Kolya

Starring:Zdenek SverÃ¡k, Andrei Chalimon, Libuse SafrÃ¡nkovÃ¡, Ondrej VetchÃ½, Stella ZÃ¡zvorkovÃ¡, Ladislav Smoljak, Irina Livanova, Silvia Suvadova, Liliya Malkina, Karel HermÃ¡nek, Petra SpalkovÃ¡, Nella BoudovÃ¡, RenÃ© Pribil, Miroslav TÃ¡borskÃ½, SlÃ¡vka BudÃnovÃ¡, JirÃ SovÃ¡k, Josef Lakatos, Lubomir Pisa, F.X. Thuri, Milan HermÃ¡nek
Director: Jan SverÃ¡k
Studio: Miramax
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Winner of the 1997 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, this charming Czech drama uses the backdrop of the Russian military occupation in Prague for its funny, sad, and ultimately delightful story of a 55-year-old man's friendship with a 5-year-old boy. It doesn't exactly start out as friendship: Louka is a cellist who lost his symphony job after writing a sarcastic remark on an official form, and although he's struggling financially he still enjoys the company of several young women who find him irresistibly sexy. The last thing he needs is a surrogate child, but that's what he gets when young Kolya is abandoned by his mother, a Russian woman Louka had agreed to marry so she could avoid being sent back to Russia. The mother runs off to her boyfriend in Germany, leaving Louka with a 5-year-old kid who only speaks Russian! As directed by Jan SverÃ¡k (whose father, Zdenek SverÃ¡k, plays Louka), this predicament offers a lovingly detailed account of how Louka and Kolya discover each other, and how their mutual awkwardness evolves into a heartwarming father-son relationship. While the Russian presence creates an atmosphere of suspicion and restriction, the deepening connection between Louka and Kolya turns this into an unforgettable film, beautifully photographed, sensitively performed, and directed with just the right combination of subtle sentiment and harsh reality. Its Oscar was definitely well deserved. --Jeff Shannon
Book Description
Kolya, here beautifully translated by Ewald Osers, is the novelization of the Czech film of the same name, which won both the 1997 Oscar and Golden Globe awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Prague 1988--just before the Velvet Revolution. Louka, a virtuoso performer with the Czech Philharmonic, has been banned from playing by the state. Now he finds himself playing at cemeteries for a living. Adding to his problems, an illegal arranged marriage has left the hardened bachelor with a little Russian boy to care for. From these elements, Sdenek Sverak--who also played Louka in the film--has woven an enduring tale of the transforming powers of music, language, and love. 120 pp 5 x 8 20 b/w photos

The Italian
Average customer rating:

Sweet Little Movie

Very Efficient

Sometimes the easy way isn't the best ...

Beautifully moving story of determination

An Abandoned Russian Orphan: His Sacrifices and Dreams

The Italian
Starring: Kolya Spiridonov , Denis Moiseenko , Sasha Sirotkin , Andrei Yelizarov , and Vladimir Shipov
Director: Andrei Kravchuk
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
Russian | By Original Language | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
Russia | By Country | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
All Sony Pictures Titles | Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Russia | European Cinema | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Russian | By Original Language | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Venus

The Painted Veil

Letters from Iwo Jima (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)

Volver

ASIN: B000NQRDZG
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Amazon.com

The Italian, a film that aims to expose the overcrowded, impoverished conditions in Soviet state-run orphanages, is a chilling portrayal of contemporary Russian life. Director Andrei Kravchuk conveys, from inside orphanage walls, the sense of responsibility that employees feel to the children, and how desperate economic straits drive these same dedicated employees to sell their kids for a few Euros. Vanya Solntsev (Kolya Spiridonov), nicknamed "The Italian," is a six year-old abandoned at birth. His jealous peers envy his invitation from an Italian family to move to Italy, but young Vanya is determined to find his real mother, which means forfeiting this rare opportunity for adoption. Kolyan (Denis Moiseenko), the gang leader Vanya "works" for, and Natasha (Polina Vorobieva), a gentle caretaker, try to convince him otherwise through scare tactics and beatings to no avail. With the help of teen prostitute, Irka (Olga Shuvalova), Vanya learns to read and catches a train to the city, living as a runaway hunted by his orphanage supervisors who want to sell him to The Italians. Shock sets in upon imagining a society of child vagrants roaming Russian streets, not to mention women abandoning children as expendables. Given the tragic subject matter, it is tempting to assume that this is a chronic social problem in Russia, but hopefully The Italian merely fictionalizes an extreme example of this sad topic. Convincing performances by Spiridonov and Shuvalova add to the film's documentary feel. If nothing else, The Italian serves as biting social commentary that is culturally enlightening though heartbreaking. --Trinie Dalton

