Kin-dza-dza!
Encyclopedia
Kin-dza-dza! is a 1986 Soviet comedy
-science fiction film
released by the Mosfilm
studio and directed by Georgi Daneliya
, with a story by Georgi Daneliya and Revaz Gabriadze. The movie was filmed in color, consists of two parts and runs for 135 minutes in total.
The film is a dark and grotesque parody of human society and may be described as a dystopia
. It depicts a desert planet
, depleted of its resources, home to an impoverished dog-eat-dog society with extreme inequality and oppression. It was a cult film
in the Soviet Union, and its humorous dialogue were frequently quoted.
, where two Soviet humans previously unknown to each other ("Uncle Vova", a gruff construction foreman from Moscow
Vladimir Moshkov, and "The Fiddler", a student from Georgia
Gedevan Aleksidze) are stranded due to an accidental encounter with an alien teleportation device. The movie describes their long quest to find a way back home.
The natives of the planet appear human, with deceptively primitive-looking technology and a barbaric culture, which satirically resembles that of humans. They are telepathic
; the only spoken words normally used in their culture are “ku” (koo) and “kyu” (kew), the latter being a swear word
. However, the Plukanians are able to quickly adapt to understand and speak Russian (and Georgian too). The society of Pluke is divided into two categories: Chatlanians and Patsaks. Chatlanians are privileged, and a system of rituals must be followed by the Patsaks to show flattery. The basis of their difference is unexplainable (a source of a humorous episode), and for all practical matters they are distinguished with aid of a small handheld device (visator). It is also noted that the social differences between Patsaks and Chatlanians are not constant: Pluke being a Chatlanian planet, they are privileged there; but there are Patsak planets where Patsaks hold the upper hand and Chatlanians are subservient. Wef and Bi switch their social roles immediately and without any problems when visiting one such planet.
The only group empowered to use weapons (“tranklucators”) and enforce their will is the ecilops ("police" spelled backwards). The nominal leader of the Plukanian society is named PG; everybody makes their best to display fervent worship to him and disrespect is severely punished; but, when encountered in person, PG appears harmless and dumb. The fuel
of Pluke is called lutz and is made from water
. All naturally present water has apparently been processed into lutz, so drinking water is a valuable commodity (in fact, it can only be made from lutz).
A good deal of the plot is based on the fact that ordinary wooden matchsticks (ketse) (or, rather, the chemicals of the match head) are considered to be extremely valuable on Pluke.
. This is largely due to the fact that there was no official release of the movie with English subtitles for a long time.
In 2005 RUSCICO (Russian Cinema Council) released a version with Russian original sound and with English and French dubbing, It has also subtitles in English and other languages.
s. The finished film is expected to be 100 minutes long.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
-science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
released by the Mosfilm
Mosfilm
Mosfilm is a film studio, which is often described as the largest and oldest in Russia and in Europe. Its output includes most of the more widely-acclaimed Soviet films, ranging from works by Tarkovsky and Eisenstein , to Red Westerns, to the Akira Kurosawa co-production and the epic Война и Мир...
studio and directed by Georgi Daneliya
Georgi Daneliya
Georgi Daneliya is a Soviet/Georgian/Russian film director, who became known throughout the Soviet Union for his "sad comedies" .Daneliya graduated from the Moscow Architecture Institute and worked as an architect...
, with a story by Georgi Daneliya and Revaz Gabriadze. The movie was filmed in color, consists of two parts and runs for 135 minutes in total.
The film is a dark and grotesque parody of human society and may be described as a dystopia
Dystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
. It depicts a desert planet
Desert planet
A desert planet is a single-biome planet on which the climate is mostly desert, with little or no natural precipitation. Desert planets are known to exist; Mars is often considered a prime example. Indeed, many terrestrial planets would be considered desert planets by this definition...
, depleted of its resources, home to an impoverished dog-eat-dog society with extreme inequality and oppression. It was a cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
in the Soviet Union, and its humorous dialogue were frequently quoted.
Plot
The story takes place on the desert planet "Pluke" in the "Kin-dza-dza" galaxyGalaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
, where two Soviet humans previously unknown to each other ("Uncle Vova", a gruff construction foreman from Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
Vladimir Moshkov, and "The Fiddler", a student from Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
Gedevan Aleksidze) are stranded due to an accidental encounter with an alien teleportation device. The movie describes their long quest to find a way back home.
