Alexander Kalyagin Movies

This Russian-Hungarian backed concept film is set at a giant Siberian steelworks and focuses upon the exploits of one spectacularly bored employee while subtly commenting on larger issues. Conditions at the works, which produces armor alloys for the military, are grim, dangerous, and barely tolerable. The story presents several episodes from workers' lives but focuses particularly upon young Ignat. When not working, his only entertainment stems from stealing sheep from wandering shepherds, and robbing a train at gunpoint. To find a little more excitement, he enters the annual fight between the strongest metal worker and the strongest miner. This provides the film's climax. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This dramatic tragedy is taken from the short story by Leo Tolstoy. Vasili (Oleg Yankovsky) recalls his past love affair and marriage with Lisa (Irina Selezneva). When a piano-playing gypsy gives Lisa music lessons, her husband becomes enraged and tries to kill him. Lisa is accidentally murdered, and the court acquits the distraught and lonely husband for his crime of passion. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

In this simple story, versions of which have been told almost from time immemorial, a middle-aged father leaves his family for a younger woman. He is 45, with a broadening waist and balding pate that will do nothing to attract very many women in the future, so why not take advantage of this one chance at a special happiness? Ever the responsible professional (architect), he meets his ex-wife on a regular basis to pay her alimony. She is particularly patient throughout because her own professional training (sociology) gives her some sort of edge in dealing with his behavior and her feelings. Their daughter is not quite as cool about her parents split, and behaves as most daughters would - she wants them back together, period. After several months with the younger woman, the romantic interlude begins to dim, suggesting that the wife's patience may have been the wisest approach to the whole fiasco. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Skazka Skazok (Tale of Tales) is a 27-minute animated short film, considered the masterpiece of influential Russian animator Yuri Norstein. Told in a non-narrative style by free association, the film employs various techniques including puppets, cut-outs, and traditional cell animation. Using classical music and '30s jazz tunes instead of dialogue, it's a mood piece based on the Russian lullaby roughly translated, "Go to sleep, or the little wolf will carry you away into the woods." The little wolf is the only reoccurring character and he does end up carrying a crying baby through the woods. The rest of the highly symbolic images are constructed to resemble what Norstein calls a "visual memory," using images from his own memories. Traveling trains, falling snow and leaves, abandoned cars, and dancing couples all come into play. Picasso's Minotaur, Alexander Pushkin's literary characters, and other figures from history and art interact on a two-dimensional plane. One particular scene involves a little boy eating an apple in the snow. He tries to share his apple with some crows, but his drunken father drags him away. Tale of Tales was named "the best animated film of all time" by the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Arts Festival and was made available in the U.S. on the DVD Masters of Russian Animation from Jove Films. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide