Search - In the Realms of the Unreal - The Mystery of Henry Darger on DVD


In the Realms of the Unreal - The Mystery of Henry Darger
In the Realms of the Unreal - The Mystery of Henry Darger
Actors: Henry Darger, Dakota Fanning, Larry Pine, Frier McCollister, Wally Wingert
Director: Jessica Yu
Genres: Educational, Documentary, Mystery & Suspense
UR     2005     1hr 21min

Henry Darger, an elderly recluse, spent his childhood in Illinois's asylum for feeble-minded children and his adulthood working as a janitor. He lived a quiet, nearly solitary existence, but his imaginary life was exciting...  more »

     
4

Larger Image

Movie Details

Actors: Henry Darger, Dakota Fanning, Larry Pine, Frier McCollister, Wally Wingert
Director: Jessica Yu
Creators: Henry Darger, Jessica Yu, Cara Mertes, Ellin Baumel, Joan Huang, Kara Vallow
Genres: Educational, Documentary, Mystery & Suspense
Sub-Genres: Educational, Biography, Mystery & Suspense
Studio: Fox Lorber
Format: DVD - Color,Widescreen
DVD Release Date: 06/21/2005
Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/2003
Release Year: 2005
Run Time: 1hr 21min
Screens: Color,Widescreen
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 15
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Languages: English

Similar Movies

The Devil and Daniel Johnston
Director: Jeff Feuerzeig
4
   PG-13   2006   1hr 50min

Similarly Requested DVDs

Black Snake Moan
Director: Craig Brewer
   R   2007   1hr 55min
   
Me and You and Everyone We Know
   R   2005   1hr 31min
   
Music and Lyrics
Widescreen Edition
Director: Marc Lawrence
   PG-13   2007   1hr 36min
   
Julie Julia
Director: Nora Ephron
   PG-13   2009   2hr 3min
   
Space Cowboys
Ws Flp
   PG-13   2001   2hr 10min
   
Punch-Drunk Love
Two Disc Special Edition
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
   R   2003   1hr 35min
   
The Fifth Element
Ultimate Edition
Director: Luc Besson
   PG-13   2005   2hr 6min
   
Gumby the Movie
Director: Not applicable
3
   G   2008   1hr 17min
   
Glee Season One Vol 1 - Road to Sectionals
Director: Ryan Murphy
   NR   2009   10hr 10min
   
 

Member Movie Reviews

Jeff V. (burielofmel) from HARRIMAN, TN
Reviewed on 11/15/2008...
This documentary is about a reclusive man named Henry Darger. He spent most of his life alone except for one friend who died. He even chose not to get a dog when he found out it would cost $5 a month to care for it. Henry spent his decades of seclusion creating his own world, one which he wrote about in a 15,000 page novel and which he illustrated with hundreds of pieces of art, many 10 feet long. The story of Henry's strange life and the epic story he wrote is told mostly through voice over and images of his art animated. There are also interviews and a voice over by Dakota Fanning. If you're into true stories of the creativity that sometimes comes with madness, you will likely find this documentary to your liking.
3 of 6 member(s) found this review helpful.

Movie Reviews

The ultimate outsider
tmp | Solar System, MA USA | 03/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jessica Yu has crafted a fascinating look at the life and work of Henry Darger, a reclusive Chicago janitor, living in near-poverty who created an illustrated 15-something thousand page novel (among other works) titled "The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinian War Storm". "Realms" tells the story of the Vivian Girls: seven sisters fighting the evil, child-enslaving Glandelinians, illustrated with over 300 works of art. Amazingly, this huge body of work was discovered after Darger's death in his small room by his landlords. Even more amazingly, his landlords recognized that they had something of value, and kept the works intact.

Yu makes some very interesting choices presenting Darger's life. First, defying convention, she doesn't trot out the usual suspects of art critics and psychologists to tell us what were supposed to be thinking about Darger's life and work; she interviews the people who interacted with him (notice I didn't use the word "knew"- none of them can agree what he was like). Even his landlady, who housed him for decades admits that nobody really knew him. Second, she opens out Darger's art by animating it; a risky choice that pays off. The animated portions of the film bring the other-wordliness of Darger's art out in a way that static shots never could.

