Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Victor Khomenko (M) on December 02, 2005 at 19:18:12

The Russian director Grigori Chukhrai gave us the unforgettable Ballad of a Soldier.

He also gave us his son - Pavel. And in 1997 Pavel gave us the film that many of us remember well - Thief.

Seven years is long time, but some things take time to materialize... and now we can enjoy another great masterpiece carrying the familiar Chukhrai name.

Voditel Dlia Very (Driver for Vera) will likely affect you. It has to, as it has everything going for it - a strong human story that resonates like a Liberty Bell hit by a cannon ball, good directing and some fine performances by a talented crew.

If you have been primed with Burnt by the Sun, you will find a somewhat familiar notes in the Driver - the story of broken human lives, destroyed under the wheels of merciless communist juggernaut - the theme that should not leave anyone cold.

The film had received several well-deserved international awards, and was presented for Academy nomination... but... "but the Academy did not consider it for nomination because of Russia's large inputs in the movie production."

With the amount of pure trash competing at the Academy is this any wonder a good film was simply rejected?

It is incredibly comforting to know that somewhere, some director is making films like they used to, unaffected by the waves of modern garbage that fill our screens.

It will be even more comforting to see this wonderful and powerful film hit the American screens some day.

We can all dream...

Until then - nothing makes me more depressed than the realization there is Private Ryan out there... doing... quite well.... thank you...

BTW - Pavel's earlier work The Thief is available in the US. And as good as it was, Voditel is so much better.