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Come and See Elem Klimov This towering, cathartic experience won the Grand Prize at the Moscow Film Festival. The story is based on writer Ales Adamovich's WWII memoirs of SS reprisals against partisans. Set in occupied Byelorussia in 1943, the film follows a raw teenager into the swamps and forests of the border provinces, where he undergoes a hell of atrocities, becoming a middle-aged wreck as he tries to survive the carnage. Remarkable acting, camera work, crowd scenes and direction raise the film far beyond anything comparable, as director Elem Klimov manages both a savage beauty and an impassioned elegy in this anti-war film. "It's a masterpiece not only of filmmaking, but of humanity itself" (Sean Penn). Two DVD-set includes subtitle options in 13 different languages, interviews with cast and crew, production stills gallery, and two archival segments: "Partisans in Belarus" and "Nazi Brutalities." In Russian with English subtitles; USSR, 1985, 142 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
100 Days Before the Command Hussein Erkenov Made the year before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this "visually astonishing, erotically charged and emotionally jarring" (The New York Times) film captures the battle-weary attitude of the Russian people as well as a sexual ambiguity among soldiers that had never been portrayed in prior Russian cinema. The film's subtle use of homoerotic imagery and subtext caused it to be banned by Soviet censors when first released. Five young Red Army recruits struggle to preserve their humanity and compassion as each day seems to bring another act of senseless violence. Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1990, 71 mins. DVD $44.95
Air Crew Alexander Mitta A passenger plane lands just as a major earthquake begins. To escape the devastation, the plane takes off again, only to face more danger in the air. This exciting Soviet disaster film throws melodrama and real character development into the mix, adding some nice human textures to the spectacle. The DVD is letterboxed, and includes Russian, English, Spanish and French language options, English and multilingual subtitle options, production stills and filmography. USSR, 1980, 144 mins. DVD $44.95
Amphibian Man Vladimir Chebotaryov/Gennadi Kazansky A box-office smash in the USSR when first released, this science fiction feature is based on a novel by Alexander Belyaev. Panic strikes a small seaside town when local fishermen report sightings of a "sea devil," who turns out to be an amphibian man with a very human background. Far from a monster, this unique creature puts his life at risk when he falls for the beautiful Gutiere. DVD includes multilingual subtitles, a behind-the-scenes featurette, production stills, a filmography, and four trailers. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1961, 92 mins. DVD $44.95
Anna Karenina Alexander Zarkhi Based on Tolstoy's beloved 1870 novel, this Russian production of the classic tale of tragic passion and human morality traces the path of a woman who pays a very high price for following her heart. Tatiana Samoilova (The Cranes Are Flying) plays the title role. Also starring Nikolai Gritsenko and Vassily Lanovoi. "...comes closer to Tolstoy's romance than previous versions" (Faber Companion to Foreign Films). The DVD is a two-disc set, and is letterboxed, 16x9 widescreen. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1967, 103 mins. DVD $44.95
Autumn Marathon Georgy Danelia Andrei is a polite and educated man, an excellent translator of Dostoyevsky, and at 45, an established man of letters and college professor. Alla, 25, is genuinely in love with him and Andrei feels perfectly at home in her flat. His official domicile, however, is with Nina, 40, attractive and charming, a good mother, excellent housewife, and in need of Andrei. Scripted by popular playwright Alexander Volodin. "...manages to combine humor with social commentary on urban intellectual life in an adept manner" (The Faber Companion to Foreign Films). The DVD includes Russian, English, and French language options; multilingual subtitle options; trailers; production stills; filmographies. Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1979, 94 mins. DVD $44.95
Ballad of a Soldier Grigori Chukhrai Grigori Chukhrai's poetic and elegiac war story is one of the major works of post-war Russian cinema, detailing the odd, bemused moments of a soldier's earnest seduction of a country girl while visiting his mother. The film is also devastating at capturing the dread, pain and humiliation of war, and its effects on the people. "The picture flows in such a swift, poetic way that the tragedy of it is concealed by a gentle lyric quality" (New York Times). With Vladimir Ivashov and Zhanna Prokhorenko. Russian with English subtitles. The DVD is a Criterion Collection edition and includes an interview with Grigori Chukhrai, Vladimir Ivashov and Zhanna Prokhorenko; new and improved subtitle translation. USSR, 1959, 89 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
Beshkempir, The Adopted Son Aktan Abdykalykov The first independent feature ever made in Kyrgyzstan and a wonderful debut for its director, Aktan Abdykalykov. A beautifully composed tale of growing up, the film follows a boy who is living through a typical childhood until he discovers one day that he is adopted. "...an understated, idealized, and fastidiously crafted movie" (J. Hoberman, The Village Voice). In Kyrgyzstani with English subtitles. Kyrgyzstan/France, 1998, 81 mins. Videocassette $37.95 DVD $44.95
Brother Alexei Balabanov A simple man returns from his army service, coming home to St. Petersburg, where he finds his brother is now a contract killer for the Russian mob. Soon, both brothers are in the service of organized crime and they team up to kill a Chechen mafia boss. This riveting crime film addresses the social breakdown and accepted grimness of city life in the former Soviet Union. Lead actor Sergei Bodrov Jr.'s superb performance won him well-deserved honors around the world, including the award for Best Actor at the 1997 Chicago International Film Festival. "A wonderfully mordant excursion through the new Russian thugocracy...the best Russian movie I've seen in years" (J. Hoberman, The Village Voice). The DVD includes multilingual subtitle options, interview with the director, and more. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1997, 96 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
