★ 6 / 10
Mixed Opinion
Wbennit
This movie really has 1 thing going for it, which is the unusual cultural element presented. The Russian style and music movement this film is about is…
This movie really has 1 thing going for it, which is the unusual cultural element presented. The Russian style and music movement this film is about is extremely eye opening, and the crew did an specular job visualizing it. It follows a typical Russian youth's discovery of and assimilation into a movement to expel the monotonous, monochromatic lifestyles of Soviet Moscow by extremely obsessing with Western fashion and music. Imagine Happy Days interpreted by someone on the other side of the world. The film features some musical elements and some modern songs.
From my older Russian relatives comments, sets and wardrobe were not extremely over the top. Stilagi means something like "stylish obsessed people" - it comes from the word stil' meaning style.
The film was not written for a western audience for the most part, but it could lead to some interesting discussion afterward. For instance, vinyl records were really bootlegged on x-ray sheets and certain musical instruments were extremely illegal!
I thought the actors did a nice job especially the young leads. But they did not sing the songs, nor were the songs from the proper era. The film felt more like a story with musical elements thrown in like Miike's Happiness of the Katakuris - except no zombies, claymation, etc.
However, unless viewing the film with some Russians you probably won't get the full potential presented here. Many of the older actors are extremely famous. The lead female is an actress with some Western recognition. Also some cultural elements like communal living, youth groups, social status, and relevance of characters' names were not explained for Western viewers.
On the negative side, the story itself is at times predictable and other times just absurd. Granted, this is a musical! The writers could have easily set up a straight forward love story set in troubled times, but they chose to extend the third act too far. If the film ended 40 minutes earlier, maybe I would enjoy it more. The plot has multiple loop holes, but addressing them would not help the narrative.
Overall, this can be equated to one of those weird Asian cinema offerings where since you can't get much of the language you ignore the ridiculous story and just focus on the vivid, excellent visuals. It also helps that there are some creative intimate scenes.
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★ 7 / 10
Rebellious Hipsters in a Grey World
tanujpoddar
The movie takes a peek behind the iron curtain in the post World War 2. Set in a 1955 Moscow, it describes the battle between conformity and individuality that…
The movie takes a peek behind the iron curtain in the post World War 2. Set in a 1955 Moscow, it describes the battle between conformity and individuality that the youth faces while living under a communist regime built on the ideology that no one is better than another and everyone lives for each other. However, there is a tribe that in its youthful defiance of the system (that promotes a monotonous and disciplined life), adopts a culture of colorful clothing and celebrating their life through their love for jazz at broadway and cocktail club. The society that considers following western culture a defiance of the countries ideology and shames them as hipsters or "Stilyagi". Western articles are not imported into the country, but are smuggled and bought through middlemen trading in the dark alleys around the clubs. The sense of defiance through these purchases, further stimulates the propulsion of this culture.
The narrative is bound around the 20 year old Mels who is part of the youth wing of the communist party. He isn't necessarily tied closely to the ideology of the party, but earnestly carries out the orders and is very close friends with its youth commander, Katlyn. During one of the raids on partying hispsters, Mels is smitten by the enchanting Polly. He subsequently realizes that to capture her attention, he would need to learn to dress up and dance like them and become a part of their group. This gives a sneak peak behind the jazzy outlook of the group as they are shown as citizens who too belong normal conformed family lives but choose to express themselves by socializing together. In this journey of transformation, Mels also learns to play Saxaphone which helps him to charter to unexplored facets of this personality.
Through Mels journey of transition the director sheds light on how the hipsters, or "Dandy" as they are called, keep up with their lifestyle. One thing that strikes the viewer is that they are too vibrant and gaudy in their choices, partly because the director wanted to markedly distinguish between the vivid world of Dandys and the grey world of the slobs, but possibly also to show that the hipsters had only a perceived vision of the western culture and was inspired by the dazzling outlook of the western showbiz.
The tension between the komsomol and the Stilyagi's is scratched on the surface through interactions between Mels and Katlyn. Katlyn has had a crush on Mels and is visibly disturbed at losing him to the Stilyagis'. Since the story is told from Stilyagi's perspective, the rendering takes a satirical dig at the conformist communist culture at more than one instance.
Since it is a musical, the music adds well to the narrative and sequenced are very colorfully choreographed. However, the song that really stands out is the one sung in the assembly of the communist party, where Mels is stripped of his membership. All in all, its a light-hearted, entertaining take on the hipster's cult in 1950's Moscow and with a hint on it's substance.
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★ 8 / 10
This is it! The new Russian (!) Musical for the new century!
ptb-8
HIPSTERS or STILYAGI is simply a sensational new century musical. I want to rave about it because I had such a great time watching it. I sincerely hope it gets…
HIPSTERS or STILYAGI is simply a sensational new century musical. I want to rave about it because I had such a great time watching it. I sincerely hope it gets a wide release in the West because it manages to be both political and effervescent and spectacular to watch. It is everything I wished a 2009 musical - and from Russia - to be and I was not disappointed. STILYAGI is a pop soda blend of these other musicals: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE with HAIRSPRAY with some CRY BABY and MOULIN ROUGE. It is everything the terrible botched IDLEWILD tried to be. STILYAGI means HIPSTERS in English and this dazzling funny and terrifically engaging 50s style dance musical is running across Australia in the 2009 Russian Film Festival. The casting is ideal and the four main leads....especially the 19 year old teen who plays Mels is wonderful.... he looks a lot like Matthew Modine. One early musical number sung by Mel's dad as he slowly wanders through their community apartment hallways (with his accordion) sets the tone for some sly communist life satire and very funny location jokes... and some hints at the 1955 political climate.
The girl from LILYA FOREVER is the gorgeous taffeta clad tease Polly and someone's future wife. This film is also reminiscent of the 1980s Disney musical SWING KIDS as it deals with the political breakout statement of teens rebelling against a dark authority who deem their music to be counter productive. STILYAGI is a huge and dynamic musical production, superbly designed and filmed with a sensation soundtrack of Russian pop tunes and some written for the film. The premise and outcome is unbelievable given the 1955 setting but it does allow some latitude as a 'what if' scenario. What if kids did rebel in 1955 Russia and adopted Rockabilly outfits and skiffle music? Run to see this film if it comes your way. If you have been wondering where all the Russian musicals are... STILYAGI will answer your question with a swing kids beat. The astonishing finale in the town square is a cast-of -thousands emotional sensation of glorious happiness! Overall the film takes a loving humorous tone to every dilemma...especially the hilarious outcome of someone's very unusual baby. STILYAGI deserves the Oscar in 2010 for best foreign film AND best musical if an award for that exists. You will be as delighted as I am, and I hope you get to see it. What a major cinematic surprise! Yippee! If you are a fan of the 1986 Brit musical ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS or even just admire its setting style and tone, then here is the Russian equivalent. Maybe even very reminiscent of Cliff Richard's 1959 dazzler ESPRESSO BONGO. This new film STILYAGI is the hipster update. Yes, it is as good as all the films above. Combined!
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7.0/10
5.8K
