Thread: Russian Movie Reviews!

After an excellent suggestion by gRomoZeka I made a thread where we can all share our views about Russian movies. We foreigners can share our impressions of Russian movies we have recently watched, be they old or new, good or bad, post them here!

Let me start off with my favorite movie:
Movie Revied: Собачье сердце - Heart of Dog.
Newness Factor: 1988, suprisingly new for looking so old
Unescapable fact: It is based on a book by Bulgakov under the same name. The book was banned in USSR until the 1980s (?)
Word to sum it up: Amustsee! (well, that is what happens when you want to say three words: A must see!)
Famous factor: Recognized 3-4 famous russian actors

Story and impressions: This movie is set in the 1920s right after the Russian Revolution and is about a professor who turns a dog into a man. The professor is very old school and comes into constant conflict with the new "administration" of the apartment complex. The whole film is in black and white, something that gives it a great authentic feel to it. It is very interesting to see how the whole Russian society was in those days, or at least what we see of it in the movie, and the story itself is both funny and thought-provoking. The film puts the soviet system in, if not a bad, an unfavorable light, but in the end I had a feeling that sooner or later even the good things would disappear and the soviet system will win (well based on historical facts ). I really liked the character of the professor, and there are only a few situations I still don't fully understand. I also liked the music, even though there was little of it, but it really struck a cord with me...

6 out of 6 kalinkas!

Be posted for more reviews!

Ура! My dreams came true!

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

I really liked the caracther of the professor, and there are only a few situations I still don't fully understand.

Which ones?

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

.... I really liked the caracther of the professor, ...

I think the letter h probably got lost while you were typing, it looks better like this "character".

Originally Posted by Spiderkat

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

.... I really liked the caracther of the professor, ...

I think the letter h probably got lost while you were typing, it looks better like this "character".

It wasn't lost, it simply ran away from it's usual place and got between "t" and "e".

Unfortunately, I haven't seen the movie - Heart of Dog. Nor have I read the book this movie is based on. As far as I know, our TV channels don't forget the past and show movies shot in the USSR pretty often. Therefore, I'll probably watch Heart of Dog if it is on. I liked your description of the movie. Has anyone read the original book by Bulgakov?

My favorite Russian movie is undoubetdly Брат 1/Брат 2 - Brother 1/Brother 2. It's not a movie actually - it's a series of two movies.

The first movie (Brother 1) is about two brothers who were born in a Russian village and had no father. The elder brother brought the younger one up, he was like a father to him. Time passed and the elder brother goes to Saint Petersburg to find a job while the younger one stays in the village with their mother. The elder brother found a good job in Saint Petersburg - he was a killer. One day Danila and Victor's mother suggested Danila go to his brother, she told Danila that Victor probably would help him in Saint Petersburg. (they do not know that Victor is a killer). Danila comes to the second capital of Russia to find his brother. After he finds Victor, Victor offers him to kill one of the Chechnyan (not sure of spelling) leaders who takes control of the local market. Danila agrees to help his brother because - first, he's his brother and second, he needs money. After Danila takes out a contract on the leader he finds that his brother is being held in his apartment by some criminals. He kills them all (except for the brother ) and goes to Moscow.

The second movie is a continuation from the first. Danila is in Moscow. He fought in the Chechnyan war and got acquainted with a couple of guys during the war. He and these two friends of his are invited to a show to tell about the war. After the show they go for a swim. In the swimming pool one of the guys says that his brother who is in America now is in big trouble. He decides to ask his company's director to speak to the Americans who are responsible for that guy's brother (he plays in the NHL). The next morning Kostya (that guy) is found dead of a gunshot wound to the chest in his aparment. Danila decides to go to the USA to revenge himself on the Americans for killing Kostya's brother and also return the money the Americans owe to Kostya's brother.
The bad American guys are killed, the money is returned. Danila goes home with a girlfriend that he has found in the USA. Happy End.

"Ты не понял, водочки нам, мы домой летим"
"А...сейчас сделаем"

The movies are very interesting and moving. There are quite a few good things I didn't manage to tell about in the movies but it will take me too long to tell about them all. You'll see them if you watch these movies.

Is my English ok? If you don't get something, don't hesitate to ask.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

... and there are only a few situations I still don't fully understand.

Which ones?

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Unfortunately, I haven't seen the movie - Heart of Dog. Nor have I read the book this movie is based on. As far as I know, our TV channels don't forget the past and show movies shot in the USSR pretty often. Therefore, I'll probably watch Heart of Dog if it is on. I liked your description of the movie. Has anyone read the original book by Bulgakov?

