Author Topic: Russian Ark  (Read 98755 times)

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helenazar

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #60 on: January 09, 2005, 11:53:28 PM »
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Looking at the list, I'm very confused.  THe ballroom clothing does totally not look like 1913--looks more like the 1700s to me, Catherine the Great's time, not Nicholas II's!  And of course the comment about arrested in the breakfast room...what the heck?


Yes, it is a confusing list! I can't really figure out who came up with it and where they got this info... I wonder if the rest of it is accurate  ???

Offline Mike

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #61 on: January 10, 2005, 01:13:57 AM »
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THe ballroom clothing does totally not look like 1913--looks more like the 1700s

It wasn't meant to be a certain ball that had really taken place, in 1913 or anytime - but rather an epitome, abstract palace ball. Hence the mixture of costumes and personages from different epoches.

moonlight_tsarina

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #62 on: January 12, 2005, 08:15:04 PM »
This is a very beautiful movie, but at first i was interested in seeing the last roamnovs, so i was impatient. but as someone said, this movie requires multiple viewings. the costumes are apsolutly gorgeous too! ::)

JediDeshka

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #63 on: February 07, 2005, 10:24:25 PM »
A real treat to watch. It's also great if you're interested in film and/or the Russian language. I must have rented it from the library about seven times since the summer. I enjoy it every time I watch it, but I feel so bad because I made some of my friends watch it all the way through.  ::)

Thank goodness I got it for Christmas!

Johnny

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #64 on: April 10, 2005, 04:24:56 PM »
Hi folks,
I live in Berlin, Germany. Do you know how and where I can get a DVD of the movie? Is it available on a website?

Johnny

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #65 on: April 11, 2005, 12:15:01 PM »
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I think the old man is not Adolphe de Custine...It just said in the film that he is a French-cynical-philosopher(like all the French!!!...no!I'm joking! ;D)...

The actor is indeed portraying de Custine. It is mentioned in the special features. And if you think it is an old man then the make up artist has done her or his job very well, because the actor without the make up looked considerably younger.

Johnny

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #66 on: April 11, 2005, 12:35:14 PM »
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Hi Helen
no.6 does not make any sense. N. was not arrested in the Winter Palace nor was he arrested by the Bolsheviks [although they did later murder him he was arrested by the Provisional government, was he not ?].  Who came up with this list?

I think this is a misinterpretation of something that was said in during the behind the scene special features by one of the people involved in the movie. It was said that this particular room was where the monarchy came to an end. It is probably a room where some document was signed or something. But apparently some people intrepreted is as the room where the IF were arrested or murdered. As most of us surely know, IF never lived in that palace. They were arrested at the Alexander Palace 15 kilometers away from S. Petersburg and later murdered in Siberia.
BTW, for people who have just seen the movie at a theater and none of the trailers or special features on the DVD, the movie was indeed shot in one continuous take. The crew had decided that if anything goes wrong during the first 20 minutes they would restart shooting from the very beginning which they ended up doing 4 times. Luckily the fourth time went very smoothly all the way to the end, otherwise they would have run out of the special battery for the camera, which couldn't last that long and also daylight, since during winter a day in S. Petersburg can be as short as 3-4 hours. I guess that's a fair price to pay for the endless "white nights" that you get there in summer.

Johnny

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #67 on: April 11, 2005, 12:45:14 PM »
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Looking at the list, I'm very confused.  THe ballroom clothing does totally not look like 1913--looks more like the 1700s to me, Catherine the Great's time, not Nicholas II's!  And of course the comment about arrested in the breakfast room...what the heck?

The movie doesn't pretend to be historically accurate. There were even 21st century people present in the movie. Many people present at the ball were from the Persian prince scene, hence dressed in the 1810-20s fashion. And I can't imagine any women going to the ball wearing the Russian kokoshniks on their heads, or their court dress for that matter. The last scene was supposed to be a represantation of Russian histroy. Perhaps earlier costumes like Catherine II or before would have looked too odd in a 1913 ball. But as they all left the palace, that was supposed to symbolize the end of the Russian aristocracy as it went to its doom.

Johnny

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #68 on: April 11, 2005, 12:52:32 PM »
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Hi folks,
I live in Berlin, Germany. Do you know how and where I can get a DVD of the movie? Is it available on a website?

I am quoting myself just to let you know that the day after I posted the above question I found the DVD and I bought it. I don't want people to wonder that how on earth is Johnny telling us details about the movie if only yetserday was he asking how he can find that movie. Well, I did. And I watched more than once. (Thanks for letting me know about this fabulous movie. I am so glad I bought it.)

Canuck

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #69 on: April 26, 2005, 10:52:06 PM »
I have only just seen this movie but I was truly amazed with it.

A scene which truly moved me was where an elderly Catherine the Great (one of my all time favourites) and a servant run through what I'm guessing is the courtyard and the narrator remarks "Mortals should not chase royalty, they can never catch them anyway" or somethig to that effect, as Catherine disappears into the distance. Very haunting.

A truly excellent movie that I would suggest to everyone.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Canuck »

Offline Mike

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #70 on: April 27, 2005, 04:54:33 AM »
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Catherine the Great (one of my all time favourites) and a servant run through what I'm guessing is the courtyard  

It is the Hanging Garden.

Canuck

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #71 on: April 27, 2005, 02:36:18 PM »
Thankyou for the correction!

rskkiya

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #72 on: May 19, 2005, 12:59:04 PM »
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Looking at the list, I'm very confused.  THe ballroom clothing does totally not look like 1913--looks more like the 1700s to me, Catherine the Great's time, not Nicholas II's!  And of course the comment about arrested in the breakfast room...what the heck?

Lanie
RA is best understood as a "dream" -- hence people from the 16th century will dance with 19th century couples, and mysterious children will run up and down the halls...The Marquise of Custine will chat with men from the late 20th century about art music and politics, and starving men will cry and rant amongst the portraits during  WWII.

Could anyone id the charming blind woman that Custine flirts with...is she "historical" or another dream image?

rskkiya

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by rskkiya »

xX_Mashka_Xx

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #73 on: June 19, 2005, 07:04:14 PM »
I've seen this movie. It was good, but a little strange. I wish they'd spent more time concentrating on the IF. I found this picture of the last Romanovs and was wondering if anyone could tell me who's who. The Tsar, Tsarina, and Alexei are easily recognizable, and Anastasia was shown previously. But what about the other 3 girls? I know they're OTM, but who's who. I'd be much obliged if anyone could please answer this for me. Thanks a bunch! ;D


xX_Mashka_Xx

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Re: Russian Ark
« Reply #74 on: June 24, 2005, 08:47:36 PM »
anyone?