Chekhovian Motifs Kira Muratova Acclaimed Russian filmmaker Kira Muratova lends her signature energy to this wholly original adaptation of two Chekhov classics--the play Tatiana Repina and the short story "Difficult People". Muratova uses the works as a springboard for a shrewd skewering of Russsian cultural and literary tradition. An eccentric, absurdist gem, Muratova's film won the Russian Film Critics Award at the 24th Moscow International Film Festival. Color tinted. Includes Kira documentary, filmographies, stills gallery, English dubbed option and 5.1 sound. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 2002, 121 mins. DVD Pre-Order - NOT YET RELEASED - Release Date 08/09/2005 $44.95
The Childhood of Maxim Gorky Mark Donskoi The first film in Mark Donskoi's classic Gorky Trilogy follows the early years of the great Russian writer. Placed into his grandparent's custody, the boy is treated poorly by his brutal grandfather but with kindness and generosity by his grandmother. His experiences help shape his feelings for the dignity of the lower class and his compassion for the underdog. "...charged with a lyric, revolutionary romanticism...This first film has a wonderful spaciousness; the landscapes are vast and serene" (Pauline Kael, The New Yorker). A.k.a. My Childhood. Includes the historic early short film, Moscow: Clad in Snow (1908). In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1938, 98 mins. DVD $44.95
The Cold Summer of 1953 Alexander Proshkin One of the first perestroika films to show political prisoners in a sympathetic light, this grim drama looks at two such prisoners who aide a small Siberian village under siege by a gang of criminals released from prison by the broad amnesty granted shortly after Joseph Stalin's death. Stars Valeri Priyemykhov and Anatoli Papanov in his final role. DVD includes an interview with Alexsander Proshkin; Russian, English and French language tracks; and bonus documentaries. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1988, 96 mins. DVD $44.95
Confession Alexander Sokurov This powerful and unique documentary by Alexander Sokurov -- a man considered by many to be Russia's finest living filmmaker -- chronicles the lives of a soul-searching ship's captain and his young sailors as they sail the Arctic region in a Russian naval ship. Narrated mostly by the captain, the film focuses on the daily duties associated with a ship based in the Arctic, but it is also an engrossing study in human solitude and the effects of isolation. "A tremendously moving portrait of despair and its causes through imagery that's both sensuous and confined" (Chicago Reader). The DVD is letterboxed and includes DVD-ROM with editor's notes, biography and filmography, and optional English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian subtitles. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1998, 210 mins. DVD $44.95
The Cranes Are Flying Mikhail Kalatozov A film that marked a radical opening for Soviet cinema. The romantic, lyrical story concerns a beautiful young girl (Tatiana Samoilova) caught up in the horrors of war. When her fiance (Alexei Batalov) goes off to war, she marries a man whom she does not love and who raped her, is evacuated to Siberia and, after the war, learns of her fiance's death. But she refuses to believe it and waits for his return. A great international success, which won the Palme d'Or and Best Director and Best Actress honors at Cannes. Russian with English subtitles. The DVD is a Criterion Collection edition, with new and improved subtitle translation. USSR, 1957, 94 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
Creation of Adam Yuri Pavlov Andrey is a young man who fears his marriage may fall apart because his wife thinks he is gay. A series of events confirm these suspicions as Andrey meets Philip, an enterprising business man who turns his life around. Philip shows Andrey how to love. Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1993, 93 mins. Videocassette $59.95
Crime and Punishment Lev Kulijanov Lev Kulijanov's supremely authentic translation of Dostoevsky's great novel to the screen, with Innokenti Smoktunovsky playing the Police Inspector Porfiry, and Georgi Taratorkin as the impoverished student-murderer Raskolnikov. Perhaps the best performance, however, belongs to Tatyana Bedova as Sonia, the beautiful woman with the power of redemption. 3-DVD set includes Dostoyevsky biography, filmographies, interview with the director's widow N. Kulidzhanova and assistant director A. Gabrielyan, Dostoyevsky Museum in St. Petersburg featurette, Raskolnikov featurette, and A Few Days of One Film featurette. Cinemascope. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1970, 224 mins. DVD Pre-Order - NOT YET RELEASED - Release Date 08/09/2005 $79.95
A Cruel Romance Eldar Ryazanov Actor-director Nikita Mikhalkov (Burnt by the Sun) is among the stars of Eldar Ryazanov's romantic melodrama, based on a play by Alexander Ostrovsky. The beautiful daughter (Larissa Guzeyeva) of an impoverished noblewoman must weigh her true love for an untrustworthy man who is engaged to another woman against the practical considerations offered by another - a suitor she happens to despise. The DVD includes director's commentary, interviews with Larissa Guzeyeva and cinematographer Vadim Alissov, optional French and English dubbed audio, and multilingual subtitle options. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1984, 145 mins. DVD $69.95
