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Made as a 2005-season Russian tv mini-series, it certainly doesn't look, sound, or impress like one.
The story follows a group of army cadets as they progress through a 90-day artillery course. Lending a strong overtone of pending doom is the rumor repeated through the corps that the previous class of graduates were wiped out, to the man, almost immediately after they graduated and were posted to the front. At the point of the story's beginning, the battle of Stalingrad is at its apex: the cadets know where they will be posted, too.
However, all dangers are not before them. An officer and a cadet both become involved with a family which has all its food coupons stolen at the time when to do so meant almost certain starvation: all available food is being confiscated and shipped to the front.
The actions taken to save the family have critical consequences and show that the KGB is just as vicious an enemy as the Nazis. In fact, the secretive operatives accomplish something which no Panzer Division could: seriously affect the morale, esprit, and cohesion of the units.
I don't know how the Russians do it but, in film after film, the actors chosen to portray "action" men are perfect, looking every bit the part.
The commandant has a ravaged face seemingly which says more than any words could. He isn't portrayed as a blustering bag of wind, some pompous preening full-of-himself sack of dung as is common in American films' vision of leadership but rather as a thinking and deeply human man. Bravo!
The other officers and young cadets perfectly are cast, as well.
Oh, and their women also are prominently featured, fully fleshed-out (ahem) and very well-portrayed.
This truly is an exceptional experience to which I happily give *****!
Follow Ups:
Too much a "soap opera" with all the contrived stories jammed into a mini-series. One thing, though, the same stereotypes shown in "The Cadets" were the same people in my basic training company. People seem to be same most everywhere.
The most poignant point was the voice-over at the close stating how they all met the end of their short-lived careers.
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Complicit Constapo Talibangelical since MMIII
i.e. the country hic, the city slicker, the "fixer," the loner, the individualist, etc. In this film, the characters were shown with both faults and virtues; in other words, they're human. Also, each officer had a singular personality with no clichés we've come to expect in our military films.
I must also disagree with your assessment of the production values: they were excellent! No phony digital effects. An explosion was an explosion. An airplane... was an airplane.
But this film possessed a dimension of tension and danger which was totally original: the terror of the KGB which seemingly had its own agenda.
We'll just have to agree to disagree about this film!
It's the best thing I've seen for a long time and all the more remarkable considering its length.
***the terror of the KGB which seemingly had its own agenda.
You can say that again. One of the most bone-chilling parts of film is the arrest of that major with burnt face...
On balance I would not go as far in my appreciation of that film as you do, but we certainly enjoyed watching it.
If one wished to see stereotyping, he would find it in this movie, just not as overt, and definitely of Russian flavor, but hey, many stereotypes are born in reality. For instance, a Jewish boy, totally out of place in the army... subject of so many sad jokes and... realities... we have two friends who were just like that.
which I found unusual in the genre of military pictures.
I hope Netflix hurries up and gets a lot more Todorovsky films!
***The most poignant point was the voice-over at the close stating how they all met the end of their short-lived careers.Yes... it was so matter-of-factly... as indeed was death itself during that time.
You had grown to like these characters only to find the horror of the German onslaught took them away so suddenly. Certainly not a young man's expectation when he joins the fray to protect his country.
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Complicit Constapo Talibangelical since MMIII
Glad you liked it... we did too, although I was not sure if it would resonate with a Westerner. Apparently it will with some.
There are several very poignant sub-stories to the film, the major with burnt face was great, so was the guy who volunteered to the front... extremely palpable performance. The drill sergeant... kind of bring back the hand grenade episode from The Mirror.
Definitely look into Todorovsky the director.
talent, this I can tell from the choices he made, what he omitted.
Man, that Elzabeta actress (the mom of the babe with which Petyr was infatuated) is a stunning actress. She says more with her eyes than anyone in memory.
That actress - Inna Churikova - is indeed a very special talent, she is extremely respected in Russia.
BTW - Todorovsky did not direct this film, he wrote the original novel. But he made many excellent movies.
directing.
I understand his son, Valeri, was the producer.
I couldn't find any evidence to the contrary?
I've sent the discs back to Netflix so I can't check the credits.
Are you sure about the direction?
Also, both Todorovskys have directed many films.
Which of the two are you strongly recommending?
I believe the director's name is Andrei Kavun.
Among the Todorovsky's films, I would try to get these:
War-Time Romance
Through Main Street with an Orchestra
Encore, Once More Encore!
What a Wonderful Game
Among his son's films:
The Country of Deaf People
The Lover
Did you see Gorod Zero?
only has The Cadets and The Lover.
I still have lots of other Russian films on my list, however.
Incidentally, in the latest issue of The New Yorker, there's a very interesting article about Tolstoy, his great novel, and a comparison of several translations. Informative, well-written, and thought-provoking.
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