Friday, January 29, 2010

Room and a Half

A very good review of Andrey Khrzhanovksy's part documentary/part fictional film about one of Russia's best-known poets, Joseph Brodsky.

I saw parts of this movie back in St. Petersburg, during a presentation at the Akhmatova museum -- the director has been working hard at promoting it. It would be very interesting to see it here in San Francisco -- the context of the viewing does have an impact on the material. In St. Petersburg, I couldn't run away from this fast enough -- but then St. Petersburg is so saturated with Brodsky lore that I enter SOS mode even as a preventive measure. Reading this review, I'm realizing how interesting is at the very least the genre of this film, a documentary with very good sources that relies on fictional elements and cartoon graphics for greater emotional impact.

2 comments:

  1. I am not sure at all the movie is good, actually, although it made me feel sentimental

    I was writing about it in my LJ in tag "russian movies"

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  2. i couldn't watch it in st. petersburg, it seemed to revel in its own hero-worship..
    but i think it could be interesting to see in a different context..

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