Il maestro e Margherita

Its quite an impressive result - to squeeze such a book into single movie.

If previous series were dedicated a lot for Jesus (Ganozzi) and Pontius Pilat theme, here we see quite an extensive story of Master.

I really liked that Master is shown not as crazy obsessed by his novel psycho individual, but rather as a normal person who was just killed step by step with his own genius by new Soviet ideology and traitors/slaves of this new era propaganda

You can easily build a parallel with what is happening today in Russia.

I really liked the episode in the end when city is on fire with all the stars symbols on the roof and the most famous sentence and Pontius and how he hates the city which is swallowed by the darkness

That was the epic end!

These days it's tempting to refuse anything Russian, but in this case one has to note that 1) this is adapted from the most celebrated work of Russian fiction in the 20th century, written by a Kiev-born dramatist shortly before his death and forbidden from publication in the Soviet Union until the 1960s, and 2) this was largely financed by an Odessa-born American billionaire who owns the sports network DAZN. Also, principal photography was finished in late 2021, before the invasion of Ukraine.

The phantasmagorical plot makes for an extraordinary reading experience because one cannot summarize it. Like all truly great literature, this is not really a story about something, it's a series of bizarre anecdotes set in the framework of forsaken romance in the claustrophobic Stalinist Moscow of the 1930s, where the Devil appears on the pages of a writer in crisis, and then seemingly in reality. German actor August Diehl's performance as Woland is the best of his career and he gives the character a perfect ambivalence which is required in portraying the supernatural. It is quite possible to read into his Satan an allegory of Putin himself, and it is also quite possible to deny it. The hysterical satire of the novel requires high production values which previous adaptations never achieved - this film almost overdoes it, as do many Russian actors. But the leading couple is quite convincing, even if they pale within the impressive imagery.

Upon release in Russia, the film was attacked by the Pro-Putin crowd which helped to turn this into the most successful Russian film of the century. It's a miracle it was even released since US-born director Lockshin finished post-production in the States and did not return to Russia after the invasion, which he has frequently condemned. So credit where credit is due, this film is a beacon of creative light in Russia's political darkness.

As someone who read the book extensively before watching the movie, the director did an incredible job adapting Mikhail Bulgakov's book! I adored the spin they put on the story, from the way they adapted the storytelling to how they portrayed Woland. The stylistic choices were top notch and the costume designs were very well done. They left a few scenes from the book out (more than reasonable considering the movie is around 2.5 hours long already), they still had all the major plot points and small changes. I love how they put a nice change to how and why the Master was locked up, and how he created his own world and situations while in the mental facility.

All in all, incredible movie but Gella needed more screen time in my humble opinion. Go watch it!

I was terrified when I heard that an adaptation of Bulgakov's masterpiece had just been released. I feared having to endure a dreadful disaster that would make me nauseous and ruin this iconic book, which I've read, reread, and read again. I trembled at the thought of raging and shouting my anger... And then the miracle happened! Mikhaïl Lockshin accomplished the almost impossible feat of adapting this philosophical-political novel for the screen and brilliantly capturing the absurd humor of its author. This film is an absolute marvel! The direction is clever, the casting is perfect, and the meticulously crafted sets seem to have come straight out of the book. The Master is captivating, Marguerite is enchanting, and Behemoth is true to himself (I only regret that his legendary machine gun didn't get more screen time!).

I applauded at the end, wiping away a tear of joy. Bravo! What a delight!

The movie adaptation of the classic book is a rare gem that successfully captures the essence of the story, the tragic lives of the Master and Margarita. The film explores the absurdity of communism, the struggles a creative writer has to endure under a suppressive regime, and features a beautiful love story that adds to the movie's emotional depth. The execution of the film is excellent, with fantastic actors bringing the characters to life, including August Diehl as Woland, Yevgeny Tsyganov as the Master, and Yuliya Snigir as Margarita. In all, I loved the different themes interwoven in this lovely tragedy.