Zerograd: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Soviet Union, 1988
Director: Karen Shakhnazarov
Writers: Aleksandr Borodyanskiy, Karen Shakhnazarov
Cast: Leonid Filatov, Oleg Basilashvili, Vladimir Menshov, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, Evgeniy Evstigneev, Aleksey Zharkov, Pyotr Shcherbakov, Elena Arzhanik, Tatyana Khvostikova, Yuriy Sherstnyov

Release Date: March 11th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 101 Minutes 40 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Russian
Subtitles: English (Non-Removable)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"an Everyman engineer named Varakin (Leonid Filatov) who arrives in a remote city where nothing quite makes sense, but everyone acts as if it does. He's quickly drawn into the investigation of the suicide (or possibly murder?) of a local restaurant chef, Nikolaev - who may (or may not) be Varakin's missing father. The more complex and absurdist the mystery becomes, the more poignant and plaintive Varakin's predicament - "I have to get back to Moscow," he pleads to no avail." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New 2K restoration from the original 35mm picture and sound elements by Mosfilm."

Zerograd comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.3 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB

This is another solid encode. The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, color saturation, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Russian with non-removable English subtitles. The source sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with director/co-writer Karen Shakhnazarov, moderated by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile Films (57 minutes 5 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English and Russian with a translator for Russian), an audio commentary track with film journalist Samm Deighan (Diabolique magazine, Daughters of Darkness podcast), reversible cover art, and 8-page booklet Zerograd: Zero Hour for Bureaucracies & Imperfect Unions written by Chris D.

Summary:

Karen Shakhnazarov directed Zerograd. He’s known for In the Moscow Slums and The Assassin of the Tsar.

An engineer visiting Zero Town discovers that it is impossible to leave.

Zerograd is a biting satire about communism made as the Soviet Union was falling apart. Even if you never lived through communism, most viewers are well aware of its end result. That said, when it comes to the humor related to communism, it is delivered in such a way that it's universal no matter what language or life experiences are.

From the moment the protagonist arrives in Zero Town, it is clear that something is off. He’s told that no one knew he was coming when trying to pick up a part at the factory. He is sent to the person in charge of the factory, and while he waits, he notices the secretary is naked. What makes this moment even more bizarre is that her boss is unaware of her lack of clothing. Shortly thereafter, he goes to a restaurant where the cook makes a cake that looks like his head. He then discovers that it is impossible to leave when he tries to leave Zero Town. Though this opening setup does a phenomenal job setting the tone, it still does not prepare you for the absurdity that unfolds.

When discussing Zerograd, one should not overlook the visuals; their use of symbolism and surrealism heightens the mood. Another strength of the visuals is how they reinforce social commentary about communism. For a film filled with striking and off-the-wall moments, none stand out more than the scene where the protagonist finds himself in a wax museum filled with prominent Soviet Union historical figures who are from Zero Town. Many filmmakers have tried to emulate Federico Fellini, but this sequence is the most Felliniesque moment ever filmed that was not directed by Federico Fellini.

The most surprising aspect of Zerograd is the performances, especially Leonid Filatov’s portrayal of the protagonist, Alexey Varakin. Where the other characters exhibit eccentric behavior, his character is the only one rooted in any semblance of reality. Another performance of note is Elena Arzhanik, who portrays the nude secretary. Her character is more about presence than performance as she walks around naked doing routine things.

There is a Kafka-like vibe to the events that unfold; besides being trapped in Zero Town, the protagonist gets caught up in a mystery related to the town's past. The narrative is perfectly executed; backstory fills in crucial details, and there is a deliberate pacing that ensures momentum is never disrupted. Also, though Zerogard is a satire about Communism that explores Soviet Union history, American culture, like 1950s rock and roll songs Rock Around the Clock and Jailhouse Rock, works its way into the story that unfolds. Ultimately, Zerograd is a brilliant satire that fans of absurdist humor will thoroughly enjoy.

Zerograd gets an excellent release from Deaf Crocodile that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, and insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer