|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1. | Shopping::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians 
|
Shopping
Food Shopping
Shopping in Moscow could be done day and night and you can find anything you want. Food shopping is very easy, and the choice of supermarkets - both Western and Russian - and products is huge. There are a number of shopping opportunities, ranging from small convenience stores located close to apartment blocks and metro stations to huge shopping centers found everywhere, including the city outskirts.
For those who like to shop in supermarkets, there is a variety of different chains, offering a wide range of products, including some that are popular particularly within the expatriate community. There are also farmer's markets where you can buy fresh goods directly from the producers.
Last but not least, you will find numerous smaller "kiosks" (small booths or stalls) all over town. Concentrations are particularly high outside metro stations. Some sell a variety of beverages, cigarettes and chocolates while others specialize in bread, fruit and vegetables, meat products, or toiletries. Some sell products made by a particular factory (meat and sausages in particular).
Many supermarkets are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Smaller food stores and food markets are also usually open seven days a week but many close around 9 or 10 p.m. Payment is accepted in rubles only, some of the larger supermarkets accept credit cards (usually they will ask for some photo-ID document). Along with food items and beverages, most supermarkets also sell a variety of other household items - from toiletries, cleaning liquids, detergents, and small selections of kitchenware to pantyhose, magazines and toys.
You should be able to find most of the items you're used to in Moscow. In addition to the locally produced goods, vast numbers of imported food products, and beverages are readily available here. Russian bread, milk products, sausage meats, salads, pancakes and frozen food (such as pelmeni, filled pancakes, vegetable patties, frozen dough, etc) are of excellent quality and taste great.
Carrying large bags, satchels, briefcases or similar bulky items is not allowed in most shops - small lockers are provided near the entrance, which you should use. In some supermarkets there are no lockers but at the entrance you will find a man or a woman with plastic bags of different size - you are supposed to put your bags (satchels or briefcases) in the plastic bag that will be sealed with a special device, and keep it with you while shopping. Most supermarkets charge a tiny fee for carrier bags - others provide very poor ones for free, while offering more substantial ones for a small price. Few Russians have heard of the issue of voluntarily limiting the use of plastic bags for ecological reasons.
Food Markets
What is a Russian "rynok" (market)? This word refers to a typical Russian farmer's market. These markets are located throughout the city and vary in size and pricing, but they all operate year round, seven days a week (except public holidays). Most farmer's markets have separate smaller buildings for such staple crops as potatoes, cabbage, onions, and carrots and for marinated garlic, cucumbers and wine leaves. The main hall usually has plenty of fruits and vegetables, spices, herbs, milk products, honey, fish, meat and poultry. Note that the word "rynok" can also refer to a wholesale market, which mostly has canned, boxed and pre-packed foodstuffs along with various household items; to a clothing market; or to a building materials market.
Things to Remember while Shopping at Markets
Bring a basket - you'll probably end up buying more than you planned.
Many vendors will offer you a sample of their product. Bear in mind that fruit and vegetables at the market have not been washed if you accept this offer.
Make sure you understand whether the price is for a kilo (za kilogram) or for one item (za adnu shtuku).
Don't forget to bargain, especially when buying fruit and vegetables. Many vendors at the market come from the Caucasus, where bargaining is an essential part of shopping.
Be careful when purchasing meat in the summertime - it is often not refrigerated.
Check you change - mistakes can and do happen.
Markets tend to be crowded, so beware of pickpockets. Do not carry your keys, passports and money in a lady's purse. Stow them away in a safe place. Never put documents, keys or money in the back pocket of your pants.
Buying Caviar
Be aware that black caviar (sturgeon caviar) is now under very tight legal controls which make it effectively impossible to purchase in Russia - Russian policy has changed, and they now take the Endangered Species of sturgeons very seriously. Do not get involved in buying it - in addition to the moral issues involved, you can end up in jail. Red caviar (salmon caviar) on the other hand is completely legal to purchase (and to take abroad with you) and is just as delicious.
Sweets
Russia produces a large variety of chocolates, bonbons, other candy, and cakes. Large supermarkets often have a separate section selling cakes. While Russians prefer to buy entire cakes, many stores now sell individual pieces. The most famous Russia chocolate factories are Krasny Oktyabr, Rot-Front, Babaevsky. Russian chocolate is of highest quality.
Alcohol
Wines, whisky, and other quality alcoholic beverages are now widely available in Moscow - but only from shops. Street kiosks and stands cannot sell anything stronger than beer by law. Russian-produced wines may be different to the taste you are used to, but you might like to try them - there are no bargains here, and the cheapest ones are cheap for a reason. In addition to a dazzling array of vodkas, Russian-produced cognacs can be enjoyable - once again, avoid the low-priced stuff if you can.
Reading Expiration Dates
Figuring out expiration dates for food products and beverages can be tricky affair in Russia. The vast majority of imported products have the expiration date stamped, printed or engraved on either the top or bottom of the container or can or on the lid. Some (for example, baby food) have both the production and expiration data. Some local producers have already switched to this system. However, you need to be aware of the fact that some Russian companies still print the production and not the expiration date on their products, which can cause confusion. In such cases you will find the production date printed and a message saying: "This product can be kept for 'x' months/years from the production date" somewhere on the can, container or packaging. This most often applies to eggs, Russian canned goods, Russian chocolate, some milk products and pre-packaged bread. Yet other products (for example, some Russian juices and milk products) may come with both the production and expiration data). As everywhere in the world, check the dates if you are suspicious
Peculiarities of Communication with Vendors
You may find that vendors become impatient when you are unable to explain to them what you want. Please don't be offended - this is not because they don't like you personally. Shop assistants are paid to serve the public, but not to be especially polite or charming to the customers - don't take their offhand attitude personally. In privately-run shops, or at kiosks being run by the owner service can sometimes be charming, especially if you become a "regular" - you may even begin to enjoy "privileges" such as them keeping-back the best fruit for you, or saving something for you in case you drop by.
Clothing and Accessories
Clothing, shoes and accessories can also be purchased everywhere, with the options ranging from everyday affordable to designer and haute couture. The most expensive outlets such as Chanel and Hermes are located on Tretyakovsky passage and Stoleshnikov lane; while the less expansive clothing lines, such as H&M, Zara etc. can be found in many Moscow shopping centers, e.g. Mega Mall, Stockmann, Metropolis. In the last 2-3 years a range of city-centre shopping malls have opened where you can find franchises of international chains like Fat Face, Benetton, Marks & Spencers, Uniqlo etc. The two largest malls are Evropeisky (adjacent to Kievsky station) and Atrium (adjacent to Kursky station) - these have substantially superceded the previous generation of malls, whose weary ranges are still on sale to those who haven't yet found the better places.
Among the great variety of shops, boutiques, fashion salons and galleries in modern Moscow there are those that enter the "must see" category. Along with Kremlin and the Red Square they head the list of the main tourist attractions. Among them are GUM, TsUM, and Okhotny Ryad.
GUM (Main Universal (Department) Store)
Known before the Revolution as Upper Trade Rows, GUM has been "a shopping center" of Moscow for ages. Its luxuriant edifice houses three arcades of shops under a glass roof. Recently renovated, it lost all the traces of Soviet stagnation and now houses some top Western trade chains along with speciality shops and boutiques. GUM's image has mutated considerably from soviet grot to opulent elegance - it's now a location for premium brands. Russians coming to Moscow from other cities still come to GUM to shop, but Muscovites have mostly moved-on from GUM's overpriced and somewhat snooty outlets. It is worth coming here to see the extraordinarily beautiful building itself, and perhaps have a coffee in one of the upper galleries - but there are better places for actual shopping these days.
TsUM (Central Universal (Department) Store)
Another large department store of Moscow, TsUM, traces its history since 1880s, when Scotsmen Archibald Merilees and Andrew Muir founded the branch of their trading company "Muir and Merilees" in Moscow. In 1892 "Muir and Merilees" department store welcomed the first customers in the new building on Petrovka street. The modern building was erected in 1908 after a project by Roman Klein; that time it was considered to be a technical breakthrough and an architectural masterpiece. Moscow tour guides usually classify it as "one of the last samples of European Gothic, slightly influenced by Art Nouveau". Completely reconstructed in 1997, TsUM now complies all international standards of service, though it's too expensive for most ordinary Muscovites. Muscovites in-the-know generally consider TsUM better than GUM as an upscale retailer of premium-priced branded goods - but no-one does their daily shopping at either.
Okhotny Ryad
Located right near Kremlin, this underground three-storeyed shopping palace serves also as one of the main tourist sights. Plenty of shops and boutiques, offering wide range of goods, are located in this shopping centre. World most famous brands, such as Mexx, Calvin Klein, Tissot, along with less famous but also less expensive, are represented in "Okhotny Ryad", satisfying taste and requirements of customers of different personal income. The noisy and hot, sticky atmosphere isn't appreciated by all, although a teenage public likes to hang out there. But most shoppers are increasingly attracted by the much wider range of shops, and nicer facilities and services, at Evropeisky or Atrium, or the out-of-town malls like Mega. |
|
|
|
|
| 2. | Taxes :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Every foreigner coming to work in Russia has numerous points of interest regarding the Russian social security and personal income tax consequences that may arise for him and his employer as a result of his assignment. Here is a brief overview of many of the requirements in Russian tax law that need to be considered with regard to an individual assigned to work in Russia. However, the Russian tax system is fluid, requirements apparent in the law may not be what happens in practice, and there is wide scope for different interpretations by different chief accountants, tax inspectorates and tax inspectors. There is therefore, a real need to avoid assumptions and to check carefully before determining the likely tax consequences of any particular event.
Tax Residency, Rates and Scope
The starting point for analyzing an individual's Russian tax position will tend to be his tax residency status. This affects both the scope of income subject to tax, and the tax rates to be applied in Russia. However, there is a problem in this area, in that practice is not consistent with the Law. Under the Law, a tax resident is a person who is physically present in Russia for more than 182 days during a consecutive twelve month period. There is provision for absences caused by situations such as medical illness to continue to be counted as presence in Russia. However, the tax authorities view residency as determined with reference to presence in a calendar year (which was, interestingly, the old rule before the Law was changed).
Therefore, based on the tax authorities' current interpretation of the residency rule, if an individual spends at least 183 days in Russia in a calendar year, then he is tax resident and is taxable in Russia on most types of his worldwide income at the resident tax rate of 13%. Otherwise, he is a non-resident taxable in Russia at the 30% non-resident tax rate on his Russian source income.
Russian source income is generally defined as income arising from assets in Russia, or earned in Russia, irrespective of where the income is paid. There is also some debate as to the definition of a day of presence in Russia. The conservative position would be that days of arrival do not count in determining total presence in Russia, whilst days of departure do. However, a number of letters from the Ministry of Finance indicate that a taxpayer is viewed as present in Russia on both days of arrival and departure.
Taxable Income
The general philosophy of the Russian tax system is that all income is subject to tax, but there are nuances beyond this. To create the general picture on what may be included in the taxable income for Russian tax purposes, the most common income items subject to Russian income tax are set out below.
Employment Income
Employment income consists of compensation, whether received in cash or in kind, including, but not limited to, salary, bonuses and various expatriate allowances and benefits. Tax residents are entitled to certain types of deductions from income. Sometimes, reimbursements, which might be viewed as business expenses in other jurisdictions can be viewed as taxable income in Russia. The only material tax exempt type of income is employer provided insurance, but the details of this need to be checked dependent upon the specifics of each employer's programs.
TAXATION OF EMPLOYER-PROVIDED STOCK
Options and Equity Programs
Based on general tax principles, at the time of exercise of an employer-provided stock option, an employee recognizes income equal to the excess of the fair market value of the stock over the exercise price. Stock Grants are generally viewed as received for tax purposes at the point that all restrictions are lifted, and the value at that date is used to determine income. However, there are no specific rules for the taxation of, or sourcing of the income from, equity programs, so great care needs to be taken with the specifics of each particular plan.
Self-Employment and Business Income
The income of individuals engaged in self-employment activities is subject to income tax. Tax is levied on the individual's annual self-employment income, which consists of gross income, less documented expenses associated with the performance of the work. Under certain circumstances, a simplified tax regime may apply.
Investment Income
Dividends received by residents are subject to tax at a rate of 9%. Russian dividends received by non-residents are subject to tax at a rate of 15%. At the time of writing, consideration was being given to removing the 9% rate and reverting to 13% for residents.
Interest income on bank deposits held in the Russian Federation that exceeds the Central Bank's refinancing rate increased by 5 percentage points on rouble deposits (or for foreign-currency deposits, interest that exceeds 9%), is subject to tax at a penalty rate of 35%. Most other bank interest is exempt from tax.
Capital Gains
Income from the disposal of assets is included in regular income and from this it is possible for tax residents to deduct costs related to the asset's acquisition and sale. Special, but similar, rules apply to income from the disposal of securities. A separate capital gains tax does not apply.
Withholding
Income received by foreign nationals working in Russia may be subject to tax withholding at source if delivered by a company registered in Russia. Under current tax law, all Russian companies, and foreign organizations operating in Russia through a representative office or a branch must act as a tax withholding agent, which usually means they must withhold the personal income tax at source.
The tax authorities view tax residency as ultimately being determined for a calendar year. However, for withholding, the tax agent must review the presence of the recipient of the income over the preceding twelve months. This potentially means that all newly arrived individuals are considered non-residents for Russian tax withholding purposes until they reach 183 days in Russia in the twelve months prior to a particular payment; thus, the non-resident tax rate of 30% applies to their income for tax withholding purposes. Individuals who arrived in Russia at the end of a previous year may be subject to 13% tax rate in the next year upon confirmation of their exceeding the 183-day period. However, future intention to stay in Russia for 183 days or more in the following twelve month period, even if he or she has a signed contract for this period with a company operating in Russia, does not allow an employer to use the 13% resident rate starting from the day of arrival of this individual. This rate can be applied only after the individual has actually spent 183 days in Russia in a 12-month period. At the time of each payroll payment during the year, the employer must verify the residency status of each employee and withhold income tax at the appropriate rate in accordance with the number of days the employee has spent in Russia in the 12-month period preceding the date of payment.
If Russian income tax is withheld from the expatriates' entire remuneration, then he may not be required to file a tax return in Russia, unless he has received other income subject to tax in Russia, but not subject to tax withholding.
Double Tax Relief and Tax Treaties
Russia has an extensive (and continuously expanding and revising) network of double tax treaties with many jurisdictions around the world.
Under these treaties taxpayers may be either exempt income from the payment of Russian tax or foreign tax paid may be credited against Russian tax payable, but the foreign tax credit may not exceed the Russian tax payable on the same income. To obtain an exemption or a tax credit, the taxpayer must submit a Russian tax return actively claiming the benefit, and present a certificate of residency from a country with which the Russian Federation has a double tax treaty, and a document certified by the tax authority of the foreign country proving that the income was received and the foreign tax was paid.
In practice, obtaining such reliefs can be problematical, and care needs to be taken in optimising the chances of success for any such claim.
DEDUCTIONS
The Russian Tax Code foresees standard, social, professional and property-related tax deductions available for tax residents.
Social Tax Deductions
These deductions include annual deductions for certain charitable contributions (up to 25% of income), education expenses for the taxpayers and their children (up to 50,000 Rbs per child per taxpayer), medical expenses for the taxpayers and expenses related to contributions to licensed Russian non-state pension funds.
Property-Related Tax Deductions
The most visible tax deductions are related to property. Income received from the sale of real property, which was in the ownership of a taxpayer for three years is effectively exempt from taxation in Russia, though this must be actively claimed on a tax return. If, however, this minimum holding period is not met, the gains derived from the sale of property are taxable in Russia as regular income (gross income less documented expenses). The ability to deduct costs or obtain special tax benefits tends to apply only to tax residents.
The taxpayer may alternatively elect to pay tax on the proceeds less a fixed annual deduction. In the case of real estate held fewer than three years, the maximum fixed deduction is 1 million roubles; in the case of other property (except securities) held fewer than three years, the maximum fixed deduction is 125,000 Rbs (250,000 Rbs starting January 2010). Income derived from the sale of securities is subject to special rules.
Income from the sale of a car which was owned by an individual for more than three years is no longer taxable from 2010.
Also, each tax resident individual claim a property-related tax deduction for the expenses incurred to construct or purchase certain real estate in Russia on a "once in a lifetime" basis. The deduction is limited to 2 million roubles. Mortgage and certain other interest payment are deductible in addition to the 2 million roubles.
Starting January 2010, tax residents are entitled to additional property-related tax deductions in the amount of interest on loans used for the acquisition of a plot of land, where residential real estate is located/constructed; in the amount of interest on the refinancing of loans used for the new construction/acquisition of a house; and in the amount of expenses incurred in connection with the preparation of design for residential real estate.
Tax Filing and Payment Procedures
The tax year in Russia is the calendar year. Tax returns must be filed by both tax residents and non-residents, who have at least one source of income subject to tax in Russia on which income tax has not been withheld by a tax agent. The final tax return must be submitted by 30 April of the year following the tax period with no extension available. The final tax must be paid no later than 15 July of the following year.
If a foreign individual plans to cease to engage in activities that generate income taxable in Russia and then leave the country, the individual must submit a departure declaration no later than one month before the individual leaves Russia. Tax due on the basis of the departure tax declaration must be paid no later than 15 days after the declaration is filed with the tax authorities.
Whilst there are no specific restrictions on amending tax returns, such amendments will inevitably attract attention, particularly, if the level of income is reduced, and the general course of prudence is to ensure that a return is correct before it is filed.
Currently, individual taxpayers pay taxes on a self-assessment basis. The Russian tax authorities are not obliged to issue official tax assessments. However, sometimes they do issue tax notifications (effectively the same thing), and very rarely, there may be some discrepancies between tax assessments made by the individual and the tax authorities.
Paying tax can be quite complex, and is best done directly from the personal Russian rouble bank account of the taxpayer directly to the accounts of the tax authorities. Importantly, companies cannot safely settle the personal tax liabilities of their expatriates, which presents logistical issues for those on net pay or tax protected or equalised compensation programs. There are numerous different accounts and other reference numbers and codes, and the taxpayer needs to make sure these are correctly included on the payment order. Payments often go missing within the tax authorities' system, and it is worthwhile checking that they have been properly credited to the taxpayer's account a few weeks after the payment is made.
Sanctions for Non-Compliance
There are certain fines established for non-compliance with the tax rules. Failure to submit tax returns after the filing deadline would result in a fine of 5% of the tax due under the return for each full or partial month of delay for the initial 180 days of delay and accelerating to 10% of tax due per full or partial month thereafter with no cap. Fines of 20% or 40% can also be imposed for under-declaration of income dependent upon whether this was accidental.
Late payment interest is charged for each day of late payment of the tax and is calculated as the amount of underpayment multiplied by 1/300 of the current Central Bank refinancing rate (currently 1/300 * 10%) per day.
Social Security Contributions
Under the current Russian law, all Russian companies or foreign organizations operating in Russia through a representative office or a branch, which make payments to individuals (including foreign individuals) under the employment or civil-law agreements are obliged to pay Unified Social Tax (UST) from the income delivered to the employees. The tax is paid entirely by the employer and there is no concept of matching employee contributions in Russia.
Due to the recent changes in the Russian law, starting January 2010, the UST will be replaced by social security contributions to the Russian various statutory funds, including the Pension, Medical and Social Insurance Fund. However, the remuneration paid under employment agreements and civil-law contracts to foreign citizens temporarily located in Russia (most expatriates on assignments in Russia who do not hold temporary or permanent residency permits) will not be subject to social contributions, since such foreign citizens are not entitled to the relevant benefits financed by the social funds.
In addition to the UST (or social security contributions starting January 2010), an employer must pay separate contributions to the Social Insurance Fund on behalf of all its employees, including foreign employees, insuring against accidents at work and professional diseases (the rate depends on the class of the professional risk for specific employer and vary from 0.2% to 8.5%). For most office employees the rate is 0.2% and this will continue for foreign nationals under the new regime.
COMMON PITFALLS
In current Russian tax system, there are various pitfalls, which the unwary may encounter. Some of the most common of these are set out below in what is a far from comprehensive list.
The 183 Day Myth
There is common understanding that no tax would apply if an individual stays in Russia for fewer than 183 days. This may or may not be true. Non-residents are still taxed in Russia on their Russian source income. If all income subject to tax in Russia delivered through the local payroll, then tax would be withheld at source with no further need to submit tax return. If, however, the individual is paid by an offshore employer for his work in Russia, then it may be necessary to submit a Russian tax return.
No tax would apply if the individual's assignment and pay structure satisfies certain provisions of the relevant Double Tax Treaty (if this is the case). However, even in this situation, tax relief technically needs to be applied for by means of tax return submission. In order to claim a relief, an individual has to go through the long procedure of submission of various documents without any guarantee of the positive result.
Russia Only Has 13% Taxes Myth
This is not true. The tax rate for residents is 13%, but it is 30% for tax non-residents. Given that the definition of a tax resident is a matter for technical debate, great care is needed to ensure that the 13% rate will apply, particularly, for expatriates in the year of their arrival or departure. Whether a person arrives in the second half or the year or leaves in the first half of the year, achieving the necessary presence in Russia to be a tax resident can be logistically impossible. Many expatriates are also surprised to find that, even where they qualify for the 13% rate for a particular year, they do not receive the benefit of this immediately through payroll, at least in the early part of their assignment, but, instead, have to wait until they have been physically present in Russia for over 183 days. They then receive the refund of the "over-withheld" 17%, but the cash flow disadvantage can be an unpleasant surprise.
No Tax Deductions for Non-Residents
The current Tax Code does not foresee tax deductions for tax non-residents. These are available for tax resident individuals only. In this connection, tax non-residents cannot benefit from the most visible deductions related to the purchase or sale of a property in Russia. This is a particularly unpleasant surprise for persons disposing of property after they have left Russia, especially, where they have been waiting to qualify for the three year exemption before selling. There is a significant difference between paying no tax at all, and paying 30% on the full proceeds of sale without even a deduction for what one originally paid for the property.
Investment Income is not Tax Exempt
Offshore income received by Russian tax residents can be relieved from Russian tax in case the individual is either a tax resident in another jurisdiction or has paid tax there and a relevant Double Tax Treaty is in place. Depending on the situation, Russia might have the right to only tax income earned in Russia, or may give a credit for foreign taxes. However, offshore income is not just "tax free" as of right, and care needs to be taken to manage liabilities in this regard.
Equity Income May be Taxable in Russia, but No-One Really Knows How
There is great uncertainty as regards the taxation of various different types of employee equity plans. Such plans are usually operated by the employing group, but often by a (non-Russian) entity (or employee benefit trust) other than the actual employer. It is very rare that such programs are managed locally with tax withholding through Russian payroll. This places the requirement to determine tax treatment onto the individual, and he will have difficulty determining how much income he has received, when he receives it and to what duties this income relates. It is hard to determine the "right" answer to these questions as whatever arguments could be used could be countered through different logic. In reality, many taxpayers have used the arguments that suit them best, which would tend to analyses that suggest they have no receipt of income, or that the income has nothing to do with Russia, or that the level of that income is as low as possible. This has led to something of an urban myth that income from equity programs is exempt from Russian tax, but this can be a dangerous assumption. There is increasing transparency in Russia with regard to the allocation of the costs of corporate equity programs; hence, aggressive or even non-compliant tax filing positions that may have proved successful in the past are no longer safe.
How Will They Know?
In a self declared, self assessed tax system, where tax scrutiny tends to fall upon those who file tax returns rather than those who do not, some individuals may well ask the question of why they should file a return and what tools the tax authorities may have to find out about non-compliance if they do not.
There has been a general drift to improved compliance in recent years, particularly, amongst expatriates. This has been partly driven by corporate policy of good governance, but also because with its low tax rates, declaring income and paying tax in Russia has proven good tax planning in assisting with the avoidance of tax on that income in other jurisdictions. This does mean the tax authorities have been improving their knowledge, because they are seeing more. The quality of the record keeping at the tax authorities is also improving, and becoming more computerized (the authorities are asking for individual tax returns for 2009 to be submitted with an electronic copy, as well as the traditional paper forms), making data easier to find.
However, greater risks arise through the increased transparency of accounting and corporate recharging, where the costs of an expatriate's remuneration paid outside of Russia need to be made more explicit and clear at the level of the host Russian business so as to minimize the level of risk of that business being denied a corporate tax deduction. Whilst the specifics of tax cases are different, the general trend has been for corporate taxpayers to win in court, where the documentation for recharged costs is clear and open, but to lose where it is opaque and the costs of expatriates remain more obscure. Hence, an assumption by an expatriate that the authorities will not know about his offshore paid income is dangerous, as his employer may well be providing documentation that specifically evidences this.
Recent years have also seen a significant rise in the level of contact between the Russian tax authorities and other jurisdictions, with voluntary sharing of data about persons with tax affairs in both. Particular contact has been noted with France, Germany and Finland, with countries using the mutual co-operation provisions of tax treaties to help them identify potential tax evasion. This trend echoes a more general global pattern, and whilst Russia remains well behind many other jurisdictions in the sophistication of its tax control, it is improving quite rapidly. Non-compliance is increasingly risky, whilst the tax cost of actual compliance is low, even if the administration of it remains burdensome. |
|
|
|
|
| 3. | Moscow Neighbourhoods::Prechistenka-Ostozhenka::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
The area has a rich historical background and several exceptional sides: it is situated on the river bank near the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Kremlin, Red Square and some of the most popular museums. The architecture of the area corresponded to the unpretentious tastes of its inhabitants: modest apartment houses were side by side with taverns and bars. Over many centuries of its existence, it has earned the reputation of the most expensive, prestigious and fashionable area of the city. Moscow's guests are attracted by its proximity to the historic walls of the Kremlin and the domes of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The area is very calm and cosy.
Prechistenka and Ostozhenka streets seem to be twins: their names are always mentioned together but their role in Moscow history was different.
Prechistenka was popular among nobility and it is still well seen in local toponyms: many streets wear names of famous noble families (Gagariny, Lopukhiny, Naschekiny). Best architects were invited to design patrimonial palaces for them. Luckily many of the mansions survived through all the fires and historical cataclysms and today allow us to enjoy this corner of old Moscow. In the beginning of Prechistenka an old house called Krasnye Palaty ("Red Chambers") is hiding behind the monument to Engels. Built in the end of the 17th century former residence of prince Lopukhin was completely forgotten. Only in 1972, partly ruined and partly reconstructed, it was discovered by accident among the houses prepared for the demolishing due to president Nikson's visit. House No 11 which is now Tolstoy museum and house No 12, Pushkin Museum, have more in common than just being museums of great persons: these former noble mansions were both built after projects of architect Grigoriev and they are both known as masterpieces of Moscow Empire style.
The Academy of Art occupies house No 21; until 1917 it belonged to a member of the famous manufacturer family - Ivan Morozov. Love to art was in the blood of this family and Ivan was not an exception: being a true admirer of Impressionism, he possessed one of the best collections of modern European art in Russia (Manet, Sisley, Van Gogh, and Renoir). He was also the first patron of Mark Chagall.
Prechistenskiye Vorota Square
If you go around the Cathedral than at the corner of Soymonovsky passage and Prechistenskaya embankment there is one house that stands out among others - Pertsov's house (No 1). This unusual apartment house was designed by Malutin, the official author of "matreshka". He attempted to revive the world of pagan antiquity and tried to create the spirit of pre-Christian times by using the symbols of the chief deity of the pagan pantheon and mysterious sombre colours. From 1908 to 1915 it housed a legendary cabaret "The Bat" and remembers Stanislavsky, Nemirovich-Danchenko and many other actors as its visitors. Now Pertsov's house belongs to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ostozhenka
Ostozhenka appeared as part of the old road from "Kievan Rus" to "Vladimir-Suzdal Rus", directly adjacent to the crossing of the Moscow River, the so-called Crimean bridge. In contradiction to Prechistenka, Ostozhenka was rather modest street. Apartment houses, inns and cheap eating places - that is Ostozhenka of the 19th century. Moscow aristocracy disliked decent Ostozhenka and began to settle there only in the 18th century and in the first quarter of the 19th century. Although the fire of 1812 demolished most mansions, the spirit of ancient medieval times still lives on in the narrow winding quiet lanes, old yards and houses that stretch down to the Moscow River. Today Ostozhenka is a beautiful, safe and very convenient neighbourhood adjacent to the Arbat area. Within walking distance, you will find Kremlin, Pushkin Museum, Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
As every street Ostozhenka has its legends. According to one of them merchant Filatov decided to quit drinking and as a result of this crucial decision we see a symbolic wine-glass turned upside-down on the top of his apartment house (house No 3 at the corner of Ostozhenka and Obydensky lane). One of Moscow's most interesting styles in architecture was Art Nouveau, or Modern, and Ostozhenka is a proud "owner" of such a beautiful sample of it as Kekushev's mansion (No 21). Kekushev together with the architect of Moderne Fedor Schechter created true architectural masterpieces in the beginning of the 20th century.
Matvey Kozakov designed an impressive residence for P. Eropkin, Moscow Commander-in-Chief during the reign of Catherine the Great. He suppressed a "plague riot" in 1771 when frightened people were about to destroy the city. Today his house is an alma mater for future polyglots: the Moscow University of Linguistics. Pozharny lane boasts proudly rising bronze Peter the Great surrounded by fogs of the Moscow River. This surreal sight sometimes shocks foreign visitors. |
|
|
|
|
| 4. | Health Care::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Health Care
General Information
The Russian health care system has seen major improvements in recent years, both in technologies and pharmaceuticals. Moscow hosts a number of Western medical clinics that can look after all of your family's health needs. The clinics are spread out over the city; therefore, regardless of your location, there is sure to be medical provision in the vicinity.
When coming to Russia, bring a good supply of any prescription medicine needed. Ensure you can continue that supply from a local facility or that you can find a local substitute acceptable to your original prescribing physician.
Early in your stay - when there is no emergency - identify the closest medical facility with English-speaking personnel. Ascertain its working hours and its reputation, if possible. If in Moscow for the first time, bring a copy of your medical records with you to assist your new doctor in becoming familiar with your past medical history. The approach to the provision of medical care as a service to both the population and the individual may be quite different to what you are used to.
Unless absolutely necessary, as in major medical emergency, it is suggested that you do not go to the local hospital on your own without first contacting your medical assistance company; if you must, at least ensure you have a Russian speaker to assist you. Unsure that you have enough money to guarantee any admission fees that may be charged.
Many medications can be purchased here over the counter that would only be available by prescription in your home country. However, in most cases the manufacture is different and, therefore, the drug is identified by a different brand name. Know the generic (chemical) name of your medicines if you think you are going to need to restock locally. Bring the package insert from your previous prescription with you. Fraudulent drugs are not a major problem in Russia, but be careful and check the dispensed drug before you pay for it.
Some medications including controlled drugs and drugs of dependence (i.e., sedatives and hypnotics; medications to treat the hyperactivity disorders of children; strong pain relievers; and some drugs for diabetics and epileptics) are simply nor available in Russia. If you are on such a medication, please speak to your physician in your home country and a physician at one of the medical clinics in Moscow to find out how to best handle this situation.
Vaccinations
Russia has no vaccination requirements, but it is a good idea to keep your shots op-to-date. If you need a shot while here, please contact one of the medical centers in Moscow. The following vaccinations are recommended for individuals traveling to or living in Russia for linger periods of time:
Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.
Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or are exposed through medical treatment.
Typhoid. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected.
As needed, booster doses for tetanus, diphtheria and measles. Outbreaks of diphtheria have been reported in states of the former Soviet Union.
Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral infection of the central nervous system that occurs in the southern parts of the non-tropical forest belt in Europe and Asia, including Russia. Travelers are at risk who visit or work in forested areas during the summer months and who consume unpasteurized dairy products.
Rabies, if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking or cycling or engaging in certain occupation activities.
Skin Care
Newcomers frequently have difficulty in adjusting to the dry air conditions in their apartments. Ladies complain of dry skin, broken fingernails, etc. Most women find that they use extra face cream. An electric humidifier helps a great deal. It is also useful to place pans of water around you apartment.
Eye Care
Dry, cold and polluted air is hard on eyes, especially if you wear contact lenses. Users are advised to give eyes a rest from contact lenses from time to time. It is advisable to have spare lenses or glasses with you. You can purchase all kinds and brands of imported prescription and non-prescription contact lenses (including Johnson & Johnson, Bausch & Lomb, etc), colored contact lenses, contact lens cleaners, glasses (including designer frames) and sunglasses at any larger optician's.
Most of them have qualified opticians or ophthalmologists and sophisticated equipment and will carry out a complete eye exam before fitting you with contact lenses or glasses. Fees for the eye exam are usually very moderate. Do not expect the ophthalmologists or consultants to speak English though. If you have just started you Russian lessons, take someone along who can communicate in Russian. Most pharmacies carry imported contact lens cleaners and moisturizing eye drops, while contact lens containers may only be available from specialist shops.
Digestion Care
Generally, it is advisable not to buy meat or diary products from anywhere other than a reputable market or shop. Meat purchased in the market should be inspected carefully to ascertain its freshness, and particular care should be taken in the summer months because of lack of refrigeration. Any meat bought at a market should be well cooked. Diary products bought at outdoor markets may not be pasteurized and should not be given to young children or consumed by pregnant women. All fruit and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before eating. Water from the tap is suitable for cooking, but people normally filter drinking water or use bottled water.
Health Care Insurance
Before coming to Moscow, make sure you have full medical and dental insurance coverage for yourself and all family members that will cover any emergencies (and medical evacuation) that occur during your stay in the Russian federation. Western medical and dental services in Russia are very expensive if you are not covered.
If you are not insured when coming to Russia, please contact several Moscow medical centers to find out whether they offer their own insurance plans, or ask them for recommendations of reputable companies in Moscow or abroad that offer health insurance for expatriates. If you already have insurance, call the medical or dental clinic you intend to visit to make sure that they accept and have a direct billing agreement with your insurance company and which, if any, restrictions apply in an emergency situation. If you are not insured or your insurance plan requires you to pre-pay all services for later reimbursement, check which credit cards are accepted or whether payment must be made in cash.
Note that coverage with foreign insurers must be purchased abroad, under Russian law it is illegal to sell insurance policies that are issued by an insurer that is not licensed in Russia. Before you choose a health care insurance provider, whether local or foreign, make sure you read the fine print and discuss any questions you have. Many insurance companies do not pay for health problems pertaining to pre-existing conditions, which might include any chronic health problems such as diabetes. If you use a foreign insurance provider, deductibles may apply. Since the cost of medical services in may medical centers in Russia is lower that abroad, the doctor's consultation fee may fall under deductible.
Most foreign health care insurance providers have contracts with a limited number of medical clinics in Russia. This could mean that through your insurance policy you are forced to use a certain health care provider in Moscow. Unless your insurance company has a direct billing agreement with the medical clinic you intend to use, you will have to advance the payment and then claim reimbursement from the insurance company later. Some providers require pre-authorization, meaning that you must contact the insurance company before using medical services in Russia.
Clinics and Dental Care
Several Western medical centers and dental clinics operate in Moscow. Most have at least some expatriate doctors and friendly English-speaking support staff and are equipped to handle both minor and major medical emergencies. Some also offer house calls and medical evacuation services. Most clinics are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week or at least provide emergency services during the night.
While most Russian hospitals are not up to Western standards, Russian doctors are generally very good. Several Russian hospitals in Moscow have special arrangements with GlavUPDK (the main administration for the foreign diplomatic corps in Moscow) and accept foreigners for checkups and treatments at more moderate prices that the Western medical clinics.
Psychological Care
Living in a foreign country is always challenging and stressful. Everyone - from the working partner to the spouse and children - can be affected, and there is absolutely no shame in turning to professional help, which is available in Moscow. Problems frequently experienced by expatriates on international assignments include stress, anxiety and loneliness. A problem specific to northern countries, such as Russia, is SAD (Season Affective Disorder). If you find yourself in any situation you feel you cannot cope with on your own, please call someone. This someone can be a friend, a member of your women's club's newcomer's team, a nurse or a doctor at your medical center or some professionals.
PREGNANCY AND GIVING BIRTH IN MOSCOW
General Information
If you are an expecting mother who is moving to or currently living in Moscow, you will need information and advice for the period of your stay in Moscow. One option is to join a "mother-to-be" support group to share experience and useful information. Contact details and useful information can be obtained through one of the international women's clubs in Moscow and - if you have older children that are attending school - through your school's community liaison office or school newsletter.
You can attend childbirth education classes for further advice on pregnancy, delivery, breastfeeding, and baby care and to learn about what to expect in Moscow. Most classes offered in Moscow are held in Russian, but you can contact any of the Western medical clinics in Moscow to find out about English-language pre-natal classes.
Hospitals and Doctors
Not all hospitals have maternity wards, and even less have neonatal care units. On the other hand there are several hospitals that cater exclusively to future mothers and their babies. A maternity hospital is called "roddom", meaning "house of birth". Most hospitals in Russia require visitors to wear plastic shoe covers. These are usually available from the concierge or at the coat check area near entrance for a small fee.
To make arrangements to give birth at a hospital in Russia, you will need to sign a contract and pay a deposit. Some Russian doctors speak good English (less frequently German or French), but if you need language assistance during labor and birth, you can make arrangements with an English-speaking healthcare provider in Moscow for an interpreter to be present during labor and childbirth. Make sure the hospital of your choice is aware of this arrangement.
Many things are done differently here than in your own country. The layout of the delivery room, for example, is different from those in American or European hospitals and usually offers less privacy.
Once you have chosen a doctor you will be issued a certificate regarding your pregnancy to carry with you. This certificate includes all pertinent information on your pregnancy and prenatal visits. Information on the birth itself and data for the newborn baby will be added later on. The certificate is issued in Russia, and it helps to avoid additional testing on admission to the maternity hospital. It provides the doctors and nursed with all the information they need to ensure a safe delivery and good prenatal care for your baby.
Hospital Stay
The usual length of stay in hospital is between three and five days; if you want to leave earlier you will be asked to sign a special form. After the baby is born you should contact your embassy to receive citizenship for your child and to apply for a passport.
Pediatrician
The Russian public health care system provides a local pediatrician for the first time home visit and a few follow-up visits by the district pediatric nurse. You can make an appointment for the well-baby visit in most family clinics. Some clinics in Moscow provide pediatric house calls. However, if you live a great distance from the clinic, please, check with your pediatrician if this service is provided.
Immunization
You can have your baby vaccinated through a private clinic or you can have vaccinations done for free (Russian-made vaccines) through the public health care system. Most expatriates prefer to use private clinics for their baby's immunizations where only Western-made vaccines from the world's leading manufacture are used. In Russia, a few days after birth a BCG vaccine is administered. You should discuss with your doctor whether you want this vaccination to be done or not. The immunization schedule in Russia differs from that in America and Western Europe - Hib, Varicella and Hepatitus A vaccinations are not on the national immunization calendar.
Private medical clinics will let you follow the immunization schedule from your home country, and most vaccines are readily available. Many local day care centers and play schools will ask you to provide your child's vaccination certificate, and many schools in Moscow test children for tuberculosis (PPD skin) on an annual basis. |
|
|
|
|
| 5. | Public Transport::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Public Transport
MOSCOW METRO
When it first opened in 1935, the system had just one line. Today, the Moscow metro contains 12 lines, mostly underground with a total of more than 175 stations. The metro is one of the deepest subway systems in the world. It is a great, fast, efficient, and cheap way to get around town, with stations close to most major places of interest in the city center. Trains run every couple of minutes from early morning to late at night. They can get very crowded during morning and evening rush hours. Stations that are always crowded are those adjacent to railway stations and bus terminals (for example, Kievskaya, Belorusskaya).
Many of Moscow's metro stations were designed and embellished by prominent Russian architects, artists and sculptors and are incredibly beautiful - especially those in the city center and the ones on the brown circle line, which connects seven of Moscow's nine railway stations to each other. When you start exploring Moscow on the metro, take some time to get off at each station to have a closer look. The metro runs from 05:35 to 01:00. Intervals between trains during the day are usually no more than a few minutes but can be longer in the early morning or late evening.
Brief History of the Moscow Metro
The story started in the beginning of the 20th century. The first and very unusual project of the underground was offered by engineer Peter Balinsky in 1902. According to his plan trains were supposed to pass across the Red Square over the heads of the astonished people in horse-carriages, but this project was rejected as well as many others. Only in 1931 the dream of many architects and progress adherents came true and the construction began. On May 15th 1935 the first line covering the distance from Sokolniki to Gorky Park was opened for public use. The lucky owner of the ticket No. 1 presented this precious piece of paper to the Museum of Moscow Metro.
Finding a Metro Station
Metro entrances are easy to find - they are indicated by big red letters "M", which are illuminated at night.
Metro Tickets
Fare: 26 Rbs per ticket (as of June 2010). Children under the age of seven travel free of charge.
The fee for 1 trip is fixed, i.e. it does not depend on the length of your journey, you can make as many line-changes as you wish, and stay down in the metro as long as you like - it is valid until you exit the metro system. Tickets are available for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 60, 70 rides and there is also a common ticket for 70 rides in all kinds of transport. You can also buy season tickets of different kinds: season tickets with limited number of rides for 5 days (1, 2 rides), season tickets with limited number of rides for 45 days (5, 10, 20, 60 rides), season tickets with limited number of rides for one calendar month (70 rides) and season tickets with unlimited number of rides: for 30 days, for 90 days and for 365 days.
Metro tickets can be obtained from the "kassas" (ticket booths) that are located inside each metro station. The tickets come in the form of smart cards. To enter the metro system, touch the yellow circle on the turnstile with your ticket. After you touch the yellow circle, the other circle a bit lower will show in green light how many rides are left (or illuminate in green if you have the season ticket). The red light on the ticket-barrier will go out briefly, and you can now enter through the turnstile.
If your ticket is not valid, the turnstile will make a buzz sound and the red circle will be still on. If you are sure that your ticket is valid, but the turnstile won't let you in, do not be desperate; just touch the yellow circle of the same turnstile one more time. Normally, if the ticket is valid, the turnstile will work. You don't need your ticket to exit the metro.
