The Dawns Here Are Quiet

One of the best Russian films ever. It touches one's soul to the very bottom. I wish people watch it and remember those who fought and died in that horrible war. This film is 100% based on a true story. Watch it and you will discover more not only about the mysterious Russian soul but about yourself too.

I saw this movie several times. First, I watched this movie when I was a kid. At that time it didn't say much to me. There isn't much war-film stuff in it: except for some air-raid attack-counter-attack scene at the beginning and several shots in the second part of the movie. Last time I watched the movie, I was more knowledgeable about WWII and conscious about the calamities it brought to my country. My grandmom's favorite movie, as my Dad says, "A zori zdes' tihije", conveys more than Soviet propaganda wanted it to do. This movie greatly explores people's lives and destinies in a war period. It asks with passion:"How can we live an everyday life in an extraordinary time, the war proves to be."

People when rate this film as realistic or not, they try to equate it to a low-grade action movie alike "hit and run" type. You must understand that the movie is not in that category.

Imagine, that bandits broke into your house. Strong, armed, ready to kill. And you realize that will be no negotiations, that you are destined to die, without any questions asked. To die in your own home. The only question is now: how it will happen? You will meet death humbly kneeling, or would resist, maybe even realizing the futility of attempts? To die for to save somebody others.

And such a decision should be made by young girls who lived not so long.

This is arguably one of the very best war movies ever made. The story is touching and poetic. A great ensemble cast shine under the careful and sensitive direction under Stanislav Rostotsky. The use of montage and different coloring schemes for several different periods work nicely and the cinematography is stunning. This is a movie not to be missed by any serious movie buff. Ruscico is gonna release in on DVD sometime in 2004. Keep your fingers crossed.

A zori zdes tikhie (1972) ...aka The Dawns Here Are Quiet - is an honest, realistic and very fine Soviet War film which is sadly un-known to the Western audiences. It was directed by a very talented director Stanislav Rostotsky who also made two of my favorite films, Belyy Bim - Chyornoe ukho (1970) ... aka White Bim Black Ear and Dozhivyom do ponedelnika (1969) aka We'll Live Till Monday .

Rostotsky chose perfect cast - the young and unknown performers who all shone in his movie. I also highly recommend the book by Boris Vasilyev of the same title - I still remember the day when I first read that rather short but unforgettable story about five young girls and their corporal Vaskov who was much older and who was not used to deal with the women-soldiers. What started as a comedy, soon became a compelling and gripping drama depicting an unequal fight of the group of five women and their leader against 16 Nazi paratroopers, specially trained and deadly dangerous that penetrated deep beyond the front-line.