Vladimir Bortko

  • Vladimir Bortko – Master i Margarita AKA The Master and Margarita (2005)

    Vladimir Bortko2001-2010DramaRomanceRussia
    Master i Margarita (2005)
    Master i Margarita (2005)

    Master and Margarita (2005) is a Menippean film based on the eponymous book by Mikhail A. Bugakov. Set in Moscow under Stalin it has several story-lines that are intertwined. The sacrifices of Master (Galibin), a talented author of a manuscript about the biblical Pontius Pilate, and Master’s muse – Margarita (Kovalchuk), are paralleled by the biblical story of Yeshua in Yerushalaim, and the deceit of the cowardly ambiguous Pilate (Lavrov), whose character alludes to a Soviet leader. The reality is distorted by Satan Woland (Basilashvili), and his lieutenants, who are manipulating public events and people’s lives by pushing the buttons of human weaknesses and sins. Margarita taps into Woland’s power as she becomes the Queen of the Satan’s Ball. She turns into a witch to save Master. Some characters allude to Soviet leaders: Lenin, Stalin, Beria, and their entourage.Read More »

  • Vladimir Bortko – Idiot (2003)

    Vladimir Bortko2001-2010DramaRussiaTV

    Idiot (2003)

    The thrilling drama based on the world’s greatest masterpiece by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Half-sane Prince Myshkin returns from Swiss psycho-clinic to face the glamorous world of St Petersburg. Here vice, money and extortion rule. Myshkin finds himself in the whirlpool of intrigue. He inherits an enormous fortune, acquires affections of the vicious Nastassya Filippovna and the beautiful young Aglaya. Scandal, murder and incredible love affair follow. Plunge into the atmosphere of the 19th century St Petersburg created by the impressive authentic costumes and sceneries in the most expensive TV-project in RussiaRead More »

  • Vladimir Bortko – Sobache serdtse AKA Heart of a Dog (1988)

    1981-1990ComedySci-FiUSSRVladimir Bortko

    Professor Preobrazhensky and his colleague place some human parts into a dog named Sharik. Soon the dog transforms into a human.

    Quote:
    This movie (and yes, it’s a movie – it was shot as a two-parter, but the two parts together come down to slightly more than 2 hours) is one of the unsung masterpieces of world cinema. A very well-mannered, and yet at the same time absolutely savage denunciation of the Soviet regime and the type of person who flourished under it, the film is a faithful adaptation of the long-banned eponymous book by Mikhail Bulgakov. Read More »

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