Yefim Kopelyan Movies
- 1955
The titular Gadfly in this Russian film is the illegitimate son of an Italian cardinal. The time is the 19th century, when Italy is under Austrian rule. The hero rallies his countrymen to battle for Italian independence. After several narrow escapes, the Gadfly is captured and executed by firing squad; in the very last moments, his father finally acknowledges the Gadfly's true family heritage. Oleg Strizhenov is the star of this filmization of Ethel L. Voynich's 19th century novel. The film's impressive visuals are augmented by Dmitri Shostakovich's thrilling musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oleg Strizhenov, Nikolai Simonov, (more)
- 1956
As part of Russia's de-Stalinization process, the Soviet Prolog plays down Stalin's participation in the Revolution. Instead, Lenin emerges as the film's hero -- in fact, he's the only simon-pure, totally sincere personality in the entire project. More than one critic noted that Prolog resembled an American western, with clearly defined good guys and bad guys and a rootin', tootin', shootin' climax. Unabashedly propagandistic, the film is also immensely enjoyable. An entry in the 1957 Karlovy Vary Film Festival, Prolog was the cinematic swan song of director Efim Dzigan, who 20 years earlier won the Paris World's Fair Grand Prize for We Are From Kronstadt. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nikolai Plotnikov, Mariya Pastukhova, (more)
Based on the story by Lazar Lagin, Old Hottabych is a bout a 12 year old boy named Volka who finds an old and mysterious looking jug while swimming in the Moscow river. Overcome with curiosity, the boy opens the seal, only to find the ancient genie Hassan Abdurahman Imn Hottab standing before him. The genie, whom the boy calls Hottabych for short, is extremely grateful of the boy for releasing him from a thousand year confinement and proceeds to become the boy's servant, showering him Volka with presents and leading him on a magical adventure. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nikolai Volkov, Sr., Alesha Litvinov, (more)
- 1964
The three young lads in this film, vacationing together at the seaside resort town of Odessa, are aware that war will soon change their futures irrevocably. They are all Communist Youth Party members, which means that ordinarily their prospects would be fairly bright. As they lark around in boats and on the shore, some of them have encounters which result in their having their first kiss with a girl, or a first shave. Two of the three die during the war. Whether because the director was Jewish (he emigrated to Israel in 1971) or because of its downbeat ending, this film was not released for two years after it was made and then was only allowed to have a very short run (in 1966). At that time it became something of a legend among Western reviewers as an especially fine film. It was restored and re-released in 1991. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nataliya Bogunova, Yevgeny Steblov, (more)
Set during the Russian Civil War of the 1920s, this film tells the story of four young friends who make it their business to infiltrate Ataman Burnash's band in order to avenge the death of one of the friends' fathers. The teenagers nearly reach their goal, but one of them is captured. He is sentenced to death, but he certainly won't be executed if the other Avengers have anything to say about it. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vitya Kosykh, Misha Metelkin, (more)
