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

Originally Posted by Оля

To be honest, I don't remember the film very well, and I don't remember the whole plot in details, even. But I remember very well all my impressions about this film. I can tell you that I didn't like the acting AT ALL

Well, I havent' yet read the whole thread but already found lots to comment on.

First of all, I agree with Оля about "The Cranes Are Flying". I'd heard so much about it before I finally watched it and I was a bit disappointed. With the acting. It seemed WAY too theatrical. At the very beginning of the film when Veronika and Boris are running around Moscow and later when Veronika slaps Mark in the face - it seemed overacted. The camera work was interesting, of course. And it's not to say there were no redeeming moments in the film. I did like some parts of it. Just wouldn't call it a favourite. I might yet change my opinion if ever I get to rewatch it - but I'm not sure that's likely to happen.

To be quite honest, I see really good acting (in my opinion) in foreign films very rarely. At best, acting in foreign films is just "okay" to me.

Oh, I find lots of good acting in foreign films. I'm a fan of period drama, so I consider some of the BBC adaptations of English classics absolutely fabulous. I'm a huge fan of "North and South" (2004 - not to be confused with the film about American Civil War), "Pride and Prejudice" (1995), "Wives and Daughters", "Sense and Sensibility" (1995), "Wuthering Heights" (1992), "Jeeves and Wooster". If that's not good acting, I don't know what is. So thanks to watching those I now know quite a lot of fantastic British actors, like Michael Gambon, Richard Armitage, Emma Thompson, Justine Waddell, Ralph Fiennes, Hugh Laurie... And I love Rowan Atkinson, he's a great comedian - "The Thin Blue Line" tv-series was hilarious.

Turning to American cinema, "Titanic" and "Gladiator" are the first movies that spring to my mind as having great acting - still find myself crying every time I watch Rose being lowered in the life-boat and looking at Jack. Kate Winslet is a fantastic actress, as is Leo DiCaprio, though I've only seen him in "Titanic" and "Catch Me If You Can", which I liked very much as well. Oh, and "Some Like It Hot" is a splendid comedy - Marilyn Monroe may not have been much of an actress, but the male leads are hilarious. Watched it recently with English subtitles, wouldn't have understood anything otherwise.
And I just love "Gilmore Girls", "The O.C." and "Friends". Some very good acting and script-writing going on there.

The one thing that the Western filmmakers know is how to structure the story and make it enjoyable and entertaining. Think Disney - "Beauty and the Beast", "The Little Mermaid", "The Lion King", "The Sleeping Beauty"... And I'm not talking about the sequels to these animated pictures here, as I haven't seen them and don't think it's a very good idea. Those movies are not only about stunning visuals and beautiful music. Some very good thinking went into creating the plots. Well, Andersen's "Little Mermaid" got rather er... butchered is not a good word, but I can't think of any other right now. I love both stories. Andersen's is lyrical and poetical, Disney's - pure fun and entertainment.

Not that the Russians don't know how to make a good story or write a fabulous script. Quite the contrary. But it wasn't made into a sort of ABC of how a story should be written. Perhaps it's a good thing, I don't know. But when I watch our "War and Peace" (the old film), for example, it strikes me that some scenes were a bit too long, or some shots weren't all that interesting - when Andrei Bolkonski is talking to his wife Lise at the beginning there aren't even any close-ups and it's such an important scene, establishing their relationship and everything. And who could possibly resist shooting as many close-ups of Anastasia Vertinskaya as possible, as she's so gorgeous? The modern adaptation with Clemence Poesy tried to address some of the issues of the book - to flesh out characters which were very vague and one-dimensional in the book, like Ellen and Anatole, to provide motivation for Natasha agreeing to elope with Anatole. I rather enjoyed some of these changes but the thing is, they managed to utterly destroy Natasha's character in the process. Clemence Poesy is very nice, but she's not Natasha, while Tatiana Samoilova is. Oops, sorry to go on about "War and Peace" - I'm sure most of the folks here haven't seen in ages, if at all. I've only recently read the book and watched three adaptations. I felt like such a punk not having read such a famous piece of literature. Didn't manage to do it in school - seemed way too boring, though I was quite a bookworm and swallowed "Anna Karenina" and "Quiet Flows The Don", which is the same length as "War and Peace".

