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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsI saw "The Death of Stalin" last night.
Being familiar with the history of this event, and kind of curious about it since I couldn't imagine how someone could rearrange the end of the horror of Stalinism into a comedy I went to see the movie The Death of Stalin last night by myself, as both my wife and my son at home are working like crazy on their intellectual pursuits.
I couldn't imagine I would laugh, but laugh I did. It was hysterically absurd.
Steve Buscemi, playing Khruschev - who in real life was actually a crude and uneducated, if highly intelligent man - steals the show. He plays Khruschev sort of the way he played the Carl Showalter in Fargo, although also adding a level of something quite different.
I have always hated the real life Beria, a rapist, torturer and murderer, and Simon Beale does a pretty good job portraying this awful man, although his physical resemblance is not quite that strong to the real Beria, who had a thin and almost intellectual look, although he was one of history's greatest beasts.
Michael Palin is wonderful as Molotov as well.
If you are interested at all in the tawdry history of Stalinism, as well as possessed of a somewhat offbeat sense of humor, don't miss it.
Glorfindel
(9,736 posts)"If you are interested at all in the tawdry history of Stalinism, as well as possessed of a somewhat offbeat sense of humor." That pretty much describes me to a T!
cyclonefence
(4,483 posts)I went with a girlfriend on a Thursday, and we were literally the only people in the audience. I loved it so much I dragged my husband, who has an immense interest in Russian history, to see it on the next Sunday at 4--nearly all the seats were sold; the only seats were in the very front row, so apparently word is spreading.
This movie is the very definition of black comedy. It is wonderful.
comradebillyboy
(10,175 posts)I really want to see the movie
Upthevibe
(8,072 posts)The cast look great
Ron Obvious
(6,261 posts)That sounds exactly like the kind of film I'd enjoy, and there isn't much that tempts me to the cinema these days. Doesn't seem to be playing in a lot of places around here, unfortunately.
96% Positive on RT.
Stuart G
(38,448 posts)A couple of musicians are walking through Chicago in the 20s, view a murder..and. before you know it.....one of the funniest comedies ever..........."Some Like it Hot"..
they are going to hang this fellow for something, the governor gets an idea..and before you know it the fellow to be hanged, is....made the the sheriff........Blazing Saddles..
etc. etc. etc...please add more to this list...oh...and if you have not seen "Some Like it Hot"...put it on the list..it is wonderful...beyond words...