Just for starters - film takes place in Winnipeg, Canada, "The world capital of sorrow" in 1933 during the Great Depression. A legless beer baroness, Lady Port-Huntly (Isabella Rossellini in a blond wig) organizes a contest to find the saddest music in the world. Musicians from around the globe arrive to Winnipeg to try and win a $25,000 prize. Among them is Chester (Mark McKinney), her old boyfriend who arrived with his lover, Bosnian singer Narcissa (Maria de Medeiros of "Pulp Fiction"), the amnesiac nymphomaniac who listens the advice of a telepathic tapeworm in her bowels. Chester's brother Roderick (Ross McMillan) is the contestant from Serbia performing by the name Gavrilla the Great, hiding his face under the big veil and looking like Salvador Dali in his craziest. He is overwhelmed by the death of his young son and looks for his long lost wife, who happened to be Narcissa who had lost her memory and does remember neither him nor their little boy. Chester's and Roderick's father Fyodor (David Fox) enters for Canada. He's got his own sad story. One night while drunk, he caused a car crash and attempted to save his lover by amputating her crushed leg -- but, being drunk cut off the wrong leg. The lover was Lady Port-Huntly who at the time of the crash was cheating on Fyodor with Chester in the car. Is it crazy enough? Wait until you see it. Visually, the film is nothing I've seen before but I understand that Maddin's fans will recognize his very distinguished style - the film shot in black and white, and edited in such a way as to recall the old pictures from the 1930s. There are a couple of color scenes, and those moments stand alone. One of the most striking color images is Isabella Rossellini standing on glass legs filled with beer from her breweries. If for nothing else, the film should be seen for this jaw - dropping moment.
It is certainly not for everyone but I am glad I saw it. How could I not like this dialog?
Fyodor: Are you an American?
Narcissa: No, I'm not an American. I'm a nymphomaniac
Fyodor: As long as you are not an American, you can be anything you want
It is certainly not for everyone but I am glad I saw it. How could I not like this dialog?
Fyodor: Are you an American?
Narcissa: No, I'm not an American. I'm a nymphomaniac
Fyodor: As long as you are not an American, you can be anything you want