Кин-дза-дза!

a film by Georgi Daneliya
music by Giya Kancheli

I remember me first seeing Kin-dza-dza! in 1987. I quite liked it even though found it a bit long. Ku.

And the second ku a week or so later — back in those days, you had to catch a film during its theatrical run or else (where “else” = probably never). Almost instantaneously, Kin-dza-dza! became a cult classic and a source of many witty quotes, at least among my and my brother’s university mates. Ku twice.

Years later, watching Mad Max 3 on the telly, I couldn’t help thinking how much deeper, more absurd and, above all, how much funnier Kin-dza-dza! was. Now that I’ve mentioned it, Mad Max is not funny at all. Kü!

Many, many years later, re-watching Kin-dza-dza! after a very long gap. (While I was not looking, an animated remake was released and Google made the 30^th Anniversary Doodle.) The great Leonov, Yakovlev, Daneliya and Kancheli are gone but the film has not aged. If anything, it is even more relevant today, what with rampant Plückification of our own planet. Was it that ahead of its time?

Strangely enough, or maybe not, I couldn’t find any decent quality “official” trailer of the movie, although the complete movie is available on YouTube in HD, courtesy of Mosfilm. The English subtitles there are a bit kü but this should not stop you from having ku.

Гедеван Александрович: Извините, а чатлане и пацаки — это национальность?
Уэф: Нет.
Гедеван Александрович: Биологический фактор?
Уэф: Нет.
Гедеван Александрович: Лица с других планет?
Уэф: Нет.
Гедеван Александрович: А в чём они друг от друга отличаются?
Уэф: Ты что, дальтоник, Скрипач — зелёный цвет от оранжевого отличить не можешь? Турист.