Evil Boy - weaving Slavic folklore, religion and philosophy

Greetings, commies!

Another foreign horror film to get your blood pumping (or chilling). Evil Boy capitalizes on every parent's greatest nightmare - the unexplained disappearance of a child. How far would you go to bring back the kid you lost? What lies are you willing to tell yourself?

Synopsis:

Several years after their son's disappearance, a grieving couple adopts a feral boy, who begins to eerily resemble their child more with each passing day. While the mother believes they have found their son, her husband is certain he died. As strange accidents begin happening around the boy, the pair soon wonders whether they've adopted something not entirely...human.

My thoughts:

Russian generally doesn't generate a ton of horror movies, but the ones that do come out tend to be potent and well-plotted. I wish the original title had been kept -  it translates like "spawn" or "castaway". "Evil Boy" just sounds too campy, almost grindhouse. The movie is anything but grindhouse. It weaves the elements of Slavic folklore, Eastern Orthodox mysticism, sci-fi and psychology. Of course, most horror movies employ the same universal message: don't mess with nature, don't try to bring back the dead, accept loss/defeat. The theme is not necessarily unique, but the execution is extremely effective. 

The Bremen Town Musicians: a Soviet hippie adaptation of a Brothers Grimm tale

Greetings, commies!

Today you are in for a special treat - a Soviet version of "Yellow Submarine". I cannot think of a better way to describe The Bremen Town Musicians. You can see it on YouTube with subtitles. Loosely based on a Brothers Grimm tale, the story features four anthropomorphic farm animals - a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster - under the leadership of a handsome troubadour. The adaptation downplays the grisly backstory of the animals - all four were elderly, abused and/or prepared for slaughter by their heartless owners. It was a classic case of outcasts finding solace in each other - a staple of many timeless tales. The cartoon opens with the quintet traveling to perform at a king's palace. 

This cartoon, produced in 1969, is culturally significant and groundbreaking, because it showcases some unabashedly western elements - in contrast with the somber Soviet ideology. The score is rooted in rock-n-roll. The opening song could have been straight out of swingin' London. If you listen to it, you will understand why the score, released on a vinyl, became an instant bestseller. They lyrics were so memorable, and the tune was so hummable! The wild popularity of the cartoon and the soundtrack was met with resistance from the reactionary, anti-West fraction. Some were scandalized by the mod inspired outfit of the Princess and lamented the "toxic influences of the west". 

Clearly, the resistance from the reactionary wing did not prevent the sequel from coming out in 1973 - On the Trail of the Bremen Town Musicians. That one actually flirts with the musical tradition of Broadway! 

The Beast: Mad Max meets Moby Dick

Greetings, comrades!

Every once in a while you uncover a gem, just when you think you have seen all great movies in the genre. The Beast came as an absolute delight. 

Synopsis

A Soviet tank and its warring crew become separated from their patrol and lost in an Afghan valley with a group of vengeance-seeking rebels on their tracks.

My thoughts

It's mind-boggling that this gem did not get more exposure. The Soviet-Afghan conflict hits home, as I have lived through it in the 1980s. I am generally wary of American movies about Russians and Russian movies about Americans - having lived in both countries and experienced both cultures, I can pick up on certain subtleties and inconsistencies (like replying "yes, sir" instead of "yes, comrade"), but this movie surpassed all my expectations. Rarely do you get casual graphic brutality and fragility tugging at the viewer's nerves. The screenwriters do not take sides. Modern audiences might be taken aback by how sympathetically the Mujahadeen were depicted. The film was produced in 1988, at the tail end of the Cold War, so it's not surprising that the Soviets are not portrayed in a heroic light. At the same time, they are not portrayed as caricatures either. The characters on both sides have a surprising amount of depth, the kind you do not necessarily expect in a military film. There is a decent amount of philosophy, psychology and theology woven into the action scenes. The cinematography holds pretty well and doesn't have a "dated" feel to it. Definitely a worthy addition to your war movie collection!

The Star: a predictably decent Russian WWII flick

Happy New Year, commies!

I started 2022 by binge watching some war films. There is still a decent military history selection on Prime. Definitely check these movies out before they are removed. I've always been interested in the evolution of the Russian language WWII movies. Some directors like to experiment, while others prefer to play it safe. The Star is one of those "safe" movies, like a good chicken breast sandwich at your local deli.  

Synopsis

World War II, 1944. Based on a novelette of the same by Emmanuil Kazakevich. The Star is a call-sign of a reconnaissance detachment behind enemy lines. Their task: to reveal the German army's plans and find armored troops. At the cost of their lives, the soldiers inform headquarters about a massive, forthcoming attack.