So, to come back to the Russian cinema - I also agree about other films that have been mentioned here, such as "The Thief". I enjoyed it quite a bit the first time I saw it but I'm not planning to re-watch it again. It's too depressing.

Well, I guess I'll be back to you later when I've read the entire thread.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Finally, it makes me wonder about other films we have been discussing. Would I change my mind about them if I had seen them in a theater with an audience???

That's an interesting question. One thing that the theatre does is that it sucks you into the film, makes you sit through the whole of it and pay attention (I don't know how people manage to fall asleep in the cinema - even if the film is very boring, the sound is so loud). When you watch something on tv, if you don't like it from the start, you'll switch off directly, thus not giving it a chance, perhaps.
I've had an interesting experience with the Lord of the Rings movie, The Return of the King. I first watched it in the cinema and didn't like it - the sound of the battles was too loud, the battles themselves scared me out of my wits, besides I haven't seen The Two Towers, so didn't understand the plot properly, and I suspect I was falling ill because I returned from the cinema with a temperature. Watching this movie on dvd at home, after having seen the second part, was a completely different experience.

Originally Posted by starrysky

First of all, I agree with Оля about "The Cranes Are Flying". I'd heard so much about it before I finally watched it and I was a bit disappointed. With the acting. It seemed WAY too theatrical...

I didn't write anything like that about "The Cranes Are Flying". I like this film. The quotation you made was about other film, "The English Patient".

Originally Posted by Оля

Originally Posted by starrysky

First of all, I agree with Оля about "The Cranes Are Flying". I'd heard so much about it before I finally watched it and I was a bit disappointed. With the acting. It seemed WAY too theatrical...

I didn't write anything like that about "The Cranes Are Flying". I like this film. The quotation you made was about other film, "The English Patient".

Sorry, got everything confused. I'd never say that I hate or even dislike "The Cranes Are Flying". I liked it when I watched it and couldn't help crying in some parts - this movie is certainly very emotionally-affecting and the emotions are portrayed very strongly. But two things put me off a little. First of all, when I sat down to watch it I expected it to be a film about war and self-sacrifice and it turned out there was hardly any war and no self-sacrifice. It's more about relationships, human frailty and the society which doesn't forgive mistakes.

The second thing that bothered me was Samoilova's acting at the beginning. Especially the way she keeps repeating "Нет! Нет!" in the rape scene, it seemed very unnatural. Couldn't she start crying or something, instead? I'd feel more sympathy for her in that case. I certainly think that the whole scene is a bit more complicated than simple "rape". She does bear some blame. Did she absolutely have to marry Mark, when he is obviously such a scoundrel? Well, she might not have known it then and after the bombing she had no one left to turn to, except him and his parents. The thing is, imo, she didn't really have to marry him. It's not the 19th century when the morals were that strict, it's 1940s. Such prejudices might have been left in villages at that time but hardly in Moscow. The Soviet woman was a mistress of her fate in this respect. I guess it's the eternal question of how much imporatnce the circumstances have over us and how much power and free-will we have to resist them. I suppose I partly agree with CoffeeCup here in not being overly in love with Veronika as a character. Oh God, I'm acting the part of the "unforgiving society" here I do sympathise with her. The sure thing is that this film is thought-provoking.

