roverrocks

"Russian Ark" was and is a stunning achievement both visually and as a glimpse into the mystery and enigma of Mother Russia. The ghosts and spectres and spirits of Imperial and aristocratic Russia still intertwining and haunting the extraordinary rooms and art of the Hermitage from Catherine the Great thru the last Tsar of All the Russias Nicholas ll and his family thru the last Bolshevik Tsars in the dark to the present Russian Federation. To see the images and costumes was extraordinary to me as a casual student of European History. To see images of the five murdered daughters of Nicholas ll skipping and laughing thru the hallways past their German born mother the last Tsarina was chilling. All the film lacked was a visitation of the darkly evil Rasputin and a glimpse of the long suffering huddled masses of the centuries of totalitarian Imperial Russia and the Bolshevik Soviet Union. From St. Petersburg to Petrograd to Leningrad and back to St. Petersburg. Recurring thoughts of Napoleon and Hitlerian hordes swarming into and being lost in endless Mother Russia. Amazing that all of this film was filmed in ONE DAY. ONE DAY!! It was like a vision of Stephen King's The Overlook Hotel where all was still swirling and nobody had left which was heightened by Russian Ark's ending thru a window into the mists of Time. Thank you TCM for this amazing movie. I will never get to visit The Hermitage in person but this was astounding to see it thru the eyes of countless spirits mixed with modern and alive persons who recognized they were not alone in the vast rooms.

YOU NEED TO GO ELSEWHERE laurelnhardy which name really just means JERK!!! Go away: meaning go back under your rock.

Laurelnhardy: Have you seen any of these newer films???? I have not and am intrigued. How do you know they are not Instant Classics. Read this gushing review by the famed Roger Ebert of Russian Ark and tell me it does not sound terrific. http://www.imdb.com/offsite/?page-action=offsite-rogerebert&token=BCYq5pxgcKl7UZEVpqittIBOVzFM1W%2FQT%2Fcm6231xgdbDUdw72MNUw4njVQePYEVDaE7TNpE%2Bvr5%0D%0ANGRbKJDAVEkAqcyXWgic8ff1ajXaNcC5X2wnjZppxzM3VTGszfcBwM218uBgrzP%2FaOTikuWe1%2BqG%0D%0A%2B7iVmHuSTjQD9U0Y4SKpGsSYvixjQplvpJ961VbonqqjY0Tv%2BrRfpH5vwn7U9cj%2Fz1wcbrQA960I%0D%0AYMG6fZhWF5Y%3D%0D%0A

I think you must have just grossly and with absolute malice just insulted HoldenisHere. LOL maybe or possibly or whatever. Call finance out for a duel at dawn HoldenisHere. Nobody but nobody should be unduly compared to my short, old, fat, ugly, balding, harebrained self. And so says roverrocks. So let it be written and so let it be done.

Thanks HoldenisHere, your post is fascinating.

I thought the movie grew awful in the middle after an exciting beginning but then the emotional last third grabbed and grew on my wife and myself. Seeing Dietrich in costumes and dress throughout the movie was certainly amazing and the movie is totally worth watching just for Dietrich in costume. Such glamour and charisma. I agree Herbert Marshall was a weak element of the movie and I am one who usually enjoys Marshall. He was a poor fit for this movie. I just can't get over what a handsome man Cary Grant was. What an Adonis!!

Fascinating picture of a young Judi Dench. So used to seeing her as her older self in the James Bond franchise as "M" though that seems to be at an end after Skyfall (2012). Enjoyed her as Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown (1997).

Thanks for that fine picture of the extremely talented Maximilian Schell. I have always admired his great performances. Amazingly gifted actor IMO. I am always riveted and haunted by his staggering performance in JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBURG no matter how many times I view that engrossing and mesmerizing courtroom movie.

Thanks for that fine picture of the extremely talented Maximilian Schell. I have always admired his great performances. Amazingly gifted actor IMO. I am always riveted and haunted by his staggering performance in JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBURG no matter how many times I view that engrossing and mesmerizing courtroom movie.

I'm not put off willbefree but then my mind does not live in a gutter plus a bit of humor never hurts anything. Somebody needs to ask the still living Debbie Reynolds if she is put off. If she is put off then I will be very slightly and if she is not then I will not be at all. Get a grip and chuckle a little. A frown that deep willbefree might freeze your face in place for life.

Am I the only one or do any others mix up Paulette Goddard and Donna Reed when they see their photos? The two look so much like twins to me. I do like both actresses.

Most definitely a wonderful movie. This was the first time of viewing it. My wife was in tears by the emotional ending. Dietrich was extraordinary and uncannily beautiful. Such eyes!! All the actors were terrific. Was there ever a man more handsome than Cary Grant!! I 100% want to watch it again.

My wife is watching the live Sound of Music as I write this. Me? I prefer to read tonight.

That pointy tongued Brando scarily reminds me of my four sisters when I was a kiddo. Ouch!

A zany off-the-wall Woody Allen would make a much better screwball comedy host than the Wooden Broderick.

The Coen brothers are amazing film makers however. They most certainly have an artistic genius lacking in most of Modern Hollywood though like most modern movies blood and guts and cruelty and way too much unnecessary gore prevail. Sad.

Has to be from "PATTON" in my book. Wow!! http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&cad=rja&ved=0CHkQtwIwCA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymotion.com%2Fvideo%2Fx156uvg_patton-s-opening-speech-to-the-troops-george-c-scott_shortfilms&ei=KtCeUpinGejyyAHXuYH4Dg&usg=AFQjCNHEcvoaS1Ls1cCbsyCoIvelPR5gdQ&sig2=jgrSaZWUVunACJd2k2Jq0g&bvm=bv.57155469,d.aWc

Loved him as the priest and especially as the salmon fishing priest in "The Quiet Man".

All Quiet on the Western Front Gallipoli Failsafe

I had forgotten about the ending of "The Bishop's Wife". That was a perfect ending Jake in the Heartland.

TCM should only be showing silent movies by your definition. I will take the great variety being shown by TCM. I pick and choose movies to watch just like I pick and choose novels to read. Way too many whiners about TCM. Pick and choose.......................................................

THAT is one horrifically mangled Porsche. Condolences to his family and friends.

Another of the dwindling Goldens passes on. I knew her face but I did not recognize the name at first. Sounds like a great lady to the end.

TCM is a soaring alpine peak. Everything else is Death Valley.

That is a lotta big words I did not know and probably won't remember but they are most interesting.