Thread: NonRussian films (work in progress)

RUSSIAN MOVIE REVIEW

“The Return”, (Возвращение), 2003
(Drama)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Return_(2003_film)

Awards
Nominated, Best Foreign Language Film, at the 2004 Golden Globes (Hollywood Foreign Press Association)
Winner, 'CinemAvvenire' Award (Best Film), Golden Lion, Luigi De Laurentiis Award, SIGNIS Award, and Sergio Trasatti Award, at the 2003 Venice Film Festival

(see page 13 of this thread for how to watch this movie either view download on Yandex or online at YouTube)

Well, I believe it was Ski-Ops, back on January 8th who first recommended “The Return” and then gRomoZeka and Winifred both agreed. I started to watch it last night and finished it this morning! (Winifred, I also see from digging through my notes that I missed “Burnt By the Sun” I will start searching for an English Subtitle version and add it to my next update movie list.)

Now, I must agree with Olya that this film does have a much different feel to it than all of the others I have seen and I think she is correct that it has an “Italian” or maybe even “French” style to it. The awards given to this film I believe were much deserved. The acting, especially by the two young boys was amazing.

As I knew while watching the film that Vladimir Garin, who played Andrei, had died soon after the filming of this movie and I watched it with the eye of a person thinking, “What kind of an actor could this young man have turn out to be?” "If he continued in this career, how far could he have gone?" His facial expressions and body language during the film were right on the mark while Ivan’s, I found at times were a little forced. The father’s hostility and rage, sometimes just on the edge of explosive and then at the end, a small sliver of caring is shown. Enough to make you believe that he does indeed have a heart and soul and deep down cares for his two sons; yet, he does not know how to express his feelings. He plays the character as if something is haunting him.

The beautiful scenery and landscape locations were breathtaking and according to IMDb it was filmed in Russia at Ladoga Lake and Gulf of Finland. So, for me to see locations like these is something I would most likely never have an opportunity to do so. And to have them shot with different natural lighting, at morning, noon and dusk, providing an array of color palettes (and yet most of the film is void of bright colors as well as other people and extras) is an added bonus. I was also provided an opportunity to see places of Russia I never would have known existed.

My only complaint about the film… WHAT WAS IN THE BOX???? They go to all the trouble of showing the father digging up the “buried” treasure, taking the box out of the “treasure box” and then (unless I missed something here) we “the viewer” and the boys, never find out what it was. So, if anyone knows… please tell me.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

My only complaint about the film… WHAT WAS IN THE BOX???? They go to all the trouble of showing the father digging up the “buried” treasure, taking the box out of the “treasure box” and then (unless I missed something here) we “the viewer” and the boys, never find out what it was. So, if anyone knows… please tell me.

Imho, the same stuff was in Pulp Fiction's case. =)

Originally Posted by BappaBa

Imho, the same stuff was in Pulp Fiction's case. =)

BappaBa, I desperately need your HELP… (or anyone else as, I know you are one of few words)

I have stated before that I am not a film snob. Just the opposite, I am a lover of films – all films and almost all genres, not just the classics or foreign; even some of the inept Disney Channel ones.

LOVE THEM ALL:
Lara Croft Tomb Raider (#1), Inkheart, The Princess Bride, The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, The Breakfast Club, Girl Interrupted, Kate & Leopold, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Little Miss Sunshine, Pirates of the Caribbean, Shrek(#1), Stargate, all of the Hayao Miyazaki's films, "Olya's" The Search for John Gissing, and even The Rocky Horror Picture Show


BUT…FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I DID NOT UNDERSTAND… PULP FICTION!!!!

Please, I beg of you, would you explain this film to me and why it was sooooo popular???? I just did not get this film AT ALL!

Do I just need to try watching it again???

I will be away for a few days; however, maybe I will have one of my daughters log in as me and check for any replies and post follow-up questions for me.

I just made the English subs for an old Soviet cartoon. It's my first expirience, so please don't judge too strict...

