Idiot

A fantastic achievement! Brilliant acting, especially Mironov and Inna Churikov. Olga Budina (Aglaya), Vladimir Ilyin (Lebedev), Aleksei Petrenko (General Ivolgin), and Vladimir Mashkov (Rogozhin) also give very strong performances. The masterful treatment of even the most minor characters (e.g. Yepanchin's butler) provides an incredibly rich texture for this amazing story. The main difficulty for the non-Russian speaker is the incredibly uneven quality of the English subtitles. As others have stated, the subtitles go from very good to suddenly unintelligible. In parts they annoying lag behind the dialog. The music is weak also, much of it computer-synthesized, and very repetitive. But those quibbles aside, this is a real masterpiece.

I did not expect to actually enjoy this. I had heard it was well done, so I thought I ought to force myself to watch at least some of it. Well, I've seen the first three episodes and can't wait to watch the rest. The acting is incredible, the cinematography imaginative, the pacing very good, and the dialog, since it is pure Dostoyevsky, is, of course, stellar. I've read the book (in English) a couple of times, but this movie brings the characters to life for me in a way the book never did. Perhaps the translation I read was not too great, but I think the biggest difference is the wonderful acting and directing in this mini-series. Eye contact, pauses, changes--or lack thereof--in tone of voice, all make such a big difference.

The DVD I am watching, from the Russian company CP Digital, has reasonably good-quality images, but terrible subtitles. For instance, one character told another, "You shouldn't miss this opportunity (to marry a very rich man)," but the subtitle said something like, "Isn't that interesting!" I know enough Russian to be able to tell when the subtitles are inaccurate, but unfortunately, not enough to watch it without subtitles. Perhaps the second or third time through I'll watch with subtitles turned off.

If only we could all have even a drop of Prince Myshkin's humility, compassion, love, honesty, candor.

This is the first time ever that after reading a book, I see the film adaptation and (almost) everything is just as I imagined while reading the book! Absolutely amazing!!! The casting is just perfect (excepting one character), the atmosphere, just everything is wonderfully caught on film. The way Evgeny Mironov plays Prince Miushkin, and Olga Budina's acting... just superb!!! Not forgetting Vladimir Mashkov (Rogojin), Inna Churikova (Elizaveta Epanchina) and nearly all the rest of the cast!

Just a few minor points:

• Nastasia Philipovna was not as spectacular as I imagined. Somehow I expected more of her beauty and acting. - The film should have started at the train scene, just as in the book!!! I can't explain why, but I felt like this was essential for the beginning of the story.

But altogether, a wonderful job on this one, thank you Mr. Bortko!

It is just not fair to make films like that. The director discovered hidden visual dynamite in the bottomless text of the dark genius of Dostoevsky. The best actors of the world's oldest acting school perform like there is no tomorrow. Together, they crash on your senses with an impact of a natural disasters rather then a human-made entertainment.

Every episode goes at amazing pace, rich in events, and crafted brilliantly. It never fails to captivate. Every scene has action, intensity, emotion and impact. TV drama format suits it perfectly - viewers need these breaks.

Although the language is a problem for general English-speaking public, the film is strongly recommended to industry professionals and academics. It has material for 10 years of research and following.

P.S. I am not associated with anyone in that film in any way.

Dostoyevsky, the world master of classic literature, is a psychopathic psychologist. He is the disease and the cure. No one but him can deliver a true Russian character, full of life's passions: love and hatred. Dostoyevski's characters are simultaneously capable of cruelty and compassion. They are sinful and repentant - but never dull. Idiot gives one so much to ponder about the meaning of life. Film's psychedelic characters represent our innerly hidden demons, which can easily surface, when disturbed. The acting is great. I recommend this film to anyone who is a philosopher. It will stimulate your mental energy for a quite some time.