Burnt by the Sun

As an American who speaks no Russian and had zero backstory going into this movie (selected by my Russian husband) - I have to say I really liked the movie. I found that the story drew me in and I was interested to know more about the family’s history and what would happen next - I didn’t mind the subtitles at all.

This Russian film is a cinematic treat. Beautifully filmed on photogenic locations this film starts out strong wanders around a bit and then rushes to its' end.At times this film bogs down in its' slice of life depiction. Nevertheless, this makes the ending even more devastating, you know that these individuals' lazy, dreamy intellectual lives are over and happiness will never come to them again.I am more willing to excuse some of the ham-handed bits of the movie, Russian movies, Russian literature; hell, most Russian art that makes it to the West has it moments of over-importance. We Americans seem to like our Russians brooding, mysterious, and over-bearing.Not being a native speaker I can't comment on the dialog or the stilted acting, to me what these people are saying in the end really doesn't matter. It's the interactions between these people and their passions, petty complaints, and obsessions that make this movie.Granted each character has more tics than a fine Swiss wristwatch but they are Intelligentsia."Burnt by the Sun" is solid film and yes, it does go over the top from time to time. However, the cinematography alone was worth an Oscar. I gorgeous colors used in the film breathe nostalgia and doom at the same time. Set design and costumes too add to this mix. The director succeeding in showing a certain class of people and their fragile lives and how those lives where steam-rollered by one of the 20th centuries worst despots.

For some reason this has been one of my favorite movies. The lead actor and his real life daughter add a sense of love and care amid the dangerous Stalinist era when all too many were "burnt by the sun" of revolution. The mood contrasts or juxtapositions are amazing. It's complicated, but a truly great movie.

Mikhalkov always had a flair for Chekhovian drama, and he doesn't disappoint the viewer in this movie, which essentially updates "The Cherry Orchard" to Stalinist Russia. What we get is a tumultuous day in the life of a theatre group in a tranquil rural community, lorded over by the proud Commander Kotov, as the small town prepares for the celebration of Stalin's first ride in an air balloon. Mikhalkov deftly mixes humor with pathos, the hallmark of all his movies, as the bucolic life is broken by the return of Mitya (impeccably played by Oleg Menshikov). We slowly get to learn of Mitya's mission with a profound sense of foreboding. The acting is purposely staged to give the scenes their rich theatrical air, yet there is a naturalism too, as Mikhalkov has such a fine eye for detail. To reveal too much of the movie is to give away its stunning climax. It was one of the first films to emerge from the post-Soviet era and gave Mikhalkov a broader international audience, earning him an Oscar in 1994.

The description of this video incorrectly states that the audio language is English. In reality, it is Russian with English subtitles. Other than that, this is an excellent movie.

A moving tale of Stalin's terror as it affected one family among many. A war hero, trusting in his friendship with Stalin and his hero status is double-crossed by the dictator as happened with so many of Stalin's friends from the revolution and war years. Knowing his demise he maintains the face of strength and security for his family. The story is gripping and will quickly draw you in. The Russian is often muffled in whispered dialog and not easy for beginning Russian speakers to follow but the English subtitles appear to be accurate and do not distract from the film.

I'm really into Russian literature and film and this one is pure cream. Perfect casting, spectacular cinematography, and a great story. This film is never boring and, for Americans, yields an incredible sense of Russian culture under Stalin; however, the tale is not at all limited to misery -- there is no shortage of light humor and very interesting day to day life experience here.This film tells the story of a (very likeable) major Russian hero, (retired and living at an art camp of sorts), and his lovely family, and how the tide of his life turns as a direct result of Stalin's lunatic madness and paranoia. Now, I want to say up front that I usually hate smooshy script and there's none of that here, albeit, there's a basic underlying love story.If you can at all tolerate English subtitles, don't miss this one -- it's just super and SO much better than cheesy Hollywood fluff!

Excellent movie, but Amazon's copy doesn't play properly, AND it's in 4:3 format, not movie scale, so it's probably an old TV version. Don't bother watching this until they update their copy. The movie won an Oscar in 1996, but the Amazon copy does not do it justice. Wait for a better version, or order it from somewhere else. It was CERTAINLY not worth $2.99 in this crummy format.

This is a wonderful film for many reasons. The cinematography showing the beautiful Russian countryside and idyllic family life is one strength of the film. The quality of the acting, and particularly of the child is very impressive. Where it really strikes home is in the blend of humour, gaiety and impending tragedy colliding together, with the menacing undertones and threat always present throughout the film, but only apparent at the end. This is in many ways a black comedy with pathos, and the ability to leave you feeling angst ridden at its conclusion, knowing that the story represents the experience of so many real lives.Essentially a retired War Hero finds himself out of favour with Stalin. Whilst engrossed in his idyllic and happy family life we have hints of the impending danger which will see him collected by the former childhood lover of his much younger wife, who a visiting dandy, works for the NKVD. This charming character reveals his true intentions slowly, and one cannot help but share a feeling of helplessness as the precious moments of freedom and life, tick away, as he informs the General of his impending arrest.The Generals departure in front of his family is with stoicism and the brave face of a military man, and the leaving scene with his child is very poignant.This is a wonderful film, and the black comedy makes the subject matter somehow more bearable, without compromising the real sense of pathos and haunting sadness it left me with. I would well recommend this film. It touches a grave matter with a lightness of touch, but this should not be mistaken for light hearted.It is the small poignant moments which really testify to the tragic nature of the storyline.

Despite being a hero of the revolution, and leading Bolshevik, Colonel Kotov is aware that his privileged position is under threat, during the time of Stalin's purges of the 1930′s. The arrival of a cousin from Moscow interrupts the idyllic summer he and his family are spending at their holiday home. Things begin to take a darker turn.This 1994 film, starring and directed by Nikita Mikhalkov, won the Oscar for best foreign film the following year, and it is easy to see why. Even if you have no interest in the historical subject matter, you will soon be able to pick up on the political machinations, and the unstable lives, so common in Stalinist Russia.The film is also exceptionally photographed, with the hot summer portrayed so well, you can almost feel the heat.

Burnt by the Sun is another one of Mihalkov's masterpieces. I saw this movie on TV around Christmas and the story (and interpretation, as well) was so touchy that I said that this movie is a must have in your DVD library. Now, that I got it, I feel good knowing that I can enjoy seeing it anytime I want.What remains impressive is the father-daughter relationship described in this movie. I was impressed about the way they pictured it and later on found out that, in fact, the daughter in the movie is also Mihalkov's real daughter. It is a hard, tough and impressive movie, which tells a lot about Russian communist rea.I highly recommend anyone seeing it. It is a reference movie for the Russian cinematography!

This film deserved its Oscar for best foreign picture. It is extremely well acted and beautifully shot. It also tells a story of success, followed by betrayal in the former Soviet Union. It's educational and makes one feel grateful not to have lived in that era or under that regime. It is also about greed, revenge and coming to terms with guilt. At once deeply moving and profoundly disturbing. Recommended for its lesson in history and morality.

Ashamed to say I got restless and wondered where it was going in the first 20 minutes but it develops into an totally absorbing slowly unfolding tragedy that must have cause a sensation in Russia just a few years after the liberation of the Soviet Union. everything positive that's said about it here is true - the child actor is phenomenol - and I can't recommend it to highly.