Zvenigora - 1928 - Soviet Union

Zvenigora - 1928 - 7/10
AKA - Звeнигopа

 
Sweeping tale of the old man who guards the Ukraine treasure.
Time from around 900 to 1900, after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The treasure, one gathers, lies in the soil itself.  The identity of Ukraine.
At one point, during the modern era, a performance occurs for a live audience.
The presenter has pledged to shoot himself after explaining the conflict between Ukraine and Bolshevikism.
A crowd of rich Europeans, maddened with bloodlust, disinterested in the East.
Film of inventive visuals and thorny ideas.

My Dearly Beloved Detective - 1986 - Soviet Union

My Dearly Beloved Detective - 1986 - 6/10
AKA - Moy Nezhno Lyubimyy Detektiv

 
“No, I’m sorry, he is a fictional character.  However, since we tired of endless people coming here with their troubles, we formed our own detective agency.  And … my name is also Holmes.”
Delightful, if daffy, comedy of the famed Baker Street sleuths, Shirley Holmes and Jane Watson.
Main mystery is when Scotland Yard asks them to find their missing Inspector Lester.
This features a number of songs, one or two dance numbers.
Something for the more cultured amongst us.
English subtitles = https://subscene.cam/subtitle/3279578

Solaris - 1972 - Soviet Union

Solaris - 1972 - 6/10

 
My first exposure to Tarkovsky, watched in 1977 was a cure for insomnia.
(Unfortunately, along with a plethora of SciFi’s at the Nuart, trying to cash in on the Star Wars phenomsena.)
In between yawning and checking the theater clock, I sat there bewildered.
The crew of the station orbiting Solaris are exhibiting signs of madness.
A psychologist is dispatched, and he soon suffers hallucinations.
Most intriguingly, the planet is an organic being.  An over-mind, or unisoul.
The plot is maddeningly vague, however, with nonexistent pacing.
I appreciate Tarkovsky more now, but even this recent rewatch, I cannot get into this one.

The Vampire Family - 1990 - Soviet Union

The Vampire Family - 1990 - 6/10
AKA - Semya Vurdalakov

 
The newspaper photographer is renowned for capturing gruesome scenes.
Next assignment, the small village where most of the residents have died or fled.
It is remote, primitive, and the last household is superstitious.
The dead don’t stay dead.  They return within nine days.  Hungry, no, make that thirsty.

 
Visibly dark film manages to be claustrophobic and eerie.
The city guest is out of his depth, but he makes an ideal observer.
Looking without grasping.
The film is not remotely slick, in fact it is incoherent at times.
Nevertheless, the otherness of the place, along with the forbidding suspense. is chilling.

S.V.D.: Soyuz Velikogo Dela - 1927 - Soviet Union

S.V.D. - Soyuz Velikogo Dela - 1927 - 6/10
AKA - The Club Of The Big Deed / СВД: Союз Bеликого Дела

 
The Decembrist Revolt of 1825, occurred in Russia after the Napoleonic Wars.
After Czar Alexander I died, eldest son Constantine declined the crown and his brother Nicholas accepted it.
There was brief fighting between regiments, the revolution was crushed, most survivors shipped to Siberia.
Oversimplified background.

This movie is a miniaturized version of the rebellion in one regiment.
The main character, however, is a cardsharp, seller of information and betrayer.
Rebels plan in back rooms, but the cad hears enough valuable information to sell.
One sequence takes place in a circus, which has little bearing, though it is interesting to see the strong-woman hoist an artillery cannon.
As Soviet films go, this is mild on the propaganda.
S V D is also a marvelous example of “flicker” as light dances throughout.
Howling midnight gales, hard shadows, cigarette smoke are expertly used for atmosphere.

Andrei Rublev - 1966 - Soviet Union

Andrei Rublev - 1966 - 9/10
AKA - Andrey Rublyov

 
15th century Russia, we trail “everyman” Rublev though conflicts, village life, spring fertility rites.
Rublev was the premier icon painter of his era.
Languid at times, though never remotely boring.  There is simply too much to take in.
Many of the scenes and sequences are unforgettable.
Others, you can only marvel at the sheer amount of bodies.  Not since the Silent era were there so many extras.
Of course this is Soviet filmmaking, in a film that would be shown to the world.
I first saw this in the 1980’s, the two hour edit, in a museum.
This has now been restored visually, and to the full 3+ hour length.
A must for world cinema types.

