Night Watch

Pgmatg · Post by **Pgmatg** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 9:47 am

There is a very good Russian Sci-Fi / Fantasy movie "Night watch" in theaters now ("Lord of the Rings" meets "Prophecy"). It's been out on DVD for some time, but since Fox bought all American distribution rights, they have mandated to stop making NTSC formatted dvds of it. The disk has been slowly disappearing from even Russian stores in America. And Fox kept postponing the release until limited release on friday, while sequel "Day Watch" is already out in Russia on pal dvd (without subs only). Both installments beat American movies in Russia. And the studio is insisting on filming the 3rd part in English. Have anyone seen the movie?

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:05 am

I did.
But pgmatg, convince me in your next post that this thread is not just a spam.

Grabmygoblin · Post by **Grabmygoblin** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:38 am

I almost did, but I didn't have enough cash when I was down in NYC.

Pgmatg · Post by **Pgmatg** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:31 am

Do you want to discuss Russian Cinema in general?

Here are few Russian Sci-Fi films I really like:
Solaris, Stalker, Kin-Dza-Dza, Amphibian Man,
Professor Dowell's Testament, Wizards

Also some of my favorite animated movies: Alice in Wonderland,
The Secret of the Third Planet, Adventures of captain Vrungel,
Treasure Island, Musicians of Bremen, Mowgli

Malediction · Post by **Malediction** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:30 pm

I saw Nochnoi Dozor when it came out here in October last year. Great film, can't wait for the sequel. They want to film the third part in English, though? I sure hope not, I loved the way they did the subtitles.

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 4:18 pm

I try to watch Russian movies when I get to, but even here, Hollywood conema gets most space.
I watched Night Watch, and even though it was visually stunning, I felt it unfinished. Perhaps second and third part that will fill that void. I'm not particulary a fan of MTV-like short-cuts editing and abuse of special effects, but Night Watch has probably done it the best (with most style) I ever saw. The fact that it was in Russian and with Russian mentality, I think, made it different from so many expensive Hollywood films. Take the introductory scene with the old witch - nothing like what you'd find in a Hollywood movie.

As for Solaris and Stalker, they're two of my favourite films of all times.

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 4:24 pm

Oh hey, it's out already? I saw the trailer, but I missed when it was going to be released. It does look veeery interesting.

And hey, it's gotta be better than Underworld.

Nyke · Post by **Nyke** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 4:24 pm

For a sec, I thought I saw it.

Then I remembered, it was just Night Court.

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 5:40 pm

Solaris wasn't a film, it was a disaster.

But I really went into it expecting something else because of the confusing trailers.

Malediction · Post by **Malediction** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:11 pm

rkolter wrote:Solaris wasn't a film, it was a disaster.

The original or the remake?

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:30 pm

I'm assuming he thinks remake. Yes, Sodebergh is a horrible steam roller that destroys every classic material he touches - first Kafka, then Tarkovsky - and he should be forbidden from making films that aren't based on original scenarios, if he can't already be forbidden from making films at all.
The original was, of course, a masterpiece of solemnitude.

ShineDog · Post by **ShineDog** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 7:32 pm

lordy, i didnt like night watch.

i have a strong feeling there were cultural elements that didnt translate that would have helped it make more sense, but at the end of it, all of us were pretty much saying "huh?"

the truck flip was awesome though.

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 8:15 pm

mcDuffies wrote:I'm assuming he thinks remake. Yes, Sodebergh is a horrible steam roller that destroys every classic material he touches - first Kafka, then Tarkovsky - and he should be forbidden from making films that aren't based on original scenarios, if he can't already be forbidden from making films at all.
The original was, of course, a masterpiece of solemnitude.

Unless the original was in the last few years, yeah, the remake. I didn't know there was an original. Movies, Music and Entertainment stuff is Beth's area of expertise.

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 8:21 pm

Original is Russian, made in seventies. It also had an elder, sad-looking guy playing a role later replaced with George Clooney(s ass). Go figure.

Phact0rri · Post by **Phact0rri** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:37 pm

a friend of mine from work has been telling me about this film. still got to actually see it though.

Killbert-Robby · Post by **Killbert-Robby** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:45 pm

mcDuffies wrote:I did.
But pgmatg, convince me in your next post that this thread is not just a spam.

Nah, he doesn't get the luxury.

*Dumps new guy in the box*

I always wanted to say that...

*Takes guy who didn't actually go in the box and puts him down on the floor*

Welcome to Comic Genesis

*hearty pat on the back*

Ida · Post by **Ida** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:44 pm

I actually wanted to watch this one when it was up in theaters here last October, but it went away again so fast that I missed it.

Still haven't seen it on dvd either - it most likely was an enormous box office failure here, and I have a hunch it was because it was russian, witch is a dangned shame. It is just really hard to get people to watch something in an 'odd' language...

Malediction · Post by **Malediction** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 2:40 pm

Well, the DVD comes out here on March 15. If it's not out by then where you are I can't imagine it could be far off, considering we're usually one of the last to get anything.

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:20 pm

Killbert-Robby wrote:
mcDuffies wrote:I did.
But pgmatg, convince me in your next post that this thread is not just a spam.
Nah, he doesn't get the luxury.

I just wanted to make sure, I couldn't discern from the first post.

Killbert-Robby · Post by **Killbert-Robby** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:48 am

mcDuffies wrote:
Killbert-Robby wrote:
mcDuffies wrote:I did.
But pgmatg, convince me in your next post that this thread is not just a spam.
Nah, he doesn't get the luxury.
I just wanted to make sure, I couldn't discern from the first post.

I just wanted an excuse to box him ASAP. When you become boxed, you have this URGE to box everyone else.