Co-directed by Konstantin Ershov and Georgiy Kropachyov, to say Viy is ahead of its time is an understatement. Success! While the barrage of effects seldom look realistic – with the filmmakers constantly running the risk of over-reaching themselves – it’s impossible not to be won over by the sheer audacity of the production. Khoma is reluctant, but a threat and a promise of reward means he’s soon on his way. A group of seminary students from the city go on summer break, drunkenly wandering the countryside. He just manages to draw a holy circle around himself with some chalk before she moves about the church, arms outstretched, trying to find him. By Brett on August 02nd, 2013 "Viy" is a Soviet Union era movie about a young seminarian named Khoma, who takes some kind of pilgrimage with two other priests in training. Faithfully adapted from the Nikolai Gogol short story. His daughter demanded Khoma read prayers over her for three nights and by God he’ll do it, or he’ll have a thousand lashes instead! Written by Konstantin Ershov, Georgiy Kropachyov, Aleksandr Ptushko Based on the story by Nikolay Gogol Directed by Konstantin Ershov, Georgiy Kropachyov Starring Leonid Kuravlyov Released November 27, 1967 (Soviet Union) RT 77 min. New posts will not be retrieved. New posts will not be retrieved. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. The lessons are – be kind to your elders, don’t be afraid of ghosts as long as the lord is with you, and never, NEVER look Viy in the eye! And it also seems like it took a page from the Disney effects-driven films of the time period (Darby O’Gill, 20,000 Leagues, etc.) Directors: Georgi Kropachyov, Konstantin Yershov Only it turns out he really killed a beautiful landowner's daughter (Natalya Varley), and now he must sit with her body in a church for three days, protecting it from evil spirits. Viy tells the story of Khoma (Kuravlyov), a student at a monastery in Kiev. A scuffle breaks out, and one of the students, Khoma (Leonid Kuravlyov), murders the witch. If you’re not used to films from that time it might take some getting used to. A movie that influenced many of the techniques used in the movies we all know and love. As night falls they find lodgings at the house of an old woman. Overall an entire mess… but I loved every second of it. Though she has little dialogue, Natalya Varley is eerily radiant as the witch. If you are a fan of obscure horror or just want to try something WAY off the beaten path, I highly recommend it. A man trapped by convention, culture, and religion, he must do everything in his power to survive. Running time: 77 minutes I loved the whole thing – it felt like a folk tale, which of course it is. They make goats seem like they are reading the bible (gasp!). There they have a young woman who is afflicted with what they can only guess is a curse, and he must bring the power of the church to fight the evil spirits. The supporting cast are a gallery of grotesques who look like they’ve stumbled out of a painting by Goya or Brueghel senior. Viy (Movie Review) Brett's rating: ★ ★ ★ Director: Konstantin Ershov, Georgi Kropachyov | Release Date: 1967. Overall, this is a fine film with brisk pacing and vivid production design. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Realising he has been caught by a witch, Khoma struggles free and clubs the old woman to the ground with a handy stick. The first horror film produced in Soviet Russia, it is a retelling of a traditional Ukrainian legend and it plays on the vibrant aesthetic of orthodox catholicism while simultaneously promoting the ideals of the communist regime and demonizing the cossacks of the old Czars. A young woman goes searching for her missing artist father. Region: 1 (NTSC) Released: August 21, 2001 : Genre: Supernatural Folk Horror : Synopsis: A seminary student must spend three nights in a decaying church reading scripture to a cadaver possessed by the devil. He's more overwhelmed by circumstance than the tragic victim of some greatly personal flaw. But it is all to no avail and the cock crows, signalling the arrival of a new day. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy Khoma tries to buck up his courage, but this fails miserable when the witch rises from her coffin. There was a Blu-ray release from Severin earlier this year and I think the streaming version is from the same restoration. (1967). I like classic black and white horror films, Hammer chillers, slasher flicks, zombie movies, J-Horror etc. Questionable overacting. I’ve been watching horror movies for the better part of 40 years, and sometimes I wonder if I’m capable of being surprised and terrified by a movie. Typical of Ptushko's work, it mixes gothic horror, from a short story by Nikolai Gogol, and grotesque animated effects in a proletarian automatic blender. The circle, it seems, protects him from her both visually and physically. Saint George's Church, Sedniv, Chernihiv, Ukraine. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. What unfolds here is a crazy ride of stunning camera work, bizarre effects and a range of surprisingly good to downright laughable makeup. After the death of her parents, a young girl arrives at a convent and brings a sinister presence with her. And this is where the movie really starts getting good. All this frenetic over-indulgence does have one downside. All rights reserved. It is at this moment that his circle of protection fails him and he is killed. #31, Day 14: Motel Hell (1980) And they get priests drunk and goad them into singing dozens of lurid songs (oh, the humanity!). Freelance illustrator. Certificate: 12 There may be an issue with the Instagram access token that you are using. It all culminates in an amazingly wacky sequence on the third night of Khoma’s ordeal. Cinema release date: November 1967 (USSR). Though most of the characters are fairly unlikable and the story slows down in spots, this is a visually astounding film. It is a treat for the eyes and a concentrated story that is captivating in its simplicity. by Travis Bundy at 7:53 pm Movie dork. The student emerges with his soul, if not his wits, still intact. By the second night the witch has taken to using her coffin as a battering ram. Sidney Poitier’s 7 Most Memorable Performances, All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer. Nonsensical storyline. Be the first to know when a new post is up! Don't have an account? A European prince terrorizes the local peasantry while using his castle as a refuge against the "Red Death" plague that stalks the land. A movie that influenced many of the techniques used in the movies we all know and love. But when that skeleton shows up, I actually gasped. The cinematography is weird and fun; an obvious influence on Sam Raimi (Evil Dead 1 & 2) and Nobuhiko Obayashi (Hausu) for its crazy angles, quick movements, and dizzying spins. Since I missed the showings other posters have mentioned, it took awhile for me to catch up with this on DVD. Well, you can’t say the nobleman doesn’t have Khoma’s number – he’s apparently compromised of an equal amount of fear and greed. Use the HTML below. From "Veronica Mars" to Rebecca take a look back at the career of Armie Hammer on and off the screen. Viy is absolutely worth a viewing, even if only for the last third of the film. “VIY”, a 1967 horror film produced in the Soviet Union, rises from it’s grave in this gorgeous but limited Severin Films Blu-ray release. When he resists her “charms” she casts a spell that makes him stiff as a board. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. A scuffle breaks out. If you look at the effects-driven films of its era (the 50’s and 60’s), you can see how much they were pushing the boundaries in visual storytelling, camera work, and special effects and makeup. In it, two friends bemoan Khoma's passing and speculate whether or not he is truly dead. It is a stark contrast from the scenes that take place during the day and is designed to put the viewer into the plagued mind of Khoma as he is besieged nightly. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. |, If you combine Bergman and some of Bresson's metaphysical elements with the subsequent fantasy touches of Pasolini in 1974 and the random horror/fantasy insanity you're already familiar with in this era, you get Viy, a groundbreaking glimpse into the collision between the impossible magic of celluloid and a "Tarkovskian" struggle of faith against demons. The second night is even worse, with the coffin rising up and banging against the confines of his circle! A group of three finds themselves lost as the sun goes down, but manage to stumble across an old farm house and an equally aged crone. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Vij You're almost there! The ending sequence is a nightmarish phantasmagoria of monsters, swirling camerawork and some of the most bizarre imagery seen on film. This film is funny, scary, and visualy impressive. It’s just great. Russian director Alexander Ptushko is known for his special effects, which have an appropriately low-tech charm in this 1967 folktale. I would add only that the young preists harrowing experiencemight well have inspired the Western horror novel and film "The Exorsist." Please click the link below to receive your verification email. Which brings us to Viy. One such film is the 1967 Russian classic Viy (pronounced “VEE”). and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. Or is there a satanic force at work? The Viy was published in the story collection Mirgorod (1835) in which Gogol writes several tales based on Russian folklore. I think of myself as a horror movie generalist – meaning I don’t focus specifically on one genre or time period. Kuravlev's performance is essential to making the film work. Home Video Diamont (DVD) Classic Horrors rating = 7 (out of 10) “Viy is a colossal creation of the imagination of simple folk. 19 of 27 people found this review helpful. Often spoken of as the first Soviet era horror movie, Viy is one of those films that I’ve heard about many times (most recently in Sailor Monsoon’s excellent 100 Greatest Overlooked Horror Movies), but have just never gotten around to seeing. As it turns out, the young lady in question resembles the form the witch took when Khoma almost beat her to death and now he must, as custom dictates, sit with the body in her family cathedral for three nights to read the last rites and send her soul to heaven.

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