I have read it The film is very true to the book, but not exactly (of course).

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

My favorite Russian movie is undoubetdly Брат 1/Брат 2 - Brother 1/Brother 2. It's not a movie actually - it's a series of two movies.

Yeah those are good movies too, particulary the music

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

...The bad American guys are killed, the money is returned. Danila goes home with a girlfriend that he has found in the USA. Happy End.

Actually the bad American guy in the end doesn't get killed, and we really don't know if the girl can be considered his girlfriend But, that's beside the point! Great movie!

kalinka_vinnie wrote:
... and there are only a few situations I still don't fully understand.


Which ones?

Ok, I have thought about this a little and here are the confusing things in chronological order:

-When Professor Preobrazhinsky is having dinner with Doctor Bormental, Dr. B blames the frequent black-outs (that only started to occur after the revolution) on разруха. Dr. P says it has nothing to do with разруха, because разруха only occurs when, for example, you urinate in the closet instead of the toilet... I really didn't follow his logic But very eloquently put arguments

-When Sharik is undergoing the transformation from dog to man, he starts saying a bunch of random words, and one i didn't understand : "москва ше" (or that is what it sounds like) is it a newspaper?

-Sharik chose to name himself Polygraph Polygraphovich. Why??? He said that the name was celebrated on the fourth of March. Is it some kind of revolutionary name?

-When the "important" soviet guy (who looks a little like Stalin ) and friend of the professor talks to Dr. P about the letter of complaint from Shvonder, the conversation goes something like this:

С "Хорошо, что мне непоследственно доложили"
П "вы позволуете оставить это мне у себя, или может вы, виноват, хотите, чтобы дать законный ход делу?"
С "извините профессор, вы действительно очень уж призлительно смотрите на нас, я..."
П "Извините голубчик, я не хотел вас обидеть... не сердитесь"
What pissed off "stalin"? I am assuming that he didn't do anything with the complaint, but did he leave the paper with Dr. P or not? what did "stalin" mean?

-In the end, when the inspector comes to arrest the professor, sharik is already turning back to a dog, but he says to the inspector something like: "не приличними словами не врать" and everybody is shocked and the inspector faints... Why? What does it mean?

-Oh, and is there any hidden meaning when the dog (this is before all this) broke the framed picture of Professor Meshnikov? Who was he?

That is what is not ponyatno

PS: There might be typos in this, please ignore

First the разруха bit because it's one of the key monologs. He says that разруха is not an unfortunate objective obstacle, a side effect of the revolution that has to be overcome or lived with, he says that разруха is directly and inevitably created by bol'shevism, and would be created by any revolutionary types who put idiotic and childish idealistic values before professionalism and personal responsibility. If you let the dumb dogs run the country (because they have rights too, for example) you'll get разруха. This is the meaning.

С "Хорошо, что мне непоследственно доложили"
П "вы позволуете оставить это мне у себя, или может вы, виноват, хотите, чтобы дать законный ход делу?" С "извините профессор, вы действительно очень уж призлительно смотрите на нас, я..."
П "Извините голубчик, я не хотел вас обидеть... не сердитесь"
What pissed off "stalin"? I am assuming that he didn't do anything with the complaint, but did he leave the paper with Dr. P or not? what did "stalin" mean?

Whatever is in bold is sarcasm. The informer is obviously too witless to deserve any attention.

I'll get to the other questions later if they are not answered by other people.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

-Oh, and is there any hidden meaning when the dog (this is before all this) broke the framed picture of Professor Meshnikov? Who was he?

Should be Mechnikov I suppose.

Мечников Илья Ильич (1845-1916) - a famous Russian scientist, biologist and pathologist. Won the Nobel Prize in 1908.
I dunno about possible hidden meaning.

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

"Ты не понял, водочки нам, мы домой летим"
"А...сейчас сделаем"

Кстати, на мой взгляд, глупый момент в фильме. Чего это там стюард испугался, когда она парик сняла? Послал бы её нах... да и всё. Не положено у них разносить спиртное на борту, и всё тут.

Кстати, на мой взгляд, глупый момент в фильме. Чего это там стюард испугался, когда она парик сняла? Послал бы её нах... да и всё. Не положено у них разносить спиртное на борту, и всё тут.

А мне нравится этот момент. Даже если у тебя он и вызывает какие-то отрицательные эмоции, то всё равно потом идёт классный момент, когда взлетает самолёт и звучат Наутилусы - "Прощальное письмо" (если правильно помню название песни).