[video:1d92atrw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bi7qXFWrD8[/video:1d92atrw]

Well, here is another brilliant cartoon (with English subs, although they are not so necessary) by Fyodor Hitruk (maker of Winnie-The-Pooh series), it's about movie-making process. I just love it, especially little girl scene and "murder" scene :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfwm7bMTKCM part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moQkOXrLoqU part 2

P.S. Lampada, sorry for another reposting

Basil.. thanks for the postings. I will take a look at them this week and about thte one you did the subtitles for, I'll give you feedback for anything I see wrong with the English spelling or wording that does not seem correct; however, as you know.... I really will not be much help with correct translation.

Your needed!

I have seen a small trend lately where new people skip over this thread and start a new thread when wanting to know about Russian films. Additionally, the original purpose of this thread has changed.

So, while on my little “vacation” my daughter and I brained stormed about a new title for this thread so it better reflects what we actually talk about in here. It was a little of a challenge as we discuss more than Russian based "entertainment." While Russian IS the main part, we have hit upon other countries. So, I don’t want someone to think we ONLY discuss Russian stuff in here as some of our chats have been very interesting that were NOT based upon Russian materials.

Here is what we came up:
Movies/TV Shows/Books: Russian & Non- Discussed Here!
Movies/TV Shows/Books: Russian & Non- Found Here!
Movies/TV Shows/Books: Russian & Non- Look Here!

So, what are your thoughts on changing the title of this thread?
IF you think we should change the title, what do you think we should change it to so that a newbie would go to this thread if they were looking for information about things we talk about?
Suggestions are most welcomed!

Originally Posted by rockzmom

So, while on my little “vacation” my daughter and I brained stormed about a new title for this thread so it better reflects what we actually talk about in here. It was a little of a challenge as we discuss more than Russian based "entertainment." While Russian IS the main part, we have hit upon other countries. So, I don’t want someone to think we ONLY discuss Russian stuff in here as some of our chats have been very interesting that were NOT based upon Russian materials.

Here is what we came up:
Movies/TV Shows/Books: Russian & Non- Discussed Here!
Movies/TV Shows/Books: Russian & Non- Found Here!
Movies/TV Shows/Books: Russian & Non- Look Here!

So, what are your thoughts on changing the title of this thread?

The silver screen: What does it shed on us? (Russian vs world movies)

I've omitted the books as there were only few which were talked about. May be the books is a good theme for a self-contained thread.

Originally Posted by Basil77

Well, here is another brilliant cartoon (with English subs, although they are not so necessary) by Fyodor Hitruk (maker of Winnie-The-Pooh series), it's about movie-making process. I just love it, especially little girl scene and "murder" scene :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfwm7bMTKCM part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moQkOXrLoqU part 2

P.S. Lampada, sorry for another reposting

BASIL!!! Film Film Film - Фильм, Фильм, Фильм!

I watched it with the girls and it was wonderful especially since it is our background we were one step ahead of each joke and were guessing what was going to happen and laughing real laughs at the problems as we have encountered them ourselves in real life (well, not a bull; but, rain on set just this month!).

It is no wonder this animation short won three awards! And yes, the little girl scene was VERY cute. Thank you for posting this and I will add it to the list. Two big

RUSSIAN MOVIE REVIEW

"The Thief" (Вор, Vor), 1997
(Drama)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thief_(1997_film)
(see page 13 of this thread for how to watch this movie either view download on Yandex or online at YouTube)

Awards
Nominated, Best Foreign Language Film, at the 1998 Oscars (Academy Awards, USA)
Nominated, Best Foreign Language Film, at the 1998 Golden Globes (Hollywood Foreign Press Association)
Winner, Best Actor (Vladimir Mashkov), Best Actress (Yekaterina Rednikova), Best Director (Pavel Chukhraj), Best Film
& Best Music at the 1998 Nika Awards (Russia)
Winner, Prize of the International Youth Jury, The President of the Italian Senate's Gold Medal, and UNICEF Award, at the 1997 Venice Film Festival
Winner, Best Young Performer in a Foreign Film (Misha Philipchuk), at the 1998 Young Artist Awards (Los Angeles, Ca)

Review
So, while I was on “vacation” I only watched ONE film and this was the one I watched. I thought, with all these awards, it must be really, really, spectacular and it was not that long of a film so… this was the one I picked to start to watch and it turned out to be the only one.

