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

Originally Posted by Shurick

hi, a very intresting topic
I very much love this Russian film[s:1mcig2ks]s[/s:1mcig2ks] (or you could say, I love this Russian film):
- "Gentlemen's of Fortune/джентльмены удачи" - many [s:1mcig2ks]frases[/s:1mcig2ks] phrases became classics[s:1mcig2ks]al[/s:1mcig2ks], such as "All escaped, and I escaped too!/все побежали, и я побежал!", "A good cement, I can't wash it out [s:1mcig2ks]it[/s:1mcig2ks]!/Какой хороший цемент... Не отмывается совсем!.."

Another one for example (in Russian): http://savok.name/28-frazy_djentlmeny_udachi.html
- "Женя, Женечка и катюша"
- "Brilliant Hand/Бриллиантовая рука"

all films with Anatoliy Papanov, Evgeniy Mironov, Evgeniy Leonov, Oleg Dal' - these are great actors!

Another one is "17 moments of spring/17 мгновений весны", but it so long and not about Russia

p.s. sorry that my English is not so good

Shurick!

Thanks for responding and welcome to MasterRussian. I am glad that you like this thread and please know that I have others along this line and you are welcome to add your thoughts to those too!

In case you have not quessed... I do not speak, read or write in Russian... therefore, I try to correct or help out with English. I have corrected your posting and just remember, that your English is far better than my Russian!!!

I see that gRomoZeka has found a link for me to be able to watch Diamond Hand and I will add this one to my growing list of films! (many thanks gRomoZeka!)

Rockzmom...

So, I want to give all of you non Washingtonian people (a Washingtonian in this case is someone from the Washington, D.C. area not the state of Washington) an interesting view as to how a famous line from a movie has become the single greatest act of vandalism in American history… “Surrender Dorothy" from the Wizard of Oz.

There is a long running joke in this area that goes….

“How long does it take to drive from Georgia to Connecticut?”

Answer: “About five minutes, unless you wait for Dorothy to surrender."

Here are the explanations for this joke and answer:

In the early 1970’s in suburb of Maryland very close to Washington, D.C., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, built a VERY large Temple that can been seen while one is driving on a major road called the Beltway (as a side note, I was actually one of 750,000 people who were "allowed" to tour the Temple before it was dedicated).

On the OuterLoop of the Beltway between the Georgia Avenue and Connecticut Avenue exits, when approaching the Temple, it rises out at you as you come over a hill. It looks like a scene from the movie "Wizard of Oz." It is an amazing site especially at night time when the Temple is illuminated. As you get closer, you drive under three overpasses, and the second one is a railway bride, and on that bridge over the years people have spray painted “Surrender Dorothy.”

Now, this is extremely effective because the view of the Temple is momentarily obscured by the first bridge and then as you approach the second bridge with the “Surrender Dorothy" the Mormon Temple comes back into view just as you read the words.

Over the years the graffiti has been removed only to magically reappear.

Here are some links about the graffiti and some people’s VERY funny comments about their first impressions upon seeing the Temple!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_Dorothy

http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/04...mple-bethesda/

And finally, a photo of the Temple as it looks during the Holiday Season! Our family usually goes annually to see the lights and listen to a choir or other entertainers that they have during the entire month of December. We do not see this place as looking "evil looking" my girls refer to it as "Sleeping Beauty’s Castle."

he is mostly supported by "White movement"

Just in case to clear possible misunderstanding. White movement, White Army, White Guard has nothing to do with racism.
Wikipedia:

The designation White has several interpretations. First, it stood in contradistinction to the Reds—the revolutionary Red Army who supported the Bolsheviks and Communism. Second, the word "white" had monarchist associations: historically the first monarch of unified Russia, Ivan III, was styled "Albus Rex", or "white tsar". Most importantly, some of the soldiers of White Army wore white uniforms of Imperial Russia.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

In case you have not quessed... I do not speak, read or write in Russian... therefore, I try to correct or help out with English. I have corrected your posting and just remember, that your English is far better than my Russian!!!

Ok, Thanks!

By the way, you can see, what all movies we wrote maked before 1990 years.
If you want to see modern Russian movies, I can recomended for example "Walk/Прогулка" http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0372478/
its wonderfull!

