Sooner or later it had to be done. The fact why I've chosen sooner is completely irrelevant. Well, you wouldn't care anyway. Inspired by numerous lists on this forum I decided to create my own. The main goal is to get a lot of... ekhm, expand other people's tastes and present my own views on cinema as well. This will not be an ordinary journey, though. On our way, we shall transcend time, genres and geographical difficulties freely crossing the borders between old and new, rich and austere and so on. That's a never-ending story, but we can't be sure how long we could be forced to stay. Intervals are something we need to fully comprehend the things we've seen on our way. But enough talk. Fasten your seatbelts, embrace your buttcheeks and prepare yourself for a movie journey with Mr Minio!
Oh, and one more word. It's gonna be long, so if you don't like reading, well... I've added some photos especially for you!
Part 1 - USSR & Russia
Our story begins in Russia. A motherland of Tzars, bolsheviks and many glorious directors. Not a good comparison I'd say. I shouldn't have put these 3 in one sentence. Anyway, USSR cinema greatly differs from later Russian cinema. It often shows brave Russian soldiers struggling and fighting with the enemy to defend their homeland. It may be seen as propaganda, but as for me most of these films don't really differ from American war movies. In both the soldiers deliver sobby claims saying they believe they've died for their country etc. The only disadvantage I find in films of this period is they usually depict Russia as a country of wealth and prosperity, but it's not a big problem when you're watching an absorbing film.
Since, more or less, I've been talking about Soviet war films, I'd like to focus on that topic in the first place. And the best place to start I believe is Come and See by Elem Klimow. It's one of the most violent films I've ever seen. However, its violence is not represented by a big amount of blood and guts seen on the screen. Yeah, some scenes are really disturbing, but it's more of a psychological drama, in which the atrocities of war are shown through the psyche of a young boy. There's no need to give a short synopsis, as I believe even a short summary may be a spoiler. Just watch it so we can continue. No, really? Nope. I'll already start with another film, but reading this small guide and watching the movies simultaneously would be a nice experience, wouldn't it? If you only have some patience... My rating:
If you're still interested in brutal Soviet film that depicts war, you don't have to look too far. Klimow's wife Larisa Sheptiko made a movie called The Ascent, which I believe is a perfect choice after Come and See. It's harsh and austere but deals with quite different topic. Also it features a great actor Anatoli Solonitsyn you may know from Tarkovsky movies. My rating:
Being tired or frightened of previous films, you probably would like to see something different. And here comes At Dawn It's Quiet Here. A film that delivers some lightness. The director didn't forget it's a war film, though, so we've got a lot of firing and even some knife fights. Besides one guy, who looks like typical kolkhoznik, the cast is filled with nice ladies, so it's always delightful to watch them and there's a scene of them taking a bath. Was it enough to recommend the movie? I know it was you kinky little thing, you! My rating:
The first Tarkovsky full-length film, Ivan's Childhood, was one big annoucement of his later works. The poetry oozing from the screen and long nicely-composed shots have later become his trademarks. Even though, I believe that one should watch Stalker first, when starting with Tarkovsky, watching Ivan's Childhood may be a great experiment considering the fact it's the simplest and the most accessible of his works. My rating:
The Cranes Are Flying is a really powerful melodrama with some impressive cinematography and acting. It shows how cruel war can be. Some shots are very long and it's fun to watch the camera following the character, be it in a crowd of people, or in the staircase. The ending is incredibly moving as well. I can't remember any bath scenes, but should do. Now I only have to watch I am Cuba. My rating:
Fate of a Man directed by Sergey Bondarchuk, who also played the protagonist is another great and harsh drama about war. Bondarchuk gives an outstanding performance and empties a mug of vodka in one of the best scenes in the movie. Waterloo is another director's masterpiece and it also deals with a war. More precisely it's about Waterloo Battle, so it's really worth to see if you're an history buff like me. My rating:
Ballad of a Soldier is another great Soviet melodrama. It made me cry several times throughout the film. The director introduces the characters in a way it's hard to don't sympathize with them. My rating:
Few observations:
1. It wasn't as long as I expected.
2. It wasn't as good as I expected.
3. I am as demanding as I expected.
4. Damn, it takes a lot of time.
5. More people outta here should watch Soviet/Russian films!
To be continued in part II where we will look into more sophisticated side of Russian cinema.
