Film Review №4

 "The Sound of Music" (1965)

Cast: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer

Director: Robert Wise

Synopsis: the film follows the life of Maria von Trapp who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the seven children of a naval officer widower.

Review:

“The Sound of Music” is based on the true story of the Von Trapp family. During the film Maria (Julie Andrews) leaves her convent in order to become a nanny for an ex-naval officer Georg von Trapp’s 7 children (Christopher Plummer). Because of the death of his wife Georg cannot stay at home, for everything reminds him of his loss, including his children. Maria, in her turn, treats his children as her own ones, teaching them to sing, dance and play. Eventually these things help Georg to become closer to his family. Besides, he understands that he loves Maria. However, with the occupation of Austria by Nazi Germany during the World War II the whole family moves to Switzerland to start a new life there.

This film is a real masterpiece. Every aspect, from the cinematography to the acting, the sets to the costumes, the music, choreography, script, is top notch. It is a colorful musical, a beautiful love story, and a testimony in support of standing up for your convictions and to the ability of music to move the soul and change lives. It is powerful and compelling from beginning to end, and you can watch it over and over again without even getting bored.

The lead actors (Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer) managed to brilliantly convey the love between their heroes. Andrews made her heroine look natural, easy and spontaneous. Besides, she has a great voice too. You become mesmerized listening to her perfect diction and the ability to reach all the high notes. Christopher Plummer, in his turn, managed to capture the sternness of his hero and brought at the same time a saucy sense of humor and fey quality in his performance.

Surely, it is the music itself that makes this film astonishing. The songs are plentiful and memorable ("Do-Re-Mi", "Edelweiss", "Sixteen Going on Seventeen", "My Favorite Things", "Climb Every Mountain", etc.). They are excellent on any terms and are melodically and harmonically inventive. It is also necessary to mention the film’s choreographers Mark Breaux and Dee Dee Wood, who beautifully staged the film’s famous songs, e.g., the joyous Salzburg montage used for "Do Re Mi", the unintended party for "My Favorite Things", the simplicity of the Captain's rendition of "Edelweiss", the duet "Something Good", the puppy love "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" and of course, the opening title song.

All in all, “The Sound of Music” is one of my favourite films. I think that Robert Wise is an experienced director and his experience is seen through the popularity and wonderful music and action of the film. The songs of the movie are playful and fun to sing along with, and are easy to memorize. Personally, my favourite song is "Sixteen Going on Seventeen» which has not only a lovely chromatic melody, but also a beautifully staged choreography. Overall I like the film and definitely consider it worth deserving of all its Awards and nominations.

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The article published on the website of the newspaper “the New York Times” on April 25, 2013 is headlined “Amy Winehouse Documentary Coming from Director of ‘Senna’”. The article reports at length that a famous director Asif Kapadia will work with the producer James Gay-Rees (“Exit Through the Gift Shop”) to tell the story of Ms. Winehouse, the troubled soul singer who died at 27 from accidental alcohol poisoning in 2011.

Speaking of the director, it is necessary to mention that Kapadia’s film “Senna” won documentary prizes at the Bafta Awards and the Sundance Film Festival. Speaking about the film, it is necessary to point out that though it does not yet have a title, it will use previously unseen footage to tell the singer’s story and will be distributed by Focus Features International, which plans to introduce the project to buyers at the Cannes film market next month, the company said.

It’s an open secret that Amy Winehouse was a once-in-a-generation talent who captured everyone’s attention; she wrote and sang from the heart and everyone fell under her spell. Moreover, it is a well-known fact that tragically Amy seemed to fall apart under the relentless media attention, her troubled relationships, her global success and precarious lifestyle. So there is a general feeling to believe that as a society we celebrated her huge success but then we were quick to judge her failings when it suited us.

The article concludes by saying that there is every reason to believe that Mr. Kapadia and Mr. Gay-Rees would “look at Amy’s story sensitively, honestly and without sensationalizing her.”

As for me, I look forward to watch this film and do hope that it will be “an incredibly modern, emotional and relevant film that has the power to capture the zeitgeist and shine a light on the world we live in, in a way that very few films can.”

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The article published on the website of the newspaper “The St. Petersburg Times” on January 30, 2013 is headlined “On 75th Birthday, Legend Vysotsky’s Iconic Status Endures”. The article carries a lot of comment on the life and work of Vladimir Vysotsky, as well as, on different celebrations, commemorating his 75th birthday.

Speaking of Vladimir Vysotsky, it is necessary to note that he was a bard singer, poet and actor who lived the lifestyle of a playboy and was a symbol of patriotism for many Russians and, moreover, still remains one of the nation’s most outstanding icons. Besides, speaking of Vysotsky’s 75th birthday, it is interesting to note that it was widely marked by Russian and foreign fans over the weekend. In this connection it is worthwhile mentioning the fact that several concerts and exhibitions in honor of Vysotsky took place across Russia, including in Tambov, Penza, St. Petersburg and Moscow. In Rostov, fans placed a rock on the spot where they will later erect a monument to the singer. It was also revealed that Vysotsky’s son, Nikita, attended the opening of a museum to his father in Yekaterinburg, where locals and visitors can see the poet’s restored Mercedes, his wax statue, clothes and personal trinkets.

