History

It is one more Russian expensive film made for the last several years. And possibly it could be the most successful one. The film`s budget amounted 20 mln USD, it was seen by the 5,5mln audience. Most of them highly appreciated the work of Andrey Kravchuk.

The film story is based on the real historical events. It is the story of struggle and love of the great admiral Alexander Vasilyevych Kolchak, that became famous at the times of the Russian Empire downfall. Even despite of the some historical inaccuracies “The Admiral” deserves to be called the film of high quality and repaid until the showing in cinemas.

The author`s personal opinion: I`ve heard a lot of various characteristics before the viewing: “boring”, “despondently”, “wimpy” intertwined with inspiring and positive opinions. But, as the saying goes, every man to his own taste. One more time I assured – it is quite true. As for my opinion – I could estimate it as weak 5.

IMDB rating: 7,1/10.

Trailer:

Directed by:

Andrey Kravchuk

Cast:

Konstantin Khabenskiy, Yelizaveta Boyarskaya, Sergey Bezrukov, Vladislav Vetrov, Yegor Beroyev, Anna Kovalchuk

Production:

Film Direction, Russia, 2008

Feature:

Drama, History, War

Duration:

123 min.

Additional information:

International Movie Database

In the faraway part of the world live ordinary people. Alex (Konstantin Lavrinenko), her wife Vera (Mariya Bonnevye), brother Mark (Alexander Baluyev), friend Kir (Maxim Shibayev) and two children. Together with wife and children Alex goes to the country house. There his wife weeps bitterly and then lets him know about her new pregnancy. “This child is not yours,” sounds the verdict to the happy family future. It is total mess in the head of Alex. Who is the father? Mark? Kir? Who should be blamed and killed? Impossibility to find out the truth drives him into the gloomy state. One by one slow but surprising events causes the terrible tragedy.

The second film by Andrey Zvyagintsev is endless (two hours and a half) as well as beautiful. Honestly, in the Russian cinematograph history, including also the Soviet period, one could hardly find the same trendy, visually filigree film. “The Expulsion” - is the benefit performance of the brilliant operator Mikhail Krichman. The particular pleasure brings to the viewer the film`s cast. It should be mentioned, that film is based on the story of William Saroyan and touches upon the subjects of mutual understanding in the triangle Man-Woman-God. According to the European critics Andrey Zvyagintsev was called due to “The Expulsion” the descendant of Tarkovsky and Bergman. If you are able to bear the 150 minutes of this parable, you would definitely appreciate this film.

Trailer:

Directed by:

Andrey Zvyagintsev

Cast:

Konstantin Lavronenko, Alexander Baluyev, Maxim Shibayev, Mariya Bonnevye, Yekaterina Kulkina, Yelena Lyadova, Andrey Shibarshin, Dmitriy Ulyanov, Alexey Vertkov

Production:

Hélicotronc, REN FILM, Russia, 2007

Feature:

Drama

Duration:

150 min.

In Rus even the villein is no less clever than the prince or boyar council. And if he is also in love with the tsarevna Kseniya Godunova, he could probably do marvels.

When Andreyka was a little boy his family lived in the tsar`s court. It was then that he didn`t understand, why tsarevich Fedor Godunov is permitted to hit him by the sword and he is not. But then Kseniya Godunova gave to the brave boy a piece of unicorn`s horn from the tsar`s gate. That gift became for him a real talisman, which helped the boy to stay alive during the attack of Poles.

Once again Andrey will meet tsarevna by chance in 1612. Kseniya will travel with Polish hetman and barge hauler Andreyka will drag their ship. It is a right moment to take vengeance on hetman, to help the Motherland and to win the girl`s heart…

Trailer:

Directed by:

Vladimir Khotinenko

Cast:

Mikhail Porechenkov, Marat Basharov, Alexander baluyev, Arthur Smolyaninov , Mikhail Zhebrovski, Petr Kislov, Violetta Davidovskaya, Daniil Spivakovski, Valeriy Zolotukhin

Production:

TRITE Studio, RENOVA MEDIA, “Golden eagle” studio, Russia, 2007

Feature:

History, Adventure, Tale

Duration:

144 min.

On this day in 1919 V.I. Lenin signed a Decree about the nationalization of the cinematograph, therefore in USSR and later also in Russia this date received the status of the Russian filmmaker’s holiday.

The birthday of the world cinema is considered to be the December 28, 1895. Since that day started the regular “cinematograph” showing on the boulevard des Capucines in Paris. In Russia first filming was taken in 1896 by the French cameraman Kamill Serf during the coronation of Nicholas II in Moscow.

The first filmshows were organized by the French impresario Raul Gunzburg.

