Aleksandr Pashutin Movies
A young girl searching for her prince charming instead falls for a stern skipper in screenwriter/director Yuri Kuzin's screen adaptation of Gennadiy Shpalikov's story (The Wharf). Life in Katya's small provincial town is slow, and though she may be hoping in the dark, the idealistic young girl can't help but anticipate the arrival of a fantasy man to sweep her up and take her to places she's never imagined. When a salty seaman arrives in town and Katya falls deeply in love, reality offers a stark contrast to her lifelong dreams of romance. Yet despite some initial doubts, Katya soon feels the true bond of love forming after spending an unforgettable night in Moscow with her newfound prince. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yevgeny Sidikhin, Karina Razumovskaya, (more)
- 1996
This Russian film is an updated version of Bertold Brecht's stage play. Brecht's plays always highlight the intersection between politics and life as it is lived, and his play, The Career of Arturo Ui is no exception. The story is about Arturo Ui (Aleksandr Filipenko) and his progress from being a penniless unknown to becoming someone with totalitarian power. The model for Arturo was originally Hitler, but in this film parallels are also drawn to the rise of Stalin, and to the new socialists seeking power in post-Soviet Russia. Slogans from Russian political campaigns are used for this purpose to chilling effect. Often, as in this play, Brecht collaborated with Kurt Weill to bring music to his stylized dramas, and as a result many of his plays occupy an ill-defined territory somewhere between classical Greek drama and the contemporary stage musical. Here, that music is supplemented by contemporary Russian folk music. The film retains many stage values; most actors appear in very stylized makeup, and the film's settings are very limited and contained. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexander Filippenko, Vyacheslav Nevinny, (more)
- 1994
Oleg (Oleg Basilashvili) is in for a really strange time, that much is clear. Of course, just the fact of his desire to visit a gypsy fortuneteller in the first place is an indication of that. He's well past middle age, in his 50s, and is an established, well-known writer. When the fortuneteller told him the same thing (you will have an unusual time), he didn't really believe her. However, when he runs into a 25-year old man in his apartment claiming the same parentage, profession, name and birthday - as well as having a scar over his eye identical to the one older Oleg has, it seems like the prediction has already come true - but it is just beginning. Oleg the younger (Andrei Sokolov) says he's leaving for Israel in the morning, but between then and now, he's at Oleg the older's disposal. For some reason, the presence of this near-doppelganger lends the older man courage and recklessness unlike anything he ever had before, and as he sets things right and gets revenge for previous slights, strange adventures abound. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oleg Basilashvili, Irène Jacob, (more)
- 1994
A German shepherd offers his unique, canine view of contemporary Moscow in this off-beat Russian adventure. The dog lives alone on the street and as he goes about his daily business the camera cleverly affects his point of view. He is a thinking dog, and occasionally pictures of his thoughts or funny fantasies (such as the one in which he drives a car) appear. As an added touch of realism, human voices are frequently indistinct and just unclear enough to keep him from understanding them and their ways. He is chased by a dog catcher, but manages to not only escape, but also to free a whole pack of his friends, including his girl friend, a strapping Great Dane. The dog's life radically changes when he hooks up with a lonely, troubled boy who is generally ignored by his parents. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexander Boukhartsev, Aleksandr Pashutin, (more)
- 1992
In this tragicomedy, Lt. Poletaev (Yevgeny Mironov) is an irrepressible character. Even the grim character of service in the Red Army following World War II isn't enough to dampen his spirits. Instead, he keeps things lively by accompanying the base's chorus on his accordian, and by attempting to get women to join the chorus. He succeeds in both his quests. Not only that, but one of the woman singers (Irina Rozanova) and he have a nice little romantic spark going. It's too bad that she's the live-in lover of his boss, Col. Vinogradov (Valentin Gaft). ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Valentin Gaft, Irina Rozanova, (more)
- 1991
- PG13
Andrei Konchalovsky's examination of totalitarianism, and the self-deluded mind-set that allows it to happen, is based on Konchalovsky's meeting with a bureaucratic flunky of Stalin's -- his personal projectionist -- during his early days as a filmmaker. Set during the height of Stalin's rule (1939 through 1953), the story concerns Ivan Sanchin (Tom Hulce), a motion picture projectionist who worships the Soviet leader like a god. He lives in a tiny apartment, sharing his space with a Jewish family. One day, the KGB bursts into the apartment of his Jewish neighbors and carts them away. Later that night, there is a loud banging on his door and standing before him are two KGB agents, who drag him off into the night. While at first Ivan can't understand what he did wrong, it seems the news is good -- Stalin wants Ivan to take over as his official motion picture projectionist. But since his job is high security, he can't tell his wife Anastasia (Lolita Davidovich) what he does for a living. When Anastasia takes an interest in the orphaned child of his former Jewish neighbors, Ivan begins to worry that Anastasia's visits to the state orphanage might have political repercussions against him. When he gets his wife a job serving Stalin's cabinet, he thinks he's solved his political worries. Unfortunately, Anastasia catches the amorous eye of KGB chief Beria (Bob Hoskins), and Ivan's unquestioning faith in the Soviet leaders is sorely tested. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hulce, Lolita Davidovich, (more)
