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Hipsters

Hipsters (2008)

December. 25,2008
|
7.1
| Drama Romance

In this hit Russian musical, a group of friends flaunts Soviet authority in 1950s Moscow by embracing jazz. When Communist Mels falls for Polly, a free-spirited jazz fan, he risks losing his party membership by associating with her rebellious crew.

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Lee Eisenberg
2008/12/25

To the numerous movies about generation gaps we can now add Valeriy Todorovsky's "Stilyagi" ("Hipsters" in English). It focuses on an assortment of youths in 1950s Moscow who are really into western music and fashion, to the disfavor of Soviet authorities. I particularly liked the scene where Fred plays Mels the boogie woogie song: it's gotta be the first time that anyone's ever heard an old-style rock 'n' roll song entirely in Russian.The movie emphasizes that the authorities considered jazz a form of western imperialism. While I was in grad school, some students from Russia co-rented a house with me and the other US students. One of them noted that this was in fact the case, but that the authorities still allowed Frank Sinatra's music. That sounds counter-intuitive to me, but who knows what the reasoning was. The point is that ever since popular culture arose, the younger generation has gotten into the new stuff while the older generation turns its nose at it. There was one scene in "Hipsters" that reminded me of the scene in "A Hard Day's Night" where the Beatles get into an argument with a man on a train and Ringo* has a snarky comment.Anyway, really fun movie. And remember, he doesn't need an American wife! *Today is in fact Ringo's birthday.

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Matthew Stechel
2008/12/26

OK Russian Musical (!!!) has a lot going for it in well done musical numbers and dance sequences, what it doesn't quite have is a story that's especially satisfying. There's some good ideas for a story--a college age guy chafing under late 50's era Russian rule (these would be the post Stalin pre Cuban Missile Crisis Kruchev days??? yes not exactly carefree days but maybe as carefree as life under communist dictatorship got for those folks living there.) He starts out with a job and a potential love interest spying and of course then chasing after (the better to attempt to arrest them of course) rebellious American Culture Loving Jazz Worshiping Beatniks, and of course thanks to his attraction to a swell lookin blond dame decides to join em much to everyone's concern (with the exception of his dad who just doesn't seem all that concerned with his son being rounded up and being tossed into a secret prison--oh wait those days are behind them now--or are they i honestly don't know--because without spoiling anything--something happens to one of the characters at the end that never gets resolved and leaves me wondering--wait what?) Back to the movie! Will the jilted former love interest be jealous of this new blond dame? Will she do something to try and win the now pompadour spouting hunk back? I'll never tell, but you can probably guess. All that aside, this movie is really about the music and how the rebelliousness of the youths there mirrored the rebelliousness of ours here in the USA--blah, blah, blah, enough with the youth culture lesson, let's dance! (and they do!) Movie very, very much resembles 1993's "Swing Kids" with Christian Bale--only instead of German youths and swing--its Russian teens and Jazz--but you know that shouldn't really matter since i think the effort is there--you'll have a pretty good time watching the brightly colored kidz sing and dance, and some of the retro set design mimicking 50's American nightclub culture is nicely flashy. However its just as easy to forget as soon as you leave the theater--or as soon as you finish watching the DVD, which is just something one should never have to say about a Russian Musical heralding American pop culture, however i'm betting the DVD'll be good for a rewatch or 2 if you really dig the movie, or at least the closing number--Shine On You Crazy Kidz With Your Renegade Youth Culture Ways.

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ptb-8
2008/12/27

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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evgueny
2008/12/28

"Stilyagi" is one of the best Russian movies I have seen in the past 10 years. The director and actors did wonderful job. The movie is both romantic and fun, and at the same time it gives insight about a curious historical phenomenon.The World War II not only devastated Russia, but also exposed the otherwise isolated country to Western culture through captured movies, vinyl LPs, art, fashion clothes, and other spoils of war. This was particularly valuable for people who wanted to express their difference from others. They started to copy perceived "American" lifestyle, especially the clothes, using films like "Sun Valley Serenade" and the covers of jazz LPs as primary references. Not surprisingly, the result was an outlook more typical for Western show business entertainers than for mainstream design. Although the group believed that their attire was the true definition of style, the rest of Soviet population labeled them "stilyagi" to show their disapproval. In the totalitarian regime "admiration for the West" was a felony, however, after Stalin's death state security was reluctant to take action and stilyagi were facing relatively modest retaliation, mostly from local Komsomol (Communist Party youth wing) activists.Since the movie is about liberty and has elements of a modern musical, I feel like comparing it with "Across the Universe" (2007). In this comparison, "Stilyagi" is more dynamic and psychological, while actors' voices are just as good. The main duo of Anton Shagin and Oksana Akinshina, who are playing a Komsomol activist Mels in love with a female stilyagi member Polza, are delivering excellent performance, which is especially striking given their young ages. (It is ironic that Mels is an acronym for "Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin," and "Polza" in translation from Russian means "use.") A scene of a Komsomol meeting is truly memorable and in my view is a masterpiece. The music is mostly modern Russian pop and alternative rock, with lyrics adapted to the plot. The ending, which makes a connection between liberty ideals of stilyagi and modern youth, sounds like a bold statement in the nation that is still re-thinking its past.

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