Rasputin - The Movie Alan Rickman

[Elija]

What u think about "Rasputin" movie with Alan Rickman as Holy Devil?

[kaatje]

Personally I quite liked it, Alan Rickman was an inspired choice as Rasputin though I've read that he resisted this role for a long while, and refused to wear a wig, hence the short hr.  It was sympathetic portrayal of Rasputin, one that I believe has been long overdue, though of course some things shown were, I thought more fictionalised.
A few things really irritated me though, they were warped timeframes i.e Alexei's healed leg in a mere 24hrs!! and the portrayal of Felix Yusupov, I much prefer N & A's portrayal (of Felix) as it seems more real, that just really grated on me!
And finally the most annoying thing was when Nicholas was told by Stolypin no less that Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand has been assassinated!!!!, all I could think of was I'm I seeing a ghost here, your supposed to be dead!, either that or somebody must have fallen asleep during the editing process.

Overall though, an enjoyable film, very watchable but lacking at times accuracy.

Katie

[Maria_Pavlovna]

I liked thw movie,..at some parts are funny and some parts are very sad.

[rachel5a]

As I remember this film was contrary to the history ( specialy date, years...) I Think there was some episode with Stolypin absolutely untrue, I dont understand why??? it was a strange vision of director...

[Sandy]

Ha, ha, ha, why is Stolypin always still alive? He was alive too long in Nicholas and Alexandra too! LOL!

Question for those who have seen it: how do they play out the murder scene? Which characters are used, and is it accurate?

[kaatje]

Well the film doesn't portray the killers until the actual murder scene, so I'm guessing that all the usual characters are there.  The scene itself is violent, though not as violent as 'The Lost Prince'.  Alexei walks to the cellar instead of being carried, which goes against all previous knowledge and the rest it just the usual, with Nicholas saying 'what, what?' and all that...(plus it's in a kind of slow motion as well.

Katie

[Elija]

well "this" Rasputin was in my opinion a little to holy with all this vision of Virgin Mary etc... I think it's not real face of truly Holy Devil...

[jackie3]

Despite the historical inaccuracies I think Rasputin was as good a film as there's been (in English) to get to whole the IF really was. Alan Rickman was great (and a bit over the top) as the title character, I don't share the dislike of Greta Scacchi's Alexandra as some do and I think Ian McKellen's Nicholas was wonderful. Alexei was also portrayed as the tragic loving sick boy he was and not the selfish brat of Nicholas and Alexandra. Even Ella and her death (along with GD Sergei) was shown although OTMA once again served as personality-less wallpaper. There is one scene in particular after Nicholas has abdicated and is returning home to the Alexander Palace which is overrun with guards/soldiers now. As Alexandra watches from above, Nicholas walks the stairs surrounded by jeering and insulting soldiers blocking his way. IIRC one soldier drops something and orders the former Tsar to pick it up. I forget if Nicholas does or not (haven't seen the film in a long time) but Ian McKellen's posture and the look in his eyes changes so rapidly as he sees his wife that in that one moment the beaten down former Tsar becomes once again noble and regal "the Emperor" and the soldiers mocking him recogonize it and quiet down and let him walk up. A far cry from N&A where Nicholas was portrayed as a blind fool.

Alexei walks to the cellar instead of being carried, which goes against all previous knowledge and the rest it just the usual, with Nicholas saying 'what, what?' and all that...(plus it's in a kind of slow motion as well.

In addition the last moments of the film is when we see the moment before Yurovskly puts three bullets point blank in Alexei's head (though we don't see it actually happen) and we hear Alexei thinking of Rapsutin's soothing words in his last moments thinking of clouds and the sky and such. It was quite moving and showed the injustice of it all (by focusing on Alexei) better than tons of fake blood would have.

