The Films of Sergei Paradjanov
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SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS (1964) Shadows is a boldly conceived and astonishingly photographed blend of enchanting mythology, hypnotic religious iconography, and pagan magic. And although its unsentimental depiction of the harsh realities of Russian regional history forced visionary director Pararadjanov into direct conflict with bureaucrats then controlling the Soviet film industry, the film became an international sensation when it was released in 1964. THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES (1969) His baroque masterpiece was banned in the Soviet Union for its religious sentiment and nonconformity to "Socialist realism"; its director, a tirelessly outspoken campaigner for human rights, was convicted on a number of trumped-up charges and sentenced to five years of hard labor in the gulag. A wave of protest from the international film community led to his release in 1978. Aesthetically the most extreme film ever made in the U.S.S.R., Pomegranates, his hallucinatory epic account of the life of the 18th Century Armenian national poet, Sayat Nova, conveys the glory of what a cinema of high art can be like. THE LEGEND OF SURAM FORTRESS (1984) Inspired by an ancient Russian folk tale and adapted from the novella by Daniel Chongadze, this is a dazzling film by visionary director Paradjanov. As the story opens, repeated efforts by the Georgian people to construct a defensive stronghold continually fail. The building they are laboring to complete collapses, but then a fortune teller remembers an old prophecy: In order for the fortress to stand, the son of her erstwhile lover must be bricked up inside the structure alive. The young man is faced with the prospect of sacrificing himself to save his homeland. Filled with vivid and unforgettable imagery, the film is a surreal ode to the Georgian warriors throughout the ages who died for their country. ASHIK KERIB (1988) A 19th century romantic tale evocatively brought to life. Lermontov s famous fable tells of Ashik Kerib, the wandering minstrel who is trying to earn enough money to marry the girl he loves. But when the father of his beloved spurns him, Ashik is forced to roam the land for 1,001 nights. In recounting the story, Paradjanov boldly dispenses with conventional storytelling devices. Ashik Kerib is a series of glorious tableaux, exquisitely composed, choreographed and photographed. In addition, Paradjanov combines intertitles with images of early Russian artwork, which are then overlaid with a haunting blend of traditional and contemporary musical forms. Ashik Kerib was Paradjanov s last completed feature film, and it was dedicated to Andrei Tarkovsky, the director s close personal friend, who had died just two years earlier. Stylistically stunning, it is a unique andunforgettable cinematic experience.
D**D
Great Art Needing a Miracle
You haven't landed on this page by accident, let's face it. Paradjanov isn't a household name: it's a fair bet that if you've got this far you already know a little about the measured pace and challenging approach taken in these films. So let's get to the point: these movies, particularly the celebrated 'Colour of Pomegranates' are what cinema should be all about: a perfect marriage of imagery, light and sound. Sensual, strange amd moving in a way so few films are. They belong in your collection and you can buy this set with confidence.That said, the state of the prints is very poor - the colours are washed-out and lacking in the vividness they so obviously deserve. Of course, had Paradjanov chosen to please the thugs running the Soviet state his masterpieces may have been better cared for, but then again, had he done that they wouldn't have been masterpieces!Hopefully one day a fresh print of these gems will surface - prteserved miraculously from the ravages of the Soviet tyrants. Until then, these will do.
R**H
Paradjanov is an entirely other kind of cinema
Paradjanov is an entirely other kind of cinema, a category entirely of his own. His films resemble dream-visions of icons or persian miniatures, come to life - static tableau become dances, movements as ritualized as Noh drama, exquisite colors flooding the screen. His films are visual experiences, dream-visions or hallucinations, not narratives. He was considered subversive, imprisoned, his films banned by Soviet authorities; definitely not "socialist realism". I think he might have had similar troubles in the west - artists and filmmakers loved his work, but definitely too weird for Hollywood. "No commercial potential", as the song goes - but one of cinema's greats
S**N
Paradjanov Films
The films of course are masterpieces, all of them. But the crown jewel of this collection is undoubtedly The Color of Pomegranates. I am just not sure how this film came through with the worst quality out of the all four films in the set, when there is a better quality copy on YouTube. I accidentally caught the film on a basic TV channel through my antenna, which had an unbelievably good quality and colors.Overall, not taken the quality into consideration, I am very satisfied and happy to own these films.
S**S
Must pay the price for rare movies...
Bought this as a gift for a friend and she loved it. It's pricey, but hard to find, so it's worth it.
A**R
Five Stars
excellent price for these incredible films
V**A
Five Stars
The Best!
L**T
the color
The colors of his movies are so brilliant! he and Andrei Tarkovsky are my two favorite Soviet Union filmmakers. Both make movies like writing a poem.
L**O
films from paradmajov
I work in tourism and to watch those movies is the next best thing to travel there. Is a fascinating region where people emigrated to EUROPE and the rest is history !!
U**E
Uneven, but sometimes absolute genius
The box-set has 4 movies, spanning pretty much the entire career of Paradjanov (who unfortunately for him spent a lot of his life in the soviet jails). The first two are absolute masterpieces, but I care much less for the last two. This being said, both the "colour of the pomegranates" and "shadow of the forgotten ancestors" were one of a kind experience and I would highly recommend both to anyone interested in movies that stretch one's conception of cinema and art.
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