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From "Come and See" to "Posledniy Poezd"

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Victor Khomenko

When it comes to war movies, the Russians know their business. They will turn you inside out, make you cry with pain, then put you back in relative order and send home... with memories.
We had discussed Come and See here many times before, but if you find its message strong, its images almost overpowering and the suffering almost physical, then you might consider the Posledniy Poezt (Last Train) a culmination, a pinnacle in torturous movies, the ones that bring the horrors of was home like none else.
It is cold... cold... cold in that movie. You can't hide from that cold, and from the death that is everywhere. Set in black and white, with choppy and almost meaningless dialogue, full of strange looking characters and endless cough... cough... cough... the film tortures you. Tortures with endless spreads of frozen Russian plane with no place to hide, with cruelty and needless deaths.
You will be mesmerized with the coldness of shots made through the narrow car windshield, and quite possibly soon you will see death not as an end of life, but end of sufferings.
It would be hard to call this film a masterpiece, and yet its images will haunt you. If Black Robe made you shiver from cold, this one will simply stop blood in your veins.
There is bright spot - the film is apparently not available in the US. However, if you speak German, you might do just fine with it, as much of the dialogue is in that language, and the rest... well, the rest is not too hard to figure out. So perhaps someone like Patrick would be able to live through it to tell us...?

Follow Ups:

Jesus... that film keeps haunting me! - Victor Khomenko 08:26:33 11/17/05 (0)
I went on line and found an very detailed and extremely interesting review of it, in Russian, of course, but if you go to Altavista and plug in the site address http://www.kinoart.ru/magazine/12-2003/repwertoire1203/zubavina03_123/ you will get a passable translation that should give you some idea and feel for the film.
Interesting was the director's decision to use not actors, but well known professors of music and theater in the main roles, and they do deliver very human performances.
Re: From "Come and See" to "Posledniy Poezd" - patrickU 06:51:20 11/17/05 (10)
To live through torture...Hum...I will think twice...
- "Come and See" commits Heironymous Bosch to film with it's sack of the village . . . - mr grits 13:02:57 11/17/05 (1)
  I was truly amazed at the imagination and stage direction devised to show the absolute horrific insanity of the rampaging Nazi troops.
  - Re: Well I can show you one more---------------- - patrickU 00:19:36 11/18/05 (0)
    ------
    - http://www.oradour.org/ (Open in New Window)
- Re: From "Come and See" to "Posledniy Poezd" - Victor Khomenko 07:07:55 11/17/05 (7)
  I wrote the post last night. Today, if you asked me would I see that film knowing what I know about it - I would have said yet.
  It gives you a kick in your thought process, not a pleasant one, but deep and profound. And as I said, there is great dose of artistism in it.
  - Re: From "Come and See" to "Posledniy Poezd" - patrickU 08:02:43 11/17/05 (6)
    No way to find Aleksei films on video here!
    - Here: - Victor Khomenko 08:09:48 11/17/05 (5)
      They have it and would ship internationally, but it is expensive - $19 for shipment. I would not recommend spending over $30 for just one film... they have free delivery in the US. I'll try to get you a copy next time I am in Russia.
      
      http://www.oversystem.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=1644&categoryid=0&startpage=1 (Open in New Window)
      - Re: Here: - patrickU 03:50:30 11/18/05 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Here: posted by Victor Khomenko on November 17, 2005 at 08:09:48:
        
        Thank you! I check it and it was $ 33,74 for Germany...So I take your offer graciously, as I have already a pile of unseen DVD�s....
        Merci Victor!
      - Victor: put me on the list for that one! - grinagog 20:17:33 11/17/05 (3)
        
        In Reply to: Here: posted by Victor Khomenko on November 17, 2005 at 08:09:48:
        
        I've got "Come and See" as a DVD and "Mein Kreig" as a video + would love to add that to my collection
        The Finnish "Talvisota" (Winter War) is another noteworthy European effort well beyond the ability of Hollywood
        Grins
        gware@eudoramail.com
        
        I will... - Victor Khomenko 05:53:40 11/18/05 (2)
        
        In Reply to: Victor: put me on the list for that one! posted by grinagog on November 17, 2005 at 20:17:33:
        
        ...and when time comes let's make sure Patrick reminds me of this, as I am sometimes forgetful.
        Do you speak German? As it has no English subtitles, I think it would be nice to get at least 50% of the dialogue (as I mentioned, it is shot 50/50 in German and Russian). Missing the other half is probably OK, as it is mostly used as a background sound, and you can watch the remaining 50% as if you were watching a silent film, or listening to a foreign song.
        I have the Talvisota, and I agree it is a very good film, unfortunately my VHS tape is of such atrocious quality... if only I could buy a DVD...
        
        Many thanks for your kind offer, Victor - grinagog 20:42:07 11/18/05 (1)
        
        In Reply to: I will... posted by Victor Khomenko on November 18, 2005 at 05:53:40:
        
        I'm not too concerned about the language issues, tho' my Russian is non-existent I do know just enough German to get me into trouble
        Regards!
        Grins
        
        Re: Many thanks for your kind offer, Victor - Victor Khomenko 06:04:31 11/20/05 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Many thanks for your kind offer, Victor posted by grinagog on November 18, 2005 at 20:42:07:
        
        Hi Grins, aren't you in Japan? How would then get it to you?

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