titov
Joined Nov 2001
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titov's rating
The Russian title of this film (which is faithfully given in transcription in the IMDb entry as Semero Smelykh) is Семеро Смелых-- which actually comes out "Seven Brave People" (or Seven Brave Ones, or perhaps The Seven Who Were Brave, if you want to get arty). In any case, there's no mention of men as such in it, so all of North Wales can relax on that score.
To call the film "propaganda" is not so much inaccurate as marveling at the obvious: no Soviet film of the period (or indeed any period) could be made *and* released for public consumption without passing several stages of official review, much of which -- and especially under high Stalinism -- was political in nature. Thus nothing that was not perceived as serving certain state ends (or the ends of certain powerful individuals/agencies within the state) could show up on Soviet screens. And much that *did* show up, naturally, contained a propaganda quotient far beyond the level of BEARABLE to a non-Soviet audience.
This film was Sergei Gerasimov's first as director-- and certainly not his best. Take a look, by way of contrast, at his version of Sholokhov's "Tikhii Don" ("and Quiet Flows the Don", 1958) or his last film, "Tolstoy (1984), in which he cast himself as the eponymous writer.
"Seven Brave, er, Individuals" is, in any case, endowed with good location segments and occasionally reaches an admirable level of tautness in the characters' problem-solving. So it can boast a watchability factor, if you will, rather higher than many of its contemporaries-- and evidently achieved a re-watchability factor to match, for that matter, as its creditable IMDb viewer rating attests.
To call the film "propaganda" is not so much inaccurate as marveling at the obvious: no Soviet film of the period (or indeed any period) could be made *and* released for public consumption without passing several stages of official review, much of which -- and especially under high Stalinism -- was political in nature. Thus nothing that was not perceived as serving certain state ends (or the ends of certain powerful individuals/agencies within the state) could show up on Soviet screens. And much that *did* show up, naturally, contained a propaganda quotient far beyond the level of BEARABLE to a non-Soviet audience.
This film was Sergei Gerasimov's first as director-- and certainly not his best. Take a look, by way of contrast, at his version of Sholokhov's "Tikhii Don" ("and Quiet Flows the Don", 1958) or his last film, "Tolstoy (1984), in which he cast himself as the eponymous writer.
"Seven Brave, er, Individuals" is, in any case, endowed with good location segments and occasionally reaches an admirable level of tautness in the characters' problem-solving. So it can boast a watchability factor, if you will, rather higher than many of its contemporaries-- and evidently achieved a re-watchability factor to match, for that matter, as its creditable IMDb viewer rating attests.
"The Priest"/Поп joins several recent Russian entries (including "Punishment Batallion"/Штрафбат and two or three of the set-pieces within Sergei Mikhalkov's ponderous "Burnt by the Sun- 2"/ Утомленные солцем- 2) as part of a de facto common effort to rescue post-Soviet cinema from the stereotypes, fables and large-scale falsification that the Soviet movie industry was largely confined to for most of the period covering 1942-91-- and managed to pass along, if only as a mindset, to many in the succeeding Russian industry and general public after the Soviet Union finally went out of business (not a moment too soon).
For every rare kernel of truth-- and there were indeed a few in "Ballada of a Soldier"/ Баллада о солдате and "Come and See"/ Иди и смотри, for example-- there were 20 (or 200 or 2000) Big Lie whoppers planted within the waves of propaganda films masquerading as cinema (and not very well) that Soviet audiences were subjected to for half a century. Setting all this aside has not, of course, been easy-- particularly when you have figures like the mayor of Moscow adamantly insisting that Stalin should be honored as part of the nation's celebration of the 65th anniversary of victory in the war. Yikes.
"The Priest" profits enormously from Sergei Makovetsky in the lead, an actor whose range is among the broadest in the profession (Evgenii Mironov is his principal competition). The film is less plot-driven than episodic-- which is as it should be, since its premise is a plot unto itself: a Russian Orthodox priest functions under German occupation on territory that has changed hands multiple times over a single generation. Whom to serve and how are all the "plot" necessary; and the answers on offer are not pat.
Russian viewers have taken home much that is new to them from this film, and non-Russian audiences, even those unfamiliar with the contested history of the region, will likewise find considerable food for thought here. Briefly put, "The Priest" will reward different audiences on many levels, and deserves wide distribution outside (current) Russian borders. Highly recommended.
For every rare kernel of truth-- and there were indeed a few in "Ballada of a Soldier"/ Баллада о солдате and "Come and See"/ Иди и смотри, for example-- there were 20 (or 200 or 2000) Big Lie whoppers planted within the waves of propaganda films masquerading as cinema (and not very well) that Soviet audiences were subjected to for half a century. Setting all this aside has not, of course, been easy-- particularly when you have figures like the mayor of Moscow adamantly insisting that Stalin should be honored as part of the nation's celebration of the 65th anniversary of victory in the war. Yikes.
"The Priest" profits enormously from Sergei Makovetsky in the lead, an actor whose range is among the broadest in the profession (Evgenii Mironov is his principal competition). The film is less plot-driven than episodic-- which is as it should be, since its premise is a plot unto itself: a Russian Orthodox priest functions under German occupation on territory that has changed hands multiple times over a single generation. Whom to serve and how are all the "plot" necessary; and the answers on offer are not pat.
Russian viewers have taken home much that is new to them from this film, and non-Russian audiences, even those unfamiliar with the contested history of the region, will likewise find considerable food for thought here. Briefly put, "The Priest" will reward different audiences on many levels, and deserves wide distribution outside (current) Russian borders. Highly recommended.
After last year's triple Oscar sweep of the new category Best Motion Picture About Homosexual Cowboys and Sheep by a film of breathtaking mediocrity, this year we get "The History Boys," which is apparently an, er, alternative lifestyler's fantasy of school teaching-- and one in which someone important decided that No Stereotype or Cliché Will Be Left Untrotted Out, Dammit, from the evil-caricature heterosexual authority figure to the WWII Bomber Crew (Rainbow Coalition?) of nationality groups on parade as the grammar school "students" (who look, hmm, suspiciously like 25 year olds).
If we can get the Academy to offer an Oscar for Most Excruciatingly Politcally Correct School Movie From the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Trans-gender/Trans-species Front, this one may be a winner!
And please note: No actual reality was harmed in the making of this film. Or even suggested. Indeed, it is a safe bet that no one who ever taught a real class in a real boys' school in the real 1983 had even the remotest connection with this film. That's not the point. Nope, this one's relentless irreality is matched only by its cumulative tedium: audible yawns among the audience began to be heard around the 20-minute mark, and cell phones were gradually turned back on with impunity. Who could blame these folks? On the way out of the theatre people avoided eye contact, not wanting to recognize publicly everybody's mutual embarrassment: We Paid Money To See This.
If we can get the Academy to offer an Oscar for Most Excruciatingly Politcally Correct School Movie From the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Trans-gender/Trans-species Front, this one may be a winner!
And please note: No actual reality was harmed in the making of this film. Or even suggested. Indeed, it is a safe bet that no one who ever taught a real class in a real boys' school in the real 1983 had even the remotest connection with this film. That's not the point. Nope, this one's relentless irreality is matched only by its cumulative tedium: audible yawns among the audience began to be heard around the 20-minute mark, and cell phones were gradually turned back on with impunity. Who could blame these folks? On the way out of the theatre people avoided eye contact, not wanting to recognize publicly everybody's mutual embarrassment: We Paid Money To See This.