Those are my favourite war films (in bold)

Originally Posted by Оля

Here are some Russian forceful war films I'd recommend to watch:

Проверка на дорогах
Офицеры
Летят журавли
Баллада о солдате
Восхождение (very forceful)
Судьба человека
А зори здесь тихие
Расскажи мне о себе (the only one which is not very famous, but it touched me a lot)
Иваново детство

I'd add "Звезда" (2002), "В бой идут одни старики" and "Гусарская баллада" (love the humour and the songs )
"Судьба человека" is a very good and touching movie just not a personal favourite. The others I haven't seen yet.
And here's a link to a thread about favourite war films on my local forum (though it includes foreign films as well) http://forum.academ.org/index.php?sh...2&st=0&start=0

Originally Posted by rockzmom

The power ... a big screen.

A big screen, yeah, it changes a lot.

First, it allows us to feel some sort of participating in the action. If you are delighted with the action of a movie and feel hunger for being a part of it, you should certainly go over the movie again on the big screen.

Second, if the movie aim is not only to tell us a story through the characters talking, but also to give us some more specific impressions or feelings the big screen is the only way to get the full scent of these impressions.

Third, of course, the landscape views are filmed only for the big screen.

I am ultimately sure that these movies are the best when on the big screen:
- At Home among Strangers, Stranger at home
- Kin-dza-dza
- Solaris

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

... an unshaved man wearing a horn-rimmed glasses fixed with a tape looked at me holding tightly in his hands a guitar and a sword.
... "Six-String Samurai"

By the way, surfing the web I've found out that many people find the filming process, scenes' landscape, the movie line and the sci-fi world of the "Six-String Samurai" being close in some way to that of the "Kin-dza-dza".

Originally Posted by starrysky

I'd add "Звезда" (2002)

I know it's considered as a good movie, but I didn't like it. First of all, I didn't like acting. Igor Petrenko is too young or maybe not enough talanted, but he didn't convince me he was a person from 1930-1940 years. His eyes... They looked like he's just playing a role, not living in the USSR, being at war... I can't explain it better.

The Soviet woman was a mistress of her fate in this respect

Woman, indeed.

Also, I suppose you didn't live in those years. How could you know that marrying a man without being virgin was okay?

Originally Posted by Оля

I know it's considered as a good movie, but I didn't like it. First of all, I didn't like acting. Igor Petrenko is too young or maybe not enough talanted, but he didn't convince me he was a person from 1930-1940 years. His eyes... They looked like he's just playing a role, not living in the USSR, being at war... I can't explain it better.

Oh I agree about the poor acting. Petrenko - as hansome as he is - didn't seem to have done all that much on this movie - though perhaps that's just the role. And the girl was, frankly, horrible (in terms of acting, natuarally). But for me there are three things that redeem the flaws of this film: 1) the beautiful music, 2) the heart-rending end - I cried my eyes out - when he keeps saying "Земля, земля, я звезда" and Vorobyshek dies, and then she answers, and the Germans are getting closer... and at the very end when the soldiers are shown going to Poland or somewhere and it's said that only 1 in a 100 of them is going to come back... it's awful... 3) some of the other guys played very well - for example, Анатолий Гущин, who played рядовой Быков - there's a moment when they're nearing his native village and he sees that it was burnt and some people were hanged - there's just such a look on his face - indescribably sad. I'd give him a prize just for that one look.

I did hate it when they had to kill the first German they captured. Poor guy. Wars should never, ever happen.

Originally Posted by Оля

Also, I suppose you didn't live in those years. How could you know that marrying a man without being virgin was okay?

You're right, I suppose it's possible that she had no other choice. It's very difficult to struggle with life. I can't talk, anyway, as have no backbone whatsoever myself. Плыву по течению.

Originally Posted by starrysky

Oh I agree about the poor acting. Petrenko - as hansome as he is - didn't seem to have done all that much on this movie - though perhaps that's just the role.

Oh, come on, the role was a great scope for showing good acting! An actor could only dream about such a profound role. Especially a Russian actor, I mean how much this war means for us, even nowadays.

And the girl was, frankly, horrible (in terms of acting, natuarally).

To be honest, I don't remember any girl there.

