Burnt by the Sun

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Summary: A viewer
Review: I saw bits of Burnt by the Sun years ago, but when I saw it fully recently I was impressed. It's a film basically about love and life in the Soviet Union in the 1930's. It might be a bit long for western viewers especially when reading subtitles, but if you give it a chance you will gain some insight into the cult of Stalin leading to the "purges of '36". The ending in this film is one that you'll probably never forget.

Rating:
Summary: I understand how difficult it is to understand...
Review: It is SO funny to read these reviews sometimes... But I can get it. We have so much in different between our nations that I don't even wanna talk about it right now. I'll be happy to answer to all of your questions you might have about this movie. I bet you understood how deep this movie is. It does have more questions than answers especially when you watch it less than 3 times. Of course I don't even talk about people who wanted to press 'fwd' button. These guys will never get Russian culture at all. But people are people. For me - this is the best russian movie ever, it has outstanding plays and very, very deep...

Rating:
Summary: History has determined their tragic fate
Review: This movie is about the most desperate and tragic situation in the human life. This is when our life is determined by external forces. Even the most basic form of happiness - being with you family, enjoying your child - were often impossible in the Russia of Stalin.

Sometimes I think about people who were borne 20 years before World War II in Germany, Poland or Russia. I wonder whether they had a feeling that the life was extremely unfair to them. The feeling that your fate was determined by the time you were borne in, and that you couldn't do anything at all to somehow change it. If Mitya, Kotov and Marusya would not die then, they would have to wait for 50 years to be able to truly understand what happened to them and who was to blame for it.

I was puzzled why Mitya picked up the phone and agreed to arrest Kotov. Why didn't he stop his suffering immediately, as he knew that he had no other option than ruining lives of the people he loved. Was it his hatred towards Kotov and the opportunity to take revenge for being expelled for 10 years? Was it the last hope that his love to Marusya would reverse her marriage?

After watched the film again I decided that he knew from the offset there was no way out. Mitya went to his old home because he wanted just one thing - to say farewell to his dream that the old times would ever return. The dream that made him betray his comrades in the 20th, and come back from France in the 30th.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: This film is a memorable experience-- you will find yourself really loving the characters and the climax at the end breaks your heart. Give it a chance-- you won't regret it.

Very few Americans know much about Russian history or culture, which isn't entirely our fault due to the Cold War creating an atmosphere of fear and ignorance. But really, if you want to watch this film, a lot of things will make more sense if you have any CLUE about Russian history before, during, and after the Bolshevik revolution. Also, some things, like the white fireball, are not "mysterious"--just ask a Russian person to explain the reference to you. I also have to take offense at the comment by another reviewer that Russians are melodramatic or overbearing, or portrayed that way. *That comment* is melodramatic and overbearing.

Rating:
Summary: Tragic, yet still very entertaining
Review: This was a great film, but tragic. The main character is a Colonel in the Soviet Red Army. A hero of the revolution who is acquainted personally w/ Josef Stalin. An idyllic summer day at the family's dacha is disrupted by the arrival of an old friend.
Only this old friend has a score to settle. The old friend of the family is charming, talented, and good-looking. However, under this facade is a ruthless NKVD officer with terrible plans. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: lyrically beautiful and haunting
Review: This film, about the last peaceful summer enjoyed by Colonel Kotov, a Bolshevik hero, his wife and daughter moves slowly and lyrically through the languid summer days, lulling the viewer with beauty and laughter.

The arrival of an unusual guest, Kotov's wife's former lover, injects some insecurity into the atmosphere. The tension builds gradually. Before the viewer has had much time to figure out what is going on, they are swept up in the terror of the Stalinist purges, much as the Soviets themselves were.

Strong acting, incredible landscapes, and a gripping story based on reality all make this a film worth seeing, and seeing again.

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Summary: Under the Shadow of Stalin
Review: Mikhalkov always had a flair for Chekhovian drama, and he doesn't disappoint the viewer in this movie, which essentially updates "The Cherry Orchard" to Stalinist Russia. What we get is a tumultuous day in the life of a theatre group in a tranquil rural community, lorded over by the proud Commander Kotov, as the small town prepares for the celebration of Stalin's first ride in an air balloon. Mikhalkov deftly mixes humor with pathos, the hallmark of all his movies, as the bucolic life is broken by the return of Mitya (impeccably played by Oleg Menshikov). We slowly get to learn of Mitya's mission with a profound sense of foreboding. The acting is purposely staged to give the scenes their rich theatrical air, yet there is a naturalism too, as Mikhalkov has such a fine eye for detail. To reveal too much of the movie is to give away its stunning climax. It was one of the first films to emerge from the post-Soviet era and gave Mikhalkov a broader international audience, earning him an Oscar in 1994.

Rating:
Summary: Uh... I thought this was the band, burnt by the sun!
Review: Okay, i bought this thinking it was about burnt by the sun the grind/metal band...Well, i was wrong ! Anyways, i got a change to actullie read the book & i was quite impress better then any other book i've read before. Interesting plot and it has the best ending! Buy it now !