Night Watch

Amazon.com

Night Watch is that rare film that--like The Matrix--is not only visually dazzling but creates an intriguing, seductive, and thrilling alternative world. A young man named Anton, after dabbling in black magic to bring back the wife who left him, discovers that the world is populated by fantastical Others (vampires, shape-shifters, witches, and more) who have chosen sides--Light or Dark--in an epic battle. A truce has been declared; both sides watch the other to ensure the truce is maintained. But a prophecy has predicted that a powerful Other will tilt the balance, and Anton--who is himself an Other--finds himself crucial to the prophecy's fulfillment. There's no question that Night Watch has weaknesses. Numerous plot holes get glossed over by pell-mell pacing, the visual conception of the apocalyptic battle between Light and Dark is curiously pedestrian (a bunch of knights fighting a bunch of guys in fur with swords--what happened to their various powers?), and more--but, much like similar problems with The Matrix, it doesn't matter.

The alternative world Night Watch presents is so rich with possibilities that it takes on a life of its own, both as an imaginative universe and as a vivid metaphor for the moral complexities of our own lives--for example, though the forces of Light claim to be good, their often brutal actions call their virtue into question, and the forces of Dark make some compelling moral arguments on the topic. The movie is so overstuffed with ideas that many don't get fleshed out, but that only contributes to the sense of vitality and unexplored dimensions. Even the subtitles are used creatively. The impending sequels (this is the first film of a trilogy) may--like The Matrix--take all the stimulating possibilities Night Watch raises and drag them into the toilet, but for the moment, this is the sort of electric excitement that blockbuster movies promise but so rarely deliver. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Among normal humans live the "Others" possessing various supernatural powers. They are divided up into the forces of light and the forces of the dark, who signed a truce several centuries ago to end a devastating battle. Ever since, the forces of light govern the day while the night belongs to their dark opponents. In modern day, the dark Others actually roam the night as vampires while a "Night Watch" of light forces, among them Anton, try to control them and limit their outrage.

Customer Reviews:

Night Watch.......2007-09-04

This is an amazing freaky hard to get movie. The actiona nd story line is so awesome. I own 'Day Watch' and it's a freaky vampirish movie. The graphics and actions are great and hilarious. But still have that keeping you on the edge feeling. I tottally thinks it's a must see or must have.

The New BloodLine.......2007-08-26

Whatever you thought was real is not, but Night Watch brings everything into perspective between Good Vs. Evil. This movie wasn't just about Vampires that bite in the night, but it was everything you love about the vampire story rolled into an original movie. Night Watch cinematically was so original, it was like watching the Vampire version of the Matrix. This movie is that good. I'm waiting for the sequel Day Watch was in the North American markets for like a hot minute, and I can't wait to get that on DVD too. The dub of the movie was actually a high quality dub unlike the Anime dubs we know and love, but watching it in its original Russian language, made the movie superior than anything. The acting will blow you away and so will the plot. It will leave you wanting more.

Russian Rubbish.......2007-08-21

Night Watch is about the worst sci-fi action movie that I have ever watched. The story makes no sense. It is about the century old war between good and evil, although I have difficulty telling which side is good. CG was way overdone. The few action sequences are ridiculously derivative. It makes Ultraviolet looks like a masterpiece.

Like others, I got sucked into this for 2 reasons.
1. Hey it is a foreign movie. It took studios a great deal of effort to import it, then it's gonna be good. WRONG! It is beyond my rational understanding why Americans choose to bring over these foreign trash.
2. The movie gets great press reviews and endorsements from Tarantino. It must be good. WRONG! (As a matter of fact, stay away from any Tarantino endorsed movies. 9 out of 10 times, they are garbages.)

Accidents Speak Louder than Words.......2007-08-18

There are creatures amongst us, some light and some dark, committed to a truce to end an otherwise catastrophic form of eternal conflict. Enter the Night Watch, the guardians that keep the Dark in check, and the Day Watch, that do the reverse. Both sides await the coming of a prophesized "other" who will choose his prospective side and shift this otherwise eternal variation of static warfare, however, and the time seems to be coming soon. Enter Anton, a seemingly innocuous man with a love he wants to preserve, who is told that his love is pregnant - that the child is not his - and that the only way his love can be preserved is through the death of an innocent. Reluctantly Anton agrees to this but, in the midst of the witchery, the Night Watch comes in and stops the procedure. In the middle of that, Anton finds out that he is what is referred to as one of The Others; that things are happening around him, that he can see things that were previously unseen and do things in conjunction with either the light or the dark, and that he is changed.
And the story begins building from there.