But for me there are three things that redeem the flaws of this film: 1) the beautiful music, 2) the heart-rending end - I cried my eyes out - when he keeps saying "Земля, земля, я звезда" and Vorobyshek dies, and then she answers, and the Germans are creeping nearer... and at the very end when the soldiers are shown going to Poland or somewhere and it's said that only 1 in a 100 of them is going to come back... it's awful... 3) some of the other guys played very well - for example, Анатолий Гущин, who played рядовой Быков - there's a moment when they're nearing his native village and he sees that it was burnt and some people were hanged - there's just such a look on his face - indescribably sad. I'd give him a prize for just that one look.

Well, to me, a film is good only if everything is good in it, not only one or two episodes. As for other actors' acting, I don't remember it well, but I'm sure if there was anything extraordinary, I wouldn't have forgotten it. I remember that the film in general left me cold, but yes, the last scene touched me.

I did hate it when they had to kill the first German they captured. Poor guy.

The one from the hospital? I dimly remember it, and I liked this episode. I don't mean I liked that they killed him. It was awful.

starrysky to the thread and MR!

Wow, your English is good. Ususally I try to correct the English posting of non-natives. Would you like me to make edits on your postings as well? Example:

Originally Posted by starrysky

Sorry, I got everything confused. I[s:23ve98nt]'d[/s:23ve98nt] never [s:23ve98nt]say[/s:23ve98nt] said that I hated or even disliked "The Cranes Are Flying".

Just remember one thing, when you are posting to me, I am the one who does NOT know any Russian


Now as to your thoughts about "Cranes" and the rape scene and how life might have been back then. Thankfully, I have never had this experience, yet from the way it is portrayed in the news and in films/tv even today, it seems as this is one of the most horrific things to happen to a person AND each person reacts differently to the experience and situation.

And then you have the dirty stigma of rape. Many women never admit to being raped because of exactly what you said, "She does bear some blame." I guess you would also say it takes "two to tango":

Originally Posted by from 2000

Maryland lawmakers and children's advocates joined yesterday in criticizing a Montgomery County judge who said an 11-year-old girl was partly to blame for a 23-year-old man sexually molesting her because the girl invited him into her bedroom and "it takes two to tango."

Del. Cheryl C. Kagan (D-Montgomery) called Circuit Court Judge Durke G. Thompson's comments "an outrage" and said the state legislature's Women's Caucus plans to look into his handling of the case.

"It's clearly been a while since Durke Thompson has been in the company of 11-year-old girls; he doesn't realize how young and vulnerable they are," Kagan said. "His remark was ill-advised, naive and just dreadfully unfortunate

... and Director Roman Polanski is innocent as well?

Did you know that currently in France, the cost of hymenoplasty is actually reimbursed by the state in cases of rape or trauma?? That is how import being a virgin still is TODAY to many people.

So, in the case of our poor Veronika... she had lost her parents. The man she THOUGHT was her friend and best friend of her fiancee, is now attacking her. The bombs are going off all around her... which is probably causing flash backs about her parents and making her also think about Boris and how is HE doing right then. The dust settles and she is left with what??? NOTHING. Her job and the piece of scum of the earth who loves her or so he says. AND what if, what if... she might be pregnant now??? How would she explain that one to everyone if she did not get married???

And yet, you also have the case here in the States of 115 girls in one high school who are pregnant! If that was going on back then, maybe our Veronika would have had other options?
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/Robeson...2.1251642.html

Originally Posted by Оля

Oh, come on, the role was a great scope for showing good acting! An actor could only dream about such a profound role. Especially a Russian actor, I mean how much this war means for us, even nowadays.

Well, yes, seeing how this is the leading role, he could've done more with his facial expressions and all that stuff... I read the book by Kazakevich after watching the movie to understand the character better, and he is supposed to be very reserved, but, hey, that's no excuse.

Originally Posted by Оля

The one from the hospital? I dimly remember it, and I liked this episode. I don't mean I liked that they killed him. It was awful.

Yes, him. He said he wasn't a Nazi... I felt awfully sorry for him.

