Thread: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!

Originally Posted by E-learner

Originally Posted by studyr

I'm watching first season of Sledge Hammer.
Trust me. I know what I am doing.

Another series of that kind: Get Smart. It's an old one. Also, they did a movie out of it recently.

Studyr, I never saw the Sledge Hammer series. Actually, I had to Google it! 1986-88, were my Florida to New York years and I worked the night shift then like "capecoddah" and did not watch much TV. You will have to let us all know how it is/was. As it only ran two years, my guess was it was not that popular.

Now, Get Smart, I was just a little too young for it the first time around, but I saw a number of reruns and I did see the movie that came out in 2008. Funny, IMDb has listed for languages for the movie "English and Russian!" My girls REALLY liked it and it is always fun to take them to that kind of movie and see which one understands which jokes!

As for the movie itself, there were errors in it with the location scenes in DC, which are always fun for me to find. You know, they were to be inside one building, yet when they come out of the elevator, they are in another building that the interior WOULD NOT be THAT building. Or they are driving and turn a corner and all of the sudden are on a street where in real life, they are nowhere near where they just were.

What about the scenes that were shot in Russia? Any of those types of errors?
BTW.... Same question for the Bourne series. How many location errors or other errors are in those movies?
... questions are open to anyone!

rockzmom, does this headline ring any bells with you?



You don't need to know anything about the event, all you need is to have seen a certain American movie, which I have every reason to believe you have.

Originally Posted by E-learner

rockzmom, does this headline ring any bells with you?



You don't need to know anything about the event, all you need is to have seen a certain American movie, which I have every reason to believe you have.

I just woke up and had to read it three times BEFORE I got it... oh the shame....

Someone has a good sense of humor!

------
BTW... EVERYONE! I have finally finished 17 Moments of Spring.
I will try to write up my thoughts on it today or tomorrow!

RUSSIAN MOVIE REVIEW (long movie=long review=possible typos )

“17 Moments of Spring”, (Семнадцать мгновений весны) , 1973
( Adventure/Drama/War/Spy)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevente...ents_of_Spring
(see page 13 of this thread for how to watch this movie either view download on Yandex or online at YouTube)

Summary of movie Cheatsheet:
http://www.sovlit.com/spies/17moments.html

Before I get to the actual review part, I have to provide you with some back-story here. For me, this film was VERY difficult to watch for a number of reasons. The only history classes I took in college were two Early U.S. History (so up to and including U.S. Civil War) and that was when I was 17 years old. This means, if I studied anything about WWII, it would have been in junior or senior high and that means...ages ago. Remember my line… Find the biggest land mass and write USSR on it… it is not really meant to be a joke; it is the extent of my memory from European history class. Operation Sunrise and Operation Crossword ("Sunrise Crossword" in the film) they have no meaning for me, no reference in my brain. So, here I am starting to watch this film with almost no reference for any of these events. For me, when I hear the name “Dulles” I think “Dulles Airport” as it is right near me and we use it all the time. Secondly, this is a LONG piece of art to watch with subtitles (840 minutes). Finally, everyone in my family bailed on me! I ended up watching this on my own…yet I am sooooo very glad that I did and I want to thank everyone on this forum who posted answers to my questions and sent me PMs . It meant a great deal to me to have your encouragement and willingness to hang in there WITH me while I watched this film.


So, what did I think of it???
I thought it was one of the best pieces of art I have ever seen. I tried my best to watch one episode a day or so as it was meant to be seen. Not to rush through it like a marathon. I would ponder what I had seen and then when I had time to really devote to the next episode, I would watch it.

Ramil just posted a link to an article on another thread about how movies today spoon feed us everything and actors have to overact for us to understand the meaning of the script. This movie is the exact opposite and I fear that there might never be a film like this again. A remake of this would be done action adventure style, à la James Bond. All of the long drawn out pauses where the characters are thinking and you are right there thinking along with them would be gone. The tense moments where there is nothing but silence and the bombing in the background, would be replaced with a dramatic musical score and then high speed chase. Stirlitz's almost lack of expression during the entire film, making it so the viewer has to think, “What is he feeling?”, “What is he plotting?” and we are not just being told this with words and facial expressions is marvelous and in a remake, would be made comical or eliminated. Even Schellenberg at one point could not read Stirlitz stoic expression correctly;

Schellenberg “Why are you so angry with me?”
Stirlitz – “Me? Angry?”
Stirlitz – “I’m much gloomier when I am angry.”
Stirlitz – “I’m simply reflecting.”

While this style is difficult to get used to at first (after all these years of mindless movies), the more I watched, the more I enjoyed and also the more I understood the plotline, the more I enjoyed. Of all the Russian movies I have watched, I believe this is the one where if I had a magic pill and I could understand Russian, this would have been the one I would have taken the pill for. Because even a dubbing into English I do not believe would be the same. I found myself turning up the volume to hear the actor’s voices even though everyone here knows, I can only understand about a dozen or so words… yet, I wanted to hear the inflection of their voices. How they said the words I was reading in English on the screen. I would go back and replay the screen after reading the words to hear how they match what I had read. How they paused or speed up or their tonal changes.

