Russian Language Hall of Fame

A Strange Variety of Film Reviews | The New Flesh: A David Cronenberg Club
Letterboxd

Visitor of a Museum (1989)

Another i had no clue about going in. I'm aware of its general acclaim but what i actually associate it with more is SC losing his mind when it turned up on the 80's Countdown because it had so few IMDB votes Man, this film is a nightmare, it's great. Same deal with Stalker, Soviets know how to create the scariest looking worlds that also seem sort of plausible if everything goes wrong in our future. I was thinking of Adaptations of the most acclaimed western dystopian novels (or at least how i'd envision them) and most of them look ridiculous even though they work on paper, think Soviets had much more of a flare for a visual representation of these hellworlds, which is probably to do with them living in a much more hellish, potentially collapsing, uncertain society. My Friend Ivan Lapshin sort of seemed like a confused farewell to Soviet Russia (or at least Stalinist Russia), like it may not have always been good but it was our home while this just seems like the sky is falling personified. I definitely agree with JJ in that i don't really know what this was trying to say i have some boring ideas about faith and worship and abandonment and whatever but they aren't fleshed out at all, and it easily could be a lot more positive/hopeful than i'm taking it, but how could you take it any other way this is hell on earth. The worst thing about it at first was how used to it the characters weref. This throws us right into this well established world and the characters struggle with it obviously and aren't happy exactly but they're used to it now. It's a weird feeling of dread i also got from documentaries like ABC Africa and Streetwise in that their horrible situations had just became their existence, they hadn't experienced anything better in a long time (or possibly ever in ABC Africa's case) so there was nothing better. I'm probably not explaining this well, to use a ridiculous example when i was a kid KFC was incredible to me because i had it rarely and i had never tried any other fried chicken (i know ), it was the peak of fried chicken to me until i tried something better. It's kind of a very positive thing actually as it shows humans amazing ability to adapt to our surroundings no matter how harsh which is how we've come this far in the first place.

The main character himself was pretty unnerving. He was clearly searching for something that wasn't revealed or obtained, and for large parts of it he came across as a normal curious tourist. There's something crazy about this film that it always feels on the edge of showing something horrifying, sometimes it does but sometimes it doesn't. It's like someone constantly making you flinch by pretending they are going to hit you before they finally do. And i think it's similar to the film always feeling like it's going to give you answers right up until the end, then it kind of doesn't or if it does it's vague and/or i missed it. I dunno, this is another i definitely want to see again. Man, the Soviets are fantastic at distracting me with weird imagery and filming techniques, this is the third film in a row I didn't even think of acting at all until the nightmares then i realized the main dude was incredible, his screams and terrified howls, jesus christ.

The film looked amazing in the most horrifying way. I've mentioned a lot that i haven't been properly scared of a film since i was about 9 years old and i really miss it, that's still true but this is definitely the sort of thing that has a shot. All the fire and smoke and dust definitely conjured up images of hell. Several other things too actually, the machinery, metal scraps laying about, red lights and sounds (particularly all the screaming and shouting) made it seem like the image i have of hell where people are forced to operate machinery by pushing big levers which i think i got from The Simpsons haha. Actually the whole underground factory place was exactly what i picture when i think of hell. The beautiful scenes were just as horrifying both because of the imagery and what was happening in the scene, the first nightmare for instance when he's floating through some snowy landscape with a greenish/greyish tint to the scene. That scene was like the best representation of sleep paralysis i could imagine even though i know that wasn't its goal, particularly the silence when there should have been noise which reminds me of the feeling of trying to talk or scream to wake yourself up during it and being unable to. Another thing i noticed is that there's some very traditionally beautiful looking scenes particularly his view of the sea yet when shown there's always something ugly/unsettling on screen. While looking out at the sea either a storm will be brewing in the sky or the mutant woman will be on screen or something, it was relentless. Anyway great film, definitely could have enjoyed this just as much without subtitles as it's such a unique and crazy audio-visual experience. I mean i had no idea what was going on at times, and i really didn't care.

Great nom Tokeza. Only a rewatch of The Cranes Are Flying left, will probably be on Sunday or Monday.

Not got much to say about this. Firstly because i suspect you guys have already pointed out all the things the film does well. But also because while i recognize this as a well made film i don't like it anywhere near as much as most of you, and i'm not quite sure why. Personally hope one of the Tarkovsky's win instead, as i figure those are the three with a shot. I get it, it looks gorgeous and is very well acted. I feel this should have been perfect for me right now after so many, inpenetrable, cold, hostile films in this Hall of Fame, this is devastating but heartfelt. But i wasn't feeling it as much as i would have liked to, and i think i felt similar the first time as i had it rated 3/5 on Letterboxd which i'd still give it. A film with so much going right for it that just doesn't quite connect with me, my rating is largely for the craft which is undeniably great. Genuinely hate this obviously the ideal scenario would be loving a film i recognize as good, but if not i'd at least like to point to specific criticisms/reasons for why i do not. Sometimes it's just a feeling though and in that case all i can really say is the vague "didn't connect", sadly. All i can really say is the only film in this hall of fame i felt the length of more was Leviathan, and that shouldn't be the case considering this is one of the shortest.

Anyway, this feels more like a Hollywood film plotwise to me and it reminds me of Hitchcock and German Expressionism with the way its filmed. Then again from what i've heard of Eisenstein and his tilted/rotating camera it is probably like his films visually as well, i just haven't seen any yet. Doesn't feel Soviet to me but of course i've seen barely any and most of them have been long and slow and horrifying. The music more than anything feels like it's part of a classic dramatic hollywood tragic romance. More than anything it's of course because the characters aren't intentionally cold and distant, they are outwardly loving and emotional. The acting is very good, especially Tatiana Samoilova. It wasn't an easy role as her character went on quite a journey she had to convey a lot and she pulled it off well. She is gorgeous too reminded me of Audrey Hepburn, my favourite thing about the film may be the way her face was filmed.

Good nom, i just don't quite connect with it like most.