While the DVD version of the movie isn't very popular, this is actually a really unique take on the world of the supernatural. Vampirism is explained here, shapeshifters are seen, and some of the strangest clashes between Light/Dark cultures are explored by Anton and the characters around him. This makes for a great story that keeps on keeping on, dragging itself deeper and deeper into a world that seems so alien when setting side-by-side with our own. I liked that; there was a lot of time spent building a world inside the world but there wasn't a lot of time spent dumbing it down so a viewer could watch it. It simply is the way it is, it has the rules it has, and the "why" isn't always explained. This, combined with the fact that we see the coming of the other and w also witness how the ripples of one action melds into a forest of other actions, really makes a person watch.
As Anton himself says, "curse" isn't simply a word.

The other thing about the movie is the visuals, which are absolutely mindblowing. Some of the things that happen are simply amazing, either by conflict or by the traversing of something called "the gloom," and then there is the bigger saga that simply looks good while the movie plays out. The whole of the movie looks good, too, from the beginning shots that explain the battle between the forces to series where Anton is simply "looking" at a boy while trying to follow him. Perhaps it was because the movie was Russian or perhaps it was because some people found the format of the tale unappealing - it was more of a chapter than a complete tale, but the chapter was self-contained and told a story all its own - or the unheralded release of the movie made it unappealing. Whatever the reason, this movie should have gotten a lot more acknowledgement than it did because the storyline and the visuals combine to make something grand.

Again, this is a really interesting tale and would be good for anyone that wants something different from the obvious stories set to supernatural tones. The one thing to keep in mind is that the disc is double-sided and one side is dubbed and the other side is in Russian (with subtitles). I'm personally a fan of original language movies so I'm glad I noticed the Russian side of the movie, but I could see how this could confuse (and turn people off to the movie). The disc also comes with an extended ending with optional commentary and "sneak peaks" of the sequels.
It really is worth the watch - and a bit more.

Unrecognized.......2007-08-15

It's pretty annoying when you find a really good film that went straight to DVD, and movies that are worthless actually make it to the big screen. I enjoyed the film, it's not for everyone. (Hence some of the crappy reviews) Full of witches, wizards, Vampires and Others... A battle between Light and Dark, Good and Evil....... I saw the preview for this film on <"Pathfinder" (which was an excellent film as well) and I am thankful that I did. I'm anxious for October 30th to arrive so I can watch the second installment "Day Watch" in this amazing trilogy.

Average customer rating:

A wonderful ballet history
B rilliant with a Big Wow Factor!
Simply Wonderful!
Ballets Russes
This DVD does a Gran Jete

Ballets Russes
Starring: Nini Theilade , Tatiana Stepanova , Marc Platt , Alan Howard (IV) , and Rochelle Zide
Director: Daniel Geller , and Dayna Goldfine
Manufacturer: Zeitgeist Films
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ASIN: B000G5SIBM
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Amazon.com

Part history, part love letter, Ballets Russes may be the most purely delightful documentary in years. The movie follows the birth of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in the early 1930s, an event that eventually led--after years of exhilarating experiments, bitter artistic battles, and exhausting tours--to the establishment of modern ballet around the world. Ballet Russes combines astonishing film footage of fantastical ballets (featuring extravagant sets designed by Salvador Dali and costumes by Henri Matisse) and interviews with surviving dancers in their 70s, 80s, and 90s (ranging from Dame Alicia Markova, who was a prima ballerina with the original Ballet Russe under impresario Sergei Diaghilev, to Yvonne Craig, who went on to become Batgirl in the '60s tv show Batman); the result is a breathtaking range of scholarship and depth of feeling. The heart of the film is the dancers themselves, who are sly, thoughtful, gossipy, and amazingly youthful in spirit--even the most difficult times are discussed with humor and honesty. Ballet fans will find this an essential document, while anyone who's never even thought of going to ballet will be completely caught up in these dancers' passion and wonder. A beautiful, entrancing movie. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful ballet history.......2007-08-18

This is a wonderful documentary about the Ballet Russe and how it evolved, fell apart, evolved again. It includes lots of film of the dancers, how they became a part of the ballet, what their personalities were like. It gives you an excellent background for Balanchine and Massine, with some insights on Agnes DeMille and by Maria Tallchief. If you are a ballet lover, you cannot help but enjoy this.

B rilliant with a Big Wow Factor!.......2007-08-01

My review of Gaite Parisienne states the time and place when I was lucky enough to attend live performances of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. I say "lucky enough" because the company consisted of performers that have become legends in the classical dance world. I wish I could name them all but I'll never forget Alicia Alonso, Alicia Markova, Alexandra Danilova, Leonide Massine, Frederic Franklin and Igor Youskevich for starters. This DVD brings it all back in detail. Wonderful! I remember when Alicia Alonso went back to Cuba and was never to perform in the U.S.A. again. What a loss for the world of dance. But since that time we have continued to see much of her influence in the Cuban-born dancers who have joined, and are performing with, companies such as the American Ballet Theater. Madame Alonso's school in Cuba has given the world some great male dancers, in particular, who can be compared with the greatest Russian-born dancers on an equal basis. There was a time when good male dancers were in short supply and their purpose was mainly to lend support to the ballerinas. Let me not forget the dance prodigals produced by the school that Igor Youskevich established in New York - I think on Long Island. Most of today's great dancers have been trained using the foundation learned from the Ballet Russes' legendary dancers. They showed audiences what brilliant dancing and choreography could be and left everyone wanting more.

