Customer Reviews

The Singing Revolution

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We miss things, we here in the most powerful nation on earth. I was alive when Estonia was fighting for its independence only I wasn't paying attention. Much of the world turned its back on this repressed nation. The music is glorious and the people are inspiring. "The Singing Revolution" proves that desire trumps death. They were not powerful, but they sang their way to freedom, a revolution bought with breath not blood. You will feel hopeful for the entire world after experiencing this film. It made me proud, it made me cry, it made me think. It reminded me that I should pay attention to the rest of the world.

This is a film that is carried by its 'too wonderously powerful to be fiction' story. While we in the US were focused on confronting the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the peoples of the subjugated Baltic and Slavic nations were struggling to maintain their national identities and cultures. Each nation has a tale to tell (Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution, Ukraine's Orange Revolution, Georgia's Rose Revolution) This film shows us how the people of Estonia sang their culture and nation through this ordeal. Although I agree with much of what the other reviewers have written regarding the technical filmaking aspects of this film (somewhat lacking in deep individual character development), I had to give "The Singing Revolution" five stars for the power of the story itself. See this film and revel in a triumph of true strength over opression!

Having lived in Tallinn from 1999 to 2001, I was particularily interested in the Singing Revolution when it came out to theaters around the country. When the DVD was produced, I am sure I was one of the first to purchase it. This is a compelling story of a country and its people who struggled to maintain their cultural identity from the 40s to the early 90s in the face of severe opposition at the hands of the Soviets. Having lived there, I was able to learn first hand about the struggles so poignantly depicted in the DVD. Since I have received the DVD, I have shared it on many occasions with friends and family. It is a story that needs to be told to everyone. You won't be disappointed when you purchase and view this documentary.

I saw the movie in a theatre last year, and just watched it again on a DVD. What a story and a lesson in history!!! I wonder how many people know that the Soviet Union was anything but a big happy family? That the Baltic nations (and many more...) were held captive behind the Iron Curtain against their free will? That there was genocide going on and the outside world had no idea?! Makes me wonder about Cuba, China and other places like that today...
I enjoyed the movie from the very beginning until the very end, but there were 3 scenes that were exceptionally powerful:
1) The 2 Estonian policemen (these guys had some balls!!) protecting the TV tower inside while unarmed locals with linked arms were standing guard outside against the approaching tanks and massive numbers of Soviet soldiers.
2) Over a million people creating a human chain through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania by joining hands.
3) The scene where the average (unarmed, of course) Estonians went to protect their Parliament building from hordes of hostile Russians - and after surrounding them, peacefully parting ways to let the enemies go through. That sight was just so... CIVILIZED that it was almost surreal!
4)...
5)...
I could keep on going but I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet. (Oh, I cannot help myself, just one last thing - the scenes where 30,000 people were singing together! UNREAL!!! And the music is beautiful.)
I highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in any of the following subjects: culture, history, USSR and fall of the Evil Empire, choral music, ideas on how to start a peaceful revolution of your own, proof of why communism doesn't work and why democracy is the way to go.

This movie is uplifting. It tells the story of the tiny nation of Estonia and its non-violent declaration of freedom from the Soviet Union. You do not have to be Estonian to appreciate the human elements of this masterful film. 5 stars!

This movie has become a family favorite. It's a David and Goliath-type struggle of a small determined nation to overcome its oppression by the big evil neighboring Soviet Union. Through music and tradition, the Estonian people keep their culture and spirit alive over years of communist repression. Bring tissues and enjoy the happy ending!

This documentary about the eventual independence of embattled Estonia, one of the Baltic States that was for decades just a part of what was then known as the USSR, or Soviet Union, is extremely moving, not just due to the end result, but the means. Revolution through song? Absolutely. Mikhail Gorbachev, the last head of state of the USSR, and the only Soviet leader to have been born after the October Revolution of 1917, introduced the concept of "glasnost" that quickly, unintentionally opened the door to public displays of Estonian patriotism, including singing. The heart of this documentary consists of footage of the Estonian masses singing in the open air, combined with interviews with organizers, although this reviewer found the included collection of early newsreels well compiled as well, especially that of the Yalta Conference during which Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin decided the fate of postwar Europe (including the agreement to permit the ethnic cleansing of millions of Eastern European Germans of which this reviewer is a descendant). If only all freedom could be granted through peaceful demonstration! Despite one's worldview or Weltanschauung, how can anyone argue with the motives behind the masses of a people stripped of their identity and incorporated into a Socialist state, but still venturing to publicly proclaim "Creator, Protect Estonia" en masse? Well recommended documentary to anyone in the West who has lost sight of the precious state of being called "free".

This is a great documentary style movie and is a bit like a thriller too. Very worthy, it will make you appreciate and look at things different when you're done watching it!!!

I picked this documentary as part of a 2 for deal. But as I was waiting for my order to arrive I found myself more excited about this, than my original purchase. As a Music Therapist and a Folk-Music Educator, I am always interested in how music affects people, especially in various ethnic regions of the world. This is really a story about a battle over a scrap of land. It is being played out violently all over the world. Those living on the land are torn in two, sometimes literally. These people fought back with music. It is the kind of story that gives you a lump in your throat and reminds you what it means to be human. I watched this DVD, The Singing Revolution, with my 18 year old son, just home from College. I was delighted I was able to share this experience with him. We both sat stupefied as the events unfolded on the screen. At the end, I sat there holding the box for 20 minutes before I could clear my head to go about my day.

This is a truly incredible story. I saw it almost a year ago in the movie theater and I almost can't describe how moving it is. It is a story that everyone should see and know, but if you love to sing, especially in a choral setting, stop what you're doing NOW and see this movie.