Ostrov (The Island), NTSC version with English subtitles
by Pavel Lungin
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DVD details
Actor: Dmitri Dyuzhev, Pyotr Mamonov, Viktor Sukhorukov, Viktoriya Isakova, Yana YesipovichDirector: Pavel Lungin
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: Russian (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Russian (Subtitled); Russian (Original Language)
Format: Import, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Running Time: 112 minutes
Published: 2006
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: VOX - Video
Product features:
- - English subtitles
- - Anamorphic Widescreen
DVD Reviews of Ostrov (The Island), NTSC version with English subtitles
DVD Review: Strong Performances.
Summary: 4 Stars
'Ostrov(The Island)' is a really fine movie which is well worth making the effort to see. Very good casting of the roles and excellent performances by the actors, to my mind, were the most important features which give this film a convincing stamp of authenticity.
While I think almost anyone could enjoy this movie for how well-made it is, there might be more divergent views as to the manner in which the story itself should be judged. As presented by the film, it seemed to me the story was meant to be taken literally. A man who, under extreme duress, once committed a cowardly crime, finds refuge in an Orthodox monastery where, over the course of more than thirty years, he has become a "holy man", though remaining a lay brother. I am somewhat reminded of books by Dostoyevsky, in which the same character combines elements of both saint and utmost sinner. This, plus the theme of consuming guilt and the desperate quest for redemption, are concepts which seem to figure prominently in Russian culture.(Or, at least, in some Russian novels)
The questions which occurred to me after watching the film were: What sort of reaction from the public were the film-makers aiming for? Does it matter, as long as those who watch it find satisfaction therein? I raise these questions not to make a value judgment on the film's message, but merely to point out what prospective viewers might expect. There are no doubt many who possess the appropriate type of Christian faith which will enable them to see the movie not as parable or allegory, but as a literal illustration of the power of God working through a chosen vessel.
Brother Anatoly, though he can find no relief from the burning guilt he still carries after so many years, and though he has the character of a rough prankster which some find buffoonish and irritating, is the vessel through whom God has chosen to work in this island monastery. God has given him powers of prophecy and the ability to read the human heart. His gifts have made him popular with those in need, spiritually or physically, but have inspired resentment from one of the monks.
Some of Brother Anatoly's solutions to the problems brought to him could be attributed to a keen sense of human psychology. He unfailingly manages to ferret out the hidden motives and dissembling concealed behind the pleas of the supplicants for answer to their prayers. Some of these cases are amusing, as for instance, when he shows that a woman who has been lamenting her husband who has been dead for thirty years, is really more concerned with keeping her pig and other livestock, than she is with the chance of discovering him to be alive after all.
More serious, and possibly less convincing to viewers who do not share the particular sort of faith which is espoused in the film, are some of the other cases for which Brother Anatoly provides solutions. In one, he claims a divine healing and bids a crippled boy throw away his crutches. In another, he diagnoses a disturbed young widow as being possessed, and performs an exorcism. These are very affecting scenes in their emotional content, but we are not shown how effective these cures were in the aftermath of the drama of healing. Of course, the intent of the movie is to show the power of faith, and perhaps it would be artistically clumsy to dwell on the results.
I am not suggesting that if you do not agree with these spiritual concepts that you should dismiss the film. It is in fact a beautiful film in several ways. The remote and rugged setting, the sincere efforts of the monks to attain to purity of soul, and the fascinating character of Brother Anatoly with his mixture of base sinner and saintly agent of God all make for a moving and absorbing cinematic experience. This is a very subtle and intelligent movie at the same time it offers what some would see as overly simplistic solutions to the complex problems of life. Many others will love this movie for what they see as it's inspirational message.
My personal take is that it is an extremely well-made, well-acted, and interesting story which contains some profound psychological insights, and that it's inspirational appeal will likely be commensurate with the degree and kind of religious conviction of the viewer.
Description of Ostrov (The Island), NTSC version with English subtitles
ENGLISH subtitled DVD !!! Import, NTSC (USA & Canada), ALL region, Anamorphic Widescreen. AUDIO OPTIONS: DD 2.0 Stereo, DD 5.1 & DTS RUSSIAN. Original Russian SYNOPSIS: Winner of 5 Nika Awards (Russian Oscars) including Best Film. Somewhere in Northern Russia in a small Russian Orthodox monastery lives a very unusual man. His fellow-monks are confused by his bizarre conduct. Those who visit the island believe that the man has the power to heal, exorcise demons and foretell the future. However, he considers himself unworthy because of a sin he committed in his youth. The film is a parable, combining the realities of Russian everyday life with monastic ritual and routine.Bestsellers in DVD
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