The Movie

I have a profound dislike of movies that are set in mental institutions, and that's putting it extremely lightly. Most of them are content in demonstrating one (or more) of several basic themes: that the insane in a so-called "civilized" society are just as emotionally adjusted as those deemed sane, that a small featured group of quirky, eclectic types represent a piercingly accurate cross-sampling of social/cultural archetypes in such a harrowing manner that it fiercely underlies the former theme, and that exploiting the physically/intellectually/emotionally disabled is the singular most shameless ploy of gunning for an Oscar nomination known to man or God (what four out of five Dentists refer to as the "Magical Mystical Retard Theory", where a group of holier-than-thou Hollywood types learn valuable life-lessons from an appallingly-emoting respected actor doing a bizarre representation of the chromosomally-challenged.)

Thankfully, Andrei Konchalovsky's Dom dukarov (House of Fools) doesn't succumb to the latter of the three syndromes, but it severely suffers from its deeply inherent fixation with the former two. The film has scattered moments of cinematic genius that are surrounded by clichéd excess.

The film is set in a mental hospital in 1996, in the midst of the Chechen-Russian War. The hospital is insanely close to the front lines, a fact that becomes all the more notable when the patients wake up one morning to find that the staff, doctors, and nurses have vanished, fleeing the institution before the battle inevitably lands on their doorstep. The patients are elated at their newfound freedom, until the mortar shells start falling on them. A group of Chechen rebels commandeer the hospital and engage in a temporary cease-fire with Russian a soldier, which eventually fails, inevitably continuing the hostilities. In the meantime the patients remain in the hospital, demonstrating a level of sanity and humanity that makes them even more akin to the tired, confused soldiers on both side of the conflict.

In the middle of this is Zhanna (Yuliya Vystotskya), a 20-something accordion-playing patient who is obsessed with Canadian pop-rocker Bryan Adams. Convinced of her stature as the singer's long-lost lover, she fantasizes about Adams (who puts in a rather convincing if non-speaking cameo appearance here) as an obvious yearning for love and serenity in the midst of chaos. To the strains of "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman", Zhanna escapes to this disturbingly charming fantasy while remaining a strong, proactive character (believe you me, this rather comes across a million times better than I describe it here.)

I liked House of Fools quite a bit, but the film is loud, brash, chaotic, and extraordinarily obvious. I appreciated the acting strength in this film: each of the major players seemed credible and believable in all their roles. Many actual mental patients were included as extras and supporting players, lending an air of realism to the proceedings. The movie is chock-full of fine cinematography and exquisite touches that make the film extremely watchable. But this type of story has been told so many times (although not quite this way) that it seems like we've often traveled down this same avenue.

The DVD

Video:

The video is presented in its original widescreen theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and the transfer has been anamorphically enhanced for your widescreen viewing excitement. The overall quality of the video is good to very good, but with some notable flaws. The film predominantly features a drab, blue-gray color scheme that, for the most, part makes the video presentation seem excessively lifeless. These somewhat limited color levels are nothing more than a solid representation of the original source material. Edge-enhancement is something of a pesky villain here, with noticeable edge haloing apparent throughout the transfer. This detriment is compounded with telltale pixellation and mosquito blocking during dark, smoky, and blurred scenes. On the positive side, sharpness levels remained mostly consistent, with only a handful of "soft" looking scenes. Contrast levels are delicate and smart, with good use of deep blacks and fine shadow delineation.

Audio:

The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, presented in its original Russian soundtrack with optional English subtitles. There is a great degree of warmth and brightness to the mix, with sharp, bright dialog levels and spacious use of the soundstage. While the audio isn't excessively aggressive, surround and LFE activity is used smartly and effectively throughout the film (especially during several battle moments and musical interludes.)

Extras:

There are no extras included on this DVD.

Final Thoughts

House of Fools is a worthwhile film if not an entirely original or subtle one. While the concept of subtlety seems oddly out of place in a wartime film set inside a mental institution right on the front lines of battle, House of Fools hammers its point home when it could have benefited from a more deft touch. Nonetheless, it makes for an interesting and slightly thought-provoking film. The presentation of the film is fine enough, although the complete and utter lack of extras fail to elevate this film above rental territory. It's definitely worth a look, but try before you buy.