Konstantin and Mouse

Quirky existences and the beautiful poetry.
The quirky existential documentary about two eccentric people, their histories, accomplishments and love. It's witty and funny and mostly about the poet - the living spectacle of a wonderful and powerfully commanding character. On one side he is direct and to some degree manipulative and repulsive, but on the other beautiful, insightful and universally kind. You have to open your eyes and see both as they are both very interesting sides of the poet that makes this movie so interesting to watch.
Kuzminski recites poetry like it is music - his rhythm, use of consonants, his timing of it all, is completely capturing and very beautiful even when reciting works not his own.

Smoking While Swimming
"Konstantin and Mouse" is simply a wonderful film. It does not matter if you have never heard of Konstantin Kuzminsky or do not care about Russian poetry. The film is beautiful and well paced and the music is simple and effective. And if you do know about Konstantin Kuzminsky and you do care for Russian poetry ... all the better. From Leningrad to Austin to New York City and presently, to the hamlet of Lordville, New York, where he lives with his wife, Emma, aka Mouse, Kuzminsky embodies the spirit of the poet as seer, witness, and provocateur. His memory is prodigious, his performances are outrageous, and his judgments are both scathing and fair. What is unfair is that Kuzminsky is not as well known as his fellow Leningrad poet, Joseph Brodsky (both born in 1940). And then there is Mouse, who when she met him in Leningrad, fell in love with a poet who swallowed frogs. She is not so much the silent partner, but rather the laughing partner with a camera. Mr. Zagdansky puts...



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