Russian films

[pgmatg]

What do you think of Russian Sci-Fi?
Here some movies I really enjoyed:
Солярис / Solaris
Сталкер / Stalker
Кин-дза-дза / Kin-Dza-Dza
Завещание профессора Доуэля / Professor Dowell's Testament
Человек-амфибия / Amphibian Man
Ночной дозор / Night Watch

 

[Foxbat]

I've not seen any of them apart from Solaris.

I'm afraid my viewing of Russian films does not go past 'Battleship Potemkin' and Grigori Kozintsev's 'King Lear' .....but I'm willing to try anything once. Time to see if I can track down some russian SciFi

 

[Foxbat]

Oh, and by the way, I notice it's your first post so let me be the first to welcome you to the Chronicles Network.
Enjoy

 

[Brian G Turner]

Hi pgmatg, and welcome to the chronicles-network.

I barely get to see *any* films these days...

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

I've seen Tarkovsky's Solaris - great stuff.


Perhaps you can help me identify another Russian sf film I saw a long time back? I do not recall too much - there was a group of people who got into a plane/space shuttle on some sort of journey. At the other end, it turned out they were transported to some post-apocalyptic future. I don't recall much, as you can see, but there was something very compelling about the film and I would love to track it down again.

 

[pgmatg]

... there was a group of people who got into a plane/space shuttle on some sort of journey. At the other end, it turned out they were transported to some post-apocalyptic future. ...

It could be any of the following:
Планета бурь / Planet of storms 1961
Москва - Кассиопея / Moscow - Cassiopea 1973
Отроки во вселенной / Boys In the Universe / Teenagers in Space 1974
maybe:
Через тернии к звездам / To the Stars by Hard Ways / Humanoid Woman 1981

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Thanks! I checked those titles out on imdb, and Planet of Storms seems to be the closest fit.

I don't know much about Russian sf films - perhaps you could tell us a bit more about it - the sort of themes explored, similarities and differences with Westersn sf films, and the current scene?

 

[pgmatg]

Unfortunately there are not that many Russian Sci-Fi features.
Some are similar to American ones from 1970s, but mostly they are pretty unique.
As to current scene - "Night Watch" is the best, kinda like Matrix with a Horror twist.
Also I would like to mention my favorite animated Sci-Fi movie:
Тайна третьей планеты / The Secret of the Third Planet

 

[Starbeast]

Can anyone tell me the name of this Russian Sci-Fi movie? This looks good.

 

[Moonbat]

I've seen Solaris, the original russian version, not the Hollywood remake with George Clooney, but I wasn't that impressed, it ended quite well but was very slow going.

As for Nightwatch, I have seen it and didn't think it was that good, am I right in thinking that there is a Daywatch (sequel) to it, which I haven't watched. I did like the bit with the tower surrounded by crows in Night watch, it seemed like the film ended just as it was getting going, maybe Daywatch is worth a watch some day

 

[iansales]

Tarkovsky is not for everyone, but his Solaris is infinitely better than Soderbergh's anodyne remake. Yes, there is a sequel to Nightwatch called Daywatch. The films are based on a tetrology, so there are probably more films to come.

 

[HareBrain]

Has anyone else seen Tarkovsky's Stalker? I saw it 20+ years ago, and it left a deep impression on me, but I can't remember why. I've been toying with buying it on DVD, but am wary of being disappointed.

 

[iansales]

Get it. It's brilliant. Although I prefer Mirror and Sacrifice myself.

 

[cornelius]

I've seen Nightwatch but I wasn't very impressed. The gritty scenery was nice, but I had the feeling there could have been more to it.