Thread: NonRussian films (work in progress)

[video:3segcrib]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dc5pmBVsLA[/video:3segcrib]

Originally Posted by rockzmom

This part I did atually watch more than once! I was trying to understand it as I felt there must be something missing in the translation into English or I was not understanding the scene. I was thinking, "Is there a hidden meaning in the sturgeon?" And then I thought that the friend was trying to tell Gurov, in his own way, to forget about Anna. That it was was a form of symbolism. The sturgeon being bad and the idea of him thinking about the summer romance being bad.

Since I find this question very important, let me please completely clear it up. All the more so because I didn't understand if the opinion you described in your quote above was your final opinion. If so, I strongly want to explain you the episode better.

No, the "friend" (I actually don't think we should call that man Gurov's friend) is not trying to tell Gurov, in his own way, to forget about Anna. Not at all. He simply doesn't hear Gurov. I don't mean that he doesn't hear him physically, that he's deaf. No, but he just in no way can perceive Gurov's words. He's completely merged into banality of life, when a person lives like an animal, and only drinks, eats, plays cards, spends evenings in clubs, visits formal dinner parties, and actually has forgotten how to think and feel long ago. A conversation with him about love, or something else like poetry, history, literature is just impossible. Gurov is surrounded with such people in his life. Actually, he himself recently was almost like that. But he is younger than that acquaintance, and a story happened in his life that woke him up. Actually, not only Gurov, and not only in the XIXth century, but also we, nowadays can be surrounded with people in a varying degree like this Gurov's acquaintance.

In fact, Gurov was trying to talk to that man about Anna because he has nobody to talk about her! And at once, that's the only subject he'd like to talk about.

Olya! I did not want you to think I was ignoring you. I started to read the English version of "The Lady With the Dog" and while it should have taken me about a half an hour or so to read, I have just not been able to devote the time I need to do it justice. Once I have finished it, I will get back to you and your comments on this.

Thanks again for helping me to see your point of view and understand Russian literature and movies! It is also helping me with what I have read so far!!

Does anyone know the Russian title of a movie called Two Soldiers from the 1940's about a Sasha who works in the Urals Auto Factory? Два солдата gives me an American movie on kinopoick.com

Thanks

Originally Posted by sperk

Does anyone know the Russian title of a movie called Two Soldiers from the 1940's about a Sasha who works in the Urals Auto Factory?

Два бойца.

I just finished watching "The Cranes are Flying." OMG, as hard as I tried I could not make it to the end without crying. I would like to blame it all on the fact that I have had massive amounts of medication today; however, I feel fairly certain that this movie would have gotten to me even without the drugs .

I do have many questions and comments which I will try to write up this week (and I still want to try and finish reading Lady With the Dog - but that is too hard for me to focus on right now).

One quick question...I would like to know how the men folk feel about the film. Is this strictly a chick flick?

And Olya...please, please, please... tell you that you liked this movie!

The fact that Tatiana Samoylova was a beautiful, very beautiful woman at the time, I hope ladies present will excuse my pointing that out, greatly helped the film win over the men folk as well. Yes, the movie was good, except for the cranes maybe. Those golden palms in Cannes aren’t given around for nothing. Could she have become a world movie star had she not been fenced out by the iron curtain?

Originally Posted by rockzmom

I could not make it to the end without crying.

I am very glad to hear that.

And Olya...please, please, please... tell you that you liked this movie!

It's one of the movies I don't consider to be "liked". It's one of the Great Patriotic War subject films. And those films mean soooo much to me. What I don't like about many of western people, it's that they often write about Russian Great Patriotic War movies that they're "too depressing". I think one should... no, MUST watch movies like those, so that not to turn into... I don't know... into someone who wants only amusement from movies and books, and only pleasure from life. We should know that there were people, exactly like us, and even much better than us, who died at war, just like that - just a second ago he was alive, and now he's dead. And his feat, if he performed a feat, remained forever unknown.
All those films always make me cry, and actually all that subject does.

One quick question...I would like to know how the men folk feel about the film. Is this strictly a chick flick?

