Winter with all the holidays during this time of the year is very important part in lives of all Russian people. So no wonder that Russian cinematograph has created so many good movies dedicated to this period. Today we'll tell you about the best examples. Some of them are about New Year, some about Christmas, some are just classical fairy tales in winter decorations. But all these films create good and warm mood in every snowy and frosty day.
Ironiya Sudby ili s Legkim Parom (The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!) is a cult Soviet comedy-drama film directed by Eldar Ryazanov and based on his play "Odnazhdy v Novogodnyuyu Noch" (Once on New Year's Eve"). It is a traditional New Year movie, which is viewed by Russians every year during winter holidays. By its popularity, it can be compared with the American film It’s a Wonderful Life.
It is an unhurried romantic comedy, which looks more like theatrical play screened for TV. Great actors, interesting plot twists, notes of sadness and loneliness and unique atmosphere of holiday create wonderful movie, which is interesting to watch for many many times and which is as necessary for Russian New Year and Christmas, as Christmas tree or champagne.
Karnavalnaya Noch (The Carnival Night) is a 1956 Soviet musical film, the first big-screen film of the great Russian film director Eldar Ryazanov. The main role in this film made Lyudmila Gurchenko one of the most well-known actresses on the Soviet scene.
Members of the Economics Institute prepares for the New Year entartainment program, which includes a lot of funny performances, singing and dancing. Suddenly, a new director arrives and disapproves the scheduled entertainment, as he wants to make it more serious, something with annual reports and long speeches. Obviously, nobody agree with his plans, so the fight for the merry New Year is started.
Charodei (Magicians) is a 1982 Soviet film directed by Konstantin Bromberg, loosely based on the science fantasy novel Monday Begins on Saturday by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. It is one of classic Soviet New Year's Eve romantic comedies, such as Irony of Fate and The Carnival Night.
Sirota Kazanskaya (Kazan Orphan) is a lyrical New Year comedy. Village teacher Nastya decides to find her father, who she knows nothing about. She sends a letter in the newspaper. On December 31, three different men come to her house, each of them is absolutely sure that he is real father of Nastya.
Dzhentelmeny Udachi (Gentlemen Of Fortune) is a classical Soviet comedy, not related to winter holidays very closely, but still it is a necessary part of Russian New Year TV-programme.
The movie follows the story of an amiable kindergarten director named Troshkin who looks exactly like a criminal called Docent, who has stolen Alexander the Great's helmet at an archaeological excavation. Docent and his gang are caught by police, but Docent is imprisoned in a different jail than his mates. Since Troshkin looks identical to Docent, the police send him undercover to prison with the real criminals to get information about the stolen helmet.
Eta Vesyolaya Planeta (This Funny Planet) is a fantastic musical comedy, which tells about aliens who came to the Earth on New Year's night and find themselves at the merry party. As everybody around in carnival costumes, aliens are considered as normal people.
Prikhodi na Menya Posmotret (Come to Look at Me)
Lyrical and touching story about a spinster woman, who tends her disabled mother. The old lady desperately wants her daughter to marry, and the daughter, driven by the supposed imminent death of her mother, invites a total stranger home on the New Year's night and introduces him as her boyfriend.
The best choice for those who want to watch a romantic holiday film, but just can't see "The Irony of Fate" on the screen anymore.
Morozko ("Father Frost")
This beautifully costumed film for children is based on a popular Russian fairy tale. The film's director is Alexander Row, who pioneered the genre of a fairy-tale screen adaptation. Even Steven Spilberg paid tribute to Row's enchanting fairy tales.
The story tells about a kind girl Nastenka who works very hard and suffers from her stepmother. One day the cruel woman decided to get rid of her stepdaughter by sending her to a winter forest for her to freeze to death there. Luckily, Nastenka is saved by the Father Frost, but this is only the beginning of her adventures.
Stary Novy God (The Old New Year)
Two families move into the new house and become neighbours. One family is from cerebral society, the other is from
working class. In the unique Russian holiday "The Old New Year" (January 13) heads of the both families
decide to change their lives cardinally.
This is a very significant movie, as it tells about such a unique Russian tradition as celebrating New Year according to old calendary. Besides, it is a good material on psychology of Russian people, their interesting view of the world. And it is just a great comedy.