Unfortunately, I must say, I was disappointed. Maybe because I was expecting too much from the film. I can see why it won for the Youth Awards, young Misha did do an amazing job of acting; yet, it was still not enough for me to go “Wow, this is a film I have to recommend someone seeing!” especially after seeing so many other Russian films now. Maybe I am spoiled? It was not that the film was bad nor was it great; it was just okay. The story line, the other actors, the cinematography, they were all … okay. Nothing spectacular for me to get all excited about. There was nothing there that made me want to get someone and say, “You have got to see this, watch this scene.”

Am I spoiled or jaded now? Or did this movie just get lucky and was released during a slow year for foreign films and maybe that was the reason it go so many awards?

Who else has watched this film? What did you think of it?

I saw that film, even more than once, and I think it is quite good. For me, its main merit is that it conveys the postwar atmosphere, and also the acting which I find very good - maybe it's not fantastic, I just haven't thought about it, but it is good (at least it's better than acting, say, in "12", he he )
I, too, can't say that there was something in this film that would make me get someone and say, "You have to see this!"... But I think it's one of the best post-USSR films. After the breakup of the USSR, many of first "new Russian" films were really bad. I actually think that there are still very few of good modern Russian films.

Originally Posted by Оля

I saw that film, even more than once.

More than once? You always amaze me Olya!

Originally Posted by Оля

good (at least it's better than acting, say, in "12", he he )

And... you always find a way to make me smile!



Okay... for my next film... I think it will be "Burnt by the Sun" as I have a copy of from the library so I need to watch it and return it soon. It won the 1994 Academy Award for best Foreign Film and the Cannes Grand Jury Prize.

Am I going to be disappointed?

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Unfortunately, I must say, I was disappointed.

I started to watch Chukhrai's "Thief" when it was released and turned it off after ten or fifteen minutes. So, there is one more thumb down for this movie.

Originally Posted by Оля

For me, its main merit is that it conveys the postwar atmosphere

I can't say that this movie is very close to the postwar atmosphere because I was not born yet in the late 40's and I can't remember the postwar atmosphere.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Am I going to be disappointed?

My experience in seeing Mikhalkov's "Burnt by the sun" is very close to that of "Thief" I've turned it off after ten or fifteen minutes. When Mikhalkov's "12" was released and I've seen the movie trailer I even haven't tried to watch it. So, there are two thumbs down for Mikhalkov's movies. Mikhalkov puts too many his self-invented "Russian life philosophy" in his movies that stops me of watching his movies.

But when he was younger and was not tied by his "philosophy" he performed some really good stuff. If we go back in to 1974 we can dig out "At Home Among Strangers, Stranger at Home" ("Свой среди чужих, чужой среди своих").
IMDB
Wiki

The phenomenon of the "At Home Among Strangers ..." in Russia can be compared to the phenomenon of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" in US.

Originally Posted by Wiki

It has strong parallels in some ways with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in its look, period setting, and strong action sequences, which are still famous in Russia, involving literal cliffhangers, white water rafting, chases on horseback, holding up trains etc.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Originally Posted by Оля

I saw that film, even more than once.

More than once? You always amaze me Olya!

I didn't watch it intentionally, but it's just that this movie is sometime shown on TV (like many other Russian movies).