Thanks for the welcome, rockzmom. Do feel free to correct me - I'd be grateful. You know, it's so frustrating, I've been learning English, oh for so long now, and I still make lots of mistakes - have to constantly edit myself as always notice some mistake or other. This is partly because I'm always in a bit of a hurry when I post, partly because I lack practice - I read and listen a lot, but rarely get to speak English. So that's why I'm registered here and on a couple other English boards - to talk to all you guys and not lose the knack entirely.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

I guess you would also say it takes "two to tango":

Eh... We have a much ruder saying here - something along the lines "If the b..ch doesn't want it, the dog won't do it." Very rude. Certainly, it's outrageous to use something like this as an excuse for child-molesters! And I don't think it applies in Veronika's case. I see the rape scene as somewhat ambiguous because she could've shown a bit more fight, but it was rape all right. When I said that she does bear some responsibility for her unhappy situation, I meant her marrying Mark - no one forced her to do that except the circumstances. Which, it would seem, were difficult enough.

Quick change of topic here.....

One of the short documentaries I saw at the Film Festival was "She Should Have Gone to the Moon." I had never heard about this period of time in U.S. history or about Jerri Truhill. The film is funny, informative and very eye opening about an event not that long ago. Most of all it is inspirational to females. The only boring part is the part where they have the singer! OMG please shut her up!!! I also thought they should have mentioned Valentina Tereshkova & Svetlana Savitskaya...however... she really does stress that she wanted to be a "pilot" and they talk about Eileen M. Collins, the first woman to pilot NASA space shuttle.

IMDb link http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1146163/

Link to 8 minute trailer on MegaVideo http://www.megavideo.com/?v=G8H9L72G

Summary of film:
She Should Have Gone to the Moon presents a uniquely personal chapter in the history of the space race. It tells the astonishing story of the pilot and pioneer, Jerri Truhill, who was trained in 1961, as part of NASA's top secret Mercury 13 programme, to become on of the First Lady Astronauts. The documentary is a lyrical journey propelled by childhood aspirations, shattered dreams and a lifelong battle against female sterotypes and male prejudice. In the film, the tough talking and sharp witted Jerri Truhill looks back at her compelling life via a phone call with the filmmaker. This conversation becomes the catalyst for the director's imagining of key events in Truhill's potent narrative and inspires a journey to meet the heroine in Texas. Along the way the filmmaker places herself in Truhill's story, first wandering across the surreal landscape of White Sands and then suspended in zero gravity inside a water tank. Included are staged scenes, dreamt-up moments from Truhill's story, which evoke the popular melodrama of 1950s American cinema. These fictional moments bridge the gaps of time and distance between the filmmaker and her subject. Their stylised and dreamlike quality is counterpointed by shots from both Truhill's and NASA's film archive. The various strands produce the film's heady timeline, as they circle through real and imagined spaces, past and present.

I received an email that this month, The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. is showcasing films by Joseph Losey (1909-1984).

Born in Wisconsin 100 years ago, Joseph Losey (1909-1984) made his mark in American cinema as the insightful outsider who distilled his style in exile, in London, England. A selection of Losey's rarely screened early work from the late 1940s through the 1960s, along with his three Harold Pinter partnerships, is included in this series.

I located a two of the films online that they will be showing during this showcase:

The Servant is Harold Pinter's 1963 film adaptation of the 1948 novel by Robin Maugham. A British production directed by Joseph Losey, it stars Dirk Bogarde, Sarah Miles, Wendy Craig, and James Fox.

The Servant is a tightly-constructed psychological dramatic film about the relationships among the four central characters examining issues relating to class, servitude, and the ennui of the upper classes.
(1963, 35mm, 112 minutes)
link to watch The Servant online

Accident
Accident is Harold Pinter's 1967 dramatic film adaptation of the 1965 novel by Nicholas Mosley. Directed by Joseph Losey, it is the second of three collaborations between Pinter and Losey, the others being The Servant (1963) and The Go-Between (1970). At the 1967 Cannes Film Festival it won the award for Grand Prix Spécial du Jury. It is the debut film of actor Michael York.
(1967, 35mm, 105 minutes)

link to watch Accident online.

