To hear the scenario of "House of Fools" one might think of other movies that deal with mental institutions ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Girl Interrupted", etc), but these comparisons would be too easy. Far closer to the actual style and mood of the picture would be comparisons to fantasies like "The Purple Rose of Cairo" or "Pan's Labrynth" where characters are able to escape from the pain of World Crisis through the aid of imagination. As the character Janna disappears from the chaos around her, from the conditions of the asylum to the threat of death from the Czech army, we see a woman who is far from lucid and weaving in and out of independence. She is at times conscious of what goes on around her, while playing into her craziness as a means of escaping the pain of life. The movie is bold to portray this beautiful woman as someone who is not altogether sane. The style of the movie changes with the state of Janna's mind. Some scenes are shot with incredible depth of field camera work, such as the helicopter crashing behind Janna in a shot that was no doubt inspired by the silent comedians. Other scenes are filmed with glossy, soft lighting, such as the train scenes with Bryan Adams, to create a wonderful dream feeling. When the movie does come crashing back into reality, the grim nature of it all is very painful, so we the audience, like Janna, long for the next accordion solo.
Review of House of Fools