Hi, Jazz.
This link http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...93941294194DFD0that gRomoZeka gave has The Prisoneress of the Caucasus, or Shurik's New Adventures
too. The two movies are a must. You can't find a man in Russia who does not know these films. These two will fully quench your thirst for quotes you seek for your book and you may rest assured that every Russian will know these quotes. Though I don’t see in what way you are going to integrate them into your story. Will they be in Russian or what? I'm curious about how you'll find the movies seen through subtitling and low resolution; the soundtrack having probably undergone multitudinous computer transformations also became somehow unreal. Actors playing the leading parts were tremendously popular in the USSR and remain so till now though some of them are gone. There must be material on these movies in Wikipedia or IMDb.
P.S. Is it OK to call movies films?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamond_Arm

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

"Diamond hand" (196 at YouTube with English subtitles:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p ... 1294194DFD

Something wrong with the sound there. Seems like different soundtracks are disbalanced. Speech is much louder then the rest of the sound. May be special version for leaners of Russian, but I for one wouldn't like to watch films in English with this kind of distortion.

And, rockzmom, indeed, if there is a must for your purpose, this is the one, whether you will like it or not.

Originally Posted by alexB

Though I don’t see in what way you are going to integrate them into your story. Will they be in Russian or what?

I am not all that certain myself as I am not at that scene in the book yet; however, I can tell you that I have decided on using Cyrillic when Dmitri speaks any Russian and in the back of the book I will have a Glossary with the Chapter, Page Number, Cyrillic, Transliteration and English to make it very easy for the reader (thanks to all who put in their two cents about this topic).

I do have the idea, which is why I started this thread, that he will make a comment using an expression from a Russian film or book that would be appropriate based upon something that is happening in the story line at that time. Maybe the "We don't need a blacksmith" line and then he will of course need to explain himself; however, he might not at first, he might just toss it off and say it is a Russian thing and never mind. And then he may make another comment say a few chapters later... it is something to tie him back to his Russian roots.

I don't want to pound the reader over the head with Russian this and Russian that; however, I feel that this culture... this upbringing or background is important to the understanding of whom Dmitri is and why he is the way he is and should not be lost to the reader. It makes him uniquely him and not an ordinary American male.

Originally Posted by alexB

P.S. Is it OK to call movies films?

Yes... films or movies.. either one is fine.

The problem these days comes with Records, LPs, CDs, MP3s and so on. What do you refer to them as??? "Old"people like me are still calling them "records" and have just gotten used to calling them CDs!

I have also noticed that some people from the board want to use the term Record instead of Recording. "I am going to send you a record of my voice." WHEN it should be "I am going to send you a recordING of my voice."

Originally Posted by Shurick

By the way, you can see, [s:2yri1iz3]what[/s:2yri1iz3] that all the movies we [s:2yri1iz3]wrote maked[/s:2yri1iz3] suggested were made before the year 1990 [s:2yri1iz3]years[/s:2yri1iz3].

If you want to see modern Russian movies, I can recommended for example "Walk/Прогулка" http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0372478/
it's wonderfull!

Thanks, Shurick! I will add this title to my long list and see if I can find an English subtitled version.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Thanks, Shurick! I will add this title to my long list and see if I can find an English subtitled version.

Ahem... You probably feel overwhelmed right now.
To make your life easier I've made a short list of quotes you can choose from (there are much more of them, many Russian films are 70-80% "quatable", but it's just a beginning. I'll add to it later, and guys will help, I'm sure ).

But first some useful info:

Almost 10 thousands of people took part in a poll regarding most quatable phrases of Russian cinema. Results are below:
1. I demand the banquet to go on (Ivan Vasilyevich changes his occupation)
2. Why a blacksmith? We don't need a blacksmith (Formula of love)
3. Soviet people don't use taxi to get to bakery (Diamond arm)
4. You, Stierlitz, please stay (17 moments of spring)
...
10. Bambarmia Kirgudu! (Caucausean captive)

Leader by number of quotes is "Diamond arm" (196.
(Source: http://softsearch.ru/news/12-257-read.shtml )

And more quotes:
I'm not a magician, I'm just learning... - "Cinderella" (1947)

It's not my fault - he came to me of his own free will (a frivolous woman about a hero, a family man, who've been set up and looked like a cheater. The phrase has comical effect due to the colloquial speech) - "Diamond arm" (196
Russo touristo obliko morale - (obliko morale - moral make-up. Russian words changed a little to sound like foreign ones, a comic phrase one of the heroes uses abroad to get rid of the importunate prostitute)

Moolya, don't get on my nerves... (an energetic bossy wife to her henpecked husband) - "Foundling" (1939)
Girl, what would you like more: your head to be biten off or to go to the summer cottage?

One should drink less. Less drink should one (ok, this works only in Russian ) - "Irony of fate" (1976)
What a horrible muck, your fish in jelly.

One should marry an orphan. - "Beware the car" (1966)
Prison is your home.
All people are believers. Some believe that God exists, others that he doesn't. Both points of view are impossible to prove.