The natives of the planet appear human, with deceptively primitive-looking technology and a barbaric culture, which satirically resembles that of humans. They are telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
; the only spoken words normally used in their culture are “ku” (koo) and “kyu” (kew), the latter being a swear word
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
. However, the Plukanians are able to quickly adapt to understand and speak Russian (and Georgian too). The society of Pluke is divided into two categories: Chatlanians and Patsaks. Chatlanians are privileged, and a system of rituals must be followed by the Patsaks to show flattery. The basis of their difference is unexplainable (a source of a humorous episode), and for all practical matters they are distinguished with aid of a small handheld device (visator). It is also noted that the social differences between Patsaks and Chatlanians are not constant: Pluke being a Chatlanian planet, they are privileged there; but there are Patsak planets where Patsaks hold the upper hand and Chatlanians are subservient. Wef and Bi switch their social roles immediately and without any problems when visiting one such planet.
The only group empowered to use weapons (“tranklucators”) and enforce their will is the ecilops ("police" spelled backwards). The nominal leader of the Plukanian society is named PG; everybody makes their best to display fervent worship to him and disrespect is severely punished; but, when encountered in person, PG appears harmless and dumb. The fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
of Pluke is called lutz and is made from water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
. All naturally present water has apparently been processed into lutz, so drinking water is a valuable commodity (in fact, it can only be made from lutz).
A good deal of the plot is based on the fact that ordinary wooden matchsticks (ketse) (or, rather, the chemicals of the match head) are considered to be extremely valuable on Pluke.
Plukanian language
- Ketseh — matches (or, rather, the chemicals ordinarily used on Earth for match heads)
- Chutle — a currency unit
- Tsuk — a small bell worn on the nose to indicate the low social status of the wearer
- Tentura and Antitentura — two opposite parts of the Universe. Some planets and galaxies exist in Tentura and some (including Earth) in Antitentura.
- Pepelatz — an interplanetary spacecraft (from the Georgian word "pepela" for butterfly)
- Tsapa — a component for different machines. A big tsapa is a very important component for the pepelatz. A small tsapa is a component for the gravitsapa; without the small tsapa, a gravitsapa will not work. Tsapa is similar to a very rusty screwnut
- Gravitsapa — a component for the pepelatz which allows intergalactic travel (from 'gravity' + 'tsapa')
- Tranklucator — a weapon
- Visator — compact device, detects difference between Patsaks and Chatlanians.
- Kappa — a button or lever
- Lootz — the fuel used by the pepelatz, it is made of water
- Ecilop — a policeman ("police" spoken backwards)
- Ecikh — a box for prisoners; also the imprisonment in such box (as a penalty); also the Ecikh is a jail with many such boxes ("Ecikh" is from the Georgian word "tsikhe" for prison, castle). Ecikh with nails is extremely hard punishment.
- Kyu — a socially acceptable curseProfanityProfanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
- Koo — All other words
Video
The movie has been released on DVD in Russia but has gained virtually no notice elsewhere, with the exception of JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. This is largely due to the fact that there was no official release of the movie with English subtitles for a long time.
In 2005 RUSCICO (Russian Cinema Council) released a version with Russian original sound and with English and French dubbing, It has also subtitles in English and other languages.
Cast (in order of appearance)
- Stanislav LyubshinStanislav LyubshinStanislav Andreyevich Lyubshin is a Russian actor, film director, and People's Artist of the RSFSR .-Life:Stanislav Lyubshin is a notable Russian actor best known for his leading role as Dyadya Vova in Soviet comedy Kin-Dza-Dza ....
as Vladimir Nikolayevich Mashkov (Uncle Vova (or "Mister Vova")) - Galina Daneliya-Yurkova as Lyudmila (Lucya), the Mashkov's wife
- Levan Gabriadze as Gedevan Alexandrovich Alexidze (The Fiddler)
- Anatoli Serenko as the Barefoot Wanderer from Uzm
- Yury YakovlevYury YakovlevYury Vasilyevich Yakovlev is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed Soviet film actors. He was named People's Artist of the USSR in 1976....
