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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
"I thought it would be more interesting if I listed some things that I read and watched in preparation for the making of "Eastern Promises" than just listing a random bunch of things that I like. Among these are "The Mark of Cain," by Alix Lambert, not yet available on DVD. A companion piece to the Russian Criminal Tattoo books, this a very courageous documentary on the tattooing subculture in Russian prisons. I don't know how it ever got made, but it's beautiful, scary, and heartbreaking."
- David Cronenberg
Yes, it is now available. As of March 25, 2008 you don't have to be friends with David Cronenberg or Viggo Mortensen to see this amazing film. Those of you who saw it the first time around when it was a finalist for the Independent Spirit Award know the gist of the story, but for those who don't, it's still incredible.
On a shoestring budget, filmmaker Alix Lambert traveled to Russia and through sheer determination, gained access to the darkest prisons in the country. Her interviews with murderers and mobsters who openly discuss multiple beheadings, contract killings and the mythology and meaning of their tattoos make up the majority of the film, but it is the prison system itself that is most effectively exposed.
Cronenberg talks about re-writing the script for 'Eastern Promises' after seeing this film, and after you see it, you'll understand why. You can't talk about organized crime in modern Russia without referencing Alix Lambert's "The Mark of Cain". This is the seminal work.
- David Cronenberg
Yes, it is now available. As of March 25, 2008 you don't have to be friends with David Cronenberg or Viggo Mortensen to see this amazing film. Those of you who saw it the first time around when it was a finalist for the Independent Spirit Award know the gist of the story, but for those who don't, it's still incredible.
On a shoestring budget, filmmaker Alix Lambert traveled to Russia and through sheer determination, gained access to the darkest prisons in the country. Her interviews with murderers and mobsters who openly discuss multiple beheadings, contract killings and the mythology and meaning of their tattoos make up the majority of the film, but it is the prison system itself that is most effectively exposed.
Cronenberg talks about re-writing the script for 'Eastern Promises' after seeing this film, and after you see it, you'll understand why. You can't talk about organized crime in modern Russia without referencing Alix Lambert's "The Mark of Cain". This is the seminal work.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
More than enough coverage of prison tattoo culture to satisfy enthusiasts - though this film is much, much more. Lambert witnesses complexities of the Russian prison system: staff talent shows, generational changes in prison culture, interviews with inmates and administrators, access to overcrowded cells - inventiveness from nowhere. Tremendous, lucid density. Accomplished with an artful, blunt view - a window to the unspeakable and an exceptionally memorable film.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Depths of Depravity
We use terms like 'Depraved' and 'Inhumane', but we seldom see situations which truly warrant the use of those words. Read more
Published on May 2, 2010 by Giancarlo Croce
An amazing & horrifying look at Russian Prison life
How this documentary was even made I don't know, because the use of tattoo machines in Russian prisons is forbidden. Read more
Published on April 5, 2010 by Jason Black
Decent, but not what it is purported to be on Eastern Promises...
I watched Eastern Promises the other evening, and this movie was touted highly as being a strong source of inspiration for much of the detail (particularly the tattoos) featured in... Read more
Published on December 23, 2009 by R. M. Lozano
Scary and Depressing
A documentary on the violence, hopelessnesss and mistreatment inherent in the "modern" but underfunded Russian prison system. Read more
Published on July 10, 2009 by Cary B. Barad
Awesome
This documentary is captivating and very interesting. We learn more about the Zone and the Vory v Zakone and much more through these criminals wearing those famous tattoos. Read more
Published on June 2, 2009 by Vlad
One of most important documentaries on Russia
The Mark of Cain is the macro lens. On the surface, this incredible documentary by Alix Lambert is an excruciatingly tight close-up of tattoos and their role in Russia's criminal... Read more
Published on October 17, 2008 by Paul E. Richardson
Stunning
This documentary is beautifully filmed. It is an amazing view into this small world made up of fascinating contrasts. Read more
Published on August 10, 2008 by Digital Skip
Extremely well done documentary
The video does a great job of documenting life in a Russian prison. While not as detailed in the history and meaning of individual symbols as the Russian Criminal Tattoo... Read more
Published on April 6, 2008 by SM
a riveting education
The opening scene of Alix Lambert's "The Mark of Cain" immediately draws the viewer into the Russian prison system with a haunting song that sets the mood. Read more
Published on March 26, 2008 by an enthusiastic fan
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