Posted on 02/17/2015 8:53:11 AM PST by goldstategop
World War Two historical drama Battle For Sevastopol, notable as the latest Russian-Ukrainian co-production, is set to be released in Russia on April 2.
The film, directed by Sergey Mokritsky, will be shown in 2,000 cinemas of the country, Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky told journalists, comparing the new production to Hollywood's biggest blockbusters, such as Spider Man, in terms of its release scale.
The minister noted that Battle For Sevastopol was also expected to be given a massive release in Ukraine, where it would appear "on about 3,000 screens".
It "seems like" the film would be shown in Ukraine, he said, noting that the producers were "terrified" by the potential consequences of the release. Originally shot in the Russian language, the film would be dubbed into Ukrainian to be shown in that country, he added.
The shooting of Battle For Sevastopol was launched on the Crimean peninsula in autumn 2013, before anti-government protests in Kiev began. The film was due to become the first major co-production project between the two countries.
Set against the backdrop of the 1941-44 Siege of Sevastopol, the film centers on the life of legendary Soviet sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko, also known for her visit to the United States and Canada as part of a delegation in 1942, and her calls for the Allies to take a more active role in the war against Nazi Germany.
Battle For Sevastopol was initially co-financed by Ukraine's State Film Agency and Russia's Culture Ministry. However, the secession of Crimea from Ukraine and its reunification with Russia alongside escalating tensions between the two countries suspended the project, making the prospects of the film uncertain
More about Lyudmilla Pavlichenko here:
This thread is worthless without the pic:
She was the most decorated female sniper in history, credited with 309 kills during World War II.
It will be compared to the Soviet World War II epic picture "Liberation" which is actually pretty good. A movie featuring Soviet women soldiers is ground-breaking. Will it be still be shown in Ukraine in light of tensions between two countries?
That's the $64,000 question.
Here's the movie poster:
Perhaps Schwerer Gustav will make a cameo.
Gives interesting background info re production and casting. As for the attention paid to women soldier, Sergei Mokritskiy remarks:
"In our national cinema we have not a famous movies devoted to women on a war except for the film "The Dawns Here Are Quiet". And this theme troubled me strongly. I really do believe that that was the discrepancy of the masculine and feminine burden. And more than 800 thousand women fought…"
I wonder if the film will incorporate some of the massive siege guns the used in the battle and siege. The Germans used a 80 cm/31 inch monster gun nicknamed Dora and Gustav that fired a 7 tonnes shell. Also, the Germans used massive 60 cm/25 in mortars called Thor and Odin that fired a 4,780 lb shell. The Soviets had fortresses based off the turrets from battleships, for example, Fort Maxim Gorky.
Russians do good war movies, I’ll give them that. The Brest Fortress IMHO is the best war movie ever made.
Its mainly about the legendary female sniper - Ludymilla Mikhailivna Pavlichenko - her record of kills is unequaled even today.
In Russia, only legendary sniper at Stalingrad - Vasily Grigoryevich Zaitsev is as famous and formidable.
So now snipers are good, according to the Leftists.
I wonder if the film will provide any insight on FM Erich von Manstein, the German commander who captured Sevastopol and the Crimea, perhaps the most brilliant military mind of WWII yet one of the least known among the German commanders.
And yes the Gustav artillery gun was biggest and most powerful artillery piece ever deployed. Even though its firepower was devastating, its sheer size and complexity made it vulnerable to air attack, not to mention the fact it could only be moved by railway.
It should come out on Netflix within the next year.
Its nothing like in the Soviet time but post-Soviet Russian cinema has made a comeback.
“Originally shot in the Russian language, the film would be dubbed into Ukrainian to be shown in that country, he added. “
So before the maidan thing, even though it was going to be screened all over Ukraine, it seemed like the best business move for the producer to shoot the movie in Russian without the Uke subtitles? Interesting,,,
Gun could only be moved on special strengthened railways meaning it couldn’t be moved onto all tracks.
BTW there was no siege of Sevastopol from 1941-1944. Manstein captured the city in 1942. The Soviets recaptured it in 1944.
“So now snipers are good, according to the Leftists.”
lol, funny how that works! Good catch,,
I can’t see how those giant guns and mortars wouldn’t be in the movie in some form. They were a very big part of the siege.
Germans come up with some really weird ideas sometimes. A 5000 lb aerial bomb would have been a far easier and cheaper answer. Likewise, a 16” naval rifle would have been far better as far as weight on target and far easier mobility and cheaper.
Those giant guns were kind of like the V2. Amazing machines, but the Germans spent roughly the equivalent of the Manhatten project, and delivered the explosives of about two Allied heavy bomber raids. The entire V2 project was something that we could do every week by 1944.
Its like German engineers and dreamers get so into what they are trying to do, that they lose the big picture completely.
I watch a lot of Russian movies and while I can't always understand the story, in terms of visuals, Russian filmmakers stand shoulder to shoulder with the best Westerners.
Russia still has a thriving music video industry which is cranking out a lot of young, talented directors, much like MTV did in the 80s.
Hitler micromanaged the weapons development and production in the Third Reich. He was fascinated and obsessed with size and destructive power. He even used these “wonder weapons” as a propaganda instrument to shore up morale on the home front during the waning days of WWII.
How many engines did it take to pull that thing? It had a double track to ride on and was a complete waste of resources in every respect. But it made Hitler happy.
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