Moscow Metro Peculiarities
In one way the Moscow metro is definitely different from all other underground railways in the world: it was planned not only as a comfortable and easily accessible transport but also as powerful means of propaganda. The idea was to immortalize the greatness of socialism; as a result Moscow underground became one of the most grandiose phenomena of the Stalin era. Its pompous architecture and sumptuous designs allow Moscow metro to remain one of the most popular tourist attractions.
Each central station has its own unique style. For example Teatralnaya station is decorated with majolica bas-reliefs picturing folk dances. In the niches of Ploshchad Revolutsii there are 76 bronze statues imaging the creators of the communism. Kievskaya and Belorusskaya are adorned with national ornaments of Ukraine and Belarus.
Among other sumptuous metro stations Mayakovskaya is a true pearl of underground architecture. It is included in the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Silvery steel columns match beautifully with red and pink shades of rhodonite. The ceiling has 36 mosaic panels made of coloured glass created by very famous Soviet-era artist Alexander Deineka.
As money becoming tighter during the 1960s and 1970s the opulent designs of new stations were sacrificed in favour of better geographic coverage and investment into rail technology - the stations of this era look far more prosaic by comparison. However, in the Medvedev era funds are being found to build new stations - some of which are built in a "fake-Empire" style glorifying Russia's 19th-century past (e.g. Trubnaya), while yet others illustrate contemporary minimalist design styles (e.g. Vorobyovy Gory). Money is now finally being found to restore the first-generation stations (such as Mayakovskaya) to their original glory - and to invest in new rolling-stock and track.
Finding your Way around the Metro
It is not very difficult to find your way around on the metro. For convenience, each metro line has its own distinct colour. Information boards on the station walls show the stations that are served by the particular line you are on. They also indicate all possible transfers to other lines. Signs inside metro stations are in Russian only. Each train car has a metro map close to one or more of the doors. These maps are bilingual (Russian, English).
When you are on the train, the driver will make the following announcement "Ostorozhno, dveri zakryvautsya, sleduyuschaya ostanovka (for example) Smolenskaya". This means "Careful, the doors are closing. The next stop is Smolenskaya". You should be able to understand the station names. In case a station has transfers to two or more other lines, stay calm and try to find the information board indicating the needed station. If it doesn't work, ask someone for assistance.
Many stations have two or more exits leading onto different streets. The exit signs list nearby streets, places of interest, department stores, etc. It helps to find in advance whether you have to get off at the first or last metro car to get to your destination. When meeting someone inside the metro, make sure you are very clear about where exactly you will meet. Some stations are very big and can be very crowded, which can make finding someone a difficult task.
Light Metro
Since 2004, Muscovites are able to enjoy new means of city transportation - the light metro (monorail). The first line is in Butovo and can be accessed from metro Bulvar Dmitriya Donskogo. The second line is in northern Moscow and runs between metros VDNKh and Timiryazevskaya. The tracks are an elevated structure with an average height of 7.5 m (25 ft). Each train can hold about 300 passengers. The average speed is 40 km (25 mi) per hour.
BUSES, TROLLEYBUSES, AND TRAMS
In view of the fact that metro stations outside the city centre are far apart in comparison to other cities - up to 4 km (2.5 mi) - an extensive bus network radiates from each station to the surrounding residential zones. Also, Moscow has a several bus terminals for long-range and intercity passenger buses, with a daily turnover of about 25000 passengers serving about 40% of long-range bus routes in Moscow.
Moscow has an extensive tram system, which first opened in 1899. Its daily usage by Muscovites is low (approximately 5%), although, it still remains vital in some districts, especially, in the centre for those who need to get to the nearby metro station. Increasingly tram-lines are the victims of road-widening schemes, and the tram-system's coverage is steadily decreasing. Buses and trolleybuses run from about 06:00 to 01:00, trams from about 05:30 to 01:00.
Public Transportation Ticket Options
One ticket covers one-way transportation on only one bus, trolleybus or tram (regardless the distance). If you transfer to another bus, trolleybus or tram, a new ticket will be required. Tickets for public transportation can be purchased from kiosks on the street. They are typically grey in colour and have a big sign saying "Proezdnyue Bilety" meaning "Public Transportation Tickets". These kiosks can be found outside many metro stations.
Bus, trolleybus, and tram tickets cost 24 Rbs for 1 ticket; 48 for 2 tickets, 90 for 5 tickets; 180 for 10 tickets, 369 Rbs for 20 tickets, 700 Rbs for 60 tickets (as of June 2010). The more tickets you buy, the cheaper the individual ticket gets. If you plan on frequently using public transportation, you may want to purchase a so-called "yediny" which costs 2140 Rbs. This pass is valid for one month and can be used for up to 70 rides on the metro and unlimited tram, bus, and trolleybus rides.
Another option is to purchase a so-called TAT or "proyezdnoi". The letters TAT stand for Tram, Autobus (bus), and Trolleybus. A TAT costs 830 Rbs (as of June 2010). As TAT tickets are not valid for the metro, you will have to purchase metro tickets separately.
You are strongly encouraged to obtain your bus/tram/trolley tickets before you travel. However, you can obtain a ticket on-board, in return for some practiced tutting and grumbling. If you buy a ticket directly from the tram, bus, or trolleybus driver, it will cost you 28 Rbs (as of June 2010). The drivers only sell the tickets during scheduled stops, and you should try to have the exact change on hand.
To enter the tram, bus or trolleybus you have to use a turnstile entrance within the vehicle, located past the driver's seat. All buses, trolleybuses and trams required you to enter through the front door and exit through the back door.
Microbuses
Hundreds of routes in Moscow are served by microbuses (small passenger vans). In Russian these are called "marshrutnoye taxi" or "marshrutka" for short. Their only similarity to a taxi is that they can - in theory - be hailed at the roadside without having to be at a stop, and they can drop you off anywhere along their (fixed) route that the driver considers safe. The routes normally start outside metro stations, and the drivers will stop anywhere along their route at passenger's requests. These small buses often go to places where there is no metro, such as many micro-neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Moscow. They often run long after the metro has closed - but with no guarantees, as the drivers are free agents, and can pack up and go home if it is a quiet evening with few clients.
While these small buses often are a quicker alternative to regular buses, their drivers are often overworked and/or drive recklessly. Accidents involving microbuses are frequent. Pricing on board is entirely up to the companies offering the route - usually they are posted on the buses' windows, along with information on the route and the micro bus number. A very large number of marshrutkas are offering a "private" alternative to specific public bus or tram route - and number themselves the same as the bus- or tram-number they are cloning. Since the public services are not-for-profit anyhow, they rarely complain about this competition - which relieves congestion on already-groaning main routes. Marshrutka offers travelers a slightly quicker journey, less crowding on board, and a guaranteed seat instead of having to stand (no standing is allowed in marshrutkas, for safety reasons). You have to tell (i.e. holler to) the driver in advance of where you'd like to stop.
COMMUTER AND LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS
Moscow has nine large train stations. All of them serve long-distance trains as well as short-distance commuter trains called "elektrichkas" that go to various suburbs of Moscow.
Commuter Trains ("Elektrichkas")
When visiting a location outside of Moscow, make sure you know which train station your elektrichka departs from. Not all elektrichkas travelling to the same destination will spot at all of the smaller stops in-between. Large boards on the main platform usually list the trains that are going to be leaving within the next couple of hours, and they normally mention whether the train will stop everywhere or not. If in doubt, ask! Suburban trains run relatively frequently and are usually on time.
If you plan on frequently travelling to the same destination by suburban train, you may want to purchase a timetable for that particular route; they are very cheap and available at the ticket counters. Generally there are more trains during morning and evening hours when people travel to and from work, and on summer weekends when entire families travel to and from their dachas. During summer the trains can get very crowded, and seating is limited. Note that most of these trains have no toilets; neither do the majority of the small station stops along the way.
Long-Distance Trains
Moscow's nine rail terminals (or vokzals) are:
Belorussky
Kazansky
Kievsky
Kursky
Leningradsky
Paveletsky
Rizhsky
Savyolovsky
Yaroslavsky
They are located close to the city centre, each, dealing with trains from different parts of Europe and Asia. Tickets in general are relatively cheap.
If you contemplate a long-distance or overnight train journey make sure you buy a first or a least second class ticket. Some short- and medium-distance trains till have a third class, called "obshchy vagon". This is a carriage without any compartments, and you might end up sleeping next, above or under a noisy party of travelers - or military recruits on their way home on leave.
There are also different categories of train: "skory" ("fast", an outdated title in most cases, as it is rarely the fastest option), "express", and "firmenny" ("flagship service" - the highest category). Tickets cost more on better trains. You cannot buy a ticket merely specifying the route you want - you have to specify the train and time you intend to use, and you will be given an assigned wagon and seat (or berth, if the train is a sleeper). All long-distance routes longer than 24 hours are "compulsory sleeper" services - there is no "couchette" option. Firmenny trains are not only faster - they have greatly increased levels of comfort on board, nicer restaurant-wagons, and clean toilets, usually modern "airline-type" toilets. A useful "rule of thumb" when choosing trains - if you only know their numbers - is that the lowest-numbered trains are usually the best ones (firmenny). Faced with a choice of train 9 or train 371 on the same route, you'd be best to pick train 9. Some routes (e.g. Moscow - St. Petersburg) have competing commercial train operators, offering you a wider choice of services and prices.
Toilet facilities on non-firmenny Russian trains are not great, and it is absolutely essential to bring your own toilet paper and small pre-packed moist towelettes (the kind you get on airplanes). You might also want to bring some food and drink, especially if you are going to on longer trip. Routes longer than 24 hours always have a dining car - these tend to be either "nice but prohibitively expensive" or "cheap but grim" - almost all of them are nowadays operated as franchised businesses. Russian standard cafe fare is usually the extent of the menu - vegetarians are likely to fare quite poorly, even on better trains.
When travelling overnight, make sure you lock your compartment door. Keep an eye on your belongings, especially your passport and your wallet - thefts on trains can and do occur.
Most expatriates prefer not to use trains for long-distance travel; it is much easier and faster to fly. Overnight train rides to St. Petersburg, however, are a great experience, especially if you travel on one of the luxury trains (there is a choice of 5-6 premium-end train operators).
TAXIS
Apart from using public transportation, official and private taxis are the safest way to get around town. There are two different kinds of taxis in Russia, all of which are commonly referred to as "taxi": official and private taxis, and gypsy cabs.
Official and Private Taxis
Taxis come in various shapes and colours. The main feature of an official taxi is the presence of a meter, together with an official taxi sign either on the roof and/or on the doors. Official taxi drivers are supposed to switch on their meter when they pick you up and should charge you according to a "per km" rate (with a certain minimum charge), but many prefer not to do so. You may, therefore, have to agree on the fare before getting in. The same applies to gypsy cab drivers.
Note that in contrast to many countries, you cannot just get into an official taxi in Moscow and expect the driver to take you where you want to go. He may not be interested in taking you, particularly if you are going somewhere far from the city center.
Official taxis can be difficult to catch on the street - there aren't that many. If you expect that you will need a taxi, order one ahead of time. Private taxis will normally only pick up passengers who have ordered a car by phone or over Internet. Many of these cars also have taxi sign, but they usually do not have a meter.
Private taxi companies usually have a fixed charge - usually per 20 minutes. The taxi company should inform you of the charge when you order a car. Unless your company has a contact with a particular taxi company, you must pay a driver in cash. Few companies accept credit cards. If you need an official receipt, ask whether one can be provided before placing you order - not all companies provide this.
Gypsy Cabs
In Russia, the difference between hailing a cab (taxi) and simply hitchhiking is vague. Generally,
wherever you are, at any time of day or night, you can get a "cab" in a matter of minutes or seconds by holding out your hand. Normally, you tell the driver where you are going and negotiate an amount, with you naming the first price. For many locations, giving the closest metro station is the best. Keep in mind though that very few drivers speak English. "Chastniki" (gypsy cab drivers) drive their own cars that do not have any taxi signs on them.
Taxi Rules
To flag down a taxi or a gypsy cab, stand on the curb of the street and hold out your hand.
When a car stops, make sure that there are no other passengers in it.
Tell the driver where you want to go (e.g. name the street and the closest metro station). You will then be asked how much you are willing to pay for the trip.
If the driver is happy with your offer, he will say "Sadites" or "Poyekhali" (meaning "Sit down" or "Let's go").
Gypsy cab drivers often don't need instructions on how to get to your destination.
Few taxi drivers speak English or other foreign languages, so if your Russian is limited, ask someone to write your destination down for you in Russian and mark on a map so that you an show it to the driver.
Cars
There are over 3 million cars in the city on a daily basis. Recent years have seen a significant growth in the number of cars, which has lead to traffic jams and unavailability of parking space. The MKAD (Moscow Circular Car Road), along with the Third Transport Ring and the future Fourth Transport Ring is one of only three freeways that run within Moscow city limits. However, as one can easily observe from a map of Moscow area, there are several other roadway systems that form concentric circles around the city. You might want to rent a car to explore Moscow as a driver. Try one of the following car rental companies.
RIVER TRANSPORT
Moscow has two passenger riverboat terminals (South River Terminal and North River Terminal or Rechnoi Vokzal), serving regular ship routes and cruises along Moskva and Oka Rivers. Due to winter ice, the rivers are navigable from early April to mid-October for passenger transport, and for cargo - a little longer. Cruise ships, connecting Moscow with St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Rostov-on-Don and other cities of the Volga region depart from the North River Terminal (Severny Rechnoi Vokzal). From the South River Terminal ships depart to Ryazan & Konstantinovo, on the Oka River to Nizhny Novgorod; ships for the Volga River leave from Severny Rechnoi Vokzal. Additionally the suburban ships "Raketa", "Moskva" serve Severny Rechnoi Vokzal to the recreation area of the reservoirs of the Moskva Canal, and on one-hour excursions on the Khimki Reservoir. |
|
|
|
|
| 6. | Communication & Postal Services::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Communication & Postal Services
POSTAL SERVICES
Russian post services handle all kinds of communications, including local and international postal services, registered mail (incoming and outgoing), stamps, telegrams, intercity and international phone calls, newspaper and magazine subscriptions. Box rentals, intercity and international call services may only be available at the Main Post Office. Post offices (pochta) are located all over Moscow; each neighbourhood has at least one.
Moscow's Main Post Office (Moskovsky Glavpochtamt) is located at Myasnitskaya ul., 26, metro Turgenevskaya or Chistye Prudy. It is open 24/7. A convenient, centrally located post office is the Central Telegraph (Tsentralny Telegraph) at Tverskaya ul., 7, just up the hill from the National Hotel. Moscow's Main International Post Office is located at Varshavskoye sh., 37, metro Nagatinskaya.
Sending and Receiving Mail
If you want your friends and relatives to send you mail from abroad to your home or work address, make sure you provide them with the complete address. One of the most important items in your address is the postal index (equivalent to zip code), which consists of six numbers. Find out the index of your home address from your landlord; that of your work should be printed on your business car. An incorrect index will result in your mail being sent to the wrong post office in Moscow, which will delay delivery as your mail will have to be re-sent to the post office that handles your area.
For incoming mail, it is okay if the address is written in English. Ask your friends to clearly print all letters. (Capital letters are best). You might also want to e-mail or fax them your address in Russian printed letters so that they can copy in onto the envelope. Outgoing international mail can obviously also be address in English, but it helps if you spell out the name of the country to which you are sending your postcard, letter or parcel in English and in Russian.
If you want to send a letter or parcel from Russia, you should address it as follows:
country (only for international mail, including that to the former republics);
index and city;
street, building number, entrance number, apartment number;
last name, first name and patronymic (the latter only if applicable).
Public mail boxes are blue with the word "Pochta" written on them in white letters. They are available all over town and each post office usually has one outside (attached to the wall) and one inside. Regular mail will be delivered to the mail box (pochtovy yashchik) inside your building or to your office reception.
If someone sent you a registered letter or parcel and you are not at home when the post office attempts to deliver it, they will put a slip of paper in your post box notifying you of its arrival. The paper will also say at which post office you can retrieve your mail. You must complete the back of the slip which asks for your name, address in Moscow, passport details (issued where, when and by which agency). You must then show your original passport to receive your mail. If you fail to show up within several days of the notification, you might have to pay storage charges.
The Russian post service is still a bit unreliable - an airmail letter from Moscow to another country can take anywhere from three weeks to three months to arrive; the same applies to incoming mail. Important items and documents should only be sent by registered mail. A registered letter is called "zakaznoye pismo"; a registered parcel is called "zakaznaya pasylka". The best (but also the most expensive) option will be express mail company.
COMMUNICATION
Making Phone Calls within Moscow
When dialed from your home landline, phone calls within Moscow are still free of charge. Unless you live in a residential compound or hotel, which might require you to dial a number such as 0 or 9 to get access to an outside line, you just pick up the phone and dial the number. The majority of landline phone numbers in Moscow consists of seven digits. As Moscow has two area codes (495 or 499), sometimes you have to dial eleven digits (if case with 499 code). The same applies to making a phone call to a federal mobile number.
Making Phone Calls to Other Cities in Russia
Phone calls to other cities in Russia are still quite affordable. To reach a phone number in another city in Russia, dial 8, wait for the tone, then dial 55 or 53, then dial the area code of the city you are calling followed by the local number. For example, to call someone in St.Petersburg, dial 8, wait for the tone, then dial 55 or 53, then dial 812 (the area code for St.Petersburg) and the local phone number.
Making Calls to Other Countries
It is fairly easy to make an international phone call from a standard Russian telephone line, and normally you will get through even to remote locations. To access an outside line, dial 8 and wait for the tone. Then dial 10, followed by the country code, the city code and the local phone number you want to reach. For example, to call a number in the US, dial 8, wait for the tone, then dial 10 followed by 1 (the country code for the US) followed by the area code and local number.
If the city code starts with a 0 (e.g. in the UK and Germany), do not dial the 0 and start with the first non-zero number after it. For example, to call London, you would dial 8-10-44-208 followed by the local number (instead of 8-10-0208). When giving friends abroad your phone number in Moscow, remember to tell them the country code for Russia is 7 and the area codes for Moscow are 495 or 499. Your landlord will for sure tell you your area code. If you have a seven-digit home or office number or a direct Moscow mobile number, they need to dial +7 495 111 11 11.
Information on international dialing codes
Mobile Phones and Mobile Communication
The mobile phone market works slightly differently in Russia than in other countries, particularly the US. Service companies do not throw in the handset for free as part of your sign-up package. When you sign-up for service, you will receive a SIM card, which contains all of your account information. The card can be inserted into any unlocked handset (the great majority of handsets on sale in Russia are unlocked). When you purchase your SIM card and phone, be sure to keep all of the paper work that you are given in a safe place. If you lose your phone, call your service provider immediately so that they can freeze your account. In most cases, they can reissue you a new SIM card and you can retain your old number, service package and account balance. Mobile phones are available from numerous stores and shops all over town. At most of them you can get your new phone connected on the spot through the provider of your choice. There are 3 major phone operators in Moscow: Beeline, Megafon and MTS. They all offer a wide range of services and payment plans.
Two different kinds of mobile phone numbers are currently available in Moscow: a direct number and non-direct/federal number. A direct number is a seven-digit number, just like any other Moscow number, and can be accessed from any home, office or other mobile phone. A federal number consists of the number 8 followed by a three-digit area code such as 916, 926, 960 and a seven-digit number. Service charges for a direct number are more expensive than for the non-direct/federal number option. All major phone operator in Moscow offer an international roaming.
If you want to send an SMS to a direct Moscow mobile number you need to enter +7 495 followed by the seven-digit number.
You can top up your mobile phone in a variety of ways:
You can purchase mobile phone cards, that are sold everywhere from supermarkets to kiosks.
You can use multi-kassas - special devices that are on every corner and that look a little bit like ATMs. Usually when you pay with multi-kassa, you have to pay extra commission about 2-5%. In some mobile phone shops (like Svyaznoi) there are multi-kassas without extra commission.
You can top up your phone in any mobile phone shop. No commission is taken.
You can pay by your credit card directly via ATM.
You can top up your phone transmitting money form your bank account via Internet-banking.
Pay Phones
A pay phone is called a "taksofon" in Russian. You will find several different types of pay phones in Moscow. Some work with tokens, which are sold in kiosks and in metro stations; others work with pre-paid phone cards. Some allow you to make local, national and international calls while others are only for local calls. A particular kind of phone card will only work with particular kinds of pay phones, i.e. there are no universal pay phone cards.
Internet Service & Satellite TV Providers
There are many internet service providers in Moscow offering high-speed broadband internet access, as well as ADSL high-speed access with Akado, Stream and Corbina being the most popular ones. Prices for internet access are moderate compared to Europe and USA with the cheapest tariff rates starting from about 250 Rbs. Moscow features lots of free Wi-Fi hotspots available in restaurant, cafes, clubs, hotels and other public places, though internet cafes with wired internet access are also at your service. Satellite TV is getting more and more popular in Moscow. Major satellite TV providers are listed here. |
|
|
|
|
| 7. | Moscow-at-a-Glance::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Moscow-at-a-Glance
Moscow is a city of contrasts, and its fascinating history offers its inhabitants and guests a variety of adventures - business, economical, cultural, recreational and much more. Moscow is the capital of the largest European country and is situated in the heart of what is known as European Russia. Consequently, this capital city, being the epicenter of life for people of different nations and parts of the world, takes the best of east and west. Moscow has seen foreign invaders come and go. It was the capital when Mongol Tatars overran the Russian lands. The Crimean Tatars destroyed the fledgling city in 1751, as did Poles in the 17th century. During the war with Napoleon, three-quarters of the city was burned in the wake of the French occupation - but as a result, a stately Empire-era city arose in its place, still studded with the remains of the city's medieval splendour. Two further upheavals have helped shape the city's extraordinary appearance - the wave of "suprematist" monumental architecture undertaken during the "boom" period of the Communist era, and the corresponding oil-funded "rebuilding boom" that followed the fall of Communism, and continues today.
The City's Name
Moscow was named after the Moskva River (in Russian the name of the city is pronounced as "Mosk-va"). The origin of the name itself is unknown, although several theories exist. One of the theories suggests that the name originates from the ancient Finnic language, in which it means "dark" or "turbid". Yet another theory tells that the name comes from the ancient Slav language and means simply "wet". Either way, the etymology of the word is related to water.
Geographic Area & Size
The size of the city is about 1100 sq.km (425 sq.mi), with the central part of the city - over 800 sq.km (309 sq.mi) situated inside the Moscow Outer Ring Road.
Location, Streetplan, and Arterial Road Scheme
Moscow is located directly at the centre of European Russia at the northwest segment of Russia's most densely developed and populated region. The Moskva River crosses through the middle of the city and is itself a tributary of the Volga River.
Like the cross-section of a tree with its yearly rings, Moscow has grown outward from the Kremlin since the 12th century. There are five concentric "rings" that shape the city's streetplan - the most central being the former moat of the Kremlin, Moscow's medieval citadel. Beyond the Kremlin, the oldest ring is the Boulevard Ring Road; closest to the center, it contains the Kremlin within it, and the oldest part of the city. The Boulevard Ring is not a complete ring, but more a horseshoe shape with both ends terminating at the Moskva River. A middle ring road, the Garden Ring (Sadovoe Kol'tso) forms a closed circle around the downtown areas - a massive 6/8-lane highway that carries the huge bulk of Moscow's traffic, and at rush-hours becomes a gigantic circular stationary gridlock of frustrated motorists.
The city's Outer Ring Road ("MKAD" - the Moscow Circular Car Road) diverts intra-national traffic away from the city centre and was intended as a "city boundary for the 21st century" - but the city keeps expanding and some new settlements that are located outside of the MKAD also count as Moscow. The MKAD is located about 28 km (7.4 mi) from the city center and is 100 km (62 mi) long. The newest ring is called the Third Ring Road, once again forming a circle, running between the MKAD and the Garden Ring, conveniently connecting some of the densely populated but not so central parts of Moscow. Most of the Third Ring Road is built as a flyover.
Population:
Moscow city: 10.5 million (as of July 01, 2009)
Moscow region: 6.7 million (as of January 01, 2010)
The official population of Moscow slightly exceeds 10 million, but as in so many other world cities, the actual number of the population is much bigger. The whole Moscow conurbation is probably home to nearer 15 million - the discrepancy is due to official "city limits" that fail to encompass the new housing estates on the outskirts; former suburban towns which have effectively been "swallowed" by city-creep; and a huge unrecorded transient population of visitors, short-term visitors, migrant and seasonal workers, "unofficials", semi-legals and illegal immigrants, on whom there are no official stats.
The vast majority of Muscovites are ethnically and culturally Russians - well over 80%. As the country's most affluent city (unofficial estimates claim that 80% of the country's wealth is in Moscow) it is a magnet for newcomers wanting to further their careers and get the high-paying jobs on offer - many of the Russians living in Moscow have moved here from elsewhere in the country, and "native Muscovites" have a certain pride about having been born in the city.
Moscow is home to many other nationalities, especially Armenians, Georgians, Asiatic Siberians, people from the Caucasus regions and many others whose families migrated to the capital during the Soviet era, when it was all just one large country. Their cultures and languages, and especially their cuisines are all part of the rich melting-pot of Moscow life. Native-born Muscovites often have a pronounced local accent which marks them out, and which is frequently the butt of jokes made about the capital's population throughout the rest of the country.
It ought to be mentioned that there is no great love for Moscow among many Russians from other cities - who habitually associate the city with the imagined misrule and economic inequalities they blame on Moscow and its rulers. In fact, this is a historical tendency - exactly the same was said of St. Petersburg when it was the capital in the 19th century.
Climate
Moscow has a humid continental climate. The average temperature of the year is 5.4 degrees Celsius (°C), with an average temperature of -9°C in January and +18°C in July. Moscow's climate really consists of two extreme seasons: winter and summer. Spring and fall are often negligibly short.
Average temperatures are based on 30 years observation period. Table values are in degrees Celsius (°C). T,°C
Monthly average
Variations Jan
-10
-10...-9 |
|
|
|
|
| 8. | Moscow Neighbourhoods::Arbat::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
A wonderful area situated around one of the most ancient streets of Moscow. From the late 18th and 19th centuries, this area was dominated by the home-estates of nobles; in the second half of the 19th century, this was the place where one would find the majority of Moscow's intelligentsia. For a long time Arbat was the haunt of artists, musicians, poets, writers and intellectuals who created an indescribable bohemian atmosphere in this area of rambling streets and overgrown courtyards. Arbat along with its surroundings was almost a sacred place for many generations, an essence of this city, one of the symbols of Moscow.
Arbatskiye Vorota Square
Khudozhestvenny cinema is the first to attract your attention here with its garish posters. It was built in 1909 and in 1913 was rebuilt by the great architect Fedor Schechter, the author of such masterpieces of Moscow Moderne Style as Ryabushinsky house on Malaya Nikitskaya street and Morozov's residence on Spiridonovka street. Here the first Soviet sound film was shown and young Shostakovich worked as pianist.
Stary Arbat ("Old Arbat")
The first time Arbat was mentioned in the chronicles in 1493 and it kept its name through all these centuries, even during Soviet times when nearly every street was renamed after some communistic hero. The name Arbat is of eastern origin and it means "suburbs". The road from Moscow to Smolensk laid via Arbat and Vozdvizhenka streets and this road connected Moscow with Western Europe.
For Muscovites, it's not just a street, but a special "piece" of the capital, a kind of "Moscow within Moscow", with its own history, identity and traditions. The street's image is created by its residents. It was always "a closed world", full of exceptional people: the aristocracy and intellectuals. The list of famous Arbat people "arbatovtsy", works written, masterpieces created and scientific discoveries made in this place could serve as information for an encyclopedia. This is also the reason why many memorial museums and memorial flats are placed here. Arbat has always been one of the most beautiful streets of the city. Gradually, century after century, the street emerged with its own unique architectural style. It boasts original ancient mansions with moldings, balconies and caryatids, small cozy streets, laced lamps, stone paved roads.
During the Soviet government, Stary Arbat changed irreversibly: in early 1960s, it became the laid back street of the new modern avenue - Novy Arbat. This led to the destruction of many 18th and 19th century monuments; nevertheless, Arbat has not lost its charm. In 1986, Arbat became a pedestrian street. Today over forty embassies and ambassadors' residences are located here.
House No 2 in the beginning of Arbat is one of the best Moscow restaurants called "Prague". First it was a common inn but later it turned into a fancy place with exquisite cuisine. It was very popular among Moscow artistic bohemia. Here Chekhov was honoured after the first night of "Three Sisters".
Almost every old street has connection with Pushkin. Arbat is not an exception: in the house No 53 Pushkin and his beautiful wife Natalya Goncharova lived for a while after marriage. Nobody paid attention to this refined blue house for a long time; it was a communal flat until 1986 when Pushkin Museum was finally organised. Several years ago Arbat was presented with a sculpture of this famous couple.
The Tsoy's Wall at the corner of Arbat and Krivoarbatsky lane was an alternative to official monuments. First inscriptions and graffiti appeared shortly after the death of Victor Tsoy, Soviet rock legend of the 1980s. His fans keep coming and adding new signs expressing their emotions.
Another memorial flat is located in the house No 55. Here poet Andrey Bely, one of the greatest representatives of Symbolism in Russian literature was born. It has the same entrance with the Pushkin museum.
Arbat is a street for souvenir hunters. Different kinds of matreshkas from traditionally made ones to the ones looking like Gorbachev or even Osama Bin Laden; Russian fur hats, famous decorated shawls or Moscow views are always for sale. Antique and art shops offer wide range of precious souvenirs. After getting tired of choosing presents it is nice to have lunch in one of Arbat's numerous pubs and restaurants or listen to one of the impromptu street concerts given by just another undiscovered talent.
Arbat Lanes
The first thing that one notices in the area of Arbat is that there are almost no straight lines. It is a fanciful combination of curved lanes, gardens and courtyards. Wandering about cosy and quiet little streets might become a pleasant adventure.
In Krivoarbatsky lane a fence hides a true treasure: a strange looking house in the shape of two interlocking cylinders with more than 60 six-sided windows which was designed by the world-famous Soviet architect Konstantin Melnikov. One of the best representatives of Constructivism built this experimental house for his family and that allowed him to use all his imagination. But architect pursued a practical end as well: the house was planned to be a prototype for future housing developments.
Krivoarbatsky lane is connected to Plotnikov lane. In the 17th century it was inhabited with carpenters and joiners, and here is the origin for its name ("plotnik" stands for "carpenter"). An apartment house No 4/5 built in 1907 attracts attention with an interesting sculpture frieze picturing Turgenev, Gogol and Tolstoy surrounded by mythological figures; surprising poses of the writers' sculptures caused many rumours and malignant remarks among Muscovites. Originally sculptor Andreev made this frieze for some museum, but for unknown reason it was split into parts and put on the walls of this house.
One of the most famous lanes of Arbat - Sivtsev Vrazhek - boasts a residence of the count Fedor Tolstoy known as The American. This man with a fame of a cardsharper and troublemaker took part in the first Russian round-the-world trip with admiral Kruzenshtern. For some nasty jokes the American was left on one of the Aleutian Islands and had to walk his way home through Siberia getting covered with tattoos on his way which later allowed him to shock noble ladies in Moscow. Across the street in the house No 27 there is a memorial flat of Alexander Herzen, a radical Russian writer and probably the first Russian political emigrant.
Novy Arbat ("New Arbat")
Novy Arbat is a perfect example of resoluteness and implacability of Soviet leaders. This monster street appeared after Nikita Khruschev's visit to "The Island of Freedom" - Cuba. He fell in love with avenues and sky-scrappers in Havana and decided to build a similar street in Moscow. An entire block of old Moscow with its little streets and beautiful houses was destroyed. Today Novy Arbat is an entertainment and shopping street with numerous nightclubs, boutiques, restaurants and shops. The only sad reminder of the old days is the Church of Simeon Stolpnik. It is the oldest building in the area and the only sample of 17th century architecture. Among those giants it looks more like an expensive souvenir. |
|
|
|
|
| 9. | Arbat::Ancient Times and Rise of Moscow (5th-15th centuries)::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Arbat
A wonderful area situated around one of the most ancient streets of Moscow. From the late 18th and 19th centuries, this area was dominated by the home-estates of nobles; in the second half of the 19th century, this was the place where one would find the majority of Moscow's intelligentsia. For a long time Arbat was the haunt of artists, musicians, poets, writers and intellectuals who created an indescribable bohemian atmosphere in this area of rambling streets and overgrown courtyards. Arbat along with its surroundings was almost a sacred place for many generations, an essence of this city, one of the symbols of Moscow.
Arbatskiye Vorota Square
Khudozhestvenny cinema is the first to attract your attention here with its garish posters. It was built in 1909 and in 1913 was rebuilt by the great architect Fedor Schechter, the author of such masterpieces of Moscow Moderne Style as Ryabushinsky house on Malaya Nikitskaya street and Morozov's residence on Spiridonovka street. Here the first Soviet sound film was shown and young Shostakovich worked as pianist.
Stary Arbat (Old Arbat)
The first time Arbat was mentioned in the chronicles in 1493 and it kept its name through all these centuries, even during Soviet times when nearly every street was renamed after some communistic hero. The name Arbat is of eastern origin and it means "suburbs". The road from Moscow to Smolensk laid via Arbat and Vozdvizhenka streets and this road connected Moscow with Western Europe.
For Muscovites, it's not just a street, but a special "piece" of the capital, a kind of "Moscow within Moscow", with its own history, identity and traditions. The street's image is created by its residents. It was always "a closed world", full of exceptional people: the aristocracy and intellectuals. The list of famous Arbat people "arbatovtsy", works written, masterpieces created and scientific discoveries made in this place could serve as information for an encyclopedia. This is also the reason why many memorial museums and memorial flats are placed here. Arbat has always been one of the most beautiful streets of the city. Gradually, century after century, the street emerged with its own unique architectural style. It boasts original ancient mansions with moldings, balconies and caryatids, small cozy streets, laced lamps, stone paved roads.
During the Soviet government, Stary Arbat changed irreversibly: in early 1960s, it became the laid back street of the new modern avenue - Novy Arbat. This led to the destruction of many 18th and 19th century monuments; nevertheless, Arbat has not lost its charm. In 1986, Arbat became a pedestrian street. Today over forty embassies and ambassadors' residences are located here.
House No 2 in the beginning of Arbat is one of the best Moscow restaurants called "Prague". First it was a common inn but later it turned into a fancy place with exquisite cuisine. It was very popular among Moscow artistic bohemia. Here Chekhov was honoured after the first night of "Three Sisters".
Almost every old street has connection with Pushkin. Arbat is not an exception: in the house No 53 Pushkin and his beautiful wife Natalya Goncharova lived for a while after marriage. Nobody paid attention to this refined blue house for a long time; it was a communal flat until 1986 when Pushkin Museum was finally organised. Several years ago Arbat was presented with a sculpture of this famous couple.
The Tsoy's Wall at the corner of Arbat and Krivoarbatsky lane was an alternative to official monuments. First inscriptions and graffiti appeared shortly after the death of Victor Tsoy, Soviet rock legend of the 1980s. His fans keep coming and adding new signs expressing their emotions.
Another memorial flat is located in the house No 55. Here poet Andrey Bely, one of the greatest representatives of Symbolism in Russian literature was born. It has the same entrance with the Pushkin museum.
Arbat is a street for souvenir hunters. Different kinds of matreshkas from traditionally made ones to the ones looking like Gorbachev or even Osama Bin Laden; Russian fur hats, famous decorated shawls or Moscow views are always for sale. Antique and art shops offer wide range of precious souvenirs. After getting tired of choosing presents it is nice to have lunch in one of Arbat's numerous pubs and restaurants or listen to one of the impromptu street concerts given by just another undiscovered talent.
Arbat Lanes
The first thing that one notices in the area of Arbat is that there are almost no straight lines. It is a fanciful combination of curved lanes, gardens and courtyards. Wandering about cosy and quiet little streets might become a pleasant adventure.
In Krivoarbatsky lane a fence hides a true treasure: a strange looking house in the shape of two interlocking cylinders with more than 60 six-sided windows which was designed by the world-famous Soviet architect Konstantin Melnikov. One of the best representatives of Constructivism built this experimental house for his family and that allowed him to use all his imagination. But architect pursued a practical end as well: the house was planned to be a prototype for future housing developments.
Krivoarbatsky lane is connected to Plotnikov lane. In the 17th century it was inhabited with carpenters and joiners, and here is the origin for its name ("plotnik" stands for "carpenter"). An apartment house No 4/5 built in 1907 attracts attention with an interesting sculpture frieze picturing Turgenev, Gogol and Tolstoy surrounded by mythological figures; surprising poses of the writers' sculptures caused many rumours and malignant remarks among Muscovites. Originally sculptor Andreev made this frieze for some museum, but for unknown reason it was split into parts and put on the walls of this house.
One of the most famous lanes of Arbat - Sivtsev Vrazhek - boasts a residence of the count Fedor Tolstoy known as The American. This man with a fame of a cardsharper and troublemaker took part in the first Russian round-the-world trip with admiral Kruzenshtern. For some nasty jokes the American was left on one of the Aleutian Islands and had to walk his way home through Siberia getting covered with tattoos on his way which later allowed him to shock noble ladies in Moscow. Across the street in the house No 27 there is a memorial flat of Alexander Herzen, a radical Russian writer and probably the first Russian political emigrant.
Novy Arbat (New Arbat)
Novy Arbat is a perfect example of resoluteness and implacability of Soviet leaders. This monster street appeared after Nikita Khruschev's visit to "The Island of Freedom" - Cuba. He fell in love with avenues and sky-scrappers in Havana and decided to build a similar street in Moscow. An entire block of old Moscow with its little streets and beautiful houses was destroyed. Today Novy Arbat is an entertainment and shopping street with numerous nightclubs, boutiques, restaurants and shops. The only sad reminder of the old days is the Church of Simeon Stolpnik. It is the oldest building in the area and the only sample of 17th century architecture. Among those giants it looks more like an expensive souvenir. |
|
|
|
|
| 10. | Moscow Neighbourhoods::Tverskaya::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Tverskaya
Moscow's main artery and the most luxurious area during the Russian Empire epoch. Tverskaya Street has long been considered a benchmark for luxury and prestige. In the 14th century, it was a trade road from the Kremlin to Tver - one of the most important and influential cities at that time. The first name of the street was Tsarskaya ("Tsar's"), as already by the 17th century it became the main street of the Russian capital. Of course, central and extremely prestigious location attracted the highest class of nobility; Tverskaya of the 18th century was the street of sumptuous palaces and estates built by Catherine the Great's grandees. The 19th century added the firm spirit of commerce to the charming atmosphere of aristocracy: various luxury shops, confectioneries, boutiques, fashionable hotels and restaurants spread along Tverskaya.
Many innovations in Moscow started from Tverskaya street, though not all of them were beneficial to the ancient capital and its culture. It was completely reconstructed in the 1930s. In 1932, the street was named after Maxim Gorky, a proletarian writer. This was a present from the Stalin government made during the writer's lifetime.
Soon, Tverskaya street obtained a tragic fate; it was the first street reconstructed according to the infamous master plan of the socialist reconstruction of Moscow. Subsequently, it lost not only its original name, but its personality. This was the result of Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich's (a powerful "architect of socialism") vision. Some erections were built up a little, smartly moved deeper into the courtyards, and, if necessary, even carefully rotated. But nevertheless, many buildings were simply demolished (not a single church survived on Tverskaya), and the appearance of the street completely changed: it became wide and airy, but too straight and boring, built up with typical grey houses.
It is from Tverskaya street that capitalism began to encroach on Russia. It is here near the site of the National Hotel that the first "fartsovshiki" (illegal street vendors) started their risky business of swapping Russian matryoskha dolls for US-made jeans, and it is here that dollars were traded for rubles under the table.
A certain "face of the city", now it brilliantly reflects the mixed and controversial "soul" of 21st-century Moscow, full of modern western innovations and still firmly basing on the ancient roots.
Tverskaya has a limited number of residential buildings; therefore, the prices for living here are very high.
The modern Tverskaya remains the most important commercial, business and cultural street of the capital, with the most expensive and luxurious hotels being located here: the Ritz-Carlton, the Marriott, the Sheraton, etc. At the corner of Mokhovaya and Tverskaya one can see "National" hotel, one of the best examples of Russian Art Nouveau. Designed and built in 1903 by A. Ivanov, it is one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Russia. In 1918 the hotel was for some years turned into "Prime House of Soviets" and permanently hosted the members of the Bolshevik Government, including Lenin who lived in number 107.
State Duma (Parliament) stays right opposite "National", at the corner of Tverskaya and Okhotny Ryad. Former building of the Soviet Ministry of Labour and Defence, it provides a brilliant example of transfer from Constructivism to the Soviet neoclassic style. Its characteristic feature is abandonment of any decoration, because the edifice should be beautiful of its own accord.
Another sumptuous building on Tverskaya, Moscow Central Telegraph (architect I. Rerberg), possesses the status of an architectural monument and historical - Revolution of 1917 in Moscow started by taking the Central telegraph.
The building No 9 on Tverskaya designed by the architect Zhukov is faced with granite captured from the Germans in December 1941. The Fascists had brought the granite to Moscow from Finland to erect a monument to their supposed victory in the centre of Russian capital. Then they, already as prisoners of war, faced the building with that granite themselves.
The Moscow City Administration was built in 1770 by Matvey Kozakov, famous master of Moscow Classicism. Former residence of Moscow governor-generals, after the revolution it housed the Moscow Council (Soviet). During the reconstruction of 1935 the building was moved 13 meters back and two more stores were added.
In front of the City Administration there is Tverskaya square with a monument to Prince Yury Dolgoruky, which has become a symbol of Moscow. The square was formerly called Skobelevskaya due to the monument to General Skobelev, a hero of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. In 1918 before the May Day parade the "White General" was removed and the pedestal was turned into a platform. Soon Skobelev's place was occupied by the monument to Constitution (a woman statue, a kind of Soviet "Statue of Freedom") and Skobelevskaya square became Soviet square. The bronze monument to Yury Dolgoruky appeared here in 1954 in honour of Moscow 800th anniversary; in 1990s the square was renamed back to Tverskaya.
