Bumaznyj soldat

[Ghostrider]

"Bumzny Soldat" (Paper Soldier) is a movie by Aleksei German featuring some early Cosmonaut history. It has been premiered at Venice these days, and since Russian spacerace movies seem few and far in between (at least here in the West) this one could be interesting.

IMDB link here.

 

[Belisarius]

The IMDB isn't very informative, what can you tell us about it? Do you think it's worth watching?

 

[80mileshigh]

I trust this post is qualitative enough to justify the necropost!

The IMDB isn't very informative, what can you tell us about it? Do you think it's worth watching?

Emphatically, yes.

Not sure how this one passed me by until now, but I saw this great Russian film tonight. It follows a doctor assigned to the Soviet space program before Gagarin's flight and depicts some of the events surrounding it (like Valentin Bondarenko's death). These events aren't the focus though; they just set the background for the lives of the characters - intellectuals who spend their time fretting and dreaming (and drinking).

It's a gentle, impressionistic, dialogue driven film. If you don't like slow non-english films it isn't for you but if you like Tarkovsky's films (Solaris, Stalker) you'll love this. I think it does a good job of tapping the spirit of utopianism in Soviet spaceflight too.


Here's some clips:

And some screengrabs:


Much of the film takes place on the squalid periphery of the cosmodrome:

 

[SiberianTiger]

Total idiocy. :dry:

 

[80mileshigh]

Total idiocy. :dry:

Wow, I'm really disappointed you had this reaction. Did you think it was too indulgent? Some of it is heavy handed in its style. Do you like Tarkovsky?

 

[SiberianTiger]

Wow, I'm really disappointed you had this reaction. Did you think it was too indulgent? Some of it is heavy handed in its style. Do you like Tarkovsky?

I don't like Tarkovsky's films very much, except for his Andrey Rublev and Solaris. I appreciate historical value of his films for development of art and free thinking, but I don't watch them for pleasure.

Let's begin with the fact that the director of this film is not Tarkovsky, he is just some jerk younger than me. I did not watch the film and I'm not going to, because I've read enough of synopsis descriptions and have seen few reviews from people I trust, and all of these reviews were strictly negative. Veterans of space industry who spent much of their life in Baikonur, find it outrageous.

If you compare the film with documentary materials, you'll see that: Depiction of Baikonur in Gagarin's times is a lie. Depiction of climate of Baikonur is a lie (there's never this much rain there). Activities of Cosmonauts and the medics are not real (what doctor back in 60-s would just stand still and pray instead of treating a patient? It's an unimaginable nonsense). The worst thing is that depiction of people's motivation and morale of that time is a total lie.

So my question is simple, why does this Alexey German puts lie on lie in his film?

 

[Ghostrider]

We'll have to keep waiting for the Russian "Right Stuff" after all. Or get a Western director to do it.

 

[80mileshigh]

I can understand your objections, and it's a real shame if Baikonur veterans were offended. I'm sorry to hear that.

That said, this is an art film and to that end the depiction of spacefaring is almost strictly aesthetic. I was even surprised when I recognised the Bondarenko incident to realise the film was aspiring to some historical accuracy (I sat down to the film without knowing anything about it on my girlfriends recommendation). Really it's a playful idealisation of the period - I mean, no one is really going to think the cosmonauts were standing around in the fields discussing poetry and racing bicycles?

As for Tarkovsky his films are pleasure for me. He's probably my favourite filmmaker. (followed by Godard's 60s films - I like chatty non-linear stuff). So take his style, throw in some rockets, smoking doctors and pained existentialism and I'm sold. I guess I was the target audience

---------- Post added at 02:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:42 AM ----------

Let's begin with the fact that the director of this film is not Tarkovsky, he is just some jerk younger than me.

By the way, you and I are almost the same age (a month apart) so I know how you feel. Young jerks are everywhere!

 

[SiberianTiger]

We'll have to keep waiting for the Russian "Right Stuff" after all. Or get a Western director to do it.

The closest equivalent is the Air Crew. The scene with Tu-154's tail falling off when the captain engages reverse thrust is unforgettable!

The entire film is available on Youtube gratis (with English subtitles):

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-3ANr1JQlw"]Экипаж 2 серия - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Codz]

Thanks for the link to that awesome movie!

 

[Suzy]

... So my question is simple, why does this Alexey German puts lie on lie in his film?

I think the appropriate phrase is "artistic licence" :hmm: - the director seems more concerned with mood and imagery than anything resembling accuracy!