As for "Burnt by the Sun", I think I can't say anything about it, although probably I have seen it not once, too (the latter time it was long ago, anyway). Maybe it is a good movie, but it didn't touch me at all. I don't know why. I remember the last scene, and it is powerful - Mikhalkov plays how his character turns from a strong, confident man into a completely crushed person in some seconds, and I understand it is a good acting and a good scene. But I still... am not a fan of this film, and I remember the plot very bad. Also, I agree with CoffeeCup about Mikhalkov's former and later films. I especially love his "Five Evenings", and "At Home Among Strangers, Stranger at Home", too.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Please, I beg of you, would you explain this film to me and why it was sooooo popular????

May I just answer that, as my ex boyfriend was pretty much obsessed with this movie Apparently, it was one of the first that sort of movies ever made, and its genius is, paradoxically, its kitsch (hence the name) and the fact that Tarantino was somehow inspired by class B, or even C movies (you can see some of the scenes intentionally looking as if taken from such - like the scene when they're driving a car and there's this picture on a picture - I know it sounds bizarre, but you'll understand once you see it, can't really explain it in a better way).
Also, the dialagoues were the movie's strong part and gave a kind of insight into American's pop-culture.
Did it have any message, or a lesson? Not entirely sure - some claim it's the way accidents can affect your life, then again I think that kind of message could be applied to any movie ever made.
To some extend, it's just a pastiche and it should be seen as such, I think. I wouldn't call the movie genius, I liked it, but don't try to read too much into it. To me, it's pretty much an action movie, somewhat different and fresh (well, it was back then), and perhaps that's what we owe its popularity to.

Well, about Chukhrai's "Thief", I.M.H.O. it's a qualitative piece of work, but nothing more. I saw it once, and it was enough for me. Same about Mikhalkov's "Burned by the Sun". The same odd piece of crafts made specially for film festivals and so. Rockmom, if you want to see a really good movie with the post-war background, I recommend you "A meeting place can't be changed" series by Stanislav Govorukhin. Vladimir Vysotsky, a cult figure of the late-Soviet period played one of the main roles there. I.M.H.O it's one of the best Vysotsky's cinema roles, so the series are worth seeing only for that reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImeK_EUu314

(birubir uploaded whole series on youtube, it's only a link to the first part of the first episode).

Originally Posted by Basil77

Well, about Chukhrai's "Thief", I.M.H.O. it's a qualitative piece of work, but nothing more

I agree.

Also, I second the recommendation to watch "A meeting place can't be changed". I've recommended it to Rokzmom in this thread already, and I wish to repeat that again!

Originally Posted by Оля

Originally Posted by Basil77

Well, about Chukhrai's "Thief", I.M.H.O. it's a qualitative piece of work, but nothing more

I agree.

Also, I second the recommendation to watch "A meeting place can't be changed". I've recommended it to Rokzmom in this thread already, and I wish to repeat that again!

I am in the process of downloading it from the Russian Yandex-server

For anyone else who may be interested in watching this movie, here is the information about the movie and intructions on how to download:

"The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed" (Место встречи изменить нельзя, Mesto vstrechi izmenit nelzya), 1979
(Adventure, Crime, Mystery, Action)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mee...not_Be_Changed

You can download this video (avi-file with English subtitles, DivX or XViD, 25 fps) from Russian Yandex-server. It's very easy.

How to download a movie:
1. Enter the following links:
Part 1: http://narod.ru/disk/8035702000/Meet...art-1.avi.html
Part 2: http://narod.ru/disk/8036856000/Meet...art-2.avi.html
Part 3: http://narod.ru/disk/8037731000/Meet...art-3.avi.html
Part 4: http://narod.ru/disk/8038736000/Meet...art-4.avi.html
Part 5: http://narod.ru/disk/8034737000/Meet...art-5.avi.html

2. Enter the numbers placed in the window over the green button.
3. Press the green button "СКАЧАТЬ".
4. A page will open with the link starting with http//. Press the link.
Notes: If you don't want to install Yandex Bar, please remove the sign from the control box (into the yellow background). Yandex Bar performs a function for downloading without using control numbers, i.e. next time, if you want to download any file from Yandex-server, you’ll get the download link without entering control numbers.
5 A window will open. Choose "Save".
6. Download the movie.
7. Enjoy.
Part 1 file size 577 mb
Part 2 file size 661 mb
Part 3 file size 555 mb
Part 4 file size 572 mb
Part 5 file size 681 mb

Originally Posted by Basil77

The same odd piece of crafts made specially for film festivals and so.

