THE CREMATOR (1968)

Original Title: Spalovac mrtvol

Directed by: Juraj Herz
Starring: Rudolf Hrusínský , Vlasta Chramostova , Jirí Menzel , Jana Stehnová, Milos Vognic
Run Time: 95 min 


From the outside Karl Kopferkingl (Rudolf Hrusinsky) looks like an everyday family man with a wife and two kids. But his line of work is quite unusual, he runs the crematorium for the dead. Obsessed with Tibetan book of the dead, he seems happy with his job, narrated by himself during the film. A very hypnotizing and eerie narration so to speak. The time is 1930 and although he is of Austrian heritage but he consider himself pure Czech who loves cultures.

He also loves to visit brothels and go to the doctor to get his regular dose of medicine to make him immune to STD. Whether it really works or not is in question.

But the time has changed, Nazi took charge in Germany and invaded Czechoslovakia. So Kopfkerkingl thinks, does this event and the rise of anti antisemitism will make him profitable? Then as tides are turning we get to see the creepy face of Kopfkerkingl as he would do almost anything to achieve his goals. He rationalize his evil act by misreading his favorite book.

This film is quite rare but the story is very easy to follow and the black and white medium enhance the creepiness of this film. This is not a pure horror film but a satirical and bleak film about humanity, complete with grotesque humor. Overall this film is disturbing without any gore at all.

Rudolf Hrusinsky is very excellent in this one it reminds me of Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.

KES (1969)

Directed by: Ken Loach
Starring: David Bradley, Freddie Fletcher, Lynne Perrie, Colin Welland
Run time: 110 minutes

They beat him. They deprived him. They ridiculed him. They broke his heart. But they couldn't break his spirit. That's the tag line for this film and I think it really fits really well. especially since the 'underdog' who gets bullied is always a theme anyone everywhere and anytime, could relate into.

In the north of England lives a boy named Billy Casper (Dai Bradley). His environment is middle class neighborhood where most men work shitty job at the minefield (apologies to those who really work at the mines). Somehow society picks on Billy for no reason. Perhaps venting their frustration to an innocent boy?

Billy himself raised in a single parent household, while his mother struggle to make things floating and his elder brother Jud (Freddie Fletcher) is constantly picking on Billy. Not just that, Billy's friends are also a bunch of monsters who makes Billy feel he is alone and friendless. Even his PE teacher is an asshole.

He then find refuge in taking care of a kestrel and develop a skill of taking care the winged creature up to a level of almost professional. But the society cannot stand the sight of individual being happy for being himself so they pound Billy more and more. I don't understand why is everybody, except on of his teacher, has to be cruel to Billy? I guess that's how life works, the strong pummel the weak but the weak can be strong too.

I like this film, especially since it puts the theme of 'against all odds' and the strength of human spirit. It is a good film to be shown in classes (with subtitles off course since they spoke a very distinct Yorkshire accent) so the bullies might realize their mistakes, thus encouraging the students to be strong.

BALLAD OF A SOLDIER (1960)

Original Title: Ballada o soldate
 

Directed by: Grigori Chukhrai
Starring: Vladimir Ivashov, Zhanna Prokhorenko
Run time: 88 minutes
 

Soldiers are not just soldiers they are our brother, father, sister, and most of it; son. On of the soldier is the central of this story; Private Alyosha Skvortsov (Vladimir Ivashov). A young soldier who happen to destroy two German tanks, thus is given a medal by his superior. However Alyosha wants something more, he wanted a leave so he can fix the roof of his mother's house. With his youthful looks and naivety, Alyosha is representing the common soldier from the lower class of Russian society.

Given the leave, Alyosha went into a road trip where he met so many people and small adventures that shows him that in this terrible times, kindness still existed. Behind the lines of war he witness a veteran who lost his leg and a woman secretly betraying her husband while spending some quality time in the train with Shura, (Zhanna Prokhorenko) a wandering girl, boarding on the train illegally too.

These small adventures are not just mere accessories but a simple story on how the society at that time functions. The frustration, sadness and hope was all presented equally.

Without any political rhetoric or even the usual Soviet propaganda, this film is a humanist one and shows the sacrifice individuals have to make in the war. This one is a perfect companion to The Cranes Are Flying, one of the best Soviet films in years and makes us feel, there shouldn't be any wars anymore so no sons shall be separated from their mothers.

