Fans grieve Jackson’s death in downtown St Petersburg (image from NTV news report)
Today, undoubtedly, the biggest world news is the unexpected death of Michael Jackson, the only true King of Pop. It was night time in Moscow when the news reached Russia, and the sad event dominated the news reports around the country all day long since early morning. All Russian news channels, including the state-owned Rossiya and the First Channel, started their news reports with the details of Michael Jackson’s passing, his career, his visits to Russia, and tribute of his fans around the world and in Russian cities. Many finished the news with a “no comment” music video tribute to the singer. Gazeta.ru wrote that “only a lazy paralyzed person didn’t throw a rock at the idol in the last few years,” however they agreed that his death brought out the true feeling about the star in Russia and around the globe: unreserved love and admiration.
Among many Russian leaders, the president of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov said “I deeply grieve with the musician's relatives, friends, and fans because of the untimely passing of the outstanding man, unmatchable singer Michael Jackson, whose death ends the entire epoch of the world music culture.”
Michael Jackson was a household name in the countries of the former Soviet Union. During his visits to Moscow in 1993 and 1996, he was greeted as a head of state. Radio Free Europe writes that “his live concert in Moscow in 1993 sparked near-hysteria among scores of Russians hungry for a taste of Western culture.” One of my brightest personal memories from the Nineties is attending Jackson’s History Tour concert at the Dynamo stadium in Moscow in 1996. Today, hundreds of fans laid flowers and toys near the American Embassy in Moscow and in downtown St Petersburg to honor the idol. We all deeply grieve the untimely passing of the musician who influenced our lives and cultures.
Daniel Silva is a former CNN producer turned espionage thriller novelist. Silva's most recent novel, Moscow Rules, was released on July 22, 2008 and shot to the top of The New York Times bestseller list within a week. In Moscow Rules his recurring hero, art restorer and Mossad agent Gabriel Allon, battles a ruthless arms-dealing Russian oligarch and "the KGB".
Russian rap artist Timati (previously profiled here and here on Russia Blog) has released a new single with the American rap artist/actor Snoop Dogg. At least in music videos, some people can still party like it's 2007.
Russian Movies on Georgia War: Olympus Inferno and War 08/08/08
Charles Ganske
The brief August 2008 war between Georgia and Russia continues to spawn films
Channel One, the same Russian TV network that produced the blockbusters Night Watch and Day Watch has made an action movie about the Georgia War, titled Olympus Inferno. The movie features two main characters, an American entomologist studying butterflies in South Ossetia (you can hear him yelling "What the hell is going on?" a lot in the trailer) and a Russian female journalist. The two characters must work together to get back to Russian lines after getting swept up in the August 8, 2008 Georgian offensive against the separatist enclave of South Ossetia.
Russian Choral Music in Dallas, Texas At the Meyerson Symphony Center
Charles Ganske
For those Russia Blog readers living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas the Arts District Chorale of Dallas is presenting a concert of late 19th century Russian church music, including selections by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Gretchaninoff, and Chesnokov, on March 29, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. inside the Meyerson Symphony Center lobby.
The Admiral (Адмиралъ) Reviewed: Random Video Clips with a Boring Narrative
Yuri Mamchur
A Russian battleship depicted in the historic drama Admiral
Watching the famous Russian movie Admiral had been my challenge for several months. Living in Seattle and then travelling across the U.S. didn’t allow me to see the film in Russian movie theaters. Hearing the rumors about the amazing visual effects, I did not want to download a copy from the Internet and settle for watching it on my laptop. So finally, a few weeks ago, I set down with a friend in Moscow in front of a big plasma screen. We served ourselves cherry vareniki with sour cream, and I prepared to indulge myself in a historic visual journey through the Russian Revolution (beware – spoilers).
The film titles start with a Soviet movie set where someone is filming something about the old Russia. Grandma’s eyes are looking at an old photo of a beautiful lady. A viewer thinks right away “just like in Titanic, but the titles are in Russian”. After the titles are over, the film indeed proves to be engaging and jaw-dropping. Admiral Kolchak (played by Konstantin Khabensky - Константин Хабенский) is guiding his ship in the Baltic Sea, dropping mines and watching out for a German frigate. Sure enough, the German vessel materializes out of the fog and the battle begins. If you watched the trailer, you basically saw the battle (and the movie).