The house No 14 was also created by Matvey Kozakov. The "Palace on Tverskya" belonged to Zinaida Volkonskaya, a beautiful and intelligent woman, who established a very popular literature salon here. In 1898 powerful merchant Grigory Eliseyev bought the house, reconstructed and opened as "Eliseyev's Store and Wine Cellar of Russian and Imported Wines." Very soon the shop was nearly closed down for illegal sale of wine: the distance between the entrance to the wine cellar and the Church of St. Dmitry Solunsky (now non-existent) did not comply with the legal minimum. It needed one night to separate the wine cellar off the shop and make a new entrance from Kozitsky lane. In 1917 Eliseev emigrated from Russia and the shop was expropriated by Sovets ("nationalized") and renamed. But the people still called it Eliseyevsky through habit and came here just to admire the famous interior. Since the fall of the Soviet Union the Eliseyevsky store has been officially given its name back.
One of the oldest buildings on Tverskaya is a luxurious classicistic one behind the fence with lions. Built in late 18th century, this mansion of earls Kheraskov and Razumovsky from 1831 to 1917 housed the Moscow English club, and now the State Museum of Contemporary History of Russia is located here.
Triumphal Square
Triumphal square is named after the Triumphal Gate constructed in 1721. Peter the Great entered the capital through it after his victory in North War. Hereafter there were constructed few more wooden Triumphal arches, and all of them had burnt. And the only remained arch was built at the Tverskaya Zastava square; later it was moved to a new place near the museum of Borodino battle. Now the only triumph of this square is the theatres located here. One of them is the Tchaikovsky Concert hall. Formerly Meyerhold's theatre was placed here, but in 1938 Meyerhold was arrested, the theatre was closed and the building was given to the Moscow Philharmonic. The Theatre of Satire is located at the building of the former Circus.
Lanes around Tverskaya
While you may find Tverskaya itself too busy and too noisy, there are a number of pretty lanes with beautiful old apartment buildings and small gardens that are popular with expatriate.
Kamergersky
Kamergersky lane has lately become a pedestrian area, and it has a real chance to be included into the Guinness' Book of Records as a shortest pedestrian area in the world. House No 3 is now occupied by Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT). The theatre traces its history since 1882, when the modern building of the theatre, former mansion of Prince P.I. Odoevsky and S.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, housed Russian Drama Theatre. In 1885 Savva Mamontov's Private Russian Opera made its debut here. In 1902 another Savva, now Morozov, paid for reconstruction of the theatre after Fyodor Shekhtel's project, and in 1902 MKhAT opened its doors for theatre-lovers.
Brusov
Brusov lane is remarkable for its red and white Church of the Resurrection of Slovushchy on Uspensky Vrazhek, which was built in the first half of the 17th century. This church is one of the few ones not closed during the Soviet period; it has retained its original interiors.
Stoleshnikov
Stoleshnikov lane leads from Tverskaya to Bolshaya Dmitrovka and then continues as a pedestrian lane to Petrovka. As many other streets in Moscow, it is named after the profession of the people who used to live here. "Stoleshniki", who occupied this area in the 16th-17th centuries, made table-cloths for the Royal Court ("stol" in Russian stands for "table"). House No 9 is famous for its outstanding dweller - "the first Moscow digger", Vladimir Gilarovsky. Gifted historian and talented writer, he was affectionately known and beloved by Muscovites. Here he was visited by Tolstoy, Gorky, Chekhov, Bunin, Mayakovsky. |
|
|
|
|
| 11. | Moscow Neighbourhoods::Kitai-Gorod::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
"Kitai" in Russian means "China", but Kitai-Gorod is not China-town! There are several theories explaining the origin of this name: according to the most popular one the word "kita" in Old Russian meant a "fence" and this area was in fact surrounded by a big wall; another theory claims that Italian builders brought the word "citta"("city") to Moscow. People started to settle here already in the 11th century. By the 14th century it was an area densely populated by craftsmen and merchants. In order to protect people of the Kremlin and Kitai-Gorod from Tatar and Lithuanian invaders Elena Glinskaya, mother of Ivan the Terrible, decided to dig a moat around the district. Later the moat was replaced by a big stone wall which was constructed in 1538 and destroyed in Soviet time. Inside the walls numerous shops, stores and markets appeared; thus Kitai-Gorod turned into a very important business and trading centre. Three main streets of Kitai-Gorod (Nikolskaya, Ilyinka and Varvarka) split duties a long time ago.
Nikolskaya
Nikolskaya street may be called the "Place of Enlightenment". It was the location of countless bookshops and "residence" of famous second-hand booksellers where you could find everything from an ancient manuscript to a recent edition of some famous writer. And it was not by accident: in 1564 the first ever Russian printed book "Apostol" came into the world here, in the first ever Russian printing-house run by Ivan Fedorov. A monument to Fedorov is located in Teatralny passage. Later the Institute of History and Archives was built on the place of the first printing-house; in its ornamentation it is still possible to detect motives typical for the old printing-house.
The first Russian high school opened on Nikolskaya street in 1687. Students of Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy could find any book on Nikolskaya and could study diligently. Greeks were professors of the academy and they raised future "father of Russian science" and founder of the Moscow State University - Mikhail Lomonosov.
The shortest street in Moscow, Tretyakovsky passage, embellished by a beautiful arc in Russian style, connects Nikolskaya street and Teatralny passage. Today it is a centre point of the fanciest and most expensive boutiques.
Ilyinka
The central street of Kitai-Gorod, Ilyinka, has always been a commercial street. First it was the location of the biggest Moscow market that offered wide range of products; that is well seen in the names of local lanes (Rybny lane ("Fish lane"), Khrustalny lane ("Crystal lane"), Vetoshny lane ("Old Clothes lane"). In the 19th century Ilyinka also became a business centre when biggest banks in Russia and Moscow Stock-Exchange ("Birzha") opened here. Today the imposing Classical-style building of Birzha houses the Russian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
In the beginning of Ilyinka there is one of the most important trading centres in Moscow - Gostiny Dvor. The word "gost" ("guest") used to have the meaning "merchant" and Gostiny Dvor, sumptuous creation of architect Giacomo Kvarengi, gathered hundreds of representatives of this profession.
Varvarka
The street was named after the Church of St. Varvara, the patroness of trade. The church stands in the very beginning of Varvarka since the 16th century. Imperishable relics of St. Varvara were said to cure people for serious diseases. Another famous Church of Maxim the Blessed was built in the 17th century and is known as "Moscow Pisa Tower" due to its sloping walls. Russia has always treated the so-called "blessed" people with a special care as they were believed to be able to prophesy.
One of the oldest civil stone buildings in Moscow is situated on Varvarka - it is the Old English Court. It was built in the 15-16th centuries by merchant Bobrishchev who was actively trading with Britain. Ivan the Terrible presented the chambers to British merchants but after 100 years of owning this house they were forced to leave it: Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich was filled with indignation by the execution of Karl I in England and ordered to deport British merchants.
In the 16th century house No 10 belonged to boyar Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin-Yuriev, grandfather of the first Russian Tsar of Romanov dynasty - Mikhail Romanov. This family also owned Znamensky monastery; Znamensky cathedral has preserved to our days.
Other famous streets of Kitai-Gorod area are Pokrovka, Maroseika and Solyanka.
Pokrovka
Pokrovka street crosses the boulevard ring between Chistoprudny and Pokrovsky boulevards. At first Pokrovka was a small countryside road with the river Rachka, which was constantly bursting its banks and leaving everywhere a lot of mud and silt. This unattractive road led to Rubtsovo and Izmailovo, favourite estates of many Russian tsars, and later many grandees from the tsars' retinue settled here. Obliging noblemen tried to make royal trips as pleasant as possible, that is why Pokrovka was "ennobled", the road was paved and new beautiful houses were built. In the end of the 19th century noblemen were ousted by merchants, and countless shops and little markets flooded the area. When Kursky railway station was opened in 1860s, Pokrovka street became cluttered with cheap hotels, inns and workshops.
Some signs of Pokrovka's "noble" past are preserved till now. Magnificent blue-white palace, often called "the chest of drawers" is a rare sample of Elizabethan baroque designed by architect Ukhtomsky. A legend tells that Alexander Pushkin used to take dancing classes this very building, which by then belonged to his relatives Trubetskiye. In 1861 a gymnasium opened here; it brought up such outstanding students as the father of modern theatre Konstantin Stanislavsky and the founder of Soviet aviation Nikolay Zhukovsky.
Maly Kazenny lane, once famous for a hospital for the poor, runs parallel to Pokrovka street. Here in the middle of the 19th century doctor F. Gaaz, "the holy doctor", helped hundreds of people in need. Gaaz was also the head doctor of Moscow prisons, and criminals adored him for his love of people and kindness to outcasts. His motto "Don't be late to do good" is written on the monument to this great person.
Maroseika
Pokrovka originally was longer, but in the 17th century it was divided into two parts, one of them kept the old name, the other became Maroseika street. Actually it was called Malorosseika (Malorossiya is an old designation for the Ukraine), but later the name changed a little bit. The Ukraine joined Russia in 1654 and many Ukrainians migrated to the new capital. They were (and still are) humorously called "khokhly" ("tufts of hair") due to their extravagant haircuts: they used to shave heads leaving a long tuft of hair on the top. Local street names still remind us about them: Khokhlovskaya square, Khokhlovsky lane, Church of Trinity in Khokhlovka. Ukrainian commanders, hetmans, used to stay in Maroseika during their visits.
Embassy of another neighbouring country, Byelorussia, occupies magnificent palace with beautiful stucco mouldings and sumptuous interiors. It was built in 1780-1796 after a project by Vasily Bazhenov for field-marshal Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, hero of Russian-Turkish war. Across the street, right opposite the Bazhenov's palace, there is the Church of Kozma and Damian by Kozakov. Another church stands in the beginning of Maroseika, the Church of St. Nikolay in Blinniki. Its name has a rather appetizing story: once the smell of pancakes spread around the neighbourhood making people's stomachs rumble, as pancakes-sellers came here with their tasty goods ("bliny" means "pancakes"). This traditional Russian food gave the name Blinniki to the area and later to the church.
While walking along Maroseika check Starosadsky lane with the magnificent Ivanovsky convent. Lost in Moscow courtyards, it was founded in the 16th century by Ivan the Terrible's mother Elena Glinskaya. This convent served not only as a shelter for nuns, but also as a prison. It remembers mysterious Princess Tarakanova, claimed to be the daughter of Tsarina Elizabeth and Count Razumovsky. Tsarina Catherine the Great regarded her as a threat to own power and kept Princess Tarakanova in solitary confinement for many years.
Another famous prisoner of this convent was Darya Saltykova. This serf owner showed incredible "creativity", making up new kinds of tortures for her serfs. In the 20th century this prison tradition was carried on, this time the CheKa brought here its victims.
The Maroseika area is the one to keep in mind while choosing the apartment. Despite its proximity to the city center and being dominated by offices and retail stores, this district is surprisingly quiet and very convenient. Most of the apartments in this area are spacious and have high ceilings.
Solyanka
Once Solyanka laid among beautiful royal gardens, but the growing city had no mercy for those green plantations. Houses supplanted trees, exhaust replaced oxygen and fresh air, and quiet countryside road became a busy city street. The name Solyanka literally means "Salty Street", and it was the "saltiest" street indeed: many salt warehouses were located here.
Not only gastronomically important objects were found in Solyanka. House No 14 was once occupied by the Board of Guardians; orphanages, hospitals, almshouses, and banks in Russia were under its jurisdiction. Sumptuous and monumental, the building is a marvellous sample of Moscow Empire Style, built by architects Gilardi and Grigoriev. Today it houses the Academy of Medical Science.
One of the foundling hospitals, managed by Board of Guardians, was once in the next house. It was established in 1763 with special permission of Her Majesty Catherine the Great. Children-orphans studied different subjects, reading, writing, drawing, later some of them were sent to work in workshops and factories; others continued their academic carrier in university, Academy of art, medical schools; most talented ones were sent to study abroad. The motto of this institution is depicted in two allegorical figures, guarding the entrance, "Charity" and "Education".
Kitai-Gorod adjoins the Taganka area.
Taganka
The district "Taganka" is located between the rivers: Moscow and Yauza. In 1632, this settlement combined 93 courts. But the street Taganskaya itself has an earlier origin - from the 14th century. It was a part of the road to Kolomna, Ryazan and other cities. After a fire in 1812, many large and beautiful stone houses were built along the street. Some of these houses were converted to factories by their owners. In 1867, more than 60% of the houses belonged to merchants, some of whom were at the time already bestowed the title of honorary citizen. Taganka acquired industrial features and the first decade of the 20th century finally turned Taganka into one of the largest industrial areas of Moscow. Although, by that time, the inhabitants there were no longer merchants, but the working class. After the revolution, the area was called "the Proletarian" up until 1936, when it was named "Taganskaya". |
|
|
|
|
| 12. | Work Permits :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Work Permits
Work Permit Quota Application
Companies wishing to employ foreign nationals in Russia must submit information regarding foreign labor needs forecast (quota applications) to the employment authorities by 1 May of the previous year. Such applications should be broken down by position and by nationality. So, companies have to go through a rather difficult exercise and predict far in advance whom they plan to employ during the next year, and in what role. The authorities would only allow those positions and nationalities that are indicated in the application and are officially allocated to this particular company as quota. This means that a company will be unlikely to be able to change its mind and, for example, seek to hire a French rather than an Italian manager, in the event that the quota application was for an Italian.
The local employment authorities responsible for reviewing these quota applications must, initially, advise failed applicants by mid July, and successful applicants prior to August. Each region then passes its consolidated approvals up to a Federal level, and the national quota is meant to be set (in a database listing each successful company, by location, by position and by nationality) by the end of October for the following year. Approvals made in August can be superseded by this consolidation process. Unfortunately, for the two years in which this practice has been operational, the procedure has not been followed exactly by the authorities. For 2009, the database was not published in the autumn of 2008, and the exact mechanisms for quota allocation were indeed not clear until well into the spring of 2009 itself. For 2010, most regions of Russia completed the summer 2009 rejection and approval notifications, with Moscow being a notable exception.
In early December 2009 the final database setting out the quota for 2010 had not yet been published. 2009 also saw some cuts to the quota during the course of the year, somewhat to the surprise of those companies affected. Companies that experience errors in their quota, or who are newly formed or have registered new divisions in new locations in Russia, or where there is a need to add or change the quota can apply to the Interdepartmental Commission on Migration matters for the region in question. A reserve level of additional quota is kept back at a Federal level to facilitate this, but good arguments do need to be made to the Commission if additional quota is to be granted, or the perceived error corrected.
Experience shows that cases are generally reviewed upon their merits, but the process can still take time, even where successful. The Law governing work permits also allows the authorities annually to publish a list of positions which are exempt from quota. These have in past years covered senior executive positions and one or two technical IT roles. However, this list does need to be annually renewed, and it is not always operational at the start of the year, but is rather disseminated at some point in spring. However, this can be a useful means of adding flexibility for persons whose roles are covered.
Draft Law 2010
The Draft Law concerning highly qualified specialists was approved by the Federation Council on May 13th, 2010 and has been sent to the RF President for signing. The Draft Law will come into force on July 1st, 2010. The Federal Law amending the Law on the legal status of a foreigner in the Russian Federation and Budgetary and Tax Codes has brought a lot changes to the existing system of working conditions of foreigners in the RF.
Work permits and permissions to employ foreign workers - based on the new system, highly qualified foreign workers shall be exempt from the quota application procedure. The new system would just require an employer to submit an application to the respective state body for such highly qualified workers. Such an application must be considered within 14 days. High qualification shall be determined based on the salary threshold (starting from 2 mln. RUR per year) and documents proving it (diploma, reference letters, etc.). It should be especially noted that the 2 mln. RUR should be received from Russian sources only.
The duration of the work permits is extended to 3 years for the highly qualified workers, in accordance with the period of the labor agreement's duration.
The registration procedure has been substantially simplified. An employer no longer has to notify the migration service every time its foreign worker leaves the city he is working in.
The list of professions (positions) that are exempt from the quota system will not be subject to change.
Highly qualified workers will have the right to obtain residence permits for themselves and their family members for the period of labor agreement's duration.
Work visas for the highly qualified worker will be issued for 1 year, with a possibility of an extension of up to 3 years.
One Window Approach
For members of certain business associations, the authorities have sometimes expedited regimes; whereby, applications fro work permits and visas can be submitted at some place and time with the Federal Migration Service, making the processing time significantly quicker than usual.
Non-CIS Citizens
Under the current provisions of the Russian immigration legislation, each employer engaging foreign nationals from countries for which visas are necessary to enter Russia, is obliged to obtain Russian individual work permits for them. The starting point is for the employer to register with the employment authorities and submit an initial report on job vacancies. In order to apply for work permits, the company must fulfil the following obligations in the following order:
1) Update information on job vacancies with employment authorities; wait one month;
2) Apply to the Federal Migration Service fora corporate permit for the engagement of foreign labor; the Federal Migration Service will then confirm with the employment authorities that the positions for which permission to hire foreigners is sought have been listed as vacant for one month, and that no appropriate Russian candidates have been found; one month later the corporate permit will be issued;
3) Apply to the Federal Migration Service for an individual work permit; one month later the individual permit will be issued.
At the third stage, the application will tend to need to include, for executive and technical positions, some sort of certification of the foreigner's competence to hold the position. This will be a professional qualification or a certificate of higher education, which will need to be apostilled in the home country and submitted with a Russian notarized translation. The foreign national will also need to submit certification of his health, including confirmation from a medical facility that he is free from an extensive list of conditions and diseases.
From start to finish, therefore, assuming quota exists, obtaining a work permit should take no less than three months, but in reality the process can be significantly slower, especially if all documents are not in exactly the right order that the authorities require. The precise details of what is required are also subject to change, which can make the process highly frustrating.
Any individual work permit (regardless of the citizenship of its holder) is valid only for the region within Russia where that foreign employee is going to work. It is also possible to apply for a multi-regional work permit. In this case, the company needs to register with the local employment authorities in each region for which the work permit is needed. However, each stage of the application then needs to be completed by each region concerned; this can cause delays.
Once the individual work permit is obtained and an employment agreement with foreign national is concluded, the employer is obliged to inform the following state authorities about fact of employment of a foreigner:
Tax authorities (within 10 business days);
Employment authorities (within 1 month);
State Labor Inspection (within 1 month).
The individuals themselves do not have such notification obligations.
CIS Citizens
As concerns most CIS countries for citizens of which visas are not necessary to enter Russia, the individuals themselves are obliged to apply for their individual work permits prior to applying for a job with any employer. The employer should not apply for a corporate permit for the engagement of foreign labor in respect of CIS nationals.
There are three possible options for CIS citizens to apply for an individual work permit:
apply in person;
apply through an organization officially authorized to assist foreign nationals with employment;
authorize a third party, to be a representative of the individual in applying for his/her work permit.
There are also notification requirements with regards to non-visa expatriates; whereby, companies should notify various state bodies, including:
Immigration authorities (within 3 days);
Tax authorities (within 3 days);
Employment authorities (within 3 days).
Exemption from Work Permit
Work permits are not needed for the following categories of individuals:
Citizens of Belarus;
Permanent residents of Russia (those who hold permanent residency permit);
Employees of diplomatic missions, consulates and international organizations;
Employees of foreign companies (manufacturers or suppliers) engaged in the installation, installation supervision, servicing, war ranty servicing and after-guarantee repairs of installed equipment (montage and chefmontage);
Journalists accredited in Russia.
RESIDENCE PERMITS
Temporary Residence Permit
Temporary residents reside in Russia on the basis of temporary residence permits. Such permits are issued for three years and empower foreign nationals to temporarily reside in Russia prior to obtaining the permanent residency permit. Temporary residence permits are issued subject to an annual quota established by the Russian Government. Some categories of foreign nationals, most notably those married to Russian nationals, are exempt from this quota.
There is a different registration requirement applicable to temporary residents; whereby, they should be registered at the address of their residence. Temporary residents must register on an annual basis. There is special type of visa based on which a temporary resident may enter the country. It is issued at the time of his or her registration as a temporary resident in Russia. Under this registration, they can obtain only a single-entry visa, issued for 4 months, which can then be prolonged for the period of validity of the temporary residency permit. However, the most important complication related to this visa, is that each time the individual leaves and re-enters Russia, he must apply for an exit-entry visa.
Temporary residents cannot change the place of their residence and work away from the region of Russia for which the temporary residence permit is granted. Temporary residence permits are valid for up to three years, but there is no procedure for their extension. The inherent assumption is that a temporary resident would progress on to becoming a permanent resident. The same procedures for work permit applications applies to temporary residents.
In summary, therefore, becoming a temporary resident confers no material advantage compared with persons who are temporarily located in Russia on work visas and work permits. Work permits are still required, and the visa regime is more restrictive rather than less so. The main advantage of a temporary residence permit is therefore that it enables the holder to apply for a permanent residence permit.
Permanent Residence Permit
A temporary resident can apply for the permanent residence permit, provided he resided in Russia for at least one year on the basis of a temporary residence permit. Permanent residents are allowed to travel in and out of Russia without any restrictions, as no Russian visa is required in this case. No work permits are needed for permanent residents, and they may therefore be employed by any employer within the region concerned without restriction.
Permanent residence permits are issued for five years and may be re-issued for a similar period an unlimited number of times. As with temporary residents, permanent residents are subject to annual re-registration in Russia.
Sanctions for Non-Compliance
Even for minor violations in the immigration area, the authorities have full rights to the draconian penalty regime set out in the Administrative Code. The obvious intention of the above is to reinforce the responsibility of the foreign nationals visiting and working in Russia, as well as their employers for staying compliant with the Russian immigration and labour laws. In practice, these fine levels are not always imposed, with lesser (though still substantial) levels often being used, but this is entirely at the discretion of the authority concerned.
Sanctions are imposed separately for each violation in respect of each foreign employee engaged unlawfully and include:
Sanctions for engagement by employers of foreign citizens without work permits (up to 5,000 Rbs for the individual, 50,000 Rbs for the executives, 250,000-800,000 Rbs for the company or suspension of activities of the company for up to 90 days);
Sanctions for engagement by employers of foreign citizens without a corporate permit to engage foreign labour (similar as above);
Sanctions for not notifying immigration/employment/labour/tax authorities on engaging a foreign citizen, or upon the early termination of a foreign national (up to 5,000 Rbs for the employing individual, 50,000 Rbs for the responsible executives, 400,000-800,000 Rbs for the companies);
Sanctions for violation of immigration related enrolment rules (up to 5,000 Rbs for the hosting individual, 50,000 Rbs for the responsible executives, 400,000-500,000 Rbs for the company).
Common Pitfalls
Immigration compliance in Russia remains a complex and frustrating area. The current situation at any time should not be assumed as a permanent one. The Russian immigration authorities tend to change the procedure and requirements of any application in the course of the application process, which, with tight time deadlines, can force companies to restart the procedures from the very beginning. Even if companies follow all requirements of the Russian employment and immigration authorities, this can never guarantee successful results.
2010 is likely to see an even worse environment, with a reduced overall quota approved, late publication of the detail, and increased scrutiny of the authorities in relation to work permit applications, supporting documents, notifications in respect of hiring and termination of foreign individuals, registration requirements, and an increased level of immigration audits. More and more foreign citizens are now looking for possibilities to apply for Russian temporary and then permanent residence permits to avoid the number of immigration related requirements and procedures.
Organizations should be prepared; the process will be time and resource consuming, sometimes undefined and varied, but should also remember that by now, most companies ma nage to achieve the required results, or a practically acceptable workaround. Individuals, in turn, should also be prepared for some unexpected additional requirements with regard to immigration documents, medical tests, their arrivals and departures to, within and from Russia.
The most common incorrect assumptions and practical problems include:
"Working" in Russia on a business visa is acceptable;
Persons obtaining an "Inosotrudniki" visa do not need a work permit;
It does not matter if you forget to complete the enrolment and de-enrolment procedures each time the expatriate enters and exist Russia;
Provided you have one work permit then you can fulfil multiple roles or work for multiple different group entities or locations;
Work permits can always be expedited provided you have the right contacts;
It is always the fault of HR/Admin/External Immigration Service Provider if something goes wrong. |
|
|
|
|
| 13. | National Holidays & Celebrations::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Russian Holidays
January 1: New Year
January 7: Russian Orthodox Christmas
February 23: Defenders of the Fatherland Day
March 8: International Women's Day
May 1: Holiday of Spring and Labour
May 9: Victory Day
June 12: Day of Russia
November 4: National Unity Day
Non-Working Days in 2024
New Year and Christmas holidays: January 1-8, December 29-31
Defenders of the Fatherland Day: February 23-25
International Women's Day: March 8-10
Holiday of Spring and Labour: April 28 - May 1
Victory Day: May 9-12
Day of Russia: June 12
National Unity Day: November 3-4
Russians love to celebrate and take most of their national holidays very seriously. New Year is the most widely celebrated holiday, followed by Orthodox Easter (which is not an official holiday), and Orthodox Christmas. Remember, though, that over 100 ethnic groups live on the territory of the Russian Federation and that each of them has their own colourful holidays and celebrations. Western holiday and festivals, such as Valentine's Day and Halloween are also gaining popularity in Russia, although they are not marked by days off work. When National Holidays fall over weekend dates, one or more adjacent weekdays will usually be declared as Public Holiday(s) - but the decision on which days is often not announced until a month beforehand. Shops and supermarkets don't usually observe any National Holidays except New Year's Eve, however.
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
New Year
The biggest Russian holiday is New Year and is celebrated on the night of December 31st to January 1st. Many Russians have what foreigners usually call a "Christmas tree" for New Year (either a real tree or an artificial). The tree is called a "yolka" in Russian. You may buy trees outside of metro stations at a so-called Christmas tree bazaar, at IKEA (natural fur tree), the Detsky Mir shopping center and many other places across town. At midnight, the President's New Year speech is broadcast on all national TV channels, preceded by lot of musical shows and followed by show-biz variety programming until morning. Most Russians exchange gifts on New Year's Eve. This means that you will be purchasing New Year's gifts for your Russian friends - instead of Christmas gifts. Celebrations on the night of December 31st continue until the early morning of January 1st. January 3rd, 4th and 5th are public/bank holidays. In combination with January 1st and 2nd and January 7th, Russia enjoys an entire holiday week at the start of the New Year.
As this holiday is children's favourite, special shows for children called "yolki" are organized throughout town in the weeks around December 31st. On New Year's Eve, some parents hire a Grandfather Frost or "Ded Moroz" and his assistant Snow-Maiden or "Snegurochka" to visit their homes to deliver previously purchased gifts to the children. The way this usually works is that Snegurochka arrives first, preparing the children for the arrival of Ded Moroz. The children then call for Ded Moroz, who arrives with a bag full of gifts. The children only get their gifts after singing a song or reciting a poem for Ded Moroz or after solving one of his riddles. If you want to order such a service for your children, make sure to place your order in advance.
Normal service is suspended in most restaurants and cafes on the evening of 31st December, and you can only get a table that evening by pre-booking (often several weeks before) and by pre-buying a "ticket" for their New Year's Eve programme - which includes a multi-course meal (usually a set menu), drinks and live entertainment. The prices often bear no resemblance to the usual prices on any other day of the year, but there is intense demand nonetheless - book ahead or go hungry. Those not inclined to spend their New Year's Eve this way often choose to gather in the city's larger open public spaces - Red Square, Poklannaya Gora, etc. - and celebrate in impromptu street parties - these can often be packed too, and in recent years police have limited crowds in Red Square in the interests of public safety, so go early.
Russian Orthodox Christmas
January 7th is Russian Orthodox Christmas. After Easter this is the biggest Christian religious holiday. It is traditionally celebrated at home - families and friends will gather on the evening of 6th January, to mark the festival's arrival at midnight.
Defenders of the Fatherland Day
February 23rd is non-official Men's Day. This public holiday is officially called "Defenders of the Fatherland Day". All men in Russia are liable for call-up to military service, so they all consider themselves celebrities to a certain extent. On this day women usually give men small gifts.
International Women's Day
International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th. In 1910, German socialist Klara Zetkin proposed an International Women's Day. Instead of men treating women nicely, the women went on strike and marched through the streets. On March 8th 1917 Klara Zetkin and her Russian counterpart Alexandra Kollontai, held a women's strike "for bread and peace" in St. Petersburg. This was soon followed by a general strike that triggered the March Revolution which brought down Tsar Nikolai II. Today the holiday has lost its political significance and has become popular for other reasons. Men are supposed to give women gifts on March 8th. They are also supposed to do all the housework on this day - at least in theory. Gift-giving to female colleagues and co-workers is considered largely obligatory.
May Day - Holiday of Spring and Labour
May 1st is the Holiday of Spring and Labour. During Soviet times, huge demonstrations were staged on this day, and everyone was obliged to show their loyalty to the state. (It's widely, but wrongly, thought that May Day in Russia is the day with the big parades, but in fact these come on May 9th - see below).
Victory Day
May 9th is Victory Day. This is the day on which Nazi Germany capitulated in 1945 after the war with the Soviet Union and other countries. A minute of silence is announced on Central TV in memory of the deceased at 21:00 and fireworks are held thereafter. Large May Day parades are held each year, but, for most part, they are not open to the public - instead grandstand places are by VIP invitation. The public can then watch the Parade as it leads away through the city. Usually the entire city center in Moscow is closed to traffic. The best place for non-VIPs to view the Moscow Parade is the section of Tverskaya nearest to Red Square - go early to grab a place. The holiday continues all day with open-air music, street events, and culminates in an enormous firework display, usually at 22:00. (In the rest of Europe, this day is usually called "V-E Day"; "Victory in Europe Day" and is marked on May 8th. Russia celebrates on May 9th because due to the time-difference between Moscow and Berlin, the late-night announcement occurred in the early hours of May 9th by local time in Moscow. The USSR remained engaged in military conflict after May 9th 1945, playing a crucial role against Japan - but Russian military historians name the subsequent hostilities "The Eastern War", and consider that WW2 ended on May 9th for the Soviet Forces.) In contrast the sombre Ceremonies of Rememberance in Western Europe, Russia celebrates May 9th as a huge victory and celebration - this may come as a surprise to foreigners. The Parade crowd can usually be heard chanting "spa-see-bo!" ("thank you!") to the ranks of veterans as they pass.
"The May Holidays"
The fortunate proximity of the May 1st and May 9th holidays above - especially if they fall luckily over weekends - offers many Russians the chance to take an entire week off work whilst only using 1-2 of their days of annual holiday allowance - and over a week usually associated with nice spring weather. This prompts a huge burst of vacationing both in Russia and abroad, and travel prices over this week can be extortionately more expensive than in the adjacent weeks - flights to popular destinations will usually sell out long in advance. Getting any kind of paperwork processed in a Govt organisation over this period usually comes to a dismal standstill.
Day of Russia
June 12th is Day of Russia, also referred to as Independence Day. This became an official holiday in 1994. No particular traditions or festivals are associated with this day.
National Unity Day
November 4th is National Unity Day. This new holiday was introduced in 2005. It replaces the Day of Accord and Reconciliation formerly called the Day of the October Revolution, which was traditionally celebrated on November 7th.
CELEBRATIONS WHICH ARE NOT DAYS OFF
City Days
Every city in Russia has its own City Day, usually celebrated on a date associated with some happy occasion for the city in question - each city has the right to choose its own date. There is usually some kind of parade, open-air music and merry-making, and a firework display after dusk. Some cities have unusual or unique events linked to the date in question - Moscow, for example, has a recreation of the Battle of Borodino, a turning-point in the war against Napoleon, whilst St. Petersburg has a naval display.
"Catholic Christmas"
Although much of the rest of the world is celebrating Christmas on 25th December, the Russian Church calendar dates Christmas as 7th January (see above, "Orthodox Christmas"). Russians name 25th December as "Catholic Christmas" (even though other faiths are also celebrating too) but it is not a public holiday in Russia. Believers often go to their own church services, and these can be the centre of some expat social life too. Bear in mind that branch offices of non-Russian companies (including airlines) may close in any case on 25th -26th December, or operate an emergencies-only service. Since many Russians choose to go away for the New Year holiday, the 25th-26th December closure of foreign Consulates for Christmas adds to the difficulty of getting visas for the great New Year getaway for some. Some expats feel somewhat deflated that 99% of Russia doesn't even realize that 25th December is a major holiday elsewhere - you may want to make your own plans, and nightspots and restaurants catering to foreigners will often have parties anyhow. The good news is that getting a table and paying the regular prices are no problem at all on December 25th, which is "just another working day" in Russia.
Old New Year
The Old New Year is celebrated by many on January 13th. Before the revolution of February 1918, Russians used a different calendar. The difference between the Julian (European) calendar was 13 days. After the Soviet government adopted the Gregorian calendar, Russians started to celebrate many holidays twice: once according to the old style, but with many still choosing to celebrate on the day when the holiday would have fallen prior to the Calendar Reform... the "old" New Year.
Maslenitsa (Whitsun)
It is a traditional Russian spring celebration also referred to as "Pancake Week" or "Butter week". It comes right before the seven-week Orthodox Lent. The word "maslenitsa" refers to the Russian word "maslo" meaning "butter". It refers to the fact that numerous different foods, including butter, cream and other fats, had to be used-up before the start of the seven-week Orthodox Lenten Fast. Many Russians - not only believers - will observe this Fast, and eat an entirely vegan diet - most cafes will offer an alternative Lenten Menu. Originally a pagan holiday celebrating the end of winter and the beginning of spring, pancakes were baked as a form of worship of the life-giving sun. Today this colourful celebration is once again gaining popularity, and numerous celebrations are held during this week.
Easter
Right after Maslenitsa comes the seven-week Lent leading right up to Easter. Orthodox Russians who take this fasting period very seriously will not consume any milk, eggs, or meat, with fish being eaten only on special occasions. Believers attend a very long and elaborate midnight church service that starts on the evening before Easter Sunday. The traditional greeting, if translated from Russian, says "Christ had risen from the dead/is alive". The reply to this is always "He has truly risen from the dead/is truly alive." Special round-shaped sweet Easter cakes are baked. Around Easter these cakes (called "kulich") are on sale in nearly every bakery and supermarket bread section. Eggs are coloured, with a red egg being considered the symbol of Easter. The red colour is achieved boiling the eggs with beets. To colour eggs yellow, boil them in onion husks.
April Fool's Day
April 1st is Fool's Day, literally meaning Day of Laughter. This is a day of fun and laughter but not a public holiday. People tell jokes to each other and newspapers and TV publish/run funny stories and jokes. The motto of this day is "Don't trust anyone on April 1st". |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 15. | Financial Adviser
|
Tel: 787-6769, 783-5810 # 0820, 0821 (English-speaking operator)
E-mail: expat@uniastrum.com
Web: www.expat.uniastrum.ru, www.uniastrum.ru/en
|
|
|
|
|
| 16. | Sport & Recreation :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Kva-Kva Park
7 water slides 90-120 m long, Tsunami slide, hydro-massage, Russian baths, sauna, hammam, restaurant, bar, SPA-salon. Open: 10:00-22:00.
Address: Mytishchi, Kommunisticheskaya ul., 1, "XL"
Tel: 258-0683
E-mail: kva@kva-kva.ru
Web: www.kva-kva.ru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 18. | Ask the Dentist :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
10% discount on first visit, includes X-Rays, teeth cleaning, Exam by Dr. Giovanni Favero who has been working in Moscow for 12 years. We offer excellent Preventive Dentistry, Cosmetic Dentistry, Implantology, Orthodontics by Dr. Garo, and Dental hygiene. Emergency care 24/7. Please take the time to "CLICK" on our website for more details about discounts.
Address: Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya ul., 21a, Metro: Mayakovskaya, Tel: 797-9759, e-mail: dentist@ardc.ru, www.ardc.ru.
|
|
|
|
|
| 19. | The Russian Mind-Set::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
The Russian Mind-Set
For most Russians, transitioning into new democracy with its associated freedoms has not been an easy task, and for many particularly members of the older generations, the change was not a welcome one. The failure of communism brought with it freedom that many were not prepared to exercise. Not all have welcomed the substantial restructuring of the social order that followed the implosion of the USSR - for mainly apolitical reasons (worsening of conditions for pensioners, state health care patients, educational institutions, cultural organizations, etc).
Russian Personality
Because the Russian personality has so many faces, it is difficult to define. Defeated by harsh weather, a tumultuous history and the general malaise that ensued, Russians seem to value the status quo and are reluctant to change. Security, stability, and conservatism were always held in high regard; but at the same time you will see new phenomena such as the absence of concern about the future, free spending and easy and quick adaptation of foreign practices in the younger generations in larger cities. Many foreigners find the Russian people an enigma - surprisingly nostalgic about their past yet cautiously optimistic about the future - patient but curious about the possibilities of freedom.
As some things in Russia are almost impossible to explain, there is a very good saying that you will hear over and over again as first response to your questions: "Rossiyu umom ne ponyat" which can be translated as "Russia cannot be understood with your mind" (a quotation from the poet Tyutchev).
Russians are strong people, able to endure hardship and extreme climate with submission and patience. Generally, Russians are very well educated and have a sound knowledge of literature, history and politics. The majority of the country's population lives in European Russia (the part of Russia lying west of the border with Siberia) with the largest population centers being Moscow and St. Petersburg. Most families have no more than one or two children, who are the center of the family focus.
The Russian people have traditionally been molded and directed from cradle to grave, creating individuals who assumed little responsibility for themselves. They are slowly learning how to take charge of their own lives, but the chasm between the rich and the poor, the healthy and the sick and the skilled and the unskilled continues to widen.
Traditional Russian values and core beliefs include: love of children, respect for the old, sense of humour, strong people-orientation, importance of friendship, generosity, pride, patriotism, love of literature and arts, nostalgia, self-sacrifice, apathy, conservatism, aversion to change, caution, collectivism, pessimism and cynicism.
There is widely accepted notion in Russia that there is a "soul" that makes Russians different - a sort of sadness born of oppression that demands a different social order. Whether or not this proud melancholia is fact or fiction is arguable, but the belief is almost universally held with great pride. Acres of print have been devoted to the topic, with no very firm conclusions.
Russians love and value going to the theatre, opera, ballet and concerts. The arts are avidly devoured by all sections of society - the idea that plays or classical music could be "difficult" or unpopular is rarely encountered. They also enjoy attending readings of literature and poetry. Russians love reading everything from classical literature to translations of contemporary foreign authors. They read on the metro, while they wait, and at home. You will find that your Russian friends can easily recite entire poems or passages from their favourite books. They generally have a very good knowledge of world history, geography and the arts, and this is true regardless of the person's education or occupation.
Behaviours You May Find Puzzling
There are some behaviour patterns you may find very different from those you are used to. Some things may shock you initially, but they can usually be explained through Russia's history and your Russian friends will make efforts to help you understand why things are done the way they are. Always remember that what you consider normal behaviour may seem strange to your Russian friends.
Two things that newly arrived expatriates often find particularly troubling are the fact that Russians can seem very rude and that they rarely smile in public. Rudeness in public situations is still common. You may encounter it at supermarkets, at the post office, in public transport. Please do not let this discourage you and always remember that this is nothing personal.
Smiling at strangers is a rarity in Russia. 70 years of history taught people not to trust anybody and to guard their own territory. Just recall the famous Soviet poster "Ne Boltai" (Do not Chatter) and you will understand the roots of not smiling at unfamiliar persons. There is also an inherited notion from "village Russia" that people who smile for no reason must be simpletons. However, while people tend to be introvert or aggressive on the outside, you will find that they are extremely kind and helpful if you get beyond their first suspicion. Keep going to the same supermarket, the same bank and the same dry cleaners over and over again, keep smiling and do say "hello" and "goodbye" every time you arrive and leave - people will eventually start remembering you and most will start smile back. They are often not used to people being polite and nice to them and your efforts will be appreciated. It may just take some time, so don't give up.
Russians seem to have very different concept of what it means to stand in a line. They tend to be pushy while getting on public transport and in the metro you will find that people try to get on while others are still trying to get off. The same applies to lines at meat and cheese counters in supermarkets, where it can be difficult to figure out where the line starts and who is there first. When you go to pay utility bills at a Russian bank, you may find that when it is almost your turn one or two people show up who had "reserved" a place in the line and then took care of something else at another counter or just sit down while waiting for their turn. It is common practice to reserve a place in a line simply by telling the person in front of you "you are behind them" ("ya budu za vami"). This practice dated back to Soviet times when lines for just about everything were so long that it was impossible to get something done if you just occupied one single line.
Houses entrances, rest rooms and some other public areas may not be well cared for. You may, for example, see a beautiful apartment in a building with a dilapidated entrance and filthy staircase. In Soviet times, this was not the case: the streets and public areas were clean and littering was basically unheard of. Today people do not seem to care for anything that happens outside of the limits of their apartments. However, things are slowly starting to improve.
Drivers in Moscow are generally very aggressive, and you may find this pretty daunting if you come from a country where drivers are polite and abide by the rules. There seems a comprehensive spirit involved in driving - everybody wants to be the first one to take off from a red light.
Russians love to comment and give advice. Don't be surprised to get unsolicited advice on how to dress your children in winter or on the necessity of wearing a hat in cold winter.
People - both men and women - still drink beer in pubic. While this is not publicly frowned upon, the government is trying to change this habit, but so far the efforts have not led to any noticeable results. Restriction of shopping hours for alcohol was never previously known in Russia, but sterner measures have been introduced from 2009 onwards, mostly by individual cities - the results vary from strict (St. Petersburg, 23:00 total ban) via haphazard (Moscow region) to utterly invisible (most of the rest of the country).
While Russians devote considerable time and cost to their own personal wardrobe and grooming, they are relatively unjudgemental about others - figuring that a person' soul is the most important, and taking a very liberal line on allowing for differing customs elsewhere. An odd Soviet throwback, however, is a private habit of awarding unmentioned merit-marks to the quality and shine of the shoes other people wear. You can make a good first impression with very little effort in this field. Sports footwear is poorly regarded in general, and is often cited (by doormen) as fair reason to deny entrance to fashionable clubs or restaurants.
While Russians can be secretive when dealing with foreigners, they can also be very curious. You may find yourself in situations when people just met ask you how much money you make. In the vast majority of cases there is absolutely no criminal interest behind these questions, but you may still not want to divulge too much personal information about your family and yourself unless you know your conversation partner very well. Very often such questions arise from "fellow professionals" who are keen to know how their profession might be valued abroad.
