Hard to Be a God (Aleksei German, 2014)

[Yakushima]

A group of scientists visits the distant planet Arkanar, and discovers a society still trapped in its own medieval era. Unable to interfere with the course of its history, they can only watch in mounting horror as all sparks of intelligent and independent thought are mercilessly snuffed out by Arkanar’s cruel rulers. Will they remain enmired in their squalid existence for ever, or can the visitors subtly nudge the more open-minded in the right direction? Truly, it’s hard to be a god.

Legendary Russian sci-fi authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky (whose Roadside Picnic was filmed as Stalker by Andrei Tarkovsky) wrote the source novel, and adapting it was director Aleksei German’s dream project for decades. It would take six years of shooting, a further six of post-production and a posthumous premiere before his masterpiece was finally unveiled.

But masterpiece it is: a visually astonishing, almost tactile recreation of an unnervingly recognisable alternative universe, drenched in blood, mud and the tears of the oppressed.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:

• High Definition (1080p) presentation
• Original Russian soundtrack
• Optional English subtitles
• Exclusive interview with Aleksei German Jr, who completed his father’s film after his death
• Interview with co-screenwriter Svetlana Karmalita, the director’s widow
• The History of the Arkanar Massacre, an appreciation of the film by Daniel Bird
• The Unknown Genius: Michael Brooke looks at Aleksei German’s creatively dazzling but politically hobbled career
• Imagery gallery
• Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Andrzej Klimowski

[Matt]

Apologies if a similar topic already exists.
The completion of "It's hard to be a God" is now hopefully not too far in the future. According to German's widow Svetlana Karmalita, his son, Alexey, who is supervising the post-production following the director's passing, and according to the principal actor Leonid Yarmolnik the film should premiere some time this fall.
In the meantime, here is an excellent documentary "German, the son of German" dedicated to Alexey German 75th anniversary (on July 20), which shows many, many behind the scene moments from the filming of "It's hard to be a God" as well as wonderful German's monologues. I highly recommend it (while it's still in free access!):

...there are plans to release the title in the fall, although no date has been set yet. - Alexei German Jr.

[Yakushima]

According to Svetlana Karmalita, "Hard to be a god" will have a world premiere at Rome Film Festival in November, followed by Russian premiere and a wide release.

[Yakushima]

Finally, after so many years the day has come. The film premiered today at Rome Film Festival.
Has anyone on this forum been lucky enough to see it?
Please, share your thoughs!

[Stefan Andersson]

For more info, go here:

http://filmguide.romacinemafest.it/en/film.aspx?ID=8979" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Calvin]

The Hollywood Reporter

[Yakushima]

What a terribly written review, it puts its author, not the film in a poor light, as someone tasked with reviewing a film she cannot comprehend. The article lists mostly the critic's complains about her expectations not been met! I love the especially moronic part in which she gives an advice to the director: "Many viewers will reach the end of the film still wondering if he could possibly be a god in disguise. This basic misunderstanding, which undermines the whole story, could easily be cleared up at the beginning." The critic also airs her unhappiness about ill-portrayed middle ages: "German does succeed in his announced intent to create a complete world onscreen, one that resembles the Middle Ages but without chivalry, courtiers, knights or ladies, without troubadours or artists, without churches or God."
Too bad this piece of crap review will serve as an intro to the film for many in the English-speaking world.

Here is a much more intelligent piece:
http://calvertjournal.com/comment/show/ ... o-be-a-god" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and some great reviews in Russian:
http://www.novayagazeta.ru/arts/60947.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://vozduh.afisha.ru/cinema/trudno-b ... chestvuet/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Yakushima]

A poster for the film used during Rome Film Festival.

[Yakushima]

An image from Hard to be a god.

[Yakushima]

Lots of high quality "behind the scene" images (some new to me) and two fragments from the completed version of "Hard to be a god" provided by Alexey German Jr., totaling 5 minutes (spoilers!).

http://drugoi.livejournal.com/3912416.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kris]

Your input is appreciated, Yakushima.

If the film should end up in Berlin's cinemas, I'll most definitely be there. Just this year I picked up all available German-films (including a US bootleg of Khrustaliov and except the Seventh Companion) and was heavily impressed, especially by Lapshin and the epic/monstrous Khrustaliov. If Hard to be a God is anything like those, it will be a glorious experience.

