Reviews

This is a very short black and white film. After seeing about 30 movies by Ken I decided to check all his works and luckily I found this one. Very good English humor can be found in this title. Ken's originality is easily recognized in the way the people are shown-always little bit far out dreamers and imaginative characters. What I really liked here is one invalid sex hunter. Once a woman approaches that middle aged beard male who becomes really active and catches the woman into invalid carriage. The main character is a looser on a bicycle dressed like a knight Some scenes are really unique and show the life in fantastic way For True Ken Russell's fans. www.myspace.com/neizvestnostlab

There were some really entertaining detective films in the USSR in 70s. This one was really popular and was shown all around the country. The story is about young police officer, who just started his hard career and wishes to face real criminals. The cases that the chief gives to a young officer seem too simple for him, but once he comes across real band of criminals and starts to follow its boss deep in the woods. I really enjoyed the music by Edward Artemyev here. Sometimes it sounds like space ambient, sometimes the great funk band plays, so the sound really drives here. Very good example of soviet action with humor and good script.

Well, I managed to see this rare film for children dated 70s made in the USSR, as the score was composed by great Edward Artemyev. The story is about a young artist (in his 14-15 years old)who meets a group of homeless kids, calling themselves "the goats". They invite the main character to live their way of life- just traveling on car without passport and making fuss on everything they meet. This is somewhat a criminals' beginning way in life. In the end we can see that crime never makes people real friends-their ways just separate and the guys return to their normal lives. I really enjoyed this old school film. great characters and situations.

This film gives us a bright description of a kind of character that does everything to be the winner in the career. The main character steals his professor's writings and uses them to become a professor, saying that the scientific discovery was made by him. But reality rejects his plan. The main character is shown stressed and upset, although he is married and reached the aim of his life. The film has bad ending (the death of the scientist, who fell down from his balcony). This film shows very high and honest attitude of soviet science towards the author's rights. In addition to moral qualities this story has some mystic details, that come across an African fetish, that also could cause the death of the main character. I would recommend this film for everybody who like good soviet detectives, itallian giallos and good psycho thrillers.

This is a very good example of soviet detective stories. The story takes place in great Britain back in 19th century. We are shown the life of English highest society, where terrible things happen. The main character, radical and revolutionary Robert was poisoned in his own big house. Somebody very close to him is his killer, but the total mystery lies on Robert's death until a detective solves the dirty plans of an old lord, who seems to be able to do any crime in order to get what he wants. Good score, perfect acting,costumes, excellent atmosphere and subject. The film is full of suspense and mystery. It is the same wave as very popular in 80s "10 Negrityat". Great film ever.

The film consists of two story lines, taking place in Russia during the Great World War. The director managed to express and show two heroic and intelligent soviet women who did their best to help Soviet Army. One of the girls worked as phone-connector while the city was under German attack. Everybody left the town,except her. She keeps on informing Soviet army about the locations of the Germans,risking to be bombed or shot.Finally the Germans noticed her and tried to use her to give false information to Soviet army commander. But she remained devoted to the USSR.

The second girl tries to find out who is the spy between two officers ,both claiming to be Soviet pilots. Very good acting and deep open-hearted characters. Classic Soviet movie.

I saw this film, as it was scored by my favorite soviet composer Edward Artemeyev. The films with his scores are always good sign of intelligence and awesome angle of soviet film art. The story is close to the original. The films includes brilliant acting and nice visionary taste of the director. The special effects are also very good example of simplicity and catching the write atmosphere. I would recommend this film to all the people who like well-made fiction and mystery cinema. I liked the scene at the table the most. It is still mystery, how the creators managed to express the absence of head so realistic. good one www.myspace.com/neizvestnostlab

Wau, I was so delighted to see this rare episode today. Well it looks like really good English movie with costumes, atmosphere and fantastic painting, that is the center of the plot I think. Really close to the atmosphere of that great horror story. I really enjoy reading Lovecraft and the films that give good atmosphere of suspense and dark sci fi. A young lady is interested in her teacher-painter. But he is painting really gloomy and monstrous visions in his works. The young girl tries to attract the painter and comes to his work place. But she does not know who really lives there in addition to her teacher.

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There were two screenings of Upyr by Alexei Tolstoi back in 90s. This one is rather good and close to the original story. Upyr was one of rare vampire stories written in Russian Empire in 19th century. At least it was one of the popular horror story among ordinary people, as the author became really respected by his fantastic stories. The director of this film managed to express the spirit and the mood of the story very close to the original. Good costumes, original dialogues, 19th century villas and perfect actors can be seen here. When a young man wants to marry a poor girl, her cousin envies her very much. She even makes everybody believe that the main character was in love with her. But the young man does not want to marry rich but stupid girl. He escapes from many difficulties in order to find his beloved who also became trapped in a luxurious villa with some strange relatives. The people inside villa are vampires, they were called upyri in those days in Russia. They suck blood of anyone who comes to see them. The young man too much in love so he looses his head and goes directly to the nest of vampires. There are some creepy and bloody moments in this film. The additional surprise was the score by great avangard composer Sergei Kuryohin.