When you come to a Russian home you will most certainly be offered tea or coffee along with something to eat. If you arrive around lunch and dinner time, you may be invited to join the family for the meal. When inviting Russian friends over your house for drinks make sure you have some good food to offer - drinks accompanied by cheese and grapes just don't do.
Concepts of Space and Personal Space
On the one hand, Russians live in the world's largest country and think big in many ways. They tend to make big plans, even if they know that they will never be able to implement them. At the same time, they usually stand very close to each other in conversation or when standing in line. This may be a remnant from the Soviet past when people had to be very careful about what they said and always made sure that no one else was listening. Standing close to each other allows you to speak more quietly and to feel that others aren't able to hear what you are talking about. When someone has something very important to tell you and you are speaking to that person over the phone, you may still hear them say that "this is not a phone conversation", meaning that they prefer to tell you in person because they are still afraid of someone else may be listening. The reason why people stand close to each other in lines is more difficult to explain. It might have something to do with a feeling of getting to the front of the line sooner as there is less distance to the "target". Touching, hugging, and kissing friends and close acquaintance is common. You may find this uncomfortable if you come from a no- or little- contact culture.
As people still pay very little money for electricity and hot water, these resources are literally wasted. Russians will do the dishes under running hot water instead of letting them soak in the sink. Nobody will complain if you take a hot shower for half an hour or a hot bath twice a day. At the same time that electricity is still very cheap, Russians seem to prefer dim lighting. You will notice this in the metro, on the streets, in staircase, and even in people's homes where the lighting could often be a lot brighter. Street lights are not very bright, and often entire yards have no lighting for weeks on end.
These days light bulbs in public areas of apartment buildings usually have to be replaced by residents, who are often hesitant about replacing something that is not for their own use exclusively. If you want the housing department or your neighbours to replace the broken light bulbs, you may be in for a very long (and dark) wait. If you encounter such a problem in your apartment building, just buy some light bulbs and replace the broken ones - Russia has no laws (yet) on expensive energy-saving bulbs, and regular clear-glass bulbs cost just pennies. You may win the friendship or respect of your neighbours if you occasionally mop the landing area between the lift and your door.
FAVOURITE RUSSIAN PASTIMES
Dacha
Dacha is a term that refers to a summerhouse and can stand for pretty much everything from a small wooden shack without running water, gas or electricity to a lavish multi-story house in the countryside. While not everyone has a dacha, most people have relatives, neighbours or friends who do, and everyone who can normally jump at the opportunity to leave the city on weekends and escape to cleaner air and nature. Dachas are usually big projects that require the involvement of the entire family. Most dachas are not used in winter, but as soon as the last snow has gone people set out to repair and prepare their dachas for the coming summer. The majority of people who have even a small plot of land still plant vegetables and herbs at their dacha and many also have apple trees and berries. These of course require constant maintenance all the way to late autumn when the plots and trees have to be prepared for the coming winter. In short, a dacha is often not a place to relax and lie in the sun but rather a second full-time job.
Shashlyki
Shashlyki (barbecues) are a very popular activity on summer weekends when Russians often invite friends to their dacha for a barbecue.
Banya
Over the centuries, the Russian banya (bath house) has served people not only as a place where they could clean themselves, but also as a place for restoring health. It is believed that by visiting the banya many health problems can be cured. Among other positive effects, the steam in the banya helps expel fat from the body, restores the tonus of blood vessels and clean pores.
The difference between the Russian banya and the Finnish sauna lies in the kind of steam. The steam in the Russian banya is humid, and in order to reach the best effect, hot water is poured onto hot stones. The temperature inside a Russian banya can reach 60°C (140°F). The steam in a Finnish sauna, on the other hand, is dry, and the temperature can reach up to 100°C (212°F). After having spent some time in the steam room, banya visitors will jump into a pool with gold water as a kind of contrast treatment.
A very important banya attribute is the "venik" (a kind of broom made from dried birch, oak or fir branches and leaves), which banya visitors beach each other with. Apart from a positive effect on health, the banya also is a place where friends get together to relax. While at the banya, Russians like to drink beer, which is often accompanied by "vobla" - a kind of dried fish. Sometimes people have too much fun at the banya - a great example of this is provided in the very funny and highly recommended Soviet comedy "The Irony of Fate".
Mushroom Collecting
It is a tradition dating back to ancient times. Russia has a lot of forest areas where different kinds of mushrooms grow in abundance. While mushrooms have always been an important component of the national diet, they have also become a substitute for meat during the Orthodox Christian Lent. Over 200 kinds of edible mushrooms grow in Russia. Apart from protein and fats, mushrooms also contain a number of minerals such as iron, calcium, and zinc. However, there are also about 25 poisonous types of mushrooms in Russia, so unless you are very experienced you should never collect and consume mushrooms without consulting with an expert in this field. You can tell that mushroom season has arrived when you see them being sold outside metro stations. While you should never collect and consume mushrooms that grow in Moscow or within a 30 km radius of the city, the Moscow region is considered relatively safe.
A mushroom collecting trip usually involves a long car or train ride to ecologically clean area outside Moscow. If you want to get there before others do, you have to leave home in the wee hours of morning. Remember that forest areas are very popular with mosquitoes so make sure you bring sufficient amounts of mosquito repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts. The most common kind of edible mushrooms are chanterelle, oyster mushrooms, porcini and yellow boletus. A mushroom-hunting trip is often an excuse for a fun trip to the country, and if you fail to find any you can always quietly buy some from sellers at the roadside, and claim you found them yourself. Be ready to cook them into dishes or freeze them when you get home - they won't keep more than a day without spoiling. The same trip can also be a good chance to pick some forest wild berries - blackberries, redcurrants, and many others flourish within just an hour of the city limits.
Cross-Country Skiing
It is a very popular winter activity that often the whole family participates in. Children learn this sport at school from an early age. You can engage in cross-country skiing in any of Moscow's larger parks.
Fishing
While you will see people fishing in the Moskva River, fishing is not recommended in Moscow due to highly polluted rivers and ponds. You can however go fishing at any of the larger water reservoirs river parts outside of town.
Grandchildren
Grandchildren are a very popular activity for any grandmother (and grandfather). It is very common in Russia for grandparents to take care of their grandchildren while their parents are at work. They will take the children for walks, take them to the playground, to/from kindergarten or school, will cook them lunch, and often even supervise their homework assignments. Many grandchildren spend the entire summer at their grandparents' dacha, giving the parents some time for themselves. While this may seem very convenient, it sometimes results in problems as parents and grandparents often have very different ideas on how to best raise a child. Russians traditionally lived in extended families in one big house until very recently, and many of the grandparents involved will have been raised in that way.
Ice Swimming
It is a less common, but nevertheless very interesting pastime. An extreme way of keeping fit, the ice swimmers (called "morzhi" - walruses in Russian) are very proud of their "sport" and consider it a way of life. Even babies and toddlers are subjected to short immersion in ice cold water to make them strong, and may people in their 70s and 80s still regularly engage in this invigorating activity on a regular basis. The roots of ice swimming date back to pre-revolutionary times and have links to the Russian Orthodox Church as a way of cleaning sin. Every winter during religious festivals, worshippers would submerge themselves in icy waters to erase all sins from their bodies. For contemporary "morzhi", however, ice swimming is part of everyday life rather than a religious practice. When ice forms on lakes and rivers, these enthusiastic sportsmen will cut swimming holes in the ice that are carefully maintained so that bathing is possible throughout the winter. Each session is very short but a challenging experience for the uninitiated. If you want to try ice swimming, please consult with your doctor before jumping into the icy water. While this is a stimulating and energizing activity, it can easily send your body into spasms and causes severe joint ache.
New Russians: Who are They?
As a result of the changes this country has undergone since the early 1990s, a class of so-called "new Russians" has developed. These people acquired a lot of wealth very quickly (whether legally or not is another question) and have become somewhat conspicuous consumers. Very western in their dress and manner, these new captains of Russian commerce are demanding and getting the attention of others who are not in the same position. People who do not belong to this circle of the chosen few usually (and understandably) do not approve of their flamboyance.
These are very influential people purchasing prime property in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, France, and many other countries along with soccer clubs and other sports teams. If they don't own an airplane, they will fly first class. They go on dream vacations while their children attend top European private schools and universities. The best customers of Moscow's five-star hotels are Russians - not foreign businessmen.
While many wealthy people abroad try not to show off their wealth in public, rich Russians still like to show what they have and can afford - a habit that isn't always advantageous for them. You will see an amazing number of very expensive foreign cars in Moscow's streets and you may be stunned at the suburban houses these people build - complete with swimming pools, tennis courts, bodyguards and housing for staff. While the gap between rich and poor in Russia is getting wider all the time, recent years have seen the development of a small middle class. Its members are characterized by a good education, relatively well-paying jobs and entrepreneurial spirit.
With all it luxurious new VIP residential buildings, expensive stores and restaurants, you may be under the impression that people in Moscow are quite well off. In reality this is not the case. While the country's elite tends to settle in Moscow and there are a lot of rich people living here, the majority of Muscovites (and those in the rest of Russia) are struggling very hard just to feed and clothe themselves and their families. And just as New York isn't the USA, Moscow isn't Russia. If you want to see what the real Russia is like, you have to travel to the provinces and villages outside of Moscow, in Siberia and the Far East - although these regions have their own "new rich" too.
ATTITUDES
General Attitudes
The mindset of the younger Russian generation is not as much pro-anything, as it is anti-communist. Difficult times and general uncertainty are accompanied by the feeling that democracy is better. This does not mean that Russians are not complaining. While they are critical of the slow pace reform and of the new leaders, they are nonetheless loyal and optimistic about the future of their country.
Making the transition from a society completely dependent upon the state to one in which the individual shares responsibility has been a very difficult and traumatic process for Russia and her people, and the Russians don't yet seem to have a clear picture of their selves. The demise of communism has hugely affected life in Russia, and the sometimes-halting democracy that has taken its place is still developing. Under communist rule, the State was responsible for everything - even for piffling things. Today people must make decisions and take responsibility for them - not an easy task for those who have been raised to follow, not to lead.
Attitudes in the Workplace
The older generation of Russians - although for the most part well-educated, hard-working and disciplined - is a product of the communist system in which workers were not rewarded for personal incentives nor punished for being non-productive. Not having been raised to "get ahead" and to amass personal fortunes, they may respect these traits in foreigners but generally abhor them in their Russian colleagues. You may hear the phrase "initiative is punishable" from members of the older generations and it can be difficult to convince them that personal initiative and doing your own thinking is not only welcomed, but is a necessity in the new Russia.
The attitudes of the younger generations are for most part, very different. Achievements in the workplace are highly regarded. You will find many highly trained young Russians who, on top of having an excellent education, speak fluent English and/or other foreign languages. Many choose to further their education and qualifications voluntarily at evening classes at their own expense.
Attitudes toward Foreigners
Russians generally respect and admire the business expertise and technology skills and tools of European, North American and Asian companies and are interested in doing business with them.
In some quarters Russians tend to blame Western influence for the hard times brought about by reform. The economic disparity between foreigners and themselves may also raise the hurdle of understanding. Russians have historically feared and distrusted foreigners, but today's foreign community in Moscow lives in relative harmony with the locals. Some Russians may respect their presence, but most appreciate the efforts of foreigners to modernize the local economy.
While Russians are well aware of the fact that things in Russia aren't perfect, they do not appreciate it when foreigners criticize their country, or boast excessively about the alleged superiority of their homelands. Very often questions about how things are managed overseas will actually be a delicate appeal for some positive comments about how things are by comparison in Russia - a tactful reply, without toadying, will be appreciated. It is useful to have some pre-prepared compliments about some neutral topics - the affordability and frequency of public transport, the low cost of public amenities, etc.
Attitudes towards Women
The communists maintained the equal status of men and women in the classless society, and many women had (and still have) the dual responsibility of adding to family income through a full-time job and of caring (shopping, cooking, cleaning) for the family. In the workplace opportunities for women have been slow to surface. While women in Russia have always had the opportunity to pursue higher education and many have at least one degree, they do not typically fill leadership positions yet.
Foreigners working in Russia often find that Russian women who have reached managerial positions are more serious, harder working and more creative than their male counterparts. However, radical changes must occur for the Russian mentality to accept women in positions superior to men. The male network in business is unwilling to allow women to progress.
Foreign businesswomen might encounter some resistance. Conservative dress and demeanour and a serious attitude will be helpful in dealing with Russian men, keeping a certain distance rather than being too friendly is advisable. It is also best to ignore the inequality between the sexes that exists in Russia, instead behaving as if business were transacted in the west.
Men are still the "dominant" gender in Russia and many Russians are uncomfortable with very strong women. A woman who stays aloof will be respected, whereas overly friendly behaviour may be misinterpreted.
Attitudes towards Human Rights
Although the 1993 Constitution guarantees basic human rights, the progress toward internationally-recognized human rights for all citizens is by far not yet complete. Large gains have been made on the domestic side, but abuses have been reported within the military and police forces. Conditions in Russia detention facilities are far below acceptable standards. While reforms are ongoing, the process is slow.
Attitudes toward the Disabled
Moscow and Russia on the whole is not a great place for physically disabled or mentally challenged children and adults. If you have a child with a severe physical or mental disability, you should think twice before moving to Moscow.
Generally attitudes toward disabled people in Russia aren't very good. As there aren't many opportunities for the disabled, they usually stay at home. You will, therefore, hardly ever encounter disabled people on the streets. It is not uncommon to encounter disabled people begging on public transport - particularly military veterans. You may want to prioritise generosity over any feelings of "patronizing" them - they get little other help in their lives.
State assistance to people with disabled family members is very limited. Consequently, a large proportion of women who give birth to a disabled child decide to give it up right after the child is born. These children are then condemned to a sad existence in state-run orphanages and will receive little to no physical or mental development support.
Educational opportunities for disabled children and adults are extremely limited. Even the private foreign schools in Moscow will only accept children with very minor disabilities. It is almost impossible to get around Moscow physically in a wheelchair as building entrances; sidewalks and public transportation are mostly not wheelchair-friendly.
Russian Names and Titles
Russian names have three parts: a first name (forename), a so-called "patronymic" middle name, and a surname. The "patronymic" derives from the father's name followed by the suffixes. These are "evich" or "ovich" for a son (meaning son of) or "evna" or "ovna" for a daughter (meaning daughter of). Example: A woman's full name might be Tatiana Ivanovna Smirnova. This means that her father's first name was Ivan. Her brothers' name could be Sergey Ivanovich Smirnov. Patronymics refer strictly to the child's biological father, and would not change on the mother's remarriage, on adoption, etc. (In the old Russian villages, where perhaps just 2-3 families and their descendants made up the whole village (the law forbade peasants to leave their owner's employ or land - so people didn't travel) a person's surname was almost immaterial - it was more useful to say you were "Pavel, Ivan's son", or "Irina, Ilya's daughter" by way of introduction.)
An "a" is added to the end of most (but not all) surnames of Russian females.
It is common and considered polite to address people you do not know very well and/or that are older than you by their first name and patronymic. Russians rarely refer to each other by their first and last names, although some - especially the younger generation - will call each other by their last names. You might hear children shout something like "Hey Smirnova" or "Hey Smirnov". If you are trying to find someone and only know that person's first and last name, you can ask for "Gospozha Tatiana Smirnova" (Mrs. Tatiana Smirnova) or "Gospodin Sergey Smirnov" (Mr. Sergey Smirnov).
A Russian woman usually adopts her husband's last name after marriage, but there are exceptions.
Common female names are Anna (Anya), Ekaterina (Katya), Elena (Lena), Irina (Ira), Yulia (Yulya), Maria (Masha), Natalia (Natasha), Olga (Olya), Svetlana (Sveta), Tatiana (Tanya), etc. Names of females are often altered even further, especially in terms of endearment between close friends. Thus Masha can turn into Mashenka, Lena into Lenochka, and Anya into Anyuta. Lyuba can become Lyubochka, and Yulia is often called Yulka or Yulechka. Coining these "pet-name" versions is an art in itself, and the mutual freedom to use them is considered part of the friendship bonding process. You may find your own (foreign) name converted to a nickname version - don't be offended, it is a sign of warm friendship.
Common male names are Alexander (Sasha, Shura, Sanya), Dmitry (Dima), Eugeny (Zhenya), Ivan (Vanya), Mikhail (Misha), Nikolai (Kolya), Sergey (Seryozha), Victor (Vitya), Vladimir (Volodya, Vova), etc. Often the names in parentheses are shortened even further, Seryozha can turn into Seryozh or Seryoga, Mikhail into Mish or Misha.
A modern friendly jokey way of referring to friends (rather than merely "colleagues") at work (but not superiors!) is to employ 19th century habit of using a shortened version of their patronymic - the way 19th century employers would talk to their servants. Thus Nikolai Ivanovich might be "Ivanych" to his work chums, and "Elena Ivanovna" might be "Ivanovna". Wait until you are proficient in Russian before using this in practice. If you can pull it off in practice, it will win you friends. Obviously it has to be done with a sense of fun - or it would cause offence.
The shortened names given in parentheses are commonly used, but you should never use them without asking permission. Not every Elizaveta wants to be called Lisa and not every Vladimir likes being addressed as Vova - it would be considered as "excessive familiarity". Beware of using them to people "lower in the pecking order" than yourself - you might end up patronizing people instead of befriending them as you hoped.
The shortened names Sasha and Zhenya are used for both females and males.
Another important thing to remember is that the Russian language - much like French and German - has two separate pronouns for the second person singular, differing in degrees of politeness. Technically, there are two words for the second person singular: "ty", which is used in the same sense as the French "tu" and the German "du"; and "Vy". Note that this word starts with a capital letter, which is similar to the French "Vous" and the German "Sie". Except for children you should never address anybody with the personal "ty" without asking for their permission. The word for the second person plural pronoun is also "vy" but it is spelled with a small letter.
The best way to avoid unpleasant situation is to ask individuals how they would like to be addressed. If you would like to address someone as "ty" instead of "Vy", you should ask "Mozhno na ty?" ("Can I call you "you"?")
The most common form of address in today's international office environment is first names in combination with the formal "Vy"; colleagues occupying the same rank may also use the personal "ty".
Russian Customs, Etiquette, and Popular Superstitions
Even if you are not planning to be in Russia for long, you should make every effort to learn at least a few basic words and phrases in Russian. You colleagues, neighbours, friends, and others will be impressed and the gesture will be highly appreciated. Russians generally consider their language to be a very difficult one for foreigners to learn. With the exception of your Russian teacher, they will not expect you to become fluent in Russian, but they will be amazed if you are able to carry on a simple conversation a few months after your arrival.
Even if you fail to learn much Russian, learning the alphabet (there are only 31 letters plus two silent symbols) will make a quantum improvement in your ability to move around independently. Russian is laden with imported words from other languages - once you can decode the letters, these words ("bar", "restoran", "stadion", "musey") appear to you, as if by magic.
Never shake hands with or kiss someone over the threshold of the doorstep or you will quarrel with this person (an old superstition).
Take off your gloves when shaking hands.
Returning home if you forgot something brings back luck. If it happens that you must return for something, looking in a mirror before leaving again dispels the "bad luck".
Before leaving the house on a trip, it is customary to sit down on one's suitcase for a minute or so to reflect on the trip (silently, for 4-5 seconds) and to recall whether you have forgotten anything.
It you are not married, never sit down at the corner of a square table. If you do, you will not get married for seven years.
Spitting three times over your left shoulder prevents bad luck. (You my hear Russians say "tfu-tfu-tfu" - a "spitting" incantation against bad luck.) So does knocking on wood.
Do not put your hands in your pockets.
Do not sit with your legs wide apart.
Do not cross your legs with the ankle on the knee or put your feet on the table. It is considered impolite to show others the soles of your shoes.
Whistling is regarded as a sure way to guarantee that you will soon part with all your money.
Never light a cigarette from a candle. This is also said to bring bad luck.
Never pour wine backhanded. It is impolite and also signifies that you will "pour" your money away.
If you spit salt on the table, you will be plagued by bad luck unless you throw three pinches of salt over your left shoulder immediately.
Always bring a gift for the hostess if invited into a Russian home. A box of candy and/or flowers are traditional gifts for the hostess, as is a bottle of good wine, cognac or vodka for the host. Arriving "with empty hands" is considered the poorest manners.
Never give an even number of flowers to someone - even numbers are for funerals only!
When entering a Russian home, offer to take off your shoes. In most cases your host will provide you with slippers (called "tapochki" in Russian).
Be prepared to accept smoking.
Be prepared to accept all food and alcohol when visiting friends. Refusing a drink or toast is a serious breach of etiquette. An open bottle often has to be finished. However, Russians will understand if you do not drink at all (e.g. for health reasons or because of religious beliefs, or because you have to drive later).
Be prepared to give toasts at dinners and presentations. Do not say "Na Zdoroviye" ("To your health" - this is actually a toast only in Poland) - the correct form is "Vashe Zdoroviye" ("Your health"). Russian toasts can be very long and elaborate. For birthdays, weddings and other important events, friends and colleagues often write poems for the person they wish to congratulate. You don't have to do that of course, but it helps to be prepared to at least say a few sentences. While the toast is being sad, do not continue eating or drinking. You are expected to listen, regardless of the length of the speech. An easy and amusing toast a foreigner can make is that the host's fame has spread abroad, and they are now known in your country too. Chinking glasses with everyone else (or as far as you can reach) is considered usual.
At birthday parties, by tradition, all the toasts are to some aspect of the birthday boy/girl - try to think of some witty compliments. There may often be a toast to their parents, "who gave him/her to us" - even if they aren't present. If one or other of the parents is no longer alive, you don't chink glasses for this toast.
If you plan on visiting a Russian Orthodox Church, dress conservatively (no shirt skirts or shorts). Women must cover their hair before entering the church, so bring a headscarf. Men, on the other hand, must remove headwear (hats, caps). Some extremely severe monasteries may insist on women donning a wraparound long skirt - if so, these will be provided on free loan at the gateway entrance, and using them is obligatory. Better to wait outside if you don't wish to respect their dress code requirements.
On public transportation, younger men and women should give up their seat to mothers with small children, pregnant women and elderly people. Certain seats may be marked for the use of these categories of people anyhow.
Men should offer to carry parcels and heavy bags for women they accompanying. This is local custom, regardless of what you may be used to or believe in at home.
That conveniently free seat on the jam-packed tram or bus is for the conductor - you are not allowed to sit there!
When going to the theatre or a concert, you are expected to check your coat and any larger bags at the coat check. When squeezing past others into your seat, take care to face them as you pass - doing it "the way you are used to" is regarded as "shoving your ass in their face" in Russia, and is a social no-no.
Always emphasize the good and the beautiful things you like in Moscow and Russia, try not to criticize and compare. Russians know that there are a lot of problems in this country, but they are also very proud of their history and culture. They will highly appreciate it if you show them that you like it here - or at least like some of it!
Small gifts are much appreciated. Keep a list of people who have been nice and helpful to you, such as your concierge, parking lot attendant, your favourite vendor at the supermarket, a friendly neighbour, etc. Give them a small gift such as a box of chocolate or candy or a small souvenir from your home country for major holidays, such as New Year's. Only women are given gifts on March 8th and flowers will be much appreciated, along with a nice card. Pretty calendars and company gifts such as coffee mugs and pens are also good. And, of course, don't forget about your driver, nanny, housekeeper and other friendly helpers. Along with a "real" gift, they will also appreciate a cash bonus.
Along with your baggage, bring a good amount of patience, sympathy, tolerance, and your sense of humour. These should get you through most difficulties. Russians are used to long centuries of foreigners bringing their eccentric habits and peculiarities with them to Russia - and they will tolerate almost any accidental indiscretions if you can manage a friendly grin as you commit them.
Based on the materials from the book "Living in Moscow" by Barbara Spier. |
|
|
|
|
| 20. | Environmental Assessments
|
What are environmental assessments and what do they tell us?
Why are they needed?
When are they needed?
How is the work carried out?
About Ecostandart
What ecological standards do we use?
Our laboratories
Did you know?
Case studies |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 22. | Community Organizations:: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
British Women's Club of Moscow
BWC, a non profit social club for women, meets monthly over a cup of coffee and have an organized program of activities for members and their families. Meetings are informal and there is plenty of time to chat and even to shop. Different artisans are invited each month to sell their wares during the meeting. The Coffee mornings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at the British Embassy. If one would like to attend, contact the Club in advance (by the previous Thursday) at members@bwcmoscow.co.uk as the security guards on the gate can only admit people on the Club’s list. Membership is open to British passport holders and partners of British passport holders. Presently there are about 200 members.
Membership:info@bwcmoscow.co.uk
General information: info@bwcmoscow.co.uk
Web: www.bwcmoscow.co.uk |
|
|
|
|
| 23. | Dating Agency
|
How it works
Anastasia Web features 10 000 beautiful ladies from the CIS countries who are interested in meeting a Western man. You can send translated e-mails to any lady featured on http://www.anastasiaweb.com/index-1456.htm. Her reply is translated into English and forwarded to your personal secure account on http://www.anastasiaweb.com/index-1456.htm. All the services are free for the ladies. The ladies are carefully chosen from 60 000 applicants, and only sincere and family-oriented women are featured on the site. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 25. | Moscow Neighbourhoods::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Moscow Neighbourhoods
The city is divided into ten administrative okrugs (regions) and 123 districts. Nine of the ten administrative regions, except the City of Zelenograd, are located within Moscow's main boundaries. All administrative okrugs and districts have their own emblem and flags, some districts also have elected head officials.
The ten administrative okrugs of Moscow are: 1) City of Zelenograd; 2) Northern okrug; 3) North-Eastern okrug; 4) North-Western okrug; 5) Central okrug; 6) Eastern okrug; 7) Southern okrug; 8) South-Eastern okrug; 9) South-Western okrug 10) Western okrug.
In addition to the districts, there are Territorial Units with Special Status, or territories. These usually include areas with small or no permanent populations, such as the case with the All-Russia Exhibition Centre, the Botanical Garden, large parks, and industrial zones. There are no ethnic-specific regions in Moscow. And although districts are not designated by income, as with most cities, those areas that are closer to the city centre, metro stations or green zones are considered more prestigious. Moscow does not yet have any exclusively residential or commercial neighborhoods with most central districts providing a mix of residential and office buildings along with retail space.
Arbat
Boulevard Ring
Hamovniki
Kitai-Gorod
Krasnaya Presnya
Lubyanka
Patriarshiye Prudy Polyanka-Yakimanka
Prechistenka-Ostozhenka
Pushkinskaya Square
The Kremlin Area
Tverskaya
Volkhonka
Zamoskvorechiye |
|
|
|
|
| 26. | Driving in Moscow::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Driving in Moscow
General information
There are over 3 million cars in the city on a daily basis. Recent years have seen a significant growth in the number of cars, which has lead to traffic jams and unavailability of parking space. Driving in Moscow can be a daunting experience for the uninitiated. Traffic accidents (and resulting deaths) are more numerous that in North America and most European countries - despite the fact that there still are fewer cars). Russian drivers regularly ignore traffic lights, road signs and traffic regulations as well as pedestrians, so you have to be very careful and drive defensively at all the time. Random stop-n-checks by the Traffic Cops are regular, and you need not have committed any kind of irregularity to be (legally) pulled-over in this way.
Many Russian drivers have not obtained their driving license in an official way - it is, unfortunately still relatively easy to "buy" a driving license in Russia. For all of these reasons, many expatriates choose not to drive in Moscow. They often make use of a driver provided by their employee, hire a private driver, or use public transportation.
Moscow Road System
Road conditions in Moscow are not too bad but they get worse as you leave town. Generally little attention is paid to paving, maintenance and roadside facilities. Moscow has a complicated road system with three major ring roads: the MKAD or Moscow Ring Road, which goes all the way around Moscow; the Garden Ring which encircles the city center and the Third Ring in-between the MKAD and the Garden Ring. There is also a smaller half-ring road (half because it doesn't form a closed circle), which is called the Boulevard Ring and is located in the city center. The city center consists of a complicated network of smaller streets and lanes, many of which are one-way streets. The Fourth Transport Ring is to be built in the future.
Documents to Carry with You
Drivers must always carry the following documents with them:
Passport (foreigners must also have their original Russian visa and migration card)
Driving license
Registration certificate
Motor vehicle insurance
A Power of Attorney if the car does not belong to you. If you are driving on office are, the Power of Attorney will normally only be valid for several months at a time and must be renewed on a regular basis.
Technical inspection card
Things to Keep in Mind
Many street signs are in Russian only and finding as address can be tricky. It is better buying a good Moscow street atlas, preferably a larger one that shows all individual buildings. You can also now obtain reliable GPS devices covering Moscow and surroundings.
The whole streets can be closed off when the president or another important person is expected to drive by. Rubevo-Uspenskoye shosse, Kutuzovsy prospect and Novy Arbat are especially prone to these situations, as are the roads to international airports if a major dignitary or delegation is arriving or leaving.
You should take travel routes to and from work into account when looking for an apartment or house in Moscow.
GIBDD
The GIBDD (State Inspection for the Safety or Road Traffic) is the Russian traffic police. Formerly called GAI (State Automobile Inspection), they are still referred to as such by many. The GIBDD is a separate police entity and has nothing to do with the regular Russian police. A traffic police officer is commonly referred to as a "gaishnik". Despite the official difference between the GIBDD and the Militia, their emergency phone number is the same - 02.
Arbitrary checks by traffic police are frequent. They can stop you to check documents, make sure your technical inspection card has been renewed, etc. While fines for minor violations, such as not wearing a seatbelt, are extremely rare, other violations, such as crossing a solid white line are subject to hefty fines (by Russian standards). Technically, you can also be fined for not having a first-aid kit or a fire extinguisher in your car.
The GIBDD frequently stops drivers on weekend and Monday mornings for alcohol checks. If you fail the breathalyzer test, you will be required to give a blood sample for further analysis. In such instances you want to include one or more sterile syringes in your first-aid kit. Procedures for paying fines are subject to frequent change. Any GIBDD officer must introduce himself (there are almost no female GIBDD officers in Russia) with his title (e.g. sergeant) and his last name upon request, he must show his badge.
Driving Licence
To be on the safe side, you should obtain an International Driver's Permit (IDP) before coming to Russia. Foreigners staying in Russia for less than six months can use their national driving licence, but must have the licence translated into Russian. The translation must be notarized. Foreigners intending to stay in Russia for longer than six months must obtain a Russian driving licence.
Normally any foreigner wishing to apply for a Russian driving licence must provide the following documents:
His/her passport and valid Russian visa with the OVIR registration stamp
A medical certificate (available from any major health clinic)
His/her national driving licence, a notarized photocopy of the licence, and a notarized translation
If the original (national) driving licence is still valid, the applicant only has to take and pass a theoretical driving test. If the applicant's licence has expired, he/she must also pass a practical driving exam before a Russian licence can be issued. Exams must normally be taken in Russian.
If you do not have a driving licence, you can obtain one in Moscow. However, in order to do so, you must be fluent in Russian: the theoretical and practical instruction is conducted in Russian. Some schools may allow you to bring an interpreter, but this may be difficult. Before enrolling in a local driving school, make sure that the school is recognized by the GIBDD and will register the students for the state driving exam. Getting a driving licence in Moscow is still quite affordable when compared to the West.
Obtaining a first-time driving licence in Russia involves enrolling in a local driving school, passing a medical test, going through two months of theoretical and practical driving instruction, and taking (passing) state driving exams. The exam is the same for both Russian nationals and foreigners, but foreigners have to take the exam in a different place.
Accidents
If you are involved in an accident and there is serious damage to your or the other side vehicle(s) and/or people are injured, stay right where the accident took place - even if you are in the middle of a busy intersection - and wait for a GIBDD officer. You will either have to call the GIBDD yourself (possible only if you have mobile phone and you speak Russian) or ask somebody else (e.g. the other driver involved in the accident, your office, your friend to call them. Do not expect the GIBDD officers to speak English.
To report an accident, call the police at 02 and provide them with all details of the accident (location, number and kind of vehicles involved, injuries, etc.) If necessary, call an ambulance at 03. Remember that leaving the site of an accident in which someone was injured is a criminal offense.
If the damage is small, you may settle the dispute with the other involved party on the spot. Many people prefer doing so as filling a police report even for a traffic accident can be a major nuisance in terms of lost time and formalities. Bear in mind that repairing a foreign car in Moscow can be expensive. If the damage is extensive, you must wait for the GIBDD. If you leave the scene of the accident without a detailed, written report from traffic police, you will have no chance of recovering money for damages to your and other side vehicle from your insurance company.
If you decide to involve the GIBDD in an accident, they will draw up a detailed accident report that will include sketch of the scene. If you do not speak/read/understand Russian, call your office and ask for an interpreter to be sent to the site of the accident as soon as possible. You will be asked to sign the accident report, but you should not do so if you do not understand what it says; you will need it for your insurance company. It may be wise to very discreetly take down the officer's name and badge number.
Note that it can take a long time for the GIBDD to arrive at the scene of an accident - even if the accident is causing major traffic problems. Provided that no personal injuries were reported, the officers often don't seem to in a hurry. However, once they arrive, they are usually quite good at handling the situation. If you are hit by another car and that car drives off, do not chase it. Stay, call the police, and file the report. Disputes over accidents have to be settled in court.
Insurance
On July 1st, 2003, mandatory car insurance was introduced in Russia. According to this new law, every car owner must have an insurance policy certifying that he/she is insured against third-party liability. However, as this mandatory insurance policy only provides coverage up to certain mount and does not include coverage for car theft and vandalism, it is advisable to purchase additional (voluntary) insurance. Ideally, you should purchase both mandatory and voluntary insurance through the same company.
Licence Plates
Most cars in Moscow have white licence plates with black letters. Red licence plates with white numbers and letters are reserved for diplomatic cars. A "CD" on such a licence plate stands for "Chef de Mission Diplomatique", a "D" for diplomat, and a "T" for "Trade". Blue licence plates with white numbers and letters are reserved for Russian officials and the police.
Traffic Jams
Moscow heavily suffers from the traffic jams. Many people have even missed their flights because they didn't plan on getting stuck in traffic on the way to the airport. Major traffic jams occur regularly on all larger thoroughfares leading into and out Moscow, as well as on the ring road mentioned above. Traffic is particularly heavy going into town on weekday mornings and to the suburbs on weekday afternoons and evenings. The Garden Ring (Sadovoe Kol'tso) suffers from traffic jams all day long, although they are usually worse from about 8.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. and then again from about 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. on weekdays.
Late spring to mid-autumn is dacha season in Russia. The outbound dacha traffic starts early Friday afternoon and can last well into Saturday morning, with the return traffic starting Sunday afternoon and often lasting into the late night. Monday mornings are also problematic during this season as many people go to work straight from their dachas, therefore, if you live on or along one of the large highways leading into/out of Moscow, expect to face this problem on a weekly basis for about five months every year.
Another problem related to the dacha season are the so-called "podsnezhniki". These are drivers who do not touch their cars all winter long. The word means "snow-covered" and stems from the fact that many drivers leave their cars outside covered by snow throughout the winter. These drivers and their cars can be a traffic hazard because the cars are old and because many of these people do not drive at least half the year and are out of practice come spring.
Parking
Parking is another consideration if you own a car. Since cars can be the target of break-ins in Moscow, it is important to have a secure parking space, which can be very difficult, particularly if you live in downtown Moscow. Many streets and lanes are very narrow, and you may not be able to park your car in front of or in the yard of your residential building, or - for that matter - your office. Things get worse in winter when snow piles up on the sides of the street.
Some apartment buildings have a small parking lot where parking spaces are allotted for tenants. If possible, negotiate the parking space at the same time you negotiate your apartment lease. Some of the newer buildings have underground garages; others have guarded yards. Residential complexes, such as Pokrovsky Hills and Rosinka, have private garages.
Buying a Car
Unless you are a fully accredited foreign diplomat, it is very difficult and expensive to import a car to Russia. In many cases your moving company will not be able to assist with the import customs clearance of your car, and you will have to pay very steep import duties.
If you can not live without a car, you can purchase one in Moscow. However, several difficulties are involved in this. If you have a foreign passport and want to buy a car, you can register the car in your name, but you will have to de-and re-register it each time you receive a new Russian visa. The other option is to register the car in a Russian friend or colleague's name and then have that person provide you with a general Power of Attorney allowing you to drive and sell your car.
You can either purchase a new car or a used vehicle. In either case make sure you purchase the car from a reputable car dealership. If you want to purchase a used car from a private individual, have it checked very thoroughly at a good car service station before buying it.
Also keep in mind that it will be difficult for you to re-export a car from Russia (unless you are a fully accredited foreign diplomat).
If the car is registered in another's person's name, you will first have to sign a sale contract with that person (so that you can prove that the car is actually ours). You must then re-register the car in your name and de-register it before it can be exported from Russia. You will also have to carefully check what the requirements for the import of motor vehicles in your destination country are.
Maintenance
Before winter arrives, have your car protected with extra undercoating and fitted with heavy-duty batteries, heavy-duty shock absorbers, and winter tires. Do not wait until the first snow - that's when most drivers remember and lines at service stations will be very long. Have your car checked on a regular basis. A number of good car maintenance services are available in Moscow. Many of them specialize in one or more vehicle brands (e.g., Volkswagen or BMW).
Petrol
A gas station is called a "avtozapravka" or "A Ze Es" for short. Gas stations are almost not-existent in the city center, particularly within the confines of the Garden Ring. Therefore, if you live in the city center, make sure you know where the closest gas stations are located. You should only fill up at reputable gas stations, such as BP (British Petroleum), TNK (Tyumen Oil Company), Yukos, or Lukoil.
The price for petrol in Russia is still significantly lower than in Western Europe and North America. Most Russian cars run on 92 or 95 petrol; foreign cars normally run on 95. Since there has been an increase of Russians driving foreign cars, this type of higher-octane petrol is readily available.
Technical Inspection
All cars on the road in Russia have to undergo a regular technical inspection, called a "tekhosmotr" in Russian. Currently, cars that are under five years old have to be inspected every two years; cars that are over five year old have to be examined once a year. The last number on your car's licence plate indicates the month in which your car must undergo the inspection. For example, if the last number is a 9, your technical inspection will be due in September.
The process is a bit complicated for people who do not speak Russian. Unless you know exactly what needs to be done, ask a driver of someone from your office to help you. If your car has passed all tests successfully, you will be issued a plastic technical inspection card, called a "talon tekhosmotra". Whoever is driving the car must carry this document with him/her at all times - along with all other necessary documents. Failure to undergo the technical inspection and/or not having the card may result in confiscation of your car or at least a heavy fine.
Towing
If you are caught driving while intoxicated; refuse to take an alcohol test; cannot produce your driving licence, your car registration papers, the documents confirming ownership of the car, or a valid Power Attorney; have illegally stopped or parked your car in a non-stopping and non-parking zone; or if your car has faulty brakes or a faulty steering system, traffic police can impound and tow your car. If your car is towed, you will have to pay a fine for the offence you have committed; pay for the towing costs; and pay an hourly fees for the time your car was impounded. These costs can amount to 10,000 Rbs or more very easily, and you will need cash to pay - no cards are accepted and there are no ATMs at the "Special Car Park". If you are not present when the car is towed, you may find it very difficult to retrieve/find it later.
Winter Driving
Driving in Moscow in winter can be a tricky and dangerous affair, especially if you are not used to such weather conditions. If you have never driven on snow, slush, ice, you may want to take a few driving lessons with an experienced driver before hitting the roads on your own. Due to huge piles of snow lining the sides of streets and yards, parking in winter is even more difficult than in summer months. Whereas a street may have two lanes, it may be reduced to one lane in winter, again because of the snow. Driving through small streets in the center can become very difficult, and cars going in opposite directions often get stuck because nobody is willing to back up.
Things to keep in your car during winter include a good heavy-duty snowbrush, a defroster for locks, and a roll of paper towels in case condensation builds up on the windows inside the car. You should also carry an extra canister of anti-freeze liquid in your trunk at all times.
Do's on the Roads
Do carry all required documents with you (along with your passport, visa, and migration card). Traffic police can make stop you anytime to check your documents. You are obliged to carry the original documents with you at all times - photocopies are not acceptable.
Do make sure that you have a first-aid-kit (including a sterile syringe, which is not mandatory), a fire extinguisher, and a sign for emergencies in your car. The traffic police can fine you if you fail to produce any of these during a roadside check.
Do drive on the right hand side of the road. This takes some getting used to when you are arriving from a country where driving is on the left.
Do drive defensively.
Do adhere to the speed limits of 60 km/h (37mph) in built-up areas and 90 km/h (55 mph) elsewhere.
Do fasten your seatbelts at all times. While regularly ignore buckling up is mandatory in Russia, you can be fined for not wearing a seatbelt. You can also be fined if your passengers are not wearing seatbelts.
Do turn your headlights when going through a tunnel.
Do look out for potholes - they can cause serious damage to your car. They may also cause drivers to weave dangerously in attempt to prevent damage to their cars.
Do stop when the GIBDD (traffic police) motions you to do so. (This can be a patrol car, but more usually a pedestrian officer at the roadside with a baton). They can stop you just to check your documents. Failure to stop can have very serious consequences, including being fired upon by the officers (who have the right to do so).
Do watch where you park in the center of town. Cars may be towed away or clamped.
Do be careful where you leave your car at night - break-ins do happen. Do not leave anything lying around the car. Put things that must stay in your car into the trunk.
Do make sure that your car is properly insured through a reputable insurance company. Carrying the Insurance Certificate with you at all times is a legal requirement.
Do remain flexible.
Do keep your license plate clean - you can be fined for a dirty/illegible license plate.
Do Not's on the Road
Don't drink and drive! Russia has a 0.3 pro mil in blood (0.15 with a breathalyzer test) alcohol policy for drivers and police are very strict about this. The GIBDD has the right to check your blood alcohol level on the spot. 0.3 pro mil of alcohol is about one bottle of light beer, but remember that alcohol effect different people in a different way. The more well-grown the person is, the faster alcohol digests. So, you never know if you have exceeded the norm or not. It is better not risk.
Don't turn left or do a u-turn unless this is clearly specified. You must drive until the next U-turn sign, no matter how far it is, to turn around, then come back and make the right turn.
