Ask your average non-Russian fan of world cinema about Russian movies, and you are likely to hear names such as Eisenstein, Pudovkin, Dovzhenko, and Vertov from the early Soviet years, and Tarkovsky, Sokurov, Paradzhanov, Klimov and Shepitko from the later years. These are all great filmmakers, all known for their serious, often dark and austere films. But if you ask Russians themselves about the best Russian movies ever made, other names less known in the West will come up just as frequently—names like Gaidai, Ryazanov, and Daneliya. These are the directors of comedies, and it can rightly be claimed that Russia has an illustrious history of cinema comedy. Some rather goofy and broad, some wry and subtle, here, roughly in order of popularity, is a selected list of the comedies that, to my mind, have become the most beloved entries in the annals of Russian cinema comedy. (Any suggestions – about order or choices—are welcome.)
|
|
|
1. |
|
The Diamond Arm (Brilliantovaya ruka) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Netherlands ]
by Leonid Gaidai
|
|
|
|
2. |
?
|
The Irony of Fate, or, Enjoy Your Bath! (Ironiya sudby, ili, S lyogkim parom!)(Ryazanov, 1975)
|
|
|
|
3. |
|
Mimino [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Netherlands ]
by Georgi Daneliya
|
|
|
|
4. |
|
Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures (Operatsiya Y i drugiye priklyucheniya Shurika) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Netherlands ]
by Leonid Gaidai
|
|
|
|
5. |
|
Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future (Ivan Vasilevich menyaet professiyu) (Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Occupation) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Netherlands ]
by Leonid Gaidai
|
|
|
|
6. |
|
Kidnapping Caucassian Style
by Leonid Gaidai
|
|
|
|
7. |
|
Gentlemen of Fortune
by Aleksandr Seryj
|
|
|
|
8. |
|
Autumn Marathon (Osenniy marafon) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Netherlands ]
by Georgi Daneliya
|
|
|
|
9. |
|
The Carnival Night / Karnavalnaya Noch
by Eldar Ryazanov
|
|
|
|
10. |
|
Bootleggers/ Samogonshiki - Russian Soundtrack Only
by L. Gaidai
|
|
|
|
11. |
?
|
The Jolly Fellows (Vesyolye rebyata)(G. Aleksandrov, 1934)
|
|
|
|
12. |
?
|
Walking the Streets of Moscow (Ya shagayu po Moskve)(G. Daneliya, 1963)
|
|
|
|
13. |
|
Peculiarities of the National Hunt / Osobennosti natsional'noy okhoty - Russian Soundtrack Only
by Aleksandr Rogozhkin
|
|
|
|
14. |
|
Business romance / Sluzhebny Roman
by Eldar Ryazanov
|
|
|
|
15. |
|
Beware of the Car! / Beregis' Avtomobilya
by Eldar Ryazanov
|
|
|
|
16. |
?
|
The Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia (Neveroyatnye priklyucheniya italyantsev v Rossii)(F. Prosperi/E. Ryazanov, 1974)
|
|
|
|
17. |
?
|
The Twelve Chairs (12 stulyev)(L. Gaidai, 1971)
|
|
|
|
18. |
?
|
Volga-Volga (G. Aleksandrov, 1938)
|
|
|
|
19. |
|
Dont grief! [NTSC] [Russian Language Only]
by Georgij Daneliya
|
|
|
|
20. |
|
Peculiarities of the National Fishing
by Aleksandr Rogozhkin
|
|
|
|