Product Description

For most Russian orphans, the chance to be adopted is a dream come true. But six-year-old Vanya Solntsev has other hopes. After discovering that his mother is still alive, the abandoned boy teaches himself to read so as to learn her address from his personal files. Before a wealthy Italian couple can claim him for their own, Vanya sets off on a perilous journey to find his only remaining family. Pursued by orphanage staff and the police, the determined runaway must now face the most difficult challenge of his young life in this incredible story inspired by true events.

Customer Reviews:

Sweet Little Movie.......2007-07-03

This is a sweet little movie with an ending that seems too pat, but any other ending would have made the movie almost unbearable. The movie was reminiscent of Dickens in two respects; the view of the underbelly of society, and that the characters were far more interesting than the plot. Since this was a movie created by Russians for Russians, it may be that it was intended as a modern day morality play. Whatever the intent, it was done well. I doubt I will get the image of the orphan out of my mind for a while, and a number of other characters will stick there for a while too.

Very Efficient.......2007-06-28

I received the package when they said it would arrive. It was packaged well. Excellent service.

Sometimes the easy way isn't the best ... .......2007-06-18

Six year old Vanya is in a Russian orphanage and about to be adopted by a nice Italian couple. He gets it in his head, though, that he wants to find his birth mother instead and flee the orphanage. The orphanage stands to make money on the adoption. When he flees, the race is on to intercept him and complete the adoption transaction.

The six-year old boy who plays the title role is full of pluck and guile. He turns his back on the "safe" option and embarks on an adventure to find his roots and his "true" mother.

A fine movie!

Beautifully moving story of determination.......2007-05-28

Italianetz, or The Italian, is a moving story about a six-year old orphan named Vanya (the painfully adorable Kolya Spiridonov). When Vanya is told that he will be adopted by a loving couple from Italy, he becomes the envy of all the other orphans. He's excited himself to begin his new life, until the day the orphanage is paid a visit by another recently adopted orphan's mother. When Vanya has a conversation with the woman at a busstop, he feels his desire to find his own mother growing inside him.

As Vanya sets out to find his mother, he must first learn to read, in order to read his own personal file and see if he can find any information there. Another orphan, a young prostitute (Olga Shuvalova) teaches him to read against the wishes of the older kids. Once Vanya finds the address of a previous orphanage he was in, he sets out on an adventure of self-discovery. The orphanage managers try to find Vanya, following him across the country, but he will not be deterred in finding out the truth about his own mother before he is adopted.

The Italian is a film about the kindness, and unkindness, of strangers. The various people that Vanya meets along his journey reflect the different aspects of our society. Also, the point should be made, that adoption is not viewed in a negative light in this film. To the contrary, all the characters make it very clear that an orphan should feel very lucky to be adopted by a caring family. And the orphanage itself is shown as a sort of co-op where the older children take care of the younger children as miniature parental figures.

Kolya Spiridonov turns in an amazingly strong performance for such a young actor, and he is really the foundation of the entire film, though the rest of the actors are solid as well. We get so few Russian films in the United States that the fact that this movie is for sale at all should tip off most viewers that it's probably a high-quality film. That expectation doesn't disappoint.

An Abandoned Russian Orphan: His Sacrifices and Dreams.......2007-05-25

'Italianetz' (THE ITALIAN) is a strong Russian film from the pen of Andrei Romanov under the direction of young artist Andrei Kravchuk - the kind of film that enlightens us about problems in Russia but also provides one of the more tender stories about a child's resilience on film.