[Yakushima]

Thank you, Kris! Glad you were able to track down most of Alexey German's films. Khrustalev is absolutely amazing, I watched it several times, every time finding it incredibly moving and engrossing dream-like experience. If reviews are to be believed, "Hard to be a god" exeeds "Khrustalev" in complexity and monstrosity many times over.
Perhaps a wishful thinking, but I hope it will stand a better chance of reaching international audience than Krustalev did, partially due to a more universal appeal of medieval Boschian imagery. Let's hope it will visit both Berlin and NYC at some point, and possibly gets picked up by Criterion in the end? One can dream!

[bunuelian]

This film sounds like a must-see.

On searching Amazon for Khrustalev I was presented with a pancake mix and pumpkin pie bar supreme mix from Krusteaz. I'm excited to uncover another director to explore, especially with a plate full of pumpkin pie bar supremes hot out of the oven.

[perkypat]

Trial on the Roads showed at Leeds Film Festival last week so interest seems to be building in German's work.

[Yakushima]

"Hard to be a God" finally has officially premiered in Russia, at a special screening for journalists, and is set for wide release on February 27. In the meantime it is shown at the 43rd International Film Festival in Rotterdam.

Here is an excelent review of "Hard to be a God" from Rotterdam by Neil Young on Indiewire:

"The long wait, and the colossal effort, however, proved on this occasion to have been emphatically worthwhile. This is visionary cinema of truly loopy, uncompromised grandeur, an unremitting but stimulating slog through a swamp of post-narrative confusion which will frustrate and annoy those seeking conventional story-development."

And finally a few images shared by Luxor, the film's distributor in Russia:

[Yakushima]

Another great review of "Hard to be a God" from Rotterdam.

[Yakushima]

A review on Twitch.

and a couple of additional stills released by the distributor in the runup to the wide release in Russia:

[Yakushima]

A kinetic new trailer for "Hard to be a God".

[Yakushima]

The film just got its own website (in Russian).

[beamish13]

Movie tie-in edition of the Strugatsky Bros.' novel has just been released. The translation is brand-new, and corrects many errors that were present from the original 1973 English-language publication.

[Arrow]

Is there a home video release slated for this film anytime soon?

[Yakushima]

Arrow: a decent Blu-ray of the film has been out in Russia since May. Unfortunately, it is completely bare-bones, no supplements or subtitles of any kind, even Russian, but transfer quality is good. Here is the cover:



I have not heard of any international video release yet, and here in the US the film does not even have a distributor, it seems. There are unsubtitled DVD copies of questionable nature on Ebay at the moment.

The Russian Blu-ray is not easy to get oversees because of a stupid law Russia inacted in 2000s, which forbids export of any video products abroad. I had to rely on Russian torrents, sadly, to finally see it. By now I watched the film 6 times and with every viewing I am becoming awed more and more. This is an amazing masterpiece. I am waiting impatiently for a chance to see it on a big screen.

Considering abundance of behind the scene videos, countless interviews with Alexey German, photos, memoirs of assistant director and a whole documentary about the filming - "Playback" already in existance, I hope it is only a matter of time until one of the powerhouses like Criterion, or Masters of Cinema or Arrow takes it upon itself to produce a mind blowing package. And then,with a bit of luck, perhaps we'll get a chance to see other German's works restored?

[whaleallright]

I could see Cinema Guild taking a chance on this— if it's even remotely like the descriptions (and/or like Khroustaliov, My Car), it would seem far too forbidding to be in e.g. Criterion's wheelhouse

[zedz]

I saw this on the weekend, and I doubt I will see filmmaking more amazing than this this year. It's about ten times more immersive than the best 3D (you may even find yourself gagging when some bedraggled, shit-stained lummox gobs in your face for the umpteenth time). Utterly astounding as a technical and artistic achievement; I just wish I liked the film more!

[Orthank]

Hey, everybody! Finally you all can watch this film! I made english subtitles for this movie and now you can download them from here: http://www.opensubtitles.org/en/subtitl ... t-bogom-en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Otherwise, movie is also available on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9rzGRiJm5Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
One tip for everyone - watch it till the end. In the beginning it may be really difficult to get used to it's style and understand it's story, but eventually you will feel it. I love this movie!