"Art is the key to the trouble of the mind"
Ruben Brandt, Collector is a 2018 Hungarian animated crime thriller directed by visual artist Milorad Krstić.
"There is no mercy, no rules, no self-censorship, no consulting with anybody else. I am God with the pencil and I don’t need any help."
- Milorad Krstić
Ruben Brandt, a psychotherapist who specialises in treating artistic souls, is suffering from nightmares where he is attacked by famous paintings. "Art is the key to the trouble of the mind" so his patients decide to test if their therapy is working and using Brandt's mantra "possess your problems to concur them" the patients go on to steal the 13 pieces of world famous art that haunts Brandt's nightmares.
The phrase, every scene a painting, is taken literally here, with shots of the films drawing inspiration from dozens of portraits, paintings and even portrait photography. Posters on the street and on the walls of each room throughout the film are all taking inspiration from real life works and street sculptures. In one scene at an art exhibition every piece of art "on display" is from reality.
There are also what is commonly know at "easter eggs" hidden throughout the whole film. From the first scene the song that is playing is printed on the railway as the train track number and Detective Kowalski's ice cubes are shaped like Alfred Hitchcock. There are also almost as many film references as there are art references. Detective Kowalski collects weapons from classic films including Bram Stockers Dracula (1992), High plains Drifter (1973) and Predator (1987).
Mimi is most definitely my favourite character with her silver wit and calm coolness as she deftly floats through the air in death defying leaps and jumps.
The film has a masterful soundtrack, my favourite scene being the chase between Mimi and Detective Kowalski overlaid with 'Do you love me' by Brian Poole & The Tremeloes.
"For me, an animated movie stands on five legs: story, graphic world, animation, music, and sound. All those legs are of the same importance for me. I’m making a film as an audio-visual symphony."
- Milorad Krstić
I would have put in the trailer but it seemed a bit dramatic and over the top compared to the actual film. I have chosen this clip instead.