Customer Reviews

Quiet Flows the Don

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A digital remastering of the 1957 epic film, with English subtitles. The original international release of the film cut it to just over 100 minutes. This is the full director's cut: 330 minutes. As rich and multi-storied as the novel, this is the Russian Gone with the Wind, a tale of love and civil war, pride and deceit. Filmed on location, it has an authentic feel and many memorable scenes. A must see. (Reviewed in Russian Life)

I did not think it would be possible to make Mikhail Sholokhov's great novel into a movie, but I was very wrong. The movie is very moving and outstandingly deep. It is an absolutely engrossing production with wonderful acting and production values. I recommend this film without reservation, It is one of the finest films of the Soviet era.

Excellent movie based on the famous novel of Russia,filmed on the land of Russia with spectacular scenes. Four DVD of this very good movie with a low price.

This is a great dramatic historical series that covers a Cossack community on the Don River as it lives through the tumultuous times of WW1 and the Russian Revolution and post revolutionary era. It has a bit of something for everyone including battle scenes, romance, history, and wonderful costuming and scenery. You really get immersed in the times and culure of these people by watching this series.

Having read the book some years ago, I finally got around to seeing the film over the course of three nights. It's rather long, and episodically paced like a miniseries rather than the epic feature films we're use to. Still, I enjoyed it immensely. It's difficult to pinpoint why. At first, the acting plays rather broadly, with the leads seeming a bit too old for the roles they're playing. Eventually you come to accept them as the characters they were meant to be. There are many twists and turns to the story. It doesn't have a mighty climax; it just ends. But when it's over, it's quite satisfying in its own way. What's amazing is that the book was published, and the film was allowed to be made in the first place. The added featurettes are interesting and do an excellent job of putting the entire project into perspective. If you like the film, you should definitely watch the short film commentaries. I recommend it for viewers who have an interest in Slavic history in general and Russian "Kino" in particular. It's also evident that the sections of the film were used as templates for sections of Warren Beatty's REDS. All in all, a fine choice for discerning viewers with an interest in the subject matter.

As I had read the books; 'And quiet flows the Don' and 'The Don flows home to the Sea' , I was keen to buy this attempt at filming both of them. It does the job well enough, though suffers from the usual 'Russian problem' of over dramatic acting, occasionally launching into slapstick. As a fan of Russian Cinema, and owner of many Russian films,I feelthat it is always this aspect that lets them down. Even transferred to the most recent productions from Russia, this need for larger than life characters, boisterous fight scenes, and lots of shouting, often takes away from excellent cinematography and serious issues. There are some standout films that do not fall into this trap, namely 'Come and See', and the superb 'Burnt by the Sun'. However, if you are a fan of films portraying recent history, the Russian revolution and civil war, then this is well worth buying, if you can live with the dated feel, and what seems to be a straight transfer from VHS..