THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD might have been made in 2004 but it’s entire vibe is that of a vintage midnight movie. Anyone remember midnight movies? Cult films that were shown at midnight in mostly inner city, urban movie theaters back in the 1970s. Think ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. Midnight movies were the place to experience films that would almost never be shown in the daytime at a first run movie house. Midnight movies exposed eager audiences to beloved, old school classics as well as a place to discover something new, something odd, something just so fucking weird that they almost defy description.
It’s 1933, the height of the worldwide Great Depression which has hit every major city including Winnipeg (!) where this demented story takes place. But it’s not a Winnipeg any sane person has ever seen. Shot in black and white with a very heavy debt to German Expressionist cinema, SADDEST tells the story of a go-get-’em would be Broadway entrepreneur who seeks financing for his sure fire, can’t miss, musical extravaganza. In order to raise the money, he enters a worldwide music contest which, instead of pitting one single musician against another, matches entire countries vying for the prize of $25,000 based on their performance of “the saddest music in the world” (whatever that might be).
The contest is the brainchild of a legless beer baroness (you might want to read that again) played by Isabella Rossellini (who looks more and more like her mother Ingrid Bergman as years go by). She lost her legs in a tragic accident that involved the aforementioned promoter, and his father (both of whom will compete in the contest). The producer seduces both Rossellini and a sexy waif who may or may not be his brother’s wife. Somewhere along the way, Rossellini acquires a new pair of legs. But they’re not just any legs. They are hollow glass gams filled with beer.
Still with me? The contest begins, pitting Siam (represented by a sole flutist) against Mexico. Mexico wins and all of their musicians get to take a wild slide ride into an enormous vat of beer. The contest continues, the twisted relationships between the major players becomes more convoluted and bizarre. But that’s the entire point of this crazy, definitely one-of-a-kind film.
Although filmed largely in black and white, there are some flashback and fantasy sequences that are saturated in either red or blue light. There’s even a faded color sequence that looks like a home movie from hell.
And it’s not just regular b&w cinematography. The visuals all have a gauzy look as if the camera was shooting through cheesecloth or had Vaseline smeared on the lens. Nothing is ever in sharp focus as the edges of the frames are blurred. The film uses the visual language of silent films with circular cameo images and a variety of wipes and scene transitions.
But the overwhelming influence of the film is definitely German expressionism. It’s like watching a musical version of THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI. Winnipeg is a crazy quilt hodge podge of buildings that look like they were designed using geometry from another dimension.
SADDEST wears it’s conceit front and center with the title cards sporting a 1930s Art Deco typography. I immediately thought to myself that I’d either enthusiastically love this movie or passionately hate it. Believe it or not, I did not hate this film, but I also can’t say I liked it. I’ve no desire to ever see it again but I’m glad I watched it.
Director Guy Maddin, goes out on a limb here, totally committing himself to the not-for-everyone narrative and characters. I chuckled a couple of times, the film is never boring, and the sheer lunacy of the whole affair provides a compelling hook to keep you watching just to see how the crazy, cock-eyed contraption plays out.
To truly enjoy the SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORKD, watch it at midnight if you can. It might not feel so damn weird if seen in its proper context.
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