Buy this DVD if you truly would like to learn about greatness, egos, sacrifices for the love art. And the art of dance is precisely what they brought to the world of dance and the audiences who were lucky enough to have experienced their performances.

Simply Wonderful!.......2007-07-24

This film is an intriguing exploration into the story of the ballet Russes and its dancers, guided by a terrific narrator and punctuated by the dancers themselves. I highly recommend this beautiful film!

Ballets Russes.......2007-07-18

Geller and Goldfine's enthralling, transporting portrait of the epoch-defining institution pirouettes with some of dance history's biggest legends, including surviving alumni Yvonne Chouteau, Raven Wilkinson, Marc Platt, and others. Gradually, through their nostalgic, often gossipy reminiscences and the directors' own meticulously assembled archival footage, we come to see how the company's illustrious founders and members lived, loved, fought, and ultimately revolutionized the way the world viewed the art of movement. Even if you've never seen a ballet in your life, the effervescent "Ballets Russes" will sweep you right off your feet.

This DVD does a Gran Jete.......2007-06-17

I don't generally take much interest in ballet, but I still found this DVD to be absorbing. A "jete" is a leap with one foot extended forward, and one foot extended back. And that's just the sort of spanning arc this movie makes. It starts with the formal founding of the Ballet Russe in Monte Carlo in the 1930's, goes through the period when two competing versions of the Ballet Russe existed (thus the plural of this documentary's title), and catches up with the current lives of a number of the Ballet's early dancers.

Some vintage footage of these early dancers is included, some of it even in color. But the fascination here is the dancers themselves, even more than the dance. We see them as young Russian émigrés, just children, recruited by Diaghilev in the 30's. Then we see them being interviewed in 2000-2003 for this documentary and we are given a sense of the texture of a lifetime devoted to the art of dance.

The DVD is very generous with its captioning. Everyone is labeled in each dance sequence, and then re-captioned for every current interview, so you can easily keep track of who's who, before-and-after.

It's all a very good advertisement for the practice of ballet and might inspire you to take lessons yourself, because you will see how a majority of the early Ballet Russe dancers are still around in good health, and are still active in ballet, mostly as teachers. One of the dancers was actually still performing "character" roles on stage at the time of the interviews.

However, one gets a sense that starring ballet dancers of the 30's and 40's might have been subject to fewer grueling demands than modern dancers. Back then, dancers were perhaps expected to be human perfections of grace, but not superhuman specimens. So there is no discussion here of crippling injuries, of arthritis in the wake of years of command contortion, of struggles to keep reed-thin, of any of the health problems that are whispered about among modern dancers. That's the only major flaw I found in this documentary. These dancers might have been in a unique position to compare training and practice regimens then-and-now, and to give any necessary critiques of modern expectation. But you won't find any such discussion on this DVD.

However the DVD extras do include a lot of behind-the-scenes gossip and do let us get better acquainted with all the featured players. One of the most memorable is Nathalie Krassovska, who unblinkingly, with a dreamy dramatization of each sentence, focuses off beyond the floodlights - still playing to the balconies.

Ballad of a Soldier - Criterion Collection

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Mother Love
Ballad of a Soldier
Honest and pure
Ballad of a good soldier, friend, and son
Ballad Of a Soldier

Ballad of a Soldier - Criterion Collection
Starring: Vladimir Ivashov , Zhanna Prokhorenko , Antonina Maksimova , Nikolai Kryuchkov , and Yevgeni Urbansky
Director: Grigori Chukhrai
Manufacturer: Criterion
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ASIN: B0000633SB
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Amazon.com

Grigory Chukhraj's poetic odyssey of an accidental hero on a six-day pass is a sentimental journey through the ideals of the Soviet state in World War II. Vladimir Ivashov is the fresh-faced signalman whose trip from the Russian front to visit his white-haired mother becomes a series of detours as he stops to help the loyal comrades, fellow soldiers, and salt-of-the-earth civilians (as well as a few shirkers and scoundrels) he meets along the way. On a transport train he even falls in love with a pretty young stowaway, a feisty blond girl-next-door on her way to visit a wounded boyfriend. Delicately photographed and gently paced, this deliriously romantic road movie is undeniably Soviet in its celebration of patriotism and collectivism, but Chukhraj transcends politics with delightfully vivid characters and a deft mix of comedy, melodrama, and romance. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Russian soldier Alyosha Skvortsov is granted a visit with his mother after he singlehandedly fends off two enemy tanks. As he journeys home, Alyosha encounters the devastation of his war-torn country, witnesses glimmers of hope among the people, and falls in love. With its poetic visual imagery, Grigori Chukhrai's Ballad of a Soldier is an unconventional meditation on the effects of war, and a milestone in Russian cinema.