Irony of Fate and S Novim Godom! (Ирония судьбы, или С легким паром!)
Charles Ganske
Irony of Fate with English subtitles, part 1 of 11 video clips
One of the most common Russian holiday traditions is to watch Irony of Fate, a romantic comedy produced in 1975 by the Soviet studio Mosfilm, with family and friends. The film has proven so popular over the years that director Timbur Bekmanbetov, producer of the blockbusters Night Watch and Wanted, released Irony of Fate 2 on January 1, 2008 starring his frequent collaborator, actor Konstantin Khabensky. The sequel, which brought back most of the original cast -- now thirty five years older -- proved to be a box office hit.
Click on the extended post to read more about the original film.
A film by director Pavel Lungin Ostrov (Остров), about a monk striving to overcome his painful past at an isolated monastery in northern Russia, became a modest hit at the Toronto International Film Festival after its release in 2006
Today the International Herald Tribunepublished an article about the revival of interest in Orthodoxy in the Russian media, including in the Russian edition of GQ. The passing earlier this month of Patriarch Alexy II, the first post-Soviet hierarch of the Church, created a flurry of round-the-clock media coverage for several days. The Russian media emphasized interviews with priests and laity who shared their memories of the late Patriarch, and the quiet but very public grief of ordinary Russians.
Whereas some in the West view the revived Church as little more than an extension of a resurgent Russian State, the Moscow Patriarchate's view of the recent conflict between Russia and Georgia was that it was a tragic dispute between two Orthodox nations that have historically been friends. Many observers noticed when the Patriarch Elias II (also pronounced Elijah or Ilia) of Georgia was not only invited to Alexy's funeral in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior Cathedral, but delivered an impassioned homily during the service in memory of his friend.
The Sunday International Herald Tribune story profiles several small and medium-sized Orthodox magazines and periodicals and their editors, many of whom started their careers at Russia's top secular publications. It also touches on the touchy issue of whether many Russian celebrities and politicians are participating in public Orthodox rituals because it's become a fashionable thing to do or if the revival in religious faith and practice in Russia is heartfelt.
Anastasiya Khabensky, Wife of Russian Actor Konstantin Khabensky, Passes Away in USA
Charles Ganske
Anastasiya Khabenskaya (photo by: rian.ru)
Anastasiya Khabenskaya, a radio journalist and actress married to popular Russian actor Konstantin Khabensky, died from complications of a brain tumor in Los Angeles this week. She was 35.
The couple, both natives of St. Petersburg, Russia, were married on January 12, 2000. Their only child, Ivan (Vanechka) was born in 2007. Anastasiya developed the brain tumor during her pregnancy and was treated at the Cedar Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and the Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute in Moscow. Anastasiya's friends remember her as a young, energetic woman who loved life and her son. Anastasiya met Konstantin in 1999, when she interviewed the upstart actor for her radio show, and as Konstantin said, "it was love at first sight."
A former electrical engineering student and struggling street musician, Konstantin Khabensky is best known to American audiences for his role in the Angelina Jolie action-adventure movie Wanted. Russians know him best as the star of Admiral (Kolchak), The Irony of Fate 2 (Ironi Sudbi 2), Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor), Day Watch (Dnevnoy Dozor) and other Russian blockbusters.
Russia Blog expresses our sincere condolences to Konstantin Khabensky and his family.
In August 1980, a new film was released in the Soviet Union, shattering any blockbuster records in the USSR and becoming an iconic feat of Soviet cinematography - "Pirati 20 Veka» (Пираты XX Века) – (20th Century Pirates). This was the first domestically produced "boyevik" - an action thriller - and it became an instant and long-lasting success.
The film, almost three-decades old, has the feel of being "ripped off the headlines." Today's Russia is taking an active role in combat international piracy off the coast of Somalia. Its Navy is participating in protection, search and destroy missions, and along with its American and British counterparts, and has already enjoyed limited success.
Olga Kurylenko – the James Bond Girl, a Ukrainian, and… a Birthday Girl!
