Anna Karenina

Flawlessly produced and meticulously authentic, this production deserves more enthusiasm than it has evidently created. This version is worth checking out not merely because of the breathtaking visuals, authentic costumes and perfectly re-created historical ballroom dances (with actual orchestras playing live music on the set), but also for the compelling character development. It takes six hours, but finally we get a compelling glimpse of what might have been going on in the mind and soul of a tormented and spirited woman in a rigid society. The beautiful Elizaveta Boyarskaya creates a high-strung, intense Anna, whose love develops into obsession and spirals down a maelstrom of unstoppable self-destruction. She gives us a mentally unstable, bipolar heroine who is as irritating as she is lovable. Her high octane performance is well balanced by the stoic but eventually deep and touching performances by the handsome Maksim Matveev (Vronski) and the spooky Vitaliy Kishchenko (Karenin), both unable to provide her with what she needs and yet unable to let her go. The story is presented as a series of flashbacks, told thirty years later by the aged Vronski to Anna's son - not necessarily a very important narrative device, but - why not. One should definitely give this atmospheric version a chance.

Obvious , it represents more than an inspired adaptation of novel. More than costumes, dances , dialogues, rooms , it is a chronicle, a precise one, of the Russia behind his fall. The use of Russian - Japanese war is one of the most inspired ingredients and the admirable work of beautiful Elisaveta Boiarskaia represents the fair definition of Anna Karenina in its deep traits. A series about past and gray present, in th frame of a meeting , proposing not just a vision but useful start points for self definition of events. Grace seems the basic virtue of this exceptional Russian series.

This is one of the best russian miniseries, the actors work is great, it conveys the strong feelings and conflicted nature of heroine that ended badly.Anna obvously suferred from Borderline personality, the intensity, the ability to drive anybody insane, the manipulation, seing things as black and white only, it was painful to watch, it conveyed the message, Vronsky was very good looking, but had less character, where is the "dashing" part, women fall so easily for( such as Paratov in "Cruel Romance" portrayed by N.Michalkov)? I would personally prefer that Anna was more regal and not so painfully thin, but overall Russian TV suceeded in this one.

It is surprisingly touching to know about stories of Vronsky and Seryozha 30 years after the end of the story. Plus, the heroine and other characters are very good looking.