Customer Reviews:

Mother Love.......2007-09-06

A mother stares down a long country road, waiting for a son who will never return. This is the most hauntingly powerful, heart-rending image in this landmark film full of many memorable images.

I'm very sorry to say that it was only this week that I viewed this movie for the first time.

But perhaps it was meant to be. I have a son Alyosha's age. I am proud to say that the two are quite similar: tall, blond, handsome, kind, sensitive. In this time in the US, with Bush's war, I do think about my son going off to fight in a foreign land. I dread him going; I've urged him to enlist in one of the "alternatives" like Navy or Coast Guard. When I was his age we faced the draft for Vietnam. I was one of the lucky ones who had enough dough to go to school and thus secure deferments each year. Others went in my place, for which I do have guilt. It was not fair at all.

Knowing Bush, I am a bit surprised that the draft has not been reinstated. All of these thoughts came to me as I watched this wonderfully simple yet tremendously powerful film.

One of the tests of a great film, to me, is this: will the pictures themselves be of interest, even without sound? In Ballad of A Soldier, the images are by turns lyrical, awe-inspiring, gritty, poetic, unflinching, romantic. Director Chukrai is a true artist.

Forget the propaganda tag. It's a universal story of the tragedy of separation and loss. We aren't literally told or shown what happens to Alyosha, which was very wise. All we need to know is that he does not return home. This is the tragedy.

This is a truly eloquent masterpiece which stands the test of time. It is a worthy inclusion on any "Best Of" list

Ballad of a Soldier.......2007-06-27

Chukhrai's intimate, small masterpiece contains a wrenching hope for life and humanity in the figure of the innocent, Alyosha, even as he traverses a homeland under siege to see his beloved mother, perhaps for the last time. The director's stark yet lyrical camerawork complement top-flight performances, notably Ivaslov in the central role and Zhanna Prokhorenko, adorable as love interest Shura. Don't miss that indelible ending sequence in this touching "Ballad".

Honest and pure.......2006-06-21

What Norman Rockwell was to Americana, it struck me that perhaps Grigori Chukhrai seemed to be to the Soviet Union. That was my first impression of "Ballad of a Soldier". Of course, I was not entirely correct, and some cinema-crats with and air of artsy "progressivism" about them might laugh aoud at the comparison. But to a degree, the idealism projected in the film seemed to be fitting of the period if one looked at this film with a Western point of view. This was a really good film, wholesome and virtuous. Its value as a tool in the hands of Soviet propagandists is clear, but the story itself is far above mere propaganda. It is a timeless love story, and it could have been set in any nation and at almost any time. What brought it to my interest is that it happened to be set in 1943 when Germans were driving tanks all over the western Sovet Union.

The story follows a well mannered young soldier named Alyosha Skvortsov as he embarks on a mission of devotion to his mother. During the only combat scene, immediately after the narrator sets up the ballad, Alyosha manages to perform an act of bravery that earns him a six day leave. What would any good boy do with six days leave? He'd go home to fix his mother's leaky roof, right? Of course! Alyosha sets off only to be delayed by his good nature, kindheartedness, and the rather heartbreaking fact that he falls in love with a young fellow traveller. The story is quite absorbing, simple as it may be, and I found it comfortably paced and beautifully composed. Rich scenery and careful composition made the view of Russia during WWII look quite beautiful, even the ugly parts. At the same time, there is an ominous undertone, for lack of a better word, in the form of the constant threat of war, allusions to corruption, and a nod toward challenging circumstances. There is a tension all throughout too, for the viewer knows Alyosha's fate from the beginning, casting an urgency upon his various exploits.

But the most important trait of this film, and plainly obvious, is the noble character of Alyosha. He's a model young man of selfless charm. His smile is infecting, his devotion to others is inspiring. He is the dutiful youth serving his country, honest in admitting fear, generous in time and effort, and loving to a degree rarely seen anymore. Alyosha is a picture of naiive goodness, which is ironically what causes him his greatest grief. His noble heart is a perfect example for a youngster, and I will certainly be showing this film to my young son.

Beyond Alyosha and the equally idyllic supporting character, Shura, I did find myself a bit surprised at the depiction of goodness and the kind-hearted nature of the average Soviet citizen. Perhaps my surprise comes from my cultural rearing as a child of the Cold War? I remember fully expecting to die by Soviet nuke, and I remember what a monstrous impression I had of a communist. In part, this was part of popular culture in the US, and it was encouraged formally. Teachers declared that Russians were cold and calculating, living in fetid squalor, drinking nothing but stagnant water from vending machines full of slime and common cups. Such was the depiction of "commies" to a cold war American sixth grader as late as 1980. Maturity and experience has erased much of that assumptive idea of how a Russian ought to be, but to see such a human and joyful depiction of Soviet society still caused a brief disconnect. If there ever was a film that beautifully displayed the old saying that "people are people, wherever", then this is it.