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There were really few horrors and mystery film during the USSR and in 90s. This is one of them- quite cheap but good rip-off Puppet Master. This is the story about an old puppet master (played by genius comic actor Georgiy Vitsin), who makes dolls. But it looks like those "toys" become humans and hypnotise humans. Some mafia guys try to use the puppet masters' secret in order to become powerful and immortal. But the dolls are more than robots- they are actually uncontrolable creatures, who serve the wisdom of their master. This is a crime horror - there is not much special effects, but some ideas and the dolls are pretty good.

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Very existential and true to life mystic movie. It deals with Chehov's personal vision of Russia in the beginning of 20th century. The noble philosopher comes to his friends garden, His friend has a big garden and lives completely in gardening. The life in that quiet place is very sad and plain. Nothing changes there, so people become crazy of that strange quietness. The main character marries the young girl. But that makes him unhappy. The spirit, who used to come and speak inside mind suddenly disappears. That ghost calls himself black monk. One can not be sure who is that spirit: mental disease, death, devil or the spirit of the magician who used to live in that Russian villa many years ago. Bad final, sad conclusions- the real masterpiece of Russian literature pretty well directed.

I was pretty surprised to see this rare Kazach film. First of all it touches upon great Asian folk atmosphere and has wonderful music, partly composed by master of soviet electronic music Edward Artemeyev. The director shows great visionary in the film. Some parts of the film are made in colour-the rest are black and white. The story is also something new for me: a blind bagger-girl meets a steppen killer, who decides to protect her on her hard life way. They meet a lot of dangers and wise old men and stayed alive after really creepy moments. Finally they reached the girl's motherland. Here the ways of them two separate really dramatically. One can see some gore moments in this philosophic tale.

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This 1992 film is the story about a young police man from Moscow. He is going to go to vacation to the sea, but first he must solve the mystery of 80 crimes made by one unknown man. This boy is awesome, he reads enemies' plans by his mind and looks more like punk on a motor bike.The guy is shown very unusual for police service -listens to modern music: optimistic and brave. The film looks more like video clip with the music by A Artemeyev ,Obermaneken (very stylish Moscow new wave band). What should I say, very strange and unusual film with dozen of humor and music. Not much mystery-looks more like music thriller. A lot of famous Russian actors can be seen here.

A young man is going around provincial USA searching for his mother that he never saw. As soon as he was born his young and careless parents sent him to mental hospital. Now Gary Oldman is free to go so he decides to find his mother, the one he was missing all those mental hospital days. His mother Linda (Theresa Russell) lives in American dream but doesn't seem to be happy. Her husband is fond of collecting railways for children. Sure, he has one of the largest railway-toy system in the whole state. He is proud of his railway model and pays more attention to his railway-world than to his young wife. Who used to have some nasty experiences before became a noble woman. But all that world is just smashed by the coming of that crazy son, who wants the revenge for such unhappy childhood. Finally Mummy lets her successful husband to meet her naughty son. Great, rather cynic, cold black humour film. www.myspace.com/neizvestnostlab

The oil-tanker crew has lost somewhere in the Ocean. The war between Russia and Germany suddenly started. A group of sailors together with captain are trying to reach Vladivostok and help the army with oil. German bombings destroy one of two linked tankers. After that moment the direction and location of tanker become unknown to the outer world. The crew runs out of food but keep on moving forward. This is very talented film about the work of a sea crew during the long voyages . Psychological, ironical and true poem of the sea life in 1941. Really enjoyed the film.

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I am very impressed after seeing this authentic and historical movie. I was interested in the film particularly as some Moscow underground icons were acting in it. You can see Pyutor Mamonov (Zvuki Mu and real star of psychedelic new wave in Russia), Boris Raskolnikov (very good guitar player and the founder of underground club Tretiy Put) and Alexei Tegin (dark wave shaman) in episodes of this brilliant noir , psychedelic surrealism. I can assure you that this film is a monument of the early days of Russian psychedelic revolution back in 90s.It includes very special atmosphere, great suspense, hallucinative and provocative visionary, the mood of 20s silent films and a lot of old mansions in Moscow, filmed in really avangard way.

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This is a film about the society of the divorced men, headed by a poet, who left is family in order to write poems. Very typical Perestroika film with the elements of mystery. All the men drink a lot and speak about their family. The poet is tired of teaching younger people poetry he is missing his daughter who really love her father and wishes him to be with mother. Suddenly the poet goes to the cinema and sees the film about himself and with his own poetry, he becomes mad, he wants to judge the director who made that but that cinema turns out to be not cinema at all. The true story of talented but unlucky people who suffer of madness fighting for their right to live they want. But life dictates its own ways. Happily the film has good ending.

