Speaking about French cinema, has anyone here seen 'Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am%C3%A9lie)? It's one of my favorite movies, and the music is great too. I like French movies. I would also recommend 'Un long dimanche de fiançailles' (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0344510/) and 'La tourneuse de pages' (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0487503/).
And do I have to be ashamed I haven't seen any of those cult movies?
French films... I believe mentioned before that I really liked the film Diva from 1981. I do own the DVD of this movie.
Here is the subway chase scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oQQBtXr6YQ
and here is the Aria scene with - Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hsmoo97CVA
For those of you who want to know what she is singing about... here is what it says in the notes:
------------Fernandez sings the aria "Ebben? Ne andrò lontana", from Act I of Catalani's opera "La Wally." The piece is a haunting reverie on the theme of traveling alone and far from home. Catalani died in 1893 of consumption at the age of 39, only a year after the triumphant premiere of "La Wally" at La Scala.
This performance plays a prominent role in the 1981 French romantic thriller, "Diva" - and is an excerpt from the DVD. Roger Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun Times, rates the movie 5 stars out of 5.
This was one of the most frequently "favorited" videos on BestArts.
The opera, based on a German novel, has a libretto by the young Luigi Illica, who went on to collaborate on the texts for "La Boheme," "Tosca" and "Madama Butterfly." It tells of a wild, headstrong Swiss mountain girl who loves one local huntsman and is loved by another. Eventually she wins her true love, the pair embraces high in the Alps, an avalanche entombs the hero and she leaps after him to her snowy death.
Actually I was surprised that Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory & The Shawshank Redemption were on that list. Both of those IMHO are good films.Originally Posted by devochka
Here is a great scene from Shawshank http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAJ2skOJvdY
I only speak two languages, English and bad English.
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Click here for list of Russian films with English subtitles and links to watch them.
I've only seen "The Shawshank Redemption" from that list and it's a great movie, very well-known and loved here - I often see it on people's TOP lists, as well as "The Green Mile". But I would never watch the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", no-no-no, I'm not into horror movies.But actually, I have only see three films on this list: The "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" , "Akira" and "Bladerunner". Should I be worried?I usually don't watch movies if I know there are some horrors in store - for that reason I'm not sure I'm ever going to see "Taras Bulba", which is a screen adaptation of Gogol's famous novel, "The Passion of the Christ", "Andrei Rublev"...
Maybe it's because we've always had good relationships with France... and looked up to it as the paragon of culture, history and civilization. I mean, in the 19th century Russian nobility used to speak French among themselves and know it better than Russian, and I suspect even the Napoleon invasion didn't deter them from teaching it to their children.Interesting to hear that French film is so popular in Russia. What is the reason, do you think?The French films that many Russians really love are those with famous French comedians, like Pierre Richard and Louis de Funes:
"Le Jouet"
"Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire"
"Fantomas" (1964)
"Angelique" - which is a beautiful period drama, a screen version of the series of novels by Anne and Serge Golon about the time of Louis XIV. Here are some photos from the film http://michelemercier.ru/foto/7
All those films I know and love from childhood, although they are quite old. I think people really liked them in the Soviet Union because a) they were a window into the West and therefore something exotic and curious, b) they're very beautiful in terms of costumes, sets, locations, etc, "Angelique" actually caused quite a bit of scandal in the USSR, because of Michele Mercier's naked backc) they're just great remarkable movies.
As for Italian cinema - well, everyone knows it too. Many great names there - Fellini, Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni...
Yes I remember that one. Must be one of the few horror films I ever saw, it wasn't so very scary, not graphic at least, as far as I remember.And oh yes, the "Omen" series.
I think it's also many people's fave. It's a nice film, very original.Speaking about French cinema, has anyone here seen 'Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain'
Alice: One can't believe impossible things.
The Queen: I dare say you haven't had much practice. When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
I think that following link will be interesting for those who are interested in USSR culture/history http://www.cccp-tv.ru. This site about the USSR television and contains TV program bank of those days. It is opened not long ago. Unfortunly it is all in Russian.
Science is the systematic classification of experience. (c) George Henry Lewes
I only speak two languages, English and bad English.
Check out the MasterRussian Music Playlist
Click here for list of Russian films with English subtitles and links to watch them.
Hard-Boiled. This film is actually in my personal cult movie list but I did not expect this film ever to be in US top cult list. I watched it once again just about a month ago. After this movie the director John Woo moved to Hollywood and we, spectators, got fantastic action films such as: Hard target, Broken Arrow, Windtalkers, Face off, Paycheck (The last one is my favorite).
The Warriors. I’ve seen it by occasion this year some time ago. Some TV channel aired a series of cult US movies along with the “Godfather”.
