| “ | “I First learned of this film as an accidental find at the local video rental shop in the foriegn film section. Now it's a top ten favorite film of mine for several reasons. Stealthily made for Georgian/Russian television under Soviet era rule, it was “shelved” until 1986 when glasnost allowed it's release, just a couple of years prior to the breakup of the Soviet Union. Anyway, here it's shown in Fullscreen presentation as it was made, hence there is no such thing as a Widescreen version. Running time is complete (unedited) at about 154 minutes. Repentance is a story within a story (three generations) which is also book-ended by a main charachter's brief musings leaving the viewer to wonder was this a momentary daydream or did all this actually happen? This does not give away the story or any suspense whatsoever. Because of the multi-layered story, multiple charachters and involved plot most viewers including Georgian/Russian literates will be a bit lost on first viewing. So far I've watched it perhaps 9 or 10 times over the last decade and I'm still unraveling much of the story, charachters and dialogue. Now that I have it on DVD it will be viewed and disected over and over. It's a complicated blend of social commentary, political nightmare, spiritual awareness, family disintegration, artistic/human freedom, surrealism, and even brief moments of (black)comedy. The film's overall flow is like a dark drama and part Euro artfilm perhaps due to the surreal scenes and the unrushed filming/editing. This is not Hollywood product! There's realy little or no “action” per se, and despite there being no blatant visual violence (or sex) I always leave this film as though I've lived through a mass of brutality and executions. Repentance carries some obvious political messages but it really asks the viewer to draw thier own conclusions and to think for thyself! A fantastic, dark and thoughtful film that is as relevant and timeless as the viewer allows or chooses it to be.” – Amazon.com | ” |
| “ | “Rating and reviewing movies like these are often difficult for the average critic. On one hand, they're done absolutely brilliantly done in ways that take one's breath away; on the other hand, how much credit can you give to a movie that is pure propaganda, especially propaganda for something the reviewer doesn't agree with? This “realistic re-enactment” of the events of October 25th, 1917, is actually anything but realism. Instead, it is a harrowing and amazing Romantic experience. This is not to say it's bad – it's brilliant! The direction and editing on this film are much more refined than Eisenstein's previous and much-more-heralded film, Brenonsets Potyemkin (Battleship Potemkin), and it has a whole lot more symbolism and focus on literary devices. His fast-paced cutting is not as disjunctive as previously; instead, it works to shock the viewer with the juxtapositions. I don't think I shall ever get the quick back-and-forth cutting between that one soldier's face and the firing machine gun ever out of my mind. It's just that powerful. This movie is so good, in fact, that it makes me proud to be a Bolshevik... and I'm not, not in any way or form! How's that for being a powerful, well-done movie? The Birth of a Nation didn't effectively make me proud to be a Klansman, for a comparison... Because of its intense political alignment, I can't see everyone appreciating this film. There will always be those out there who say, “Ah, it's only Communist propaganda” (which is right) “so it's not even worth watching...” (which is wrong). For those who are looking for a magnificent cinematic experience, however, this movie is a fine choice indeed.” – Amazon.com | ” |
| “ | “The largest-scale and biggest-budget production of the 1920s. The cold infernality of Yuliya Solntseva and the bodily drive of Nikolai Batalov in the most original screen version of Alexei Tolstoy's immortal book. One of the best fantasy films of all times... (Cannes IFF, 2000). Exhausted by the post-revolutionary life, engineer Los builds a spaceship to travel to Mars. A tragic accident forces him to urgently make use of his invention. On Mars he falls in love with Queen Aelita, while the Red Army man who came with him raises a proletarian uprising. The revolution destroys the Martian civilization...The first film made by the outstanding Russian film director Yakov Protazanov after his return from emigration. The first film roles of Yuliya Solntseva (“The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom”), Nikolai Batalov (“Mother”) and Igor Ilyinsky (“Carnival Night”). New musical arrangement using works by A. Skryabin, I. Stravinsky, A. Glazunov.” – Amazon.com | ” |
| “ | “From the opening moments of gay laughter and silliness to the closing shots of a lost Russian social class fading into time, Nikita Mikhalkov's film “An Unfinished Piece for Player Piano” is perfect Chekhov. Drawn from “Mr. Platonov”, the story circles around a group of relatives and friends at a country estate. Everyone is giddy with boredom until a woman arrives who was Platonov's youthful love in past years. This arrival stirs up old memories and questions Platonov has never resolved about the former relationship and his life direction. Others are affected by his changed mood, and they too begin to question certain relationships among them. In Chekhov there is never tragedy in the sense of anger, betrayal, and death, but rather in nuances of missed opportunities, regrets, and critical life insights always achieved in hindsight. Most of his plays leave you with a feeling of sadness and yearning for character types that no longer exist. The turn-of-the-century people he presents are part of a fading aristocracy that will be eliminated by the revolution of 1917. In this production, the ending is sweet. I have read and seen Chekhov's plays, but until you see a fine Russian production such as this one, you can never quite experience the tone and color of the story as Chekhov himself intended. The acting is superb (and includes Director Mikhalkov himself). A must see.” – Amazon.com | ” |
| “ | “As soon as the comedy was released it became a nation-wide success in Russia. It is brilliant in every way: the plot, the actors, the spirit of merrymaking – all this makes the comedy a national favourite. The comedy allows Russians to have a good laugh at themselves as it highlights popular Russian beliefs, makes fun of the fabulous Russian vodka-drinking and spinning yarn stories of hunters. The whole cast of actors has immediately become tremendously popular. It is a kind comedy, without excessive use of four-letter words though not entirely without them. As far as the plot is concerned the story goes on like this: a group of friends (an army general, police investigator, a writer, a young intellectual, a Finn and a forester) are about to go hunting. The Finn is eager to see a real Russian hunt with borzois, horsemen, aristocratic finery. In reality his companions drink a lot while getting ready for the hunt, get into uproariously funny straits, send a cow flying in a super modern bomber, hunt the said cow and so on. If you have a chance to see it, don't miss it. The comedy is worth seeing even if you are not a Russian. Hunters will be hunters everywhere and they will always spin yarns.” – IMDB.com | ” |
| “ | “The cast of the first film are re-united in this comedy caper, and they actually do catch at least one fish between the drinking and the hangovers. Some of the jokes might go over your head and you even need some history to understand one of them. I keep reading that this series of films will not be understood by Americans and that good comedy is funny in any language. That simply is not true and I believe that many “Friends” or “Frasier” fans from ANY part of the world will not get even a fraction of the humour when they watch this in their native language. My tip – if you watch a dubbed or subtitled version of this and do not find it too funny, become Reivo, buy a ticket to Russia or the Ukraine, make some friends and live the film and when you come back to your own world look around and tell me which you can identify with more. You might like it and the experience will put a whole new slant on things you have found un-funny. You probably did not think much of Fawlty Towers either. The only thing from America that comes close would be MASH.” – IMDB.com | ” |
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