Military hardware buffs and gun nuts will find this film worthy of a watch, if you happen to be too troglodytic to enjoy a good love story. Historicity is preserved in a plethora of Mosin Nagant rifles in this film. Alyosha knocks out two German "Tiger" tanks with a Simonov 20mm rifle in the combat scene. There are numerous T-34s, both in Russian guise and disguised as German tanks. You'll see some fine footage of ZIS and GAZ trucks and a GAZ jeep, along with excellent railroad footage.

A truly great film, family-safe, historically set, clean and honest.

Ballad of a good soldier, friend, and son.......2005-12-14

Ballad of a Soldier is sometimes dismissed as overtly patriotic Soviet propaganda, and it's not too difficult to understand why. However, to dismiss the film as a whole and all that's good with it would be like throwing your beloved babooshka out onto the Siberian permafrost with her mineral oil bathwater.

Aloysha, the main character and soldier in question, chooses family and friendship over self-recognition, commitment despite personal setbacks, and ultimately country over all else. The film itself is a lesson in the virtues of altruism.

This really is a warm-hearted and gentle film with a heart as big as Lake Baikal is deep. Ballad is definitely G-rated and would make for good classroom and family discussion. Highly recommended.

Ballad Of a Soldier.......2005-10-02

This is a movie classic. The theme is so universal. There is no preaching in this movie but the massage is clear. People are basically the same- no matter what color, race or nationality they belong. The DVD print is OK. The story is a tear jerker.

M.Rahman

Average customer rating:

Must see
A poignant, lyrical film
Almost unknown fine WWII Soviet Film
A Masterwork...it should be viewed by all....
Beloved wartime story

The Dawns Here Are Quiet
Starring: Olga Ostroumova , Yuri Sorokin , Alexei Chernov , Irina Dolganova , and Yelena Drapeko
Director: Stanislav Rostotsky
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00092ZL0S
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Description

During World War II, five anti-aircraft gunner women discover that a German subversive detachment has landed and must fight for their lives to get the news to headquarters.

Customer Reviews:

Must see.......2007-08-25

Here is another great piece of Russian cinema about WW2, alongside Klimov's 'Come and See' and Alekseyev's 'Destiny Of A Man'. There are no high production values to speak of in 'The Dawns Here Are Quiet', the cinematography is workmanlike but the direction is deft and the performances solid. 'The Dawns..' is the compelling story of a raggle taggle artillery unit and their wartime misadventures. Yuri Sorokin plays the hard bitten sergeant who is lumbered with a new unit to knock into shape - to his horror it turns out to be entirely made of women. Imagine Clint in Heartbreak Ridge having to adopt a crew of girl rookies into his crack recon unit....that gives you a good point of reference for the humour and drama that unfolds in this highly under-rated movie. Enjoy.
Come and See
Destiny of a Man

A poignant, lyrical film.......2007-07-31

This film, made in 1972, harks back to an era when, in war movies, emotion and character development were more important than gore and military hardware. This is Soviet Russian film at its finest, with great acting, luminous cinematography, lyrical music, human warmth and empathy, and a bittersweet feeling that infuses joyous and tragic, humorous and heroic events. Although the film clearly isn't a critique of Stalin's blunders and the brutality of communism (it wouldn't have been made otherwise), it still manages to give a feel of the unimaginable sacrifices ordinary Russian people had to make to win the war of annihilation that the Nazis unleashed on them, with very little of the jingoism of official "socialist realism."

The story is set in remote northwest Russia, and starts with the complaints of the village commandant, sergeant-major Vaskov, about the drunken, womanizing crews of anti-aircraft gunners the Red Army keeps sending him. He gets his wish soon enough, when a group of young women gunners arrives to replace the last sad lot. Vaskov at first does not know how to deal with them, then grumpily starts bonding with them.

The story focuses on five of the women, using ironic/stylized romantic flashbacks (shot in color--apart from flashbacks, daydreams and a flash-forward the film is black and white) to acquaint us with their personal stories. Soon enough, one of them discovers two German paratroopers in the woods, and Vaskov sets off with the five women volunteers to catch the intruders. The two turn out to be 16 highly trained men intent on some undefined serious mischief. The rest of the film uses the deadly pursuit to explore what these six characters (the wily yet sentimental older sergeant major, the young war widow, the poet, the wayward woman, the foundling, the earnest lovelorn lass) are made of. In a game of cat-and mouse through the northern forests, swamps and lakes the six are pitted against the Nazi team. Who will survive? How will each of them behave in extreme situations? Will reinforcements arrive in time? Suffice it to say that war is tragedy, and happy endings in tragedies are rare.