I wonder why the film “Leon: The Professional” by Luc Besson is not in the list? In the thread about translation for a video project Ник made a short video where the main character was a killer. I have not seen his video before the translation proposal and did not know that the killer was a maniac. So I supposed that the killer was some sort of a contract killer. In this way some lines I proposed where a compilation of what Leon said.
You take the shorter knife to come closer to your aim. You like to foretaste the prey's aroma.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
This movie was aired in Russia many times. It is a really cute movie with quite an original idea. I believe that this movie deserves to be in the cult movie's list.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
What would be an accurate description of a cult movie?
My attempt to describe the term of a cult movie.
The movie which was made not only within a specific cultural or social cross-section (or subculture) but the movie which makes the viewer to see the surrounding World from inside the specific subculture. In other words the viewer feel himself to be a part of this subculture.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Hmm, thanks Coffeecup for your definition. You see, I was a bit reluctant to say "Amélie Poulain" was a cult movie because it is so widely known and popular. In my mind, a cult movie has a bit of a negative connotation. But thinking about it, it actually could qualify as a cult movie.
PS: I like your signature.
Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain is definitely a fantastic film.
But I am not sure that I think it's a cult movie. I think a film has to be a bit "weird" and unusual to be a cult movie... (Amélie Poulain is just cute).. Sex and murder helps a lot... Also strange philosophies or religion. Good soundtrack. It should bring about some nostalgia in people when they talk about it. Also it has to be quite old and a bit cheezy.
I think that CoffeeCup's description is good.
I am trying to think of some European cult movies... I am not so good with movies...
But here are some..
English: The Wicker Man... English original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FdV-O8o7ok
Yugoslavian: Sweet Movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsMLbCkzcGQ
Italian: Suspiria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlww8Yk2ASY
German: Christiane F.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4vY1V8qSTc
German: Goodbye Lenin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJb4efZcFUM
Spanish: Hable con ella http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNdzcTZUW54
Iceland: Korpen flyger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnY0KMUVQao
Nothing French comes to mind right now actually. But there must be something French that everybody has seen, that's cheezy, old and weird.... But what?
@devochka - I can't think of anything from Belgium other than the Smurfs and Tintin! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aaA6IsvN6c I think it's cult because people remember it from their childhood and because they have some wacky political/sexual associations.. apparently.
Not sure what's a Russian cult movie. I think "Brat" and "Mimino" are close to the mark though...(?) Maybe "Stalker" (?)
Thank You!PS: I like your signature
I never thought that a cult movie may be considered as a bad movie only. Of course it is more easy to create a new fictional cultural cross-section using sex and murders. But to find a beauty subcultural point in ordinary life is an art, and so is "Amélie Poulain". It is interesting to know what our movie expert rockzmom think of it and the term of a cult movie?
Back to Russian cult movies:
- "Брат" ("Brother") - yes this is the cult movie from the top of the top list.[/*:m:1lb74fba]
- "Mimino" - no, it's a good movie but I can't see anything related to a cult.[/*:m:1lb74fba]
- "Stalker" - it is not so easy to make a choice here. The book, the original story by Strugatsky Bros. is really suitable to be marked as a cult book. But the movie is quite different. On the other hand after the PC game "S.T.A.L.K.E.R" was released the name "Stalker" itself became a sort of cult.[/*:m:1lb74fba]
Here are some items from my Russian cult movie list:
Back to French cult movies: I've already mentioned "Leon", I would like to add "Subway" also by Luc Besson (wiki link).
Finally to German cult movies: my choice is "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (wiki link).
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Has anybody watched Tsar? I'd like to hear your impressions, should I go to the cinema or just wait for the torrent release?
Here's the trailer.
http://video.yandex.ru/users/film-trailers/view/409
Send me a PM if you need me.
Ace choices Coffeecup!
"Boomer?" It had a bit of a cult feel to it.
Anything with "Rasputin" would automatically have potential for cult... Because he is a bit of a cult figure in popular imagination... but I have never seen a film with/about him...
Also, anything about kossacks...
The thing about French films is that they tend to be so "chic" and stylish that you can't really call them "cult".... I have seen "Leon" but I don't remember the plot very well.
Sorry... I have been feeling up to posting too much...
Okay, my thoughts on what a cult film is....
I think a good example is Rocky Horror Picture Show and I can speak about that one as I have seen it in the movie theater and can explain it better.
First, what is a cult movie? It is any movie which has a large devoted specific fan base. And in that sentence is the key word...fan... short for fanatic, a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal. The people who like these films and go to see these movies don't go just once or twice, they go 100 times! I have a cousin who has seen Rocky Horror more than 200 times! I also believe it is "usually" a film that is not that great of a movie to begin with. Usually the topics of the films are the reasons they stay off the main charts. Rocky Horror is a musical that parodies science fiction and pornography films. It is not your main stream type of film! John Waters, a director from Baltimore, has a number of cult films. Pink Flamingo is one of his and the original Hair Spray, and Cry Baby (with a VERY young Johnny Depp) were his too. His films are just way out there and do not appeal to a mass audience but have a BIG fan base.