I am not a man, but I don't think that this film can be considered as a "chick flick" by any Russian man.

I hope ladies present will excuse my pointing that out

Ladies present, at least me, only agree with you!

Oh, I have this film on my harddisk because I downloaded it. Now I REALLY feel like watching it.
Thanks for the review Rockzmom!

I agree with Olya that some art (cinema, litterature, paintings) are not necessarily there to be enjoyed as such... Or rather, whether one enjoys them or not is secondary... They are there to trigger certain emotions, describe a condition, convey a message or even just because their creator is a genius. Also, there is some art that people have to know about to be "educated" - so their opinion about it is doesn't really matter - hence the compulsory reading lists at school etc.

However, that said, there is some art that I nevertheless can't stand - which is simply too ugly, depressing, boring or pretentious. Some extremely "artistic" or pretentious films can be like that, some modern art (in my opinion) and some litterature. But frankly I am a rather simple-minded person when it comes to art. If it's too abstract I just don't 'get' it...

The ideal for me is of course when the artist/director can create something which is both somehow satisfying for the viewer AND is extraordinary art at the same time.. Such works are rare though, but it is SO exciting when you come across them. From the descriptions above it sounds like The Cranes are Flying might just be one of those works.

As for Russian "chick flicks" - I am sure there have been many made since then, but "Moscow does not believe in tears" (Москва слезам не верит) is a chickflick (in my opinion) which set in the 1960s and ca 1980. Basically on the theme of "girlpower". I really like this film. I think Rockzmom and any female student of Russian would enjoy it! I found a subtitled version on Demonoid.com.

[video:9qxe0t46]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQbrvVVqQqQ[/video:9qxe0t46]

Музыка: С. Никитин
Слова: Д. Сухарёв и Ю. Визбор

Александра

Hе сразу все устроилось,
Москва не сразу строилась.
Москва слезам не верила,
А верила любви.
Снегами запорошена,
Листвою заворожена,
Hайдет тепло прохожему,
А деревцу - земли.

Александра, Александра,
Этот город наш с тобою.
Стали мы его судьбою,
Ты вглядись в его лицо...
Что бы ни было вначале,
Утолит он все печали.
Вот и стало обручальным
Hам Садовое кольцо.

Москву рябины красили,
Дубы стояли князями.
Hо не они, а ясени
Без спросу проросли.
Москва не зря надеется,
Что вся в листву оденется,
Москва найдет для деревца
Хоть краешек земли.

Александра, Александра,
Что там вьется перед нами?
Это ясень семенами
Крутит вальс над мостовой.
Ясень с видом деревенским
Приобщился к вальсам венским.
Он пробьется, Александра,
Он надышится Москвой.

Москва тревог не прятала,
Москва видала всякое,
Hо беды все и горести
Склонялись перед ней.
Любовь Москвы не быстрая,
Hо верная и чистая,
Поскольку материнская
Любовь других сильней.

Александра, Александра,
Этот город наш с тобою.
Стали мы его судьбою,
Ты вглядись в его лицо...
Что бы ни было вначале,
Утолит он все печали.
Вот и стало обручальным
Hам Садовое кольцо.
Вот и стало обручальным
Hам Садовое кольцо.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

One quick question...I would like to know how the men folk feel about the film. Is this strictly a chick flick?

That was the first Soviet film I ever saw and I liked it a lot. I was expecting a cliched blast of propoganda but instead found a moving, very real story.

Originally Posted by sperk

Does anyone know the Russian title of a movie called Two Soldiers from the 1940's about a Sasha who works in the Urals Auto Factory? Два солдата gives me an American movie on kinopoick.com

Thanks

Саша с Уралмаша из фильма "Два бойца".

[video:30mjamqd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDGLFLKa5o4&feature=related[/video:30mjamqd]

For the first time I see the Soviet film dubbed in English.

[video:s5l539qa]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3jMDFG-rVk&feature=related[/video:s5l539qa]

How come nobody has mentioned this one, it’s almost criminal not having done that before. If you liked ”The cranes are flying” you’re sure will like this movie too, all the more so when it’s dubbed already.

