Sajenko the Soviet - A dusty, sad look at fallen Russian royalty

If you have a soft spot for silent movies that feel like a dusty old postcard, you should probably check out Sajenko the Soviet. It is worth a watch if you like stories about people who lost everything but still try to act like they matter.

People who need fast explosions or lots of talking will absolutely hate this. It’s slow and it spends a lot of time just staring at faces in the dark.

The main setting is this restaurant called the "Strange Bird." It's such a weird name for a place, but it fits the vibe perfectly.

Inside, the staff are all former Russian big shots who fled the revolution. You have a general who is now a porter, which is just sad to watch when he tries to lift heavy trunks.

There is this one shot where he stands by the door and his back is so straight, even though he's just waiting for a tip. It’s a small detail but it tells you everything about his character.

The cook is actually an admiral. I kept wondering if he treats the soup like a fleet of ships, but the movie doesn't really go there.

Suzy Vernon plays the princess Sinaide and she is usually at the bar. She has these very heavy eyes that look like she hasn't slept in about three years.

There’s a moment where she pours a drink and her hand trembles just a tiny bit. I don't know if that was acting or if the actress was just cold, but it felt real.

I kept thinking about Limousine Life while watching this. In that movie, the fancy cars are everything, but here, the high life is just a ghost that haunts everyone.

The plot moves along because of something called "The Secret Power." To be honest, I didn't really follow that part very well because the personal stuff was way more interesting.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Sajenko the Soviet (1928) through its definitive frames.

The movie gets a bit bogged down in the middle. Some of the scenes at the bar go on for about thirty seconds too long and you start noticing the background extras just standing there.

One of the extras looks like he’s actually falling asleep in his chair. It’s kind of funny if you catch it.

The lighting is really moody and dark. It hides the fact that the sets are probably just painted wood and cardboard.

If you've seen The Arab, you might recognize that same sense of being a stranger in a strange land. But this feels much more claustrophobic because they are stuck in that restaurant.

I liked the waiter who was actually a prince. He is way too polite to the customers, even when they are being jerks to him.

There is a lot of eyeliner on the men in this film. Like, a lot. They look like they’re in a goth band from the 80s instead of the Russian military.

The ending doesn't really tie everything up in a neat bow. It just sort of fades out, which felt a bit lazy but also kind of honest.

It reminded me a little of Ladies' Pets but without any of the fun. This is a much gloomier affair.

I think the director, Erich Waschneck, really wanted us to feel sorry for these people. And for the most part, it worked on me.

Watching a general carry someone's dirty laundry is just a tough image to shake. It’s a quiet little movie that lingers in your brain for a day or two.