as Bi the Patsak, a wandering singer - Yevgeny LeonovYevgeny LeonovYevgeny Pavlovich Leonov was a famous Russian/Soviet actor who played main parts in several of the most famous Soviet films. Called "one of Russia's best-loved actors", he also provided the voice for many Soviet cartoon characters, including Vinny Pukh .-Early life:While growing up in a typical...
as Wef the Chatlanian, a wandering singer - ? as one-handed smuggler with a mini tranklucator
- ? (Tatyana Proshina?) as female smuggler with a mini tranklucator, girlfriend of the gang leader
- Alexander Litovkin as the gang leader
- Valentin Bukin as black-moustached ecilop in an egg-shaped pepelatz, demonstrating how a tranklucator works
- Irina Shmelyova as Tsan, the cart driver (tachankaTachankaThe tachanka was a horse-drawn machine gun platform, usually a cart or an open wagon with a heavy machine gun installed in the back. A tachanka could be pulled by two to four horses and required a crew of two or three...
-driving woman, a wandering singer and dancer) - Lev Perfilov as Kyrr, the dissident Chatlanian with a tranklucator
- Nina Ruslanova as Galina Borisovna, the vice-dean
- Yuri Voronkov as bearded Chatlanian, leader of the "Children of the Sun" sect (later seen in the subway train, pretending to be a Patsak)
- Olesya Ivanova as cage-banging white sectarian woman
- Lyudmila Solodenko as sand-throwing black sectarian girl
- Vitali Leonov as Shorty (from the sect)
- Nikolai Garo as Lord PG
- Igor Bogolyubov as Lord PG's Personal Patsak
- Victor Marenkov as Patsak, wearing a coil pipe for a mask and working as watchman
- Aleksandr Gorbachyov as grey-moustached elderly ecilop in an egg-shaped pepelatz, who will want "40 chatles" and "immediately press the kappa" in a scene later
- Yelena Mashkova-Sulakadze as watchman's wife (redheaded Patsak woman in the trapdoor)
- Gennady B.Ivanov as black ecilop, guarding the underground communications
- Aleksandra Dorokhina as colossal Chatlanian woman, working as attendant in the subway station
- Victor Makhmutov as the red-headed Chatlanian
- Vladimir Fyodorov as Mr. Yellow Pants
- Yelena Antonova as Mr. Yellow Pants' girlfriend
- Tatyana Novitskaya as an employee in the planetarium
- Yuri Naumtsev as the judge
- Gennady Yalovich as secret agent
- Veronica Izotova as the gang leader's female Chatlanian slave, wearing a collar
- Vladimir Razumovsky as ecilop with muzzles
- Nina Ter-Osipian as Lord PG's noble mother
- Harri Schweitz as Lord PG's 1st bodyguard (bearded fatman)
- Valentin Golubenko as Lord PG's 2nd bodyguard (long-nosed powerman)
- Oleg Matveyev as Lord PG's 3rd bodyguard (young man wearing gloves)
- Olga Mashnaya as Dekont (from the planet Alpha)
- Georgi DaneliyaGeorgi DaneliyaGeorgi Daneliya is a Soviet/Georgian/Russian film director, who became known throughout the Soviet Union for his "sad comedies" .Daneliya graduated from the Moscow Architecture Institute and worked as an architect...
as Abradox (from the planet Alpha) - Varvara Vladimirova as young Alphian mother
- Anya Andriyanova as little blonde Alphian girl
Animated version
An animated version of the same story, named Kin-dza-dza-dza!, is being made in Russia, and is planned for release in Summer 2011. This version will be targeted more at children and the international audience. Work began on February 12, 2005, and it has a budget of 140 million rubleRussian ruble
The ruble or rouble is the currency of the Russian Federation and the two partially recognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Formerly, the ruble was also the currency of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union prior to their breakups. Belarus and Transnistria also use currencies with...
s. The finished film is expected to be 100 minutes long.
Interesting facts
Cover image of the first issue of Space Quarterly magazine (U.S. edition) is jokingly considered as a copyright infringement resembling pepelatz backdropped against the landscape of Pluk.External links
- Kin-dza-dza-dza! (animated film) at the Russian wikipedia