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[Communist Smurf]

I think the idea is that if you're really really hungry, you shouldn't waste stomach space on something as cheap as bread. But I still don't think it's all that funny. They genuinely think it's funny, but they seem to laugh everytime I say anything in Russian.

CS

[bobs12]

Yep, that sounds like Russian humour.

Huh. Do you ever find that Russians who want to learn English usually do their best to undermine your Russian, or is that just me? I even get them trying to undermine my English for God's sake!

[waxwing]

It's from винни пух (Russian version of Winnie the Pooh). It's from the episode where Winnie идёт в гости (goes visiting) to the Rabbit (Krolik). The Rabbit is an ochen vaspitelniy chelovek (well-mannered) and Winnie eats him out of house and home. It is undoubtedly hilarious. The particular phrase refers to the bit where the Rabbit asks Winnie whether he'd like condensed milk or honey on his slices of bread.


Winnie ochen lyubit myod, after all

Grab it on DVD some time, but don't expect to understand all of it even if you're Russian's getting pretty good, because they talk increeedibly fast. Especially the guy who does Winnie (who also starred in Gentlemeniy Udachi, know it?). He is really quite a comic genius.

[bobs12]

Ah... now that makes sense! I'll have to get into the cultural thing a bit more, good excuse to watch videos. DVD? Hah! Not until my ex-flatmate comes back to reclaim her VCR.

Ever seen Бумер?

[waxwing]

The thing about DVDs is you usually get the subtitles (in Russian), which for me is generally necessary because my Russian isn't good enough to watch a real movie without any help.

Boomer is a case in point cos I couldn't get it with subtitles and it's full of slang and nearly impossible to understand the dialogue. All I know is they keep saying poyekhali all the time

Brillian film though, the cinematography and directing is outstanding, I rate it right up there with the best Russian cinema I've yet seen.

Others I like:
москва слезам не верит
служебный роман
джентльмены удачи

These are all well known as classics, and with good reason. They are outstanding, especially in terms of acting.

собака баскервилей (all the Sherlock Holmes ones are worth a look apparently)

others I'm more lukewarm about:
с лёгким паром (first half is brilliant, second half is pure syrup after the basic premise of the film has been explained)
война
брат
брат 2

These three are all by the same director, and whilst very interesting culturally and for learning language, I think the director's ideas about life are simplistic and slightly repugnant, frankly.

двенадцать стулев - way above my head, no subtitles
72 метра - bit dull
берегись автомобилия - v. old, maybe interesting for a cinema buff
кин-дза-дза supposed to be funny and satirical, whatever, bit of a yawn for me.

[bobs12]

лштвяфвяф цфы еру ьщые шккшефештп ашдь Шэв умук ыуут шт ьн дшаую Ш

That, roughly translated into Mongolian and back to English via Punjab, should read "Kindzadza is one of the most irritating films I've ever seen in my life, early Soviet stuff a hoot by comparison"

Ah, now, Russian subtitles is a thing I've been looking for for a long time. Maybe there'll be a DVD player in my girlfriend's Christmas stockings this year...

I haven't seen many on your list- I have to admit to not even having watched either of the Брат films, nor the much-acclaimed Burnt by the Sun, but since my workload has recently lessened off a bit I'm going to spend this winter catching up on culture. Which includes watching Бумер to the end. Last time was just too late at night. Said g/f tells me she had to watch it twice to understand the plot, which makes me doubt I'll ever get it. However, I reckon it's a candidate for translating to English because I agree that it looks technically brilliant. Has it been done, I wonder? Some clever marketing and it'd be a big hit.

[waxwing]

Ha! You used the secret code

"Kindzadza was the most irritating film I'd ever seen in my life. I"



I agree about Boomer. I think it'd go down pretty well back home. Kind of like Cidade de Deus for Brazil. It'd never be a blockbuster, too many Russian cultural specifics like the police (I love the scene where he goes for a piss and then .. you know ), and the stuff with the babushka using her derevnya healing techniques. Probably the story isn't that brilliant, but the style is what really stands out.

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Hi guys:

I'm not quite sure how you've moved from laundry to Russian cinema, but here we are.

This is for you film buff-types:

http://www.geocities.com/rusatg/index.html




*reposted from The Master Index

[bobs12]

Wow! That guy likes his films. And his banner adverts. Will check it out on Monday at work. High-speed internet is one of the greatest perks of woeking in a software company. Thanks for putting the Lingvo link on your list Kent, nice to feel a part of such a mammoth compilation!

Going briefly back to "и того и другого и можно без хлеба" - I heard it on radio yesterday on the way to pick up my girlfriend from work! I wasn't paying enough attention to get the actual context, but I swear it's the first time I'd ever heard it. What a bizarre coincidence. It's not that I'd only been thinking about it recently, as it had quite honestly stuck in my mind from the first time I set virtual foot in this forum. Cool.

Changing the topic completely, what kind of fool takes a day off work when he has only ONE lesson in order to change his rusty old car's sump in preparation for a trip to Novgorod... only to find that the result of an entire day's work (not to mention skinned knuckles and a lot of dirty looks from the neighbours) is an even leakier sump, and the old one already chucked in the pomoinik!?

Sympathy please. When I have money I'm gonna get myself a Lexus thingummyjiggery- you know the one that looks halfway between an offroader an a grossly oversized hatchback/coupe? Then you can be sure there won't even be a toolkit in the boot...