Feodor Chaliapin Sr.

Arguably Russia’s most famous folk song, Dark Eyes has captured hearts around the world for the past 100 years. This portrait explores the song’s somewhat controversial history, its musical versatility and its cultural relevance. Performances by Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Liberace, a 13-piece orchestra and a Russian folk group make it clear why Dark Eyes has stood the test of time.

Adaptation du chef-d’œuvre de Miguel de Cervantes en un récit bien entendu plus condensé, qui montre de sensibles différences dramaturgiques avec le roman original : Pabst fait mourir son héros à la fin et Dulcinée se montre « démoniaque ».

This film was a true peculiarity, a filmed version of the great Feodor Chaliapin in one of his most famous roles; the fact that it was a silent film, with title cards, meant that audiences could only appreciate his acting. Another curiosity is that the film also included a minor role enacted by Richard Boleslavsky, who in 1932 directed “Rasputin and the Empress.”(9)

Ce film est dédié à Fedor Chaliapine, l’un des plus grands chanteurs d’opéra du XXe siècle. Fedor Chaliapine a également joué dans plusieurs films, dont le Don Quichotte de Pabst. Sokourov a, dans cette élégie, utilisé des fragments de ces films ainsi que des images d’archives.

Documentary film about early years of Russian cinema: its first directors, cameramen, producers and actors. Includes rare fragments of pre-revolutionary feature films, newsreels and Starewicz's animation.