Ordinary Fascism - 1965 - Soviet Union

Ordinary Fascism - 1965 - 6/10
AKA - Triumph Over Violence  //  Обыкновенный фашизм

 
Unsurprising Soviet documentary on the rise and activities of the Nazis.
Not so much about World War II but rather the National Socialist Party.
History shown from the Soviet point of view.
No “Allies” mentioned in the Great Patriotic War (how USSR termed WWII for years).
A couple chapters devoted to Communist factions in the Weimar era.
Narrative is overlong, condescending, and opinionated.  Reference the '65 date.
Interesting more as a curiosity, less as historic document.
Unseen (to me) Soviet war footage, along with quite graphic concentration camp imagery.  Beware.

Andromeda Nebula - 1967 - Soviet Union

Andromeda Nebula - 1967 - 5/10
AKA - Tumannost Andromedy  // Туманность Андромеды

 
Turgid Soviet space opera.
A crew finds itself trapped on an “iron planet,” unable to escape the gravitational pull.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, scientists and the intelligentsia, debate, ponder, and rhapsodize about humanity,  
Those guys are a drag.
Back on the iron planet, an invisible presence starts killing.
Sets are bad, optical effects interesting, costumes are glorified togas.
Characters spout highfalutin propaganda at will.  Zzzzz.
I watched out of curiosity as the KGB banned the writer after this.

Miss Mend - 1926 - Soviet Union

Miss Mend - 1926 - 6/10
AKA - Мисс Менд

 
Four hour, Silent serial from Soviet Union.  Three, long-as-hell chapters that should have been chopped to 12.
Miss Mend is a typist who witnesses a strike over at the Rocfeller Cork Factory!  
Also watching are members of the press:  journalist, photographer, office boy.
Male trio is box o rocks dumb (call ‘em Dimwit, Halfwit, and Nitwit) but the yarn is more them, less Mend.
The group get mixed up with this rich swell who wants to donate his fortune to the Bolsheviks.
However, a powerful Capitalist agency wants to thwart him.
Worse, massacre thousands of innocent Russians!
Story - mostly set in (CCCP’s version of) the US of A - is fast moving but jumps all over kingdom come.
Good luck keeping track of motivations and who’s on which side.
Fairly casual death count in this, without flinching from suffering the smallest.

Nostalghia - 1983 - Soviet Union

Nostalghia - 1983 - 7/10

 
Joint Italian/Russian film of Russian poet living in Italy, researching a book on an obscure Russian composer.
He daydreams about the wife he left behind.  Or is she dead?
He and his translator ponder the village idiot, a rambling old man and his dog.
Rain pours most of the time, everything seems shrouded in fog.
The beautiful blonde Italian translator wants to bear a baby.  Maybe.  Perhaps she laments an abortion.
Multiple meanings abound, as do veiled narratives.
Positive reviewers noted one needs to watch this numerous times to appreciate.  Negative reviews point out how dull and ponderous this seems.
This is not one I “enjoyed,” and I struggle to “appreciate” it.
Thirty years ago, I paid good money to see arthouse fare, only to exit afterward thinking myself shallow and stupid.
Now, older and more jaded, I still consider myself shallow, struggling to penetrate the obliqueness of Tarkovsky’s vision.

The Diplomatic Pouch - 1927 - Soviet Union

The Diplomatic Pouch - 1927 - 6/10
AKA - Sumka Dipkuryera

Silent Soviet espionage thriller set in the Soviet's version of England, then afloat the steamer, Victoria.
A diplomatic bag, meant for the Bolsheviks, is being furiously sought by Police Inspector White
(undoubtedly a word play on the Reds enemy, the White faction).

 
Cat n mouse struggles play out inside the confines of cramped and claustrophobic ship.
The villains of the piece, the British secret police, will stop at nothing to intercept the documents.
In their way are the stalwart, Soviet seaman.  Comrades united against capitalist dogs.

 
The first twenty minutes of the film are considered lost, though you can pick up the narrative easily enough.
Imaginative, expressionistic camera work (director Dovzhenko plays the stoker), energetic music score.
Preachy and dated, but taut and enjoyable, nevertheless.