Snezhnaya Koroleva (The Snow Queen)
The film is based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the original script is written by the Russian well-known writer Yevgheny Schwartz.
It is a story about little, but kind and brave girl Gerda, who goes to a wonderful and dangerous journey to find her friend, Kai, who was kidnapped by a powerful wicked fairy, the Snow Queen, and taken to her kingdom.
This film looks really great even in our times, as it's made with great attention to the characters of the original fairy-tale. There are a lot of complicated filming tricks, the best actors and wonderful decorations. And it's just a a touching story of great love and fiendship.
Vechera na Khutore Bliz Dikanki (Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka Village)
The film is based on the story "Christmas Eve" by Russian and Ukranian writer Nikolai Gogol. The film's director and scriptwriter is Alexander Row (Morozko). This story is an unique combination of old Russian and Ukranian traditions, legends and myths. It has wonderful atmosphere of winter Christmas nights in Slavic villages and stories which are often told on these nights.
The action takes place both in a village of Dikanka in the Ukraine and at the palace of a Russian Empress. Blacksmith Vacula loves a haughty girl Oksana, who demands for a Christmas present a pair of tcherevichki (shoes) that the Empress wears. Only then she will agree to marry Vacula. Devil promises to help Vacula if on condition that the blacksmith sells him his soul. But Vacula was no fool.
Snegurochka (Snow Maiden)
A classical fairy tale film based on the play of the same name by Ostrovsky from his cicle "Spring Tales". This film is probably closer to ancient Slavic and pagan traditions than all the other films. It is highly recommended to those who are interested in Russian ancient legends and those who just want to watch a film about a strange girl and an unusual love mixed with mysticism.
Snegurochka suddenly appears in some Russian village, people say she is a daughter of Father Frost and Spring. The girl is so beautiful that many young men fell in love with her, but she is also cold and indifferent, which brings some love tragedies to the calm village. Trying to find feelings, Snegurochka comes to Mother Spring.
Ironiya Sudby ili s Legkim Parom (The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!) is a cult Soviet comedy-drama film directed by Eldar Ryazanov and based on his play "Odnazhdy v Novogodnyuyu Noch" (Once on New Year's Eve"). It is a traditional New Year movie, which is viewed by Russians every year during winter holidays. By its popularity, it can be compared with the American film It’s a Wonderful Life.
It is an unhurried romantic comedy, which looks more like theatrical play screened for TV. Great actors, interesting plot twists, notes of sadness and loneliness and unique atmosphere of holiday create wonderful movie, which is interesting to watch for many many times and which is as necessary for Russian New Year and Christmas, as Christmas tree or champagne.
Karnavalnaya Noch (The Carnival Night) is a 1956 Soviet musical film, the first big-screen film of the great Russian film director Eldar Ryazanov. The main role in this film made Lyudmila Gurchenko one of the most well-known actresses on the Soviet scene.
Members of the Economics Institute prepares for the New Year entartainment program, which includes a lot of funny performances, singing and dancing. Suddenly, a new director arrives and disapproves the scheduled entertainment, as he wants to make it more serious, something with annual reports and long speeches. Obviously, nobody agree with his plans, so the fight for the merry New Year is started.
Charodei (Magicians) is a 1982 Soviet film directed by Konstantin Bromberg, loosely based on the science fantasy novel Monday Begins on Saturday by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. It is one of classic Soviet New Year's Eve romantic comedies, such as Irony of Fate and The Carnival Night.
Sirota Kazanskaya (Kazan Orphan) is a lyrical New Year comedy. Village teacher Nastya decides to find her father, who she knows nothing about. She sends a letter in the newspaper. On December 31, three different men come to her house, each of them is absolutely sure that he is real father of Nastya.
Dzhentelmeny Udachi (Gentlemen Of Fortune) is a classical Soviet comedy, not related to winter holidays very closely, but still it is a necessary part of Russian New Year TV-programme.
The movie follows the story of an amiable kindergarten director named Troshkin who looks exactly like a criminal called Docent, who has stolen Alexander the Great's helmet at an archaeological excavation. Docent and his gang are caught by police, but Docent is imprisoned in a different jail than his mates. Since Troshkin looks identical to Docent, the police send him undercover to prison with the real criminals to get information about the stolen helmet.
Eta Vesyolaya Planeta (This Funny Planet) is a fantastic musical comedy, which tells about aliens who came to the Earth on New Year's night and find themselves at the merry party. As everybody around in carnival costumes, aliens are considered as normal people.