The Cuckoo Aleksandr Rogozhkin Three lost souls from different countries find solace during the final days of WWII in this charming black comedy. A Finnish war widow, a Finnish soldier dressed in German army garb and a disgraced Russian captain are brought together by circumstance at the widow's farm. Their language and cultural differences lead to comic and sometimes tragic misunderstandings and the eventual formation of a passionate and human relationship. "...an ingenious exercise in storytelling, which is also a jolting reminder of the nearly limitless possibilities of cinema" (Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter). In Russian, Finnish and Lapp with English subtitles. Russia, 2002, 99 mins. DVD $44.95
Dauria Viktor Tregubovich A carefree daredevil's main concern in life is a romantic rivalry for the hand of a pretty girl. But on the eve of the outbreak of World War I, he comes to realize there is much more happening in a world bigger than he ever imagined, and soon he will face the most important decisions of his life. In Russian with English subtitles. The two-DVD set is letterboxed, 16x9 widescreen, and includes interviews with actors Yuri and Vitaliy Solomin, two behind-the-scenes documentary shorts, filmographies, a photo album, English and French dubbed audio options, and multilingual subtitle options. USSR, 1971, 182 mins. DVD $69.95
Destiny of a Man Sergei Bondarchuk Russian filmmaker Sergei Bondarchuk (War and Peace) stars in this screen adaptation of Nobel Prize winner Mikhail Sholokhov's novel. After losing his family and surviving a concentration camp during WWII, Andrei Sokolov marches with the Soviet Army towards Berlin in search of a new life. This eye-opening hymn to the human spirit was an enormous success and won Grand Prize at the 1959 Moscow International Film Festival and the Special Diploma at the 1959 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Russia, 1959, 103 mins. DVD $44.95
The Diamond Arm Leonid Gaidai Leonid Gaidai, considered a master of satire and slapstick in his homeland, directed this comedy that remains beloved in Russia. The film was inspired by a newspaper account of a man caught smuggling gold and diamonds inside his plaster arm cast. In the movie, the two swindlers behind the operation find themselves caught up in a wild series of adventures. Their hilarious dialogue spawned several popular catch phrases in the Soviet Union and helped make the film one of the country's biggest box office hits of all time. In Russian with English subtitles. The DVD is letterboxed, 16x9 widescreen, and includes optional English, French and Arabic dubbed audio, multilingual subtitle options, interview with Nina Grebeshkova, a circus performance excerpt by Yuri Nikulin, excerpts of the theater performances The Marriage of Figaro and Government Inspector starring Andrei Mironov and Anatoli Papanov, cast and crew filmographies, and a photo album. USSR, 1968, 100 mins. DVD $44.95
The Elusive Avengers Edmond Keosayan Adapted from Pavel Blyakhin's novel Red Little Devils, this Soviet smash hit follows a team of spies--student Valerka, Yashka the Gypsy, orphan Danka and his sister Ksanka--as they seek revenge on the men responsible for the death of Danka and Ksanka's father. Brimming with intrigue, plot twists, and narrow escapes, Edmond Keosayan's film proved wildly popular at the box office and went on to become a successful franchise, spawning a pair of sequels. The DVD is letterboxed and includes interview with the widow of director Edmond Keosayan, filmographies, photo album, 5.1 sound and English dubbed version. In Russian with English subtitles. Soviet Union, 1966, 78 mins. DVD $44.95
End of Saint Petersburg/Deserter Vsevolod Pudovkin Two cinematic milestones from Vsevolod I. Pudovkin, who, along with Eisenstein and Dovzhenko, established Soviet cinema as one of the most important centers of international film art. The End of Saint Petersburg (1927, 75 mins.) was commissioned, like Eisenstein's Ten Days That Shook the World to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Russian Revolution. It concentrates on a peasant who comes to St. Petersburg for a visit and becomes "politicized," believing in strike and revolution. Pudovkin focuses on the individual, with the emotional power of the film emerging from seeing the effects of the Revolution on common people. The film is presented with English titles. Deserter (1933, 105 mins.) daringly violated the freshly established law of natural sound with a powerful barrage of aural effects that mirror the film's dynamic style of montage. The story concerns a German dockworker who is led by labor unrest to the Soviet Union, where he is inspired to take up the cause of his fellow man. In Russian with English subtitles. Both features mastered from the best available film elements. USSR, 1927/1933, 180 mins. DVD $44.95
Escape from Afghanistan (Peshavar Waltz) Timour Bekmambetov/Gennady Kayumov A Best Director award-winner at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the acclaimed Russian film Peshavar Waltz was purchased by Roger Corman's New Concorde and re-edited to put American characters in the spotlight. Even in this compromised form, it remains a compelling depiction of war in Afghanistan, based on actual events. An American reporter and doctor (British and French in the original version) come to a military base in Pakistan to document P.O.W. conditions. While there, the Russian prisoners rise up and take over the base, holding the visitors hostage and slaughtering their captors with no mercy. Clearly Corman purchased the film to exploit the recent American actions in Afghanistan, proving the old dog is still up to his old tricks. Dubbed in English. Russia, 1994, 88 mins. DVD $37.95
Father of a Soldier Rezo Chkheidze Sergo Zakariadze won Best Actor honors at the Moscow International Film Festival for his moving performance as an aging peasant who is a witness to war's inhumanity when he travels to see his wounded son in a military hospital. With his son already back at the front, the father accompanies the Soviet army to Berlin just as the Third Reich is about to fall. The DVD includes the short documentaries Parade on Red Square, 7 November 1941 and Victory Celebration, short film about Sergo Zakariadze, original theatrical trailers, filmographies, biographies, English and French dubbed options, and multilingual subtitle options. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1965, 92 mins. DVD $44.95