Lastly, pitch-perfect readings of Darger's work (by Larry Pine, Dakota Fanning, and others) really help give this film a feeling that is as magical, disturbing, sad and beautiful as Darger's work itself.

The movie is in limited release around the country. I urge you to see it. If you're in New York, go to the Folk Art Museum and see Darger's work. It's incredible stuff, and even more incredible when you realise what Darger might have given up to create them."
Art, Isolation, and the Unreal World Within.
mirasreviews | McLean, VA USA | 06/24/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)

""In the Realms of the Unreal" explores the life and work of Henry Darger, a reclusive Chicago janitor who died in 1973, leaving behind 30,000 pages of writings and hundreds of pieces of artwork which no one knew existed while he lived. Director Jessica Yu approaches Darger's story from three points of view: that of Henry, himself, which he recorded in an autobiography; how those who knew him saw Henry; and the story told in Henry's magnum opus, a 15,000-page novel, laboriously entitled "The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinnian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion".

Larry Pine provides Henry's voice, as he narrates his Dickensonian childhood and youth, thorough an adulthood of self-imposed isolation and struggles with faith, to this reluctant retirement. Luckily, his autobiography is frank, because Henry avoided interaction with people and spent every spare moment in his room creating the universe of his novel. Interviews with neighbors, landlords, and acquaintances allow us to see Henry as others did. As Henry's life unfolds, his novel, which he began in 1909 at the age of 17, progresses. The book is about a war between the Christian nation of Abbieannia and the land of Glandelinia, where children are enslaved. The heroes are the 7 cheeky, brave, and saint-like Vivian girl princesses, who lead the child slave rebellion. The novel is narrated by Dakota Fanning. And animators have brought Darger's fascinating illustrations to life in stunning visuals.

Jessica Yu is to be commended for encouraging viewers to come to their own conclusions about Henry Darger. The vibrancy, overwhelming innocence, and creativity of Darger's artwork has made it valuable today. But the artist chose to exist primarily within a fantasy of his own making, writing and painting only for himself. To me, the most fascinating aspect of Henry Darger's work is that it seems like a complete account of someone's fantasy life -which is a rare thing to find. Artists may wonder at the implications of Henry's creating art for "an audience of one". "In the Realms of the Unreal" is an intriguing, beautiful look at art, isolation, and the world within.

The DVD (Wellspring 2005): Bonus features include an interview with director Jessica Yu, some black and white storyboards, a "Photo Gallery" of 6 pieces of Darger's artwork, and a "Director's Filmography". In the "Filmmaker Interview" (30 minutes), Jessica Yu talks about Darger's art, his imaginary world, her approach to telling his story, and making the film. The interview is interesting but much too long."
Yu's Amazing Trip Into Henry Darger
Mona Pierpaoli | Outside the wall. | 05/23/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Within Yu's invigorating movie we take an extremely intense and magical trip into the litte-known art of Henry Darger. In The Realms of The Unreal introduces us to the brooding and often horrific mind of Henry Darger which is brought to life by amazing voice actors such as Dakota Fanning and Larry Pine.

Yu's treatment of Henry's art is just as sensitive (and engrossing) as her treatment of his art. The surreal dream-like landscapes that Henry Darger created in his huge novel are animated perfectly by Yu. Birds streak across technicolor skies while the children of Albeannia fight the evil Glandelinians in startling motion.

Never before has Darger's life and art been so sensitively told, and I highly suggest this movie to anyone interested in art of any kind. Darger's work is now imitated by thousands of artists across the world and his subversive and disturbing imagery is entirely unqiue and very exciting to see. Not only does Yu truly do justice to this art (she shows at least half of Darger's work) but she uses it to tell the heartbreaking story of a man who only wanted a person to love.

Yu has created a truly great movie and it is, most definitely, a must buy.

"