Basil... Interesting choice of words or expression... "made specially for film festivals." I meet so many people who have no clue that there is a difference between films that are made for public consumption and those that are not. I guess it just shows how much you love films.

Have you heard about what is going on in Australia right now with their big film festival? Makes you sort of want to see "The 10 Conditions of Love," don't it?

Originally Posted by Hackers target Australian festival showing Uyghur film

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/0 ... index.html
By Saeed Ahmed

(CNN) -- Hackers repeatedly attacked the Web site of Australia's largest film festival Saturday, asking organizers to apologize to the Chinese people for planning to screen a documentary on an exiled Uyghur leader.

The attacks were carried out on the opening day of the Melbourne International Film Festival -- in what organizers are calling the third phase of a "concerted campaign" to withdraw the film "The 10 Conditions of Love."

The documentary examines the impact on the family of activist Rebiya Kadeer as she fights for greater autonomy of the ethnic minority group, the Uyghurs, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China's northwest.

Kadeer is the president of the World Uyghur Congress, made up of exiled Uyghurs. China accuses the group of inciting riots in the region this month that killed more than 200 people and wounded more than 1,000.

"The first stage was the local Chinese embassy asking us to withdraw the film," festival director Richard Moore said Sunday. "The second was to find a way for other Chinese films to withdraw from the festival -- five did so. We believe that this is probably not the end of it."

Organizers have also been "bombarded" with threatening e-mails, Moore said. Watch Moore discuss the harassment »

"I couldn't repeat the language even if I tried," he said. "Lots of f-words and c-words, calling us racists, haters of Chinese people."

The first attacks came soon after the festival opened Saturday. Several others followed throughout the day.

In one, visitors to the site were greeted with a pop-up message that said: "We like film but we hate Rebiya Kadeer."

The message was accompanied by a Chinese flag and ended with: "Please apologize to all the Chinese people."

That attack was traced to an IT professional in Shanghai, China, Moore said.

"He admitted hacking the site. He said he was acting as a private citizen and was protesting the film," he said.

Authorities are investigating the source of the other attacks, but they appeared to be from different sources.

"We're managing to plug leaks as fast as we can," Moore said.

The first screening of the documentary takes place Sunday night. The filmmakers have invited Kadeer to attend another screening, scheduled for early August.

"Every year, there's some level of controversy, from pro-life or anti-death (penalty) sort of position. We've never had an incident of an international scale before," Moore said. "The timing has absolutely been a critical one."

The rioting in the Xinjiang region earlier this month stemmed from a brawl between Uyghur and Han workers at a toy factory in another part of China. Han make up the majority population in China -- and many Uyghurs resent the presence of Han in Xinjiang, many of whom came looking for work.

Two Uyghurs reportedly died in the toy factory brawl.

To protest the deaths, Uyghurs took to the streets in Xinjiang's capital Urumqi -- and fighting broke out between the two sides, with deadly results.

So, what would YOU bid on??? The spaceship from "Twilight Zone" and "Men in Black 2"?? OR the giant champagne glass??

Hollywood slump puts famous props on the block

By Alan Duke
CNN
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Harvey Schwartz spent the past 40 years collecting antiques, art and odd items that he rented to TV and movie studios as props and set decorations.

During a tour of his huge North Hollywood, California, warehouse, Schwartz, owner of 20th Century Props, opened a morgue vault door, revealing the legs of a crusty corpse, built for the "X-Files" TV series.

"Fun piece," he said with a smile. "Love the sound effects."