Prikhodi na Menya Posmotret (Come to Look at Me)
Lyrical and touching story about a spinster woman, who tends her disabled mother. The old lady desperately wants her daughter to marry, and the daughter, driven by the supposed imminent death of her mother, invites a total stranger home on the New Year's night and introduces him as her boyfriend.
The best choice for those who want to watch a romantic holiday film, but just can't see "The Irony of Fate" on the screen anymore.
Morozko ("Father Frost")
This beautifully costumed film for children is based on a popular Russian fairy tale. The film's director is Alexander Row, who pioneered the genre of a fairy-tale screen adaptation. Even Steven Spilberg paid tribute to Row's enchanting fairy tales.
The story tells about a kind girl Nastenka who works very hard and suffers from her stepmother. One day the cruel woman decided to get rid of her stepdaughter by sending her to a winter forest for her to freeze to death there. Luckily, Nastenka is saved by the Father Frost, but this is only the beginning of her adventures.
Stary Novy God (The Old New Year)
Two families move into the new house and become neighbours. One family is from cerebral society, the other is from
working class. In the unique Russian holiday "The Old New Year" (January 13) heads of the both families
decide to change their lives cardinally.
This is a very significant movie, as it tells about such a unique Russian tradition as celebrating New Year according to old calendary. Besides, it is a good material on psychology of Russian people, their interesting view of the world. And it is just a great comedy.
Snezhnaya Koroleva (The Snow Queen)
The film is based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the original script is written by the Russian well-known writer Yevgheny Schwartz.
It is a story about little, but kind and brave girl Gerda, who goes to a wonderful and dangerous journey to find her friend, Kai, who was kidnapped by a powerful wicked fairy, the Snow Queen, and taken to her kingdom.
This film looks really great even in our times, as it's made with great attention to the characters of the original fairy-tale. There are a lot of complicated filming tricks, the best actors and wonderful decorations. And it's just a a touching story of great love and fiendship.
Vechera na Khutore Bliz Dikanki (Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka Village)
The film is based on the story "Christmas Eve" by Russian and Ukranian writer Nikolai Gogol. The film's director and scriptwriter is Alexander Row (Morozko). This story is an unique combination of old Russian and Ukranian traditions, legends and myths. It has wonderful atmosphere of winter Christmas nights in Slavic villages and stories which are often told on these nights.
The action takes place both in a village of Dikanka in the Ukraine and at the palace of a Russian Empress. Blacksmith Vacula loves a haughty girl Oksana, who demands for a Christmas present a pair of tcherevichki (shoes) that the Empress wears. Only then she will agree to marry Vacula. Devil promises to help Vacula if on condition that the blacksmith sells him his soul. But Vacula was no fool.
Snegurochka (Snow Maiden)
A classical fairy tale film based on the play of the same name by Ostrovsky from his cicle "Spring Tales". This film is probably closer to ancient Slavic and pagan traditions than all the other films. It is highly recommended to those who are interested in Russian ancient legends and those who just want to watch a film about a strange girl and an unusual love mixed with mysticism.
Snegurochka suddenly appears in some Russian village, people say she is a daughter of Father Frost and Spring. The girl is so beautiful that many young men fell in love with her, but she is also cold and indifferent, which brings some love tragedies to the calm village. Trying to find feelings, Snegurochka comes to Mother Spring.
Ironiya sudby. Interesting facts
ReplyDeleteThe director Eldar Ryazanov cast the Polish actress Barbara Brylska as Nadya. However, as she didn't speak Russian, her voice was dubbed by Valentina Talyzina. Talyzina appears in a small part as Nadya's friend along with Liya Akhedzhakova.
The two apartment buildings on "3rd Constructors St., 25" which are supposed to be located in Moscow and Leningrad were actual buildings no. 125 and no. 113 on Vernadsky avenue in Moscow. They are only 700 meters apart. There is no "3rd Constructors St." neither in Moscow, nor in Leningrad / St. Petersburg.
For the part of Ippolit, Oleg Basilashvili was cast originally. However, due to obligations on the Leningrad stage he could not participate in the film. Yuriy Yakovlev was cast instead. However, you can see Basilashvili's photo when Nadya picks it up from the snow.
