Inner Circle [VHS] Overview
Here's an intriguing little premise: Inside Stalin's Kremlin, as seen by... his movie projectionist! Now that's glasnost. As played by Tom Hulce, he's an optimistic little dweeb who believes that Fearless Leader has only his best interests at heart. Most of the film is about his waiting to do his job, getting occasional glimpses of Uncle Joe, not realizing that, when the ruthless dictator finally does engage him in conversation, Stalin might as well be talking to a bug. Bob Hoskins pops up as Berea, head of the KGB and master of deceit--but mostly he wags his eyebrows and looks amused. It's a long slog to the finish, but then, that's true of almost all of director Andrei Konchalovsky's films. --Marshall Fine
Customer Reviews
Buzz, buzz goes the bell. A man in his underpants ago on charges of night to meet, so that his new wife in bed. "Sanshin mate?" KGB officers in uniform asked as the door opens. "Sir!" Sanshin answer. "You're coming with us," announced a uniform. "Where are you taking me, Sanshin, asked nervously, thinking of his neighbor, who had just recently met in the middle of the night." No questions, "says the uniform, he added "We must abandonimmediately. "For the car waiting down the stairs, Sanshin explains that" there must be a mistake. I did nothing wrong. "His neighbor, below, since they were" arrested an enemy of the people "Sanshin state," I have not had any contact with foreigners "--- the indictment of the neighbors addressed. You get the black and official car start to the wet streets to move from the last move. The semi-fogged windows and raindrops clinging to their outdated, spies Sanshinsilhouette dark, the lights, then find the walls of the fortress in central Moscow, the seat of Soviet power. More then questioning himself, Sanshin finally said aloud what is increasingly clear (although incredibly) it --- "We are in the Kremlin? Hence the title of this movie, because through this character --- - - takes the heart of the inner circle of the Soviet Union under Stalin, when this man, Sanshin, not arrested, but as projectionist skillsrequisitioned by the Soviet leadership. Ganshin Alexander, a real person, based on this character really served as Stalin's projectionist for almost 20 years, until the fan movie / tyrant died in 1953. Therefore, this film is important. No, not a great movie --- is a bit 'slow points, etc., but as windows go into more intimate of Stalin, which is inimitable. It 'was the first western film within the walls of the Kremlin to shoot (in 1991, thanks to the winds of Gorbachevchange). His feeling is, therefore, the point, very authentic in every way: sentences, dialogue, realism, etc. (Russian), actor portrays Stalin not by chance, a wonderful job. Variety in Hollywood trade paper, called the film "false", no doubt, because to show what Hollywood would have preferred to ignore --- so tried., Life under Stalin's regime was repressive. (Ever wonder why there are dozens of films about Nazis and Hitler and Stalin, and just a handful of aspects ofSoviet history?) As I said, this film is a good movie (Roger Ebert gave 3 stars), but not a brilliant movie --- so my vote. But it is probably the best Western movies, just above the edge, every fact about the Soviet Union from Doctor Zhivago. If you have a serious interest in what life was like under Stalin can not avoid this film. (PS wrote: For a great book by a former official of the Soviet party, what life was like under Stalin, from someone who has experienced first hand, IViktor Kravchenko advised "I Chose Freedom.") Cheers!
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