Lursmani cheqmashi

I've seen many strange films over the years, Nail in the Boot probably has them all beat. The conceits in the story, designed with the message that only flawlessness is acceptable in the pursuit of the Russian brand of socialist ideals, are gigantic enough that they must surely have made Ayn Rand green with envy.

The plot considers an armoured train crewed by communist men who all come from the same boot factory. The train is attacked by imperialist forces, and one soldier, sent away on foot, must try and call up reinforcements.

The political aftermath is Fellinian in its grandiosity and mad pageantry, except that I think it's all done with a poker face.

The movie is a rather late silent, which I think adds to it's ferocious zeal and nightmare-like intensity. The cinematography is awe-inspiring, pure and immaculate, military fetish in the style of Battleship Potemkin par excellence, clean constructivist lines.

Quite quite ludicrous, though thoroughly brilliant, pretending you're watching a nightmare is probably the best way to watch it.