A Komsomol* member, good in sports and a beauty (still used as a joking but heartfelt praise to a versatile and pretty girl) - "Kidnapping Caucassian Style" (aka "Caucausean captive") (1967)
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komsomol
Bambarmia Kirgudu! (it's a gibberish in Russian. The full quote is:
- Bambarmia Kirgudu!
- What did he say?
- He said if you don't agree they'll stab you to death.. Just kidding.)
Please, talk slower, I'm taking notes... (usually used ironically to someone who tells you trite staff (but thinks that it's important) or too someone who's too verbose)
I grieve about the bird.

I'm Charly's aunt from Brasilia where forrests are packed with wild monkeys. - "Hello, I'm your aunt" (1975) (a comedy about a petty male criminal who pretends to be a rich aunt from Brasilia)
Your guardian is such a b.. Sorry, in Brasilia all upper-class women swear like that.


Probably that's enough for your book.
I'll still recommend to watch at least some of the movies from your list. I think you'll enjoy them since you're cinema lover.

gRomoZeka,

THANK YOU is not enough! While I do indeed want to watch ALL of the suggested films... you have done it!!!

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

One should marry an orphan. - "Beware the car" (1966)

That is the PERFECT one as Valentina is an orphan (the why and how she becomes an orphan is a major mystery of the book) !!!!

It does not matter so much the context of how it was said in the film as the line is one that Dmitri would remember.

I will watch "Beware the car" next!!

Would you be kind enough to send "One should marry an orphan." and "Why a blacksmith? We don't need a blacksmith" to me in Cyrillic, as right now these are my top two MUST use???

You're welcome!

Originally Posted by rockzmom

I will watch "Beware the car" next!!

Excellent choice! A very good and a well-known movie. (EDIT: I've just noticed that it won a few awards: Awards: Edinburgh-66, Sidney-66, Melbourne-67, Cartagena-69).

I'm not sure the context will fit, but the phrase itself is very famous and used often enough (mostly as a joke).
One should marry an orphan - Жениться нужно на сироте
It was said by a very charming anti-hero (Dima), whose wife's father with a very black sense of humor was always picking on him, driving him mad.

About a blacksmith: "Зачем нам кузнец? Нам кузнец не нужен"

Originally Posted by alexB

P.S. Is it OK to call movies films?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamond_Arm

Cool! The article has many great quotes and explanations.

"A dog is man's best friend!" ---"Well, maybe in London a dog is man's best friend, but over here it's the UPRAVDOM (apartment manager)." Best!!!

movie "Kidnapping, Caucasian Style"
most funny and cammon used phrases:
"Короче, Склифасовский!!" that mean "cut to the chase!" or «skip to the end» or realy "Sey briefly, Sklifasofsky!"
"Будь проклят тот день, когда я сел за баранку этого пылесоса!" - i cant translate it now, please sombody help me

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Thanks, Shurick! I will add this title to my long list and see if I can find an English subtitled version.

http://subs.com.ru/page.php?id=4701 Subtitles for this movie

English subtitles:
"If only you can remember all that, Lord Nelson!"
Do you recognize it?

Review…

Beware of the Car, Береги́сь автомоби́ля 1966

Immediately, the opening sequence had me and the first thing I thought of was Orson Welles' 1958 film, 'Touch of Evil.' For those of you who have not heard or seen that film, it is known for its long three-minute, thirty second continuous tracking shot. EVERY film student has to watch this film and study it as to what is involved with filming a scene that long, done in one take. It is amazing. So, as soon as I started to notice the tracking and continuation of the opening scene in Beware of Car, well, I wondered if this was Russia’s answer to Touch of Evil.

Here is a link to the opening scene of Touch of Evil:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg8MqjoFvy4

I thought this movie was very funny and well done! I am soooo impressed with the quality of acting, scripts, cinematography, directing and so on with the films that I have seen so far… I cannot begin to tell you.

I am certain that I missed a number of the jokes due to the translation; however, there were enough there that I was laughing! The garage being lifted up by the crane (of course, who was the accomplice?). The car chase scene was priceless. I also want to point out that during that scene whoever translated it at one point had my Hubby (my nickname for my husband) and me hysterical with the choice of words for the translations of…

- “I’ve got you bro!”
- “That’s it, you got me”
- “Wait… wait, don’t leave!”
- “What’s up, bro?”

Now, someone needs to tell me if any Russians really speak like this??? The only people here in the U.S. that use the term "Bro" are African Americans/Blacks.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

I am soooo impressed with the quality of acting, scripts, cinematography, directing and so on with the films that I have seen so far… I cannot begin to tell you.

