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First, the Recap:
Ahhhh! You’ve found a place of peace, a place to chill out, enjoy relaxation, and unwind from the rigors of the day. Of course, would it not stand to reason that there always seems to be SOMETHING that comes along to interject discord into said solace?! How dare it!! Of course, maybe it doesn’t help that despite your formerly amiable demeanor and alertness, you might not be as with it yourself as you thought. Take for example a man (Walter Egger) who’s found himself a quiet little spot to enjoy a drink and read a classic. Yet, soon there arrives another man (David Desideri) who sits at the table next to him and begins to become—a distraction. Yet, despite the first’s man’s outrage and annoyed state of being, fits of slumber that occur with him cause a very–unique–state of mind to create a VERY unique dreamscape!
Next, my Mind:
It’s the wonder of reality vs. dream, perception vs. imagination, and lucid mindset vs. evidently exhausted physical state of being, all of which is then played for what turns out to be an utterly fantastic series of highly comedic sequences that all find their root in a literary masterpiece thanks to the genius of writer/director/producer/actor Desideri and producer Ioanna Gatzigianni. As the film’s title more than aptly suggests, you can already guess the work the customer is reading that totally unexpectedly ushers in a bout of crazy dreams the reader has thanks to his less-than-lucid brain has in store for him.
Wonderfully combining the imagery that makes up completely hilarious dream sequences with perfectly chosen, whimsical music to aide in the witty impact of the scenes, this twelve and a half minute short, screened at the 2020 Berlin Revolution Film Festival, carries it’s silliness boldly, brazenly, and with absolute goofy intent, doing so in such a manner as to fully elicit the well-earned guffaws that issue forth from the viewer. What makes it great is how well-written it is so as to build the joke over the course of the entire film and then deliver a punch line finale that really does put the icing on the proverbial windmill, one of those “that’s a kicker!” moments.
Also, the sheer jocularity of the almost solely visual/physical humor carries the day in itself, especially given that there is no real dialogue present other than certain voice recitations of passages from the novel in question, which serve to up the humor levels even more in context of what you are witnessing while hearing some of those timeless lines being read out. The more the situation deteriorates in real life for our primary protagonist, the more it becomes ridiculous in his dreams that continue to translate the book and those around him in reality into the riotously warped dreams he has every time he nods off.
The costuming within these instances induces even further chuckles, again one more facet magnificently orchestrated to be cartoonish, which also as mentioned above goes right along with the cartoonish music score that so deftly infuses scenes with even more waggish joy. As the man who becomes the unwitting butt of his own mind’s tired and absurd machinations, Egger carries it off with such ease and emotive fortitude, giving this hapless soul the exact kind of reactions and manner to encourage the laughs the character deserves, while obviously enjoying hamming it up to all extremes during the dream sequences. It’s slapstick silliness, at Egger pulls it off very, very well.
Desideri likewise does quite a fine job in playing the other patron who unknowingly upends the other’s afternoon calm, and due to his own rather odd actions while sitting at the adjacent table, becomes a folk hero in the most nonsensical of ways, really overexaggerating the actions and manner of the classic character to uproarious ends. Even in the real world, the character is a tad eccentric and the enacting of both this world’s and the dream world’s personas he’s playing offers up a genuine and priceless performance. Additional turns arrive from Lisi Held, Ioanna Gatzigianni, Fabrice, Freidrich, and Barry Rich, all playing key parts throughout the film you must see to enjoy and I will not spoil here.
In total, with its straightforward, uncomplicated execution while scoring a one hundred percent on the entertainment scale, “Sancho Panza’s Dream” is a marvellously lighthearted, wholly hysterical peice of indie filmmaking that offers us a welcome reprieve from some of the heavier and darker material out there. This critic felt it more than illustrates the need for humor, probably more so now during a time when the world is already filled with so much hate, anger, fear, and stormy attitudes. Come on, people, relax, have a drink, sit back, take a load off, and SMILE! This film is a wonderful reason to.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
