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shabby
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Post subject: 'Tikhiy Don.'  Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:19 pm |
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Joined: Tue May 01, 2007 4:48 pm
Posts: 1318
Location: South Wales
Highscores: 1
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I have just watched all five and a half hours of 'Quiet Flows the Don'. Made in 1957, it is an epic adaptation of Sholokhov's controversial novel about life and love among the Don cossacks seen against the backdrop of the revolution, the civil war and the landscape of the Don itself. Not least the latter as the silent, silver ribbon of the Don, the steppe and even the wind in the trees are all beautifully captured by the director as unknowing witnesses to both the petty brutalities of village life and the more methodical, mindless cruelties of the state and it's agents, Red or White.
The casting is perfect, no Hollywood pretty-boys or hot-properties here. Especially the female lead, for In Elina Bystriskaya the director Gerasimov has the gift of the archetype of Cossack womanhood, handsome rather than beautiful, physically strong, she fills the eye. Don't believe me? Then watch her powerful arms as she expertly, rhythmically kneads dough or rolls felt and marvel.
There are small critcisms; it is sometimes difficult to keep track of who is who and did what to whom as in many works of such proportions. The plot structure is a little different to Western films prefering to stay true to it's literary source; so expect none of the stock villains or pat ends to storylines you see in Hollywood's canon, or even in an Eisenstein picture. Finally, after five and a half hours, it's ending is extreemely abrupt, lacking exposition and as a result a little unsatisfying (something I've come to expect in a soviet film) but otherwise 'Tikhiy Don' is a triumph of the film-makers art and great entertainment.
(Tomorrow, in contrast, I will be watching 'Enemy at the Gates' again. Partly just for a laugh but mostly to see Rachel Weiss' nekkid arse.)
_________________
Saninstruktor Iosef Trofimovich Grushenko
or
Voennii Vrach Ibrahim Ibrahimovich Shapiro
Either's good.
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Tank
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Post subject: Re: 'Tikhiy Don.' Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:53 am |
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| Starshiy Serzhant |
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Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:27 pm
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Location: Tankograd!
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i have this film on dvd - if anyone wants to borrow it just let me know!
oh shabby i now have chapaev on dvd - f**kin ace!
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"THEIR PUNY WHITE FLAGS ARE NO MATCH FOR OUR MACHINE GUNS!"
- kirill mickailovitch pavlov - Radzymin august 1944
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shabby
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Post subject: Re: 'Tikhiy Don.' Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:16 am |
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Joined: Tue May 01, 2007 4:48 pm
Posts: 1318
Location: South Wales
Highscores: 1
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Indeed. I have tracked down the lyrics for 'Chorniy Voron' which he duets with Pyetka which I will learn when I have time.
_________________
Saninstruktor Iosef Trofimovich Grushenko
or
Voennii Vrach Ibrahim Ibrahimovich Shapiro
Either's good.
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Tank
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Post subject: Re: 'Tikhiy Don.' Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:05 pm |
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| Starshiy Serzhant |
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Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:27 pm
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Location: Tankograd!
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nice - can you send me the lyrics if you can - i see stage entertainment in the next banya!
_________________
"THEIR PUNY WHITE FLAGS ARE NO MATCH FOR OUR MACHINE GUNS!"
- kirill mickailovitch pavlov - Radzymin august 1944
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shabby
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Post subject: Re: 'Tikhiy Don.' Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:48 am |
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Joined: Tue May 01, 2007 4:48 pm
Posts: 1318
Location: South Wales
Highscores: 1
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Yes, will do but I'm still half-hoping that the banya entertainment will be pole-dancing oriental whores, at some stage. But I'm sure the lads will settle for a sing-song instead.
_________________
Saninstruktor Iosef Trofimovich Grushenko
or
Voennii Vrach Ibrahim Ibrahimovich Shapiro
Either's good.
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Tank
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Post subject: Re: 'Tikhiy Don.' Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:32 am |
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| Starshiy Serzhant |
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Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:27 pm
Posts: 304
Location: Tankograd!
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_________________
"THEIR PUNY WHITE FLAGS ARE NO MATCH FOR OUR MACHINE GUNS!"
- kirill mickailovitch pavlov - Radzymin august 1944
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Adrian
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Post subject: Re: 'Tikhiy Don.' Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:11 pm |
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Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:17 pm
Posts: 691
Location: Derbyshire
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We watched "Chapaev" at Huw's this past weekend: it was great!
Cheers, Ade.
_________________ http://www.2ndguards.com/index.htmlAdrian Borisovitch Stepanov Guards Starshina Unit 2 I/C 2nd Guards Rifle Div.
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