Happy Birthday to The Kimster!
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Some day soon we hope to be in Moscow visiting the Kimster, but until then, this blog post will have to do!
To Russia With Love
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Category Archives: Russia
Nicky and Alicky
Over the last few months I have done a considerable amount of reading. These novels were great reads, but the historian in me was aching for a good work of non-fiction. Enter “***Nicholas and Alexandra:|http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345438310/qid=1081047035/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-3544245-8267202*** The love that ended an empire” by Robert K. Massie.
I purchased this book at ***Bunch of Grapes|http://www.bunchofgrapes.com/*** bookstore, in Vineyard Haven, with a gift card just after my college graduation. It has stayed on the shelf the last few years due to its intimidating size (613 pages). As luck would have it, upon closer examination I discovered that the last 80 or so pages were all footnotes. Silly me.
Having decided to put in the time to read I settled in for what would be a very rewarding three weeks. I have always been interested in Russian History, and especially the story of the the last Romanov Emperor, Nicholas. Massie seemlessly intertwines his biography of the Romanov family with Russian political and social history at the turn of the 20th Century.
The book is full of names you may recognize; Lenin, Trotsky, Nicholas II, Alexandra, Kaiser William; Anastasia and Rasputin. Their stories are set with the backdrops of World War I, the March Revolution and the Bolshevik Revolution. Not only did I learn the dates and facts of many historical events, but I was privy to the thoughts and personal journals of many main players.
Although the book was a “dense” read (meaning that there was alot of information packed into small spaces) I never felt as if I was reading a text book. If you like politics, conspiracies, history and a bit of mystic healing, you might want to check it out.
Russian Ark
Wow, what an experience… Russian Ark was an amazing movie. But far from your typical movie. I would actually compare it more closely to a painting than to a movie. There was no plot to speak of, no characters, no action, sparse dialogue, no conflict, no climax or resolution. Instead, we took a leisurely stroll through St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum. Our guide was the director of Russian Ark, Alexander Sokurov. He played a modern cinematographer who was transported back in time by some freak accident. We see the Hermitage museum through his first person view. Shortly after arriving at the Museum, the narrator encounters another person who has been transported back in time, an 18th century French Marquis. Together, the two wander through the museum, examining paintings, witnessing events that took place in the halls throughout history. The narrator is completely invisible to everyone except the Marquis, though the Marqius can be seen by everyone.
The movie paints a dazzling portrait of Russian history. It takes the viewer on an emotional and sensual trip through the worlds of Russian art and culture.
There is very little I could say that would accurately describe the movie for you… so you will just have to go see it for yourself!
All boarding the Ark…
In my old blog I had written about the upcoming movie, Russian Ark. It is now being released in limited venues around the country. Tonight, Becky and I are going to see it at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge! Our tickets are secured, and I’m psyched. This film got a four-star review from the Boston Globe, as well as countless other raves and accolades. The movie follows the tale of a contemporary cinematographer who is transported 300 years into Russia’s past. He is able to walk around the Hermitage Museum and observe various events in Russian history. What is supposed to be truly amazing about the movie is that it was shot in one single continuous take. The camera simply wanders around the museum, from one setting to another. 2000 actors, 3 live orchestras, several months of rehearsal… promises to be VERY cool.
We’ll let you know how it turns out. 🙂
Russia, Bumper Stickers, etc
A few bumper stickers I’ve seen recently:
“My cat is smarter than your honor student.”
“The more people I meet, the more I love my cat.”
And from the schtick of “Joe Millionaire” to fine Russian cinema, we bring you Russian Ark. Russian Ark is being released in art cinemas around the US right now. It is the story of a contemporary filmmaker who jumps back 300 years into Russia’s past, and finds himself invisible and able to observe historical events unnoticed. What is amazing about this film is that it was shot in one single continuous shot, and that it was done in one single take. It took months of rehearsal, mounds of Russian ingenuity, and the design of a special hard drive for a digital video camera in order to pull off this feat. Wow!