Now, back to Rocky Horror.... This film is a very funny film but if you were to watch it a home by yourself, oh my... you would just not have the same experience and would probably turn it off and think I have just lost my mind or I have taken way too much medication for liking this film.
In the movie theater, people dress up in costumes and bring props. They spray water (when it is raining in the movie), throw toast and rice (during the wedding scene of course) and snap rubber gloves (you'll have to guess why and when). They talk back to the screen and answer questions from the characters. It is all interactive. People get up and dance (they "do" the Time Warp dance that I posted the link for). It is a total experience, not just a movie.
Rocky Horror is also the longest-running theatrical release in film history, 34 years! I saw it the first time probably around 1979-80 as my sister who is older took me to see it. Now, I have only seen it in a movie theater a few times, but the music from the show and the Time Warp & Sweet Transvestite scenes are classic "cult" scenes and used in other TV show and movies.
Which leads me to my next point about a cult film....A cult movie is one that I feel is somehow used over and over again in other films or TV shows as an inside joke and Rocky Horror has been used countless times in other things:
Family Guy: They have done a number of episodes mentioning Rocky Horror. There is a Family Guy episode entitled Dammit Janet. In the episode, PTV, Peter, Stewie and Brian are dancing in transvestite’s outfits, for about 2 seconds.... and then there is this little clip ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js-Fji8KhaQ
Cold Case did an episode where they were looking for a murder that happened that was connected to Rocky Horror in the 1970's and Barry Bostwick played the killer. The ending of the show is really good as the used some of the songs from the movie and scenes from a theater showing the movie and then used similar fonts for the credits.... here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0_mytY4P-4
The Simpsons: (just for you alex!) The Dr. is dressed in Frank garb and is seen standing outside a theater -
(p.s. not from my computer, I just found the photo online)
Rocky Horror is mentioned on Gilmore Girls: Lorelei and Rory made plans to go to "Rocky Horror." Lorelei says she's Magenta, and Rory's usually Janet. And of course she tried to get Luke to dress up as Frank. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goU8TKht4NA
Rocky Horror has been spoofed on Whose Line is it Anyway? Wayne Brady has to do a song about a coffee grinder and he does "let's grind some coffee again!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSa3EFCn-14
There are many more… but you get the idea... a cult film is much more than the film itself... it takes over and spreads into other things. Many times you may not understand the references made until someone explains them to you and then you go "Ohhhh" and start to notice them all over the place.
So, whatcha think?? Do you understand why I DON'T understand Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory & The Shawshank Redemption being on the list? These two movies just don't seem to ME, to fit this type of movie.
I only speak two languages, English and bad English.
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Er... Haven't seen any of those.But "Brat" is def a cult movie. I've heard SO much about it.
Wikipedia can always be relied on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_movie:
Art film / Art house film http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_filmA cult film (also known as a cult movie/picture or a cult classic) is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans.[1] Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside of the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences. Many cult movies have gone on to transcend their original cult status and have become recognized as classics; others are of the "so bad it's good" variety and are destined to remain in obscurity. Cult films often become the source of a thriving, obsessive, and elaborate subculture of fandom, hence the analogy to cults. However, not every film with a rabid fanbase is necessarily a cult film. Usually, cult films have limited but very special, noted appeal. Cult films are often known to be eccentric and do not follow traditional standards of mainstream cinema and usually explore topics not considered in any way mainstream—yet there are examples that are relatively normal. They are often considered controversial because they step outside standard narrative and technical conventions known.[2]
Not sure about this one. Take the Disney animation, for example. It's mainstream, but it is art! I personally think that any film/book, that is made/written not purely for commercial reasons but to express the author's views on life, is art.An art film (also called “art cinema”, “art movie”" or “art house film”) is typically a serious, noncommercial, independently made film or a foreign language film that may have these qualities, but may have been made by a major company in its home territory and achieved popular success. It may thus be aimed at a niche audience, rather than a mass audience,[1] or the use of subtitles in foreign language films may limit audience appeal.