On May 4, 1896, the first public filmshow took place in the theatre “Aquarium” premises.

The history of Russian film production started on October 15, 1908, when the first domestic live-action film, “Stenka Razin” was shown. It occupied the two hundred and twenty four meters of film and lasted 7,5 minutes. In one more time opened in 1907 cinema atelier of Alexander Drankov the film was directed by the obscure stage director V. Romashkov and played by the theatre troupe. And in 4 years only, in 1912 appeared the first cartoon.

The screen art was nationalized by the Lenin`s decree dated August 27, 1919. According to the cinema historian Victor Listov in fact the real process of Russian cinematography transition under the state dominion was much more complicated. Starting from the 1916 winter according to the instruction of Nicholas II the main agencies like Ministry of Education, Censorial agency, Police department were preparing the act of cinematograph nationalization. But the consideration of the document by the State Duma didn`t take place, because of the February revolution. Thus the cinematograph nationalization wasn`t hastened by the revolution, on the contrary, it was delayed formally on 2 years and in fact – on decades.

It should be noted, that only the weak ruined companies insisted on nationalization in order to put their debts on the state. The viable companies quite the contrary tried to avoid the nationalization, moved the equipment and staff to Crimea. All in all the private cinematograph existed during the period of Civil war and NEP. It was eliminated only in the end of 1920-ies.

In the beginning of 1920-ies the new film production companies in Moscow and Petrograd appeared – “Mosfilm” and “Lenfilm”. According to the Soviet statistics during the flowering of the Soviet cinematograph each Russian visited cinema 20 times a year.

Not long ago the professional holiday wasn`t a joyous event for the Russian cinematographers, because the cinema survived the state of the deep crisis. Fortunately the difficult times are left behind. According to the words of the head of the cinematography agency of Roscultura Sergey Lazarchuk “today the box-office receipts of Russian films exceed the ones of Hollywood production, the quantity of cinemas increases also”.

On the press-conference dedicated to the Russian Cinema Day Sergey Lazarchuk said to the journalists, that “till the end of the current year the production of more than 100 live-action films is planned, 29 of them – début works”. Lazarchuk also mentioned about the exceptional growth of film studios – there 600 of them now in Russia, and only three years ago it was 100. But to his point of view the Russian cinematograph now lacks the sharp, problem films. He also added that in the coming year in the project of state budget 4 bln roubles is planned on the film financing and State Film Fund, VGIK and Petersburg University of cinema and television support.

“We sailors must stand shoulder to shoulder with the workers in the first ranks of the revolution!” says sailor Vakulichuk to the sailor Matyushenko in the beginning of the film. The mutiny on the Battleship Potemkin scene was going to become the part of the great epopee “The Year 1905” ordered in the honour of the first soviet revolution twentieth anniversary. But fortunately it concentrated the images and ideas of the abandoned epopee. Its bright romantic images full of grotesque can truly fascinate. Our contemporaries could hardly imagine such overall faith into the radiant future created by one`s own hands, and believe into the all-triumphant good.

“The Battleship Potemkin” continues to surprise and inspire people all over the world. In the end of last century twenties the German avant-gardist photographers from Bauhaus were keen on the film`s close-ups. And already in 2006 Pet Shop Boys presented their concert «Pancerkruezer Potemkin» in Dresden to be the film`s soundtrack. The best among the first and the first among the best the Battleship Potemkin continues its triumphant procession with the flapping red flag.

Film fragment:

Directed by:

Sergey Ezenshtern, Grygory Alexandrov

Cast:

Alexander Antonov
Vladimir Barsky
Grygory Alexandrov
Mikhail Gomorov
Vladimir Uralskiy
Andrey Fajt

Production:

Mosfilm, USSR, 1925

Duration:

75 min.

Feature:

Historical drama

The epic blockbuster about the great ruler and commander Temujin, better known as Genghis Khan. “A weak young shouldn`t be despised – he could turn out into a tiger`s son”, - states the Mongolian proverb. The boy Temujin overcame the hunger, humiliation, servitude and became the sovereign of the world. He was hunted and betrayed. Everything was surmounted by the man, whose mind and power seemed superhuman. The love of Borte, first beloved wife of Genghis Khan, was the solid support no one could take away from him. This is the story of the man, which became a legend. “The Mongolian” is going to become not only a box-office hit, but also one of the large-scale Russian films since “War and Peace” by Sergey Bondarchuk.

Trailer:

Directed by:

Sergey Bodrov (Sr.)

Cast:

Tadanobu Asano
Ying Bai
Honglei Sun
Aliya

Production:

STV, Russia, 2007

Official site:

http://www.mongolfilm.ru/site/en/

Duration:

120 min.

Feature:

Drama / History