Ashik Kerib) on DVD

The Films of Sergei Paradjanov
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors/The Color of Pomegranates/The Legend of Suram Fortress/Ashik Kerib
Actor: Films of Sergei Paradjanov
Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama, Music Video & Concerts

NR 2008 6hr 39min

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... more » 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 and

unforgettable cinematic experience.

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Movie Details

Actor: Films of Sergei Paradjanov
Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama, Music Video & Concerts
Sub-Genres: Indie & Art House, Love & Romance, Music Video & Concerts
Studio: Kino Video
Format: DVD - Color,Widescreen
DVD Release Date: 02/05/2008
Release Year: 2008
Run Time: 6hr 39min
Screens: Color,Widescreen
Number of Discs: 4
SwapaDVD Credits: 4
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 11
Edition: Box set
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Languages: English, Ukrainian

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Movie Reviews

Uneven, but sometimes absolute genius

Un francais en angleterre | Londres, UK | 11/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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. That's pretty clearly a big if, but if you recognize yourself as such a person, go for it without any hesitation (and maybe start with the pomegranates rather than the shadows: this is not the chronological order, but this would in my view make for a gentler introduction)"