I looked, yet could not quickly locate a copy of "The Go-Between." If someone locates a copy, please post the link for it. Thanks.

I know, I know... double postings are a no-no... HOWEVER.... it just seems so WRONG not to repost this wonderful masterpiece about The Very Same Munchhausen which Vbar wrote and to also add the links... so that someone digging through this very long thread might come across it and say "WOW! I want to watch this movie!" and then be able to!!!

“The Very Same Munchhausen” (Тот самый Мюнхгаузен, Tot samyy Myunkhgauzen) 1979
(Comedy/Fantasy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Very_Same_Munchhausen

Movie in Russian ONLY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiDHFbJZm9E ТОТ САМЫЙ МЮНХГАУЗЕН (1979) 1 1/7

English Subtitles
http://www.divxsubtitles.net/page_subti ... p?ID=65464
OR
http://narod.ru/disk/9511150000/Tot%20S ... D.srt.html
http://narod.ru/disk/9511195000/Tot%20S ... D.srt.html

For those of you who want to learn more about the "poem" (some would say the book) Orlando Furioso
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Furioso
The poem translated into English http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/orlando-furioso-canto-1/

Originally Posted by Vbar

Some months ago (31st or 32nd of May) I saw a beautiful film directed by Mark Zakharov.
I was so impressed by this film that I gave a copy to a colleague of mine -- I have become a sort of Italian ambassador for Soviet films among my colleagues.
There followed an interesting debate which I’d like to share.

The Very Same Munchhausen is a film rich in humorous scenes and dialogues, perhaps with satirical allusions to contemporary events, but it is above all a story about a man who, despite Martha’s love, feels alone and misunderstood. Or rather, it is a story of man who, despite his love for Martha, fails to understand and accept his society, his city, his world.

In Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, it is said that all things that are lost on Earth could be found on the Moon. The Baron knows that on the Moon there exists the intelligence of many humans who on Earth are considered wise and sensible. This is perhaps the reason why the Baron wishes to go to the Moon (or rather, to return there). Reading these remarks, you could ask me the same question put to Ariosto: Ludovico, wherever have you found such rubbish?
- Messer Lodovico, dove trovaste mai tante coglionerie? Господин Лодовико, где ты нашел такой вздор?

I believe that certain films, like certain poems or novels, are like dreams. And dreams always conceal a riddle which in turn conceals a desire, or its opposite, a fear. Like dreams, this film is made of desire and fear, of misleading and absurd perspectives, where each thing hides in itself another thing. We could say, to borrow some words from Calvino: The pleasure you derive from a film depends on the answer it gives to your question... or on the question the film asks you and to which it compels you to respond.

The Baron’s final embrace of Martha is a beautiful and tender gesture: with his arms and hands he cradles her head and presses it to his chest. It’s as if he wished to carry away with him her eyes, her mouth, her brain, and give her a little of his heart before travelling to the moon in search of something he could not find in his city. One could comment on the Baron’s final farewell to his city with the help of Calvino’s ever relevant words:
“My dear citizens, the inferno of the living is not something that will be. If there is one, it is what is already here, the inferno that we inhabit everyday, that we form by being together. There are two ways to not suffer it. The first is easy for many: accept the inferno and become such a part of it that you no longer see it. (Baron, join us. Join us, baron. Господин барон, присоединяйтесь. Присоединяйтесь к нам, барон).
The second is risky and demands constant attention and apprehension: seek out and learn to recognize who and what, in the midst of the inferno, are not inferno—then make them endure, and give them space.
I will try to find a third way: do as Astolfo did in the Orlando Furioso, and fly to the Moon.
Smile, my dear viewers, smile. Улыбайтесь, господа! Улыбайтесь.”