Ironiya Sudby. Errors in geography
ReplyDeleteThe service phone number on Nadya's elevator is 241-84-44 and has 7 digits. However, phone numbers in Leningrad had only 6 digits in 1975 (whereas Moscow numbers had 7), thus revealing that the shooting was actually done in Moscow instead of Leningrad.
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In the scene where Nadya takes a nightly stroll through Leningrad, there is a tram passing behind her. It is a tram of the MTB-82 series, which were only used in Moscow by 1975.
Ironiya Sudby.Trivia
ReplyDeleteThe term "Irony of Fate" refers to Fate toying with the lives of mortals. The second title, "S lyogkim parom!" (literally something like "With light steam!") is an idiomatic expression used to compliment somebody who has just come out of the shower, the banya, or the bathtub ("lyogkiy par" translates to "light steam" or "easy steam").
Oleg Basilashvili was originally cast in the role of Ippolit, but the death of his father prevented him from finishing the film . He was replaced by Yuri Yakovlev. Basilashvili's face, however, is still seen on the photo of Ippolit that Nadya retrieves from the snow.
The score to the film was composed by Mikael Tariverdiev, and includes both orchestral background music and songs in the "author's song" style, sung by several of the characters. The strikingly melancholy lyrics of these songs were written by some of Russia's greatest twentieth-century poets: Boris Pasternak, Marina Tsvetayeva, and Bella Akhmadulina. The singing voices of the characters were dubbed by the (now well-known) vocalists Sergey Nikitin and Alla Pugacheva.
Many street names, such as Red October Street, Leninskaya, etc., are/were common to various Soviet and now Russian cities. Zhenya's and Nadya's 3rd Builders' Street falls into this category. In Soviet times buildings were prefabricated in factories. Thus many buildings were identical in facade, layout, and even the locks on the doors. Many houses look identical, and even apartments look very much the same from the inside. For example, nobody had to ask for directions to the lavatory, because it is typically next to the kitchen.
The director, Eldar Ryazanov, cast the Polish actress, Barbara Brylska, as Nadya. As she spoke Russian with a pronounced accent, her speech was dubbed by actress Valentina Talyzina, who appears in a small part as Nadya's friend along with Liya Akhedzhakova.
Barbara Brylska's acting in a Russian film when Russian-Polish tensions were high caused her to have to flee her native country due to receiving death threats after the film's release.
The Carnaval Night
ReplyDeleteThis is Eldar Ryazanov's first big-screen film and Lyudmila Gurchenko's first role. The film made both of them overnight stars of Soviet Cinema.
It is the New Year's Eve and the employees of an Economics Institute are ready with their annual New Year's entertainment program. It includes a lot of dancing, singing, and even magic tricks. Suddenly, an announcement is made that a new director has been elected and that he is arriving shortly. Comrade Ogurtsov arrives in time to review and disapprove of the scheduled entertainment. To him, holiday fun has a different meaning. He imagines speakers reading annual reports to show the Institute's progress over the year, and, perhaps, a bit of serious music. Something from the Soviet Classics.
Obviously, no one wants to change the program a few hours before the show, much less to replace it with something so boring! Now everyone has to team up in order to prevent Ogurtsov from getting to the stage. As some of them trap Ogurtsov one way or another, others perform their scheduled pieces and celebrate New Years.
The movie is filled with beautiful songs that have become the classics. Dancing is spectacular, jokes are witty, costumes - gorgeous (especially for that time). Since it came out in the 1950's, the movie has become a New Year's classic. You will note Gurchenko's singing talent - she is incredible (it is, indeed, her voice). As you watch the film, pay attention to how tiny her waist is - it is only a record 50 centimeters around!
Karnavalnaya Noch was the first comedy made by the Russian director Eldar Ryazanov. Filled with music, dances and singing it featured Ludmila Gurchenko in her first role and the renowned stage and film actor Igor Ilyinsky as Ogurtsov, an old-fashioned bureaucrat-stand-in director of the Culture Palace where the team of young people is trying to put together a musical programme to celebrate the New Year's Eve. Sergei Fillipov is particularly funny as a tipsy lecturer who is invited by Ogurtsov to read a lecture about life on Mars on the New Years Eve, and Yuri Belov is good as a shy electrician who is in love with Lena Krylova(Gurchenko) The film is a light "feeling good" viewing, it is ageless and can be watched over and over again.