Apparently in modern Russia there are orphanages for abandoned children which serve as repositories for adoption by needy parents throughout the world, adoptions brokered by savvy Russian sponsors who, despite the seeming heartlessness of their vocation, are doing a service in providing homes for these unwanted children. The orphanages depicted in THE ITALIAN are not of the Charles Dickens' workhouse place types, but rather are homes run by kind people who encourage and support the children in a loving way.

Vanya Solntsev (Kolya Spiridonov) is a six-year-old orphan who has just been selected for adoption by an Italian couple visiting his orphanage. At first happy about his 'good fortune', he soon encounters a distraught mother (Dariya Lesnikova) looking for her own abandoned son and Vanya longs to return to his own birth mother. He is taught to read by a kind prostitute Irka (Olga Shuvalova) enabling him to search the orphanage files to discover the whereabouts of his birth mother. Much against the advice of his fellow orphans and those rowdy boys with whom he associates outside the orphanage, Vanya sets out to find his mother and in hot pursuit are the brokers for the adoption and the police. He hides, encounters all manner of obstacles and misfortunes on his journey, but at last he discovers his birth mother and the film ends with one of the more tender concepts imaginable.

The cinematography by Aleksandr Burov is moody and captures the feeling of peril Vanya encounters. In one of the more original musical scores for film Aleksandr Knaifel has elected to compose themes played solely on the high treble keys of the piano, on the xylophone and on bells: the feeling is one suggesting the small stature of the children, making their views the more important ones of the story. The cast is uniformly outstanding with special credit going to the warmth of the performance by young Kolya Spiridonov. Recommended for all audiences. In Russian, Italian, some English with subtitles. Grady Harp, May 07

Average customer rating:

Outstanding, but rearranged the order of the Red Square Concert Hurts
one of the best shows I have ever seen.
McCartney, Red Sq.
Just great
Worst concert DVD I own.

Paul McCartney - Live in Red Square
Starring: Paul McCartney , Paul Wickens , Rusty Anderson , Abraham Laboriel Jr. , and Brian Ray (II)
Director: Mark Haefeli
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Eagles - Farewell 1 Tour - Live From Melbourne
Paul McCartney - The Space Within US
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard
A Concert for George
Paul McCartney's Get Back World Tour

ASIN: B0007QJ1ES
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Product Description

1. Getting Better All the Time
2. Band on the Run
3. Can't Buy Me Love
4. Two of Us
5. Saw Her Standing There
6. We Can Work it Out
7. I've Just Seen a Face
8. Live and Let Die
9. Someone's Knocking on the Door
10. Fool on the Hill
11. Lucky Guy
12. Birthday
13. Baby I'm Amazed
14. Back in the U.S.S.R.
15. Hey Jude
16. She's Leaving Home
17. Yesterday
18. Let It Be.

System Requirements:
Mac in the USSR! As a member of The Beatles, Paul McCartney helped to launch the British Invasion and bring rock and roll onto the global stage, changing the world with a pulsing new sound, and a way of life not even the Iron Curtain could keep out. On May 24, 2003, McCartney ended decades of anticipation with his first-ever concert in Russia. Join a crowd of over 100,000, as PAUL McCARTNEY IN RED SQUARE captures the historic sights and sounds of this nearly three-hour show. Behind-the-scenes footage of the star's whirlwind visit to Russia, including a private meeting with President Vladimir Putin, and interviews with important members of Russia's cultural community reveal the importance the Beatles and McCartney played in the development of Russia's future. Join Mikhail Gorbachev and Vladimir Putin in this landmark film as McCartney performs rousing renditions of "Can't Buy Me Love," "Band on the Run," "Saw Her Standing There," "Live and Let Die," "Hey Jude," "Let It Be," "Yesterday," and much, much more. Watch as Paul performs these classic songs:

Format: DVD VIDEO

Amazon.com

The Beatles Anthology may be the motherlode for fans of the Fabs, but among other Beatle-related video offerings, only The Concert for George matches Paul McCartney - Live in Red Square for sheer emotional and musical impact. It's no coincidence that the latter two chronicle not just concerts but significant events--a memorial for Harrison (he had died a year earlier), and Sir Paul's first visit to the former Soviet Union.

