Thread: NonRussian films (work in progress)

rockzmom
1. I've seen only Rear Window.
I wasn't much impressed with it. Admittedly, it might be because I had already seen Russian version of it, which wasn't bad at all, and read the story itself.
2. I saw it a couple of years ago, so you can guess.
3. I don't remember anything particularly interesting about this movie.


By the way, we have our own Mary Poppins. Here's some songs from it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JW3xBTuvVA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZWatePU ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ79KQdwNjk

I must admit I have not seen many "old" American classics. I need to fix it! Your list is a good place to start.

Telling the truth I have not even seen "Casablanca". Being raised on Soviet war movies I'm used to think that a war (especially WW II) is blood, dirt, death, destruction, hunger and tears, not some foreigners prancing around in snow-white suits, eating in the restaurants and dreaming of some imaginary place (again, I haven't watched it, but that was an impression I've got from the extracts and snapshots I've seen ). So I feel a strange kind of aversion to it, though I fully intend to watch it... somewhen in the future.

What about your list I watched only two movies - "Rear Window" (like 10 or 15 years ago, and.. isn't it British?), and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (even earlier).
"Rear Window" I liked, maybe because I've read the original story, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" left me mostly unmoved, I think. At least I hardly can remember anything from it. I'd like to rewatch it now.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

"Rear Window" (like 10 or 15 years ago, and.. isn't it British?)

Are you sure it wasn't the Soviet one? Was there a parrot in it?
I didn't know at the moment whose production it was but it felt like British .
Later I saw it in Ukranian. The parrot sounded hilarious.

Originally Posted by E-learner

Are you sure it wasn't the Soviet one?

No, it was definitely a Hitchcock's film (but I checked imdb, it was filmed in the USA). Is there a Soviet version too?

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

Is there a Soviet version too?

Yes, there is.
http://www.kino-teatr.ru/kino/movie/sov/5399/annot/
It seems it hasn't even been released on DVD.

Ah, 1991 is approximately when I stopped watching Russian movies for a good 5-7 years. Most of this post-Perestroyka films were horrible and almost painful to watch. ))

Where to start???

Originally Posted by E-learner

rockzmom
1. I've seen only Rear Window.
I wasn't much impressed with it. Admittedly, it might be because I had already seen Russian version of it, which wasn't bad at all, and read the story itself.

When I was in film school I actually had a class "Fantasies, Dreams, and Nightmares: The Psychology of Films" where all you did was watch a film once a week and then stay for the lecture about the film. That was it. Just show up and you pretty much got an "A." All of the films though were Alfred Hitchcock ones. I did not go to see The Birds or Psycho. Of all of his films, I enjoyed Rear Window and North by Northwest the most. Dial M for Murder was up there too.

Thanks for the Mary Poppins links too!

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

I must admit I have not seen many "old" American classics. I need to fix it! Your list is a good place to start.

YES!! I tried to vary it a little so you can select a “happy” musical, a mystery, romance or drama.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

Telling the truth I have not even seen "Casablanca". …So I feel a strange kind of aversion to it, though I fully intend to watch it... somewhen (sometime) in the future.

Ah… gRomoZeka… it is a LOVE story…. Yes, it is also a commentary about war, any war; however, it is more about people and it has major character development and fantastic acting! You feel for the people in this film. You care not only for Rick, Ilsa and Victor… but about all the minor small “featured” characters. The young married couple who need money and want to start a life (will she sell herself for one night?) and the signer in Rick’s café who belts out with an undeniable passion, "La Marseillaise."

It is also about the back dealings that go on in life in general… "Who do you trust in this world?"

Visually, I find the film stunning, especially in black and white. It would not be the same film in color. You should look for a remastered copy when you finally decide to take the plunge and watch this one.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" left me mostly unmoved, I think. At least I hardly can remember anything from it. I'd like to rewatch it now.

Butch is a fun movie. There is much humor (or humour) in it that “may” not translate well in Russian and depending upon your level of English when you watched it or if it was a dubbed or subtitled copy that you watched… that might have colored your enjoyment of the film.

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Originally Posted by Crocodile

However, read To Kill a Mockingbird book first [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird].

Crocodile, I just put that movie up on my thread as one of my favorites!!!

Yeah.. first time I read that book in Russian long time ago... Just to let you know that book was (and probably still is) read and loved in Russia.

Now, I must admit, Crocodile’s comment came as a big shock to me. I have so much to “relearn.”

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Adam's Rib, 1949 (starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn)

I've never seen it.

[quote:22s4578v]An American in Paris, 1951 (Starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron)

I've never seen it.