Impressive! What a surprise! The dubbing is really well done.
As I understand it, Americans during the Cold War knew nothing of life the USSR apart from some exaggerated nonsense and disinformation.They thought it was mostly like a big prison camp.. Judging from the stiff language, the dubbing of this film was done in the 1950s or 1960s. At the height of Americas "anti-communist" (anti-USSR) paranoia!
Well this is certainly is amazing proof of freedom of speech in the US!

But I have heard many Americans make comments which show that they believe that all art (including films) produced in the USSR during this period was purely "propaganda". (Really - if the USSR had done HALF as much propaganda as these people think, then I'm sure it would still exist today....but America might not... lol....)

It's difficult to imagine that there could have been USSR films widely watched in America, or indeed at all...
What about American films in the USSR days, for you who remember it, were you able to watch any?

Well I wonder who did the dubbing of this film and whether the film was watched by a large audience..? Is this a "one off "or were any more films dubbed?

Originally Posted by Johanna

What about American films in the USSR days, for you who remember it, were you able to watch any?

=) When I was a kid I saw films about Lassie and Flipper on Soviet Union TV. I remember "Stunts" (Каскадеры), "The Deep" (Бездна), "Convoy" (Конвой), "Hangar 18" (Ангар 1, "And Justice for All" (Правосудие для всех), "Mackenna's Gold" (Золото Маккены), "Cleopatra" (Клеопатра), "The Vikings" (Викинги), "Some like it Hot" (В джазе только девушки), "Tootsie" (Тутси), "Three Days Of The Condor" (Три дня кондора), "The Domino Principle" (Принцип домино), "The Great race" (Большие гонки) but the episode with gloomy hostile Russia has been cut out, I've seen whole film only several years ago

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (полёт над гнездом кукушки, так кажется он у нас назывался)
O Lucky Man! (О, СЧАСТЛИВЧИК!) The songs in it by Alan Price were what made the film very popular among the young.
Sla Forst Freddy!/Бей первым, Фредди! Don’t remember what it was about other that it was a comedy, there was a guy with a big retractable knife attached to his hand and that we, as kids, laughed our as**s out over it.
A Stitch In Time (Приключения Питкина в больнице) A stupid comedy it must have been, but kids loved it too.

RUSSIAN MOVIE REVIEW

"The Cranes are Flying", (Летят Журавли, Letyat Zhuravli), 1957
(Drama/Romance/War)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cranes_Are_Flying

Movie links:
http://narod.ru/disk/7257110000/The_Cra ... s.avi.html
(see page 13 of this thread for direction on how to download using above link )

OR WATCH ONLINE AT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrUu6InN5kw (English subtitles) Part 1 of 10

Awards
Winner of Palme d'Or at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival
Winner of Special Mention Award for Tatyana Samojlova at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival
Winner Diploma of Merit, Foreign Actress (Tatyana Samojlova) at the 1958 Jussi Awards (Finland)

Review
For two days now I have been mentally writing this review. I start with a pristine sheet of paper in my head and see the words flash across the page as the chatter in my brain dictates them and then I realize that I have not correctly expressed myself and I violently crumply the poor defenseless piece of paper and toss it aside and start anew. I can’t begin to tell you all how many virtual trees have been sacrificed for this one review. My lack of education and double or triple Scrabble bonus score words is once again haunting me. How can I adequately convey my thoughts about this movie? I am taking a deep breath and a sip of tea, and I will try yet again.

I believe of all the films I have seen thus far, if I had to recommend one Russian film for someone to see, to say “Hey, you want to see what the folks over in Russia were making back in the day?” I would recommend this film. Because this film would blow their socks off. It has it all, unparallel technical work (cinematography and editing), emotional acting (and attractive actors/actresses), believable script/dialogue (and I only got the subtitles, I can just imagine it in Russian, oh how wonderful it must truly be), realistic settings and costumes, perfect sound effects, and on and on… In short, it is a masterpiece of art.