For the Russian audience, McCartney's appearance in Moscow is little short of a miracle. The Beatles were banned for decades by the Soviet government, which regarded their music as the epitome of Western decadence and propaganda, and the fans' only access to the group was through the occasional photo or black market album. Their reaction to his 2003 visit is a mixture of frenzy and rapture; in interview after interview, what one fan calls the Beatles' "gentle intervention" is credited with helping to bring down the whole Soviet system, simply because they represented a creativity and freedom that had been almost totally silenced. And that's all before McCartney plays "Back in the U.S.S.R.," which inspires a response that simply must be seen and heard to be believed.

Elsewhere, Macca and his superb band perform a variety of Beatles tunes, along with some highlights from his solo career and stint with Wings. Considering the dozens of classics in the Lennon-McCartney catalogue, the majority of them never performed live by the group, he could hardly go wrong. Still, the choices are almost unerring; along with "Hey Jude," "Yesterday," and "Let it Be" are some unexpected treats (including "Getting Better" and "She's Leaving Home" from the Sgt. Pepper album, as well as "Fool on the Hill," "I've Just Seen a Face," and "Two of Us"). And that's not all: additional footage from a show in St. Petersburg features "Drive My Car," "Helter Skelter," and a powerful medley of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" and "The End." The sound and visuals are good, and the extra features (including a brief parallel history of the Beatles and the U.S.S.R. in the '60s) are interesting. No, the Beatles will never reform. But Paul McCartney - Live in Red Square ain't a bad substitute. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding, but rearranged the order of the Red Square Concert Hurts.......2007-07-03

There certainly is no shortage of live material available from Paul McCartney. Anyone who has listened to McCartney's live performances in recent years have usually not been disappointed. In 2003, McCartney took his act to Moscow to play a live concert in Red Square. The performance of former member of the Beatles in Red Square is considered an amazing feat, because as recently as two decades ago, this wouldn't have even been a thought. The former Soviet government had banned the Beatles because they were considered to be representative of what was wrong with Western Culture. However the Beatles had still managed to build up a major "underground" during the time they were banned. This DVD, "Paul McCartney - In Red Square" chronicles both the concert and McCartney's reflections of Russia. The DVD collection consists of McCartney's concert and visit to Moscow. It also includes part of the concert that McCartney would deliver in St. Petersburg, Russia on a subsequent trip to Russia. The only disappointment with the material lies that the concert experience is a bit incomplete.

The real issue lies with the way the Red Square material is laid out. There are twenty tracks that show performances of the material from Red Square. As discussed later in this review, the material is top-notch. Woven between the material is some of the documentary information about trip to Russia, I don't have an issue with the documentary material. However the songs from the Red Square concert were rearranged to fit the "story" of the documentary. When I purchase a concert DVD, I usually prefer the concert material to be from a single night, complete (no edits, no omissions), and in order of performance. These concepts allow for a complete feel for the concert. Unfortunately by mixing up the performance, this does take away from the effect. I also think that some of the performances were not shown. I think it would have been a blast if we saw the whole Red Square performance from start to finish in its entirety - even if the documentary material was woven in. It is worth noting that the St. Petersburg material has its "documentary" piece at the beginning - and appears to follow more of a chronological ordering. However, the St. Petersburg material is definitely a subset of that performance.

Here are ten things to look for:

1-When combining the Red Square and St. Petersburg performances, there is no overlap. The only song that is repeated in both segments is "Back in the USSR" - and this is for obvious reasons. There are twenty tracks from Red Square and ten tracks from the St. Petersburg.

2-Both concerts are going to give you a great feel for the talent of McCartney's band. No doubt the highlight of the band is Abe Laboriel Jr. - who has to be considered one of the greatest drummers in the world. His drumming is ferocious throughout both performances. On the St. Petersburg performance, Laboriel delivers an incredible drum solo on "The End".