Yeah those are good movies too, particulary the music

Yeah, the music's marvelous!

Actually the bad American guy in the end doesn't get killed, and we really don't know if the girl can be considered his girlfriend But, that's beside the point! Great movie!

Yes, you're right that the bad American guy doesn't get killed at the end of the movie. I just forgot it.


It's a crying shame that Sergey Bodrov (the featured actor) is dead

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Собачье сердце

4 марта – день советской полиграфии

-Sharik chose to name himself Polygraph Polygraphovich. Why??? He said that the name was celebrated on the fourth of March. Is it some kind of revolutionary name?

In the Soviet Union it was common to have holidays celebrating various professions such as The Day of Radio, The Teacher's Day, etc. I think we also had The Day of Poligraphy Worker or something like that. It probably was celebrated on March 4th. But this is just a guess, I would have to check if it is true. It was also common to give kids most ridiculous names based on either names of revolutionaries/ideologists (they would actually construct a name rather than just use one) or even worse, based on things related the new life. So, you could meet people with the names such as Домна, Пятилетка, Ким (Коммунистический Интернациоал Молодежи), Владлен (ВЛАДимир ЛЕНин), Вилен (Владимир Ильич ЛЕНин), etc.

-In the end, when the inspector comes to arrest the professor, sharik is already turning back to a dog, but he says to the inspector something like: "не приличними словами не врать" and everybody is shocked and the inspector faints... Why? What does it mean?

I think everybody is shocked by the two things: first just by seeing a talking dog, second by how this creature could be let to become what it was in terms of Sharik's position in the society. Sharik actually says "Неприличными словами не выражаться!"

Thanks all for you explanations!!! I feel the light embracing me!

Originally Posted by adoc

First the разруха bit because it's one of the key monologs. He says that разруха is not an unfortunate objective obstacle, a side effect of the revolution that has to be overcome or lived with, he says that разруха is directly and inevitably created by bol'shevism, and would be created by any revolutionary types who put idiotic and childish idealistic values before professionalism and personal responsibility. If you let the dumb dogs run the country (because they have rights too, for example) you'll get разруха. This is the meaning.

Ah, it all makes sense now. Did he really use the phrase "dumb dogs run the country", how ironically pleasant

Originally Posted by adoc

С "Хорошо, что мне непоследственно доложили"
П "вы позволуете оставить это мне у себя, или может вы, виноват, хотите, чтобы дать законный ход делу?" С "извините профессор, вы действительно очень уж призлительно смотрите на нас, я..."
П "Извините голубчик, я не хотел вас обидеть... не сердитесь"
What pissed off "stalin"? I am assuming that he didn't do anything with the complaint, but did he leave the paper with Dr. P or not? what did "stalin" mean?

Whatever is in bold is sarcasm. The informer is obviously too witless to deserve any attention.

Yeah, I got the sarcasm part, but the "призлительно смотрите на нас" part is strange to me. who is 'we'? The proletary? the higher-ups? See if he just said на меня, I would of understood that he meant that he wasn't going to do anything about it... but 'we'?

Again thanks to all

Yeah, I got the sarcasm part, but the "призлительно смотрите на нас" part is strange to me. who is 'we'? The proletary? the higher-ups? See if he just said на меня, I would of understood that he meant that he wasn't going to do anything about it... but 'we'?

Again thanks to all

First of all I think it has to be "презрительно смотрите на нас". The guy is talking about the the Soviet Power as a whole of which he is a representative. I don't remember if it was made clear in the book or in the movie what his rank was, but it is obvious from the context that he is some sort of a boss. The irony of the situation is that he is a former patient of the professor, so at first he approaches him with some unusal level of respect, but then when professor speaks too slightingly of the complaint he gets somewhat mad...

-When Sharik is undergoing the transformation from dog to man, he starts saying a bunch of random words, and one i didn't understand : "москва ше" (or that is what it sounds like) is it a newspaper?