This is a film that may move too slowly for modern audiences. The tension comes not so much from plot twists and turns, but from caring about the fate of the characters, whom we have come to know and understand. I've always been a sucker for all the tools the director uses, from lyrical music mostly in minor keys to the luminous beauty of Russian actresses. All these tools (or manipulations, if one wants to be cynical) feel just right for the purpose of salvaging something uplifting from the unimaginable tragedy that World War II was for Russia. This film is a classic.

Almost unknown fine WWII Soviet Film.......2007-01-25

A zori zdes tikhie (1972) ...aka The Dawns Here Are Quiet - is an honest, realistic and very fine Soviet War film which is sadly un-known to the Western audiences. It was directed by a very talented director Stanislav Rostotsky who also made two of my favorite films, Belyy Bim - Chyornoe ukho (1970) ... aka White Bim Black Ear and Dozhivyom do ponedelnika (1969) aka We'll Live Till Monday .

Rostotsky chose perfect cast - the young and unknown performers who all shone in his movie. I also highly recommend the book by Boris Vasilyev of the same title - I still remember the day when I first read that rather short but unforgettable story about five young girls and their corporal Vaskov who was much older and who was not used to deal with the women-soldiers. What started as a comedy, soon became a compelling and gripping drama depicting an unequal fight of the group of five women and their leader against 16 Nazi paratroopers, specially trained and deadly dangerous that penetrated deep beyond the front-line.

A Masterwork...it should be viewed by all...........2006-07-19

I cannot top the above review for detail or passion. I can add to it by saying this filmed should be viewed and studied by all...especially old, corrupt men who send youngsters thousands of miles to do their bidding.
This film is one of defense, loyality, love of country and culture and is also a striking example of WWII Soviet womanhood. The characters are so rich and thoughful and the direction expands their emotions and fears, hopes and dreams. Absolutely first rate.
Russian cinema is not about happy endings...because war, even in victory, is tragic. Yet it is about hope and courage, two things sadly missing from todays society.
It is also a chance for others to see how advanced Soviet culture was concerning things as common as simple nudity. Here it's celebrated and cultivated, in Western cinema it would've been considered evil or base. By the same token the film chooses not to gush blood from wounds etc...something Western cinema relishes and finds 'acceptable.' One has to wonder who's culture is truly rich and natural...and non explotive.
I adored this film...one of my favorites now. Please give it a chance and I'm quite sure you'll learn something both rich and valuable. If I could give this film 10 stars I gladly would....

Beloved wartime story.......2005-05-31

This excellent and faithful rendition of Boris Vassilyev's "A zori zdes' tikhie..." is finally available on Amazon! The novella and film are beloved in Russia and count among my own personal favorites. The setting is May 1942, a remote artillery base somewhere north of besieged Leningrad and west of bombed-out Murmansk. Sergeant Major Fedot Vaskov is exasperated with the misbehavior of his gunners and demands replacements: "No drunks! No womanizers!" He gets his wish when his entire regiment is replaced with teenage girl gunners fresh out of artillery training. Confusion reigns when the very conservative Vaskov must deal with the decidedly unsoldierly girlish antics of his troops. And each girl comes to the Army with a personal history: a tragedy, a disgrace, a hardship, a vengeance, a purpose. Together, they defy their frazzled starshina (Vaskov) and bond with eachother. Then one morning two German paratroopers are sighted in the woods. Vaskov and a squad of five girls set out to capture the enemy: Beautiful, bold Zhenya, the only survivor of her massacred Army family. Rita, a young mother, already widowed by the war. Painfully shy Galya, raised in an orphanage. Liza, the sturdy but daydreaming daughter of a drunken forester. And the translator, Sonya, who fears for her Jewish family in Minsk. She had been studying in Moscow when Belorussia fell to the Fascists. Little do any of them realize, there are not two but sixteen Germans, not simply soldiers but highly trained, armed-to-the-teeth special forces! Vaskov and his untrained troops must distract the enemy, delay their mission, and alert headquarters of their presence. A matter of duty soon becomes a matter of life and death. Under fire the girls bond with their Sergeant Major and display individual ingenuity and valor. But this is a story about war and none of these Russians is a "Rambo." I've read the novella and watched the video a dozen times and always shed tears. Never-the-less, the story is inspiring, not depressing; and is considered one of the most realistic depictions of the War by a Soviet author. It has retained its popularity because of its endearing theme: the courage of ordinary Soviet people. I hope the DVD will have English subtitles so that non-Russian speakers will finally have a chance to experience this famous film.

