Author Topic: Rough List of Romanovs on DVDs and VHS (Read 75956 times)

Topanga · « **on:** January 24, 2004, 10:17:43 PM »

I would love to get my hands on any video/DVD's out there on the Romanovs. I already have 2 videos from A&E, the biography on the Romanovs and one other 45 minute video (I forget the title). The biography on them is great, I watch it all the time. I'd like to know if there is anything else out there worth watching. Thanks in advance!

BobG · « **Reply #1 on:** January 25, 2004, 01:26:59 PM »

The movie "Nicholas and Alexandra" did an excellent job of presenting the Massie's book of the same title. It was well done, and captured the lives of the last of the Romanovs really well. Its a fascinating view and and beautifully acted movie.

sushismom · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2004, 12:54:30 PM »

In my opinion, Massey's book, while for the most part accurate, also tends to perpetuate myths about the Imperial family and Rasputin.

BobAtchison · « **Reply #3 on:** January 30, 2004, 09:07:40 PM »

Sushismom, could you tell us more about the myths you see in Bob Massie's book? I would really be interested in your comments.

Bosworth · « **Reply #4 on:** January 31, 2004, 10:23:07 AM »

While I enjoy the overall look of "Nicholas and Alexandra" (the movie), and certainly the subject matter (I'm a big fan of Mr. Massie's book), the feeling I get while watching it is "it's so British". I'm not sure if it was the best decision to have such a "Russian" story (so filled with a certain brand of passion) produced, directed, and acted by the British (somewhat more staid and mannered in style).
I certainly hope I haven't offended any British readers. Just an opinion on a question of style.

Nikolai04 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 31, 2004, 05:20:14 PM »

Ive watched the movie "Nicholas and Alexandra" many times so far and I think it has good performances, like from the Tsar,Alexandra and Alexei. The man playing the role of Pierre Gilliard is so similar to the real one!! And Rasputin looks so scary...

But obviously being from 1977 it is not shot in the real places and the technical quality is not so high...
Ive also watched "The Assassin of the Tsar" which is a bit tedious and obscure but contains good scenes shot in the Hermitage.
But the movie which I really love is the 1994 HBO's "Rasputin". It is just excellent!!!
Alan Rickman,Greta Scacchi,Ian McKellen made great performances and also the boy acting as Alexei. The scenes in the Tsarskoie Selo palaces,the Palace platz in front of the Hermitage and the extraordinary music are just so beautiful.The final scene, showing a clear sky which the voice of Rasputin asking Alexei "Is the pain gone?" and Alexei answering affirmative made me cry.
I really loved it.

PS:In the late movie "The Russian Arch" there is a short scene shot in the Hermitage which u shud see.The Tsarina looks like the real young Alexandra...

sushismom · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2004, 01:29:06 PM »

Here are a few things I didn't care for in Massie's book: 1) He claims that Queen Victoria approved of the marriage between her granddaughter and Nicholas. In fact, she was very much against it. She felt the Russian throne was much too unstable. 2) His description of Rasputin is a retelling based on the account of one person (I can get further details if requested). In all of the pictures of Rasputin that I've seen, he looks nowhere near as dirty and greasy as most describe him to be. 3) He portrays Alexandra as completely in thrall of Rasputin and under his power. I believe that, except for ability to help Alexei, Alexandra was the one holding the power and Rasputin merely knew what she wanted to hear.

NAAOTMA · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2004, 11:01:29 AM »

For those who love Russian history and the Romanovs, run, do not walk, to get a copy of the Russian film (English subtitles) of "Russian Ark"!!!!! I got mine through Borders Bookstore on DVD. I saw the film in an independent theater last June. The movie came out in DVD just last month. You will see the Hermitage through history filled with the people, the events and full of candlelight, music and flowers...even Christmas trees flanking the double doors leading to the Jordan Staircase. The scenes toward the end of Anastasia, Empress Alexandra and Grand Duchess Elizabeth in a hallway and then the Tsar Family taking their tea with family retainers in the room and white tulips on the table an extraordinary eperience is you are a "Romanov buff"!!!! Take this peek into Russian history and you will not be disappointed. The interiors of the Hermitage come alive in an extraordinary way.

NAAOTMA · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2004, 12:58:21 PM »

I second the opinion on HBO's film "Rasputin"...and while I appreciated the film "Nicholas and Alexandra" and saw it more than once when it was released many many years ago, I can only remember what my mother said after she saw the movie: "Too much purple, not enough mauve." In trying to give audiences a history lesson as well as tell some of the personal details, the nuances and the individual characteristics and relationships were lost in that film. I remember members of the audience laughing when at the end of the film Alexandra says to Nicholas "What went wrong?" or words to that effect when they are being held in Siberia. Certainly not the reaction the director was reaching for...

