Sovsem propashchiy

As an American, Huck Finn was required reading in school. Right around the time it was required in school was just before I started wanting to make film. That was 20 years ago, yet this adaptation of Twain's masterpiece still is absolutely warm without being completely married to retelling the book line by line. Referential but not overwrought, I'm not sure if Hollywood could show this much restraint or an independent studio be so lighthearted. It's probably in my top 50 favorite films and top seven or eight by Daneliya (along with Kin Dza-Dza, Don't Grieve, Mimino, Fortuna, Passport, Autumn Marathon, Afonya, in no particular order). Despite being on the other side of the world, the tone and the feel is lovingly authentic while still giving taste of the Soviet Georgian culture in Daneliya's tongue- and-cheek New Wave style. I only discovered Daneliya a few years ago, and he quickly became my favorite filmmaker of all time. It shocks me how no one I know who were film majors or are obscure film buffs know of him. If this were made today in the US, there would be tons of political overtones and social commentary, whereas the author of the original Huckleberry Finn showed that you can do that and still have fun. This adaptation is the best American classic on screen that I have ever seen, regardless of language. I actually saw it originally in Russian with Portuguese subtitles, but I recalled every scene from the book. Good art excels at showing how similar all humans are regardless of origin. 10 stars. I think Mark Twain would have liked it.