Alexander Zbruyev Movies
- 1995
In this distinctly Russian romantic comedy, step-siblings Kolya and Olga have been in love since childhood. Soon after returning from the military, Kolya asks for her hand, and they begin planning their nuptials, despite the objections of Kolya's mother, who was hoping that her rather poor son would choose a wealthier spouse. The happy couples' preparations are temporarily unhinged when Smirnov and his handsome, well-educated 20-year old son, Petya, come to town. Years before Smirnov and Kolya's mother had been lovers. The minute Petya and Olga meet, sparks fly and it is only a matter of time before they connect and make a fire. Romantically merry mayhem ensues until the whole mess is straightened out in the end. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mikhail Ulyanov, Alexander Zbruyev, (more)
- 1994
The trials of a Russian who immigrates to Israel are explored in this Israeli drama. Valery Ostrovsky, an award-winning, egotistical Russian actor, and his family have high hopes when they move to Israel. They are soon disillusioned by its realities. The lifestyle is much lower than what they are accustomed to as they must initially live in a cheap trailer in a desolate neighborhood surrounded by other outsiders. Valery also quickly finds the demand for famous Russian actors is non-existent. He does try to learn Hebrew, with the assistance of Michael, his son's lovely teacher. They quickly become involved. Michael also becomes involved as a friend to Valery's wife Jana. Valery's travails continue as he tries to adjust to his new life. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexander Abdulov, Tatyana Vasilyeva, (more)
- 1993
Anya was in love with her older sister's boyfriend Timoshin long before she emigrated from the then U.S.S.R. for America. Now she is no longer a teenager, and it seems to her that the ex-boxer, who married Anya's sister and is the father of a teenaged girl himself, might accept her love. She has come to Russia to participate in corporate negotiations, and, surprisingly, these involve the same comapany Timoshin now works for. At the very least, she can do him a favor, and help him keep his job after arranging for the corporate merger. Also, maybe she can win him away from her sister. This is a family reunion fraught with consequences, in this hectic tragicomedy. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexander Zbruyev, Marina Neelova, (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)
- 1989
In the heady days just prior to the collapse of the Soviet system in Russia, a satirical, anarchistic comedy such as this was just the sort of film to attract huge audiences. Told with the rapid-fire imagery and insistent soundtrack of a music video, it tells the story of Aleksandra (Tatyana Drubich), a self-centered 20-year old girl who escapes from her tiny apartment after she has been locked into by her father it to make her study for her exams. Instead, she parties with her boyfriend Vladimir (Alexander Abdulov) who is perfectly happy to make love to her until he discovers she is pregnant. Nearby, Mitya (Mikhail Rozanov), a suddenly rich fifteen year old boy, shares a flat with his crazed roommate, an Abyssinian given to brewing his own alcoholic beverages. Somehow, Mitya hears of Allesandra's predicament and offers to marry her - which pleases her parents a great deal (after all, he's rich). Most of the fun in this movie comes from in-jokes at the expense of the government's sacred cows, and jokes at the expense of the movie itself and its characters. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tatyana Drubich, Alexander Abdulov, (more)
- 1988
The original title of the German-Russian coproduction To Kill a Dragon was Ubit Drakona. The "dragons" slain during the film's 118 minutes are symbolic, like practically everything else in the story. Adapted from a play by Yevgeni Shvarts, the film is thin on plot, heavy on philosophy. It's hard to say, but the reams of dialogue expounded by the main characters might be more digestible in the original Russian. Director Mark Zakharov had previously risen to prominence as the man behind the Soviet TV miniseries adaptation of The Twelve Chairs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexander Abdulov, Oleg Yankovsky, (more)
- 1987
A loveless young Russian woman decides to find a boy friend by posting handbills containing the title information plus home address in this comedy. Unfortunately, what she gets is a filthy, homeless bum who shows the same night and demands she give him money. Naturally she does what any wise young woman would do and clonks him on the noggin with her iron board. As soon as he regains consciousness she boots him out into the street. Despite her brutish ways, the hobo finds the girl attractive and continues showing up at her apartment on a variety of feeble pretexts. As the game continues, the lonely girl can't help but be charmed by the persistent stranger and eventually gives him a key so he can have a place to stay while he looks for work. She also buys him appropriate clothing. The two slowly become better friends and that is enough to brighten each of their dreary lives (they never do get physical) and give them hope to make the best of things until the stories bittersweet conclusion. Lonely Woman.... was originally billed as the first post glastnost comedy to be released in Russia. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Irina Kupchenko, Alexander Zbruyev, (more)
- 1986
Zina (Yevgenia Glushenko) works as a dispatcher of cement trucks for a construction firm. Petrenko (Viktor Pavlov) is a disgruntled truck driver who falsely accuses Zina of sending him to the wrong construction sight. In spite of evidence she was right, Zina is demoted and elects to go on strike in protest. She camps out on a tree stump and vows to remain until Petrenko confesses to his wrongdoing. Her boss' superior arrives but can do nothing to stop Zina in her quest for truth and justice. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yevgenya Glushenko, Viktor Pavlov, (more)
- 1986
The setting for this off-beat drama of love and jealousy is the Pushkin Poetry Festival in Boldino. Liosha (Oleg Yankovsky) and his wife Tania (Tatiana Drubich) are walking through the plush forest around Boldino when a mysterious figure pops up from behind a tree and asks the couple a question on an esoteric point of Pushkin scholarship. From that strange beginning, the man, whose name is Klimov (Alexander Abdulov), starts to ease himself into the couple's private space, and trouble ensues. Complementing this story is the festival itself, enactments of Pushkin's works, and emotional debates among the festival-goers over the meaning of his poetry. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oleg Yankovsky, Tatyana Drubich, (more)
- 1982
An imaginative 13-year-old teenager maintains that the great Russian writer Alexander Pushkin was her direct ancestor, something that intrigues a 19-year-old cousin who comes to visit. She takes him to a decaying country house that she says was the place where her illustrious forbear trysted with a certain young lady. When he hears more of the girl's story and sees the house, her cousin starts to have serious doubts about this tall tale, and after he meets an intriguing young lady himself, he shatters his little cousin's illusions with the truth -- something she was not quite prepared to hear. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tatyana Drubich, Tanya Kovshova, (more)