Oh, and one more word. It's gonna be long, so if you don't like reading, well... I've added some photos especially for you!
Part 1 - USSR & Russia
Our story begins in Russia. A motherland of Tzars, bolsheviks and many glorious directors. Not a good comparison I'd say. I shouldn't have put these 3 in one sentence. Anyway, USSR cinema greatly differs from later Russian cinema. It often shows brave Russian soldiers struggling and fighting with the enemy to defend their homeland. It may be seen as propaganda, but as for me most of these films don't really differ from American war movies. In both the soldiers deliver sobby claims saying they believe they've died for their country etc. The only disadvantage I find in films of this period is they usually depict Russia as a country of wealth and prosperity, but it's not a big problem when you're watching an absorbing film.
Since, more or less, I've been talking about Soviet war films, I'd like to focus on that topic in the first place. And the best place to start I believe is Come and See by Elem Klimow. It's one of the most violent films I've ever seen. However, its violence is not represented by a big amount of blood and guts seen on the screen. Yeah, some scenes are really disturbing, but it's more of a psychological drama, in which the atrocities of war are shown through the psyche of a young boy. There's no need to give a short synopsis, as I believe even a short summary may be a spoiler. Just watch it so we can continue. No, really? Nope. I'll already start with another film, but reading this small guide and watching the movies simultaneously would be a nice experience, wouldn't it? If you only have some patience... My rating:
If you're still interested in brutal Soviet film that depicts war, you don't have to look too far. Klimow's wife Larisa Sheptiko made a movie called The Ascent, which I believe is a perfect choice after Come and See. It's harsh and austere but deals with quite different topic. Also it features a great actor Anatoli Solonitsyn you may know from Tarkovsky movies. My rating:
Being tired or frightened of previous films, you probably would like to see something different. And here comes At Dawn It's Quiet Here. A film that delivers some lightness. The director didn't forget it's a war film, though, so we've got a lot of firing and even some knife fights. Besides one guy, who looks like typical kolkhoznik, the cast is filled with nice ladies, so it's always delightful to watch them and there's a scene of them taking a bath. Was it enough to recommend the movie? I know it was you kinky little thing, you! My rating:
The first Tarkovsky full-length film, Ivan's Childhood, was one big annoucement of his later works. The poetry oozing from the screen and long nicely-composed shots have later become his trademarks. Even though, I believe that one should watch Stalker first, when starting with Tarkovsky, watching Ivan's Childhood may be a great experiment considering the fact it's the simplest and the most accessible of his works. My rating:
The Cranes Are Flying is a really powerful melodrama with some impressive cinematography and acting. It shows how cruel war can be. Some shots are very long and it's fun to watch the camera following the character, be it in a crowd of people, or in the staircase. The ending is incredibly moving as well. I can't remember any bath scenes, but should do. Now I only have to watch I am Cuba. My rating:
Fate of a Man directed by Sergey Bondarchuk, who also played the protagonist is another great and harsh drama about war. Bondarchuk gives an outstanding performance and empties a mug of vodka in one of the best scenes in the movie. Waterloo is another director's masterpiece and it also deals with a war. More precisely it's about Waterloo Battle, so it's really worth to see if you're an history buff like me. My rating:
Ballad of a Soldier is another great Soviet melodrama. It made me cry several times throughout the film. The director introduces the characters in a way it's hard to don't sympathize with them. My rating:
Few observations:
1. It wasn't as long as I expected.
2. It wasn't as good as I expected.
3. I am as demanding as I expected.
4. Damn, it takes a lot of time.
5. More people outta here should watch Soviet/Russian films!
To be continued in part II where we will look into more sophisticated side of Russian cinema.