Don't ever cross a solid double white line - you can have your driving license revoked for several years for doing so.
Don't turn right on a red light - this is illegal in Russia.
Do not allow children under the age of 12 to travel in the front seat.
When approaching circulatories ("roundabouts") incoming traffic has priority over cars already on the circulatory, who must give way to them. This is a considerable difference to many other countries, so take note. |
|
|
|
|
| 27. | Moscow Neighbourhoods::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Moscow Neighbourhoods
The city is divided into ten administrative okrugs (regions) and 123 districts. Nine of the ten administrative regions, except the City of Zelenograd, are located within Moscow's main boundaries. All administrative okrugs and districts have their own emblem and flags, some districts also have elected head officials.
The ten administrative okrugs of Moscow are: 1) City of Zelenograd; 2) Northern okrug; 3) North-Eastern okrug; 4) North-Western okrug; 5) Central okrug; 6) Eastern okrug; 7) Southern okrug; 8) South-Eastern okrug; 9) South-Western okrug 10) Western okrug.
In addition to the districts, there are Territorial Units with Special Status, or territories. These usually include areas with small or no permanent populations, such as the case with the All-Russia Exhibition Centre, the Botanical Garden, large parks, and industrial zones. There are no ethnic-specific regions in Moscow. And although districts are not designated by income, as with most cities, those areas that are closer to the city centre, metro stations or green zones are considered more prestigious. Moscow does not yet have any exclusively residential or commercial neighbourhoods with most central districts providing a mix of residential and office buildings along with retail space.
Arbat
Boulevard Ring
Hamovniki
Kitai-Gorod
Krasnaya Presnya
Lubyanka Patriarshiye Prudy
Polyanka-Yakimanka
Prechistenka-Ostozhenka-Volkhonka
Pushkinskaya Square
The Kremlin Area
Tverskaya
Zamoskvorechiye |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 57. | The Moscow Expat Site :: The virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians, Moscow, Russia
|
Every day new on The Moscow Expat Site:
Culture Picks
Moscow's cultural scene is famously enormous and varied - but where to start? Our arts-savvy editorial team trawl what's on offer, to bring you our selection of Culture Picks for your leisure time.
Parks & Estates
If you'e feeling jaded by the grey grim concrete of your favourite haunts, Moscow is the perfect place to commune with nature without leaving the reaches of the Moscow Metro. The Moscow Expat Site has lined-up the complete listing of parks, former royal and aristocratic estates and other green spaces for your leisure-time hours, from black-tie outdoor classical concerts through to nudist beaches for those who like to get their kit off.
Moscow Phone Directory
Got your finger on the butten? Now you can, using the Moscow Expat Site Phone Directory - a unique listing of expat-friendly services and organizations that will be of maximum use and benefit to you. All the numbers are updated for accuracy, and many offer English-speaking services. Do more and find more in Moscow, with the Phone Directory!
Expat.ru is on Telegram!
Put the info, listings and links, parks and picks in your pocket! Expatsite on Tele packs all the opportunities, secrets, tips, vacancies in a channel-chat you should not be without!
Vacancies
The best people will always be in demand, so if you are seeking new challenges in your career or new outlets for your professional skills, let your mouse wander over to our Vacancies section, to find job openings posted and updated daily on The Moscow Expat Site. Vacancy of the day: A British School in the centre of Moscow is looking for a Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics IGCSE and IA-level teachers for 2024-2026. Successful candidates will have students getting B to A* in the subject in the past years, have solid classroom management skills and be dedicated to students’ progress. Part time as well as full time contracts may be considered. We offer visa support, medical insurance, meals, paid holidays, a competitive salary and work with a great team. |
|
|
|
|
| 58. | Restaurant Reviews :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Restaurant Reviews
Planning to dine out? Visit the Expat Site Restaurant Guide
for a listing of restaurants and menus in English and Russian.
Every two weeks the Moscow Expat Site presents yet another Moscow eatery for your consideration.
If you'd like to suggest a restaurant for review - or even review a restaurant yourself - click here and we'll consider your suggestion. |
|
|
|
|
| 59. | The History of Moscow::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
The History of Moscow
The first reference to Moscow dates back to 1147 when Yuri Dolgoruky called upon the Prince of Novgorod-Seversky: "come to me, brother, to Moscow". Nine years later, in 1147, Prince Yuri Dolgorukov of Rostov ordered the construction of a wooden wall - which was to be rebuilt multiple times - to surround the emerging city. The city replaced Tver and became the capital of Vladimir-Suzdal during the reign of Ivan I. In 1480, Ivan III won a great victory against the Tatars and made Moscow the capital of the new Russian Empire that soon included all Russia and Siberia. Despite destruction by fires and Mongol and Tatar invasions, Moscow expanded until it became the national capital in the 16th century - when Ivan IV, Prince of Moscow, took the title "tsar". Peter the Great moved the capital to St.-Petersburg in 1712, and a consequent period of decline followed in Moscow. The city was burnt down again in 1812 during the war with Napoleon's France but was rebuilt and expanded rapidly as an industrial and communications center. After the 1917 Revolution Moscow again became the national capital in 1918 and has continued to grow in both size and influence, particularly since the end of WW2, to become the country's leading industrial, cultural and political center.
Ancient Times and Rise of Moscow (5th-15th Centuries)
Ivan the Terrible and the Times of Troubles (16th-17th Centuries) The Origin of Romanovy Dynasty (17th Century)
Reign of Peter the Great (Late 17th-18th Centuries)
Palace Revolutions and Catherine the Great (18th Century) Russia in the 19th Century
October Revolution (1917)
Soviet Union (1920-50s)
From Thaw to Perestroika (1950-90s)
Present Times |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 62. | Ask your Visa and Travel advisor
|
Are you going to travel to Russia, or do you plan to go abroad? Do you need to register your visa, or want to work officially and get a work permit? Or maybe you have other travel inquires and do not know how to fulfill your plans?
Please address your questions to your online Visa and Travel advisor Andrew’s Travel House. We really like the idea of helping people!
Just a brief company history, so you can rely on our services even more. The result of a successful merger between Andrew's Consulting and Travel House, Andrews Travel House is one of the oldest and largest corporate travel management companies in Russia, being active in this field since 1994. Andrews Travel House offers a complete travel service including flight booking, accommodation and visa services for foreigners wishing to travel within Russia, and for Russians looking to travel abroad.
In addition to providing one-stop corporate travel services, Andrews Travel House offers incentive programs, training seminars and special leisure packages for corporate clients and their staff, as well as high class FIT services for individual travelers via partner agencies.
For more information on any of our services contact Andrews Travel House
in Moscow: +7 (095) 916-9898, in St.Petersburg: +7 (812) 325-9400,
or in London: +44 (0) 20 77272838. E-mail: moscow@ath.ru
Web: www.ath.ru, www.russianvisa.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 63. | Patriarshy Dom Tours :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Capital Tours is the first company in Russia organizing regular daily City Bus Tours, weekly Kolomenskoye Estate, Lubyanka and Gulag tour, Metro tour, Red Square and Kitai Gorod tour (including St.Basil's Cathedral). Regardless of the weather, we are always at your service. Capital Tours offers you a commentary by an English-speaking guide. Moscow All Around (The Moscow City Bus Tour): 7 days a week (even if it snows) Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30, 13:30; Monday, Wednesday at 10:30 only. Adults: in the office 950 Rbs, on the bus 1000 Rbs, children: in the office 450 Rbs, on the bus 500 Rbs, Lubyanka and Gulag tour: every Thursday from 14:00 to 16:30. Adults: 1000 Rbs, children: 800 Rbs, Kolomenskoye Estate: every Thursday from 10:30 to 13:30. Adults: 1000 Rbs, children: 800 Rbs; Metro Tour: every Sunday from 11:00 to 13:00. Adults: 700 Rbs, children: 500 Rbs; Red Square and Kitai Gorod tour: every Sunday from 14:00 to 17:00. Adults: 1000 Rbs, children: 400 Rbs.
Address: Gostiny Dvor, Ilyinka ul., 4, vkhod 6, 7. Tel: 232-2442, Fax: 234-2717; capitaltours@col.ru.
At the Russian-American Cultural Center we offer unique group tours, led in each case by an expert in the field. We offer other services, including hotel reservations, special private tours tailored to individual interests, both in Moscow and St. Petersburg. We also offer group or private Russian language classes for all levels as well as interpreting and organizational support for business negotiations. You can also book plane and trane tickets with us.
In Russia:
Tel/Fax: (501/495) 795-0927
E-mail: alanskaya@co.ruIn the United States:
Tel/Fax: 1 650 6787076
E-mail: pdtours@yahoo.com
Web: www.toursinrussia.com
. |
|
|
|
|
| 64. | Ask your realtor :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
IntermarkSavills is a partnership of Intermark and Savills, the leading international property services group.
If you are looking to rent an apartment or country house turn to IntermarkSavills and we will select the most suitable variants for you. The process of searching for an apartment can be stressful for you and your family, but you can rest assured that IntermarkSavills will solve all your problems connected to renting a home.
With us you can always count on efficient, effective and professional services. You can familiarize yourself with current offers on the rental market on our website, which has a daily updated database of properties. Here you will find detailed descriptions, conditions of rent, good quality photos, floor plans and also maps of the local area for each property.
If you are interested you may select a property on our website.
+7 (495) 502-9553, +7 (495) 775-2240, www.intermarksavills.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 65. | Outings::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Outings
Hit the Beach!
When it gets hot, there is nothing like sun, sand - and whatever inland surf you can muster. Here are some leading Moscow beaches.
Swimming Pools
If you don't want to trek to the beach, take a dip in one of a number of swimming pools. Most pools require a medical certificate, which you can get right at the pool for an extra charge, or from your regular doctor or neighbourhood clinic. Here are some Moscow swimming pools.
River Cruises
There is no better way to sit back and enjoy the sights on a hot summer day than a two hour cruise on one of the boats that ply the Moscow River. The boats feature an upper level open-air deck and a closed deck below. Most have a bar that offers liquor, soft drinks and some snacks.
You can embark and disembark from any pier, but we recommend starting from the Kievsky Bridge and riding all the way to the end point at Novospassky Monastery. From there you can either pay another fare (you have to get off and go to the cashier's booth) or catch a cab or bus. Piers are located at: Kievsky Bridge, Vorobyovy Gory, Frunzenskaya Embankment, Park Kultury, Estrada Theatre, Rossia Hotel, Novospassky Bridge. The boats run from 11:00 until 21:00 daily, sometimes a bit later on the weekends, at half-hour intervals. The ticket price is 400 Rbs for adults, 150 Rbs for children, children up to 6 year old - free of charge.
There are also cruises of one to seven hours departing from both the Northern Riverboat Terminal (Severny Rechnoi Vokzal) and the Southern Riverboat Terminal. A seven-hour cruise from the Northern Riverboat Terminal includes a three-hour stop at a beach area. The ticket prices range from 250 to 800 Rbs for adults, and from 100 to 300 Rbs for children. The boats run from 06:15 until 21:30 daily. You can find detailed information here.
Summer Verandas
"Grab the day!" as the ancient philosophers said... why sit indoors looking at those same four walls when you could enjoy a drink or a meal outdoors in the glorious sunshine? The Moscow Expat Site's coolest insiders share their top tips for al fresco grazing in a specially updated listing of Summer Terraces where you can relax outdoors.
City Parks and Estates
Moscow has many large and pleasant parks. Some are plain parks, others have ponds or beaches and yet others contain old palaces, estates or other places of interest. Most parks are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Note that most neighbourhoods also have smaller local parks, some of which have playgrounds.
Hiking and Running
Virtually every Sunday morning, come snow, sleet or heat, a group of Russians, expats, and short-term visitors gathers for a 10 to 15-km hike. For the latest schedule visit the Community Calendar. For runners there is the Hash House Harriers, who like to describe themselves as drinkers with a running problem. They meet just by the entrance of the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall (last doors from the metro entrance, under the overhang, near the Mayakovskaya metro exit on Tverskaya ul.) to run or walk in a local park for 40 minutes to an hour at a gentle pace. Again, you can visit the Community Calendar for the latest schedule.
Sports Opportunities
If you are a sport fan, you can choose one of the following venues:
Aero Clubs
Dive Centers
Golf Clubs
Horse Riding Clubs
Paintball Clubs
Squash Courts
Tennis Courts
Water Parks
Yachting & Windsurfing Clubs
Outside Moscow
Summer is perfect for exploring neighbourhoods, the more especially as Moscow Region offers so many beautiful places waiting to be discovered. You have so many options to spend a fabulous weekend far away from the noise, dust and everyday problem. Commuter trains (elektrichkas) are at your services covering all possible destinations outside Moscow. You can just blindly point to a map and experience the fun of an extremely unprepared and unplanned trip. Or you can plan it all in advance, booking a room in one of many country hotels, located from 5 to 50 km away from Moscow. Driving is another option. You can drive your own car, or hire one from the car rental company. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 73. | Our partners :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Our partners
If you want to become our partner feel free to write us at editor@expat.ru.
AEB
Founded in 1995, the AEB is an independent non-commercial association with a membership of over 550 companies from across the European Union and Russia. Their members range from large multi-national corporations to SMBs and are united by their commitment to forging stronger economic ties between the EU and Russia, as well as improving the business environment here in Russia.
French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Russia
The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Russia (CCIFR) was born in 1997, initially as a French business club, Le Club France. CCIFR is a private, non-profit association, designed to facilitate business between France and Russia. Its mission is to help to increase French investments into Russian economy, to create a better environment for development of French business in Russia and of Russian business in France. Now CCIFR has more than 200 corporate members and keeps growing further. CCIFR organizes many events, such as weekly petits dejeuners targeting topical key business issues. CCIFR works with many Russian regions, such as Saratov, Omsk, Kuban.
RBCC
The Russo-British Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1916 as a private, non-profit making organisation, designed to facilitate business between Britain and Russia. We are uniquely placed to assist our members in both countries, drawing on our 90 years of experience in this field. Our team will help you find potential partners and assist in marketing your products and services. We also provide business information and compile reports on request. The RBCC organises its own independent events, including exhibitions, conferences, seminars, and trade missions. With senior representation at Advisory Council and Board level from both UK and Russian business, the RBCC is uniquely well-inofrmed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 84. | Establishing a Business in Russia
|
Need help in establishing your business in Russia?
After years of providing a full range of start-up services to our clients, VISTA Foreign Business Support realized that there was a better way: one-fee, full-service packages tailored to meet the needs of start-up businesses. These start-up service packages include all the legal, tax, accounting, and administrative support services a company needs to enter the Russian market. We offer three levels of start-up packages to meet your needs, whether you are at the idea stage or nearly ready to begin work.
Why purchase a start-up service package?
1. You get everything you need from one firm with years of successful experience. No running around to find ten different specialists, no multiple contracts, no problems with coordination.
2. You get one team of professional, flexible and committed top specialists – from legal experts to professional bookkeepers - working with you to meet your goals.
3. You get more for your money. With a VISTA start-up service package you get Moscow’s top professionals for a more competitive price than you could get by contracting with several different firms or consultants.
4. You know ahead of time how much it will cost to start your business – no unexpected expenses. And no costly delays. You choose the level of support with a fixed price – and get our guarantee of the results you want.
5. You get just what you need. Chose the level of support that’s right for you and your company. If you want something extra – VISTA can add on services to the basic packages.
VISTA Foreign Business Support provides consulting, law and accounting services for organizations and individuals.
Phone: +7 095 933 7822, Fax: +7 095 933 7823
E-mail: startuprussia@vfbs.ru
Web: www.vfbs.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 85. | ATM Machines :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
SBERBANK 24 Hour ATM’s
Cards Accepted: Visa, Mastercard, Eurocard, Cirrus, Maestro
Click Here for the complete SberBank ATM List in English
Metro Name: A-D I-M N-P R-Z
MetroAddress Vnukovo Airport Sheremetievo 2 Airport AeroportLeningradsky Prospekt, 58AeroportUl. Krasnoarmeiskaya, 20AltufievskayaUl. Cherepovetskaya, 20AviamotornayaShosse Entuziastov, 14AviamotornayaUl. Aviamotornaya, 10AvtozavodskayaUl. Shestaya Kozhukhovskaya, 26BabushkinskayaUl. Letchika Babushkina, 37, Bld. 2BabushkinskayaUl. Losevskaya, 22 BabushkinskayaYeniseiskaya Ul., 29/1ByelorusskayaTretya Ulitsa Yamskogo Polya, 15DinamoLeningradsky Prospekt, 44DinamoUl. Begovaya, 17DmitrovskayaOgorodnyi Proezd, 19DobryninskayaUl. Lyusinovskaya, 26/28Izmailovsky ParkIzmailovskoye Shosse, 71, Bld. 4KaluzhskayaNovye Cheremushki District, 29/30, Bld. 5KaluzhskayaUl. Butlerova, 30-AKaluzhskayaUl. Vvedenskogo, 3KashirskayaUl. Koshkina, 6 Bld. 1KievskayaUl. Bryanskaya, 8KonkovoUl. Profsoyuznaya, 115KuntsevskayaMozhaiskoye Shosse, 4Kuzminki, TekstilshchikiUl. Yunykh Lenintsev, 3Kuznetsky Most, ChekhovskayaUl. Petrovka, 17MedvedkovoUl. Polyarnaya, 16/1Molodezhnaya, KrylatskoyeRublevskoe Shosse, 16NagornayaUl. Krivorozhskaya, 23, Bld. 1NovokuznetskayaRaushskaya Naberezhnaya, 14OktyabrskayaLeninsky Prospekt, 7Oktyabrskoye PoleUl. Narodnogo Opolcheniya, 20Oktyabrskoye PoleUl. Narodnogo Opolcheniya, 45Oktyabrskoye PoleUl. Raspletina, 10, Bld. 1OrekhovoShipilovsky Proezd, 39, Bld. 1Park KulturyZubovsky Bulvar, 13, Bld. 1PerovoTreti Proezd Perova Polya, 3APerovoUl. Sayanskaya, 18PervomaiskayaSirenevy Bulvar, 7Petrovsko-RazumovskayaDmitrovskoye Shosse, 29Petrovsko-Razumovskaya Korovinskoye Shosse, 29PolezhaevskayaProspekt Marshala Zhukova, 11PolezhaevskayaProspekt Marshala Zhukova, 44PolyankaUl. Bolshaya Yakimanka, 18Preobrazhenskaya PloshchadPreobrazhenskaya Ploshchad, 7Preobrazhenskaya ploshchadUl. Prostornaya, 2Profsoyuznaya, AkademicheskayaUl. Ivana Babushkina, 14Profsoyuznaya, AkademicheskayaUl. Profsoyuznaya, 20/9ProletarskayaTreti Krutitsky Pereulok, 15ProletarskayaUl. Marksistskaya, 34, Bld. 7Proletarskaya Ul. Pervaya Dubrovskaya, 1-AProletarskayaVolgogradsky Prospekt, 1Prospekt MiraUl. Bolshaya Pereyaslavskaya, 9PushkinskayaLeontievsky Pereulok, 14Pushkinskaya, TverskayaBolshoi Palashevsky Pereulok, 5/11Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya, ChekhovskayaUl. Tverskaya, 19Rechnoi VokzalZelenograd, Bld. 1204Rechnoi VokzalZelenograd, Bld. 1462Rechnoi VokzalZelenograd, Bld. 1812Rizhskaya, SavelovskayaUl. Sovetskoi Armii, 17SavelovskayaUl. Bashilovskaya, 11SemenovskayaIzmailovskoye Shosse, 24ShchukinskayaUl. Gabrichevskogo, 10ShchukinskayaUl. Isakovskogo, 31ShchukinskayaUl. Tallinskaya, 26SkhodnenskayaUl. Fabritsiusa, 18SkhodnenskayaUl. Skhodnenskaya, 9 SmolenskayaPereulok Sivtsev Vrazhek, 29/16SmolenskayaProtochny Pereulok, 11SokolLeningradsky Prospekt, 74SokolninkiSokolnicheskaya Ploshchad, 9 Bld. 2SokolninkiUl. Stromynka, 19SukharevskayaUl. Sretenka, 17Taganskaya, MarksistskayaUl. Bolshaya Andronievskaya, 8Taganskaya, MarksistskayaUl. Narodnaya, 12, Bld. 1TekstilshchikiUl. Lyublinskaya, 38TretyakovskayaUl Novokuznetskaya, 16/18TsaritsynoUl. Biryulevskaya, 41/7TsaritsynoUl. Luganskaya, 5Tsvetnoi BulvarUl. Karetny Ryad, 8Tsvetnoi Bulvar, NovoslobodskayaUl Delegatskaya, 11TulskayaUl. Bolshaya Tulskaya, 2Ulitsa PodbelskogoOtkrytoye Shosse, 25VDNKhProspekt Mira, 182VDNKhYaroslavskoe Shosse, 22, Bld. 3Vodny StadionKrondshadtsky Bulvar, 7a Vodny StadionOnezhskaya Ul., 12Vodny StadionUl. Admirala Makarova, 45Vodny StadionUl. Mikhalkovskaya, 8VoikovskayaLeningradskoye Shosse, 13Yugo-ZapadnayaLeninsky Prospekt, 148Yugo-ZapadnayaUl. Fedosyino, 4, Bld. 1Yugo-ZapadnayaUl. Nikulinskaya, 25YuzhnayaUl. Kirovogradskaya, 8, Bld. 3 |
|
|
|
|
| 86. | Snow Arena Polo World Cup Moscow :: The virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians, Moscow, Russia
|
Snow Arena Polo World Cup Moscow
February, 28-29
Central Moscow Hippodrome
Snow Arena Polo World Cup Moscow, to be held on February 28-29, 2004, in the Central Moscow Hippodrome, will be the first competition of its kind in Russia. Organized by the Moscow Polo Club, this will be a historic event in the sport of polo. Internationally renowned polo players and polo personalities have confirmed their participation. The list of invitees includes polo club owners, businessmen, politicians and polo fans from all over the world. One team from England and two teams from Italy will be battling for the honor of claiming to have won Russia’s first polo on snow tournament. The organizers expect this event to become an annual event and the final stop of the European polo on snow circuit which is played in France, Switzerland and Italy.
The aristocratic sport of polo has a long-established tradition in this part of the world. Russia’s first polo tournaments were held in the days of the tsars. However, the Bolshevik coup of 1917 caused a long break in this tradition.
Now, the Moscow Polo Club and its founding President Victor Huaco are reviving the sport of polo in Russia after nearly a century-long hiatus. The First Russian Polo Cup in 2003, which took place last September and featured some of the world’s best polo players, drew over 400 spectators. In that tournament, the ESN Group team emerged as the winner.
Snow Arena Polo World Cup Moscow will surely be one of the most exciting and spectacular events in Russia’s capital this year, in both the world of sports and the world of high society.
www.moscowpolo.com – the web site of Moscow Polo Club.
EVENT PROGRAM
SNOW ARENA POLO WORLD CUP MOSCOW
Date: Saturday 28th and Sunday the 29th of February 2004
12:00-16:00
TimeEvent12.00-12.30Arrival of the guests12.30-15.00 Officially announce the Opening of the tournament
Welcome of the President Moscow Polo Club
Polo teams parade
Players presentation
Games15.00 Closing the tournament
Prize giving
|
|
|
|
|
| 87. | In Case of Emergency::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
In Case of Emergency
1. Prepare for Emergencies
Keep your insurance/assistance company card with you at all times. Make a personal emergency response plan, have it translated into Russian, and keep it in your car and your wallet/billfold. This plan should answer the questions: "What would I want people to do if they found me unconscious"
2. Call your insurance/assistance company early in the event of a problem
Make a "check" call when you are not in trouble to ensure the phone number is valid and that you can reach someone who speaks your language. Check that they can do what you would want them to do in the event of an emergency. Do they have the necessary authority to act, and sufficient local personnel and infrastructure to act quickly?
If you have medical and evacuation insurance - and it is recommended that you have both - be sure that the company will agree to evacuate you or repatriate you in the event of a serious medical emergency. Disregard the marketing brochures; fax them a scenario or two and ask them to tell you what they would do. If they will not agree to commit in writing, find a better provider.
3. In the event of an emergency, speed up the response by volunteering the minimum required information logically and clearly
Name and telephone number where you can be reached if the line is cut off
Membership number of company affiliation
Brief description of the medical problem and what kind of help you need
Location of patient and location of passport (vital for overseas medical evacuation)
In certain circumstances, it may be required or recommended to go abroad for medical reasons. As in many other countries, one cannot leave Russian without proper travel documents. Therefore, have your travel documents up to date and accessible at all times. To obtain a special authorization to leave and enter countries without proper travel documents is a difficult and time-consuming process and success cannot be guaranteed.
At all times know the status and whereabouts of your and your family's passports. Never allow your travel documents to be taken from you overnight or over the week unless you know you can retrieve in an emergency.
Important Phone Numbers
Fire fighters 101
Police 102
Ambulance 103
Emergency Gas Service 104
Intercity phone calls 107
Information 109
Time (automatic clock) 100
Emergency rescue service +7 (495) 937-9911 or 911
International SOS (The Moscow Clinic, 24 hour service to its clients)
American Medical Centers (24 hours service)
European Medical Center (French, British and American experts)
International crisis Line
Tel: 8 926 1133373
This is a free English-speaking telephone counseling service for expatriates people in distress. Available 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
In case you ever have to call the fire fighters, the police, or an ambulance, make sure that all family members can correctly pronounce your complete address in Russian.
Post a piece of paper with your full address details and phone numbers in Russian and translation into your native language on the wall next to your phone.
Also make sure that your children know how to reach you or another adult you trust in case they get lost or have an emergency.
Note that in Russia there is difference between the police (militsiya) and the traffic police (GIBDD, formerly GAI). The police are not responsible for regulating traffic or handling car accidents, and the traffic police do not handle criminal offences that are unrelated to traffic.
Pharmacies (Apteki)
Finding a pharmacy in Moscow is definitely not a problem. In fact, quite a few number of them are open 24/7. The prices vary from one pharmacy to another, but the difference is not very significant.
Information on pharmacies in Moscow
Embassies and Consulates
Your country's embassy or consulate can:
Provide information on Russia's foreign-residency requirements;
Renew an expired passport or replace a lost or stolen one;
Report a birth in Russia to your home country;
Provide guidelines for getting married in Russia;
Help make arrangements in the case of a death;
Assist in voter registration and obtaining absentee ballots;
Register its citizens residing in Russia (so that they can be contacted in case of an emergency);
Certify copies of documents in you home country's language.
Please remember that anyone temporarily or permanently residing in Russia is subject to Russian legislation. Any private or public disputes must be settled through the Russian legal system. Diplomatic or consular officials are not authorized to practice law or to act as an attorney or agents in private matters. They should, however, be able to provide you with contact details for attorneys who can represent you in court. |
|
|
|
|
| 88. | Tourism::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Tourism
Moscow has a growing number of first-class international hotels and several smaller hostels that offer quality accommodation at more reasonable price. A hotel can be called a "gostinitsa" or an "otel" in Russian. If you intend to stay at a hotel with your pet, make sure that this is possible - not all hotels in Moscow allow pets.
TYPES OF HOTELS
The present Moscow hotel market in general can be divided into 5 groups:
luxury 4-5-star hotels;
tourist-class hotels;
small private 3-4-star hotels;
former ex-Soviet and present hotels of the state departments;
country hotels.
As for 4-5-star hotels, the majority of them are owned or managed by the western hospitality companies (such are "Marriott", "Sheraton", and "Kempinski"). But though some of them in fact belong to the city and are administered by purely Russian management, it doesn't mean a low quality of service.
Hotels of the second category in most cases still carry some features of Soviet time. It is reflected in general management, as well as in the level of service and equipment. Anyway central hotels of this category have no problems with visitors. This determines their price policy: $100-350 per day for a room.
The service standards in 4-5-star hotels have much in common with the western ones. The compulsory set of the facilities includes: parking, safe, room service, satellite TV, business centre (with internet access, copying, faxing, etc.), air conditioning, telephone, mini-bar, different stalls. Depending on the hotel you may be offered a fitness-centre, swimming pool, beauty salon, conference-halls, no-smoking rooms, concierge's services. Unfortunately most of the hotels, even expensive ones, have no conveniences for disabled people.
The prices in the majority of Moscow hotels are quoted in USD, but will be charged in roubles at the prevailing rate. Be careful: many hotels don't include 20% VAT into their prices. According to Russian laws all the payments are received in roubles. The rate of exchange in the hotel may be higher than one for which you've changed money.
Nearly all the hotels accept credit cards, but there are hotels and restaurants which for some reasons don't accept American Express cards. Travelling with children, you should check the amount of the additional payment, which may vary from 0 to 50% depending on the hotel and a child's age.
Movements of Personal Effects
An individual can temporarily bring goods weighing up to 50 kg and valued up to EUR 1500 duty-free into Russia. Individuals shall be charged 30% of the customs value of the imported goods exceeding EUR 1500, but not less than EUR 4.0 per kg in excess of the limit.
Travel Agencies
There are hundreds of travel agencies in Moscow: some specialize in ticket sales, others offer full tour and vacation packages, some specialize in tours to certain countries or continents, and yet others specialize in adventure and nature travel.
Car Rental
If you do not have your own car and feel like doing a bit of driving on your own after having settled in and having acquainted yourself with the Russian style of driving and traffic regulations, you may want to rent a car for a few days to explore Moscow and its surroundings on your own.
Maps
While you may come across a map with a bilingual street index, good English-language maps of Moscow are very difficult to find. In order to use maps you will have to know the Russian alphabet - otherwise you won't be able to look up streets in the index. You can purchase these maps at many bookstores, magazine and newspaper kiosks, and gas stations. The larger bookstores should also have maps for Moscow's suburbs and other cities in Russia.
Address in Moscow
While looking for a certain house in Moscow you should keep in mind the following things:
1. You need to know whether the house you are looking for is on the street (ulitsa), a lane (pereulok), an avenue (prospect), a boulevard (bulvar), an embankment (naberezhnaya).
2. Several streets in Moscow have numbers in front of them. For example, there is a 1st, a 2nd , 3rd and 5th Tverskaya-Yamskaya ulitsa.
3. You must also know whether a house is, for example, located on Bolshaya (big) Ordynka or Malaya (Small) Ordynka. There are many other examples of streets and lanes which exist twice - as a "big one" and a "small one".
4. A house (dom) can have several buildings (korpus or stroenie) to it. Usually the individual buildings are numbered (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), but sometimes they may have letters such as A, B, V, G, D.
5. Also make sure you ask for the entrance number. (There can be up to 20 of them in one house).
6. Google Maps cover Moscow very well, and the Russian search-engine Yandex has a similarly good street-finding map service.
Tipping
If you were happy with the food and the service at a restaurant, a 5 to 10% tip is appropriate. Try to tip your waiter in cash; if you add the tip to your credit card bill, the waiter will most likely never see the money. (In practice the way that credit-card payments are processed in Russia doesn't permit you to add tips in the huge majority of restaurants anyhow). You may also want to give small tips to handymen and plumbers.
Taxi drivers are not usually tipped, but you may want to pay them some extra money if they help you to carry your bags. Hotel/restaurant coatroom attendants are not normally tipped, but as these are often elderly ladies or men, they may appreciate a small token of appreciation. You don't tip coatroom attendants in public buildings, theatres, etc. It's usual to tip guides and interpreters if you've been satisfied with their work - very often their agency will be taking a large part of the fee you've paid.
Language
Russian is the basic language spoken in Moscow and in Russia in general, but you may hear many other languages spoken on the streets as Moscow welcomes lots of immigrants from the former CIS republics. A basic course in Russian comes highly recommended as in most cases, signs, road names and practically everything you see in Russia will be written in Cyrillic, so getting a good grip of the alphabet is key.
Even if you don't learn Russian, being able to read the alphabet will make a quantum improvement in your ability to move around independently, and will quickly repay the time spent in real savings. Practice by writing-out familiar words (your name, address, your friends, etc) using the Russian alphabet. |
|
|
|
|
| 89. | Children in Moscow::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Children in Moscow
Some Formal Issues
Children born abroad to expatriate parents may find their citizenship rights affected, either by laws in the country of assignment or those of their home country. It is, therefore, important to check on both sets of regulations well before the child is born. Your embassy should be able to provide you with all the information you need.
If the baby is born in Moscow you should contact your embassy to receive citizenship for your child and to apply for a passport.
Circumcision can be performed in a maternity hospital, but you should discuss this with your doctor before birth so that the necessary arrangements can be made.
If you are interested in adopting a Russian child, your first step for advice should be your doctor/medical clinic in Moscow. They should be able to provide you with contact details for reliable adoption agencies. The Russian Ministry of Education and Science has an official adoption website at www.usynovite.ru with detailed information on the adoption process and information on thousands of children in orphanages across the country that are up for adoption.
Education
There are over 1800 high schools and 110 colleges in Moscow. Beside these, there are over 200 institutions offering higher education in Moscow, including 60 state universities and the leading Russian University - the Lomonosov Moscow State University, which was founded in 1755.
Moscow has a number of international schools and nurseries, which are popular with the expat community. All schools are fee-paying. The fees depend on the grade level, period of enrolment and whether or not your child requires any additional support programmes. In general, it varies between 3000 and 7000 Euro. The admission procedures for all schools are quite complex and consist of several steps (application form, test, interview etc); therefore, it is better to begin to do it well in advance. The academic year lasts from September 1st to the middle or end of June with summer vacations from July 1st to August 31st.
Books
The majority of bookstores have vast sections of children's books but mostly in Russian. Luckily there are some bookstores offering a selection of children's books in English, German and French.
Shopping
In Moscow you may find anything you need for your child (from an infants to teenagers) as there are plenty of stores to buy children's goods in: from markets and small local shops to large shopping malls and boutiques offering branded children's clothes and shoes. Note that closing and shoes sizes differ in Russia, Europe and USA.
Clothing SizesAge (y.o.)
Height (cm)
Size 1-1,5
86
- Russia
USA
UK
Europe 13
7.5
n/a
24 |
|
|
|
|
| 90. | Residential Complexes :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Moscow Oblast, as the Region is called, surrounds the city of Moscow. Combined with the city, the total population is estimated at 12 to 14 million making it the largest and most exciting) city in all of Europe. As Moscow takes its place on the world stage, it is experiencing all the growing pains along with the opportunities.Out-of-town housing has become the housing of choice for well-to-do Russians. Expats have followed them in search of clean air, peace and quiet, and the opportunities that a healthy lifestyle provides. The abundance of new shopping centers includes supermarkets, movie theatres, and an amazing list of internationally known brands.Why live outside the center?Increasingly people choose to live outside for the same reasons as any other major world center: quality of life. The air is fresh and clean, nature is close by, and security concerns are much less. And there is space; space to play with your kids, space to walk the dog, space to relax and the homes themselves are usually bigger than anything in the center. And, it is quiet.Away from the noise and space constraints of the city, children can ride their bikes and enjoy their friends. Cross-country skiing, swimming, horseback riding and tennis are all readily available. The coaching and trainers in Moscow are second to none. Ballet, gymnastics, or the martial arts are all taught in the great Russian sports tradition.Schools are available to kids by school bus or carTwo major schools: The Anglo American School and the school at Rosinka are both located on major residential campuses. This provides a safe learning environment for your kids. School bus transport is available depending on where you live. Shopping is growing rapidlyMany new malls and supermarkets are opening monthly and almost weekly. Out of town locations are easily accessible and have become retailer’s first choice in Moscow. The availability of internationally-known brands is readily comparable with the world’s other great cities.Commuting is comparable to any world capitalThere are morning and evening rush hours. If you leave before or after these times, your commute will be pleasant. Most out-of-town locations are close to the city in terms of actual distances. Take local holidays and seasonal trends into consideration when planning your schedule and all will be well.
The availability and quality of out-town-homes varies widely. Chaotic development, a construction boom, and strong demand make finding the proper community difficult. Traditional dachas are usually stand-alone wooden (old) or brick (new) and are numerous in style and price. However, a word of caution: they come unfinished with little or no support services. Increasingly, dacha communities are springing up trying to address minimum levels of services or security in a slightly more organized fashion.Rosinka, your home in RussiaAlso in the countryside, but just 24 km from the Kremlin is Rosinka, a family-oriented community. We have nearly 270 families from more than 30 nations living on our 54 hectares (140 acres) of countryside. Surrounded on two sides by a National Park and a Federal Forest Reserve, Rosinka is anideal choice for those seeking a healthy lifestyle in a secure and beautiful setting.
Our homes are of the highest quality ranging from 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms to 5 bedrooms, with 5.5 bathrooms. We are clearly the leaders in the suburban residential market. Our motto is that our clients come first - and we have a committed team dedicated to this goal. Rosinka is home to more than 400 children. In 2002 we built a brand new building for our more than 50 pre-schoolers. It is equipped with six classrooms, plus an art-room, playroom, and a kitchen for cooking lessons.
Our Pre-School is adjacent to a beautiful 13,500 square meters (145,000 square feet) Sports Center. There’s a 25-meter heated indoor pool,world-class tennis courts, squash courts and weight room. Kids and their parents can enjoy international level instruction in ballet, gymnastics, karate, judo, yoga, aerobics, swimming, tennis and other sports and activities. A medical doctor has offices in the center and is available round the clock.
For more information on Rosinka Complex contact: Russia, 143442, Moscow rural, Krasnogorsky region, village Angelovo. Tel: (+7 495) 730-3200, Fax: (+7 495) 730-3232 E-mail: info@rosinka.ru Web: http://www.rosinka.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 91. | Visas :: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Visas
One of the most immediate considerations a foreign national will face upon coming to Russia is compliance with Russia’s immigration system. This overview of the Russian immigration regulations sets out the procedures needed to be taken by a foreign individual, and his employer, to try to ensure that individual fulfils the requirements of the Russian legislation whilst he is visiting and/or working in Russia. However, the system is somewhat Byzantine in its complexity, and immigration regulations are evolving rapidly, both in technical terms and, more importantly, in how they are practically enacted. Hence, constant vigilance is required to keep abreast of the current status. There is significant risk in assuming that a process that has worked in the past will work again in the future, even where there are no formal technical changes to the regulations.
While it's become a lot easier to get a Russian visa, don't think your problems are over when you've received yours. If you make a false step while running the gauntlet of registration and (if necessary) getting a work permit, you face fines, hassles and maybe even arrest and deportation. This is why Expats who can afford to, take a more expensive, but far less stressful route: they use one of the many visa services. The agencies stay abreast of the changing rules and regulations and can cope with the bureaucracy, from start to finish.
Getting a Visa
First, plan ahead. It usually takes anywhere from four to six weeks to get a Russian visa, although it is technically possible to get one in as little as one day. To get a visa, you need first to get an invitation from a Russian organization. This can be a Russian firm, government organization, educational institution, or a representative office of a foreign firm. Some international hotels can also arrange a visa invitation. The invitation is issued through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Moscow, which in turn either sends a telex to the specified Russian consulate abroad instructing that a visa be issued or gives you a invitation which you can then take into a Russian Consulate. Visa service organizations are in the business of issuing these invitations for a fee (which includes the fee paid to the MFA for processing the invitation). Keep in mind that the Russian consulate abroad also charges a fee, which is in addition to the fee you pay to the visa service company.
Once you're notified that your telex has arrived at the consulate, bring your passport, a completed visa application form, and the required fee (it varies from consulate to consulate). If you're applying for a multiple entry visa, you are officially required to present the results of an HIV test conducted during the preceding three months. Most Medical Centers in Moscow offer this service. The truth is that not all consulates bother to ask for one, but in case you are asked, it's better to be safe than sorry. The fees you pay for the issuance of the invitation and for the visa itself vary, depending on how quickly you want to receive the document.
Tourist visas are usually issued for one month, while the others are issued for anywhere from three months to one year. The short-term visas are almost always single entry-exit visas, while the longer-term visas usually allow you to make three trips into and out of Russia. Multiple-entry visas allow you to enter and leave the country as many times as you wish.
In some countries the Russian Consulate may have franchised-out the job of issuing visas to a specialized agency or computer-centre. In this case you can no longer apply directly to the Consulate, but must take your documents to this agency instead. In theory this is supposed to streamline the application process, but in practice no real improvements have been noticed. There will usually be Consular Officers of the Russian Federation working at the centre, supervising the clerical work done by the staff and resolving any procedural queries.
There are four main areas of compliance required for most foreign nationals and parties linked with them when coming to (and leaving) Russia. These are:
Visa;
Immigration card;
Enrollment;
Work permits/Residency permits.
TYPES OF VISAS
Basically, the type of Russian visa is determined by the individual's purpose of visit; this, in turn, governs the scope of activities that an expatriate may be engaged while in Russia under the certain type of visa.
Transit Visa
If your travel plans take you through Moscow on a connecting flight (or train) to another country, you are entitled to obtain a three-day transit visa. This will enable you to get out into the city instead of remaining in the transit hotel. You will need to evidence your journey at the Consulate with the actual air ticket (original - photocopies, itineraries, or email confirmations are not accepted). You can only obtain a transit visa if you are going via Moscow to somewhere else - a straight return ticket to/from Moscow would not be sufficient. Again, a visa agency or hosting organization can arrange this for you in advance, and will have someone meet you when you step off the plane. It is technically possible to obtain a transit visa when arriving at major airports, although in practice this is not so easy.
Business Visas
A business visa is foreseen for foreign nationals coming to Russia for business purposes, including participation in negotiations, conferences and consultations, making contracts and professional improvement. A business visa does not empower foreign individuals to hold official positions in Russian legal entities, represent them, or perform work in Russia under the civil or employment agreements. Importantly, business visas also cover some persons coming on “montage” or “chef-montage” activity, where they are helping put imported machinery into production or servicing it for the foreign vendor. Generally, business visas are issued based on invitations from Russian hosts and issued via Russian consulates outside Russia. The validity period of a single or a dual business visas is three months.
Multiple-entry business visas, like work visas, are valid for 12 months. However, these are restricted, so they only allow the foreign national to be present in Russia for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. Once the visa expires, the foreign individual has to leave Russia, as business visas cannot be reissued in Russia. Russia has a number of immigration treaties, most notably with the EU (excluding the UK, Ireland and Denmark), which can extend the length of the validity of business visas up to five years.
