Tsareubiitsa: The Assassin of the Tsar - Malcolm McDowell

[helenazar]

Thanks, Helen!!!  I have been trying to find it - I'll have to see if it can be ordered online.  

Colleen, you can order it from here for $19.99.

http://www.rbcmp3.com/store/product.asp?dept_id=1439&sku=32984

This is what it looks like:



The Assassin of the Tsar (DVD-NTSC)

ON SALE! $19.99

Regular Price: $21.99

Digitally remastered picture and sound

Drama, 1991, 98 min.
Format: 4:3
Audio: DD 5.1; Mono
Language: Russian

A patient in a modern day mental institution believes that he is the man who assassinated Tsar Alexander in 1881 and Tsar Nicolas II in 1918. He and his doctor soon slip out of reality and are forced to relive the events of 1918 in order to break the spell.

[Georgiy]

It will be in Russian though with no subtitles. You can probably get the English version from Amazon, but it might be a bit dear compared to the Russian version.
It is quite a good movie, but I find it a bit stark and depressing.

[helenazar]

Yes, I agree with your assessment Georgiy. Interestingly, Malcolm McDowell plays the main character! I think that his dialog was completely dubbed into Russian (unless he knows Russian). I wonder why they couldn't find a Russian actor to play this role  

[Georgiy]

From what I understand he was dubbed into Russian and it is not he himself speaking in Russian, but for the English version the Russian actors had to say their lines in English (and it was then over-dubbed).

Like you, I wonder why they used a foreigner who can't speak the lingo. Maybe they thought having a famous actor would mean the film would get (relatively) good distribution overseas?

[LisaDavidson]

They probably could have found a Russian actor - there are many fine ones - but frequently casting decisions are made based on how they plan to sell the movie. A "name" actor helps in getting financing, can sell movie tickets, and helps to sell DVDs. It's just how the biz works.

[helenazar]

It didn't seem to work with this film - it seems to be one of the most obscure films I ever came across!

[RichC]

It looks like one of the daughters is missing on the cover.  

[helenazar]

It looks like one of the daughters is missing on the cover.  

Yes, I noticed that too.

[Greg_King]

It's a brilliant film, and a good characterization of Nicholas II and events in Ekaterinburg, very Russian in its circular narrative structure, but well worth the effort to find it.

Greg King

[Robert_Hall]

I just now watched it. Very interesting. Well done. I noticed in the Ipatiev house dining room, they had placed a large aquarium. Have I missed something in my reading ? Was there such an aquarium or was it a set decorators whim?

[Georgiy]

The Empress was a bit squat  and short looking!

I doubt it will be in your local video store unless they specialise in 'Film Festival' type movies.

I too wondered about the aquarium, but I read that they reproduced the interior of Ipatiev House exactly.

[Belochka]

Was there such an aquarium or was it a set decorators whim?

Somehow I doubt that there was an aquarium filled with fish at that time, although it would have made a nice diversion for the family.

[Greg_King]

There was no aquarium-where it is depicted in the film, there actually was a large, carved oak sideboard.

Three or four years ago, I did a four-part series on the Romanovs in Film, and this was one of the movies I researched extensively.  It's no accident that the cover only has 3 daughters.  For those of you who have seen the film, remember the sub-plot about the woman whose daughter goes missing at around the time of the murders?  She goes to Yurovsky and asks if he knows anything, and Yurovsky later confronts Ermakov about the missing girl.  This was (like the cover) injected into the plot deliberately, as a parallel to the issue of Anastasia, and the backstory of the missing young girl is meant to subtly suggest the possible escape of the youngest Imperial daughter.  Watch it again, and you'll see what he is implying.

Greg King

[helenazar]

There was no aquarium-where it is depicted in the film, there actually was a large, carved oak sideboard.

Three or four years ago, I did a four-part series on the Romanovs in Film, and this was one of the movies I researched extensively.  It's no accident that the cover only has 3 daughters.  For those of you who have seen the film, remember the sub-plot about the woman whose daughter goes missing at around the time of the murders?  She goes to Yurovsky and asks if he knows anything, and Yurovsky later confronts Ermakov about the missing girl.  This was (like the cover) injected into the plot deliberately, as a parallel to the issue of Anastasia, and the backstory of the missing young girl is meant to subtly suggest the possible escape of the youngest Imperial daughter.  Watch it again, and you'll see what he is implying.

Greg King

Hmmm... I saw this film, but I can't remember this part... I will have to watch it again, but first I have to find it among my videos! Thanks, Greg.

[helenazar]

And you guys are right; they didn't have it there! Is there anyway I can buy it in an American store?

You can order it from here for $19.99.

http://www.rbcmp3.com/store/product.asp?dept_id=1439&sku=32984