THE FILMS OF SERGEI PARADJANOV: THE FOUR-DISC KINO COLLECTION (DVD)

Film Threat
=reviews&Id=11806
(2009-07-06)

I’m not going to sit here and say that I enjoy watching Soviet
film. There is something about the starkness of the scenes and
the obtuseness of the characters that I have always found a bit
off-putting. But, sometimes (most of the time) being a film scholar is
not about being entertained, and the Sergei Paradjanov four-film box
set recently released by Kino International is an important addition
to any film scholar’s snobbish knowledge.

That is not to say that enjoyment cannot be found in enveloping
yourself in Paradjanov’s films. There is a certain mystery behind
every scene that pulls you in and never quite releases you. Much
like watching Paradjanov’s good friend Tarkovsky, a viewer can feel
that they know exactly what is going on in a scene without having any
clue about what is really going on. On a basic plot level, the four
films in this set make sense. That is, Kino has been able to sum them
up nicely on the back on the box. But beyond basic plot, each film
is a jumble of history, myth, and references that elude me. Where,
in Georgian history, do these elaborate costumes fit in? What is the
significance of these Great Danes? Why is he throwing a pomegranate
at a blanket? If you expect Paradjanov to reveal the answers to you
ignorant Westerners, you’ll be waiting a long time.

Perhaps as famous for his political and personal history as he is
for his films, Paradjanov led a tumultuous life. Born of Armenian
parents in Georgia and later relocating to Moscow, he was a man of
the Soviet world. Yet, despite good reviews by respected scholars,
the Soviet Union rejected Paradjanov’s films due to – surprise! – his
subversive political intentions and his rejection of Soviet Realism
(oh, and the fact that he was bisexual). He was imprisoned in Siberia
in the mid 1970s for these accusations and served five years hard
labor. All the big names at the time protested his imprisonment
(Tarkovskey, Buñuel, and Yves Saint Laurent, to name a few), but –
surprise again – the USSR didn’t really care. Paradjanov was in and
out of prison until he died in 1990 of cancer. Somehow amid all that
hard labor, he was able to produce hundreds of sketches, and other
artistic projects in addition to his 16.5 movies (although he claims
the eight of those made pre-1964 as "garbage").

Paradjanov is considered a master of his craft. Film critics and
fellow artists alike praise his dreamlike landscapes, his colors, and
the way he brought forgotten traditions to life. In this collection
this mastery is obvious. Including Paradjanov’s most famous and
well-regarded work, "The Color of Pomegranates" (or "Sayat Nova,"
1969), this collection is representative of Paradjanov’s complete
artistry. "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" (1964, his only work the
Soviet government apparently had no qualms with), "Ashik Kerib" (1988),
and "The Legend of Suram Fortress" (1984) demonstrate Paradjanov’s
wide range of color and imagery while also showing his similarity in
themes and source material.

In addition to these four films – two of them newly remastered in
2008 – this collection also includes a vast array of extras. Multiple
documentaries will provide you with all the information I have written
on Paradjanov’s character and political background, and much much
more. I dare you not to be a Paradjanov expert after watching the
hours of footage, photographs, and interviews available here.

Not liking Soviet cinema is silly. There is so much to like here:
giant camels, silly masks, swords…Not to mention how smart you’ll
look with "The Films of Sergei Paradjanov" sitting on your DVD rack.

There is a certain mystery behind every scene that pulls you in and
never quite releases you. (From "The Color of Pomegranates," 1969)