Work Visas
A work visa is intended for foreign individuals coming in Russia to work or render services under an employment or a civil agreement respectively. By contrast with a business visa, a work visa allows an expatriate to occupy a position in the Russian company (or representative office or branch of a foreign company) indicated in the individual work permit and to act in an official capacity for this company. Initially, a single-entry work visa is issued by a consulate outside Russia for three months only based on the employer's invitation. The employer may further apply for an extended multiple-entry work visa upon expatriate’s arrival in Russia.
Foreign nationals are required to stay in Russia during the application process and issuance of the multiple entry work visa. The validity period of a work visa is linked to the validity period of the expatriate’s work permit (or accreditation card issued for accredited person working in a representative office or branch of a foreign company), but cannot exceed one year. If the employment agreement remains in force upon the visa's expiry, a new multiple-entry work visa can be obtained, provided that there is a new individual work permit.
Visa for "Inosotrudniki"
This is a special type of work visa issued for accredited expatriate employees of foreign companies operating in Russia through its representative offices or branches. In practice, this is an easier visa to obtain from an administrative perspective, as it separates the visa application from the work permit.
Family Visas
Spouses and children of relocating expatriates can apply for visas in the same way as the executive. An ‘Accompanying Spouse Visa’ and/or ‘Dependent’s Visa’ can be obtained at the same time as the expatriate applies for his/ her own visa. Talk with your HR department to make certain that this process is carried out at the same time as your visa application.
IMMIGRATION CARD
Upon arrival in Russia, each foreign national should complete and retain the stamped half of the immigration card. This card contains information about the arrival and departure of the individual in and from Russia, as well as the period of his or her stay in Russia. This document is delivered to each foreign citizen by the Russian border control authorities. The foreigner should keep the immigration card during his whole stay in Russia. If the immigration card is damaged or lost, the foreign national should notify the local immigration authorities within three days, and they may further issue a duplicate upon presenting the documents based on which the individual entered Russia (passport and visa, if applicable).
Upon departure from Russia, the foreign national should return the original immigration card at the Russian border control. Failure to return the immigration card is considered to be a violation and may lead to the formal deportation of a foreign individual from Russia. If deported, the individual will not be able to enter Russia for the next five years.
Registering your Immigration Card
The process for registering your immigration card will be exactly the same as it was for registering a visa. If you are staying in an apartment, you will need a notarized letter from your landlord
Once you've arrived in Russia, you are legally required to register within three working days (72 hours) with OVIR, the agency that registers foreigners in Russia. This is done a number of ways depending on where you will live while staying in Russia and whether your visa is multiple entry or not. If your visa is multiple-entry, you must register at the Central OVIR. Bring the original letter of invitation from your sponsoring organization, your migration card, passport, and a notarized letter from your landlord.
If you lived in a hotel during the first few days of your stay and then moved to a private residence, do not make the mistake of thinking you are registered. You still need to have your card registered at OVIR at your permanent address in Russia. And if that's not enough, you might need yet another letter if you've gotten your visa invitation from a foreign rep office. This will need to be a letter from the Russian organization that accredits the rep office.
For single and double entry visas, you can register simply by having your sponsoring organization stamp your migration card. You will need a Central OVIR registration as well, however, if you intend to marry in Russia or buy a car. If you are living only in a hotel during your stay, the hotel will register you. But count your stamps. Your card will be stamped once when you check in, and a second time when you check out. Some people think that the first stamp is sufficient. It is not. Most visa service companies will handle the OVIR registration process, saving you the wait in line.
What Happens if you Don't Register
You can be fined if you don't quite get your registration right and in some very rare cases can even be deported. And if you are found out at the airport, it can cost you several hundred dollars in fines not to mention the hassle of having to miss your flight and spend a couple of more days in Moscow to get an exit visa from Central OVIR.
ENROLMENT AND DE-ENROLMENT PROCEDURES
Enrolment is the process of notifying the immigration authorities of a foreign citizen’s whereabouts (international travel as well as internal trips within Russia). Upon arrival in Russia, each foreign national should be enrolled (registered) in the Russian migration system at his host location. Enrolment, as well as de-enrolment should be completed in respect of the foreign national by the hosting party: either by hotel, or by employer (visa sponsor), or landlord (whichever is applicable). In practice, most landlords are unwilling to perform this role.
This process is to be completed within 3 business days upon arrival, each time an individual arrives to the country or travels to another region within Russia for more than 3 business days. The de-enrolment process should be completed within 2 calendar days of the departure, every time a foreign national departs from Russia or leaves for another region within Russia for more than 3 business days. It is recommendable that the individual hold a copy of the enrolment/de-enrolment form while travelling in Russia or outside.
Further, as the fines for non-compliance with the enrolment requirement are rather high, each foreign employee will typically need to notify his or her employer on any trip within or out of the country, even if this is personal trip, so that the procedure can be carried out.
When your Visa Expires
Visas can be renewed for a week or two when they are expiring - long enough to allow you to finish what you're doing and leave the country. If your visa cannot be renewed you need to apply for a new one. This usually necessitates a trip out of the country, although some agencies do offer visas that don't require you to leave. As a rule the more established visa firms do not offer such services. Given the lead time to obtaining a new visa, allow at least one month between the time you apply for a new visa and the expiration of your current one. |
|
|
|
|
| 92. | Charities::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Charities
Private charities were outlawed during the 70 years of communist power. When the Soviet Union began to collapse, and the social safety net unravelled, Russians found themselves scrambling to build an NGO culture from scratch. Expats have been involved in a big way - and many have specifically come to Russia to help out. Others who are already here see overwhelming needs every day that they cannot ignore. Here's how to get involved.
If language is a barrier, volunteer or fund raise through any of the myriad of community or religious organizations.
Russian speakers can go directly to a Russian charity or help an expat group find new projects to support.
Beware if you are moved to write checks at the site of photos of needy children staring helplessly from the front of a slick brochure. Sometimes the most effective Russian charities can't afford Madison Avenue and some of those who can may not be what they seem.
Some do's and don'ts
Do realize that the Russian tax law doesn't grant NGOs the kinds of benefits they enjoy in the West. Thus, instead of creating a project to fill a need, charities target needs that the law allows them to address.
Don't donate money without thoroughly checking out the recipient organization. NGOs that balk at transparency may not be what they seem.
Don't assume that because an NGO is based abroad it is more effective than a home grown Russian NGO. Often the opposite is true.
Do network.
Moscow is a home to a large number of charitable organizations that are always happy to welcome new volunteers. If you want to volunteer or if you have furniture, clothing, shoes, bedding, toys, kitchenware, appliances or items you no longer need, please contact one of the charitable organizations listed below. Many are always looking for in-kind donations for the projects they support. Some may be able to pick up your donations from your home or office.
AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW)
AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW) is a Dutch, non-governmental, public health organization working in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) to reduce the impact of HIV among vulnerable populations. AFEW has developed a system of replication, which adapts successful international HIV programmes, based on best practices to the local conditions in other countries across the region. Currently, AFEW carries out programmes in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Tel: 250-6377
E-mail: info@afew.org
Web: www.afew.org
AMUR - Working to Save Russian
Tigers and Leopards from Extinction
AMUR is an Anglo-Russian charity promoting the conservation of Amur (Siberian) tigers and leopards and was officially launched at the British Embassy by the former British Ambassador, Sir Roderic Lyne, in May 2001. The Amur tigers and leopards are extremely endangered with only about 450 adult tigers and 35 adult leopards living in the wild in the Russian Far East. AMUR works to raise money and awareness for conservation projects in the Russian Far East, where these two extremely rare big cats live. Amongst other things, AMUR is working to create new protected reserves, promote eco-tourism, carry out education projects and help with much needed research. Volunteers can get involved by joining the AMUR Committee, holding fund raising events (all money raised will go directly to projects in the field), helping organize events, making a donation, etc.
Address: Myasnitskaya ul., 35a, office 46
Metro: Chistie Prudy
Tel: 768-8065
E-mail: e.newman@amur.org.uk
Web: www.amur.org.uk
Action for Russia's Children (ARC)
Action for Russia's Children (ARC) is an all-volunteer charity dedicated to helping children - particularly the under-privileged, disabled and homeless - and supports Russian initiatives that offer an alternative to institutional care. ARC works with day centers, therapy centers, specialist schools, a foster family project and toy library to establish alternatives to the internat system and to support parents who have made the difficult decision to keep a special-needs child at home. ARC's volunteers give support to ten projects helping children and young people in Moscow who have all kinds of special needs: physically and mentally disabled children, orphans, the homeless, and those of mixed race who suffer from discrimination.
E-mail: actionarc@yahoo.co.uk
Web: www.actionarc.com
Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)
Charities Aid Foundation is a non-commercial organisation committed to efficient giving. It works to raise the profile of giving, lobby for tax breaks and provide an increasingly broad suite of services to charities and their supporters. The Russian office of the Foundation - CAF Russia - has been a successful charity in Russia since 1993. In close collaboration with the leading Russian and international companies and foundations, it realises around 40 programmes a year. Since the beginning of its work, CAF Russia realised over 300 initiatives aimed at the resolution of a considerable range of social problems, from aiding organisations for the disabled to developing local foundations in 26 regions of the country. Over 44 million dollars went to such ends. The total value of the projects supported by CAF exceeds 120 million dollars.
Address: Tverskaya ul., 24/2, str. 1, podiezd 3, floor 5
Metro: Pushkinskaya
Tel: 792-5929
E-mail: cafrussia@cafrussia.ru
Web: www.cafrussia.ru
Diema's Dream
Diema's Dream was founded in 1998 as a result of Mary Dudley's charitable work with orphanages in Moscow while she first lived here from 1994 to 1997. It was during this time that she met Diema, a charming little boy who had hydrocephalus and was paralyzed from the waist down. When Diema turned 5, he was sent to an Internat for children from the ages of 5 to 18. The founder had lost Diema in the system. Through her search to find Diema, Mary met Leonid Mogilevsky. Diema was one of the lucky children to have been saved by Mogilevsky from one of the worst internats in Moscow. Today Diema's Dream is a non-profit, all volunteer US and UK foundation providing financial medical and educational support for physically and mentally disabled children in Russia and the former Soviet Union states. The larger goal is to support changes in society and government in order to create social and medical support programs that will allow parents to raise their children at home instead of living in institutions. Diema's Dream has sponsored educational seminars for the staff and teachers of the Charity House Program.
Address: Borisovskiye Prudy ul., 16, korp. 4
Metro: Kashirskaya
Tel.: 340-0100
E-mail: info@ddfund.ru
Web: www.ddfund.ru
Downside Up
For decades Russian children with Down syndrome had no early intervention services, and their needs were ignored. In 1996 Downside Up, a Russian-British charity, began its daily free programs for Russian families that raise children with DS. Downside Up provides free educational and social services to several hundred Russian children with Down syndrome and their families. Volunteers are involved in charity fundraising events, such as an annual bike ride in Moscow and a Kilimanjaro Climb, and do volunteer work with the children at the center.
Address: 3rd Parkovaya ul., 14a
Metro: Izmailovskaya
Tel: 8 499 367-1000
E-mail: downskteup@downsideup.org
Web: www.downsideup.org
Greenpeace
Address: Leningradsky prosp., 26, korp. 1
Metro: Belorusskaya
Tel: 988-7460
E-mail: info@greenpeace.ru
Web: www.greenpeace.ru
Guide Dogs - Dogs as Assistants to Disabled People
Guide Dogs is an independent non-profit charity called "Dogs as Assistants to Disabled People" that provides a free humanitarian service to disabled Russians. The volunteer trainers train both guide dogs for the blind and help dogs for physically or mentally disabled people. Those who receive dogs get them for free. New dog owners also receive free instruction to learn how to work with their four-legged companions. The guide dog services are provided free of charge, but since Guide Dogs Dogs receives no governmental assistance the center relies on donations to continue its important work.
Tel: 8 499 145-2261
E-mail: guidedogs@guidedogs.ru
Web: www.guidedogs.ru
Hope Worldwide
Hope Worldwide supports orphans, disabled children and pensioners, veterans of World War II and the elderly. Volunteers are always welcome.
Address: Botanicheskaya ul., 33, korp. 5
Metro: Petrovsko-Razumovskaya
Tel: 977-7375
E-mail: info@hopeww.ru
Web: www.hopeww.ru
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
IFAW's mission is to improve the welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats and assisting animals in distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the wellbeing of both animals and people. Today IFAW's programs include a campaign to save the critically endangered Western population of Gray whales at Sakhalin Island, the IFAW Mobile veterinary clinic that spays/neuters and treats stray dogs and cats, the IFAW Orphan Bear Cubs Project that rehabilitates bear cubs orphaned after the cruel winter den hunt.
Address: Smolenskaya pl., 3, Smolensky Passage
Metro: Smolenskaya
Tel: 937-8386
E-mail: info@ifaw.org
Web: www.ifaw.ru
International Women's Club (IWC) Charities
The International Women's Club of Moscow supports many different charitable projects with the assistance of a group of dedicated volunteers. These projects fall into different areas that include baby houses and internats (orphanages), children, the elderly, families and individuals, foster families, handicapped and hospitals, soup kitchens, street children, the homeless, women's issues and a donations office. Volunteers are always needed and very welcome! The IWC Charities Group holds regular general meetings at which you can find out more about the work of the group and the many projects the IWC supports.
E-mail: iwcmoscow@yahoo.com
Web: www.iwcmoscow.ru
Kidsave International
Kidsave believes that every child needs a family. Consistent with its mission to end the harmful institutionalization of children, Kidsave has been working since 1999 to help move orphaned and abandoned children into permanent families. Volunteers are always welcome to help.
E-mail: Tatiana@kidsave.org
Web: www.kidsave.org
Kitezh Children's Community
Kitezh was established to place children from Russian orphanages into loving adoptive families living in an idyllic village some 300 km southwest of Moscow in the Kaluga Region. This therapeutic community is recognized nationally and internationally for the outstanding work that it does in healing traumatized children. Ten years ago, Kitezh was virgin forest. Slowly, a village of log cabin homes and a school came into being. The school is fully recognized by the government, and there are classes in computing, English, art and icon painting, personal development, as well as Russian, math, history and geography. The children learn traditional Russian dances and perform musicals such as "My Fair Lady" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" in the original English. Some of the first children to come to Kitezh from orphanages ten years ago are now university students - an outstanding testament to the loving success of this community.
Tel: 8 916 9751603
E-mail: kitezh@kaluga.ru
Web: www.kitezh.org
Maria's Children
The Maria's Children studio was established in 1993 when director Maria Yeliseeva began her volunteer work with orphans. Kids from different orphanages in Moscow attend the art studio to team art and life skills. They create murals, paintings and other artwork that has been exhibited in Russia and abroad, and their teachers practice art therapy and musical therapy with children challenged by disabilities. The studio also has a psychologist who works with the children. Maria's Children provides an atmosphere where children learn trust, love and friendship. They learn to paint and in doing so, are empowered to change their lives. Every year, Maria's Children sells adorable postcards and wall calendars. Volunteers who are interested in doing artwork with children are always welcome.
Address: Dmitrovsky per., 2/10
Metro: Okhotny Ryad
Tel: 692-4870
E-mail: mariaschildren@yandex.ru
Web: www.mariaschildren.ru
METIS Inter-Racial Children's Charity Fund
The mission of METIS is to improve the lives of mixed-race children through humanitarian assistance, education and training programs, and other avenues of social advocacy and support. It is the only organization of its kind in Russia. Current METIS programs and projects include computer classes; English and French language classes; donations of food packages to needy families; financial support to individual families; monthly ethnic gatherings for children and families excursions to theatres, museums, and other cultural venues; distribution of a semi-annual newsletter; holiday celebrations for children and families; donations of clothing, toys, and household items, summer camp sponsorship etc. Volunteers are always needed for the above programs and projects.
Tel: 343-0813
E-mail: metis2001@mail.ru
Web: www.fundmetis.narod.ru
MiraMed Independent Living and Social Adaptation Center (MILSAC)
Since 1991 MiraMed has been assisting displaced and orphaned children in Russia, helping them make the transition from state-run institutions to society. The organization's social protection programs for Russian orphans include humanitarian aid, education and training at MiraMed Centers for Social Adaptation in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Uglich that help orphans re-enter society with the skills they need to live a safe and meaningful life. MiraMed's short and long term volunteer programs give adults from around the world the opportunity to live and work in Russia and make a personal difference. MiraMed founded the Angel Coalition, the first and now the largest, most successful anti-trafficking coalition in Russia whose members provide public education and training and support for the rescue, return and rehabilitation of trafficking survivors. There are opportunities to work with pregnant single young mothers, single moms with young children, teenagers, and young adults, or with a professional staff of teachers and psychologists.
Address: Kotelnicheskaya nab., 1/15, korp. B, office 52
Metro: Kitai-Gorod
Tel: 915-4614
E-mail: erics@miramed.org
Web: www.miramedinstitute.org
Moscow Animals
Homeless dogs and cats are a big problem in Moscow. There are still no Western-style SPCAs in Moscow. The aims of Moscow Animals are to provide in-kind and financial support to a number of private and semi-private dog and cat shelters in Moscow and to assist the shelters and private individuals that rescue animals off the street in finding new homes for their furry friends. Volunteering at animal shelters in Moscow is possible, though operating conditions will usually be nowhere near those in Western countries. If you would like to adopt a dog or cat, please visit the dog and cat pages on the Moscow Animal website.
Tel: 763-0012
E-mail: info@moscowanimals.org
Web: www.moscowanimals.org
Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy (MPC)
The Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy funds and operates soup kitchens that serve hot lunches to hundreds of Moscow's elderly each weekday in a number of locations around Moscow. In addition to running soup kitchens, the MPC distributes groceries to African refugees and underprivileged foreign students and prepares food packages for families from METIS, an inter-racial children's charity fund. Volunteers are always welcome.
Tel: 8 499 143-5748
E-mail: mpchaplaincy@gmail.com
Web: www.mpcrussia.org
Nastenka Foundation
Nastenka Foundation is based at the Institute of Pediatric Oncology and helps children suffering from cancer by providing their families with medical, financial and psychological assistance. Nastenka tries to help by providing the families with financial assistance; raising and providing funds for the purchase of medications, prostheses and medical equipment; providing funds for the treatment of individual children; providing the children with additional nutrition; providing the children with clothing and toys as well as educational supplies; arranging parties and entertainment at the hospital and excursions for the long-term resident parents; and involving volunteers in all aspects of the Foundation's work. Nastenka is always looking for volunteers to assist with fundraising, distribution of donations and raising awareness about their cause.
Tel: 585-4101
E-mail: mail@nastenka.ru
Web: www.nastenka.ru
"NAN" - No to Alcoholism and Drugs
Founded in 1987 by a group of psychiatrists who specialize in drug related problems, NAN now has more than 40 different chapters across Russia. The fund concentrates on developing, testing and approving various spiritually oriented methods of preventing alcoholism and drug-use, venereal diseases and AIDS. It works with abandoned "street" children. NAN has been a leader in NGO development in Russia and played an active role in preparing various federal and Moscow city laws regulating charities. NAN is a recipient of the Euro-American Award for Democracy and a Civil Society.
Address: Shvernika ul., 10a
Metro: Akademicheskaya
Tel: 8 499 126-3475
E-Mail: nan@nan.ru
Web: www.nan.ru
Operation Smile
Operation Smile is a leading international charitable medical organization which provides free, high quality, reconstructive facial surgery to children around the world born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial deformities. Founded in the United States in 1982 by plastic surgeon Or. William Magee and his wife, Operation Smile has since operated on almost 80,000 children in 22 mission countries free of charge. Operation Smile donates medical equipment and supplies to in-country host hospitals. All Operation Smile doctors are volunteers, donating their time and services. Operation Smile has been recognized by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan as the largest organization of volunteers in the world. Nominated by former US Ambassador to Russia Thomas Pickering, Operation Smile was awarded the first Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 1996.
Address: Smolenskaya pl., 3, Smolensky Passage, office 708
Metro: Smolenskaya
Tel. 933-8377
E-mail: irina.tulyakova@operationsmile.org
Web: www.operationsmile.org.ru
Russian Children's Welfare Association (RCWS)
The Russian Children's Welfare Society is dedicated to assisting disadvantaged Russian Children improve their lives. Our organization was formed in 1926 to assist Russian children and families who emigrated to the West. Today the RCWS focuses on helping to improve the lives of children at risk in Russia. During the 2007-2008, the Society disbursed approximately 2 million dollars in direct aid to children in Russia by supporting orphanages, homeless shelters, hospitals, rehabilitation centers for disabled children and schools. More than 20,000 children have been helped by the Society, and over 600 grants have been made to children's organizations.
Address: Bakuninskaya ul., 81/55, str. 1
Metro: Elektrozavodskaya
Tel: 8 499 261-1868
E-mail: rcwsmoscow@gmail.com
Web: www.rcws.org
Russian Orphan Opportunity Fund (ROOF)
ROOF is a pioneer in providing high-quality education for children and young adults from Russian orphanages with programs aiming to eradicate traditional prejudices against this group by integrating them into society and enabling them to take care of themselves. ROOF needs volunteers to help with fundraising, translating materials, raising awareness about the problems faced by orphans in Russia, etc.
Address: Voznesensky per., 8
Metro: Pushkinskaya
Tel: 629-5100
E-mail: roof@roofnet.org
Web: www.roofnet.org
Taganka Children's Fund (TCF)
Taganka Children's Fund supports over 1,200 of the most disadvantaged children and single parents in Moscow to prevent children from entering institutionalized care or ending up alone on the city streets. Taganka Children's Fund is always looking for volunteers to assist with fundraising, PR grant writing and development projects. Much of the work can be done in English.
Address: Bolshoi Rogozhsky per., 10, korp. 2
Metro: Marksistskaya
Tel: 911-7449
E-mail: tcf@comtv.ru
Web: www.charity-tcf.ru
Therapeutic Riding Society
Therapeutic riding is a physical and a social activity that helps cure or ease many diseases and problems and that brings together the healthy and the handicapped. Equestrian therapy lessons include creative games and sports and contribute to a sense of well-being and self-reliance. The society is a non-profit charitable organization that aims at giving comprehensive help to disabled people. The program of rehabilitation and social adaptation provides riding sessions; rehabilitation exercises; lessons in clay modelling; embroidery; drawing; singing; pottery; ceramics; woodcarving; as well as playing sessions, lessons in basic horse grooming, stable keeping and horse tending. Members of the club regularly take part in national and international riding competitions. As the assistance the society provides to the disabled is free of charge, it relies on donations and grants from national and international organizations and private individuals.
Tel: 781-4668
E-mail: rboomkki@mail.ru
Web: www.hippotherapy.ru
United Way Moscow
United Way Moscow is a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to improving people's lives in Moscow and eventually in Russia. The United Way marshals volunteer monetary resources to make a positive impact on the lives of children, teens and seniors. It also lobbies for government policies in Moscow and throughout Russia and promotes the concepts of philanthropic giving in Russia.
Address: Nizhnaya ul., 14, str. 1
Metro: Belorusskaya
Tel: 780-9717
E-mail: info@unitedway.ru
Web: www.unitedway.ru
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Russia
Founded in 1961, WWF is one of the biggest non-governmental conservation organizations in the world. WWF's mission is to stop the accelerating degradation of Earth's natural environment and to help its human inhabitants live in greater harmony with nature. Established in Russia in 1994, the main programs that WWF Russia is working on include forests, climate change, rare species, nature protected areas, ecological legislation development, education, and toxins. The WWF needs volunteer help in their office.
Address: Nikoloyamskaya ul., 19, str. 3
Metro: Taganskaya
Tel: 727-0939
E-mail: russia@wwf.ru
Web: www.wwf.ru
Although we believe all of the charities listed above to be reputable organisations, please bear in mind that a listing does not guarantee the bona fides of the organisation concerned. |
|
|
|
|
| 93. | Parks & Estates:: Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Parks & Estates
There are ninety-six parks and eighteen gardens in Moscow, including four botanical gardens. There are also 450 sq.km (174 sq.mi) of green zones besides 100 sq.km (39 sq.mi) of forests. Moscow is a very green city if compared to other cities of comparable size in Western Europe and America. There are on average twenty seven square meters (290 sq.ft) of parks per person in Moscow compared with 6 for Paris, 7.5 in London and 8.6 in New York.
Moscow has many large and pleasant parks. Some are plain parks, others have ponds or beaches and yet others contain old palaces/estates or other places of interest. Some are great for hiking, cycling, rollerblading and/or cross-country skiing. Most parks are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Note that most neighborhoods also have smaller local parks, some of which have playgrounds.
PARKS
Aleksandrovsky Sad (Garden)
The capital's most central park runs along the Kremlin's western walls. Aleksandrovsky Sad is directly accessible from the metro station bearing the same name. Picturesque gardens with shady trees and broad lanes were designed and set up in 1821 by O. Bove, one of the chief architects of Moscow, who reconstructed the city after the Great Fire of 1812. First called the Kremlin Gardens, they changed the name in 1856 after the crowning of Alexander II. On the central square of the gardens you can see the "Ruines" grotto, a peculiar memorial of the revival of Moscow after the devastation in 1812. It contains the Grave of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame, where you can watch the hourly changing of the guards. To get to the garden, take the metro to the station Aleksandrovsky Sad; it is also just a 3 minute walk from the metros Teatralnaya, Okhotny Ryad, Ploshchad Revolutsii, and a 5 minute walk from Borovitskaya.
Metro: Aleksandrovsky Sad
All-Russia Exhibition Center (VVTs - formerly called VDNKh)
This huge exhibition center and park containing samples of monumental Soviet architecture and oversized statues was established in 1937. There are over 80 pavilions that used to display communism's latest achievements in science, agriculture, industry, and technology. Most pavilions have been turned into miniature shopping centers, but some still function as exhibits, for example the "Sadovodstvo" (Gardening) pavilion. Do not miss the impressive Fountain of People's Friendship (Fontan Druzhby Narodov) right in the center of the park. It consists of 15 gold-covered statues representing all 15 republics of the former Soviet Union. There is also a Museum of Astronautics; that is definitely what Soviet Union had reasons to be proud of. There are many legendary objects on display including first ever astronauts - stuffed dogs Belka and Strelka. The museum is located in the monument to the Explorers of Space. And, of course, recently restored Vera Mukhina's 24.5 meter (80 ft.) "Worker and Kolkhoznitsa" monument is a must-see sculpture. The VVTs features Russia's biggest Ferris wheel and many other attractions. When you get tired of wandering around this seemingly endless territory, you can sit down to enjoy a shashlik or plov at one of the many outdoor and indoor cafes. To get to the exhibition center, just take the metro to the station VDNKh - VVTs is a 3 minute walk from the metro.
Open: 08:00 - 22:00 (summer); 09:00 - 19:00 (winter)
Metro: VDNKh
Tel: +7 495 544-3400
Web: www.vvcentre.ru
Aptekarsky Ogorod (Apothecary's Garden)
This is Moscow State University's (MGU's) oldest botanical garden (founded in 1706 by a decree from Peter the Great). You can also visit the greenhouse and laboratory. To get to the garden, take the metro to the station Prospekt Mira, take a short walk along Prospekt Mira and turn to Grokholsky pereulok, the entrance to the garden is just a 1 minute walk after the turn. The entry price of 300 RUR. For children under school age the entry is free.
Open: 10:00 - 18:00 (winter); 10:00 - 21:00 (summer)
Address: Prospekt Mira, 26
Metro: Prospekt Mira
Tel: +7 495 680-6765 / 7222 / 5880
Excursions: +7 967 2089878 (10:00 - 18:00, 11:00 - 16:00)
Web: www.hortus.ru
Bitsevsky Les
This is a large park and silver birch forest in the south of Moscow. It has two ponds with beaches, and although swimming is not recommended, you can still enjoy the beach atmosphere. The park also features volleyball, basketball, and badminton courts; and you can hire a rowboat, paddleboat, or bike. Further into the forest there is an equestrian center. Great for sledding in winter. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Novoyasenevskaya (the park is just next to the station); the park is also accessible from the metro station Ulitsa Akademika Yangelya - once out of the metro, walk along Akademika Yangelya ulitsa for about 1 mile or take bus 680, 118 or minibus 566M to the station "Ulitsa Akademika Yangelya", then take a 3-4 minute walk to the park.
Address: Novoyasenevskiy tupik, 1
Metro: Novoyasenevskaya, Ulitsa Akademika Yangelya
Tel: +7 495 426-0022, +7 499 739-2705/07/08
Web: www.gpbuuc.ru
Botanichesky Sad (Botanical Garden)
Rose garden, arboretum with exotic trees and bushes, greenhouse with orchids, lilies and lotuses, Japanese Garden. Founded in 1945. To get to the garden, take the metro to the station Vladykino, once out of the metro, walk for about 200 meters (0.12 mi) to the main entrance. The garden is also accessible from the metro VDNKh - take trolleybus 73, 36 to the station "Botanicheskaya ulitsa 33", or minibus 324M to the station "Glavny Vkhod Botanicheskogo Sada".
Open: 10:00 - 20:00 (garden summer only, except Mon, Thu); 10:00 - 16:00 (hothouse except Thu, Sat, Sun)
Address: Botanicheskaya ul., 4
Metro: Vladykino
Tel: +7 499 977-9145
Web: www.gbsad.ru
Bulvarnoe Koltso (Boulevard Ring)
Bulvarnoe Koltso is comprised of the following streets: Gogolevsky Bulvar, Tverskoy Bulvar, Strastnoy Bulvar, Petrovsky Bulvar, Rozhdestvensky Bulvar, and Sretensky Bulvar. It forms a semi-circle around the center of Moscow and is ideal for leisurely strolls. A walk along the boulevard ring's park-like areas is a great way to explore the city center, undisturbed by traffic. The park strip is situated in the middle of the road, in-between traffic lanes. Scores of beautiful old buildings are located along this route (and down the side streets leading off Bulvarnoe Koltso), and there are plenty of benches to sit and relax on along the way. It is also well worth venturing into some of the side streets branching off from the ring - you will find lots of pretty lanes with interesting buildings there.
Metros: Kropotkinskaya, Chistye Prudy, Turgenevskaya, Tsvetnoy Bulvar, Pushkinskaya
Ekaterininskiy Park
Pond with ducks and boat rentals, tennis courts, the House of Culture, the Museum of the Soviet army with planes and military equipment and much more. Nearby there is a health center for veterans. Playgrounds are concentrated in the side. Amongst playgrounds there is a large-scale concreted area for bicycles, scooters and roller skates.
Open: 06:00 - 23:00 (summer), 09:00 - 17:00 (winter)
Address: Bolshaya Ekaterininskaya ul., 27
Metro: Prospekt Mira
Tel: +7 495 600-6460 / 6391
Web: www.ek-park.ru
Fili
Great park for walking, hiking, and cycling. The famous Gorbushka shopping center is located right outside metro Bagrationovskaya. Centrally-located Filyovsky Park runs along the banks of Moscow River and covers 266.6 hectares with 90% of it being perfectly green area. Once it was the estate of Naryshkiny noble family that owned the estate for 175 year. The restored palace of the 18th century is a beautiful reminder of those days. Filyovsky Park is a great place for both quiet contemplation of nature and active recreation. Different parts of the park are accessible from 4 metro stations: your options are to take the metro to the station Bagrationovskaya, once out of the metro walk for about 450 meters (0.3 mi) to the park along Barklaya ulitsa, or to choose the metro station Filyovsky park and a 0.3 mile walk along Minskaya ulitsa, or you can take the metro to the station Pionerskaya and walk for about 250 meters (0.16 mi) along Polosukhina ulitsa, and finally you can come to the metro station Kuntsevskaya and walk for about 600 meters (0.4 mi) along Rublevskoe shosse (duplicate).
Adress: Bolshaya Filevskaya ul., 22
Metro: Bagrationovskaya, Filyovsky Park, Pionerskaya, Kuntsevskaya
Tel: +7 499 145-5155 / 0000
Web: www.parkfili.com
Goncharovskiy Park
There are four playgrounds, fitness and dance floor, a stage for the holidays. The central object which attracts visitors here, is the place for squirrels. A renewed outdoor furniture and free wi-fi make this park convenient not only for recreation but also work.
Address: Rustaveli ul.
Metros: Timiryazevskaya, Dmitrovskaya
Open: 07:00 - 23:00
Tel: +7 499 908-3500
Web:www.liapark.ru
Gorky Park
Moscow's most famous park runs along the banks of the Moscow River. Gorky Park is truly one of the most popular places for families to spend their week-end. Numerous fairground attractions such as the Big Wheel, switchback (for unknown reason known in Russia as American Hills), swirling see-saw make children's heads go round of joy while their parents are screaming of fear. There are also horses, boats to hire and caf?s. An ice-skating rink operates in winter. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Park Kultury and cross the bridge over the Moscow River, or take the metro to the station Oktyabrskaya and walk for about 400 meters (0.2 mi) along Krymsky Val ulitsa.
Open: 24/7
Address: Krymsky Val ul., 9
Metro: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury
Tel: +7 495 995-0020 # 6
Web: www.park-gorkogo.com/en/
Hermitage Garden
Three theatres are located inside this very centrally located park - the Hermitage Theatre, the Novaya Opera, and the Sfera. Outdoor dancing hall and several open-air cafes. Lots of flowers and benches, alleys and the fountain create a special atmosphere of peace and quiet. To get to the garden, take the metro to the stations Chekhovskaya, Tverskaya, or Pushkinskaya and then walk along Malaya Dmitrovka ulitsa and turn right to Uspensky pereulok.
Open: 24/7
Address: Karetny Ryad ul., 3, str. 7
Metro: Chekhovskaya, Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya
Tel: +7 495 699-0849 / 0432
Web: www.mosgorsad.ru
Izmailovsky Park
Izmallovsky Park consists of a vast area of parkland (over 1500 hectares) and a large forest consisting of pine trees, birch woods, and ponds. It is 6 times larger then the central park in New York. This is where the Russian tsars once had their summer estates and hunting grounds. Other attractions include a large skating rink in winter. The park is great for family picnics in summer. It is located adjacent to Izmailovsky Vernisazh - Moscow's famous outdoor souvenir market. The park also features a wide variety of attractions for children. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Partizanskaya (the park is just next to the station) or take the metro to the station Shosse Entuziastov, once out of the metro, take a 3 minute walk along Elektrodny proezd.
Address: Alleya bolshogo kruga, 7/A
Metro: Partizanskaya, Shosse Entuziastov
Tel: +7 499 166-6119
Web: www.izmailovsky-park.ru
Khamovniki Park
Khamovniki is one of the greenest and most picturesque areas of Moscow. Here is park named Mandelstam, another name is the Estate of the Trubetskoy family in Khamovniki - well-kept green area with a playground, pond, tennis courts and an aviary for protein. Park "Novodevichy ponds" is nearby, the sport and recreation complex "Luzhniki" and the famous Neskuchny Sad (Garden) are along the bordering area of the Moskva River.
Open: 09:00 - 21:00
Address: Usacheba ul., 1A
Metro: Frunzenskaya
Tel: +7 495 637-0048
Web: www.okdit.mskobr.ru
Krasnaya Presnya Park
Open: 09:00 – 22:00
Address: Mantulinskaya ul., 5
Metro: 1905 Goda, Vustavochnaya
Web: p-kp.ru
Krylatskie Hills
Located in the West of Moscow in one of the capital's few ecologically clean areas, this park has grassy slopes that are great for cross-country skiing and sledding in winter. Good hiking trails and a challenging cycling track are ideal for summer sports. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Krylatskoye and take a 5 minute walk from the metro to the park.
Metro: Krylatskoye
Kuzminki – Lyublino
The park is located in Kuzminki Estate which traces its history from 1702. Muscovites call Kuzminki Estate "the Russian Versal"; this wonderful architectural ensemble was created by celebrated architects Matvey Kozakov, Vasily Bazhenov and the Gilyardi family. Church of the Vlakhernskaya Virgin is an outstanding architectural masterpiece. In winter you can ride a dog team here or take part in the traditional Russian amusements; in summer you can make a bike-excursion about the estate or sail over the Kuzminki ponds and watch splendid flowerbeds planted for the flower festival. You can also rent the picnic area or picnic point.
Address: Kuzminskaya ul., 10
Metro: Kuzminki
Tel: +7 495 258-4560, +7 495 377-3593
Web: www.kuzpark.ru
Losiny Ostrov
Russia's first national park used to be the nobility's favorite hunting ground. Some wild animals including moose, wild boar, and beavers still live here. There are three ponds with different kinds of fish. The park is also great for hiking. "Los" in Russian means "elk", and there are many elks in the park indeed. The visitors may watch them in their natural habitat. Excursions in English are available. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Shchelkovskaya, once out of the metro take trolleybus 23, or minibus 583, or bus 257 to the station "Uralskaya ulitsa 19", and then take a short walk to reach the park.
Address: Poperechniy prosek, 1G
Metro: Shchelkovskaya
Tel: +7 499 268-6045
Excursions: +7 903 7445855
Web: www.elkisland.ru
Milutinskiy Park (Garden)
Cozy courtyard is like old pictures. Roundabouts, sandboxes, playgrounds and wooden houses. The Center of aesthetic education is located in the houses where there are dozens of different clubs for children from 5 to 18 years.
Open: 07:00 - 21:30
Address: Pokrovskiy bulvar, 10, entrance from Khokhlovsky pereulok
Metro: Chistye Prudy
Tel: +7 495 917-9013
Moskovsky Park Iskusstv "Museon" (Moscow Park of Arts)
Founded in 1993, this open-air sculpture museum has a collection of over 700 sculptures. Here you will find many Soviet-era monuments that were removed from their pedestals in Moscow's squares and parks after 1991, including the controversial statute of the Soviet Union's first KGB chief Felix Dzerzhinsky that used to stand right in the middle of Lubyanskaya Ploshchad in the city center. The park is located next to the Central House of Artists, across the road from Gorky Park. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Park Kultury and cross the bridge over the Moscow River, or take the metro to the station Oktyabrskaya and walk for about 400 meters (0.2 mi) along Krymsky Val ulitsa.
Open: 24/7
Address: Krymsky Val, 10
Metro: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury
Tel: +7 495 995-0020 # 6
Web: www.park-gorkogo.com
Neskuchny Sad (Garden)
This garden consists of terraces sloping down to the Moscow River and provides scenic hiking trails. It houses a wooden playground, an open-air theater, and plenty of benches. The name of the park translates as "Never Boring Garden." Once a noble estate, it is one of the oldest parks in Moscow. In the 18th century there were three mansions which belonged to Prince Trubetskoy. All that is left is part of the park and a "Hunters' house". In the middle of the 19th century a new owner, Prokofy Demidov, built a palace here. Originally it was designed in Baroque Style, rebuilt in the time of Classicism and its interiors are typical for the Empire Style. Here on the bank of the Moscow-river one of the largest in Europe Botanic gardens appeared; among its trees several historical objects are found today: the house of Count Orlov (1796), a vaulted bridge, and the house with rotunda. You can get to this park either through Gorky Park or take the metro to the station Leninsky Prospekt and take a 2 minute walk to reach the park.
Metro: Leninsky Prospekt, Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury
Tel: +7 495 995-0020 # 6
Web: www.park-gorkogo.com
Park of the 50th Anniversary of October
This densely wooded and impressive size park is the ideal place for picnics. Playgrounds are basic. No attractions. The cafe "Central Park" with friendly staff and tasty sandwiches works at the entrance to the park.
Adress: Udaltsova ul., 22A
Metro: Prospekt Vernadskogo
Park Pobedy (Victory Park)
This huge park, also referred to as Poklonnaya Gora was established in 1995 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Soviet Union's World Two victory over Nazi Germany. Once it was a hill where all important guests of the capital were met with a bow ("poklon" means a bow). It contains the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, an art gallery, the Cathedral of the Great Martyr Georg, a mosque and a synagogue erected in memory of those Muslims and Jews who have perished in the horror of the war. Moscow famous sculptor Zurab Tsereteli has placed here one of his most monumental masterpieces: the statue of St. Georg spearing the dragon. Another thing that attracts visitors is the chain of fountains illuminated in bloody red in the evening; this symbolizes the floods of blood shed by Soviet soldiers. Skateboarders love to use perfectly smooth marble surface for their exercises. On May 9th (Victory Day), Muscovites gather here to celebrate the triumph over Nazi Germany. The park is great for walking, rollerblading, skateboarding, or reading a book. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Park Pobedy, the park is just next to the station.
Open: 10:00 - 18:00 (museum Tue-Sun)
Address: Bratiev Fonchenko ul., 7, Poklonnaya Gora
Metro: Park Pobedy
Tel: +7 499 148-8300
Web: www. poklonnaya-gora.ru
Perovskiy Park
Address: Lazo ul., 7
Metro: Perovo
Tel: +7 495 309-5342
Fax: +7 495 309-5163
Web: www.perovskiy-park.ru
Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo Park
Pokrovsky-Streshnevo is the former family estate near Moscow with an adjacent park.
Address: Ac. Kurchatova ul.
Metro: Shchukinskaya
Presnenskiy Park
The park with modern playgrounds, chess town, a sports complex and flowerbeds. The unique fairy-tale characters will not leave anyone indifferent!
Open: 07:00 - 22:00
Address: Druzhinnikovskaya ul., 9, str. 2
Metros Krasnopresnenskaya, Barrikadnaya
Serebryanny Bor (Silver Pine Forest)
This is a huge forest and park area that contains Moscow's most popular beaches. It features changing rooms, clean sand, beach volleyball areas, and boat, scooter and paddleboat rental. There are plenty of outdoor cafes and ice-cream stands. Note that the water may not be 100% safe for swimming. Serebryanny Bor is also great for cross-country skiing in winter. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Polezhaevskaya and take trolley bus 20, 21, 65 or minibus 65 to the stop "Serebryanny Bor", or you can take the metro to the station Oktyabrskoe Pole and then take minibus 15M to the station "4aya Liniya".
Open: 09:00 - 21:00 (beach)
Address: 4aya Liniya Khoroshevskogo Serebryannogo Bora
Metro: Polezhaevskaya, Oktyabrskoe Pole
Tel.: +7 495 789-2570, +7 929 9990415
Web: www.s-bor.ru
Severnoe Tushino Park
Table tennis, dance floor, video arcade and children playground with attractions. Bicycles, roller skates and rackets on hire.
