User reviews

It is an interesting attempt to combine the tradition of narrative fiction film(mainly slapstick comedy of silent era),style of musical clip,puppet animation and the humor of Russian folklore. It's difficult to see it without laughing actions of people busily walking around the magic drum,with which the hero,maybe,fell in love. Someone may get angry for the comical depiction of poverty in Russian life,especially if consider the year of the film's production.

But it is Ovcharov's style and his vision. I have seen only two other films of this director, but in 1999(short film "Faraon") and in 2002("Skaz pro Fedota-strel'tsa")his aesthetic principle was the same as in "Barabaniada". And this is better than the recent two films.

Excellent tale of the little man out of tune with a totalitarian society, shown with great wit and hilarious humour!The film starts with a funeral where the dead man is honored with a bottle of vodka, and a grand orchestra playing.. the scene ending with the members of the orchestra finishing the contents of the bottle of vodka before giving the empty bottle to the dead man..The man playing the drum is out of tune with the orchestra and out of tune for the rest of the movie, so out of tune that he is put away in an asylum where they try to get him in tune.A great tale of the little man struggling against a totalitarian system often humiliated but always carrying his heavy burdens.