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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A "Moscow Doesn't Believe in Tears" of today, June 8, 2004
This review is from: Window to Paris [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The struggle between the inteligencia and the average people in a rapidly-changing society is one of many themes of this movie. If "Moscow Doesn't Believe in Tears" shows how life was during the years of stagnation (70s), this movie shows the life right after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Nicely set in St. Petersburg in the early 90s, when the Soviet Union has just collapsed, it depicts how life really was during those first few hard years - the transition from socialism to capitalism. When the people in a communal apartment find a window into Paris, the window becomes their opportunity to see the world. They take that opportunity..... Unfortunately, this foreign release has an important part cut out of it, perhaps because the foreign viewer may not understand its significance, but still the movie is a MUST SEE for anyone who wants to attempt to understand the mentality of Russians or who wants to know what NOT to expect of most emigrees, because those that emigrate, are the ones who try to escape from what is shown in the movie.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Window to Paris is a romantic fantasy delight!, August 27, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Window to Paris [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This movie seems to have been reviewed by only one reviewer accessible on the net--Chris Hicks of the Deseret News, whatever that is, and he didn't like it for reasons that make me think he didn't see the same movie I did. This is a French movie with Russian director and Russiansand French speakers. It's a delightful farce/romantic comedy that graphically depicts the difference between life in Russia and life in France, poking good-natured fun at the foibles of all. There's a love story and the whole movie is well directed, well acted, well written! I can't believe it isn't better known even though its been released for 6 years. My husband and I laughed out loud, so well done was the slapstick and farcical aspects (and neither of us is a fan of slapstick--we are fans of French romantic farce). The whole movie carries a certain inherent poignancy from the portrayal of the current bleakness of Russian life and future.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not the original, but still a delight, September 26, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Window to Paris [VHS] (VHS Tape)
One word of caution: This is the French release, not the Russian one. The main story is the same, but this version introduces some curious motifs (like a trampoline) that stroke the French sense of humor but displace some of the better moments from the Russian original. As a result, a couple of otherwise hilarious subplots are, confusingly, left hanging in this version. That said, this is a fantasy-satire with a delightfully kinked sense of humor. Sergey Dontsov is brilliant in the lead role. You will appreciate it best if you understand the Russian's love-loathe relationship with his own country, but this film will delight even a neophyte to the Russian psyche. Unlike most Russian comedies. (Note to the reviewer below: the Deseret [sic] News is one of Salt Lake City's two main newspapers.)
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