3-While I feel the Red Square performance would have been better served by having the full-concert in its entirety, the individual content is still incredible. You will definitely get a feeling for the passion the Russian people have for Paul McCartney and the Beatles. All in all, the crowds in Red Square and St. Petersburg were lively ones and clearly help to enhance the whole live experience.

4-I actually feel the start of the Red Square material was a bit "slow" on the first five tracks (with the exception of "Band on the Run"). From Track 6 on - I wasn't disappointed.. Keep in mind this doesn't translate to a slow start to the concert as the material is mixed up. The abbreviated version of "Getting Better" should have been done in its entirety.

5-The documentary material is very interesting. There are comments by former President Mikhail Gorbachev on his feelings on the positive influence of the Beatles music on the youth. Perhaps one of the most interesting points is when current President Vladimir Putin admits that he used to listen to Beatles records during the period in which they were banned. We also hear similar comments from the Russian Defense Minister who also used to listen to Beatles records.

6-McCartney himself provides much of the commentary during the "documentary" portions of the Red Square material. I found this documentary material to be the strongest. I would have also have liked to hear some commentary by the band members though.

7-The scene during "Calico Skies" when Vladimir Putin makes a surprise appearance at the concert has got to be considered one of the great moments in concert history during the Rock era.

8-While there is a lot made of the emotion of performing "Back in the USSR" in Russia (and it lives up to expectations), there are plenty of other "Hall of Fame" performances. Namely from Red Square: "Band on the Run" "Fool on the Hill", "Calico Skies", "Live and Let Die", "Maybe I'm Amazed", and "Hey Jude". From St. Petersburg: "Drive My Car", "Helter Skelter", "Let Me Roll It", and "Jet" really stand out.

9-In recent years, McCartney's performances of "Hey Jude" have been incredible. In particular, it is the way McCartney gets the audience to participate. The scene of this occurring in Red Square is breathtaking and might be the strongest of all the Hey Jude performances. Watch as one of the men who flank Vladimir Putin is heavily into the concert and sings along. McCartney even calls out "Mr Putin" by name during the song.

10-There are two good "extras"- 1) "Memories from Red Square" - more reflections by McCartney on the performances; 2) "Russia and the Beatles: A Brief Journey" - a short feature that parallels the Beatles and Russian history.

Overall, if the Red Square concert was shown in its entirety, this would be a grand slam homerun. However this is still a very solid DVD - highly recommended.

one of the best shows I have ever seen........2007-03-26

A definite must have for any Paul McCartey fan and for everyone else as well. The only disc that is even better is the US tour DVD.

The song selection is excellent and the performance is just fantastic.

A definite must have.

DClark

McCartney, Red Sq........2007-02-08

Absolutely first class. Powerful presentation, powerful Music, with a fantastic reception from the Russian Audience.
Worth every penny. Macca put a great band together for this.
Buy it, Listen and ENJOY !

Just great.......2007-02-07

Such of great video, I am really happy with it, just delayed a little be to get home.

Worst concert DVD I own........2007-02-03

I own about 40 various concert DVD's and must say this is about the worst of the lot. The reason - the concert footage is almost unwatchable. I can't for the life of me understand why they felt the need to change camera shots every 1 or 2 seconds (you get 3 seconds if your lucky) but that's they way they put this together. I actually counted the number of changes over the course of 1 minute during the performance of Jet and it was 51. 51 camera changes in 60 seconds of footage - you do the math on that.

It's really a shame too because the concerts really seem to be excellent. Paul has a great backing band and the songs sound fresh and filled with energy. In the end it doesn't matter as it's not possible to sit down and enjoy watching it.