Gentlemen of Fortune Alexander Seryi A noble kindergarten teacher sets out to save Alexander the Great's helmet from a band of thieves, using his own likeness to a dangerous criminal to infiltrate their ranks. Yevgeni Leonov (Autumn Marathon) tops the cast of this very funny tale of law and disorder. In Russian with English subtitles. DVD includes English and French dubbed audio tracks, multilingual subtitle options, documentary segment on Yevgeni Leonov, and filmographies. USSR, 1971, 88 mins. DVD $44.95
Hunting Drama Emil Lotenau This beautifully photographed drama is an adaptation of a classic Chekhov story about a beautiful young woman whose marriage to an older estate manager causes reprecussions of passion and violence from her jealous suitors. Emil Lotyanu captures the tragic intensity of Chekhov's tale with the magical atmosphere of the setting and bravura performances from his cast. DVD includes Provincial Doctor, Reminiscences of the Writer's Wife: Actress O. Knipper-Chekhova, and Reminiscences of Writer N. Teleshov featurettes, interviews with actress Svetlana Toma and composer Yevgeny Doga, filmographies, photo gallery, and trailer. Russian with English subtitles. Soviet Union, 1975, 109 mins. DVD $44.95
I Am Cuba Mikhail Kalatozov The Cuban revolution is at the center of Mikhail Kalatazov's strange, poetic film from 1964 which unites four stories. Originally controversial because of a uniquely Russian view of Cuba, it was not widely seen. In the years since its original release, the film, which features a poem by Yevgeni Yevtushenko, has achieved international critical acclaim. It offers a uniquely earthy view of Cuba in the early 1960s. Spanish with English subtitles. Cuba/USSR, 1964, 141 mins. DVD $44.95
Interpretation of Dreams Andrei Zagdansky Twentieth-century Russia is the less-than-willing subject of this close psychoanalytic interpretation, inspired by Freud's book of the same name. Archival and newsreel footage, together with commentary employing the psychoanalytic method, offer great insights which clarify such cataclysmic events as the rise of Stalin and the Cold War. This acclaimed film has been called "truly magical and extraordinary…" and "an astonishing marriage of Freudian thinking and history." Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1994, 50 mins. Videocassette $44.95
The Irony of Fate Eldar Ryazanov Still a staple of Russian New Year's Eve broadcasts, this made-for-television feature ranks as one of the most popular comedies made in the former Soviet Union. A drunken New Year's gathering leaves a man in the wrong apartment in the wrong city, although the nearly identical surroundings make him think otherwise for a while. A run-in with the apartment's true resident - beautiful Nadya - leads to comical confrontations and unexpected romance. With Andrei Myagkov, Barbara Brylska, and Yuri Yakovlev. DVD in Russian with English subtitles, includes multilingual subtitle options, interviews with cast and crew members, and filmographies. USSR, 1975, 185 mins. DVD $44.95
Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future Leonid Gaidai Inventor Shurik constructs a time machine that accidentally sends him, the apartment building superintendent, and a thief to the palace of Ivan the Terrible, while the notorious monarch finds himself in present day Moscow. This wacky sci-fi comedy was one in a series in which Aleksandr Demyanenko portrayed Shurik. DVD includes interviews with the director and cast members, footage from Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible, filmographies, bios, trailers, and multilingual subtitle options. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1973, 93 mins. DVD $44.95
Kidnapping Caucassian Style (Shurik's New Adventures) Leonid Gaidai Aleksandr Demyanenko played the lovable but bumbling Shurik in several popular Russian comedies. Here he is a student in the Caucasus regions who falls in love with a beautiful woman who is being held for a forced marriage to a local official. In madcap fashion, Shurik tries to come to her rescue. Also shown as Prisoner of the Caucasus, though not to be confused with the Sergei Bodrov film of the same name. DVD in Russian with English subtitles, includes optional English and French dubbed audio, multilingual subtitle options, interviews and behind-the-scenes segment. USSR, 1971, 82 mins. DVD $44.95
Little Vera Vassili Pitchul The film that took Russia by storm and then sent a second shock wave when its young star, Natalya Negoda, posed nude for Playboy. Negoda plays Vera, the sullen, sultry teenager who's torn between her brooding husband and her bitter parents in a dead-end town. With its simmering sensuality and brutal candor, Little Vera is a seductive Russian film that gave the Russians (and Americans) something which they never expected - a truly fresh film about sexual relationships. Russian with English subtitles; USSR, 1988, 135 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
Luna Park Pavel Lounguine A gang of young, tough skinheads make their mark in the chaotic turmoil of post-Communist Russia, where right-wing extremists of all sorts abound. This iron-pumping gang, led by its crazed leader, knows no limits in its terrifying effort to purify the nation. It's a rollercoaster ride of an action film in the tradition of Mad Max. Russian with English subtitles; Russia, 1992, 107 mins. Videocassette $44.95
Moloch Alexander Sokurov Acclaimed Russian director Aleksandr Sokurov (Russian Ark), considered by many to be the living heir to Tarkovsky, has created a work that's "like nothing you've ever seen before on film" (The Guardian) with this compelling portrait of Eva Braun and Adolf Hitler. Elena Rufanova plays the mysterious mistress who struggles with the complexities of a volcanic, megalomaniac lover. Shot partially in the original fortress at Hitler's retreat in the Bavarian Alps, Sokurov's film blends surreal melodrama with archival footage, and functions as a fascinating inquiry into historical representation. Winner for Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival. With Leonid Mosgovoi. In German with English subtitles. Russia, 1999, 108 mins. DVD $44.95