The film ends on a poignant musical note, and the viewer finds herself with her eyes full of tears.

I saw this movie Deja Vu and thought it was really funny. The lead actor was very good. Those soviet movies have really good set designs. English subs available at
http://notabenoid.com/book/4097/13375/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097253/
http://www.kinopoisk.ru/level/1/film/44394/

"The very same Munchhausen" is one of my father's favourite films. Yankovsky is great in it and I like him in this film much more than I do in others. I first saw him in the "Militia Sergeant", an adaptation of the book by Lazutin which was a bestseller in the 50-60s, where he played a bad guy.

In "Munchhausen", his character is likeable, if somewhat quirky (khm, khm, more like very quirky), and he has a moustache. In other movies (at least those that I've seen) Yankovsky plays "baddies" and has no face growth. And of course, "Munchhausen" also has Churikova, who is fabulous, as always, and Yarmolnik who is terribly funny.

I liked "Militia Sergeant" ("Сержант милиции") well enough, both the film and the book, and remember them fondly, even if I wouldn't call then a "must-see" and "must-read". I think, the film can be found at http://getmovies.ru here http://www.getmovies.ru/search.aspx?...86%D0%B8%D0%B8.
The book is here http://www.lib.ru/PRIKL/LAZUTIN/serjant_milicii.txt

Also, not meaning to change the focus but what about films from countries other than Russia, USA or UK? Do you guys watch them and do you have any favourites? I am by no means a cinema buff, in fact, I'm quite ashamed not to have seen any Fellini or Kusturiсa. Oh well, I'll get round to it yet, I suppose. French cinema is quite well-known and loved in Russia. And Indian as well. "Seeta aur Geeta" was a huge hit in the USSR. I've only seen about 3 Indian films, but I really like them - they're so vivid and colourful - a feast for the eyes. My favourites are "Main Hoon Na" (I'm Here) and "Devdas". I also love some Chinese films, like "The Hero" and "The House of Flying Daggers". They are just so beautiful and special, although totally different from Indian cinema, because they're tragic. Indian films usually have a happy end. I suppose I should post some reviews but I'm not sure I'm quite up to it, especially time-wise.

"Top 50 Cult Films Ever" according to "Entertainment" magazine (US).

But actually, I have only see three films on this list: The "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" , "Akira" and "Bladerunner". Should I be worried?

How many have you seen?

1. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
"It's such a fine line between stupid...and clever."
"He died in a tragic gardening accident... Authorities said... it's best to leave it... unsolved."

2. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
"Hi, my name is Brad Majors..." (Asshole!) "...this is my fiancee, Janet Weiss." (Slut!)

3. Freaks (1932)
"Gobble gobble, gobble gobble... We accept her... One of us, one of us..."

4. Harold and Maude (1971)
Harold: "You sure have a way with people."
Maude: "Well, they're my species!"

5. Pink Flamingos (1972)
"Filth are my politics! Filth is my life."

6. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
"Hey, Grampa, we're gonna let you have this one!"

7. Repo Man (1984)
"Let's go get sushi and not pay!"

8. Scarface (1983)
"Shay 'jello to my wittle vrend!"

9. Blade Runner
"Wake up. Time to die."

10. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
"Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'."

11. Five Deadly Venoms (197
"Hwayiii!"

12. Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)
"All you of Earth are IDIOTS!"
"Greetings, my friends. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember, my friends, future events such as these will affect you in the future."

13. Brazil (1985)
"That is your receipt for your husband...and this is my receipt for your receipt."

14. Eraserhead (1977)
(A pervasive hiss of unsettling white noise.)

15. Faster, Pussy-Cat! Kill! Kill! (1966)
"Honey, we don't like nothing soft. Everything we touch is hard."

16. The Warriors (1979)
"Warriors come out to plaaay." or
"Can...you...dig it?"

17. Dazed and Confused (1993)
"That's what I love about these high school girls, man: I get older, they stay the same age."