It so happened that while I studied foreign languages at my uni, we (meaning me and my fellow-students) thought it imporatant to go to the festivals of British and French cinema that took place every year in Novosibirsk. Well, I gotta tell you, by the end of 5 years of going I figured art cinema is not for me. I enjoyed only one film I saw - British "Pure" and it's about a 10-year-old boy whose mother is a drug addict. I really liked it because I know what it's like to have a close relative addicted to drugs. A very poignant, heart-rending film. But that was the only one. The others... euh... Well, I remember one French film about a women's prison. They'd show a prison ward walking down a corridor for 5 bl..dy minutes! Or somebody just sitting and staring blankly in front of them. And it would be their legs that are shown for another 5 minutes. I honestly didn't see the point. Perhaps it's because I've never been to jail otherwise I might've enjoyed the "reality" of it or something.
I've got a feeling that he's "cult" or in any way popular/enigmatic only in the West. I'm in no way fascinated by him...
Oh, yes, I'd definitely call "Leon" cult... It has that feel to it... And has anyone seen "Taxi" by Luc Besson? That's one hoot of a movie. My favourite is the third part.
Alice: One can't believe impossible things.
The Queen: I dare say you haven't had much practice. When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
Ramil, you posted a link with English subtitles!!! Thank you!!!
Okay, from what I have read about the film, I would recommend to you that you watch it on a big screen. If you want to see the blood and guts and battle in larger than life, it appears the acting is good and the scenes are very realistic and the cinematography is excellent as well. So, if this is what you are into, the film deserve to be seen on the large screen.
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?lay...117940285&cs=1
Less lugubrious than his previous movie, "The Island," but still laden with Russian brooding and violence, Pavel Lungin's "Tsar" is a brief peep into Ivan the Terrible's heart of darkness via a conflict between the regent and the head of the church. Terrific lead perfs by Pyotr Mamonov and Oleg Yankovsky keep the movie rolling along after a slow start, interspersed with gripping, bloody action. But despite handsome production values and rich, atmospheric lensing by Clint Eastwood regular Tom Stern, this is a heavy meal to digest outside the fest arena.http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...03973965.story
Bottom Line: A spectacular Russian retelling of the Ivan the Terrible story....writes Deborah Young in the Hollywood Reporter. "Still, this new Russian film is a rich-looking historical epic set in 16th century Moscow...Tom Stern's cinematography, majestic in the outdoor scenes of the Russian countryside, timidly imitates the extreme camera angles and disquieting, stylized architecture of Eisenstein's two "Ivan the Terrible" classics released in 1944 and 1958. Sergei Ivanov's striking production design, paired with the gorgeous costumes designed by Natalia Dzudenko and Yekaterina Dyminskaya and Yuri Krassazin's epic score, give the film a stamp of great quality
I only speak two languages, English and bad English.
Check out the MasterRussian Music Playlist
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I want to write a couple of thoughts about common English translation of Ivan IV's folk title, "Ivan the Terrible". I think it's completely unproper. "Иван Грозный" and "Иван Ужасный" means absolutely different. I remember some old computer games in English where was a joke: "Ivan the Terrible was called so because he wasn't very handsome". The author of the joke was thinking that he laughs at stupid Russians who called their tsar so, but he only laughed at stupid translator, and I'm not sure the jerk was Russian. About the image of Ivan IV in the cinema - my favorite is by Yuriy Yakovlev, the best Tsar Ivan ever!
Please, correct my mistakes, except for the cases I misspell something on purpose!
Yeah, a more accurate translation would be "Ivan the Formidable". Wiki quote again http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_the_terrible (god, I am addicted to wikipediaI want to write a couple of thoughts about common English translation of Ivan IV's folk title, "Ivan the Terrible". I think it's completely unproper. "Иван Грозный" and "Иван Ужасный" means absolutely different. I remember some old computer games in English where was a joke: "Ivan the Terrible was called so because he wasn't very handsome". The author of the joke was thinking that he laughs at stupid Russians who called their tsar so, but he only laughed at stupid translator, and I'm not sure the jerk was Russian. About the image of Ivan IV in the cinema - my favorite is by Yuriy Yakovlev, the best Tsar Ivan ever!)
I'll only watch this movie if someone reassures me that there is not too much blood and gore in it, too realistically depicted.The English word terrible is usually used to translate the Russian word grozny in Ivan's nickname, but the modern English usage of terrible, with a pejorative connotation of bad or evil, does not precisely represent the intended meaning. Grozny's meaning is closer to the original usage of terrible—inspiring fear or terror, dangerous (as in Old English in one's danger), formidable, threatening, or awesome. Perhaps a translation closer to the intended sense would be Ivan the Fearsome, or Ivan the Formidable.
And yes, Yakovlev is the best Ivan the Terrible!
Alice: One can't believe impossible things.
The Queen: I dare say you haven't had much practice. When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
There were definitely political connotations in Tintin. Tintin's first adventure takes him to the Soviet Union and the story is basically a parody on the USSR.
But political/sexual connotations in the Smurfs? Maybe sexual because Smurfette is the only girl in the village?
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