Mimino Georgy Danelia This ferociously funny comedy is beloved in its native Soviet Union for gently mocking provincial Russians and haughty Moscow-dwellers alike. Vakhtang Kikabidze stars as Mimino ("Falcon"), a Georgian helicopter operator who dreams of someday piloting a large international aircraft. His ambition leads him to the bright lights of Moscow, where he meets a colorful truck driver (Frunzik Mkrtchyan) and embarks on a series of outrageous adventures. Georgi Daneliya's culture-clash classic won top prize at the Moscow International Film Festival (1977). Includes 5.1 sound and English dubbed version. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1978, 97 mins. DVD $44.95
Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears Vladimir Menshov Vladimir Menshov's melodrama about the cruel anonymity of city life is structured in two parts. The first half is set in 1958, as Menshov charts the interlocking romantic fates of three Russian girls shunned to a workers' dormitory. Tonya (Raisa Ryazanova) finds grace and happiness; Ludmila (Irina Muraveva) is trapped in an unhealthy and oppressive marriage; Katerina (Vera Alentova) is cruelly abandoned when her lover discovers she's pregnant. The second half resumes their stories and lives 20 years later. Winner of the 1980 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. With Alexei Batalov, Alexander Fatiushin and Boris Smorchkov. Russian with English subtitles. DVD includes 3 language options, 13 subtitle options, cast & crew interviews, Russian history and culture short subjects, photo galleries and more. In Russian, USSR, 1979, 150 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
Moscow Parade Ivan Dykhovichny Ute Lemper stars in this, the first post-Soviet film about the Stalin era. In 1939, she is a young aristocrat married to a hateful chief of the secret police. His forces have murdered her family but she takes advantage of her marriage to enjoy all the luxuries her present lifestyle allows. When she meets a mysterious man and learns of his plans to paint a horse black, her life is thrown into a whirlwind of change. Russian with English subtitles; Russia, 1993, 103 mins. Videocassette $37.95
Mother and Son Aleksandr Sokurov In a stone cottage in the countryside, a son takes care of his dying mother. Aleksandr Sokurov takes this simple scenario and creates pure cinematic poetry. This is the kind of contemplative, hypnotic beauty that is rarely achieved in film, and then only by true masters. While very little happens in terms of plot, the film offers more truths - about life, death and devotion - than the most complex narrative could ever provide. "...one of the great films of the decade...(Sokurov) is one of the rare contemporary filmmakers who works directly from his heart, soul and imagination, without concession to pop sensibilities" (Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle). "As a pastoral tone poem, the film is stunning; there are images here as remarkable as any in cinema" (Nick Bradshaw, Time Out Film Guide). In Russian with English subtitles; Russia/Germany, 1997, 73 mins. Videocassette $37.95 DVD $37.95
A Nameless Star Mikhail Kozakov Russian actor Mikhail Kozakov steps behind the camera to direct this romantic comedy adapted from the play by Romanian Jewish writer, Mihail Sebastian (born Iosef Hechter), about a low-key, provincial town turned upside-down by the arrival of a glamorous woman of the world. Stranded in the town without a train ticket, she is taken in by a schoolteacher and eventually steals his heart. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1978, 130 mins. Videocassette $44.95
The New Adventures of the Elusive Avengers Edmond Keosayan The flashy sequel to Edmond Keosayan's Soviet box office hit finds teenage superspies The Elusive Avengers returning for another dangerous assignment. This time the group is asked to retrieve the blueprint of a top-secret fortress that's being held in a heavily guarded safe. An instant hit with audiences, Keosayan's franchise was in many ways the Soviet-equivalent of James Bond. The DVD is letterboxed and includes interview with actor Victor Kosykh, filmographies, photo album, 5.1 sound and English dubbed version. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1968, 82 mins. DVD $44.95
Of Freaks and Men Alexei Balabanov From the director of Brother comes this subversive black comedy that suggests the coarseness of contemporary culture is merely the flowering of seeds planted in the Victorian age. A pornographer and his assistant maneuver their way into two well-to-do families in St. Petersburg. Dark, hidden passions are revealed as manipulation and corruption take hold. "Balabanov is clearly a genuine troublemaker...Even Lynch and Greenaway have rarely left an audience with such a bitterly ironic punchline" (Jonathan Romney, Sight and Sound). In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1998, 89 mins. Videocassette $37.95 DVD $44.95
Operation Y & Other Shurik Adventures Leonid Gaidai The lovable and bumbling Shurik finds himself in a host of incredible situations in this comedy directed by the Russian master of slapstick and satire, Leonid Gaidai. In these three episodic sketches, Shurik tries to rehabilitate a bully, prepare for an exam and save a warehouse from burglary. DVD in Russian, USSR, 1965, 96 mins. DVD $44.95
The Outskirts Peter Lutsik In this extraordinary epic--a political thriller in the tradition of Z and Weekend, mixed with acid-sharp humor--Peter Lutsik creates an astounding chronicle of a country in violent transformation. A group of men fight injustice as they try to discover who stole their land. Their hunt for the offenders takes them from the gentle countryside to the halls of power. Hailed at film festivals worldwide as a modern classic, The Outskirts vividly reveals Russia as alternately corrupt, melancholy, dogmatic, romantic, and spiritual. Winner of the FIPRESCI critics' prize at the Chicago International Film Festival. Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1998, 95 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
