A Fairy-Tale for Madmen

Overview

A Tale for Madmen begins as a fable. The wolf, the main character, first escapes from an imaginary animal republic in the Prague Zoo. He moves around the city in human form, disguised as a clown, in an animal mask and later as a decadent girl. In the process, he confronts the realities of late socialism: he visits the Spartakiad, an amusement park and a dance hall at the Exhibition Grounds. At the end of the film, he transforms into the form of a bird and, under the pressure of the hopeless environment, voluntarily dies. The film authentically reflects the hopeless atmosphere of the timelessness of the late 1980s, combining documentary approaches with stylized scenes. Using this method, it captures the romantic conflict between free individuality and resigned society. The film was shot using Pigi's usual method – by setting a fictional character in authentic contemporary realities.