Friday, June 25, 2010

Sergei Yutkevich & Lev Oskarovic Arnstam - Ankara - serdtse Turtsii aka Ankara: The heart of Turkey (1934)



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Ankara - serdtse Turtsii aka Ankara-The heart of Turkey is a Soviet documentary made for the 10th anniversary of the new Turkish Republic in the year 1934.

The story starts over a pastoral view of Turkey, we see some country people going to the new capital : Ankara. Same time, there is Soviet ships passing thru Bosphorus, Istanbul. Soviet military and diplomatic people reach Ankara by train as young turks and scooters. We watch the city by the air... Some archeological views... The new city, the young people, some folkloric plays, modern buildings, gymnasium, modern art school, university studies and finally 10th anniversary stadium ceremony...

Friday, June 11, 2010

Pavel Arsyonov - Lilovyy Shar AKA The Purple Ball (1987)



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Plot
Alisa Seleznyova and her father professor Seleznyov are traveling in space. They meet their old friend archaeologist Gromozeka, who's just discovered a planet all inhabitants of which died. It became known that they discovered a virus of hostility, got infected and killed each other. Gromozeka also discovered that they had left the virus on Earth 26000 years ago, and the virus is about to become loose. The only chance to save the Earth is to travel 26000 years back in time - to the epoch when witches, dragons and magicians lived along with usual people.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Sergei M. Eisenstein - Dnevnik Glumova AKA Glumov's Diary (1923)

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The first film from Eisenstein.

From allmovie

" Eisenstein's interest in film began with an appreciation of the work of D.W. Griffith, whose editing style influenced him in the production of his first cinematic endeavor, the 1923 five-minute newsreel parody Dnevnik Glumova. A stint with Lev Kuleshov's film workshop followed, as did an increasing fascination with the burgeoning avant-garde."

Georgi Daneliya - Afonya (1975)

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Quote:
The 1975 film by Georgi Daneliya "Afonya" was an unexpected commercial hit in USSR. The main character Borshev A.N. is a locksmith who spends his free time, as well as working hours, drinking with his buddies whom he even doesn't recognize the next day after another heavy drink. His wife leaves him, his boss places him on probation, his whole life is falling a part but he doesn't realize it. There is only one person who can save him - nurse Katya whom he met on dances and didn't pay much attention to... Daneliya manages to balance in the film satire and drama, quotes from the film gained a cult status in Russia and other former countries of USSR. Written by Pavel P.

Sergei Vasilyev - Geroite na Shipka aka Heroes of Shipka (1955)



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Quote:
The film won the Best Director Award at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival

from imdb:
The film focuses on a key event in the history of Bulgaria - the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation \1877-1878\, after which the Bulgarian nation won its Freedom. The film follows the crucial moments of the war. Thousands of extras were used to depict the crossing of the Danube and the battle of Stara Zagora. At Stara Zagora the leading elements of the Russian army \the so called Forward squad\ and the Bulgarian volunteers met the army of generalissimo Suleiman pasha, fought bravely and, after all, were pushed back to the strategic Shipka pass. The defense of the pass in august 1877 proved to be one of the most famous battles, fought on Bulgarian soil. It also became a legendary victory for both the Bulgarians and the Russians. It is, of course, the climax of the film, with vivid battle sequences. The Russo-Bulgarian military comradeship is shown here at its best with a lot of memorable moments. The film then brings us to the siege of Pleven, where the army of marshal Osman pasha was surrounded, and, after several bloody assaults by the Russian forces, eventually was urged to surrender in November 1877. The film also shows the passing of the Balkan mountain range and the march to Constantinople, where, in a small suburb of the Turkish capital, called San Stefano, the cease-fire agreement took place \3.03.1878\ and Bulgaria emerged after 500 years of oblivion

Georgi Daneliya - Ya shagayu po Moskve AKA I Walk Around Moscow (1964)



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From Mosfilm:
A comedy about young Moskovites, their short one-day friendship with installer Volodya, who has come from a construction project in Siberia. About mutual assistance and first love.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Vasili Shukshin - Kalina krasnaya AKA The Red Snowball Tree (1973)

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Quote:
Drama of a man who tried to live a new life. Yegor Prokudin (Vasili Shukshin) is a child of a street who grew up in a criminal gang. While he was free, he did not lose his innocent, joyful heart, but many years in prison have taken away his joy in living. The film opens on the occasion of his release from prison. Soon, he discovers love with a village peasant girl, Lyuba (Lidia Fedoseeva-Shukshina), who was lettering him in jail and restores his will to live and fills him with an enthusiasm for rural life. There are dark shadows on his way for better being - his past and his old mother he never visited from childhood times. (Actually, the scene where Lyuba talks to his mother was shooted with non-acting old village women) Their idyll is short-lived, as his former associates will not leave him alone.

Andrei Konchalovsky - Dyadya Vanya AKA Uncle Vanya (1970)

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Synopsis from IMDB:

A retired professor has returned to his estate to live with his beautiful young wife, Yelena. The estate originally belonged to his first wife, now deceased; her mother and brother still live there and manage the farm. For many years the brother (Uncle Vanya) has sent the farm's proceeds to the professor, while receiving only a small salary himself. Sonya, the professor's daughter, who is about the same age as his new wife, also lives on the estate.
The professor is pompous, vain, and irritable. He calls the doctor (Astrov) to treat his gout, only to send him away without seeing him. Astrov is an experienced physician who performs his job conscientiously, but has lost all idealism and spends much of his time drinking. The presence of Yelena introduces a bit of sexual tension into the household.
Astrov and Uncle Vanya both fall in love with Yelena; she spurns them both. Meanwhile, Sonya is in love with Astrov, who fails even to notice her. Finally, when the professor announces he wants to sell the estate, Vanya, whose admiration for the man died with his sister, tries to kill him.