Outskirts/The Girl with the Hatbox Boris Barnet Two classics of Soviet-era cinema from legendary director Boris Barnet. Long unavailable in the United States, The Outskirts (1933) looks at the relationships and loyalties between a German prisoner of war and his captors in a remote village during WWI. In Russian with English subtitles. The fast-paced silent film, The Girl with the Hatbox (1927), features Anna Sten as a working girl who is given a seemingly worthless lottery ticket instead of her wages by her unscrupulous employer. The ticket wins her a fortune, and a madcap chase ensues to possess the ticket--and Anna's love. USSR, 1933/1927, 164 mins. DVD $44.95
Passions Kira Muratova A winner of Russia's Nika Awards for Best Film and Best Director, this drama follows the romances and heartbreaks experienced by two young women who become fascinated by the world of professional horse racing and attracted to the sportsmen involved with it. In Russian with English subtitles; Russia, 1994, 112 mins. DVD $44.95
Peculiarities of the National Fishing Aleksandr Rogozhkin A planned fishing trip goes hilariously awry when three best friends find themselves lost in Finland with no fishing equipment or vodka. This is clearly a disaster of the highest order and the traveling buddies reach their breaking point in this hit comedy, which was the third in a series featuring the same trio of characters. The DVD is includes filmographies, an excerpt from the short film Barbos the Dog and Unusual Race, and optional French subtitles. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1998, 94 mins. DVD $44.95
Pirates of the XXth Century Boris Durov Russian cinema isn't well known for its action pictures, but this box office hit is more exciting than many Hollywood blockbusters and includes some thrilling martial arts combat to go along with the gunplay. Modern day pirates hijack a ship to steal its cargo of pharmaceutical opium, but when some brave members of the crew fight back, it leads to a deadly battle to the finish. Based loosely on a true story. The DVD is letterboxed, 16x9 widescreen, and includes interviews with the director and select cast and crew members, photo album, and filmographies, with English, French and Spanish dubbed audio options; multilingual subtitle options. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1979, 83 mins. DVD $44.95
Prisoner of the Mountains Sergei Bodrov A tightly executed moral drama of love and war, Sergei Bodrov's Academy Award-nominated film is based on Tolstoy's classic tale and set in the remote, austerely beautiful Caucasus mountains. A dashing soldier (Russian heartthrob Oleg Menshikov, Burnt by the Sun), and a young recruit (Sergei Bodrov, Jr.) are captured by a Chechen father who holds them hostage in his village home. The father attempts a prisoner exchange for his son, who is held by the Russian army, but is defeated by lackadaisical and inept bureaucracy of the military. As the two Russians await their fate, a love gradually develops between Vania and their captor's daughter. Russian with English subtitles. Russia/Kazakhstan, 1996, 99 mins. DVD $37.95
Professor Dowell's Testament Leonid Menaker A brilliant scientist attempts to find the secret of immortality, but just as he begins to share the details of his risky experiments, he mysteriously disappears. One of his students takes his research and puts it to evil use. An intriguing science fiction/horror feature, based on a novel by Alexander Belyaev. In Russian with English subtitles. DVD includes English and French soundtrack options, multilingual subtitle options, theatrical trailers, production stills, and filmography. USSR, 1984, 91 mins. DVD $44.95
Railway Station for Two Eldar Ryazanov A lunch counter waitress and a talented pianist find themselves thrust together by circumstances both tragic and amusing in this bittersweet Russian drama. Platon (Oleg Basilashvili) has been arrested and is awaiting trial for a hit-and-run accident he did not commit. Vera (Lyudmila Gurchenko) serves him lunch, and is surprised to hear about his plight. Over the subsequent days the pair develops feelings for one another as they await their uncertain futures to unfold. 2-DVD set includes interviews with actors O. Bassilashvili and N. Mikhalkov, filmographies, and photo gallery. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1982, 141 mins. DVD Pre-Order - NOT YET RELEASED - Release Date 08/09/2005 $44.95
The Red Tent Mikhail Kalatozov A virtually unknown but first-rate film by Soviet filmmaker Mikhail Kalatozov, The Red Tent was an international production funded in Italy, and is the tragic story of General Nobile, the heroic Italian who tried to cross the North Pole on a dirigible in the early years of this century. When the dirigible crashed, no one responded to their desperate SOS calls, and the survivors huddled within their makeshift red canvas dwelling and continued to hope. Peter Finch stars as General Nobile, Sean Connery portrays the renowned Arctic explorer Roald Amundsen. In English. Italy/USSR, 1969, 121 mins. DVD Pre-Order - NOT YET RELEASED - Release Date 08/16/2005 $44.95
Repentance Tengiz Abuladze A pivotal breakthrough, post-Glasnost film from Georgia; a brilliant visual representation of the Soviet trauma. Dreams, nightmares and absurdist comedy mix in this allegory of the mayor of a small Georgian village who won't stay dead. Winner of a Special Jury Prize at Cannes, this tragic phantasmagoria blends surrealist dreams, magic and doublespeak ("It is hard to catch a black cat in a dark room. Especially if there is no cat.") in an Orwellian depiction of the Soviet "wonderland." A milestone. With Avtandil Makharadze and Iya Ninidze. The DVD includes Russian, Georgian and French language tracks and featurettes on Lavrentiy Beria and Veriko Andzhaparidze. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1984, 150 mins. Videocassette $37.95 DVD $44.95
