necrodemion Reviews

Zakhar Berkut (1971)

A decent Soviet-era Ukrainian medieval historical drama

[7/10 · 11 June 2001]

This film is based on the classic novel of the same name by writer Ivan Franko, one of the most famous figures of Ukrainian literature.

It is set during the 1200s and the invasion of the medieval Ukrainian-Russian state of Rus' by Chengis Khan's Golden Horde. Due to its having been produced during the Soviet era, the story's aspect of class-conflict between the "heroic" peasantry and the "decadent" noble seems particularly emphasized here. And there also appears to be a certain cultural bias as it seems the filmmakers go out of their way to emphasize the "barbaric" non-Christian (in this case Shamanistic) "heathen" aspect of the horde, an image which prevails in Ukrainian cinema to this day.

But despite these flaws, the film still gives us a very interesting and rare glimpse into the life in Ukraine in this era. The cinematography and costuming are quite well done, and the music in particular seems to add greatly to the sense of history and ancient splendour. While not as good as Paradjanov's "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors", it is still well worth seeing when it turns up from time to time at art houses.

It is available on NTSC format video from a company called Ukrainian Entertainment in New York City, but I cannot recommend this version as it is an extremely poorly panned and scanned version of a very faded print which loses all of the richly colourful wide-screen beauty I enjoyed in the theatre, and it is also in Ukrainian only with no subtitles. I hope that someday another company may issue a wide-screen, subtitled version so that this flawed but interesting film may receive the wider audience it deserves.

Jackie Brown (1997)

Tarantino's best, but not necessarily for Pulp or Dogs fans

[8/10 · 11 June 2001]

This movie was the best Hollywood flic I've seen in a long while.

The film marks Pam Grier's triumphant return to centre stage after years of neglect following the end of her early career in Blacksploitation pics. Still looking knock-out gorgeous in middle-age, Grier proves to all naysayers once and for all with this film that she definitely can act. Clearly Tarantino's tribute to one of his favourite actresses, the film's soundtrack (another excellent Tarantino soundtrack, this time with an appropriate focus on 70s funk and soul) even features one song sung by Grier, and another by Bobby Womack, the singer Grier first began her showbiz career as a back-up singer for.

As equally brilliant as the the casting of Grier in the main role is the casting of Robert Forster as Jackie Brown's bail bondsman. The on-screen chemistry between Grier and Forster works perfectly, and the two's final scene together is the moving pinnacle of the entire inspired film.

But those Tarantino fans looking for the graphic violence of Reservoir Dogs or the snide cynicism of Pulp Fiction will be disappointed with this film, which is a much deeper, quieter and more mature work. A good crime tale told with a nice plot twist, but more than this a deeper probing into the issues of aging, life and intimacy, this work satisfies in ways that Tarantino's previous works could not.

With this film, Tarantino has made me into a fellow Pam Grier fan, and has left me waiting to see more from both of them.

Masters of the Universe (1987)

Don't expect too much and you'll be pleasantly surprised

[6/10 · 11 June 2001]

I gave a groan when I saw the Golan-Globus name in the opening credits, but this movie actually turned out to be much better than I would have expected.

This movie may not appeal to die-hard fans of the animated series because of the liberties it takes with the established characters, but as a stand-alone work it's decent enough for what it's supposed to be. It thankfully doesn't take itself too seriously, allowing us to just enjoy it as the light bit of entertainment that it is.

Frank Langella is unexpectedly excellent as Skeletor under all that make-up, and it was fun to see Star Trek Voyager's "Mr. Paris" at a very young age here.(His first major role perhaps?) Dolph Lundgren is as unexpressive as usual, but at least he looks the part. And Beast-Man makes a good contribution to the cast of villains.

All in all, don't set your expectations too high and you will probably enjoy this fun piece of 80s pop culture.

Now if it would just come out on DVD!

Taras Bulba (1962)

Amazing such a subject made by Hollywood!

[8/10 · 11 June 2001]

That this classic novel by Gogol about the legendary Ukrainian cossack hero could have been made into a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster, and that this was done at the very height of the cold war seems unbelievable today.

While the film is dated a bit by the kitschy love story involving Tony Curtis' character, Yul Brynner is perfect in his role which seems one of those he was born to play.

A colourful and spectacular historical epic in the best of the then-dying old Hollywood tradition, this is probably the only exposure that the American public at large has to Ukrainian history, and in this alone it is a valuable work. But the film manages to succeed on the entertainment level as well, and I recommend it to all fans of the good ol' Hollywood studio historical drama.