Besides, Russians could also watch a variety of Vysotsky-related television programs to mark the day, for instance, Channel One showed the film “Vysotsky: Thank God I’m Alive,” which is based on a real-life episode in the artist’s life. It is also interesting to point out that one of the documentary films shown on Rossia 1, titled “Vladimir Vysotsky: A Letter to Warren Beatty,” shows Vysotsky appealing to the acclaimed American actor in English. The film was recorded in Moscow and was the Russian singer’s introduction to an actor who was considering him for a role in his film “Reds,” about the life of the American communist journalist John Reed.

It is an open secret that the celebrations were not limited to Russia, for example, the staff of Poland’s Vladimir Vysotsky Museum in Koszalin held an international festival of documentary films and organized an exhibition of archived materials, including footage of Vysotsky rehearsing his role in “Vishnyovy Sad” and photographs from his Taganka Theater’s French tour in 1977. In this case it is necessary to point out that the festival guests came from as far away as Iran, Jordan and Oman.

In resolute terms the author of the article expresses the view that Vysotsky, who died in 1980, has cult status in Russia, and opinions of different people like Boris Spassky, Vera Shirokaya and Yury Saprykin confirm it. However, the author also makes it clear that the critic Yury Saprykin lamented in an article in Afisha magazine that the younger generation doesn’t recognize a lot of the famous quotes from the poet’s songs. Saprykin also gives a warning that when trying to present Vysotsky to a younger audience, movie producers have depicted him as an action hero of the “drugs, sex and rock-n-roll type.” One such depiction can be seen in the 2011 film “Vysotsky: Thank God I’m Alive,” which collected $27.4 million in theaters but disappointed critics. And the article concludes by saying that the film, based on the real-life episode of Vysotsky’s clinical death in Uzbekistan during a concert, focuses more on his romantic relationships and love of racing his Mercedes than on his songs.

As for me, I think that Vladimir Vysotsky was a talented actor, singer and songwriter and whose career had an immense and enduring effect on Russian culture. He is one of the renowned artists, actors, scientists, etc. who makes me proud for my country. He is a legend figure in Russian culture and to this day exerts significant influence on many of Russia's popular musicians and actors who wish to emulate his iconic status.

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The article published in “Russia beyond the Headlines” on January 24, 2013 is headlined “Commemorating Vladimir Vysotsky - Russia's best-loved bard poet”. The article reports at length that RBTH met the son of Soviet prominent artist Vladimir Vysotsky and several other Russian performers at the Jan. 19 tribute concert at Crocus City Hall, which commemorated his 75th birthday. They talked about their memories of this timeless icon and his legacy. It was revealed that Nikita Vysotsky did not know his father well, since he divorced and remarried the French actress Marina Vlady in 1969. Still, he has honored his father’s wishes to the letter. In this connection it is worthwhile mentioning the fact that for what would have been his father’s 75th birthday, Nikita has brought together a sprinkling of famous performers to sing, reminisce and revive Vysotsky’s art on stage at Crocus City Hall. Speaking of this situation, it is necessary to note that Vladimir Vysotsky made an appearance, speaking on a huge screen that dominated the Hall about the first time he made a recording, when he was an actor at the Taganka Theatre in Moscow. However, Vysotsky’s songs were never officially permitted in the Soviet Union; he was only recognized officially as a theatre and cinema actor. Moreover, it is interesting to note that on stage, wearing a pullover, he gave a revolutionary performance of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” and he made a lasting impression on the big screen with “The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed” (1979).

In resolute terms the author expresses the view of actor Sergei Bezrukov, who played Vysotsky in the film “Vysotsky, Thank You for Being Alive” (2011) that though Vladimir Vysotsky couldn’t make records legally, “everyone knew when and where his next underground concert would take place”. Moreover, it’s an open secret that Vladimir Shakhrin, leader of the group Chaif, did not discover Vysotsky through the secretly made cassettes; his father used Vysotsky’s songs to help teach him how to play guitar. The article makes it clear that while working on the construction of a new district in Yekaterinburg Shakhrin and his friends insisted that their street should be called Vysotsky Street, and they succeeded. By way of summing up, Shakhrin makes an interesting comparison: “Europe had its Beatle mania. We didn’t have the Beatles at that time – but we did have Vysotsky.” Besides, the author of the article makes it clear that Vysotsky legacy is also crucial for Ilja “Chjort” (a devil) Knabengof, the leader of the group Pilot, who says that “through his attitude and his deep, intellectual lyrics, he created Russian rock in the way it exists today. Vysotsky was the first Russian rocker”. The article also expresses the view that Vysotsky’s legacy is so profound that some see him as untouchable in terms of the heights he reached.

The article draws a conclusion that the audience is also enchanted by Vysotsky’s legacy. The greying heads of those who were the singer’s contemporaries can be counted on the fingers of one hand among his fans. This jubilee was attended by thousands of Muscovites, offering Vysotsky that which he desired above all else during his lifetime – immortality. As for me, I think that Vladimir Vysotsky was a talented actor, singer and songwriter and whose career had an immense and enduring effect on Russian culture. He is one of the renowned artists, actors, scientists, etc. who makes me proud for my country. He is a legend figure in Russian culture and to this day exerts significant influence on many of Russia's popular musicians and actors who wish to emulate his iconic status.