The Return Andrey Zvyagintsev Elegant cinematography highlights Andrey Zvyagintsev's gripping psychological thriller that looks at two young brothers who are forced to deal with the return of their father who had abandoned them years prior. Upon his return, the father orders the boys to accompany him on a fishing trip, which tests the boys endurance and, eventually, their sanity. A powerful, perfectly realized film, The Return won the Golden Lion for Best Film at the Venice International Film Festival and the Discovery of the Year Award at the European Film Awards. "Brilliant...One of those unnerving films that lingers in the mind long after the lights come up" (Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly). In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 2003, 106 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
The Rider Named Death Karen Shakhnazarov Set in pre-revolutionary Russia, this vibrant and opulent historical epic follows an anti-tsarist assassin (Andrei Panin) determined to topple the monarchy and bring socialism to the people. Working alongside a motley band of revolutionaries, the icy protagonist struggles to maintain the camaraderie necessary to pull off his daring feat. "A rough-hewn Russian epic... Contemplates the chilling seductions of 20th century violence" (Michael Atkinson, Village Voice). In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 2004, 106 mins. DVD Pre-Order - NOT YET RELEASED - Release Date 08/02/2005 $44.95
Russian Ark Aleksandr Sokurov "One of the most astonishing films ever made" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). Using a specially-designed digital camera, a massive crew, and a meticulously coordinated cast, director Aleksandr Sokurov created the longest shot in film history - a 95 minute long, uninterrupted journey through 300 years of Russian history. A revolutionary and overwhelming feat of filmmaking, Russian Ark effortlessly and seamlessly follows the narrator's travels through time and documents the lush extravagance of pre-Revolution Russia and its icons, culminating in the Great Royal Ball on the eve of the 1913 Revolution. "Magnificent" (Stephen Holden, New York Times). Russia/Germany, 2002, 95 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
A Small Favor Boris Konunov Russian music and film star Nikolai Karachentosov and Liya Akhedzhakova (Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears) star in this witty tale of a disillusioned pop star attempting to deliver a package entrusted to him by a stranger on a train. Along the way, various incidents of mistaken identity lead him to a woman whose life strangely mirrors his own. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1984, 80 mins. Videocassette $44.95
The Soloist Oleg Nikolayevsky An amateur folk singer facing middle age decides to follow her dream and become a professional musician. Leaving the city and her job behind, she joins a variety show and travels the Russian countryside where she learns new insights about life, love and music. Stars Natalya Yegorova, Alexander Pankratov-Chyorny, Vladimir Khotinenko, and Yuri Lakhin. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1988, 82 mins. Videocassette $44.95
Spiritual Voices Alexander Sokurov In 1994, Alexander Sokurov accompanied Russian troops assigned to a frontier military post at the Tajikistan/Afghanistan border to film their experiences. While unnamed tribal forces occasionally engaged the troops in skirmishes, Sokurov's haunting documentary chronicles the downtime between activity. He effectively captures what it is like to be there as a Russian soldier -- the isolation, the mood of futility that afflicts the troops, and the harsh environment. "Alexander Sokurov is perhaps the most ambitious and original serious filmmaker of his generation working anywhere in the world today. Each of his films that I've seen has a visual power and moral depth that creates an unforgettable emotional experience." (Susan Sontag). In five parts. DVD includes bonus short by Alexander Sokurov (Soldier's Dream, 11 mins.), DVD-ROM with editor's notes, biography and filmography, and optional English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian subtitles. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia/Germany, 1995, 340 mins. DVD $59.95
Tchaikovsky Igor Talankin An opulent biography of the 19th century composer. The film is centered around his antagonistic relationship with his mentor, the pianist Rubenstein, and his long-term benefactor, the Baroness von Meck. The film downplays the composer's homosexuality to develop the tenets of his unhappy marriage. Music arranged and conducted by Dimitri Tiomkin, who also produced the film. With Innokenti Smoktunovsky, Antonina Shuranova and Evgeni Leonov. Videocassette and DVD in Russian with English subtitles. DVD is letterboxed, with 5.1 Surround Sound, and includes three language options, 13 subtitle options, interviews with Innokenti Smoktunovsky and actress/dancer Maya Plisetskaya, Tchaikovsky mini-biography, photo galleries and more. USSR, 1971, 153 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
Torpedo Bombers Semyon Aranovich This is a very realistic, largely unsentimental drama of the lives of Russian pilots during World War II. Actual combat footage is incorporated with the dramatic sequences to present a wholly convincing recreation of the era. The story follows a regiment of pilots stationed at a small airfield in the Baltics in 1944. The war takes its toll on lives and loves as the fate of the pilots is constantly in doubt. DVD with Russian, English and French language options, with English and multilingual subtitle options. Includes trailers, production stills, WWII newsreel clips, audio-only songs from the film. USSR, 1983, 96 mins. DVD $44.95
The Town of Rosi Igor Dobrolyubov A sophisticated blend of comedy and drama chronicling one man's reaction to the suffocations of modernization. After seeing his neighborhood turn into a wasteland of high-rise apartments and contemporary conveniences, an old man, realizing that he and his modest home will succumb to the modern age, calls his children together to help them sort out their personal lives before he "moves on." In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1983, 89 mins. Videocassette $44.95