ReplyDeleteDzhentelmeny Udachi (Gentlemen Of Fortune)
ReplyDeletedid you know?
"Dotsent" is a common Russian academic title, roughly corresponding to "Professor" in the USA. The plot of a timid ordinary citizen being mistaken for a hardened criminal and becoming involved in catching the crooks goes back in US film history at least to John Ford's The Whole Town's Talking, a comedy-drama that starred Edward G. Robinson in a similar dual role.
Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka Village
ReplyDeleteThe whimsical combination of Christmas phantasmagoria and an eccentric fairy tale makes this film an unforgettable spectacle. The action takes place both in a village of Dikanka in the Ukraine and at the palace of a Russian Empress. Blacksmith Vacula has enraged the devil himself: in a church he painted the devil's figure in such a way that even the Hell's inhabitants could not help laughing. Solokha, Vacula's mother, is known to be a witch, not averse to flying on a besom. Vacula's sweetheart, Oksana, demands for a Christmas present a pair of tcherevichki (shoes) that the Empress wears. Only then she will agree to marry Vacula. And the devil promises to help the blacksmith get the Empress's shoes, on condition that Vacula sells him his soul. Meanwhile, Christmas is almost here.
A glorious excursion into Technicolor fantasy and a film that remains very true to the spirit of Russian/Ukrainian master Nikolai Gogol, Nights in the Village is one of the most beautiful works in the rich strain of Russian cinematic fantasy. The tale of a blacksmith from a darkened village sent on an endless quest on Christmas Eve by his beloved - ending in St. Petersburg and with a stop along the way for a conference with the devil - has been filmed a few times throughout Russian film history, but never with so much charm and such rich feeling for the satiric, folkloric power of the source material.
ReplyDeleteMany quotes from The Irony of Fate have passed into Russian culture, and so has the beautiful soundtrack, which was composed by Mikael Tariverdiev. The lyrics included poetry by such masters of the Russian language as Boris Pasternak and Marina Tsvetaeva, and the actors' singing voices were dubbed by the popular Russian singers Sergei Nikitin and Alla Pugacheva.
ReplyDeleteHer singing voice was not the only thing dubbed for Barbara Brylska. Brylska was a Polish actress whose Russian was not good enough to realistically play a native of Leningrad, so the Russian actress Valentina Talyzina dubbed her lines. Talyzina also appeared in a small role in the film as one of Nadya's friends.
More than 30 years after it was made, Ironiya Sud'bi remains a beloved Russian New Year's tradition, and it is a perennial favorite among foreign students of Russian as well, thanks to its charming plot, beautiful soundtrack, and lovely scenes of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) in the winter.
Russians love films which intertwine multiple stories, characters, and celebrities. They also collectively adore watching foreigners participate in what are considered to be uniquely Russian traditions. Hence, the distributors for the Russian release of New Years Eve have added "old" before the "new year." This also plays into the official trailer as shown below which mixes the words "old" and "new," but also gives the film the added localized appeal of appearing to place American celebrities inside the uniquely Russian holiday of the "Old New Year." This marketing was carried one step further in the decision to release the film to the Russian market on January 12, just one day before the Old New Year is traditionally celebrated in Russia.
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ReplyDeleteIt's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, that was based on the short story "The Greatest Gift", written by Philip Van Doren Stern in 1939, and privately published by the author in 1945. The film is considered one of the most loved films in American cinema, and has become traditional viewing during the Christmas season.
ReplyDeleteReleased in 1946, the film stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has given up his dreams in order to help others, and whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers). Clarence shows George all the lives he has touched and how different life in his community would be had he never been born.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
ReplyDeleteChristmas Vacation is a 1989 Christmas comedy film directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. It is the third installment in National Lampoon's Vacation film series, and was written by John Hughes, based on his short story in National Lampoon Magazine, Christmas ‘59. The title song was written for the movie by the husband-wife songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and was performed by Mavis Staples of The Staple Singers fame.
With Christmas only a few weeks away, long-time Chicago resident Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) decides it's time to get a Christmas tree. He gathers his wife Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), daughter Audrey (Juliette Lewis) and son Russ (Johnny Galecki) into the family station wagon and drives out to the country where he finds the perfect tree. Unfortunately, Clark forgot to bring an axe, so the tree is pulled from the frozen ground.