Note:  The film is easy enough to locate, but subtitles are another matter.
Most subs are for the 70 minute film, though all existing prints are 50 minutes.
Go here for more or less proper subtitles – https://subscene.com/subtitles/sumka-dipkuryera/

I resynced the timings, corrected grammar, spelling, and changed some words to clarify the inter-titles.
If anyone who can read Cyrillic wants to suggest an improvement, please advise.

Soviet Storm: WWII In The East - 2011 - Soviet Union

Soviet Storm: WWII In The East - 2011 - 7/10
AKA - Советский Шторм

 
Multi-parted documentary of WWII Russian Front, told from Soviet point of view.
This aspect of the war is rarely covered in the West.  We believe it was all Patton, Monty and D-Day.
Far from it.  Nazis and Soviets smashed at each other, big time.  Massive fatalities.
Series made use of Soviet newsreel footage and limited CGI, along with the usual maps and arrows.
Beware:  Maps were all in Cyrillic, though narration was in BBC English.
Highlights include the Battle Of Kursk, where over 6000 tanks slugged it out.
Must for war buffs.

Come And See - 1985 - Russia

Come And See  - 1985 - 8/10
AKA - Idi i Smotri  // Иди и Cмотри

 
“ ... Adventures are not all pony rides in May sunshine.”  Tolkien
Harrowing film of the Nazi invasion of Belorussia in 1943.
A young village boy joins partisan fighters and journeys from wide-eyed idealism to experience.
Opening chapters register uncertainty and anxiety, fears about what German invaders want.
Film proceeds to display, with brutal detail, the Master Race dealing with lower orders.
The audio mix on this is noteworthy, music and sound editing.
After a shelling, the boy suffers hearing loss and viewers share his disability.
Tone shifts from confusion, indifference, barbarity, and rare beauty.

Alexander Nevsky - 1938 - Russia

Alexander Nevsky - 1938 - 8/10
AKA - Aleksandr Nevskiy

 
An invading army of Teutonic knights cut their way through 13th century Russia.
Prince Alexander Nevsky rallies the populace to halt the murderous foes.
Propaganda film with glorious battle sequences.
Evocative Prokofiev score aids immensely.
To you history buffs, this was meant as a warning to later Teutonic knights, the Third Reich.  

Several years ago, the university in my hamlet decided to screen this.
With the university symphony!  And a massed chorus of three church choirs.
Dazzling!

Viy - 1967 - Soviet Union

Viy - 1967 - 7/10

 
Bratsky Monastery in Kiev releases students for summer break.
The rector warns them to avoid excess debauchery, before they dash off, stealing food and groping females.
As dusk settles, young priest Khoma and two companions request shelter from an old crone.
Before he realizes his situation, the woman mounts Khoma (not like that, naughty), seizes her broomstick, and away they fly.
Oh, no, she a witch!
Well, a lot more lands in Khoma’s plate.  Cossacks, a dead maiden, gallons of vodka, and a spooky three night wake.
Funny, frightening, beautiful photography, with a hair raising finale.
Based on Gogol‘s short story, this is faithful and picturesque.

Seventeen Moments Of Spring - 1973 - Soviet Union

Seventeen Moments Of Spring - 1973 - 8/10
AKA - Семнадцать Mгновений Bесны

Engrossing espionage par excellence.
No explosions, limited gunplay, no car chases.
Nuts n bolts, nerve wracking intelligence gathering.
Max Otto von Stierlitz, a high operative in the SD, has actually been a Soviet plant since 1933.
Now 1945, the second world war is nearing an end and Moscow has given him an important mission.
Determine if someone in German high command is trying to make a separate peace with Western powers.
Find out who that individual is. Then thwart any separate peace plans.
Candidates include Göering, Goebbels, Bormann, Himmler.
Other Reich agencies, jockeying for power and spying on each other, include the SS, the Gestapo.
In short, Stierlitz maneuvers within a thicket of knives.
The pace is slow, but the intensity seldom flags as Stierlitz must protect sources, recruit allies, liquidate loose ends, and explain himself over and over to operational chiefs.
Based on the actual negotiations, Operation Sunrise Crossword, this series was a favorite of Leonid Brezhnev.