AFAIK он говорит "Москвошвея", it`s somekind of clothing manufacture. And prof noticed later to Dr. Bor.-"BTW Dr., we need to buy a clothes to Sharik..."
The dog also saying other "brand names", like "ГлавРыба" (somekind of fish shop) and some others.
Did you noticed, what he saing lots of word in reverse order? (АбырВалг) instead of (ГлавРыба)? It`s because in the book asumed, what dogs can read on Russian, but do it from right to left

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Ah, it all makes sense now. Did he really use the phrase "dumb dogs run the country", how ironically pleasant

Umm, not in these words, that's my personal interpretation. You will find the russian and english versions of the original book here:

http://lib.ru/BULGAKOW/dogheart.txt
http://lib.ru/BULGAKOW/dogheart_engl.txt

- Да у него ведь, Филипп Филиппович, и вовсе нет калош, - заикнулся
было тяпнутый.
- Ничего похожего! - Громовым голосом ответил Филипп Филиппович и налил
стакан вина. - Гм... Я не признаю ликеров после обеда: они тяжелят и скверно
действуют на печень... Ничего подобного! На нем есть теперь калоши и эти калоши
мои! Это как раз те самые калоши, которые исчезли

весной 1917 года. Спрашивается, - кто их попер? Я? Не может быть. Буржуй
Саблин? (Филипп Филиппович ткнул пальцем в потолок). Смешно даже
предположить. Сахарозаводчик Полозов? (Филипп Филиппович указал вбок). Ни в
коем случае! Да-с! Но хоть бы они их снимали на лестнице! (Филипп Филиппович
начал багроветь). На какого черта убрали цветы с площадок? Почему
электричество, которое, дай бог памяти, тухло в течение 20-ти лет два раза,
в теперешнее время аккуратно гаснет раз в месяц? Доктор Борменталь,
статистика - ужасная вещь. Вам, знакомому с моей последней работой, это
известно лучше, чем кому бы то ни было другому.
- Разруха, Филипп Филиппович.
- Нет, - совершенно уверенно возразил Филипп Филиппович, - нет. Вы
первый, дорогой Иван Арнольдович,воздержитесь от употребления самого этого
слова. Это - мираж, дым, фикция, - Филипп Филиппович широко растопырил
короткие пальцы, отчего две тени, похожие на черепах, заерзали по скатерти.
- Что такое эта ваша разруха? Старуха с клюкой? Ведьма, которая выбила все
стекла, потушила все лампы? Да ее вовсе и не существует. Что вы
подразумеваете под этим словом? - Яростно спросил Филипп Филиппович у
несчастной картонной утки, висящей кверху ногами рядом с буфетом, и сам же
ответил за нее. - Это вот что: если я, вместо того, чтобы оперировать каждый
вечер, начну у себя в квартире петь хором, у меня настанет разруха. Если я,
входя в уборную, начну, извините за выражение, мочиться мимо унитаза и то же
самое будут делать зина и Дарья Петровна, в уборной начнется разруха.
Следовательно, разруха не в клозетах, а в головах. Значит, когда эти
баритоны кричат "бей разруху!" - Я смеюсь.(Лицо Филиппа Филипповича
перекосило так, что тяпнутый открыл рот).Клянусь вам, мне смешно! Это
означает, что каждый из них должен лупить себя по затылку! И вот, когда он
вылупит из себя всякие галлюцинации и займется чисткой сараев - прямым своим
делом, - разруха исчезнет сама собой. Двум богам служить нельзя! Невозможно
в одно время подметать трамвайные пути и устраивать судьбы каких-то
испанских оборванцев! Это никому не удается, доктор, и тем более - людям,
которые, вообще отстав в развитии от европейцев лет на 200, до сих пор еще
не совсем уверенно застегивают свои собственные штаны!
Филипп Филиппович вошел в азарт. Ястребиные ноздри его раздувались.
Набравшись сил после сытного обеда, гремел он подобно древнему пророку и
голова его сверкала серебром.
Его слова на сонного пса падали точно глухой подземный гул. То сова с
глупыми желтыми глазами выскакивала в сонном видении, то гнусная рожа повара
в белом грязном колпаке, то лихой ус Филиппа Филипповича, освещенный резким
электр вом от абажура, то сонные сани скрипели и пропадали, а в собачьем
желудке варился, плавая в соку, истерзанный кусок ростбифа.
Он бы прямо на митингах мог деньги зарабатывать, - мутно мечтал пес, -
первоклассный деляга. Впрочем, у него и так, повидимому, денег куры не
клюют.

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

потом идёт классный момент, когда взлетает самолёт и звучат Наутилусы - "Прощальное письмо" (если правильно помню название песни).

Да, песня хорошая. Она вроде называется "Гудбай, Америка". А, может, и нет.

It's a crying shame that Sergey Bodrov (the featured actor) is dead

Yeah, he was a good guy. Now lying somewhere under the ground in the Carmadon gorge...

Thanks again guys, and stay tuned.

I am watching 9 Rota, impressions will come tomorrow!

We'll be waiting ......bucko!