phantasmagoria. The satire of Canadian politics depicts a much wider and darker world that is to come. Idealisms in the form of evolutionary humanism (Nazism) and egalitarian humanism (Communism), would rise to nearly to dominate the world and fall. Characters might be extravagant, and at some points you might find them disgusting, but don't let that ruin the experience of a neon filled expressionist decorum à la Fritz Lang with some Monthy Pythonesque references and its eclectic soundtrack of a world that was about to experiment all of this. Can you imagine the excitement if you would have been living back then (1899) and the terror and disappointment of knowing what was to come? An experiment in fusion of ideas with a quite unique outcome.

It certainly leans on Monty Python vibes, but if you are looking for Monty Python you are going to be disappointed. It's a darker tale, and it uses a lot of Canadian type humor and feel. There are some decent Freudian ques and overall it does a good job of making you feel for and against various characters and their positions.

Fantastic graphics, mesmerizing actors and actresses, the film is fun as hell and makes something as dry as Canadian federal politics in the early 20th century something with a crazy adrenaline kick / drug fever to it. Ive never seen a Guy Maddin film which takes inspiration from but I think it is very unique and I will revisit this film a lot more in the future.

Very different visually however I didn't find that it was at all funny. If Monty Python was the inspiration unfortunately for me it failed to reach the mark. It is however worthy of a viewing.

This movie thinks it's Monty Python but it's not, it's not funny, witty or interesting in the least. This putrid dung heap of a film is only suited for the hipster lugans too afraid to admit that crap is crap because some hopped up acid using talking head claims it's "artistic genius" or some other idiotic term those buffoons dream up. After seeing this mess I think I might have rated Sicilian Vampire too low.

More of a production from Adult Swim cartoons than an historic reenactment although I'm sure there are truths hidden in this surreal bizarre graphic based production. Not a clear cohesive direct & simple conveyance of this period; the first half of the 20th century in Canada. Anyway it's (sorta) a life history of Mackenzie King a long termed Prime Minister. Side notes: If I see another triangle (explanation -inserted triangle picture graphics were used a lot). And, I learned more from Wiki.