Address: Svobodi ul., 56
Metro: Planernaya
Tel: +7 495 640-7355
Excursions: +7 926 5221596
Fax: +7 495 640-7354
Web: www.mosparks.ru
Sokolniki Park
This 600-hectare park surrounded by a forest is where the tsars used to bring their falcons (a falcon is called a "sokol" in Russian) to hunt foxes and other small animals. The first path was cut through the forest on the initiative of Peter the Great and since that all paths have the name "proseka" (cuttings). Today there are seven cuttings: Birch Cutting, Maple, Elm and others; they all form radial structure of the park. More than 500 kinds of plants and 70 kinds of animals inhabit this thicket. The international exhibition center in this park often holds large trade fairs. The spacious green areas with ponds, pavilions and playgrounds allow for nice walks. Fun fair, horseback riding, restaurant. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Sokolniki, and take a short walk along the alley.
Address: Sokolnicheskiy Val, 1, str. 1
Metro: Sokolniki
Tel: +7 499 393-9222
Web: www.park.sokolniki.com
Taganskiy Park
Park of clture and leisure "Taganskiy", a comfortable and eco-friendly island of fresh air, is located in the center of Moscow, in the heart of Taganskiy district. For the past years, the park is cultural, recreational and sports center of the district.
Open: 07:00 - 23:00
Address: Taganskaya ul., 40/42
Metro: Taganskaya
Tel: +7 495 912-2717
Web: www.parktaganskiy.ru
Troparyovo Park
A green oasis in the South of Moscow, this park has a beach, changing rooms, refreshment stands, a chess club, open-air stage, and ping pong tables. Canoes and paddleboats are available for rent. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Tyoply Stan, then walk for about 400 meters (0.2 mi) to reach the park.
Metro: Tyoply Stan
Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills)
Located adjacent to Moscow State University (MGU), this area is great for walking and rollerblading in the summer with a magnificent view of the city on a smog-free day from the platform across from the University. Birds have nothing to do with the name: in the 15th century one noble lady bought a village here from a priest called Vorobey. Vorobey's name has outlived the glory of the Great Soviet leader Lenin, whose name this hill wore in the Soviet times. In front of the facade of MSU facing the Moscow-river there is a big square and a lovely alley decorated with busts of famous Russian scientists. The alley leads to the best observation point of the city. Many newlyweds will visit this famous place after their official wedding ceremony. In winter you can also observe snow-boarders and alpine skiers on the hill underneath. On weekend nights, the roads between the platform and Moscow State University are the scenes for impromptu car races. Souvenir vendors are always on the platform. To get to the park, take the metro to the station Vorobyovy Gory, then walk up the hill to the observation point.
Metro: Vorobyovy Gory
Vorontsovskiy Park
The park is located on the territory of the former Vorontsovo Estate. Vorontsovo is the landscaped park with linden alleys, benches, woodpeckers, squirrels, and cascading ponds - the rare thing for a Moscow park design.
Open: 09:00 - 23:00 (summer), 10:00 - 22:00 (winter)
Address: Vorontsovsky park, 3
Metro: Novye Cheryomushki
Tel: +7 495 580-2678
Web: www.usadba-vorontsovo.ru
ESTATES
Abramtsevo
Abramtsevo was mentioned in official documents for the first time in the 17th century. In 1843 Abramtsevo became property of a famous Russian writer Sergey Aksakov and after Aksakov's death it was bought by a successful manufacturer and patron of arts Savva Mamontov. At this estate you can see a collection of ceramics made by Vrubel and exhibitions dedicated to the estate's famous visitors (Turgenev, Repin, Vrubel, and others). Today Abramtsevo occupies about 50 hectares (0.2 sq. mi) along with a park and picturesque outskirts of the Vorya River and comprises architectural monuments created in the 18-19th centuries. The museum's collection features more than 25,000 items: pictures, drawings, sculptures, arts and crafts, photographs and archives of previous owners. To get to the estate, drive along Yaroslavskoe shosse from the city center, reach the 60th km of Yaroslavskoe shosse, watch for Khotkovo direction sign and turn left or you can take electric train (elektrichka) from Yaroslavsky railway station to the station "Abramtsevo".
Open: 10:00 - 21:00 (park), expositions: 10:00 – 18:00, Sat until 20:00
Tel: +7 495 993-0033, +7 496 543-0278
Excursions: +7 916 2784542, +7 496 543-2470
Web: www.abramtsevo.net/eng
Arkhangelskoye Museum Estate
Arkhangelskoye is referred to as the Versailles of the Moscow region. At the beginning of the 18th century, the estate belonged to Prince D.M. Golitsyn. After his death, it was purchased by Prince N.B. Yusupov (1751-1831), one of Russia's richest noblemen. Prince Yusupov was a well-known art lover and collector and moved his art collection to Arkhangelskoye. It included over 500 paintings by European masters from the 17th to the 19th centuries, many of which are still on display at the estate today. The collection also includes rare books from the 16th to the 19th centuries, as well as sculptures, bronzes, clocks, furniture, porcelain, etc. The Church of Mikhail Archangel built in the 17th century stands on a high bank of the Moscow-river. There is also a theatre with decorations by famous artist P. Gonzaga, and, of course, The Colonnade. To get to the estate, go along Rublyovo-Uspenskoye shosse and turn right at the first traffic light after the village of Zhukovka onto llinskoye Shosse, drive 5 more km, or take the metro to the station Tushinskaya, then take bus 549, 541 or microbus 151 to the stop "Sanatory".
Open: 10:00-20:00 (Wed-Sun)
Metro: Tushinskaya
Tel: +7 (495) 363-1375
Web: www.arkhangelskoe.ru
Izmailovo Country Estate
Country residence of Russian tsars in the 17th and 18th centuries. The estate is located on the unique man-made island that was created at the behest of the tsar Alexey Mikhailovich, the father of Peter the Great. In 17th-18th centuries it was a summer residence of the tsar family where in 1666 Aleksey Mikhailovich organised an agricultural paradise with arable farming, bee- and poultry-keeping and other rural pleasures. Tsar's famous gardens became the prototype for future botanic gardens in Russia. The museum "Izmailovo and Russian Tsars" holds historical and dramatized excursions. The Mostovaya (Bridge) Tower, built in 1670, served as the main entrance to the Izmailovo estate and was part of an arched stone bridge across the Serebryany (Silver) Pond. The Tower's composition is typical of the middle-age architectural style of the second half of the 17th century and similar to some of the Moscow Kremlin towers. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Partizanskaya, then take trolleybus 22 to the stop "Glavnaya Alleya".
Open: Exhibitions: Apr-Sep: Tue–Fri, Sun: 10:00 - 08:00, Sat: 11:00 - 19:00; Oct-Mar: Tue–Sun: 10:00 - 18:00. Mon – day off.
Address: Gorodok imeni Baumana, 1a
Metro: Partizanskaya
Tel.: +7 499 165-1236 / 0972, +7 499 782-8917/21
Web: www.mgomz.com
Kolomenskoye Open-Air Art Museum and Nature Preserve
The Kolomenskoye estate was once the royal summer residence of the Grand Princes of Moscow Vasili III and Ivan IV, and was turned into a museum and nature preserve in 1923. While the wooden summer palace was pulled down under Catherine II after it fell into disrepair, some of the churches built in the 16th and 17th centuries remain intact and serve as monuments to important stages in development of Russian church architecture. Among them are the Church of the Ascension (1532) and the Church of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan (1644-1670). Several examples of Russian wooden architecture have been moved to Kolomenskoye and are also displayed in the park, including the wooden house of Peter the Great dating back to 1702. The 390-hectare park is also famed for its alley of ancient oaks and linden trees - some purportedly more than 200 years old. It is ideal for family outings and picnics. Kolomenskoe, a small calm green island in the boiling ocean of the big city, has a very long history. The first known reference to Kolomenskoe village was found in the will-chart Moscow Grand Prince Ivan Kalita, dated 1339. But, according to archaeological evidence, the first settlement here was founded already 2.5 thousand years ago: it was so-called "Dyakovo Gorodische", the oldest settlement found on the territory of modern Moscow. Nowadays Kolomenskoe is included in the UNESCO List of World's Cultural and Natural Heritage. Among the other historical monuments in Kolomenskoe are the bell-tower of St. George (16th century), the Falcon Tower (1627) and Peter the Great's cabin (1702), brought here from Arkhangelsk. Some of the architectural monuments house the museum's expositions, changed from time to time. Various musical performances and festivals are arranged for numerous guests of Kolomenskoe. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Kolomenskaya, then take a 10 minute walk along Prospekt Andropova.
Open: 24/7
Exhibitions: Apr-Sep: Tue–Fri, Sun: 10:00 - 08:00, Sat: 11:00 - 19:00; Oct-Mar: Tue–Sun: 10:00 - 18:00. Mon – day off.
Address: Prospekt Andropova, 39
Metro: Kolomenskaya
Tel: +7 499 782-8917/21
Excursions: +7 499 615-2768/71
Web: www.mgomz.com
Kuskovo Estate and Ceramics Museum
Entering the Kuskovo estate gates, you find yourself in a different dimension. It feels like you have come into the 18th century by a time machine. Kuskovo occupies the territory of about 32 hectares. Towards the 1750s, following new trends in lifestyle, Count Petr Sheremetev, an important member of nobility at the Russian Imperial Court, turned his family estate (dating from the 16th century) into a residence, or "chateau de plaisir", which amazed his contemporaries by its splendour. Up to 25,000 guests would flock here to lavish celebrations. Yet, Count Sheremetev had the mansion built as a recreational summer residence, as well as a focus for different art forms appreciated by connoisseurs. Exhibits displayed here form a large part of his vast collection of fine and applied art. Nowadays the museum stock counts some 34,000 items, including a huge collection of ceramics and glass from different countries, from antiquity up to the present day. Architectural composition of the estate unites the Palace itself, three pleasure pavilions in the shapes of a Dutch house, an Italian villa, a Chinese pagoda and some other buildings. Baroque gardens and park landscape are geometrically laid out in the English style near the Large Pond. The Neo-Classical style Palace is one of the best parts of the estate preserved till now. The dancing hall is the largest and most beautiful parlor in the palace. The whole interior looks very festive due to the white and gild decorations of the walls, mosaic parquet and crystal chandeliers. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Ryazansky Prospekt, then take bus 133, 208 or minibus 157 to the stop "Muzei Kuskovo".
Open: 10:00 - 20:00
Exhibitions: 10:00 - 18:00
Address: Yunosti ul., 2
Metro: Ryazansky Prospekt
Tel: +7 (495) 370-0160, 375-3131
Web: www.kuskovo.ru
Kuzminki-Vlakhernskoye
This estate traces its history from 1702, when Peter the Great presented this land to his favourite Grigory Stroganov. Muscovites call Kuzminki Estate "the Russian Versal"; this wonderful architectural ensemble was created by celebrated architects Matvey Kozakov, Vasily Bazhenov and the Gilyardi family. Church of the Vlakhernskaya Virgin is an outstanding architectural masterpiece. Famous Peter Klodt and Ivan Vitali decorated the estate with their sculptures. In late 18th - early 19th centuries some landscape modifications took place: a "Star" park, English garden and a Chinese pond were laid out. The museum's exposition shows us life of the Russian nobility of the 19th century. In winter you can ride a dog team here or take part in the traditional Russian amusements; in summer you can make a bike-excursion about the estate or sail over the Kuzminki ponds and watch splendid flowerbeds planted for the flower festival. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Kuzminki, once out of the metro take a 7-8 minute walk to reach the estate.
Open: 24/7, museum: 10:00 - 18:00
Address: Topolevaya alleya, 6
Metro: Kuzminki
Tel: +7 495 377-9457, +7 495 372-6066, +7 495 657-6585
Web: www.kuzminki-msk.ru
Lefortovo
Lefortovo park is connected with the history of a separate district in Moscow counting some 300 years. At first this area in the outskirts of Moscow on the bank of the Yauza River was called Nemetskaya Sloboda (German settlement). This district was created by Ivan the Terrible especially for foreigners standing on Russian service, so that they could keep their habits of living. Time went by; New Sloboda appeared in this area under Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich, father of Peter the Great. Later on, this district beyond the Yauza River was named in the memory of Franz Lefort, a Swiss of French origin, close friend and fellow-champion of Peter the Great. The history of Lefortovo is also connected with the name of Yakov Bruce, the first Freemason in Russia and (as the legend tells) the offspring of Druids. In the 18th century Lefortovo was the residence of Russian Emperors and Empresses. Later Lefortovo became the base of some elite troops of the Russian army and a military school; military hospital was also built in this district. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Baumanskaya, then take tram 37, 50 to the stop "Lefortovsky Most".
Open: 24/7
Exhibitions: Apr-Sep: Tue–Fri, Sun: 10:00 - 08:00, Sat: 11:00 - 19:00; Oct-Mar: Tue–Sun: 10:00 - 18:00. Monday – day off.
Address: Krasnokazarmennaya ul., 3
Metro: Baumanskaya
Lublino Estate and Park
This lovely park and palace are mysteriously little-known by even native-born Muscovites. In the 17th century the lands had been a hunting park owned by the infamous Godunov family. By the end of the 18th century ownership had passed through the Razumovskys to the Durasovs, who built the present palace in the first decade of the 19th century. You can take a picnic and walk about the banks of the extensive Lublino Lake which forms the centre of the semi-landscaped park. Although Lublino's territory is adjacent to Kuzminki, it's a different estate with a different history, and is most easily accessed from a different metro station: Volzhkskaya. There is an extensive series of light classical concerts on weekend afternoons in summer, and even (free) outdoor performances of complete operas. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Volzhskaya, once out of the metro, take a 5 minute walk to reach the estate.
Open: 09:00-18:00 (park); 10:00-17:00 (palace)
Metro: Volzhskaya
Tel: +7 495 350-1553, +7 499 722-7189, +7 499 614-2083
Web: www.mgomz.ru
Ostankino Estate Museum and Park (closed for restoration)
Ostankino was mentioned for the first time in the 16th century, but the oldest preserved building, the Church of Trinity, is dated 17th century. This beautiful palace belonged to Count Sheremetyev and is located on the shore of a lake right near the Botanical Garden and the VVTs Exhibition center. In the estate one of the first theatres in Russia was organised; all the actors here were serfs. This theatre still has one of the best acoustics in Moscow; moreover, it is the only preserved theatre of the 18th century. A considerable part of the Ostankinsky Park is occupied by the main Botanic Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences with more than 2000 kinds of roses, 400 kinds of lilac, plenty of exotic plants, a 300-year-old linden alley and three ponds. The palace is not always open to visitors and is usually closed in winter months. Concerts in summer months. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station VDNKh, then take tram 17, 11 to the stop "Ostankino" or trolleybus 37 to the stop "Ulitsa Akademika Koroleva".
Open: 11:00 - 19:00 (museum in summer)
Address: 1aya Ostankinskaya ul., 5
Metro: VDNKh
Tel: + 7 495 602-1852
Web: www.ostankino-museum.ru/eng.php
Tsaritsyno Museum and Nature Preserve
The name of this estate and park comes from the Russian word "tsar" and is home to the romantic ruins of the unfinished palace that Ekaterina II (Catherine the Great) ordered in 1775. The architect fell out of grace with Ekaterina and the incomplete project slowly fell apart. Its trees overlook the waters of the Upper Tsaritsyno pond, which together with the Shipilovsky and Borisovsky ponds form the largest cascade of ponds in Moscow. Tsaritsyno is the largest museum-reserve and historical and cultural monument of the federal level in Moscow, occupying over 700 hectares. A tremendously rich complex of architectural objects is gathered here - the historic village sites, plowed fields, barrows dated from the VI thousand years B.C. to the beginning of the XII century. To get to the estate, take the metro to the station Tsarityno, once out of the metro take a 5 minute walk to reach the estate.
Open: 06:00-24:00
Museum: Tue–Fri: 09:30-18:00, Sat: 09:30-20:00, Sun: 09:30-19:00. Mon - day off. The entrance from 10:00.
Address: Dolskaya ul., 1
Metro: Tsarityno
Tel: +7 495 322-4433
Excursions: +7 495 322-4433 # 1142
Web: www.tsaritsyno-museum.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 94. | Real Estate Primer::Moscow's virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
|
Real Estate Primer
Rent
The majority of people who come to Moscow on a long-term employment contract are faced with the problem of finding a proper residence. You can opt for staying downtown and enjoying the entertainment, shopping and night life options the city has to offer. Families that come to Moscow with children would rather opt for staying in Moscow outskirts, the so-called cottage settlement, in order to provide safer ecological conditions for the children, sacrificing a considerable amount of time towards travelling to and from work.
Unlike many other larger cities, there is no real division between residential and business areas in Moscow yet. This means that wherever in the center you choose to settle, you will have easy access to shopping centers, supermarkets and cultural life. At the same time you will be able to enjoy the many smaller parks, quiet side streets and yards, and the historical charm of central Moscow.
In Russia, residential properties are categorized to the total number of rooms. Kitchen and bathrooms are not included in the room count (i.e. they are not counted as separate rooms). For example, a three-room apartment is an apartment with a living room and two other rooms (e.g. a bedroom and a study or two bedrooms), as well as kitchen and one (or more) bathrooms. Apartment size in Russia is indicated in square meters (m²). There are 10.7 square feet to one square meter.
In Russia, the concept of a ground floor is not common. Floor numbering usually starts from the very first floor, which may be residential or commercial. The first and the top are usually the least desirable, and rent should be cheaper that on the floor in-between.
UTILITIES
Electricity: The power supply is 220V AC, 50 Hz.
Gas: While gas heaters are quickly disappearing from Moscow's apartment buildings, gas is still commonly used for cooking.
Water: Water is piped and, although officially safe to drink, is better avoided.
Heating: The heating system in Moscow is central and turned off from mid-April to mid-October.
TYPES OF BUILDINGS
Pre-Revolutionary Buildings
There are many beautiful pre-revolutionary apartment blocks in the center of the city, and many of the apartments have been tastefully renovated. The apartments in the pre-revolutionary buildings are very popular among expatriates due to their spaciousness, charm, and character. The major attractive features of these buildings include their traditionally high ceilings and large windows.
Stalin Buildings
Specific features of these buildings include high ceilings, large windows, and green yards. They tend to be nice and warm in winter due to their thick walls. The Stalin Blocks include the so-called Stalin Skyscrapers, of which there are seven in Moscow. Four of them are apartment buildings. One is located right outside metro Barrikadnaya, close to the US Embassy; one is on Kotelnicheskaya nab.; one is right outside metro Krasnye Vorota; and the last one is part of the Radisson Royal Hotel (former Ukraine Hotel), located right at the beginning of Kutuzovsky prosp. The combination of their architecture, spectacular views, and good security make them popular with expatriates.
Ministerial Buildings
Most of these buildings were built in the 1970s and early 1980s and were considered the first VIP blocks in Soviet times. Today they are popular for their clean entrance, good security (most of them have a fenced-in yard and twenty-four hour security), secure parking, large windows and balconies, and lots of built-in storage space.
VIP Apartment Buildings
This new generation buildings include Western developments and newly-constructed elite compounds. These buildings usually have a concierge, nice entrance, as well as equipped kitchens, air conditioning, and electronic alarm and fire control systems. Many also feature twenty-four hour security, an underground parking garage, or a private fenced-in yard. Some have a gym, sauna, and/or swimming pool.
Western Developments
While some are located in the city center, others are located outside of the Garden Ring. They offer professional on-site property management and good security. Townhouses in gated communities catering to expatriates and the Russian nouveau riche are also available. There are bargains to be had. Rental prices can sometimes be reduced by 10 to 30% from the original price depending on how long the apartment has been on the market; what the landlord's main interest is (price or timing); the type of building and its location; and the season. The basic rule of thumb is that the closer you are to the center of Moscow or to a metro station, the more you will have to pay.
What You Can Expect to Pay for Rent
Rental prices in Moscow can range from $ 600 a month for a Soviet-style studio or one-bedroom apartment far from the city center to $10,000 and $20,000 a month for a luxury apartment in downtown Moscow. Generally, rental rates for Western-style housing in Moscow are very high and are comparable to those in downtown New York, London, or Tokyo. Prices also depend on whether the neighbourhood is industrialized and polluted or green with parks and trees. Remember to ask your real estate agent whether taxes, such as VAT, are included in the quoted rental price or not.
What You Should and Should not Pay for
Expatriate residential expenses in Russia usually consist of monthly (or quarterly) rental payments. Rent should include all municipal facilities such as water, heating, and building maintenance. Electricity, gas bills and the monthly phone line subscription fee are usually excluded from the monthly rent because the final sum depends on how much, e.g. gas or electricity you use each month. Charges for electricity and gas are still very low in Russia and shouldn't add more than a few dollars to your monthly rental costs. In addition to this, you will of course have to pay the phone bill for any inter-city and international phone calls, as well as the monthly subscription fee for satellite TV.
When renting an apartment through a real estate agency, be prepared to pay a commission fee equal to one month rent. When making the first rental payment to the landlord, you will usually also be expected to pay a one-month security deposit, which is then used as the rent for the last month of your stay in the apartment or house. When negotiating your rental contract, make sure it clearly states who has to pay for what in order to avoid problems later on. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 95. | Albion Gallery
|
Albion Gallery
Web: www.antik.msk.ru
Open: Mon-Sat 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Sunday.
Gallery, antiques for sale, auctions.
Consultations in Russian, English, German and French. |
|
|
|
|
| 96. | Gallery
|
Gallery
Web: www.novikovgroup.ru
Open 24/7.All major credit cards accepted.Restaurant Review |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 99. | Roerich Museum
|
Roerich Museum
Web: www.icr.su
Open: 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 103. | Historical Museum
|
Historical Museum
Web: www.shm.ru
Open: 10:00 -18:00.
Closed: Tue and the last Mon of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 104. | Novodevichy Convent
|
Novodevichy Convent
Web: www.shm.ru
Open: Mon, Wed-Sun 10:00-17:30.
Closed. Tue and the first Mon of each month. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 107. | Orchestrion
|
Orchestrion
Web: www.rno.ru
Box office: 10:00-18:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 109. | CDK MAI
|
CDK MAI
Web: www.cdk.ru
Big concert hall. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 111. | MiR
|
MiR
Web: www.mir-3.ru
Open: Fri-Sat from 12:00 until 07:00, Sun-Thu until 24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 113. | Kitaisky Lyotchik Dzhao Da
|
Kitaisky Lyotchik Dzhao Da
Web: www.jao-da.ru
Avant-garde music club.
Open: 24\7 with a break Mon-Fri 08:00-10:00Sat-Sun 10:00-12:00
Face control, dress-code |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 115. | Museum of Moscow History
|
Museum of Moscow History
Web: www.mosmuseum.ru
Open: Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00-18:00,
Wed, Fri 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon and the last Fri of each month. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 117. | Library of Foreign Literature
|
Library of Foreign Literature
Web: www.libfl.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00,
Sat, Sun 10:00-18:00.
Closed: the last Thu of each month.
|
|
|
|
|
| 118. | Biological Timiryazev Museum
|
Biological Timiryazev Museum
Web: www.gbmt.ru
Open: Tue- Fri, Sat 10:00-18:00
Wed 10:00-20:00
Sun 11:00-18:00.
Closed: Mon, the last Tue of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 119. | Opera
|
Opera
Web: www.clubopera.ru
Open: Thu-Sat 23:30-06:00.
Face control, dress-code. |
|
|
|
|
| 120. | Old English Court Chambers
|
Old English Court Chambers
Web: www.mosmuseum.ru
Open: Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00-18:00,
Wed, Fri 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon and the last Fri of each month. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 128. | Fresh
|
Fresh
Web: cafefresh.ru
Open: Mon 12:00-24:00
Tue-Sun 12:00-06:00
Dress code. Face control. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 130. | Museum of Contemporary History of Russia
|
Museum of Contemporary History of Russia
Web: www.sovr.ru
Open: Tue, Wed, and Fri 10:00-18:00,
Thu, Sat 11:00-19:00, Sun 10:00-17:00.
Closed: Mon and the last Fri of each month. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 132. | Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts
|
Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts
Web: www.vmdpni.ru
Open: Mon, Wed, Thu, Sun 10:00-18:00,
Fri, Sat 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Tue and the last Mon of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 133. | Marina Tsvetaeva Memorial Flat
|
Marina Tsvetaeva Memorial Flat
Web: www.dommuseum.ru
Open: Mon-Wed, Fri 12:00-18:00,
Thu 12:00-20:00, Sun 12:00-17:00.
Closed: Sat and the last Fri of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 134. | Chekhov Cultural Center
|
Chekhov Cultural Center
Web: www.chehovka.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00
Sat 11:00-17:00
Closed: Sun, and 30th of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 135. | Moscow Museum of Modern Art
|
Moscow Museum of Modern Art
Web: www.mmoma.ru
Open: 12:00-20:00, Thu 13:00-21:00.
Box office: 12:00-19:15.
Closed: the last Mon of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 136. | Moscow Zoo
|
Moscow Zoo
Web: www.moscowzoo.ru
Open: (summer) 10:00-20:00; (winter) 10:00-17:00.
Closed: Monday.
Tickets: 150 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
| 137. | Archaeological Museum of Moscow
|
Archaeological Museum of Moscow
Web: www.mosmuseum.ru
Open: Tue, Thu, Sat 10:00-18:00.
Wed, Fri 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon and the last Friday of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 138. | Alexander Pushkin Memorial Flat
|
Alexander Pushkin Memorial Flat
Web: www.pushkinmuseum.ru
Open: 10:00-18:00.
Closed: Mon, Tue, and the last Fri of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 139. | Alexander Pushkin State Museum
|
Alexander Pushkin State Museum
Web: www.pushkinmuseum.ru
Open: 10:00-18:00.
Closed: Mon and the last Fri of the month. |
|
|
|
|
| 140. | Arkhangelskoye Estate
|
Arkhangelskoye Estate
Web: www.arkhangelskoe.ru
Bus No. 549 or 541 from Tushinskaya.
Museum: Wed-Fri 10:30-17:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00.
Park: Wed-Sun 10:00-20:00 (except Mon, Tue).
Closed: the last Wed of each month. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 143. | Project_Fabrika
|
Project_Fabrika
Web: www.proektfabrika.ru
Trolleybus No.22, 25 from Baumanskaya to"Balakirevsky pereulok" bus stop.
Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 144. | The Apartment
|
The Apartment
Web: www.theapartmentmoscow.ru
Visa, MasterCard, American Express are accepted.
Open: 12:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 146. | Cold War Museum
|
Cold War Museum
Web: www.zkp42.ru
Excursions. Advance arrangement. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 148. | Aptekarsky Ogorod
|
Aptekarsky Ogorod
Web: hortus.ru
Open: summer 10:00-19:00,
winter 10:00-18:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 150. | XL Gallery
|
XL Gallery
Web: www.xlgallery.ru
Open: Tue-Sun 13:00-19:00.
From mid-July to September - by appointment. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 154. | Zurab Gallery
|
Zurab Gallery
Web: www.mmoma.ru
Open: Mon-Sun 12:00-20:00.
Thu 13:00-21:00.
Closed: last Mon of each month. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 157. | Tretyakov Art Gallery
|
Tretyakov Art Gallery
Web: www.tretyakovgallery.ru
Open: 10:00-19:30
Box office 10:00-18:30
Closed - Mon. |
|
|
|
|
| 158. | Fotosoyuz
|
Fotosoyuz
Web: www.photounion.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 15:00-21:00
Sat-Sun 13:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon.
Free admission. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 160. | Na Solyanke Gallery
|
Na Solyanke Gallery
Web: solgallery.ru/exhibitions
Open: Tue-Sun 12:00-20:00.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
| 161. | Armory Museum
|
Armory Museum
Web: www.kreml.ru
Open: daily, sessions: 10:00,12:00, 14:30,16:30. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 164. | Kolomenskoye Museum and Park
|
Kolomenskoye Museum and Park
Web: www.mgomz.ru
Open: Apr-Oct 08:00-22:00,
Nov-Mar 08:00-21:00.
Exposition: 10:00-18:00 except Mon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 166. | St. Basil's Cathedral
|
St. Basil's Cathedral
Web: www.saintbasil.ru
Open: (winter) 11:00-17:00; (summer) 11:00-18:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 173. | School of Modern Play
|
School of Modern Play
Web: www.neglinka29.ru
Box-office: 11:00-15:00, 16:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 177. | Vakhtanov Doll Gallery
|
Vakhtanov Doll Gallery
Web: www.artdolls.ru
Open: 11:00-20:00.
Box office: 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon.
Entrance with CHA's ticket. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 179. | Amadeus Musical Theater
|
Amadeus Musical Theater
Web: www.amadei.ru
At Alexei Tolstoi Apartment Museum.
Box office: 11:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 182. | Teatr.doc
|
Teatr.doc
Web: www.teatrdoc.ru
Box-office: open before performances. |
|
|
|
|
| 183. | WAM Gallery
|
WAM Gallery
Web: www.wamonline.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00.
Free admission. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 187. | Stas Namin Theatre
|
Stas Namin Theatre
Web: www.stasnamintheatre.ru
Box-office: 11:00-18:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 189. | Russian Army Theater
|
Russian Army Theater
Web: www.catra.su
Box-office: 11:00-15:00, 16:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 190. | Shilov Gallery
|
Shilov Gallery
Web: www.amshilov.ru
Open: Tue-Sun 11:00-19:00, Wed 11:00-21:00.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 192. | Oktyabr Cinema
|
Oktyabr Cinema
Web: www.karofilm.ru
Tickets: 150-1500 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 195. | Polly Sad
|
Polly Sad
Web: www.pollysad.ru
Open: from 12:00 unti last guest. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 197. | Nashi Khudozhniki
|
Nashi Khudozhniki
Web: www.kournikovagallery.ru
Open: 12:00-20:00.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 200. | Museum of Furniture
|
Museum of Furniture
Web: www.muzmeb.ru
Open: 11:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-17:00.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 203. | Mezzo Forte
|
Mezzo Forte
Web: www.mezzoforte.ru
Open: 12:00 until last guest. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 207. | Art Prima Gallery
|
Art Prima Gallery
Web: artprima.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Sat-Sun. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 210. | Propaganda
|
Propaganda
Web: www.propagandamoscow.com
Open: 12:00-06:00.
Face control. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 213. | St. Andrew's Church
|
St. Andrew's Church
Web: www.standrewsmoscow.org
Concerts - every Thursday at 19:30. |
|
|
|
|
| 214. | Vernadskogo, 13
|
Vernadskogo, 13
Web: www.teatr13.ru
Box office: 14:00-19:00 (weekdays), 11:00-19:00 (weekends). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 216. | Krizis Janra
|
Krizis Janra
Web: www.kriziszhanra.ru
Rock, blues, jazz, restaurant (24/7).
Open: 11:00 - 06:00.
Face control. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 218. | B2 Club
|
B2 Club
Web: www.b2club.ru
4 bars, sushi-bar, concert hall for 800 people.
Open: 12:00-06:00.
Face control. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 221. | Hard Rock Cafe
|
Hard Rock Cafe
Web: www.hardrockcafe.ru
Restaurant and club.
Breakfasts, business lunches.
Open: 24/7. |
|
|
|
|
| 222. | Dome Cinema
|
Dome Cinema
Web: www.domecinema.ru
American-style movie theater
Dolby Digital, 200 seats.
Tickets: 250-300 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 224. | Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery
|
Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery
Web: www.rah.ru
Gallery of Russian Academy of Arts.
Open: 12:00-20:00,
Sun: 12:00-19:00.
Box-office: 12:00-19:00
Sun: 12:00-18:00.
Closed: last Monday of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 225. | Tretyakov Gallery at Krymsky Val
|
Tretyakov Gallery at Krymsky Val
Web: www.tretyakovgallery.ru
Central House of Artists (TsDkH).
Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-19:30.
Box office: 10:00- 18:30.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 230. | Operetta Theater
|
Operetta Theater
Web: www.mosoperetta.ru
Box office: 11:00-19:30. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 235. | Bulgakov Museum
|
Bulgakov Museum
Web: www.bulgakovmuseum.ru
Open: Tue-Sat 13:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 237. | Theater Na Pokrovke
|
Theater Na Pokrovke
Web: www.napokrovke.ru
Box-office: Tue-Sun 16:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 239. | Pushkin Theater
|
Pushkin Theater
Web: www.teatrpushkin.ru
Box-office: 12:00-15:00, 16:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 245. | Theater of Nations
|
Theater of Nations
Web: www.theatreofnations.ru
Box office: 12:00-15:00, 15:30-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 246. | Mossovet Theater
|
Mossovet Theater
Web: www.mossoveta.ru
Box office: 12:00-15:00, 16:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 251. | DK Moskvitch
|
DK Moskvitch
Web: www.kc-moskvich.ru
Box office: 11:00-20:00 with a break 16:00-17:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 253. | Lokomotiv
|
Lokomotiv
Web: www.fclm.ru
Open: 08:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 258. | Fund
|
Fund
Web: contemporarycity.ru
Open: Mon-Fri from 11:00 until 18:00.
Sat-Sun: by appointment. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 260. | Aero Cafe
|
Aero Cafe
Web: www.aerocafe.su
Open: 24/7. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 264. | Circus 'Raduga'
|
Circus 'Raduga'
Web: www.circusraduga.ru
Tickets: 400-700 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 267. | Mio
|
Mio
Web: www.cafemio.ru
Open: 24/7.
Face control. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 272. | Strela
|
Strela
Web: www.formulakino.ru
Tickets: 350-1800 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
| 273. | Almaz
|
Almaz
Web: www.almazkino.ru
Tickets: 80-1000 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
| 274. | House of Butterflies
|
House of Butterflies
Web: www.buterfly.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00
Sat-Sun 10:00-20:00? |
|
|
|
|
| 275. | Lev Tolstoi Museum
|
Lev Tolstoi Museum
Web: www.tolstoymuseum.ru
Open: Tue, Wed, Fri-Sun 10:00-18:00,
Thu 12:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 276. | Pop/Off/Art
|
Pop/Off/Art
Web: www.popoffart.com
Open: Mon-Sat 12:00-20:00.
Free admission. |
|
|
|
|
| 277. | Arma 17
|
Arma 17
Web: www.arma17.ru
Face-control |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 279. | Krokin Gallery
|
Krokin Gallery
Web: www.krokingallery.com
Open: Mon-Sat 11:00-19:00,
Sun 10:00-16:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 281. | Elena Gallery
|
Elena Gallery
Web: www.elenagallery.ru
Open: 11:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 282. | Funky Lime
|
Funky Lime
Web: www.funkylime.ru
Open: 24/7. |
|
|
|
|
| 283. | Vodka Museum
|
Vodka Museum
Web: www.vodkamuseum.ru
Open: 11:00-21:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 285. | Diehl+Gallery One
|
Diehl+Gallery One
Web: www.diehlandgalleryone.com
By appointment. |
|
|
|
|
| 286. | Central House of Artists
|
Central House of Artists
Web: www.cha.ru
Gigantic exhibition complex:
art and antique galleries,
art salons, exhibition halls.
Open: 11:00-20:00.
Closed: Mon.
Box office: 11:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 288. | Duma
|
Duma
Web: www.clubduma.ru
Open: Mon-Sat 09:00-06:00, Sun 11:00-06:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 293. | Forte
|
Forte
Web: www.forteclub.com
Open: 14:00-24:00 |
|
|
|
|
| 294. | Noah's Ark
|
Noah's Ark
Web: www.noevkovcheg.ru
Open: 12:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 295. | Mayak
|
Mayak
Web: www.clubmayak.ru
Open: from 12:00 until 06:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 299. | Kinomir
|
Kinomir
Web: www.kinomax.ru
Tickets: 80-290 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
| 300. | Vympel
|
Vympel
Web: www.vstadion.ru
Open: 12:00-23:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 301. | Pobeda
|
Pobeda
Web: pobedagallery.com
Open: Thu-Sat 13:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 304. | Sexton
|
Sexton
Web: bikecenter.ru
Open from 18:00-07:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 308. | Bubbles
|
Bubbles
Web: www.eatout.ru
Open: 12:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 314. | Le Sommelier
|
Le Sommelier
Web: www.lesommelier.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-23:00,
Sat-Sun 11:00-23:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 318. | Prague
|
Prague
Web: www.formulakino.ru
Tickets: 120-400 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
| 319. | Udarnik
|
Udarnik
Web: www.karofilm.ru
Tickets: 120-250 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 322. | Pushkinsky
|
Pushkinsky
Web: www.karofilm.ru
Tickets: 100 - 250 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
| 323. | Luch Bar
|
Luch Bar
Web: www.luchbar.ru
Open: 12:00-06:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 328. | B.B. King
|
B.B. King
Web: www.bbkingclub.ru
Open: 12:00-02:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 330. | Art + Art Gallery
|
Art + Art Gallery
Web: www.artplusart.org
Open: Sun-Tue 12:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 331. | Chivas Bar
|
Chivas Bar
Web: www.eatout.ru
Open: 12:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 334. | Satiricon
|
Satiricon
Web: www.satirikon.ru
Box-office: 11:00-15:00, 16:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 336. | Barbarella
|
Barbarella
Web: www.barbarellabar.org
Open: Sun, Mon-Wed 12:00-01:00, Thu-Sat 12:00-06:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 340. | Gogol'
|
Gogol'
Web: www.gogolclubs.ru
Open: 24\7. |
|
|
|
|
| 341. | Tema Bar
|
Tema Bar
Web: www.temabar.ru
Open: 24/7. |
|
|
|
|
| 342. | DK Gorbunova
|
DK Gorbunova
Web: www.dkgorbunova.ru
Box office: Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00Sat-Sun 11:00-17:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 345. | CultProject
|
CultProject
Web: www.kultproekt.ru
Open: Wed-Sun 13:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 346. | Krysha Mira (World's Roof)
|
Krysha Mira (World's Roof)
Web: kryshamira.ru
Entrance - club card or invitation.
Open: Fri-Sat from 00:00 until 08:00.
Face control, dress code. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 348. | Chekhov Memorial Flat
|
Chekhov Memorial Flat
Web: www.my-chekhov.com
Open: Tue, Thu, Sat 11:00-18:00,
Wed, Fri 14:00-20:00.
Closed: Mon and the last day of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 349. | Turgenev Library-Reading Hall
|
Turgenev Library-Reading Hall
Web: www.turgenev.ru
Open: Mon - Fri12:00 - 20:00,
Sat 12:00 - 18:00.
Closed: Sun and last Friday of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 350. | Helikon Opera
|
Helikon Opera
Web: helikon.ru
The box-office is open daily from 12.00 to 22.00 without the dinner break. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 352. | Gazgolder
|
Gazgolder
Web: www.gazgolder.com
Open: 12:00-06:00.
Face control, dress-code. |
|
|
|
|
| 353. | Great Palace in Tsaritsyno
|
Great Palace in Tsaritsyno
Web: www.tsaritsyno.net
Open: Wed-Fri 11:00-18:00,
Sun and holidays 11:00-19:00,
Sat 11:00-21:00 (before Dec 01).
Closed: Mon, Tue. |
|
|
|
|
| 354. | Royal Bar
|
Royal Bar
Web: www.royal-bar.ru
Open: 12:00-02:00.
Face control, dress code. |
|
|
|
|
| 355. | Starbucks
|
Starbucks
Web: www.starbuckscoffee.ru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 357. | Liga Pap
|
Liga Pap
Web: www.ligapap.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 358. | Dantes
|
Dantes
Web: www.dantesrestoran.ru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 364. | 35 mm
|
35 mm
Web: www.kino35mm.ru
Tickets: 70 - 350 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
| 365. | Help Bar
|
Help Bar
Web: www.helpbar.ru
Open: 24/7. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 370. | Illuzion
|
Illuzion
Web: www.gosfilmofond.ru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 372. | Look In
|
Look In
Web: www.citycafe.ru
Open: 10:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 375. | Open Stage Project
|
Open Stage Project
Web: www.o-stage.ru
On-line reservation is available. |
|
|
|
|
| 376. | Literature Museum
|
Literature Museum
Web: www.museum-glm.ru
Open: Wed, Fri 14:00-20:00,
Tue, Thu, Sat 11:00-18:00.
Closed: Sun, Mon and the last day of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 377. | American Center
|
American Center
Web: www.amc.ru
American Center is located on the third floor of the All-Russian State Library for Foreign Literature. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 379. | Public Museum of Moscow Metro
|
Public Museum of Moscow Metro
Web: www.engl.mosmetro.ru
Excursions by advance appointment.
Open: Mon 11:00-18:00, Tue-Fri 09:00-16:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 381. | Sakhar
|
Sakhar
Web: www.saxar-club.ru
Open: Thu-Sat 20:00-06:00.
Face control, dress-code. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 384. | Arbat
|
Arbat
Web: www.krc-arbat.ru
Banquet room.
Open: 24\7. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 386. | Vkhutemas
|
Vkhutemas
Web: www.vkhutemas.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 12:00-18:00.
Free admission. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 389. | VP-Studio
|
VP-Studio
Web: www.vp-studio.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 16:00-19:00.
By advance arrangement. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 391. | Novy Manege
|
Novy Manege
Web: www.new-manege.ru
Open: 10:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
| 392. | Muzeon
|
Muzeon
Web: www.muzeon.ru
Open: 09:00-22:00 (summer), 10:00-21:00 (winter). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 395. | Art-Trophy Gallery
|
Art-Trophy Gallery
Web: www.art-trophy.ru
Open: Tue-Fri 11:00-18:00
Sat 12:00-18:00.
Closed: Sun, Mon. |
|
|
|
|
| 396. | Guelman Gallery
|
Guelman Gallery
Web: www.guelman.ru
Open: 12:00-20:00.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 398. | Fifth Studio on Malaya Nikitskaya
|
Fifth Studio on Malaya Nikitskaya
Web: www.gdrz.ru
Concert studio for recording symphonic orchestras and choirs.
Entrance by invitations only. |
|
|
|
|
| 399. | Novaya Opera Theatre
|
Novaya Opera Theatre
Web: www.novayaopera.freeland.ru
Box-office: 12:00-19:30 with a break 15:00-15:30. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 401. | Fine Art Gallery
|
Fine Art Gallery
Web: www.galleryfineart.ru
Contemporary Art Gallery.