[moonlight_tsarina]

I thought this was an excellant movie. Rickman was [glb]GREAT[/glb] as Rasputin. The sets and especially the costumes were magnificent. The cast was all great and looked like the royal family too!
it had both humour and drama.
I got my mom to watch it with me, and even SHE liked it! She finds the Romanovs boring, I find her WRONG! lol
Anyway, what was your fave scene?
Mine was when the Romanovs were in a cathedral for the 300 years Mass and Alexei's nose starts bleeding. It's so dramatic and you get a good glimpse at the G.D's gowns!
as well as when Rasputin and the family are eating and Nicholas is appalled at Rasputin's rude behavior.

[Georgiy]

Anyway, what was your fave scene?
mine was when the romanovs were in a cathedral for the 300 years mass

Speaking of that scene, one think that really bothered me was the modern recording of a Liturgy used in the background - to see the 'Imperial Family' solemnly praying for Patriarch Alexey II (the present day Patriarch of Moscow) and the present day government of Russia was quite funny. They could have easily found someone to have chanted that part of the Liturgy using period appropriate prayers - or used a different part of the Liturgy - the Cherubic Hymn could have been appropriate and very poignant: "Let us who mystically portray the Cherubim and chant the thrice-Holy hymn to the life creating Trinity now lay aside all Earthly care." There are plenty of English recordings of Liturgies so easily done.

(I know it is pedantic of me, but to my mind it was a major blooper of the film, which on the whole I found quite moving.)

[Janet_W.]

Ha! Not pedantic at all, Georgiy!   As we say in the United States--and perhaps elsewhere, too--"BUSTED!!"

Russia might as well produce a film about George Washington, with "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" playing in the background while Washington and his troops cross the Delaware.  

[Johnny]

Speaking of that scene, one think that really bothered me was the modern recording of a Liturgy used in the background - to see the 'Imperial Family' solemnly praying for Patriarch Alexey II (the present day Patriarch of Moscow) and the present day government of Russia was quite funny. They could have easily found someone to have chanted that part of the Liturgy using period appropriate prayers - or used a different part of the Liturgy - the Cherubic Hymn could have been appropriate and very poignant: "Let us who mystically portray the Cherubim and chant the thrice-Holy hymn to the life creating Trinity now lay aside all Earthly care." There are plenty of English recordings of Liturgies so easily done.

(I know it is pedantic of me, but to my mind it was a major blooper of the film, which on the whole I found quite moving.)

It's no problem to find the old Russian liturgy. Even I have the complete score of the entire liturgy in its original.

[Georgiy]

Russia might as well produce a film about George Washington, with "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" playing in the background while Washington and his troops cross the Delaware.

I like that! We laugh, but you know, there is probably a film out there somewhere, that has exactly that scene in it!

It's no problem to find the old Russian liturgy. Even I have the complete score of the entire liturgy in its original.

Exactly. Our Church's books for example are so old, that they include prayers for Heir-apparant Mikhail (Alexandrovich) - too old for the Rasputin film's purposes! Of course we use updated prayers in the Liturgy, but it is not as if it would be impossible to source that sort of stuff, and if it were, then just use a non-time-period-specific part of the Liturgy. Simple that.

[Colleen]

I liked the movie, although I did notice quite a few historical inaccuracies (as you all have noted) and I also preferred Martin Potter's portrayal of Felix Yussopov in N&A.  Alan Rickman was fantastic, but he needed blue contacts!!!!  I liked how it included many other characters that N&A did not, and that it was actually filmed in Russia.  Alexei was portrayed well (and adorably) by Freddie Finlay, and the actresses playing OTMA (with the exception of Marie) were physically well-suited for their roles.  The final scene is so heart-wrenching - we get a glimpse of the panic and fear that the IF must have felt during their last moments.  A great and entertaining movie.

[Colleen]

Something interesting:  John Wood, who plays Prime Minsiter Stolypin here, played Colonel Koblinsky in N&A, and Diana Quick, who played the peasant woman Sonya in N&A (killed on Bloody Sunday) played Grand Duchess Ella.  Coincidence?  I think not!!!