Average customer rating:

Warm and fuzzy
very good....
Lovely Film!
Language is not Russian (as stated by amazon) but Chezh. Be aware!
A real Film

Kolya
Starring: Zdenek Sverák , Andrei Chalimon , Libuse Safránková , Ondrej Vetchý , and Stella Zázvorková
Director: Jan Sverák
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( K ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Divided We Fall
Burnt by the Sun
Dark Blue World
Zelary
Closely Watched Trains - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B000065V3D
Release Date: 2002-07-02

Amazon.com

Winner of the 1997 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, this charming Czech drama uses the backdrop of the Russian military occupation in Prague for its funny, sad, and ultimately delightful story of a 55-year-old man's friendship with a 5-year-old boy. It doesn't exactly start out as friendship: Louka is a cellist who lost his symphony job after writing a sarcastic remark on an official form, and although he's struggling financially he still enjoys the company of several young women who find him irresistibly sexy. The last thing he needs is a surrogate child, but that's what he gets when young Kolya is abandoned by his mother, a Russian woman Louka had agreed to marry so she could avoid being sent back to Russia. The mother runs off to her boyfriend in Germany, leaving Louka with a 5-year-old kid who only speaks Russian! As directed by Jan Sverák (whose father, Zdenek Sverák, plays Louka), this predicament offers a lovingly detailed account of how Louka and Kolya discover each other, and how their mutual awkwardness evolves into a heartwarming father-son relationship. While the Russian presence creates an atmosphere of suspicion and restriction, the deepening connection between Louka and Kolya turns this into an unforgettable film, beautifully photographed, sensitively performed, and directed with just the right combination of subtle sentiment and harsh reality. Its Oscar was definitely well deserved. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Winner of the Academy Award(R) and Golden Globe as Best Foreign Language Film, this irresistible comedy treat was embraced by critics and audiences everywhere! A confirmed bachelor is in for the surprise of his life when a get-rich-quick scheme backfires ... setting off a wild set of circumstances -- and leaving him with a pint-sized new roommate! Now, with a mischievous five-year-old named Kolya suddenly in his care ... life in this once carefree playboy's tiny apartment changes faster than he could ever imagine! Uplifting and endlessly funny, KOLYA is delightful motion picture entertainment you'll want to take home!

Customer Reviews:

Warm and fuzzy.......2007-05-19

A beautiful story of a middle-aged musician in Prague just prior to the overthrow of communism. When communism arrived in Czechoslovakia the hero was, due to his brother's escape, removed from the orchestra and had to earn his living playing for funerals at a crematorium. Through a series of bad choices he ends up responsible for a small Russian boy. How they win each other over is a joy to watch and more than one tear is shed. Truly a delight! Superb acting.

very good...........2007-05-16

KOLYA is a great film that quietly examines the transformation that takes place in a confirmed bachelor's life, when the unexpected presents itself at his doorstep. Louka (Zdenek Sverak) is a cellist who once played concert halls, and must now work at making a sparse living, playing at the Prague crematorium, during the fall of the Soviet Union, since he has been blacklisted by the Communist government authority. What's more, a friend of his makes him an offer to acquire a great deal of money in a short amount of time. He must agree to a sham marriage with a Russian woman (Stella Zázvorková). If this doesn't sound questionable enough, there is another detail to add into the mix. This woman has a young son, Kolya (Zdenek Sverak) , who speaks no Czech. Of course, Louka speaks no Russian. The little boy is dropped off at Louka's modest studio apartment, and the confirmed bachelor who has grown quite set in his ways, must learn to adjust to life with a small child. Little does he know how much this life change will affect him for the better.

KOLYA works very well on several levels. It succeeds as a compelling character study, sometimes humorous, and insightful look at post-U.S.S.R Czech Republic, politics and its supressive effects on Czech citizens. Really interesting.

Lovely Film!.......2007-03-13

Ah! What a lovely film! The sticky-sweet sentimentality of so many U.S. films drives me crazy and takes me right out of the experience. Kolya has none of that. Yet every time I see it, I get a lump the size of a moose in my throat. It's a must-see.

Language is not Russian (as stated by amazon) but Chezh. Be aware!.......2007-03-01

If you don't understand Russian and going to follow subtitles - this one is for you. The DVD quality is perfect (I'm not gonna say anything about the movie - lots of reviews here). But the fact that amazon said it is Russian but it turned out to be Chezh made me sad..