Silja · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2004, 04:41:12 PM »

Well, I agree in a way with regard to the criticism of "Nicholas and Alexandra", the film. The relationships between the characters are not elaborated on enough. Nicholas and Alexandra are constantly quarrelling, for instance. This gives a false impression.

But I still think Janet Suzman is a much better tsaritsa than Greta Scacchi. Greta is by no means as "imperial" as Janet. With Greta's performance you would not realize Alix was this shy and "haughty" person. But Alan Rickman is excellent as Rasputin!!! It's a brilliant film definitely.

I must say I was rather disappointed by "Russian Ark". Saw it at the cinema and on TV the other day. There's simply too little on the Romanovs, and many scenes really tired me. It's still an original film - nice costumes.

I also recommend the Russian film "Romanovy - Ventsenosnaya Semya" by Gleb Panfilov, with Linda Bellingham as Alexandra. It's about the family's captivity and assassination, and it came out a few years ago - but only in Russia I believe. I bought it in Moscow. Occasionally you find copies of it sold by Russians on flea markets here in Germany. It's all in Russian of course, and my Russian is also pretty limited as yet. But as we all know the basic story, you can follow it quite well. It's definitely worth it!!!!

Has any of you seen this film? And what's your opinion?

anna · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2004, 06:23:12 PM »

I again must agree with you, Silja. Janet Suzman is so much better, perhaps because of her Shakespearean background.She performed many leading roles on stage in England.

Many of you think the N & A film is so British.
The actors in the film where mostly British. Actors who played the parts of Nicholas, Botkin, Kerensky, the great Laurence Olivier as Count Witte!

But at the other hand, Alexandra was raised up as a Victorian woman. She spent a lot of time with her grandmother Victoria, after her mother died, in England. She brought Victorian customs to Russia after her wedding. And why not? She had nobody, only her sister in Moscow. Conversation between N&A was also in English. English was a native language for her. So why must she talk with some heavy Russian accent in the film, as some people complained.

JamesHogland · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2004, 12:49:55 AM »

The film, "Russian Ark". was mentioned above by NAAOTMA. The story is rather obscure and not at all interesting, but if you would like to take a tour of the Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace, by all means, this is an excellent tour film. All the scenes were shout in the palace, using actors in period costume (the uniforms of the various officials and officers are gorgeous and from different periods in time). The actions goes from one state room to another, the St. George Hall, the Little Throne Room, the Winter Garden, the Rotunda Room and concludes with a ball scence in the great Nicholas Hall. If one is interested in seeing the Winter Palace close up, this is a good way to do it. One can safely ignore for the most part what the actors are doing and just enjoy the scenry.
Also a good video tape is "The Last Days of the Last Tsar" by Cyrillic Films, 1993. It deals mainly with the Ekaterinburg murders.

BobAtchison · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2004, 04:39:58 PM »

I imagine Alexandra would have had an accent like Suzman, but perhaps more like Judy Dench as Queen Victoria. She spoke perfect English and German, she considered both her 'native' family languages. Her Germanness has been played down over the years, but she always considered Hesse her homeland. It's sad, she was called a German in England and Russia, an Englishwoman in Germany and Russia - nobody wanted her! In the end she gave her life for her adopted home, the nation of her husband and children. Even now she does not receive the respect she deserves!

I have been told that Alexandra spoke very softly and it was hard to hear her at times. Supposedly Ethel Barrymore based her voice on Alexandra's in that Rasputin movie in the 30's, I have been told people who knew Alexandra were shocked at how close her voice was to Alexandra's in tone and style. I haven't seen that film in a while - I'll have to see it again to hear her.

Ethel Barrymore was coached in the role by people who knew Alexandra - so it is said...

Silja · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2004, 02:41:39 PM »

To James Hogland:

have you got the full credits of The Last Days of the Last Tsar? But it's not Expiatory Punishment, is it? I just wonder as I've never heard of the former.

To Bob Atchison:

very interesting your comments on the Rasputin film with Ethel Barrymore. The film is absurd, but Ethel Barrymore is rather good as Alexandra, disregarding the unhistorical screenplay, of course.

Almedingen · « **Reply #14 on:** February 13, 2004, 04:28:43 PM »

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Author Topic: Rough List of Romanovs on DVDs and VHS (Read 75956 times)

Topanga

Rough List of Romanovs on DVDs and VHS

BobG

Re: Rough List of Romanovs on DVDs and VHS

sushismom

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BobAtchison

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Bosworth

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Nikolai04

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sushismom

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NAAOTMA

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NAAOTMA

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Silja

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anna

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JamesHogland

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BobAtchison

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Silja

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Almedingen

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