Average customer rating:

A First Class Movie About Yet Another Abberation Of War

Markova
Starring: Markova
Manufacturer: Ariztical Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000244GNQ
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Product Description

Tagalog with English subtitles. Walter Dempsey Jr. a gay man in his twilight years, grew up in the war-torn Philippines during WWII, a time of great unrest and injustice. Watching a harrowing film on Filipino "comfort women," women forced into prostitution to satiate Japanese soldiers stirs deep memories in Walter, aka Markova, of his own days as a comfort gay . While talking to a reporter Markova flashes back to those hard years; from his short-lived freedom following the death of his homophobic, abusive brother to his capture, escape and revenge on Japanese soldiers for their carnal brutality, followed by the American Liberation and the start of a lifetime of healing. His intensely personal story traces the scars imprinted on a country struggling to come to terms with its past and a man struggling to survive in a society that refuses to accept him for who he is.

Customer Reviews:

A First Class Movie About Yet Another Abberation Of War.......2004-08-23

MARKOVA: COMFORT GAY is a finely wrought film based on a true story about one Walter Dempster, Jr. who 'served' as a gay equivalent to the Comfort Women for the Japanese during the occupation of the Philippines during WW II. Written by Clodualdo Del Mundo, Jr and Directed with great tenderness and skill by Gil M. Portes this 'biography' begins with the main character Walterina Markova (played with grace and delicacy by Dolphy - also known as Dolphy Quizon) living in a retirement home for gay men in Manila. He is elderly but still elegant. A TV program about the Japanese presence in Manila in WW II captures Walterina's attention when the use and abuse of Comfort Women (women who acted as prostitutes for survival) is shown. This strikes his memory of his hidden secret that he served in the same capacity - as a cross-dressed 'Comfort Gay' for the Japanese soldiers' use. He decides that telling his story will help old wounds heal and begins an interview with a TV reporter, an interview which amounts to his story from childhood to the present. Director Portes cleverly intermixes the childhood portion (Walter is played here by Jeffrey Quizon) with the present and finally concentrates on Walterina (now played by Eric Quizon) as he has developed into a cross-dressed member of a group of five friends who begin to appear at the parties the Japanese officers throw. At first the group is brutalized when it is discovered they are anatomical men, but soon their services as cross-dressed Comfort Gays allows them to be performers and a means of support during the war. By the time Walterina tells his story to the interviewer, most of his old friends are gone. By interweaving the various scenes with placing the elderly Walterina side by side with the remembered younger forms, the resulting story is mesmerizing.

The cast is excellent: of interest the director has chosen two sons of actor Dolphy Quizon to play his younger versions, Eric and Jeffrey! The camera work is adept and the lighting and musical score enhance what could be a depressing movie, instead making it a tenderly told bit of Philippine history. Recommended on many levels - as history, as gender studies, and as an empathetic moment of truth that is very touching indeed. In Tagalog and Englsh with subtitles.

Average customer rating:

One of the Greatest Movies Ever

The Outskirts
Starring: Yuri Dubrovin , Nikolai Olyalin , Aleksei Pushkin , Aleksei Vanin , and Rimma Markova
Director: Pyotr Lutsik
Manufacturer: Facets
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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One of the Greatest Movies Ever.......2004-12-20

Some people claim that if you are not Russian then this movie is hard to understand, I couldn't disagree more. This movie gets straight to the point, then strangles that point in a macabre display of virtuosity. Director Lutsik manages to create an environment that looks like it could have been a dissident film in the 30s, but somehow manages to capture the attention of a modern audience. There is nothing wrong with this movie. It is sublime: subtle, yet as loud and audibly conspicuos as a sledgehammer, uprorious, yet at times somber and solemn.

The movie is about a group of Russian farmers living in the Ural mountains who find out that some know-it-all sold all of their land to the oil companies. The men gather their guns and their comrades to teach those punks a lesson. They take it all the way to the Soviet oil Ministry, and once there it is dubious that they will stop.

The movie changes pace constantly. It goes from being an action film, to surrealism, to mildly droll drama. Lutsik directs each different mode of this film with equal skill, while at the same time maintains consistency, never letting the actors be someone who they are not, or letting the story slip far from his fingers. The comedy is performed perfectly, often in a slapstick fashion. Yet even in the comedic scenes, the movie retains its seriousness, actually showing how much the characters bond with each other.

There is nothing wrong with this movie. It is perfectly paced, perfectly directed, and acted just as it should be. I found this movie completely by accident and what a fortunate accident that was. Watch this movie, love this movie. To be watched with: vodka and potatoes.

Average customer rating:

CHOOCHOO DERAILS
This Movie Sucked!!!!
Worth While Seeing
New talent discovered
Brian Genesse is a fantastic B-movie action star

Death Train
Starring: Bryan Genesse , Bentley Mitchum , Michael Anthony Rosas , Jaime Anstead , and George Stanchev
Director: Yossi Wein
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008WJDT
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Description

A band of armed, escaped convicts has taken over a passenger train in the Mexican countryside. Holding the passengers at gunpoint, the runaway train hurtles toward a deadly impact. Meanwhile, agent Ryan (Bryan Genesse) frantically engages in a game of cat-and-mouse with the hijackers, knowing that he is the only thing standing between the criminals and the loss of dozens of innocent people.