Yet, I have not mentioned anything about it being “It's one of the Great Patriotic War subject films,” as Olya stated. For me, an outsider, this movie is more about human nature than it is about the war. The war is more of the setting for the story which is being told. Sort of the same way the movie Atonement was for me. That movie also dealt with the war, yet the story was with human nature.

So here we have a fantastic story line going on that happens to be taking place during a war. This setting adds to the story instead of detracting from as it enriches the characters by giving them additional dimensions that otherwise they would not have. Instead of a small palette of colors, we see them in the full spectrum of the rainbow, even though this movie is in black and white. And about it being in black and white…once again, I would NOT colorize this movie. Throughout this movie, the director and cinematographer made phenomenal uses of lighting almost as if the lighting was a character. This could not be done if the movie was in color.

The acting throughout this movie was impeccable. I am truly amazed and saddened that this did not win more awards. I agree with AlexB’s comment about Tatiana Samoylova. If she had been an American actress, she would have been a superstar. Vasili Merkuryev, who I believe played Fedya (Boris' Dad), was also very impressive. The entire cast was just top notch and I feel if this movie had not been Russian, it would have won more awards and would have been recognized for the outstanding work of art it is. What a shame.

One of the parts I loved about this movie, and I need someone to tell me if the English subtitles are anywhere near correct, is the banter back and forth between the family members in the beginning. The subtitles at least, had this as “real” dialogue and not some stupid insipid babel which helped immensely to give the movie its realistic feeling. From the start, you are sucked into the lives of these people because you become part of their world. You become attached and connected to them very quickly and that is in part due to the scriptwriting as well as the acting.

I know Johanna wants to watch this movie, so I do not want to spoil it for her and give away the major plot twists and ending, or for anyone else who may read this and then hopefully want to watch this amazing film. I will say, there were only two scenes that I thought were just a tad over done for me both acting wise and camera effect wise, yet I forgive them as I understood the effect they were going for and maybe on a big screen it worked and just on my little TV it came across as a little too much.

Also without giving too much away, the scene where Veronika goes back to her apartment after the bombing, that was brilliantly done. I got goosebumps watching it. I wonder how many takes they did to get that one just perfect or if they only had one chance to get it right? The clock left there and ticking. Time does not stop, time goes on. Very artistic.

So to sum it all up, I don't see this as a great war film at all.... just simply a great film.

Questions/Comments about the film:
In Boris’ room, on his wall it looks like he has architectural maps rolled up and hanging on the wall next to his bed. Did I miss something? What was his job at the plant? Why would he have those?

I also noticed the statue on his desk. Nicely put there.

At the 6:33 mark in the movie, the subtitles translate the line as “That’s what love is my dear: a harmless mental illness” is that what the dad actually said? I laughed at that, so I hope it was correct.

The cake/strudel the grandmother is cutting at the 8:12 mark, does anyone know what that is? It looks yummy!

The apartment doors open out. I have only seen that on houses in hurricane areas such as Florida. Do most of the doors open out? If so why?

Solaris:which version do you prefer?

Thank you for your review, Rockzmom. I only want to point out that YES, indeed, this film really is about human nature and not about the war itself. But I think American and Russian ideas of "a war movie" differ a lot. The fact is that almost all Russian Great Patriotic War subject movies are, in fact, about people and human nature. They are all about that. So in Russian, "a film about War" means "a film about people in the war". That's the most important thing for me in those movies, and that's what makes them so impressive, what turns them into masterpieces.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

At the 6:33 mark in the movie, the subtitles translate the line as “That’s what love is my dear: a harmless mental illness” is that what the dad actually said? I laughed at that, so I hope it was correct.

He said: "My dear, love is a mutual giddiness".

The previous lines are:
- (wife) He totally turned her head.
- (husband) And she turned his head.

The Russian verb "to turn smb's head" and the noun "giddiness" have the same root in Russian and sound similar.

The cake/strudel the grandmother is cutting at the 8:12 mark, does anyone know what that is? It looks yummy!

It looks like a big пряник... Russian Wiki page