Wednesday, October 11, 2006
GLASNOST
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was the 'revolutionary film'
This seems to be another teen-angst film but the story is in the settings and the background. The Soviet Union is disintegrating.
Industrial incursions, pollution of the air, open dumps of all manner of rusted crap are seen throughout.
Police are shown using dogs to disperse unruly (barely) teenagers.
Everything is ugly except the people— especially, the youth—are not. They are not beautiful star types but they are warm and attractive at many levels.
Their problem is alcoholism and boredom or both. Frustrations with life of bureaucratically formulated futures.
The standard Soviet film was an idealized picture; stories of socialist success taking place in beautiful settings.
Not here.
The film itself is pretty good once you get used to the rough production values used. It is almost all handheld and the lighting is primitive.
Some of the techniques are off-putting but are part of what is being portrayed; people out of frame (intentionally); shots that display the rotting surrounds.
I liked the people and the acting is superb especially the long suffering father. The young couple are very sexy together and are entirely credible as they come to terms with the real world. Coming of age.
I will give it a 4 out of Netflix5.
There are enough films from the glasnost period to support a Glasnost Film Festival
This film is not in it because it got independent distribution.
I don't think that I will be watching this 23 film collection anytime soon but it is nice to know that it is there.