Yuri Mamchur
Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko starring in the new Bond film Quantum of Solace
The new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, is facing a great opening weekend. The previous Bond film, Casino Royale, gained significant attention of the female audience, compliments of shirtless Daniel Craig coming out of the ocean. The new 007 film is guaranteed major success with the male audience, not only because of the numerous car chases and explosions, but mainly because of the Ukrainian model and actress Olga Kurylenko. Coincidentally, November 14 is Olga’s 29th birthday! Even though the Communist Party of the Russian Federation condemned Olga and called her “a traitor,” all she’s betraying is her real identity. In the movie she is a Bolivian, not Ukrainian, and a fighter, not a model.
Olga Konstantinovna Kurylenko (Ольга Костянтинівна Куриленко) was born on November 14, 1979, in Berdyansk, Ukraine, Soviet Union. Her mother, Marina Alyabysheva, divorced her father, Konstantin Kurylenko, soon after her birth. After the divorce, her mother struggled to survive as an art teacher. Young Olga Kurylenko was brought up by her mother and her grandmother, Raisa. During her youth, Olga had a humbling experience of living in poverty; she had no choice but to wear rags and had to darn the holes on her sweater. During the years in Ukraine she studied art, languages, did 7 years of musical school studying piano and went to a ballet studio until 13.
While the financial crisis continues around the globe and in Russia, we offer you a joke sent to us by Bohdanna Diduch, a reader from Ukraine. We hope it will help you relax from the financial headaches and enjoy the cultural references. -- The Editors
A lawyer and a Ukrainian are sitting next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer is thinking that Ukrainians are so dumb that he could get over on them easy...So the lawyer asks if the Ukrainian would like to play a fun game.
The Ukrainian is tired and just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and tries to catch a few winks. The lawyer persists, and says that the game is a lot of fun. I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me only $5; you ask me one, and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $500, he says. This catches the Ukrainianʼs attention and to keep the lawyer quiet, he agrees to play the game.
According toThe Hollywood Reporter, Fox International-distributed Russian film Kolchak (The Admiral) dominated the international box office in Russia and Ukraine with a take of $12.8 million from 1,088 screens; Russia was the key driver with $11.4 million. The only other movie that came close was the DreamWorks/Paramount thriller Eagle Eye ($10.7 million from 36 territories) -- thanks to 11 new openings and a screen count of 2,969.
The Admiral is Russia’s most ambitious blockbuster to date with a price-tag of 20 million dollars, produced by the same team that had tremendous success with the fantasy horror films Night Watch and Day Watch. While the film's budget does not sound big to a U.S. audience, Russian filmmakers have proved once again that they can outpace Hollywood’s production with a tenth of a Hollywood film’s budget. Also, unlike Hollywood, most of Russia’s blockbusters are historic novels put on film. The historical epic Admiral hit screens last week with a rousing call to national pride and a popular revision of the Bolshevik revolution, with the good guys clearly on the losing side.
The dedication of the admiral by the White Russian forces
Visit the extended post to read the film review and watch the trailer.
We entered the Moscow area around Klin (a town where Tchaikovsky once lived) and saw the road turn first into the Tverskaya shosse freeway, and then into the elegant Tverskaya ulitsa. This is where most of the name brand stores congregate in Moscow.
Russia, it seems, is full of odd traffic rules, and at each intersection the ways you can or cannot turn are different. As a result, we had to do a few circles and one u-turn to get to our hotel. Russian street maps, which are similarly confusing, diagram major intersections as to which way you must go into and out of them, without a lot of logic. It made me wonder if there is a Russian translation of the American phrase “You can’t get there from here!” It is also nearly impossible to drive for any length of time without getting some kind of traffic ticket, which is paid in cash, on the spot. I suspect that the cash doesn’t find its way into the public treasury. I’ll self-drive in any EU country, but I’d throw a fit and be clapped in irons if I had to drive with any frequency in Russia.
Russia Observed St. Petersburg and Veliky Novgorod
Howard Ahmanson
Cathedral of the Holy Blood (Church of the Savior on Blood) - Photo by Charles Ganske
St. Petersburg is often called the “Venice of the North”, but historically it is the Amsterdam of the North, since Peter the Great chose to model it after that city. But, like either Amsterdam or Venice, one can take a boat trip through the canals, at least in season, and one should.
