Films/DVD Asylum

My local Russki friend claims that M&M is, if not the greatest novel ever written...

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clarkjohnsen

(R)

In Reply to: Well, tin, you spoke of movies based on classics posted by Victor Khomenko on March 19, 2007 at 06:10:04:

...it's at least the greatest Russian novel -- both untranslatable (into English) and irreducible to the screen.
What say ye?
clark

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The greatest Russian novel???? Greater than anything Turgenev, - tinear 11:11:10 03/19/07 (6)
Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky wrote?
You need some new friends.
- You left out Barkov... quite a poet! :-) - Victor Khomenko 11:36:19 03/19/07 (5)
  His highly pornographic poem Luka Mudischev has been widely quoted, but only saw official publishing recently.
  Just teasing you, of course...
  - Ivan Barkov (Open in New Window)
  - Is his Barkov worse than his Biteoff? Sorry... nt - tinear 13:33:12 03/19/07 (4)
    a
    - Not bad... not bad at all. - Victor Khomenko 16:58:42 03/19/07 (3)
      I wonder if you could get the translated Luka poem.
      - "...7-vershok long..." I don't know what that unit of measure is but 7 anything - tinear 05:06:41 03/20/07 (2)
        
        In Reply to: Not bad... not bad at all. posted by Victor Khomenko on March 19, 2007 at 16:58:42:
        
        is impressive!
        Sounds hilarious.
        My wife studied Russian in college but through lack of practice, she's a tad rusty.
        I'll try a few googles.
        Thanks.
        
        Jesus, you found it? - Victor Khomenko 05:44:47 03/20/07 (1)
        
        In Reply to: "...7-vershok long..." I don't know what that unit of measure is but 7 anything posted by tinear on March 20, 2007 at 05:06:41:
        
        Vershok is 1.75 inch... and if you were to take home one great word from that hilarious work, that would be the Russian word 'elda'. I am sure you can figure that one out :-)
        
        As in "I respect my "eldas"?" ;-0 nt - tinear 08:09:27 03/20/07 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Jesus, you found it? posted by Victor Khomenko on March 20, 2007 at 05:44:47:
        
        yh
I say that's OK as far as opinions go - Victor Khomenko 10:45:43 03/19/07 (0)
I would definitely not go that far. There are great books that have been written all over the world, but you know the Russians... they invented radio, airplane, steam engine, air, water and light. No wonder they also have the best novel ever written.
I don't know how to judge the novels, so I just say it is an extremely important 20th century classic, which I think is already enough.
Translation-wise, your friend is not correct. I specifically bought that particular translation and read it, and it is quite good. Like with every literary work that is rooted heavily in contemporary reality, some of that original charm and subtle things will be lost... but hey, I am sure some of the original flavor of Tess is also lost on me. Every translation is a struggle, and as far as struggle goes, that particular one is rather good.
I would certainly not refuse to read it simply because it is a translation. Try it, it is dirt cheap... America...
Irreducible? Well, the Russian version is long, several hours, and it does quite well at capturing the story. And the Italian one doesn't even attempt, it is basically the director's dream about the novel, but an interesting one.

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