Soon after, both Clark's and Ellen's parents arrive to spend Christmas with the Griswolds, and almost immediately start getting on everyone's nerves. Clark however, is determined to have a "good old fashioned family Christmas" and stays in a positive mood. He decorates the house with thousands of light bulbs, which temporarily causes all of Chicago to have a power outage. While standing on the front lawn admiring the lights, Clark is shocked to see Ellen's cousin Catherine (Miriam Flynn) and her slobbish husband Eddie (Randy Quaid), who've arrived unannounced from Kansas in a broken down RV. Eddie later admits that he's broke and had to sell his home. Clark offers to help Catherine and Eddie give their children a good Christmas. Eddie then gives Clark a list of gift ideas and tells Clark to throw in a gift for himself.
With Christmas approaching quickly, Clark begins to wonder why his boss, Frank Shirley (Brian Doyle-Murray) hasn't given him his yearly bonus, which he needs in order to put in a swimming pool once the ground thaws. After a disastrous Christmas eve dinner, Eddie takes his RV, drives to Frank's house and kidnaps him. He brings him back to the Griswold house where Clark confronts him about the Christmas bonus. Meanwhile, Frank's wife has alerted the authorities of her husbands abduction and a SWAT team shows up, pointing their guns at Clark and his family. Frank decides to drop the charges and re-instates Clark's bonus. Clark is so happy he faints. After hearing an explosion, the family rushes outside to find uncle Lewis (William Hickey) laying on the ground. His cigar had ignited the gas from a storm sewer that Eddie had filled with sewage earlier. Aunt Bethany (Mae Questel) proceeds to sing the Star Spangled Banner and the whole family joins in.
Miracle on 34th Street is a 1947 Christmas film written by George Seaton from a story by Valentine Davies, directed by George Seaton and starring Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn. The story takes place between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day in New York City, and focuses on the impact of a department store Santa Claus who claims to be the real Santa. The film has become a perennial Christmas favorite.
ReplyDeleteA little girl discovers dreams do come true if you really believe. Six-year-old Susan has doubts about childhood's most enduring miracle - Santa Claus. Her mother told her the "secret" about Santa a long time ago, so Susan doesn't expect to receive the most important gifts on her Christmas list. But after meeting a special department store Santa who's convinced he's the real thing, Susan is given the most precious gift of all - something to believe in.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a children's story by Dr. Seuss written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author. It was published as a book by Random House in 1957, and at approximately the same time in an issue of Redbook. The book criticizes the commercialization of Christmas. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children." It was one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal.
ReplyDeletePlot
The Grinch, a bitter, grouchy, cave-dwelling creature with a heart "two sizes too small," lives on snowy Mount Crumpit, a steep, 3,000-foot (910 m) high mountain just north of Whoville, home of the merry and warm-hearted Whos. His only companion is his faithful dog, Max. From his perch high atop Mount Crumpit, the Grinch can hear the noisy Christmas festivities that take place in Whoville. Annoyed and unable to understand the Whos' happiness, he makes plans to descend on the town and deprive them of their Christmas presents, Roast Beast, Who-hash and decorations and thus "prevent Christmas from coming." However, he learns in the end that despite his success in taking away all the Christmas presents and decorations from the Whos, Christmas comes just the same. He then realizes that Christmas is more than just gifts and presents. Touched by this, his heart grows three sizes larger; he returns all the presents and trimmings and is warmly welcomed into the community of the Whos.
I'd added to this list a wonderful film "New Year's tariff". It's a nice, touching love story about two young people, who were linked by the telephone call while clocks were striking twelve.
ReplyDeleteIvan Vasilievich Changes Profession is a Soviet comedy film produced by Mosfilm in 1973. In the United States the film has sometimes been sold under the title Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future. This film is based on a play by Mikhail Bulgakov and was one of the most attended movies in the Soviet Union in 1973 with more than 60 million tickets sold.