Customer Reviews:

CHOOCHOO DERAILS.......2005-08-23

Filled with every cliche imaginable, DEATH TRAIN is one of those films shot in Bulgaria that tries to emulate both the US and Mexico. Action star Bryan Genessee is starting to rival Stephen Baldwin in his low key, somewhat soporific performances. Bentley Mitchum fares somewhat better as the truly psychotic madman who is holding a trainload of caricatures hostage. We have the asthmatic priest; the pregnant lady; the crippled boy; the young newlyweds, etc. The henchmen are just as bad as Mitchum including the requisite female who is just as dangerous as her male counterparts. The action sequences are tired and unimaginative; and the director uses several of the same scenes over and over in trying to fill the movie's extended length. Few movies have ever made walking on top of a moving train look so easy. Avoid unless you have nothing else to watch.

This Movie Sucked!!!!.......2004-09-30

This was a dumb movie. All I remember was something about a "pit-bull puppy." This was a dumb movie. We watched it in San Jose Costa Rica and laughed the whole time. The director and the actors should be shot for filming this movie.

Worth While Seeing.......2004-06-09

Bryan Genesse from TV's Street Justice Stars in Grade B Actioner about a group of deranged criminals take over a train whith a renagade CIA Operative on Board. Usual action no big surprises but the viewer gets to see some great action sequences on and off the Train. The Only problem i have with the film is the ending was too incoherent It seemed like the director wanted the movie to end in a lame way. The film's strong point is Bentley Mitchum the villian of the film took great relish in portraying a psycho mouthy killer with a meanstreak who gets what he derserves. Not a bad film i have seen much worse in the past. At least this film can hold my attention.

New talent discovered.......2004-03-10

One of my favorite things to do is troll through B movies looking for first-time actors, would-be stars, and the kind of performances that confirm that "there is no such thing as small parts, just small actors." One performance stood out in Death Train, barely discernable amid the explosions, killings, profanity and bloodshed. Jordan Rollins, playing young Javier, jumped off the screen with his understated, sincere, and very likable portrayal of a crippled boy caught in the crossfire. I couldn't find Rollins in any other films, so I am assuming he is a first timer. I can only hope it is not his last. Also worthy of mention are the priest and the little sister - but for my money Jordan Rollins is my "Rookie of the Year" for 2003 for his turn as Javier, the brave boy from south of the border in Death Train.

Brian Genesse is a fantastic B-movie action star.......2003-10-01

This film is a great b-movie action flick; far superior than Van Damme's "Derailed" from a year earlier. The main character in this movie is also one of the stars from my favorite movie ever, Operation Delta Force 3. But in this movie, Brian Genesse is alone as he tackles the ruthless terrorists one at a time, in the tradition of Steven Seagal and Bruce Willis. It was also nice to see Genesse's natural fighting abilities when he was battling the bad guy boss at the end of the film. Without any obvious stuntman, Genesse handles himself quite well.
The final scene of the movie is awesome as his Mexican Federale friend hands him the Tequila bottle for the second time and poor Brian is still out of breath after his first swig. A wide eyed Brian mutters "My turn?", as he grabs the bottle from his friend, not quite ready to take another gulp of the potent liquor.
Nice action movie. After seeing it, I am going to buy it.

Average customer rating:

Night Watch
The New BloodLine
Russian Rubbish
Accidents Speak Louder than Words
Unrecognized

Nochnoy Dozor
Starring: Konstantin Khabensky , Vladimir Menshov , Valeri Zolotukhin , Mariya Poroshina , and Galina Tyunina
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005JOYL

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Night Watch.......2007-09-04

The New BloodLine.......2007-08-26

Russian Rubbish.......2007-08-21

Accidents Speak Louder than Words.......2007-08-18

Unrecognized.......2007-08-15

Average customer rating:

Dnevnoy dozor
Starring: Konstantin Khabensky , Mariya Poroshina , Vladimir Menshov , Galina Tyunina , and Viktor Verzhbitsky
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Mozart - Don Giovanni / Andrei Beschasny, Ludik Vele, Nadezhda Petrenko, Jioina Markova, Charles Mackerras, Prague Opera

Average customer rating:

Mozart - Don Giovanni / Andrei Beschasny, Ludik Vele, Nadezhda Petrenko, Jioina Markova, Charles Mackerras, Prague Opera
Starring: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Vladimír Dolezal , Dalibor Jedlieka , Alice Randova , and Zdenik Harvanek
Manufacturer: Supraphon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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DVD

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