A westerner notices that there is something intentionally non-Russian about many aspects of the city. The “cathedral” of Our Lady of Kazan doesn’t look Orthodox at all. Instead, with its neoclassical dome and curved colonnades, it looks like an imitation of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. (The Russian word sobor is generally translated as “cathedral,” but it does not mean “cathedral” in the Western sense of the seat of a bishop.) St. Isaac’s Cathedral looks pretty classical too.
Beginning tomorrow, Russia Blog will post a series of writings and observations by Howard Ahmanson, his wife Roberta and his son, David on their recent trip to Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union. The first installment covers the Ahmanson’s visit to St Petersburg and its environs.
Life and Death in Londongrad: Eastern Promises Reviewed
Charles Ganske
Viggo Mortsensen plays Nikolai, a thief-in-law (zakon) in London
Just as movies about gangsters were going out of style in Russia, Eastern Promises came out in the West. Released one year ago today, David Cronenberg's crime drama about Russian mobsters in the United Kingdom grossed $51 million worldwide and won critical acclaim for the performance of its star, Viggo Mortensen, as a mob enforcer.
The film was also noteworthy among critics for its brutal scenes, including an opening sequence in which a rival mob boss is nearly decapitated in a barber shop, and for a knife fight in which a naked Nikolai (Mortensen) fights off knife-wielding Chechen attackers in a London banya, eventually carving them up with their own meat-cleavers.
The war in South Ossetia and Georgia, though appalling, resulted in fewer deaths and damage than originally reported. It is still not "over" and probably won't be for some time. Meanwhile, it definitely did serious damage to Russia's relationship with the West. In some ways, relations are worse than at any time since well before the collapse of the USSR--in other words, in roughly a quarter century.
We are going to say a lot more on this, and we are not inclined to be particularly laudatory to any of the players. The war has not made any country look good.
Meanwhile, before the war we wrote a report on Ten Reasons Americans Should Care About Russia. It follows, and, as you will see, it remains valid. Perhaps as tempers cool, people of good will can consider what is at stake; what there is to gain, and what there is to lose.
Russians, Happy Over Olympics, Look to Sochi, 2014
Yuri Mamchur
Russia's Natalia Paderina and Georgia's Nino Salukvadze hugged after winning Olympic silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the women's 10-meter air pistol competition.
The Beijing Olympics 2008 set a high standard for the next Olympics hosts, Canada (Vancouver 2010). Then comes Britain (London 2012), and Russia (Sochi 2014). Undoubtedly all will be daunted by the precedence of extravagance that China displayed, while there also will be new security concerns for future events. Not everyone will want to, or be able to, crack down on dissent the way the Chinese did, either. Just one thought: Sochi is only a few miles from the Georgia frontier and the Sochi winter games are only four years away.
While the Russian team didn’t do well in the beginning of the 2008 games, lagging behind other nations at the eighth and sometimes 12th places in the total medal count, the country caught up towards the end and finished in a solid third place with 72 medals behind America (110 medals) and China (100 medals). Americans earned more medals than ever before, however China ended in the first spot with the most gold medals.
Overall, Russia’s performance was admirable. Two and three decades ago many nations were united under one Soviet flag, representing a larger population and therefore more athletes to draw from. It’s interesting to note that in 2008 Ukraine ended in 11th place with 27 medals, an impressive display for a relatively small nation, and Belarus surprised us with its 16th spot and 19 medals, ahead of such countries as Poland or Canada. Georgia came in 27th place with six medals, and Kazakhstan secured the 19th position with 13 medals. Those who followed the Olympics closely noticed that the former Soviet nations performed best in their historically strong areas. Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Belarus did well in boxing, wrestling, weight-lifting, and other “manly” activities. Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia secured best spots in women’s gymnastics. Overall, Russian women looked stronger and more confident in their disciplines than the men did.
Please visit the extended post to see the table of medals for the team of the Russian Federation.