Brigadoon, 1954 (staring Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, and Cyd Charisse)

I've never seen it.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1969 (starring Paul Newman and played by Robert Redford)

7.5/10 Apart from the fact that it's a lot of fun to watch, those two actors are legendary.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, 1968 (starring Dick Van Dyke)

Um, I haven't seen it since I was 10. I liked it well enough then, but I'm not much interested in seeing it now.

Desk Set, 1957 (starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn)

I've never seen it.

Fantasia, 1940

I saw some of it when I was a kid. I was bored to tears.

Hans Christian Anderson, 1952 (staring Danny Kaye)

I don't recall having seen this one, but I like Danny Kaye a lot. I really enjoyed his version of 'Revizor'. (The Inspector General)

Harvey, 1950 (staring James (“Jimmy”) Stewart)

I can watch this movie over and over and never get tired of it. Love it -- a true classic. Plus, it has one of my favorite movie quotes.

Lilies of the Field, 1962 (staring Sidney Poitier)

I've never seen it. The only Sidney Poitier movie I know well is 'To Sir With Love", which really like.

Mary Poppins, 1964 (starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke)

Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins is the girl of my dreams. Dick Van Dyke's awful Cockney accent almost ruins it for me, though. Except for him, it's "practically perfect".

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, (starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur)

Classic. A complete fantasy, of course, but a lovely film

Patch of Blue, 1965 (staring Sidney Poitier)

See above.

Rear Window, 1954 (staring James Stewart and Grace Kelly)

9.5/10 A brilliant film in just about every way. Jimmy Stewart is great, and I could spend a happy two hours watching Grace Kelly read a book. She's simply the most mesmerizingly beautiful woman ever filmed.

Sabrina, 1954 (with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, not the remake with Harrison Ford)

I've never seen it.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 1954

I've never seen it.

Singin' in the Rain, 1952 (starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds)

I think I've seen it, but I can't remember if I liked it or not.

The Sound of Music, 1965 (staring Julie Andrews)

No opinion.

Splendor in the Grass, 1961 (starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty)

I've never seen it.

To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962 (starring Gregory Peck)

One of the most brilliant adaptations ever. Gregory Peck was amazing.

[/quote:22s4578v]

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

Harvey
I can watch this movie over and over and never get tired of it. Love it -- a true classic. Plus, it has one of my favorite movie quotes.

Matroskin Kot, you cannot tease like that! What is the quote?????????

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

The only Sidney Poitier movie I know well is 'To Sir With Love", which really like.

I actually watched "To Sir" for the first time over the summer. It too was well done.

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

Rear Window
9.5/10 A brilliant film in just about every way. Jimmy Stewart is great, and I could spend a happy two hours watching Grace Kelly read a book. She's simply the most mesmerizingly beautiful woman ever filmed.

Yes, I know... and now you look at how girls and young woman walk, dress, act, speak today... and then you watch Grace and you know why the world is going to h#ll in a handbasket. (I'll pick on the guys with their pants hanging down to their thighs in another reply)
Besides, the wardrobe selection for Grace in this movie was fantastic! Bring back some of those clasic styles, PLEASE!!!

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

The Sound of Music
No opinion.

ORLY????

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

To Kill a Mockingbird
One of the most brilliant adaptations ever. Gregory Peck was amazing.

Oh, I am so pleased that you agree!
Now Matroskin Kot, have you read the book? If so, was it before or after you saw the movie?

OK... I thought I would swing this posting over here from the thread it came from because it is just too funny of a clip and goes along with our thread.

I hope that you all can watch it. If not, let me know and I will download the clip and repost as I have been.

Pcloadletter....thanks again!

Originally Posted by Pcloadletter

How to kill a mockingbird:

[video:283zyhc2]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01CF6w9L754[/video:283zyhc2]

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

Harvey
I can watch this movie over and over and never get tired of it. Love it -- a true classic. Plus, it has one of my favorite movie quotes.

Matroskin Kot, you cannot tease like that! What is the quote?????????

Well, it's hard to appreciate it without the context of the film, but here it is:
"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. --Elwood P. Dowd

Now Matroskin Kot, have you read the book? If so, was it before or after you saw the movie?

It was years ago, but I think I saw the film first.

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

Well, it's hard to appreciate it without the context of the film, but here it is:
"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. --Elwood P. Dowd

Excellent idea to live by...

Here is the scene...

[video:2kmrkhxu]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzOIhLJ1C-Y[/video:2kmrkhxu]

Originally Posted by rockzmom

I hope that you all can watch it. If not, let me know and I will download the clip and repost as I have been.