A real Film.......2007-01-18

This is beyond a film. Foreign film truely do what American movies cannot, which is capture a moment with real characters. The watcher can really feel these character. An amazing movie!

Average customer rating:

Sasha's childhood
The Steamroller and the Violin
Amazing, considering it's a student film....
B+ "Good Movie, Recommend"
Overthrowing Op. 1!

The Steamroller and the Violin
Starring: Igor Fomchenko , Vladimir Zamansky , Marina Adzhubei , Yuri Brusser , and Vyacheslav Borisov
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Manufacturer: Facets
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Mirror
Andrei Tarkovsky's: Voyage in Time
The Sacrifice
Andrei Rublev - Criterion Collection
Solaris - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B000067IXJ
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Customer Reviews:

Sasha's childhood.......2006-09-27

Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky used basic colours to narrate this beautiful fable about the friendship between a loneliness child and a mature steamroller operator, decision that connects with the point of view the story is told, this is, through the eyes of Sasha, a 12 years boy whose musical sensitivity and talent for the violin keeps him away from the rest of the kids . This solution allows Tarkovsky to evokes the particular and elemental world of Sasha where the sublimation of the reality by his innocent eyes and his strangeness about some adult people's attitudes conducts the movie into a sort of magic realism in the way we find in Tarkovsky first feature-lenght film " Ivan's childhood "

Excellent DVD copy with English subtitles option.

The Steamroller and the Violin.......2006-08-29

I realize that some of you refuse to watch a movie with subtitles, and that includes people who read my books without moving thei lips. Never mind. Andrei Tarkovksy made this back when he was 28 years old, long before he became world famous for Andrei Rublev, Solaris, The Mirror, and other films I haven't seen. (I have Solaris and will watch it soon.) His visual sense is positively stunning, to the extent that even I noticed it. It's a deceptively simple tale, about a young violinist befriending a macho (to quote the cover) steamroller driver. Not mushy or anything, though. Just very real. I'm impressed.

Amazing, considering it's a student film...........2006-07-05

Many great filmmakers rarely show their student work (if they have any). Even the great Kubrick, whose first film Fear and Desire is impossible to find, refused to have his first film shown widely (he called it a failed student exercise). But here is Andrei Tarkovsky's "diploma" film (as they called it in the USSR). It is wonderful. It's not Solaris, Rublev, or Stalker, but it's still worth watching over and over again. Tarkovsky was already showing his great individuality with this film. Usually student diploma films were 25 minutes and in black and white. Tarkovsky's film is 50 minutes and is in colour. The relationship between the child and the construction worker is very well done and believable, without any trace of sentimentality that always occurs in films with children (especially in American ones). When watching this, you could tell how talented Tarkovsky was. He's the rare filmmaker that never made a bad film.

B+ "Good Movie, Recommend".......2006-03-24

STANDARDIZED MOVIE EVALUATION

I. CONTENT (out of 3 stars plus bonus, composite of sub-criteria bellow): 2.25

A. PHILOSOPHICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPTH (out of 2 stars, where very shallow = 0; shallow = 0.25 or 0.5; somewhat deep = 0.75 or 1.0; deep = 1.25 or 1.5; very deep = 1.75 or 2.0) 1.25

B. SCREENPLAY ORIGINALITY (out of 1 star, where very banal = 0; banal = 0.25; somewhat original = 0.5; original = 0.75; very original = 1.0): 1.0

+ BONUS FOR CONTAINING CONTROVERSIAL & UNPOPULAR TOPICS (up to 0.5 star, where controversial topics = 0.25; unpopular and taboo topics = 0.5)

II. PRODUCTION (out of 2 stars plus bonus, composite of sub-criteria bellow): 2.0

C. ACTING (out of 1 star, where very ineffective = 0; ineffective = 0.25; somewhat effective = 0.5; effective = 0.75; very effective = 1.0): 1.0

D. PRESENTATION (out of 1 star, where very ineffective = 0; ineffective = 0.25; somewhat effective = 0.5; effective = 0.75; very effective = 1.0): 1.0