My thoughts

This is not an artsy, experimental, thought-provoking or particularly character-driven WWII piece. Predictably stiff dialogue. Predictably gorgeous countryside and believable combat effects. You know what you get. If you know WWII history, you know how it ends. Decent production quality, predictable like a meal at a chain restaurant. I don't think this film was intended for a global audience. Its primary audience is the Russian speaking population, viewers whose ancestors fought on the Eastern Front. More "Rah, rah, thank you Grandpa!"

The Call: a treat for those who hate obnoxious teens

Greetings, commies!

You can never have too many revenge horror/thrillers featuring obnoxious, impulsive, selfish American teens. Check out The Call, a deeply satisfying, intellectually intriguing paranormal horror flick.

Synopsis:

In the fall of 1987, a group of small-town friends must survive the night in the home of a sinister couple after a tragic accident brings them to the couple's door.

My thoughts:

First of all, let me assure you: you are NOT a monster for gloating when obnoxious, self-centered teenagers get their comeuppance. In fact, it's one of the few acceptable guilty pleasures. There is a reason why teeny slasher movies with elements of torture porn are popular: too many people have less than pleasant memories from high school days, and too many people have fantasized of exacting revenge on their insufferable classmates. For that reason, movies about teens getting trapped, tortured and potentially killed will never go out of style. 

Bad acting and less than authentic costumes aside, "The Call" has a fairly intricate, intellectually stimulating concept framework. There is something to be said for setting this particular movie in the 1980s, before the popularization of mobile phones and the internet. Sometimes limiting technology actually opens up plot possibilities. The writers have to find new creative ways to use outdated technology. 

"Belzebuth": a gem of Mexican horror

Greetings, commies!

Halloween is over, but it doesn't mean that you should stop watching horror flicks. Consider signing up for Shudder on Amazon. Today I would like to share "Belzebuth", a gem of Mexican horror. Warning, if you are triggered by cruelty to children, you may rethink watching this film.

Synopsis

The story begins in a hospital with detective Emmanuel Ritter and his wife celebrating the birth of their baby. When Ritter receives a call from his office, he leaves and a nurse takes the baby to the nursery. The nurse locks the nursery door, takes out a scalpel, and starts to stab Ritter's baby and other infants in the nursery. Before anyone can break into the nursery, the nurse has killed all the newborns and slit her own throat.

Many years later, Ritter remains traumatized and emotionally distant, unable to process the death of his son. At work, he learns of a mass shooting at an elementary school. This turns out to be only one of a series of gruesome massacres in the area. Ritter embarks on a paranormal investigation, looking for an excommunicated priest and trying to find the evil force responsible for the shocking incidents.

My thoughts

I have only recently discovered the delectable world of Latin American horror films. "Belzebuth" pulls no punches and cuts no corners. There are certain subjects US directors will not touch for fear of offending the audiences that are used to jump scares and cliches. I have a pretty thick skin and a strong stomach, but some of the scenes left me gasping for air. Rarely do you get a horror film with strong Biblical themes tied to demonology. There are horror movies about religion, and there are horror movies about demons, but rarely do you get such an effective and disturbing weaving of the two. So, if you are find yourself underwhelmed by the mainstream American movies, give "Belzebuth" a chance. It's both sickening and intellectually stimulating, tapping into the para-Biblical mythology. 

Birds of Paradise: a mediocre wannabe artsy endeavor

Greetings, commies!

If you have Amazon Prime, you have probably been flooded with movie suggestions. I noticed that the ones worth watching are quickly migrating to paid platforms like Shudder. The free stuff is ... sometimes worth watching if you are in a mood to find production flaws. Birds of Paradise is one of such flicks. I watched it because I am a former dancer myself, and I always wonder what stereotypes the director will explore.

Kate is an aspiring ballerina who is given a scholarship to attend a prestigious ballet school in Paris. Upon arrival her confidence is tested by a fellow dancer, Marine who recently lost her brother. While confrontational at first, their relationship evolves into an emotionally charged, competitive union beset by lies and sexual awakening as they risk it all to join the Opéra national de Paris.

My thoughts

The dull title aside, the writing itself is very lazy and clumsy. The novice actresses try to do their best with the script, but some of the dialogue is just at the level of a sixth grade creative writing workshop. Is it so hard to write a screenplay about ballet without incest, drug use (we are not told what drugs those are) or girl on girl action? My biggest complaint is that there are so many implausible twists and loose endings that do not end up getting tied towards the end. Characters appear and vanish without serving any kind of purpose. I don't know where the movie was filmed, but the sanitized set is anything but modern Paris. Maybe, someone who has never been to Paris won't know any different.