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Doctor Zhivago, starring Omar Sharif ★★★★

Doctor Zhivago, loosely based on a novel by Boris Pasternak, is now produced as an epic soap opera occurring at the time of the Revolution in the Soviet Union. Through a complex mix of many characters, including Dr. Zhivago, Tonya (Zhivago’s wife), Larissa (Lara), and others, a complex tale is weaved, from a novel mostly commenting on the nature of the Bolshevik revolution, but turned into a soap of Dr. Zhivago, who, through many encounters with an unusual woman Larissa, eventually develops a love affair with her, but then separated by the vicissitudes  of the Revolution. The film can be rightly praised for the awesome filming, even though most of it was filmed in either Italy or the United States. There were many in-the-face shots, characteristic of either soap operas or director David Lean. The music tended toward mono-thematic, with nothing other than Lara’s theme being repeated again and again, in a Wagnerian Leitmotiv fashion, though with only one Leitmotiv. The acting is superb. Oddly, the filming gives poor reason why Zhivago would betray his wife; most odd, because the film character for Tonya was far more attractive and a nicer personality than Larissa. So it goes with movies. It was noted that Klaus Kinski played a small role in the film-I missed him completely. This is a long movie–over three hours–with an intermission after the style of movies in the 1960s.

Zulu Dawn ★★

Zulu ★★

Both of these films were very well rated on Amazon.com, a mystery to me, since they were both horrible films. Some Amazon reviewers comment on the historical accuracy and others on the remarkable historical inaccuracy of the films. Knowing Hollywood, they probably got the facts slightly right. Both films were done by the same director, and so they shared a very similar style, and both were filmed in Natal, where the action historically occurred, using Zulu actors. One cannot criticize the cinematography. Both films have a long and arduous lead-up to the final battle, in Zulu Dawn, the British regimen was annihilated, and in Zulu, a small remnant survived. The historical commentary suggests that the British were invaders into the Zulu lands, and invaded the large Zulu kingdom in an unprovoked attack. The historical facts of British dealings with the Zulu are one of many black stains on the Victorian rule in building a world-wide empire. These films attempt a minor commentary on British actions in Natal, though done in rather poor style. Too much of both films included overly silly scenes, such as the preacher scenes in Zulu, or the hospital scenes. There was too much lengthy filming of army movements, or clumsy falls. The officers are painted as inept and rank and file troops as undisciplined. Only the first (inept officers) is probably partially true. Don’t waste your time on either of these films–they are not worth the 90 plus minutes each that you will have to endure on each film.

Les Trois Colours (Three Colors) Trilogy (Blue/White/Red) by Kiezlowski ★★★★

These three films receive a uniformly 5-star rating by Amazon reviewers, and there is much to commend for this series, superbly well performed and directed. They are separate tales, but tied together by the French themes of liberty, equality, and fraternity, which is actually demonstrated very weakly in the series. The first film (Bleu) is about the wife of famous composer, whose family, including her composer-husband and young daughter are killed in a tragic automobile accident. She goes on to try to free her life from her past, but eventually discovers more to the life of her late husband than she expected. The second film (Blanc) is about a polish hairdresser involved in a messy divorce, with his wife mercilessly dumping him while living in Paris, he being unable to capably defend himself owing to language problems. The remainder of the film takes him from destitution to ultimate revenge on his ex-wife. The third film (Rouge) depicts a young model who chances across a retired judge who now spends his life eavesdropping on his neighbors. Ultimately, a deeper relationship is developed between the two, as they interact with the past of the judge and future of the young model. Kieslowski nicely incorporates the thematic colors in his films in an interesting sort of way. In Bleu, there are blue rooms and blue chandeliers and many blue objects, in Blanc, emotional episodes show a screen white-out, and in Rouge, there is an equal profusion of red, such as a large red banner announcing a fashion show with the star character imaged. I reduced the rating by one-star because of the overwhelming morose mood throughout the entire series. Only Blanc showed any humor at all. All were moderately dark, deeply-foreboding films, quasi-tragedies of ruined lives desperate for significance and meaning, and the films never offering a way out. Ultimate liberty, equality or fraternity are never achieved, but a cheap imitation. These are not films to soar with, but will put you in the gutter and leave you there. They would be nice films for conversations on philosophy, but not for conversations on a life of higher aspirations.