+ BONUS FOR PRODUCING ON LOW BUDGET (up to 0.5 stars, where up to one million dollars budget = 0.25; up to half a million dollars budget = 0.5)

TOTAL STAR RATING: 4.25
GRADE & RECOMMENDATION (above 5.0 = A+," Very Good Movie, Highly Recommend"; 5.0 & 4.75 = A," Very Good Movie, Highly Recommend"; 4.5 = A-, " Very Good Movie, Highly Recommend"; 4.25 = B+, "Good Movie, Recommend"; 4.0 & 3.75 = B, "Good Movie, Recommend"; 3.5 = B - "Good Movie, Recommend"; 3.25 = C+, "Fair Movie"; 3.0 & 2.75 = C, "Fair Movie"; 2.5 = C-, "Fair Movie"; 2.25 = D+, "Poor Movie"; 2.0 & 1.75 = D, "Poor Movie"; 1.5 = D-, "Poor Movie"; bellow 1.5 = F, "Very Poor Movie") *** B+ "Good Movie, Recommend" ***

BALANCED MPAA RATING (not biased in favor of violence and against sexuality, where G = no violence, no sexuality; PG = OK slight violence, OK slight sexuality; PG-13 = OK moderate violence, OK moderate sexuality; R = OK explicit violence, OK explicit sexuality; NC-17 = OK extreme violence, OK extreme sexuality) PG for slight violence

Overthrowing Op. 1!.......2004-12-22

This film meant to a very young man named Andrei Tarkovsky his diploma's film from the Soviet State Film School . A steamroller drive and a young boy who plays the violin ; beautiful metaphor among the creator and the consumer ; the mass and the art living together in harmony .
The final scene is devastating .
Simple but legendary as all the masterpeieces .

Kolya ~ Special Edition (Academy Award Winner, Best Foreign Film) [Import, All-region] (1996)

Average customer rating:

Kolya ~ Special Edition (Academy Award Winner, Best Foreign Film) [Import, All-region] (1996)
Director: Jan Sverák
Manufacturer: ASI Korea
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Product Features:

The ultimate grouch has met his match. A five-year-old boy named Kolya.
Winner of the Academy Award® and Golden Globe as Best Foreign Language Film!
".. a work of love, beautifully photographed ... missing a film like "Kolya'' would be a price I am not willing to pay." ROGER EBERT
This is the ORIGINAL theatrical release exactly as envisioned by the director.
Import from Korea made for the USA/Canada/Korea (NTSC, All-Region).

ASIN: B000N3P036

Product Description

Winner of the Academy Award® and Golden Globe as Best Foreign Language Film, this irresistible comedy treat was embraced by critics and audiences everywhere! A confirmed bachelor is in for the surprise of his life when a get-rich-quick scheme backfires... setting off a wild set of circumstances- and leaving him with a pint-sized new roommate! Now, with a mischievous five-year-old named Koyla suddenly in his care... life in this once carefree playboy's tiny apartment changes faster than he could ever imagine! Uplifting and endlessly funny, Koyla is delightful motion picture entertainment you'll want to take home!

Average customer rating:

Warm and fuzzy
very good....
Lovely Film!
Language is not Russian (as stated by amazon) but Chezh. Be aware!
A real Film

Kolya
Starring: Zdenek Sverák , Andrei Chalimon , Libuse Safránková , Ondrej Vetchý , and Stella Zázvorková
Director: Jan Sverák
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( K ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Divided We Fall
Burnt by the Sun
Dark Blue World
Zelary
Closely Watched Trains - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B000068QL0

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Warm and fuzzy.......2007-05-19

very good...........2007-05-16

Lovely Film!.......2007-03-13

Language is not Russian (as stated by amazon) but Chezh. Be aware!.......2007-03-01

A real Film.......2007-01-18

This is beyond a film. Foreign film truely do what American movies cannot, which is capture a moment with real characters. The watcher can really feel these character. An amazing movie!

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

The Punisher (UMD Mini For PSP)

Silent Cradle

Psycho Diver - Soul Siren [1997]

DVD: El Che - Investigating a Legend

Victor Fleming - Mago Di Oz