Schwartz must now sell everything -- including a submarine, a fake nuclear warhead and Austin Powers' cryogenic chamber -- at auction because of a dramatic decline in Hollywood productions over the past year. Watch a tour of the prop warehouse »

"I guess it would be the end of Hollywood as I know it and for everyone, because there won't be any place to get all these products again," Schwartz said.

While 2009 has been a good year at the box office, more production is leaving Los Angeles for states that offer tax incentives unmatched by California.

"It's very, very tough," said Jack Kyser, economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Commission. "If you are doing feature film production, you are probably going to go out of state because 44 other states have been offering incentives for feature film productions. California just started their incentive program."

With companies spending less on advertising in a down economy, broadcast TV is suffering and people who make commercials have less work, Kyser said.

The writers' strike last year and the stalled actors union contract talks added to the slowdown, and it's getting even tougher for struggling young actors and writers pursuing their Hollywood dreams, he said.

"We have a slang phrase: 'There's a lot of WAMs out there: waiters, actors, models'," Kyser said. "And if you go to restaurants you see the wait staff is looking better and better all the time, physically."

Stephon Fuller, an actor who moved to Los Angeles 11 years ago, said, "It's never been this quiet for me." Still, Fuller said he expected auditions for new roles to pick up later in the summer.

On-location film shoots dropped 25 percent overall in the first half of the year, including a 50 percent loss in feature film production in Los Angeles, according to a group that helps process filming permits.

"If you are doing a feature film you have to rent equipment, you have to rent props," Kyser said "If you go out on location you have to rent a truck to take you there, you have to have a location caterer, and all these people are feeling the pain."

Schwartz, 67, started suffering last year with a 40 percent drop in business, and it has gotten worse in recent months.

"I just can't hold on any longer," he said. "I've run out of money."

An auctioneer will begin the long process of selling everything Tuesday morning.

"I talk lightly that I have 93,752 pieces under this roof, but it doesn't really strike a note until you start putting a little auction lot number on each piece or a bunch of pieces."

Potential bidders have registered from dozens of countries, and hundreds are expected to show up at the warehouse, Schwartz said.

Visitors can be overwhelmed by what they see in Schwartz' warehouse.

The largest item on the block is a 162-foot-long submarine built for "Down Periscope," a 1996 comedy starring Kelsey Grammer. It's not seaworthy -- since it actually never left a movie sound stage -- and it will be an expensive job moving it.

Complete with torpedoes, it has been used in several TV productions in recent years, Schwartz said.

The nuclear warhead John Travolta used in his 1996 film "Broken Arrow" will also be sold, along with the cryogenic tube used to preserve the Mike Myers character in "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery," an identical tube that housed a frozen Gary Coleman and Dr. Evil's escape egg. See photos of the items up for auction »

Fans of Beyonce can bid on the giant champagne glass the singer bathed in for her "Naughty Girl" music video in 2003. The inventory also includes a large drill used by Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis in the 1998 film "Armageddon."

A spaceship built in 1959 for a "Twilight Zone" episode and used in Will Smith's "Men in Black 2" hangs in the warehouse.

Schwartz is also selling the metal chair used to strap down a naked Natasha Henstridge in an unforgettable scene from the movie "Species."

Schwartz has also collected thousands of pieces of vintage furniture, including art deco bedroom sets and office desks that were used on movie sets.

Schwartz, who wrote a book about rattan furniture, points with pride to a set made famous by its weekly exposure on the "Golden Girl's." Nearby is a rattan chair seen with Marlon Brando in "The Godfather."

Schwartz has an endless selection of vintage lamps, scones and chandeliers -- including those made for "Titanic."

"Yeah, it's all going to be sold to collectors," he said. "This is the first time in 60 years that Hollywood has had a big sale like this, where they've dissipated Hollywood props to all parts of the planet."

Schwartz shakes his head, wondering how studios will find their props if and when production gears up again in Hollywood.