ReplyDeleteBrief Plot
The movie begins in 1973 Moscow, where Engineer Aleksandr Timofeev is working on a time machine in his apartment. By accident, he sends Ivan Vasilevich Bunsha, superintendent of his apartment building, and George Miloslavsky, a small-time burglar, back into the time of Ivan IV. The pair is forced to disguise themselves, with Bunsha dressing up as Ivan IV and Miloslavsky as a knyaz of the same name (who everybody thought was executed by the tsar). At the same time, the real Ivan IV is sent by the same machine into Shurik's apartment, he has to deal with modern-day life while Shurik tries to fix the machine so that everyone can be brought back to their proper place in time. As the police (tipped off by a neighbor who was burgled by Miloslavsky) close in on Shurik, who is frantically trying to repair the machine, the cover of Bunsha and Miloslavsky is blown and they have to fight off the Streltsy, who have figured out that Bunsha is not the real Tsar. The movie ends with Bunsha, Miloslavsky, and Ivan IV all transported back to their proper places, although the entire thing is revealed to be a dream by Shurik. Or was it?
Ironiya Sudby ili s Legkim Parom is my favorite film!!!!!!!New year is not New Year without it)On the eve of the holiday,my family gathers at the front of TV and watches this beautiful film.I know almost all the replicas by heart from this film, however watch it with great pleasure)
ReplyDelete"Dotsent" is a common Russian academic title, roughly corresponding to "Professor" in the USA. The plot of a timid ordinary citizen being mistaken for a hardened criminal and becoming involved in catching the crooks goes back in US film history at least to John Ford's The Whole Town's Talking, a comedy-drama that starred Edward G. Robinson in a similar dual role.
ReplyDeleteMorozko
ReplyDeleteRevealing mistakes
In the beginning, when Nastyenka pleases the sun to wait till she finishes the socks, the sun rises from the right side (west). Russia is situated on Northern hemisphere, so it's clear that the scene was actually shot during twilight and the sunrise is actually dusk played backwards.
Snegurochka (Snow Maiden)
ReplyDeleteAleksandr Ostrovsky's play, on which this film is based, was first performed in Russia in 1874, with incidental music by the great Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky's score has been recorded complete several times.
For the part of Ippolit, Oleg Basilashvili was cast originally. However, due to obligations on the Leningrad stage he could not participate in the film. Yuriy Yakovlev was cast instead. However, you can see Basilashvili's photo when Nadya picks it up from the snow.
ReplyDeleteThe two apartment buildings on "3rd Constructors St., 25" which are supposed to be located in Moscow and Leningrad were actual buildings no. 125 and no. 113 on Vernadsky avenue in Moscow. They are only 700 meters apart. There is no "3rd Constructors St." neither in Moscow, nor in Leningrad / St. Petersburg.
ReplyDeleteThe director Eldar Ryazanov cast the Polish actress Barbara Brylska as Nadya. However, as she didn't speak Russian, her voice was dubbed by Valentina Talyzina. Talyzina appears in a small part as Nadya's friend along with Liya Akhedzhakova.
ReplyDeleteWhy make 3 commentaries, if they are aboutone film!
Delete1 point for 3!
Famous songs from Charodei:
ReplyDelete"Zagadka zhenshchiny"
("A woman's enigma")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Irina Otiyeva
"Tri belykh konya"
("Three white horses")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Larisa Dolina
"Pesnya o snezhinke"
("A song about a snowflake")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Olga Rozhdestvenskaya and Dobrie Molodtsy
"Ved'ma-rechka"
ReplyDelete("Witch-river")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Irina Otieva
"Pesenka Pro Kostyumchik"
("A Song About a Suit")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Emmanuil Vitorgan and Mikhail Svetin
"Predstavte Sebe"
("Just Imagine")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by L.Serebrennikov
"Spat Pora"
ReplyDelete("Time to Sleep")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Mikhail Svetin
"Serenada"
("Serenade")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Original Cast Members
"Kentavry"
("Centaurs")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Dobrie Molodtsy
"Podoidu Ya K Zerkalu"
ReplyDelete("By The Mirror")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Zhanna Rozhdestvenskaya
"Tol'ko Serdtsu Ne Prikazhesh"
("You Can't Command Your Heart")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Zhanna Rozhdestvenskaya and V. Lynkovskiy
"Govoryat A Ti Ne Ver'"
("Don't believe what they say")
Written by Yevgeni Krylatov and Leonid Derbenyov
Performed by Original Cast Members
Well,songs are sort of out of place here!
Delete4 songs for 1 point!
ReplyDeleteVersion of
Snezhnaya koroleva (1957)
The Snow Queen (1995)
Stories from My Childhood: The Snow Queen (1998) (TV Episode)
The Snow Queen (2005) (TV Movie)