I watched it OK and I have downloaded the movie itself and watch it too. Ha ha, that was a pretty kettle of fish to kill that mockingbird

Originally Posted by rockzmom

There are many older movies, pre-1970, which I have always enjoyed and depending upon my mood

I haven't seen either of these movies while I've heard a lot about "Butch Cassidy ...".

I am interesting in your milestone marking "pre-1970". As for Russia I would certainly use two milestones 60's and 70's. The 1960 I would mark as the milestone where the characters stopped singing and dancing, and movies moved from being a window to a musicals stage and become a self-consistent art. Of course this is very rough division. Non-musicals were before and musicals were after but I think that the mainstream was changed somewhere about 1960. The 1970 probably can be the point when filming process stopped to be magic and become and instrument for artists.

So, what about American milestones?

I wonder how did you devise these "milestones"??? It looks like you bended the facts a little for the sake of your "magic" theory. Please give us examples of the movies you kept in mind, if I'm mistaken,

As for my opinion...
The most popular Soviet "musicles" (yes, everybody was singing and even dancing) were filmed in the late 70's. This decade was a "musical" era in the USSR.

Just to name the few:
Truffaldino from Bergamo (Труффальдино из Бергамо), 1976, filmed in 1972 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281303/
The Dog in the Manger (Собака на сене), 1977 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076732/
D'Artanyan and the Three Musketeers (Д’Артаньян и три мушкетёра), 1978 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076998/
An Ordinary Miracle (Обыкновенное чудо), 1978 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0186408/
About the Little Red Riding Hood (Про Красную Шапочку), 1977 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076569/
Magicians (Чародеи), 1982 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083730/ , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charodey
... and others...

These films are "classics", I don't think they can fall under the category "musicals were after", because they ARE the main musical gems of Soviet cinema. I probably may agree that there were two waves of musicals (50's - "Mister X" and something else, and 70's - the films I listed).

I'm sure that Kin-dza-dza and White Sun of the Desert were already mentioned. The third one I'd recommend watching is Come and See by Klimov. It is brutal, but truly unique in its genre I believe. I read live ammo was used for some scenes, don't know if it's true.

Come and see. It's a playlist all parts are playing one by one.

Once again, sorry for my absence from this thread but I was having a few bad days.

My next question for this group… Besides our beloved MasterAdmin (who has an avatar of Totoro) is there anyone else who is a fan of Hayao Miyazaki? Have his films been translated into Russian? Are they popular in Russia? If so, is it only with children or do adults appreciate them as well?

My daughters are very much in love with his work and last year, their school even had a class grade field trip to see Spirited Away. This past weekend we again watched Castle in the Sky. In addition to Kiki and Castle, we also have:

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind - watch or download http://stagevu.com/video/boatvrbeszny

Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke - watch or download http://stagevu.com/video/szubrwyblidh

Howl's Moving Castle
Howl’s Moving Castle - watch or download http://stagevu.com/video/atvgrwaytvks

Spirited Away
Spirited Away - watch or download http://stagevu.com/video/ssasemyqhezc

Whisper of the Heart

The Cat Returns

The newest one, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is slowly being released this year, August for U.S. and September for Russia. The English version voice over has a great line up including Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin, and Betty White.

mm... Well Japaniese animation in general is not that popular here. Of course there are people who watch it (called animeshniki here =).
And I've actually even been at the Japaniese Animation Festival in Kiev about half a year ago.

The movies you've listed are also quite popular among non-anime viewers.
I tried to watch "Howl's Moving Castle" but didn't like it. And heard a lot about other movies.

Hmm... I (on the contrary) think that anime and Japanese animation in general is VERY popular here, maybe even more than it deserves, he-he. At least two of my friends are crazy about it (keep in mind that my friends are mostly ppl over 25, the persentage is much bigger among teenagers). One of them is watching anime series non-stop. Grrr..

I'm not into anime myself. I really don't like the dominant anime drawing style (huge eyes, little sharp noses, feminine/unisex men, etc.), so I really can't watch it without getting irritated fast, but even I watched a few Miyazaki's films (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and one more, can't remember the title). Didn't like them too much (again, I'm not a not into anime), but Miyazaki is a true artist, that's for sure.

By the way, I did enjoy one Japanese animated film - "Tekkon Kinkreet" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tekkon_Kinkreet ). I liked the animation and the plot and the feeling it gave me. Did you watch it? What do you think of it?

Last year, their school even had a class grade field trip to see Spirited Away.

Cool. We had the similar trip in my school when I was 7 or 8, they took us to watch "Barefoot Gen"/"Hadashi no Gen" (1983) ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barefoot_Gen ). It was a first anime I've seen in my life and I was VERY impressed. Also I was carefully watching for a stray planes for a while afterwards, in case they'll want to dump a nuclear bomb on us. :"":