The Saddest Music in the World (Canada, 2003) ☆☆☆☆

Director Guy Maddin has created a very original movie following the style of the old silent black and white movies. We find ourselves in 1933 in the middle of winter in Winnipeg. A no-legged queen, played by Isabella Rosselini, decides to start a competition to see which country has the saddest music in the world. The winner of each round is thrown into a huge pool of beer, while alcohol prohibition is still going on in the US. One by one, each country brings its own folk music, along with singers and musicians. The American team, lead by Mr. Chester Kent, will do almost everything to win the competition. Unfortunately for him, things do not go very well, and a final tragic event will put an end to many beer parties being held because of this competition.

The movie is shot in black and white, but some scenes change tone, some are sepia, some are bluish, and at times color comes up for a short time. The whole will remind you of the early silent films, and considering the movie was actually shot during winter at minus 30 degrees (in Winnipeg, of course), you have to give Maddin credit for pulling off a nice original story with a strong visual style that is unique to this director.