BICYCLE THIEVES (1948)

Original Title: Ladri di biciclette

Directed by: Vittorio De Sica
Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell, Vittorio Antonucci
Run Time: 93 minutes


Everytime I read some lists of greatest film of all time this one always appeared. Then I wonder what is so great about this film. Well, after I seen it, I am stunned and amazed, it really lives into one of the biggest question I always had in my life: why does bad things happens to good people? This well known neo-realist film really catch me from the inside.

The story is just like the title, it is just about a bike and its huge impact on a simple family trying to make ends meet. A very important one for Antonio (Lamberto Maggiorani), a struggling family man, who finally gets a job after being unemployed for a long time. The job requires his bicycle and what happened when his bicycle got stolen? It is as if the sky fell into his head. So in the search for his bike, he stroll the city of Rome still devastated by the remnants of the war by his son; Bruno (Enzo Staiola).

The journey itself cuts deep into Rome's society as they enter slums, brothels and churches. We get to see the suffering of everyday people and how each of them try so hard to be alive day by day. Finally after hours of searching but no luck Antonio's moral compass get a challenge: is it okay to be bad if your family is starving? Driven by economic need and class struggle, will Antonio switch to the dark side? and if yes, is it justified?

What makes this film great? The simplicity and universality of the problems posed here can be felt by anyone, regardless of their cultural background. It is so emotionally harrowing without the use of cheesy melodrama and sixty years plus plus after the release this one is still relevant for us to be thankful for what we have and to have greater sympathy for those who are unlucky in this life.

Is it inspiring? To some extent yes but it is also hopeless and cruel. But hey, some people say life is a bitch and here; life is a bicycle and then you lose.

THE CRANES ARE FLYING (1957)

Original Title: Letyat zhuravli

Directed by: Mikhail Kalatozov
Starring: Tatyana Samojlova, Aleksey Batalov, Vasili Merkuryev
Run Time: 94 min


As the kick-off review I would like to share you this rare gem. Sure everyone has ever heard of Tarkovsky's Stalker or Solaris but this one from Russia? I stumble upon it as I browse for something else and seeing the high rating, it intrigues me.

Released during Stalinist rule in Soviet Russia (In Soviet Russia movies watch you, so to say) I expect some sort of propaganda or communist glorification, but I was mistaken. There is no propaganda at all but a simple human story on how things greater than ourselves rule our life and most of the times, it is cruel.

You think Scorsese invent cinematic one shot tracking without editing? This one will makes you amazed that Kalatozov and cinematographer Sergei Urusevsky manages to use amazing and advanced camera angles plus placing to enhance the story.

Veronika's (Tatyana Samojlova) lover, Boris (Alexei Batalov) must go since he has volunteered to be drafted in the army at the front line to fight the Germans when they invade in 1941. In his absence, Veronica suffers psychologically, keep waiting for the mail from the front line to arrive. This absence is being used by Boris's cousin to steal Veronika's heart. Will Veronika survive? As she decided to marry Boris's cousin, she's facing a dilemma, being marked as a traitor (the lover is away defending the country and she's marrying someone else, a draft dodger) or facing uncertainty.

Life is difficult in Russia at that time and there are no easy choices. The story itself is very romantic and heart breaking. It encompass more than just love story, it is love for the country, willingness to put the need of many than the need of self and how war could really affect people who is not even at the front line.

AN INTRODUCTION

Having seen so many old and classic movies, I feel inspired to write some of the reviews here, separating it from my previous blog. Hopefully I still have the spirit to write more and more. I like classical movies, any kind of movies and would not be turned off if it is in black and white or too many sophisticated dialogues.

I think old movies are awesome, it takes me to a time and place I never (or probably never ever) visited at all. It opens my eyes at variety of problems and cultures all over the world. As for now, this is the formal introduction. I do hope readers would like to spend their time to read or at least comment at it. It also would be nice if you drop your blog address here, it always makes me thrilled to read other people's blog. Any feedback is welcomed.

Perhaps some of you wonder why I wrote in English. Well not to show off but it is a place for me to practice my writing skill. Besides I just love writing very much, it is my hobby and my job.

As for reviews for films recently released you all can still visit my other blog here.

PS: I wish I could found a better title for this blog but my imagination is limited and I haven't seen any rainbows or bunnies or even an eagle in days, so yeah, there.