Treasure Island Yevgeni Fridman Robert Louis Stevenson's tale of youthful adventure and piracy comes alive in this rousing screen adaptation. Veteran Russian film star Boris Andreyev tops the cast of this film for all ages. The DVD is letterboxed and includes options for French or English audio and subtitles. In Russian with English subtitles. USSR, 1971, 86 mins. DVD $44.95
Two Comrades Were Serving Yevgeni Karelov During the period of civil war following the October Revolution in 1920's Russia, a Red Army photographer and his friend are assigned to collect reconnaissance data on a White Guard stronghold. Setting out with a valuable French movie camera in their possession, the friends encounter a series of adventures that will change their lives forever. Yevgeni Karelov's wartime drama is a Soviet cinema classic. The DVD is letterboxed and includes interviews with actor Vladimir Vysotsky's son, actor Nikita Vysotsky, filmographies, and photo gallery. USSR, 1968, 99 mins. DVD $44.95
Tycoon: A New Russian Pavel Lounguine A Russian mobster at the brink of death looks back on his life of crime in this "breathlessly paced thriller" (Jan Stuart, Newsday), loosely based on the life of corrupt Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky. Jumping backwards and forwards in time, Tycoon follows the suave and self-assured Platon (Vladimir Mashkov) as he uses his charm and government connections to rise through the Russian mob, which has taken full advantage of Russia's new capitalist system. Simultaneously, a police detective investigates Platon's murder. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia/France/Germany, 2002, 128 mins. Videocassette $44.95 DVD $44.95
Viy (Spirit of Evil) Georgi Kropachyov/Konstantin Yershov This very eerie and stylish Russian horror film went largely unseen for decades. With this video release it should earn a loyal following. Based on a story by Nikolai Gogol, the movie follows a young theology student whose faith is tested when he meets the devil's emissary, "...stunning, with a rich color palette worthy of Mario Bava...Moments of pure cinema here raise the hairs on the back of your neck" (R.L. Strong, Cornucopia of Film). Alexander Ptushko was responsible for the eye-catching visual effects and art direction and some sources list him as a co-director. DVD includes optional English and French soundtracks and multilingual subtitle options; trailers; production stills; cast/crew biographies; Gogol documentary; and excerpts from the early Russian horror films Satan Exultant (1917), The Queen of Spades (1916), and The Portrait (1916). In Russian with English subtitles, USSR, 1967, 78 mins. DVD $44.95
Vovochka Andrei Maksimov Vovochka is a spontaneous ten-year-old boy with an insatiable knack for getting into trouble. This light, humorous family film from Russia, which spawned a television series, follows the boy's path of innocent destruction in a quiet suburban Moscow village in the days prior to the New Year holidays. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 2002, 95 mins. DVD $44.95
War and Peace Sergei Bondarchuk The definitive film version of Tolstoy's epic novel about how Napoleon's 1812 Russian invasion affects two upper class families. Winner of the 1968 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, it was shot over five years, with over 120,000 extras for battle scenes, nearly 300 sets, 2,000 costumes and production design and art direction culled from more than 40 Russian museums. With its budget adjusted for inflation, it remains one of the most expensive productions of all time. The film is notable for its gritty authenticity and its panoramic social and political portraits, especially the battle of Borodino. Originally released as four theatrical features in the U.S.S.R., it was cut and shown in two parts in the U.S. USSR, 1967, 431 mins. DVD Letterboxed, 16x9 widescreen (431 mins.). Four-disc set includes original Russian language track, plus English and French dubbed tracks with optional subtitles in English and 13 other languages. Includes a behind-the-scenes featurette, cast and crew filmographies, interviews, Tolstoy documentary, and more. $99.95 DVD - in Russian with English subtitles. Movie-only edition. Three-disc set (403 mins.). $59.95
We Are Going to America Efim Gribov Adapted from a story by Sholom Aleichem and inspired by the paintings of Marc Chagall, this is a luminous tale of one family's search for the American dream. Their journey to an unknown world is a tragic-comic odyssey of wonder and chaos seen through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy. As the family's progress waits in the hands of border authorities, the boy encounters several memorable characters on his way to a new life. In Russian and Yiddish with English subtitles. Russia, 1992, 120 mins. Videocassette $44.95
The White Sun of the Desert Vladimir Motyl This Soviet-era "Red Western" has developed a large following for its blend of quirky humor, military drama, action and music and it was ritually viewed by cosmonauts before embarking on space missions. A Red Army soldier is ordered to guard a wanted guerilla leader's harem, but the task proves to be more difficult than he initially had imagined. A classic of Soviet cinema. DVD includes interviews, filmographies, a photo gallery and Russian, English, French and Arabic language tracks. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia, 1969, 85 mins. DVD $44.95
You I Love Olga Stolpovskaya/Dmitry Troitsky In the immediate wake of Russia's conversion from Communism to free-market capitalism, a pair of young yuppies indulge in excessive behavior that would put 80's Wall Street types to shame. Vera and Timofey live a hip, fast-paced existence while managing to maintain the spark of romance. But when Vera comes home one night to find her boyfriend in bed with a younger man, she's drawn into an erratic, zany love triangle of Almodovar-esque proportions. "A vivacious comedy. Vital and fresh" (Ella Taylor, L.A. Weekly). The DVD is letterboxed, and includes cast and filmmaker interviews, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurette, 5.1 sound, trailers, and English and French subtitle options. In Russian with English subtitles. Russia 2004 83 mins. DVD $44.95