Nikolai Olyalin Movies

The English title is a translation of the Russian word "Beg," which means run, flight or escape. This lavish USSR epic film examines the lives of a number of White Russians. "White" Russians, in contrast to "Red" Russians, were active opponents of the Bolshevik Revolution and included among their number many notable intellectuals and aristocrats. Indeed, from 1917 until well into the 1920's there was an active counterrevolution in parts of what became the USSR. After the film's White Russians fled the revolution, it details the humiliations they endured in Paris and Turkey, and the experience of those who returned to Soviet Russia. This film is notable in that it tells the story of their difficulties in a remarkably sympathetic fashion. Directors Alov and Naumov were given wide latitude by Soviet authorities, and made other notable (and internationally acclaimed) epic films such as The Legend of Til Eulenspiegel, and Teheran '43. Among the highlights of this film are performances by Mikhail Ulyanov as General Tchernota and Vladislav Dvorzhelsky as Khludov. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Isaac Babel was a popular writer in the 1920s and 1930s who fell victim to Stalin's "purges". His exact date of death was never established. It's assumed that he died in 1940. Understandably, his works were not published again until the '60s. Another reason why his works were not adapted to the screen earlier was the pervasive anti-Semitic attitude among the state and communist bureaucracy during the Soviet times. Bindyuzhnik i Korol is a musical based on Isaac Babel's works. It was much hyped but it wasn't a huge success. Maxim Leonidov, who played Benya Krik (the "king") in the movie, was a handsome-looking leading singer from the popular Leningrad beat quartet "Sekret". "Sekret" was a Russian hommage to The Beatles. Shortly after starring in the movie, Leonidov immigrated to Israel, where he organized another band. In the story, set in the Jewish quarter of a Russian city, Mendel Krik (Armen Dzhigarkhanyan) is the wealthy owner of a large livery stable (the "drayman") who lords it over everyone who comes in his path, especially his two grown sons, whom he plans to disinherit. One of his sons, Benya, is far cleverer than his critical wrath of a father thinks, and manages to take his father's business away from him. This musical generally has a somber tone, and resembles the dark, serious works of Bertold Brecht rather than the much lighter tone of Fiddler on the Roof, with which it has sometimes been compared. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

The apocalyptic sci-fi thriller Day Watch (aka Dvevnoy Dozor, 2006) constitutes the second installment in a planned supernatural trilogy by Russian director Timur Bekmambetov. As preceded by 2004's blockbuster Night Watch and followed by Twilight Watch, this sophomore film picks up on the byzantine tale of a world where, centuries ago, the powers of light (representing goodness) and the powers of darkness (representing evil) called a truce. Each side set up a law-enforcement team to guard and monitor the other's activities -- the powers of darkness established and controlled the Day Watch, while the powers of light established and controlled the Night Watch. Day Watch opens in the 14th century, when Tamerlane, a Mongol warrior, acquires an implement called "The Chalk of Destiny," that can be used to guide the course of history. Eons later (in the present day), the Day Watch and the Night Watch are ongoing. Two Warriors of Light, Anton Gorodetsky (Konstantin Khabensky) and his protégé/partner-in-training, Svetlana (Maria Poroshina), quietly develop feelings for one another as they patrol the Night Watch together. As the story progresses, the pair must respond to a distress call from an octogenarian victim of a vampiric attack -- an attack committed (as it turns out) by Anton's 12-year-old son, Yegor (Dima Martynov) -- now a Warrior of Darkness. Anton must suddenly wrestle with two conflicting desires -- the need to protect his offspring by destroying incriminating evidence, and his own desire to remain loyal to the Night Watch. Several additional subplots then unfold concurrently, including that of Yegor learning to practice evil from his mentor, Zavulon (Viktor Verzhbitsky), that of Anton "body swapping" with associate Olga (Galina Tyunina), and that of the relationship between a vampiric child, Kostya (Aleksei Chadov), and his dad (Valery Zolotukhin), who works as a butcher. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Alexandr Sery's comedy Gentlemen of Fortune concerns a kindergarten teacher who bears a striking resemblance to a master thief. When the bad guy swipes a helmet that belonged to Alexander the Great, the teacher uses his brains and his looks to attempt to retrieve the item. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Two bands of warriors, one good and one evil, battle to keep the peace in Moscow in this cat's cradle thriller from Russia. In 1342, the Warriors of Light (led by Gesser, Lord of Light) and the Warriors of Darkness (led by Zavulon, General of Darkness) declare a truce under which each side will form a law enforcement team to monitor the other side's activities. The Warriors of Light, who enforce the powers of good, patrol the Night Watch, while the Warriors of Darkness, who openly embrace evil, staff the Day Watch. Each watch group also contains "Others," mortals with supernatural powers from both sides that include vampires, shapeshifters, witches, and the like. Prophecy suggests that one day, a Great One will surface and permanently extinguish the threat of an apocalyptic war between the two sides by upsetting the balance, lending greater power to either good or evil (depending on his or her choice) and thus determining the future of mankind forever.

In 1992, Night Watch member and Warrior of Light Anton Gordesky (Konstantin Khabensky) discovers he's an "other" amid a sting on a witch. Cut to twelve years later. In 2004, Anton still works the Night Watch, but now he's a vampiric warrior who drinks blood. One night, while on patrol, he rescues a young boy named Egor (Dima Martinov) from a handful of Dark Warriors, but in the process, he encounters Svetlana (Maria Poroshina), a woman who acts as a "funnel" -- a conduit for the powers of evil. Anton reflects on the prophecy regarding "The Great One," and begins to suspect that Svetlana and Egor may be harbingers of this fateful event. As the first installment in a Russian trilogy, Night Watch (aka Nochnoj Dozor) was a massive box-office success in its native Russia, and is followed by the second installment, Day Watch; it was released in the U.S. with a heavy prologue and epilogue, and animated subtitles that alternately scuttle across the screen, dissolve, shudder, and explode.

20th Century Fox not only purchased United States distribution rights for the film, but also announced plans for a Westernized remake. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide