Pop

The events are tragic for all - people in dire need of spiritual support and priests striving to serve, but under very difficult circumstances. It is the increasing resistance not only from population, but even Soviet solders tasked with rounding up supposed collaborators in cassocks, that forced Stalin to reverse early policies on religious intolerance. The story of the church on occupied territories was not taught neither in academia (even when majoring in history) nor seminaries until 1991. Materials were accessible only to those doing actual research on related topics under specially granted security clearances.

"The Priest"/Поп joins several recent Russian entries (including "Punishment Batallion"/Штрафбат and two or three of the set-pieces within Sergei Mikhalkov's ponderous "Burnt by the Sun- 2"/ Утомленные солцем- 2) as part of a de facto common effort to rescue post-Soviet cinema from the stereotypes, fables and large-scale falsification that the Soviet movie industry was largely confined to for most of the period covering 1942-91-- and managed to pass along, if only as a mindset, to many in the succeeding Russian industry and general public after the Soviet Union finally went out of business (not a moment too soon).

For every rare kernel of truth-- and there were indeed a few in "Ballada of a Soldier"/ Баллада о солдате and "Come and See"/ Иди и смотри, for example-- there were 20 (or 200 or 2000) Big Lie whoppers planted within the waves of propaganda films masquerading as cinema (and not very well) that Soviet audiences were subjected to for half a century. Setting all this aside has not, of course, been easy-- particularly when you have figures like the mayor of Moscow adamantly insisting that Stalin should be honored as part of the nation's celebration of the 65th anniversary of victory in the war. Yikes.

"The Priest" profits enormously from Sergei Makovetsky in the lead, an actor whose range is among the broadest in the profession (Evgenii Mironov is his principal competition). The film is less plot-driven than episodic-- which is as it should be, since its premise is a plot unto itself: a Russian Orthodox priest functions under German occupation on territory that has changed hands multiple times over a single generation. Whom to serve and how are all the "plot" necessary; and the answers on offer are not pat.

Russian viewers have taken home much that is new to them from this film, and non-Russian audiences, even those unfamiliar with the contested history of the region, will likewise find considerable food for thought here. Briefly put, "The Priest" will reward different audiences on many levels, and deserves wide distribution outside (current) Russian borders. Highly recommended.

Beautiful. Powerful. And cold. Delicate and sad. A testimony about a time, few people and definition of faith. Gray shadows and gorgeous lights. A priest and a village. The presence of God as song of soul. Words and looks. And courage to be yourself. A film like a ice flower, small, in facts but awful remember. The father Alexander may be any priest in Gulag. Every man for who the values are more than letters on a paper. Must see to understand a Russia. And for discover a strange science to say the truth, to kill the evil, to be more shadow in a crazy era. A film about life and its little pieces. A movie about love and pray in the childhood nuances. A confession of an old monk. In the skin of a smile. The man and his existence. The ladder. The fight.

After film viewing at a cinema I was overflowed with emotions. All film to me never was to be looked on hours, moreover — I did not want, that it is a fine film came to an end in general because all it — from the beginning and is up to the end thought over very well. All roles, at the highest level are played by talented actors. The scenario is written ideally.

The idea of a film is very interesting. The film forces us to think about almost most Insufficiently studied a Great Patriotic War episode. He forces to reflect on those people who stayed under fascist occupation, for those who revived belief of these people in God or gave the chance to people to pray in the temples violently converted in clubs. Certainly, all this revival occurs against German occupation. It is impossible to tell that Germans promoted Orthodoxy revival, it was only the step that in case of successful capture of the earths of our Fatherland to seem to us not invaders, enemies, and deliverers from Bolshevist's the authorities. But, fortunately, at them it it has not turned out. I even think that war has a little helped Orthodoxy revival, but I do not try to protect aggressors at all.

I was interested by one of film episodes when in a room where the father sits, the fly flies. As a whole about one half-minute on the screen we observe the world eyes of a fly. I wish to notice that it has not made any influence on a plot, the director has decided to show it simply so, underlining that the nature takes place to be even in such dramatic film. I am not going to spend analogies with any or films, but in November, 2009 I could look absolutely other on a genre a film «Ukroshchenie stroptivykh» where about one minute we saw the world eyes of a bee which too has not brought any contribution to an overall picture, but in particular the director and all its creation has been strongly enough scarified for this episode. Into this account I will tell the following: «the Person wishes to see nonsense of an episode in that film which about any to it was not pleasant to the reasons and consequently criticizes almost any episode of the film which has not pleasant to it».

But I will return to this film. Sergey Makovetsky, has served its purpose simply irreproachably, perfectly well, with full self-return. It so has reincarnated in a role of the cleric that if I did not know it as actor earlier, I would think that in a film have invited to act in film the present father. Other actors, which surnames, I think, it is not necessary to sound also were on the ball.

Such films as "Pop" are postponed in heart for ever. Having looked such cinema, cinema let out by our Fatherland about ours, the Russian history, it would be desirable to be proud of the Native land even more, than was proud earlier.

"The Priest" deals with a fascinating piece of history from World War II. The Orthodox Church sends missionaries to the Russian countryside in order to enable a spiritual awakening among the common people, whose faith cooled under the skeptic Soviet regime. As the German invasion progress and the villages fall under enemy control, however, these missionaries reach a stalemate. Should they collaborate with the Germans, who promise freedom to preach and collect countless triumphs in the battlefield? Or should they resist the foreign invasion, therefore siding with the communists, who not long ago nearly destroyed the Orthodox cult?

Numerous plot possibilities arise from this dangerous puzzle. The director Vladimir Khotinenko chose a good one. He present us the kind Father Alexander, assigned to a mission in the Zakaty village, close to Pskov. The village is under German administration and Father Alexander holds his rituals regularly. His rights are guaranteed by Ivan Fyodorovich, a Russian-born Wehrmacht officer. The German brutality, however, increasingly bothers Father Alexander. POWs are mistreated, ruthless public executions take place right in front of Alexander's church, the local fascist militia carries out degenerate actions.

Eventually, Stalin manages to turn the tide of the war. Ivan Fyodorovich's prophetic words from the early scenes assume dreadful shape: "If it weren't for this war, every single church would be torn down by the Soviets... together with you." Father Alexander is now stuck in a no-win situation, threatened by communist retaliations and abandoned by his peers, for the Orthodox Church officially endorsed the Soviet cause in 1943. Indeed, we have a good plot. It amazes me in every way.

"The Priest", however, somehow loses all its grace. I felt tired while watching it. I found it dull and amateur. It looked like a poor quality flick from the 90s, to be fair. Obsolete camera techniques and editing tools ruined the experience. Who told Khotinenko random slow motion frames would look cool? I generally don't pay much attention to image details, but the issues here are glaring.

Moreover, the soundtrack is manipulative, repetitive and unoriginal. The scenes supposed to be transcendental and sacred, supposed to inspire religious fervor, look ridiculous thanks to the score and the filming. Lastly, the supporting actors are not really talented. They were unconvincing and unnatural in most situations. On the other side, the actors playing Father Alexander, his wife Aletvina and the Wehrmacht officer have done a wonderful job. But in no way they could save this film, not at all.

"The Priest" is a clear waste of potential. Such captivating background story deserves a serious approach from a competent director. I hope something good comes out soon.