This is very rare but quite good psycho-horror. I have not seen any other films like this among Russian movies of 70-90s. The story is very simple but really well-done. The film includes some strong gore and fantastic score from Artemiy Artemeyev (The son of Edward) and Dmitri Kutergin (the violin player from legendary Moscow based industrial new wave band Night Prospect). A beloved couple decides to spend some romantic time somewhere in Russian country-side. When they come to a village an old lady refuses to let them live in her house and says that she does not need money as there are no shops there. The grand lady recommends tatar lake to go. The beloved couple goes directly there. They come to a really scary place on the shore of a small lake where they find a dirty and destroying house to spend a night. But in the morning that house turns out to be a real euro-hotel paradise with fruits, wine etc.. The girl loves such miracles and makes the guy stay there. But the guy does not like everything, his souls asks him to leave that place. Soon the owner- a bald crazy scientist come to tell them the story of that scary place. The ending is really unpredictable and scary. There is a lot of nudity, perfect scientific slasher elements, wise dialogues and unusual ending. Great minimalistic horror film During the production 'Dmitrii Pevtsov' and Olga Drozdova, who play a couple in the film, fell in love, and then later married.

I saw this movie when I was a schoolboy and since then I still admire with it. This film is a great description of the family problems. A boy is very upset that his parents want to break their relationship and go to the court in order to divorce.He tries to stop his Mum and Dad against that. His father is a specialist in parfume. His nose makes his living. The mother is a chemist. Both are ordinary intelligent people who after long years of living together became enemies suddenly. The boy is really great connection between them. Life teaches parents to be more devoted after different adventures that they face. Very nice family film.

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The director of this film is famous for his horror and necro Chekist film, that I really liked and for his super popular comedies in 90s. This film is his unknown effort . It looks awesome and really crazy . A father wants to cure his daughter's rare illness, so he was told about special radiation zone where natural doctors live who can cure anything. So the father takes his daughter and they go to the zone. The views of this movie sometimes remind of Chernobil, but the territory where the film was shot looks even more beyond. The people who live in the territory are mutants and look more like radioactive hippies. Some nudity and gore can be found in this film. I liked the film although sometimes it is too crazy, especially the dialogues. The radioactive tribe is under control of the army that does not allow mutants to leave the island. Very special film to see for real explorers of the meaning of radiation.

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If you are looking for sci fi -this is not that kind of film although it is called The alien spaceship. It deals with the days of soviet space science glory. One man in Tundra reported that he saw how alien space craft fell down. The head of central space institution is working on sending animals to space in order to check if there is any possibilities to send the first man there before the USA will do it. The first efforts went wrong and the last space travelling object fell down with a dog on board. So the scientists start to look for the fallen orb. The risk of its explosion on Earth is terrific. But luckily a group of brave scientists and alien explorations chiefman could find the spaceship and risking their lives prevented its explosion somewhere deep in the woods. Here one can find a lot of scientific humour, good winter forest views and irresistible electronic space ambient from Edward Artemeyev.

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If you are searching for special effects and supernatural creatures- this is not the right film to see. The events and characters of this movie are real humans fighting for monarchism in the USSR. Yuri Shevchuk is the leader of popular soviet rock band DDT. He plays the leading role here. The story is about the special family The Christophorovs, who can do unbelievable things with their mind or will. One of the root comes from a Tula country-side and is followed by some secret services. They are afraid of his talents , so they put him to a special asylum, but he escapes . He wishes freedom, but everywhere he is followed. I Think, this film has a lot to do with Shevchuk's autobiography and is fun to see it. This film is not that sci fi it is more dramatic and philosophic .

I am not very fond of this kind of Soviet films, but I really love Center and Vasiliy Shumov. Center is the first Moscow new wave rock band. It recorded a lot of great albums. They have both really good music and brilliant poetry by Shumov. One can see the first cast of Center here. Alfred Shnitke- outstanding composer also worked in this film. The original and legendary members of this special soviet band can be seen and heard here. The story and acting match the music and operator's work. The subject of this film touches upon family problems and eternal difference between fathers and sons. I would recommend this film to everybody who likes deep psychological soviet dramas. Really hard to find but worth seeing.

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Alexandre Kaidanovski is the follower of well-known metaphysic soviet film director Andrey Tarkovski. He played the leading male role in Tarkovski's SOLARIS cult 70s sci fi. This is Kaidanovski's second directorial work and it is one of his best in my opinion. First of all, the short story by Leo Tolstoy "The death of Ivan Ilyich" is masterpiece of Russian literature and the director managed to express the original story very deep. The story is about a man who says that he is completely happy, and soon starts to be seriously ill. He was very narrow-minded person and never cared much about the main questions of existence such as death and its meaning, so when he looses health all those scary questions come to his mind. He speaks to the God, sees the beyond world, starts to believe in orthodoxy, but his time is over.

If you like Leo Tolstoy- please see this rare 1985 black and white stylish movie.

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Well, this is a story about a typical open-hearted but lucky person from Kiyev. He makes very little money for living. His blondie wife prefers him to a guy on red ford , so he becomes really upset and starts to drink. While drinking more and more he wishes to die, so he asks his friend to find a killer for himself. After 400$ were paid, life starts to attract main character and he changes his mind. He does not want to die any more. So he asks to stop that order, but nothing can be changed, the killer starts to hunt him. But there turned out to be more ways to get away from the fortune that he programmed himself. Very realistic and bright plot. I liked the way film was made and its music. It also has some great score in some episodes.