A Driver for Very (Водитель для Веры) is a fine romantic drama from director Pavel Chukhraj. Set during the summertime on a secret Soviet naval base in the Crimea of the early 1960s, the movie uses the height of the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis as the backdrop for its human drama. The heroes of this Russian movie are a Red Army general and a young soldier, and the villains are KGB agents.
The plot revolves around General Serov (Brogdan Stupka), who has a physically disabled and troubled daughter named Vera (Yelena Babenko). Vera walks with a noticeable limp but also drinks and smokes and wears glamorous clothes. When Viktor (Igor Petrenko), a young Red Army soldier, is recruited from the Kremlin Guards to work as the General's chaffeur, he is immediately attracted to Vera, in spite of the teasing advances of the General's pretty young maid Lida (Yekaterina Yudina, not so believable in this role).
Who would have imagined that barely after the guns stopped in South Ossetia, the principal conductor of the London Symphony, Valery Gergiev, who also is lead guest conductor of the New York Metropolitan Opera, would appear out of the smoke to lead a classical musical requiem for the war dead?
Gergiev, it seems, is a native of Ossetia, and his performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony and Shostrakovich’s Seventh Symphony was surely one of the few propaganda coups—and the classiest—that Russia has had in the current international crisis. One can note that the numbers of war dead are turning out to have been exaggerated in early reports, and one can hope that people will find a resonance in their hearts for all of them--on both sides. That might cause reasonable men of good will to seek real peace.
Russia Blog's editors wish our American readers around the world a Happy Independence Day!
A Special Invitation to Russia Blog readers in Moscow!
The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham) and the Coca-Cola Company are sponsoring an Independence Day celebration at the historic Kuskovo Estate tomorrow, July 5, 2008. This event will feature live music, spectacular fireworks, a huge cake from the Moscow Radisson SAS hotel, raffle prizes and games for children.
Getting to the Party
A free shuttle bus will take guests to and from the Ryazansky Prospekt metro station on the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya_Line (purple) line beginning at 3 p.m. and running until midnight on Saturday, July 5. The bus will pick up and drop off passengers just past the city bus stop. (Exit the metro toward the last car of the train as it travels from the center.)
IMPORTANT - Purchasing Tickets at the Gate
For those who did not purchase a ticket in advance, tickets are just $17 (400 rubles) at the gate for adults entering from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Kids under the age of 12 get in free. After 7 p.m. only advance ticket holders will be admitted to the grounds.
Click on the extended post to watch a video clip with American patriotic music
The Spanish team showed admirable professionalism and fully deserved to go on to the final against Germany. Nearly twenty unscheduled flights with fans left Moscow for Vienna this morning. Russia lost, but there are no bad feelings towards the squad or its Dutch coach. A young Russian team looked tired and overmatched, but it achieved something that no one could have dreamed of just two weeks ago, and the country is proud of its players for reaching the semi-finals of the European championship. Tonight fireworks can be heard in major Russian cities, but there were no riots by upset fans. Many Russian families went to bed around 2 a.m. Moscow time with the full understanding that today their team faced highly experienced professionals - and it will compete at the highest levels again very soon.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms made the game hard on both teams, but it did not interrupt the satellite broadcast (as it happened yesterday during the game between Germany and Turkey).
Congratulations to Spain - we can’t wait to see the final between German and Spanish teams this coming Sunday. The game, as usual, will be broadcast at 2:30 PM EST, 11:30 AM PST.
A Russian band and fans marching through the streets of Vienna before the game. Russian fans preferred taking photos with local statues dressed in Spanish jerseys, while Spanish fans enjoyed taking photos with Russian girls. The spirit was high and interactions were warm and friendly.More photos in extended post.
Semi-Finals Euro 2008: Russia vs. Spain 2:30 PM EST, 11:30 AM PST
Yuri Mamchur
Russian Soccer team training in Vienna on Tuesday We stongly recommend this video from CNN about Russia's victories this year.
