Fresh
A stylistic triumph and a sad but also romantic depiction of an artist in his purest state.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
In the Realms of the Unreal
The Mystery of Henry Darger
2004 · 1h 21m · Unrated
Documentary
Directed by
Jessica Yu
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In the Realms of the Unreal
Overview
In the Realms of the Unreal is a documentary about the reclusive Chicago-based artist Henry Darger. Henry Darger was so reclusive that when he died his neighbors were surprised to find a 15,145-page manuscript along with hundreds of paintings depicting The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glodeco-Angelinnian War Storm, Cased by the Child Slave Rebellion.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
69%
Tomatometer
Fresh
The best thing about In the Realms of the Unreal are the sequences in which Darger's drawings, of epic battles and pigtailed heroines, are gently animated -- the pictures brought to life with subtle, fluttering motion.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Fresh
It is an engrossing introduction to the artist and his work.
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle
Fresh
Haunting.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Rotten
Yu's decision to bypass the literature about Darger is unfortunate, because it contains so many fascinating details about his source materials, methods, creative problems, and aesthetic development.
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
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