The acting, I could not write enough about to say how wonderful I thought it was. The smallest part to the largest role, each character seemed perfectly cast and executed their character with a precision that is not seen much these days. Professor Pleischner, Pastor Schlag, Helmut, even the drunk woman in the bar at the end. The young actors of today, on say Disney, should be strapped down and forced to watch this… as I said before it is art. It is subtle not thrown in your face. All the little character traits, the whole thing with the matchsticks (Basil), the chess game with Frau Saurich, the air raids – who ignored them and why. Even the narration was an addition and not a distraction. And to continue these characters and make you believe them for so long of a film, is amazing. I was very upset with what happened to some of the characters because I CARED about them and I don't want to give anything away, so I won't say any more about that.

Also, I am assuming here, that was real footage intercut within the film. There was not too much or too little in the film and it only added to the production value. To draw you in and make you suspend belief, as if you were there right along side Kathe in the storm drain or walking the rubbled streets with her. To have this entire film in black and white, IMHO was the CORRECT choice. It gave a feel to the film that color would just not give. To have it come to life as not just a some "docudrama" with color for the main part and then black and white for the historical bombing, scenes of destruction and air raids part. It would have felt "wrong."

So, if you decide to watch this film, I do warn you… It is a labor of love to do so. It is LONG. It is difficult to follow if you don’t know the background players or your history. It is hard to put your mind into the mode of non year 2009 action adventure spy movie. Yet, if you take it slow and steady, as it was meant to be, and savor each and every part of the movie, experience it - not gobble it down, you will not be disappointed.

...making it so the viewer has to think, “What is he feeling?”, “What is he plotting?” and we are not just being told this with words...

The smallest part to the largest role, each character seemed perfectly cast and executed their character with a precision that is not seen much these days. Professor Pleischner, Pastor Schlag, Helmut, even the drunk woman in the bar at the end. The young actors of today, on say Disney, should be strapped down and forced to watch this… as I said before it is art. It is subtle not thrown in your face.

To be honest, I think that can be said about the majority of old Russian (Soviet) films. Maybe I am too patriotic.

I'm glad you liked this film, and first of all owing to the acting. I think it's the main virtue of the film. As for the plot, as I said before, I never was able to get it.

Please note I have once again updated the Movie and Cartoon listing on page 13 of this thread.



I have added the following movies:

1. The Cranes are Flying[/*:m:17tmxxjr]
2. The Lady with the Little Dog[/*:m:17tmxxjr]
3. The Thief[/*:m:17tmxxjr]
4. War and Peace[/*:m:17tmxxjr]

Also added were:

• Link for Yuri Kara’s version of "The Master and Margarita"; however, this version is in RUSSIAN only. I have yet to find Enlgish subtitles.[/*:m:17tmxxjr]
• Music information for Bortko's version of "The Master and Margarita."[/*:m:17tmxxjr]
• Link for "Office Romance" (on YouTube); however, this version is in RUSSIAN only. I have yet to find Enlgish subtitles that will match up with the short little 10 minute segments. But at least it is a new link![/*:m:17tmxxjr]
• Summary cheat sheet for "17 Moments of Spring."[/*:m:17tmxxjr]
• Information about some of the Awards the movies have been nominated for or have won.[/*:m:17tmxxjr]

[s:17tmxxjr]I have not had the chance to update the PDF version that is available for download yet. I'll try to get around to that soon.[/s:17tmxxjr]
I have uploaded it and here is the link... http://www.mediafire.com/?jwd1zkyhgro
If anyone notices any errors or wants anything added to this list, please let me know!

Originally Posted by rockzmom

I would go back and replay the screen after reading the words to hear how they match what I had read. How they paused or speed up or their tonal changes.

The acting, I could not write enough about to say how wonderful I thought it was. The smallest part to the largest role, each character seemed perfectly cast and executed their character with a precision that is not seen much these days.

There is a great conspiracy about the Soviet movies (I mean 60-80's, so I did not use "Russian"). There was the profession of a movie director, but there was no the profession of a movie actor (the profession in the sense of permanent occupation). People acting in a movie from time to time should also work somewhere for a regular salary. On the other hand a movie director when starting filming needs to hire actors, even more he wants to hire the best ones. So the conspiracy is how to meet the requirements of both the director and the actors. They found a solution – they went to the theaters. The actors went to the theaters for being theater actors and in this way get the experience and become the best ones, and of course salary – they get salary. The Directors went to the theaters to hire these best actors for their movies. So, most movies of that time are the movies where theater actors are acting. The theater actors brought the theater rules to the movies. The actors used to rehearse each scene, each head leaning, each eyebrow move a lot of times, because on the stage there is no a chance for the second take. So the movie acting became as fine art as for the theater.

P.S. All I said above is the only my simple-minded opinion. I don't know facts, records or something else which can confirm or deny this conspiracy.

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.