Customer Reviews

El Tren de la Vida (Train de Vie) [NTSC/REGION 1 & 4 DVD. Import-Latin America]

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

 

 

I'm astonished that this movie has not yet reached America's shores. I have never seen a movie that so effectively celebrates the miracle and love that was Shetl life amidst so many obstacles. And yet it tells a story with great warmth and humor that never for a moment pretends to ignore the horror. How is that possible? It left me with renewed joy and love for my people, my heritage, my culture, right along with the pangs of loss from the Holocaust.

I hope Amazon lets me post these You-tube links, but if you'll check them out, you just might fall in love with this movie as much as I have.

In one scene (the first link, below, or search You-tube for "Music duel: Jewish klezmer vs Gipsy music - Train de vie" if you can't), Jews and gypsies have a first encounter in which their different forms of music pull them together into a joyous synthesis of the two.

Enjoy!

[...]

TRAIN OF LIFE (1998) is a film I'd never had the pleasure of seeing, or even hearing any mention of it. Though worthy of a foreign film Oscar, I wonder if it ever even got noticed - or it surely would be a cult classic today.

In brief, a Romanian shtetl (was there such a thing?) is invaded by NAZIs. The only possible solution is simple: a few well-chosen ones will dress as NAZIs, steal a train and deport the whole village ... that is, escape to Russia. With some clever tactics and one solitary soul fluent in German, the ruse has incredible comic effect. To hell with "Hogan's Heroes"!

But ... I will only ask, is such a stunt possible at all?

If you love films along the lines of TO BE OR NOT TO BE (either version) and a few newer Holocaust-oriented films, this movie is for you. This is one of the most original, heart-wrenching and hilarious things I have ever seen. This gets the viewer inside the Jewish experience in a way that is surreal, perhaps the only way you can achieve it if you're not Jewish or a Holocaust survivor.

One sad note: the DVD of this French-language film available to America is subtitled only in Spanish, and if you cannot follow a mixture of French, Yiddish, German and Hebrew, you're basically not getting anything except the visual experience. Little-known writer/director Radu Mihaileanu of Romania for some reason doesn't hold any water here, I guess. The data: in America it grossed $154,790 (released here 28 November 1999, making it worse than any Pauly Shore or Ben Affleck film to date.)

It is a condemnable shame this hasn't been made available on the U.S. market. It would be the hit of all hits.

This video is a comedic look at life in the 1940's Europe during the holocaust-we must not forget the seriousness of this time but to watch the movie for it's comedic value. This is all done in French but unfortunately the version I bought was subtitled in Spainish which I could not understand. I had recently seen this DVD with English sub titles. Perhaps when that version becomes available at a reasonable cost I will be able to own it. If you can keep focused on the seriousness of the holocaust, than you will be able to laugh at this movie. I do not recommend it for children especially those who do not understand the holocaust for this will definitely confuse them. also you don't need to understand yiddish-the words are easy to figure out. also I thank Amazon.com for making the purchase and return of DVD's as easy and uncomplicated as it was.

Wartimes. 1941. The Nazi beisege is perceived everywhere. Jews are deported. Faced with this situation, Scholomo proposes an unthinkable idea.

This smart solution becomes aa surrealistic and enjoyable script, filled of fine irony, bitter cyniciam and never ending love for the human kind.

Supreme in each detail. Don't miss this notable masterwork. You will love it.

hola a todos: me decidi comprar la pelicula por que es una obra maestra,pero le di solo una estrella por el motivo que el estuche y las opciones en el dvd son peor que una pelicula PIRATA,o tal vez esta es una pelicula PIRATA no se.
1- la caja no se entienden las letras una MUY MALA FOTOCOPIA.
2- el dvd no viene con SET UP lo cual tienes una pelicula hablada en frances y no te da la opcion de oirla en espanol o ingles.
no tiene opcion te titulos.
3- la imagen es casi igual que si la ves en el youtube,con la diferencia que en el youtube esta doblada al espanol y es fabulosamente interpretada.
4- la verdad que es una buena pelicula,pero yo no le vuelvo a comprar ni un solo dvd a DISCO VIVEROS que es la compania que la tiene en venta creo que es mejor comprarla en otra distribuidora luego que la encuentre se las voy a poner para que la compren de mejor calidad y con set up.

It is the best film ever. It is smart, sensitive, there is humor, complexity. It is a picture of the human soul.