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Review

Like the many blurry photographs used in the film, we are left with a very hazy image of who Henry Darger truly was. Was he insane, or was he brilliant? Was he eccentric, or just mentally mis-wired? You could answer all of these simply as "yes," I suppose, and still not have a clear angle as to where he was coming from. In the Realms of the Unreal, however, is not so concerned with solving the mystery of this trash-picking janitor who attended mass daily and spent the early part of his life in what was basically a youth asylum. What it does attempt to do, and succeeds brilliantly, is give us a tour of the worlds this man created. Many of his paintings are brought to life, almost a la Yellow Submarine, as voices narrate using portions of his autobiography and 15,000 page novel. A stunning feat and one we should just allow ourselves to be swept away by. A triumph in filmmaking of which the vision of Henry Darger is so deserving.

 -- Justin Hallman