I'm sooo happy you enjoyed it. Russians are very proud of their films and cartoons, but sadly not many people abroad have seen them.

- “I’ve got you bro!”
- “That’s it, you got me”
- “Wait… wait, don’t leave!”
- “What’s up, bro?”
Now, someone needs to tell me if any Russians really speak like this???

Actually they do.
You could hear Detochkin and that police officer were repeating "bra:t" (that would be "brother" in Russian). Both "брат" and a more affectionate "братишка" ("brah-tish-kah" ~ little brother) are common enough (even among strangers), and in that context it sounded absolutely natural.
But it's funny that you think it's funny, it's interesting how some little things that we don't even notice can be strange for someone else.

And thank you so much for the bits of information you give about cinema, I love it.

PS. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

By the way, there is another Russian "New Year" movie, quite a popular one - "Чародеи" (Magicians http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charodey). And it has a very famous quote, too: "Кто так строит?" (Who builts houses like that?)
Like "Irony of Fate", it is a movie with a lot of beautiful songs, too.

Happy New Year to all…

I apologize for the delay in posting… I had not been feeling well over the holidays.

I have three reviews for you!

The Diamond Arm, Бриллиантовая рука, 1968

Well, e-Learner was correct… there was something wrong with the soundtrack on the You Tube version. DVDs can carry up to eight audio tracks, including one for the visually impaired. It sounded like the person who made the video copy for YouTube somehow got the audio tracks mixed up as the music was almost not even audible and in some parts dialogue was missing or another person was speaking.

Now, aside from the audio which I was listing to only as accompaniment (and to see what words, if any, I might actually understand ). I found this movie to be in the same fashion as Ivan Vasilievich Changes Occupation. A movie that is silly and one can laugh and just forget about life for a while. Which was exactly what I needed while watching it! I am certain that there were many jokes that I did not understand, but there were enough that I did to make it an enjoyable film.

For American’s, the character, of the landlady is very similar to a television character by the name of "Gladys Gravitz", from the show Bewitched. “Although a relatively minor character on Bewitched, the role was memorable enough that the term "Gladys Kravitz" entered the American lexicon, and is even today used as a synonym for a nosy neighbor or colleague.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladys_Kravitz


I also watched two more current movies…

Volkodav (Wolfhound), Волкодав, 2006/2007

Now, I must say I was warned in advance that this was Russia’s first attempt at a major “Hollywood” style fantasy movie and I was even given a link to a review prior to watching. So, with that all in mind I watched with an open mind and heart wanting to enjoy this film….

Overall… well… I must say the acting and the lack of any reasonably intelligent dialogue was what disappointed me the most. The continual shrieks of the slave girl that Wolfhound rescues were most annoying (I wanted to reach through my TV and slap her silly) along with the over abundance of spattering and projectiling blood.

As for the spectacular outdoor filming, the multitude of extras that must have been used on this project along with their costumes and special effects all within the film’s report budget of anywhere from $13M to $20M, made this is a very impressive first fantasy film attempt. I was also exceedingly impressed with of all things… the bat, which according to reports was completely computer generated.

I also recognized the face of the young princess Helen, Oksana Akinshina, and searched her out on IMDb and learned that she had been in The Bourne Supremacy.

Night Watch, Ночной дозор, Nochnoy dozor, 2004

I had been informed that the Night Watch trilogy was from a series of books and of course the books were far better than the movies. Not having read the books and only having seen a preview of the movie on YouTube, I had no idea what the movies were about except... that they were action packed!

I started watching a really poor quality subtitled version and finally gave up and purchased DVD copies that were on sale and finished watching it dubbed in English. It's interesting to note, that the English speaking dub had a Russian accent.

While this was movie made for only $4.2M, I found it far superior in special effects and overall quality to that of Volkodav. With this film you could see a significant change from old style Soviet film making to the new shift of fantasy and less character development and more action. Night Watch felt like a Hollywood blockbuster produced with Industrial Light and Magic and not a Soviet old school film. It reminded me of the Matrix, where I was completely lost with the story line; yet, I wanted to keep watching anyway to see what would happen. I will most likely watch Night Watch a second and possibly third time to see things I missed and to better understand. Additionally, as my local book story so nicely had a 40% off sale yesterday, I purchased all three books to read the trilogy and to be able to compare them to the movies.

Once I have a chance to watch Day Watch, I will post a review.

I also still plan on watching several of the other films that you all have mentioned and will post reviews as well.

Thanks again for all of your suggestions and please feel free to recommend any others.