18. Hard-Boiled (1992)
"There's no room for failure now. The innocent must die!"
"Give a guy a gun, he thinks he's Superman. Give him two and he thinks he's God."

19. Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn (1987)
"Groovy" or
"I'll swallow your soul!"
"Let's head on down into that cellar and carve ourselves a witch."

20. The Mack (1973)
"We can settle this like you got some class, or we can get into some gangster s---."

21. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985)
"I know you are, but what am I? Infinity!"
"There's a lot of things about me you don't know anything about, Dottie, things you wouldn't understand, things you couldn't understand."

22. Un Chien Andalou (1928, France)
(It's a silent movie, but shrieks and gasps can often be heard in the audience."

23. Akira (198
"Tetsuoooooo!"

24. The Toxic Avenger (1985)
"They're going to nuke the monster!"

25. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
"What is this, Wonka, some kind of fun house?"
"Why? Having fun?"

Originally Posted by starrysky

Also, not meaning to change the focus but what about films from countries other than Russia, USA or UK? Do you guys watch them and do you have any favourites? I am by no means a cinema buff, in fact, I'm quite ashamed not to have seen any Fellini or Kusturiсa. Oh well, I'll get round to it yet, I suppose. French cinema is quite well-known and loved in Russia. And Indian as well. "Seeta aur Geeta" was a huge hit in the USSR. I've only seen about 3 Indian films, but I really like them - they're so vivid and colourful - a feast for the eyes. My favourites are "Main Hoon Na" (I'm Here) and "Devdas". I also love some Chinese films, like "The Hero" and "The House of Flying Daggers". They are just so beautiful and special, although totally different from Indian cinema, because they're tragic. Indian films usually have a happy end. I suppose I should post some reviews but I'm not sure I'm quite up to it, especially time-wise.

Excellent point Starrysky!
I have to admit I don't know too much about films other than American/British, Scandinavian, German... and maybe something about Russian and Japanese.

Interesting to hear that French film is so popular in Russia. What is the reason, do you think?

The last French film I saw was many months ago: "L'ecole - Innocence" a filmitisation of a book called "Minehaha" by Frank Wedekind. Very surreal, sweet and quite good. The book left a lot of room for improvisation and many points are never made clear.. The film draw some conclusions of its own in order to make the film more focused. (There is a very cheezy Italian filmatation of the same book - I didn't like that at all. )

Originally Posted by Johanna

"Top 50 Cult Films Ever" according to "Entertainment" magazine (US).
How many have you seen?
1. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
2. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
9. Blade Runner
10. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
25. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

We were just talking about Rocky Horror THIS week as one of older daughter's teachers was playing Time Warp in class and NONE of the students EXCEPT her knew the song! It is a great song and classic cult movie. I am a BAD, BAD, BAD mom as my kids have seen this movie as I OWN a VHS copy of it and the LP from the movie!!! (My girls are also fans of George Carlin! they love his Class Clown LP).

I actually remember PMing with Lt. Columbo about Rocky Horror and asking him if he thought anyone on this forum would know about Rocky Horror or not. It is soooo funny because so many famous actors were in that movie... Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick.

Anyway, here is a clip from The Drew Carey Show that has BOTH Rocky Horor AND Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ZU5TJlbMU

Rockzmom - I know British people know the "Rocky Horror Show"... I remember it because the name is memorable. But I have never seen it and I don't know what it's about. But it's probably not known outside of the English speaking world though...

Speaking about "cult" horror movies - I can't believe there's been a remake of "Children of the Corn"! (an old-ish series of horror films with some very spooky religious kids) Just saw it in a magazine today.
I only know this series because an American girl I used to know brought several parts of it over to Sweden and everyone was hooked. LOL!! After you've seen a couple of films from that series you'll never want to walk across a corn field again as long as you live.... !

The other horror film series I remember is all those Italian ones by Dario Argentos. Class! And oh yes, the "Omen" series.

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