Review of Of Freaks and Men

A very odd and freaky film with freaky (not just physical freakiness but mental freakiness as well.. ) characters, yet unforgettable for its images. What are they? St Petersburg/Leningrad shots without a soul in sight except for the film's characters. The closing shot of Johann stepping on a sheet of ice as it carries him away to possibly drown as the ice is melting downstream. The director's interest in the evolution of cinematography from still photography (embodied in the odd character Putilov). The images of steam engines that constantly appear outside Lisa's apartment and eventually carries her away (not in a carriage but in the single engine itself). And the evil, toothy smile of Viktor Ivanovich. There is even a tram that works on roads with a steam engine (is that a historical fact or Balabanov's imagination at work?) And the entire film is shot in sepia and black. My first Balabanov film. The political commentary is well-couched in deceptive visual metaphors.