Don’t miss this historic game! This is the first time that a Russian (not Soviet) team has made it to the European quarter-finals and then semi-finals. Previously, no Russian team made it past the qualifying round of the Euro soccer tournament. Now, after conquering the previously undefeated Dutch team, the Russian squad, led by a Dutch coach, will play Spain in Vienna. The Russian parliament may advise Russian vendors to avoid sales of alcohol the day of the game. Even though such suggestion is not a law, many businesses will most likely listen to it, because the profits to be made from alcohol sales cannot compare with the losses suffered from damage caused by rowdy fans. Last Saturday to Sunday night (June 21-22, 2008), Moscow became the scene of the largest Russian public demonstration since victory day in World War II. The spontaneous celebrations in the city streets were peaceful and continued until 8 a.m.
Dutchman Guus Hiddink, Russia's coach, celebrates victory over the Dutch team
This past Saturday, another example of Russia's global resurgence was exhibited on the soccer pitch in Basel, Switzerland, in a thrilling quarter-final match between Russia and a highly thought of Dutch squad, at the European 2008 men's soccer tournament ("Euro '08").
Open container? Yes. To the Russian soccer team!
Playing inspired soccer from the start, Russia had several scoring opportunities. After a scoreless first half, Roman Pavlyuchenko connected for Russia's first goal (so far, Pavlyuchernko is Russia's leading scorer in the tournament). Later on in the second half, the Dutch answered with a well executed header from Ruud Van Nistelrooy. After a 1-1 tie in regulation time, the two sides played to a scoreless first half of extra time. In the second half of extra time, Dmitri Torbinsky and Andrei Arshavin scored to ice the game for Russia.
Fans in Red Square, Moscow, celebrate Russia's victory
Holland-Russia Soccer Game to be Nationally Televised in the U.S.
Michael Averko
Dutchman Guus Hiddink is the head coach of Russian men's national soccer team (photos by ESPN)
Throughout history, Russia has shown a willingness to utilize non-Russian know-how for greater advancement. As a case in point, Peter the Great studied shipbuilding in Holland and England, to enhance Russia's maritime status. In 2006, Dutchman Guus Hiddink was hired to coach the Russian men's national soccer team.
Prior to Hiddink's hiring, Russia's soccer program was in disarray. The quality level of a soccer coach has been known to greatly influence the level of a given program. Money was shelled out to Hiddink with that in mind. Hiddink has a good track record for improving the stature of the national soccer teams he has coached.
After a sluggish start in their first game of the men's European 2008 soccer tournament (a 4-1 loss to Spain), the Russian team won its games against Greece and Sweden. Russia now faces the daunting task of playing the highly regarded Dutch team in a quarter-final match.
A gang of black-clad horsemen gallop past a line of gallows, splattering tufts of snow against frozen corpses. They are the 'oprichniki', loyal henchmen of Russia's sixteenth century tsar, Ivan the Terrible. Severed dogs' heads dangle from their saddles, a warning to the motherland's internal enemies. The set belongs to a new film, "Ivan the Terrible and Metropolitan Philip," due out next year, which explores the relationship between the tyrant Ivan and his friend and fiercest critic, Philip. Standing near a white-walled monastery in Suzdal, a town 200 kilometers (120 miles) northeast of Moscow whose buildings resemble the capital in medieval times, director Pavel Lungin said he had a working budget of $17 million for "Ivan," high by Russian standards.
The large budget and professional crew, including a U.S. cameraman who works with director Clint Eastwood, are a sign of a revival in Russia's film industry, which is attracting large sums from the government and private investors. The government expects its production companies to make $900 million in profits in 2011, almost double last year's earnings. Their films are shown on the new screens popping up across the country, mostly to young audiences with more money to burn than their parents before them.
Twilight Watch (Сумеречный дозор) Filming Underway in Los Angeles?
Charles Ganske
Sergey Lukyanenko went from being a struggling child psychotherapist and sci-fi writer to an international celebrity with the success of his novels and screenplays
The Russian news media reported earlier this week that director Timur Bekmambetov was in Los Angeles to film Twilight Watch (Sumerechnyy Dozor), the third screen adaptation of fantasy writer Sergey Lukyanenko's epic Night Watchseries of novels. However, Russia Blog's LA correspondent, UCLA professor David MacFadyen, confirms via email that Bekmambetov is making frequent visits to southern California these days but the director has been coy with the local Russian press about his current projects.