Open: Mon-Fri 11:00-18:00,
Sat 12:00-17:00.
Closed: Sunday. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 403. | Bakhrushin Theatrical Museum
|
Bakhrushin Theatrical Museum
Web: www.gctm.ru
Open: Wed-Sun 12:00:-19:00.
Closed: the last Mon of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 404. | Park Place
|
Park Place
Web: www.property-website.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 408. | Tsurtsum Cafe
|
Tsurtsum Cafe
Web: www.winzavod.ru/curcum
Open: 10:00-23:00. Free Wi-Fi. |
|
|
|
|
| 409. | Photo Center
|
Photo Center
Web: www.foto-expo.ru
Open: 10:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon.
|
|
|
|
|
| 410. | Mir
|
Mir
Web: www.mir-hall.ru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 412. | Taganka Theatre
|
Taganka Theatre
Web: www.taganka-sat.ru
Box-office: 12:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 413. | Durov Art Cafe
|
Durov Art Cafe
Web: www.art-durov.ru
Open: 12:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 415. | White Clouds
|
White Clouds
Web: www.clouds.ru
Open: 10:00-21:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 419. | Goethe Institute
|
Goethe Institute
Web: www.goethe.de
Open: Mon-Thu 09:00-17:00, Fri 09:00-16:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 421. | Regina
|
Regina
Web: www.regina.ru
Open: Tue-Sat 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Sun, Mon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 423. | Bolshoi Theater
|
Bolshoi Theater
Web: www.bolshoi.ru
Box office: 11:00-15:00, 16:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 424. | Vermel
|
Vermel
Web: www.vermel.ru
Face control. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 426. | Mayakovsky Theater
|
Mayakovsky Theater
Web: www.mayakovsky.ru
Box office: 12:00-15:00, 16:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 427. | Tinkoff
|
Tinkoff
Web: www.tinkoff.ru
Open: from 12:00 until last guest. |
|
|
|
|
| 428. | Et Cetera Theater
|
Et Cetera Theater
Web: www.et-cetera.ru
Box office: 12:00-15:00, 16:00-19:30. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 430. | Kovcheg Gallery
|
Kovcheg Gallery
Web: www.kovcheg-art.ru
Open: Wed-Sun 12:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 432. | Shuvalova House
|
Shuvalova House
Web: www.gnesin-academy.ru>
Box office: 11:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 438. | Gorky Art Theater
|
Gorky Art Theater
Web: www.mxat-teatr.ru
Box office: 12:00-15:00, 16:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 440. | Luna Theatre
|
Luna Theatre
Moon Theatre.
Web: www.lunatheatre.ru
Box-office: 12:30-15:00, 16:00-19:30. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 442. | Krasnaya Presnya
|
Krasnaya Presnya
Web: www.sport-stadion.ru
Open: 07:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 445. | Andrei Rublyov Museum
|
Andrei Rublyov Museum
Web: www.rublev-museum.ru
Open: from 11:00-18:00
Closed: Wed and the last Friday of each month. |
|
|
|
|
| 446. | Khudozhestvenny
|
Khudozhestvenny
Web: arbat-moskino.ru
Tickets: 50 - 350 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 451. | Pushkin Fine Arts Museum
|
Pushkin Fine Arts Museum
Web: www.museum.ru/gmii
Open: 10:00-19:00, Thu 10:00-21:00.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 453. | Barrandov
|
Barrandov
Web: www.barrandov.ru
Open: 11:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 454. | The Place
|
The Place
Web: www.the-place.su
Open: 11:30 - 22:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 455. | Scandinavia
|
Scandinavia
Web: www.scandinavia.ru
Open: from 12:00 until 01:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 457. | Free Bar
|
Free Bar
Web: www.free-bar.ru
Open: 24/7. |
|
|
|
|
| 458. | Schwein
|
Schwein
Web: www.schwein.ru
Open: 12:00-05:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 461. | Flacon
|
Flacon
Web: www.flacon.su |
|
|
|
|
| 462. | RuArts
|
RuArts
Web: www.ruarts.ru
Open: Tue-Sat 12:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 463. | ART4.ru
|
ART4.ru
Web: art4.ru
Open: Fri 11:00-22:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 464. | Koffein
|
Koffein
Web: www.koffein.ru
Open: 08:00-22:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 466. | Atelier No. 2
|
Atelier No. 2
Web: www.atelier-2.ru
Open: Tue-Sun 12:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 469. | Sovcom - Soviet Art Gallery
|
Sovcom - Soviet Art Gallery
Web: www.sovcom.ru
Russian, Soviet and modern art.
Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 470. | St. Mary's Cathedral
|
St. Mary's Cathedral
Web: www.catedra.ru
Roman Catholic Cathedral of Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 472. | Rolan
|
Rolan
Web: www.5zvezd.ru
Tickets: 120 - 400 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 474. | InfoSpace
|
InfoSpace
Web: www.info-space.ru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 476. | Crocus Expo
|
Crocus Expo
Web: www.crocus-expo.ru
Free buses from Planernaya, Tushinskaya and Strogino on exhibition days. |
|
|
|
|
| 477. | Pioner Cinema on Kutuzovsky
|
Pioner Cinema on Kutuzovsky
Web: www.pioner-cinema.ru
Films in original languages with Russian subtitles.
Tickets: 100-350 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 480. | Aidan
|
Aidan
Web: www.aidan-gallery.ru
Open: Tue -Sun 13:00-20:00.
Closed: Monday. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 484. | Moscow Conservatory Great Hall
|
Moscow Conservatory Great Hall
Web: www.mosconsv.ru
Box office No. 3 - 11:00-19:00 (with a break 15:00-16:00)
Box office No. 4 - 12:00-20:00 (with a break 16:00-17:00) |
|
|
|
|
| 485. | Scriabin Museum
|
Scriabin Museum
Web: www.museum.ru/scriabin
Open: Wed, Fri 12:00-19:00
Thu, Sat, Sun 10:00-17:00.
Closed: Monday, Tuesday
and the last Friday of the month. |
|
|
|
|
| 486. | Darwin Museum
|
Darwin Museum
Web: www.darwin.museum.ru
Open: 10:00-18:00.
Closed: Mon, the last Friday of each month.
Box office: 10:00-17:30. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 488. | Moscow Conservatoire Rachmaninov Zal
|
Moscow Conservatoire Rachmaninov Zal
Web: www.mosconsv.ru
Box office No. 3 - 11:00-19:00 (with a break 15:00-16:00)
Box office No. 4 - 12:00-20:00 (with a break 16:00-17:00) |
|
|
|
|
| 489. | Tchaikovsky Concert Hall
|
Tchaikovsky Concert Hall
Web: www.classicalmusic.ru
Box-office No. 1 - 10:00-22:00 with a break 13:00-14:00
Box-office No. 2 - 12:00-20:00 with a break 15:00-16:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 490. | Moscow Conservatoire Myaskovsky Zal
|
Moscow Conservatoire Myaskovsky Zal
Web: www.mosconsv.ru
Box office No. 3 - 11:00-19:00 (with a break 15:00-16:00)
Box office No. 4 - 12:00-20:00 (with a break 16:00-17:00) |
|
|
|
|
| 491. | Moscow Conservatoire Maly Zal
|
Moscow Conservatoire Maly Zal
Web: www.mosconsv.ru
Box office No. 3 - 11:00-19:00 (with a break 15:00-16:00)
Box office No. 4 - 12:00-20:00 (with a break 16:00-17:00) |
|
|
|
|
| 492. | Museum of Water
|
Museum of Water
Web: www.mosvodokanal.ru/museum
History of the Moscow water supply system.
Open: Mon-Fro 10:00-17:00.
Free admission. |
|
|
|
|
| 493. | Sokolniki
|
Sokolniki
Web: www.park-sokolniki.ru
Beautiful and large park just a step from Sokolniki.
Open: 24/7.
Free admission, on weekends: 80 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 499. | Cervantes Institute
|
Cervantes Institute
Web: moscu.cervantes.es
Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00
Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 500. | Theatre Hermitage
|
Theatre Hermitage
Web: www.ermitazh.theatre.ru
Open: Tue-Sun 12:00-19:30. |
|
|
|
|
| 501. | WinZavod
|
WinZavod
Web: www.winzavod.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 503. | GITIS
|
GITIS
Web: www.gitis.net |
|
|
|
|
| 504. | Parus
|
Parus
Web: www.parus-bc.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 505. | Fotoloft
|
Fotoloft
Web: www.fotoloft.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 506. | Regus
|
Regus
Web: www.regus.com |
|
|
|
|
| 507. | Tushino
|
Tushino
Web: vz-tushino.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 508. | Tiki Bar
|
Tiki Bar
Web: www.tiki-bar.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 509. | Elkost
|
Elkost
Web: www.elkost.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 510. | CDRI
|
CDRI
Web: www.cdri.ru
|
|
|
|
|
| 511. | Parizhsk
|
Parizhsk
Web: www.parizhsk.ru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 514. | Palace on Yauza
|
Palace on Yauza
Web: www.yauza-palace.ru
Box office: 11:00-20:00 with a break 15:00-16:00.
On-line reservation is available. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 517. | Tsaritsyno Estate Museum
|
Tsaritsyno Estate Museum
Web: www.tsaritsyno-museum.ru
Open: Nov-Apr Wed-Fri 11:00-17:00,
Sat, Sun 11:00-19:00;
Apr-Oct Wed-Fri 11:00-18:00,
Sat, Sun 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon, Tue. |
|
|
|
|
| 518. | Triumph Gallery
|
Triumph Gallery
Web: triumph-gallery.ru
Open: 11:00-19:00.
By advance arrangement. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 521. | Leonid Shishkin Gallery
|
Leonid Shishkin Gallery
Web: www.shishkin-gallery.ru
Open: Mon-Fri 12:00-20:00
Sat 12:00-17:00.
Closed: Sun. |
|
|
|
|
| 522. | Eldar
|
Eldar
Web: www.kinoclub-eldar.ru
Tickets: 60-250 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
| 523. | Fitil
|
Fitil
Web: www.fitil-club.ru
Tickets: 50 - 200 Rbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 527. | Meteor
|
Meteor
Web: www.sport-stadion.ru
Open: 07:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 531. | Glinka Museum
|
Glinka Museum
Web: www.glinka.museum
Open: Tue-Sun 11:00-19:00.
Closed: Mon. |
|
|
|
|
| 532. | Romanov-Cinema
|
Romanov-Cinema
Web: www.romanov-cinema.ru
Tickets: 1000 Rbs. and more. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 534. | Kamburova Theatre
|
Kamburova Theatre
Web: www.kamburova.theatre.ru
Box-office: 15:00-19:30 (closed on Mon). |
|
|
|
|
| 535. | London Club
|
London Club
Web: www.london-club.ru
Face control. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 537. | Sixteen Tons
|
Sixteen Tons
Web: www.16tons.ru
1st floor - restaurant & pub, own brewery.
2nd floor - club, daily live Dj-sets, regular live concerts.
Open: daily, pub from 11:00 until 6:00, club from 18:00 until 6:00.
|
|
|
|
|
| 538. | Legion I
|
Legion I
Web: www.legion-development.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 539. | Legion III
|
Legion III
Web: www.legion-development.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 540. | Legion II
|
Legion II
Web: www.legion-development.ru |
|
|
|
|
| 541. | Cafe Pushkin
|
Cafe Pushkin
Web: www.cafe-pushkin.ru
Open: Drugstore hall 24/7,
Library hall 12:00-24:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 546. | Modern Theatre
|
Modern Theatre
Web: www.modern-theatre.ru
Box office: 12:00 - 21:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 547. | House of Composers
|
House of Composers
Web: www.house-composers.ru
Box-office: 11:00-19:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 549. | Moscow Kremlin Museums
|
Moscow Kremlin Museums
Web: www.kreml.ru
Kremlin Museums: the Armoury Chamber, the Assumption Cathedral, the Archangel’s Cathedral, the Annunciation Cathedral, Ivan the Great Bell-Tower complex, the Church of Laying Our Lady’s Holy Robe, the Patriarch’s Palace and the Twelve Apostles’ Church.
Open: 10:00-17:00.
Closed: Thu. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 555. | Embassy of Iceland
|
Embassy of Iceland
Web: www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-of-iceland-in-moscow |
|
|
|
|
| 556. | Night Flight
|
Night Flight
Web: www.nightflight.ru
Launched in 1991 it hasn’t closed its doors once out of total 4787 working days. Night Flight still insists on having a team of professional Swedish managers on key positions including not only its chefs and restaurant managers but also security and the DJ. The club set a goal to host expats and foreign business visitors of Moscow seeking safe and respectable place for their evening and night leisure. Happily enough, this goal was achieved. Since then tens of Moscow night clubs came and vanished from the city’s night life, while Night Flight, like a green lighthouse, still attracts numerous spectators. This long lasting advance resulted in the emergence of the brand – Night Flight became a name for stability and success. The club keeps its doors opened daily from 20:00 till 05:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 557. |
|
| Please check our Phone Directory for more data on Children's Goods. |
|
|
|
|
| 558. |
|
| Please check our Phone Directory for the full data on Beaches. |
|
|
|
|
| 559. |
|
| Please check our Restaurant Guide for the full data on Kid-Friendly Restaurants. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 563. | Chocolate and Cacao Museum
|
Chocolate and Cacao Museum
Web: www.uniconf.ru
Excursions (15 people) only.
Advance appointment.
Open: Mon-Sat 09:30-18:30.
Closed: Sun. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 565. | Public Museum of Moscow Metro
|
Public Museum of Moscow Metro
Web: engl.mosmetro.ru
Excursions by advance appointment.
Open: Mon 11:00-18:00, Tue-Fri 09:00-16:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 567. | Bolshoi Theater
|
Bolshoi Theater
Web: www.bolshoi.ru
Box office: 11:00-15:00, 16:00-20:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 568. | Domodedovo Airport Playroom Area
|
Domodedovo Airport Playroom Area
Web: www.domodedovo.ru
Rooms for mothers with children (free).
Children center.
Animators (daily 08:00-20:00). |
|
|
|
|
| 569. | Armoury Chamber
|
Armoury Chamber
Web: kreml.ru
Collection of gold and silverware,
ceremonial weapons and arms,
carriages, horse ceremonial harness.
Sessions: 10:00, 12:00, 14:30, 16:30. |
|
|
|
|
| 570. | Russian Costume Museum
|
Russian Costume Museum
Web: www.kremlin-izmailovo.com
Excursions in English are available.
Open: 09:00-21:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 571. | Blackwood
|
Blackwood
Offices for sale/lease, apartments for sale/rent, cottages for sale/rent, land plots. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 573. | Buran
|
Buran
71th km of Yaroslavskoye sh., to Sergiev Posad, then follow the the direction sign to Uglich, 30km along Uglichskoye sh., from Sergiev Pasad follow the direction sign to Pansionat Buran. |
|
|
|
|
| 574. | Sergey Ershov, Attorney-at-Law
|
Sergey Ershov, Attorney-at-Law
Legal services for individuals: Litigation in Real Estate, Insurance, Losses, Damages, Injuries, Private Debts; Labour Attorney; Family Lawyer (Marriage Contracts, Divorce in Russia, Division of Property); Criminal defense; Legal consulting in the Real Estate (Leasing, Purchase) and Insurance (Cars, Real Estate, Life). Registration Nr 77/9326. For further information please follow the link. |
|
|
|
|
| 575. | Incom Real Estate
|
Incom Real Estate
Apartments or rooms for sale/rent, single-family house or plot for sale/rent, commercial real estate. |
|
|
|
|
| 576. | Lada Holiday
|
Lada Holiday
Drive from MKAD along Pyatnitskoe highway in the direction of Solnechnogorsk, at the filling station UKOS drive straight, after Sokolovo follow the direction sing to Solnechnogorsk, watch for Trusovo direction sign and turn left passing village Polezhaiki and drive along the main road up to the T-shaped crossroad and follow the direction sign to Lada Holiday. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 578. |
|
| Most Beauty Salons boast tanning booths or beds and tanning cosmetics. So, please, check them up too. |
|
|
|
|
| 579. | Independence Group
|
Independence Group
Audi, BMW, Ford, Volkswagen, Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo, Mazda, Ford and Peugeot dealership. Multiple locations.Web: www.indep.ruE-mail: info@indep.ruAudi Center Moscow |
|
|
|
|
| 580. | Seven Hills Property
|
Seven Hills Property
Real Estate services since 1999: apartments in Moscow for short and long rent; apartments for sale; cottages in Moscow district for sale and rent; offices for rent; property maintenance; consultations on real estate. |
|
|
|
|
| 581. | Sun Rey
|
Sun Rey
Dog nursery. Pekingese. Puppies for sale. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 583. | Krokha Dog
|
Krokha Dog
Dog nursery. Chihuahua. Puppies for sale. |
|
|
|
|
| 584. | Flatlink
|
Flatlink
Short let apartments. Long term rentals. Sale. |
|
|
|
|
| 585. | Fiesta Park
|
Fiesta Park
25th km of Yaroslavskoye sh., turn to Krasnoarmeisk, 17 km to Tsarevo village, turn to the left and follow the direction sign. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 588. |
|
| Most Fitness Clubs boast of their own tennis courts, so check out there too. |
|
|
|
|
| 589. | Credit Europe Bank
|
Credit Europe Bank
Many locations throughout Moscow. Find the appropriate on the web site. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 591. | Alesha
|
Alesha
40th km of Rublevo-Uspenskoe sh., pass Zvenigorod in the direction of Golitsyno, drive across the bridge (R. Moskva) and turn right, drive 17 km along the main road and follow the direction sign to Traktir Alesha. |
|
|
|
|
| 592. | Dom Knigi (Book House)
|
Dom Knigi (Book House)
Foreign literature department. Many locations throughout Moscow. Find the appropriate on the web site.
Open from 9:00 until 21:00 daily, from 10:00 on Sat, from 10:00 until 20:00 on Sun. |
|
|
|
|
| 593. | Aviatron
|
Aviatron
26th km of Novoryazanskoe sh., follow the direction sign to Bykovo, drive 13 km, drive along Zhukovsky up to Y-shape fork in the road with the airplane MiG 21 in the center, turn left, and after the railroad crossing turn left again, drive 200 m more. |
|
|
|
|
| 594. | Bank of Moscow
|
Bank of Moscow
Many locations throughout Moscow. Find the appropriate on the web site. |
|
|
|
|
| 595. | Citibank
|
Citibank
Many locations throughout Moscow. Find the appropriate on the web site. |
|
|
|
|
| 596. | Raiffeisen Bank Austria
|
Raiffeisen Bank Austria
Many locations throughout Moscow. Find the appropriate on the web site. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 599. | Ekodar
|
Ekodar
Mains-fed (bottleless) water coolers produced by Waterlogic International, UK. Up-to-date alternative to bottled water delivery. Eco-friendy, convenient and cost saving solution for the office. Sale. Rent. Maintenance. Free test. |
|
|
|
|
| 600. | Aerosoyuz
|
Aerosoyuz
64th km of Dmitrovskoe sh., watch for Volen direction sign and turn left, drive across the bridge (R. Yakhroma) and turn right, follow the direction sign to Volen and Aerosoyuz. |
|
|
|
|
| 601. | Imperial Park-Hotel & Spa
|
Imperial Park-Hotel & Spa
39th km of Kievskoye sh., after the bridge follow the direction sign to Pervomaiskoye and move to the bridge, then drive 1 km, watch for Troitsk direction sing and turn left, then drive 3 km more and after Rogozinino village find Imperial Park-Hotel & Spa. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 603. | Respublica
|
Respublica
Books in English and other languages. Audio books. Art venue, style of the American Barns & Nobles. Multiple locations throughout Moscow. Find the appropriate on the web site. |
|
|
|
|
| 604. | Dobrota.ru
|
Dobrota.ru
Medical equipment retail network (16 points of sale), wheelchair hire in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg, delivery, mobility aids, patient care facilities, wheelchair maintenance, special taxi for handicapped people, home-nursing. English-speaking operators. Multiple locations. |
|
|
|
|
| 605. | Amsterdam
|
Amsterdam
A full service SPA beauty salon. Hair-care, nail-care, tanning-care, cosmetology and massage. Talented and experienced staff, warm and friendly environment. Wella, Klapp, Davines beauty professional products for salon and home care (also for sale). Open: Mon-Sun 10:00-22:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 607. | Stilissimo
|
Stilissimo
L’Oreal Salon-Expert. A full service beauty salon. Hair-care, nail-care, tanning-care, cosmetology and massage. Talented and experienced staff, warm and friendly environment. L’Oreal, Klapp beauty professional products for salon and home care (also for sale). Open: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 21:00. |
|
|
|
|
| 608. | Senezh Lake
|
Senezh Lake
Senezh Lake is one of the cleanest and quietest places in Moscow region - you are forbidden to use motorboats on its territory. On the beach there's everything needed: from an ice-cream to boat hiring, and even kite-serf-club "Senezh" (www.ozero-senej.ru). Here you may take a lesson of kitting. Fishers are welcomed to hire outfit and catch a pike or just buy it from some lucky. To attend this beautiful place, go to Podsolnechnaya train station (from Leningradsky railway station), then by bus 25 or 30; or drive to Solnechnogorsk, then turn to Timyanonvo at the police post - your destination is a 65th km of Leningradskoye sh. |
|
|
|
|
| 609. | Absolut Bank
|
Absolut Bank
Absolut Bank was established in 1993 and since 2007 is a member of a major international financial group KBC (Top-5 in Central and Eastern Europe). The Bank offers a wide range of banking services including deposits, VIP banking, free consulting on personal finance management etc. English-speaking managers are available. Absolut Bank has an extensive network in Moscow, the Moscow Region and 23 other regions of Russian. ATM network exceeds 2000 machines in Moscow and other cities of Russia conveniently placed (including the metro stations). Please find the appropriate location on the: web site. |
|
|
|
|
| 610. | Bank of Cyprus
|
Bank of Cyprus
On October 31, 2008 the Bank of Cyprus Group acquired an 80 percent stake in Uniastrum Bank for $567 mn. Established in 1899, the Group is a major international holding commanding leadership positions in the banking and financial services sector in Cyprus and Greece and over 30% of the domestic banking market. As a result of the transaction, Uniastrum’s charter capital increased by $50 mn. The Group’s purchase of an 80% interest in the Bank remains the biggest investment in the Russian banking sector by a Cypriot or Greek financial institution. The transaction was finalized once permission was granted by the central banks of Cyprus and Russia, as well as by Russia’s Antimonopoly Service. On November 19, 2008, against the backdrop of official talks between the Russian President, Dmitri Medvedev, and the President of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, Uniastrum Bank and the Bank of Cyprus Group signed a Memorandum to implement a joint three-year (2009-2011) SME lending program in Russia worth 15 billion rubles. Many branches in Moscow. Find the appropriate on the web site. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 611. | Kruzhka (Glass of Beer)
|
Kruzhka (Glass of Beer)
Cheap beer restaurants. Favourite student venue. Democratic atmosphere. Free Wi-Fi. Multiple locations. |
|
|
|
|
| 612. | Costa Coffee
|
Costa Coffee
Multiple locations. Details on official web-site. |
|
|
|
|
| 613. | Il Patio
|
Il Patio
Multiple locations. Details on official web site. |
|
|
|
|
| 614. | Planet Sushi
|
Planet Sushi
Multiple locations. Details on official web site. |
|
|
|
|
| 615. | T.G.I. Friday's
|
T.G.I. Friday's
In the mood to dine in a plank walled saloon-style restaurant with a genuine metal-lined ceiling? Then this is the place for you. Step right up and get your no holds barred, rustic, Americana kitsch. Basic American fare going for about 25% cheaper than at the Starlite, unfortunately the food isn't quite as good. Still, not a bad deal and the management did comp my underdone burger. Multiple locations. Details on official web-site. |
|
|
|
|
| 616. | Jack's
|
Jack's
The large and original pizzas are loaded with toppings but will set you back about $20 bucks. The rest of the items, which include sandwiches, a variety of international entrees, soups, salads, etc. are surprisingly fresh and satisfying as well as pretty thrifty. The coleslaw is a simple treat with added cumin seeds and the "killer" brownies are packed with chocolate chunks. To order online click here.
Delivery only. |
|
|
|
|
| 617. | Mumiy Troll Music Bar
|
Mumiy Troll Music Bar
A music bar right in the heart of Moscow, within walking distance from the Kremlin. Open 24 hours. The Mumiy Troll Music Bar in Moscow is part of Ilya Lagutenko's (frontman of Mumiy Troll band) project for an international chain of live music bars. The first of these has been successfully running in Vladivostok since 2011. It's a great place for meeting friends and having a good time.The house specialty is Pacific cuisine, including Pacific whelk, sea cucumber, laminaria, fernbrake sautéed with meat and veggies pacific style and other delicacies. The international bar offers a unique selection of Asian drinks such as Korean beer and soju, Chinese lagers and Japanese whisky. Meals are available 24/7, including early breakfasts. Free wi-fi. Menu in Russian and English. Get taxi service. Live performances by Russian and foreign bands every night. DJ programs. Superb live sound and a broad selection of performers from the Asia-Pacific region and Russia's Far East. How to get here: Metro "Okhotny Ryad", "Teatralnaya", follow the direction to hotels The Ritz-Carlton and National, Ermolova Theatre, Central Telegraph. Just 1 min walk. |
|
|
|
|
| 618. | B2 Summer Terrace
|
Too hot to cook at home? In Uzbekistan they know about hot, so letting them do the cooking seemed like a good idea. Although many Moscow restaurants serve their regular menu outdoors in summer, B2 have gone one stage further, and set-up an Uzbek outdoor caff in their courtyard - for the authentic outdoor sizzle. This is not trying to compete with the ritzy upscale Uzbek eateries in Moscow - this is honest, Uzbek street-cafe food, priced to persuade you against cooking at home this evening. There is no hokum Uzbek decor - decent and respectable beer-garden patio furniture, and- all the tables are under cover, to save you and your supper from a sudden drenching in the Moscow monsoon season (aka "summer"). You can slob-out shamelessly here and no one will mind - shorts, t-shirts, trainers, whatever you feel comfortable in, bring the kids, it's the perfect antidote to posy dining.
The menu's strong, although not long, on Uzbek standards, and it's all cooked fresh by the guys over there behind the rotisseries. Think of it as a bar with a substantial food menu, and you've got the right approach. The portion-sizes are ideal for snacking, so you can follow central-asian custom and order yourself a selection. There is, however, no pressure on you to order any food at all - if you like you can just drink, so if you just fancy a "beer with a little something", you're in the right place.
We pitched straight in with some pastry appetisers with our drinks - Samsas are like small individual naan-breads, cooked in the tandoor oven, with a little spicy lamb, and go for a mere 20Rbs (you'll want to order at least a couple of these). If an attack of the munchies whilst waiting on some grim station has led to a lifetime's hatred of Cheburek, think again - the cheese ones (60Rbs) here are delicious and light, and not at all greasy.
Plov (pilaff) is the traditional Uzbek staple, and Uzbeksky Plov (150Rbs) didn't disappoint - a generous helping of nice lamb mixed into the tasty rice & veg mix. To provide a little backbone to the meal, we ordered some shashliks - which are priced here per skewerful. It's more fun to mix-and-match, but you ought to reckon on 2+ skewers per person if you're thinking in terms of a main course. The Lamb (90Rbs) was suitably juicy, although the Salmon (90Rbs) was cold when it arrived. The Vegetable shashlik (80Rbs) really needed marinating, the vegetables were quite dry. There are some nice sauces to have on the side - although it's a Georgian interloper on an Uzbek menu, the tkemahli sauce (sour plum) is the perfect partner to the lamb. A plate of rather dull salad and some green herbs made up a rather half-hearted vitamin element to the meal.
There's a good selection of fresh juices (around 140Rbs), although the equally-tempting cocktails don't quite hit the spot - we had a disappointing Mohito (210Rbs) and a very sour Capirinha (150Rbs), and wished we'd stuck to beer or classic drinks.
This is real Uzbek food as served down any alley in Bokhara - tasty, simple, substantial, unpretentious and cheap - and ideal on any occasion when that's what you're after. The (piped) Uzbek music is quiet enough to talk easily, and the service is fast. English-language menus are promised this week too. |
|
|
|
|
| 619. | Expeditsia
|
The Expeditsia restaurant which opened recently amid a good deal of publicity, is tucked away in an undisturbed part of the city, just off Solyanka.
The chef, Leon Ek, is of Night Flight fame, which has long boasted a tasty, inexpensive business lunch. But that's another restaurant-and another story.
Expeditsia is on the first floor of a pre revolutionary building. Once inside, you are struck by post-modern decor. As you make your way through the pine trees to your table, you absorb the subtle design and at the same time wonder why there is a helicopter at one end. Suddenly, you are aware that you are walking over a glass floor with a miniature river scene laid out below.
I ordered the Siberian Delicacy starter. My colleague chose the smoked Omul salad "Baikal". Which, we were informed, is a fresh water fish found only in Lake Baikal. It came very nicely presented with cedar oil but unimaginatively garnished with potato salad. My Siberian delicacy was a variety of small concoctions, burbot liver and damsons with aquavit, smoked fish and other salads. Again, well presented - but I was expecting the food to be as edgy as the decor and was a little disappointed.
They stock a reasonable selection of wines - Both new and old world. We settled on a bottle of Chilean Chardonay.
All of five tables were occupied the evening of our visit. Passable for 7pm on a Tuesday evening but the interior is so eye-catching that the lack of fellow diners doesn't distract you from the experience.
So, why the helicopter? The menu reflects the fare that can be hunted on a typical expedition to the Siberian wilderness, where you're either dropped off by the chopper to wage war on the wildlife, or you can hover overhead, picking off the game. , ducks, rabbits, wild horse etc. - are the critters likely to come into your cross hairs - and almost all are represented on the Expeditsia menu.
Pheasant and young wild horse followed. The pheasant was terrific. Very tender and cooked slightly pink. It rested on a lightly fried potato cake and was presented with cauliflower and celery purees with a ribbon of delicious pear, cognac sauce. It looked and tasted delightful.
I went for the roasted young horse from Yakutia. It was a bit of an attention-grabber served on a skewer and wooden board and looked as if it had been broiled rather than roasted as stated on the menu. The sauteed mushrooms in duck fat, were simple button mushrooms. At these prices I would have expected wild mushrooms at least. There was a celery, herb and cheese thing too. It was Okay, but not very impressive.
A lemon pistache mousse arrived for dessert. Pleasantly done but the pistache mousse had a little too much gelatine and was rubbery. The chocolate mousse was better. Nicely chilled and beautifully contrasted with hot parcels of baked apple wrapped in pastry.
The service was professional and attentive. And if your Russian is like mine (patchy), the staff will work hard to ensure things go smoothly.
The menu is well balanced and interesting, even though it leans heavily on raw fish, especially the starters. There are enough soups to justify a separate section to accommodate them and the main courses include various wild animals along side more familiar offerings such as steak and salmon. Creative desserts such as frozen cranberry with warm fudge and a homely Siberian berry pie are featured.
The bill was not cheap - around $130 US for two.
Overall, the decor upstaged the food but I understand that Leon the chef was off that night. Is Expeditsia just quirky, vying for attention in the over crowded Moscow restaurant scene? Probably, although its always going to be tough to make the food as appealing as the concept. Who can resist the lure of exploring Siberia and hunting in a helicopter? I recon they should sell those tours at reception - just a thought!
Robert Gollings is a
Consultant Chef in Moscow
robertgollings@hotmail.com |
|
|
|
|
| 620. | Ararat Cafe
|
Sevan Up
The revolving glass doors closed hermetically behind me. Moscow's sticky heat was left behind as I entered the chilled air of the glassed atrium. Modernist elevators whisked the world's Great and Good to secluded upper levels with silent unquestioning obedience, at the soft-spoken command "make it so". The first job would be to make it past the guards. However, the strange absence of a body-check, x-ray scanner, or series of impertinent questions from some juvenile Rambo only reinforced my initial suspicions that we had passed through a wormhole in the time-space continuum. I passed-by a carpet deep enough to have swallowed me alive, gently congratulating myself on evading such obvious traps, and allowed myself to be engulfed in a massive sofa until my colleagues arrived. Around me citizens of other realms closed deals on their mobiles in a Babylon of languages. How few of them knew what I knew - that this massive complex had an Achilles - heel, which could be penetrated by myself and my colleagues on a secret mission that dwarfed the scale of their billion-dollar deals. We were going to lunch.
For those of you in civilisations who have not yet mastered time travel, I should reveal that fifty of your Earth years ago, a former Cafe Ararat stood on the same site. Its clientele were soviet bohemian writers and intellectuals, for whom the promise of far-off Caucasian mountains enshrined the furthest hope of foreign exotica afforded by Stalin's People's Paradise. Photographs of the former Cafe can be seen on today's walls. It's immediately obvious that this is no rural trattoria with bentwood chairs and mama slaving in a steamy kitchen - this is the upscale end of Armenian cuisine. It's not, however, a dumbed-down or homogenised version; authenticity and quality are overseen by Master Chef Samvel Minasian. Prior to taking up his duties in Moscow, Minasian was supervising banquets for Guests of State in Armenia, as Head Chef to President Robert Kocharian. His remarkable achievement at Cafe Ararat is to maintain the simplicity implicit in Armenian cuisine - which relies on superb-quality ingredients, all flown-in specially - but present them in a style befitting a 5* international hotel. The atmosphere is laid-back and informal - the dress code is smart-casual, and cosy sofas encourage longer lounging.
The tastes and aromas of Caucasian cuisine are dominated in Moscow by Georgian food - with which expats fleeing an overdose of sour cream are already well familiar. Armenian chefs have the same broad palette of flavours and textures at their disposal, but the results are pleasingly different. There is a little "bite" in the flavouring, but it's aromatic rather than fiery. All is reliant on the freshest ingredients - the strong suits of the Armenian kitchen are imaginative purees and melanges of spiced vegetables, succulent fish, and speciality grills - all accompanied by fine local wines produced in a proudly independent tradition.
And so, to our meal. Three of us sat down to lunch and in Armenian tradition, we ordered a meze selection of appetisers to share. If the dishes are unfamiliar, English-speaking assistance is at hand, with knowledgeable and enthusiastic insight into any dish on the menu - from portion-size to pedigree, each dish is explained with the passion of an art-historian, and with a view to their suitability as dining combination. We took several - you can adjust your selection according to your appetite, budget and available time, but a traditional Armenian meal should have the table almost collapsing under the quantity and variety served. If you like it simple, Traditional Armenian Eggplant Salad ($6) is luscious and rich, and what I especially liked was that it wasn't swimming in an ocean of cheap oil - a background aroma of light virgin olive-oil complemented the aubergines. The Selection of Smoked Fish seemed no pocket-pleaser at $22, but the giant portion of salmon, crayfish, fresh crab, and sturgeon is a meal in itself, and all excellent. Aveluk is an Armenian speciality -“ a spinach roulade cross-cut into elegant slices ($5). The Armenian cheese platter ($5) is much more interesting than it sounds, the cheeses are nicely contrasted for bite and texture. With all of this, of course, you must have Armenian flat-bread, lavash. If you can't decide, or there aren't enough of you to order a full spread of full-sized portions, Ararat will be happy to put together an Appetiser Selection based on your preferences.
The danger - as usual in Caucasian food -“ is to enjoy the sumptuous appetiser selection so much that by the time the main courses arrive, you're already on the retreat. Yes, sadly we made that mistake too, but in fairness, these are appetisers you'd happily gorge on until they were physically taken away from you. Assuming you are more prudent in your hors deoeuvres-munching than we were, you might profitably continue to the magnificent mains. Armenia is a land of lakes and rivers - its famous Lake Sevan is even pictured in a huge mural on the restaurant-s walls. Lake Sevan produces several kinds of trout, and Ishkhan trout ($23) is excellent. If you're watching the calories or fat intake, this comes steamed with aromatic vegetables and herbs, and it truly melts in your mouth. Kyufta ($18) is one of those dishes which could only come from a society which sets no price on preparation time - prime beef is first whipped, and then lightly poached into a sort of spiced meat souffle, served with an omelette garnish. However as a rule Armenian men don't like their meat overly mucked-about with, and Traditional Armenian Shashlik ($24) is exactly what you'd hope it might be - a gigantic portion of toothsomely grilled cuts, your choice of chicken, lamb or pork.
At this point we were forced to withdraw - we slunk away defeated. Diners of greater girth and determination might have proceeded further to a promising selection of innovative desserts, all retailing at $8 and unknown numbers of calories.
An excellent convention in this restaurant is the option to order wines by the glass. And not only the vin de table, but many of the wines in the cellar. Armenia is, after all, a country in which wine-drinking is an everyday pleasure, without the strictures of a sommelier's beady eye. We had a luscious dry light red, which partnered my fish very comfortably despite all conventions to the contrary. If you wish to spend more, you can delve into their cellar of Armenian (and other) fine wines. Armenian table-water is ideal on the side.
The service is immaculate - charming, welcoming, eager to share the pleasure of Armenian food with new friends. Mind-changing and an onslaught of capricious questions about the menu were handled with bilingual aplomb. But whilst the service is five-star, the bill weighs-in mid-priced, as part of a conscious effort to encourage non-residents into the hotel's exclusive environs - there's no punchy overpricing here. A final tip - whether or not you make it to the desserts, skip your post-prandial coffee or liquer here, and instead beam-up to their Panorama Bar on the top floor, for a super rooftop view (outdoors in summer) of downtown Moscow and the Bolshoi Theatre. |
|
|
|
|
| 621. | Chicago Prime
|
I have seen the advertisements for Chicago Prime during recent forays to Starlite Diner, and Chicago Prime has been on my list of restaurants to check out. As it turns out, and not due to a miracle in cross-advertising, Chicago Prime and Starlite Diner are part of the same operating company. I have been a loyal fan of the Starlite Diner since 1998, so I welcomed the opportunity to review Chicago Prime.
Chicago Prime’s location is near Pushkinskaya metro station and not difficult to access by metro (especially) or automobile, but traffic can be heavy and slow on the boulevard ring. Chicago Prime is also open until 0500, so if you want late night steak, traffic is a relative non-issue. Parking is available behind a shlagbaum – even though we knew before arriving that parking was available, it was not readily available at 2000 on a Monday night.
The metro station is close to the restaurant and less of a headache. Rather, a more minor headache since Pushkinskaya is composed of three stops/stations with many exits. Follow the Strastnoi Bulvar exit signs, and you should come out of the right exit.
Access to headache-free WiFi has become a condition for my repeat business at restaurants and cafes in Moscow, especially expensive restaurants that cater to the expat community. Chicago Prime has headache-free WiFi, and it is convenient to keep up to speed on emails or just search the net.
The interior and atmosphere of Chicago Prime are appealing - that is, you can readily have a conversation over a normal sized table and the dining areas are big enough that you do not have to hear about how important the guy in the next table is, ex-pat or Russian.
Also, the music was, at least for me, a “make you smile” mix of Jimmy Buffet, Van Morrison, some Police, U2, and other songs that I knew. They also did not repeat and were not over thematic – i.e. crooning, loud Italian at a pasta place, annoyingly soft, artsy pafos music, or mega-repeat unknown, gibberish English language by unknown artists you run into at a lot of places in Moscow.
Chicago Prime also has a bar section that overlooks the boulevard with comfortable seating and offers food service as well. They have Happy Hour specials on weekdays from 1700 to 2000 – the current special is two for one drinks and 20% off the bar food menu.
Upon first glance, the menu at Chicago Prime itself may appear limited, but it is not. By this I mean that the main items are on one page – and each point of a great steak and seafood menu are well covered. You will not be at a loss for choices – like me, more than one entree will make your mouth water. Same for the garnishes crafted to complement your main entree.
However, as a warning – and actually a big plus for a Moscow restaurant – the portions at Chicago Prime are hearty, so plan accordingly when you order!
We started the night with a recommended currant-limonad (325 RUR for .5L pitcher, freshly made) that my dinner date absolutely had to try. I contemplated beer, but with an early flight out of Moscow the next morning, I really ventured outside of the culinary comfort zone with a freshly opened bottle of Coca Cola (120 RUR).
The English translation is Cowberry Lemonade, not the most romantic name, but do not be fooled. It was a stellar mix of fresh ingredients served on ice, and I highly recommend it. The other fruit drinks listed are also likely as appealing and flavorful, and 325 RUR for .5L of freshly-made juice is a good price.
Appetizers were a shrimp cocktail (690 RUR) over a vinaigrette type salad with a big Kamchatka crab claw, as well as Kamchatka crab cakes (750 RUR). The shrimp cocktail came with fried parmesan cheese slabs that were, quite frankly, awesome. Appetizers were flavorful, promptly arrived after ordering, and went well with the bread basket and flavored butter.
I was a bit tortured by which entree to choose since I wanted to go with a non-typical cut for me; I chose the Porterhouse Steak (3290 RUR). My dinner date had Maine Lobster (350 RUR per 100g / 2450 RUR total). For garnishes, we went with sauteed, caramelized onions (100 RUR), steamed asparagus with butter (490 RUR), french fries with truffles (290 RUR), and potatoes au gratin (390 RUR).
Steak was excellent and cooked exactly how I wanted it to be. The Porterhouse is what is termed “USDA CAB Aged Beef” – an involved curing process that locks in the flavors in a multi-step process over 45 days. The difference in taste was certainly noticeable. The potatoes au gratin were spectacular – to such an extent that the french fries were largely ignored as dinner progressed.
Maine lobster was excellent without reservations. The process was interesting since you are allowed to choose your own live lobster from the tank. A fleeting moment of playing God; I was not allowed to do the same for the bovine from whence my Porterhouse originated, however.
At this point we were satiated and dessert was out of the question, although the menu was beckoning. The waiter said that he would have the bartender mix up a non-alcoholic fresh fruit drink for us (500 RUR for two) that we would like. Think of it as liquid dessert – and it was off the chart excellent! The barman came over and relayed what was in it – ask for it if you are at Chicago Prime, with or without alcohol. I would characterize it as a strawberry cousin to a Pina Colada.
We took an order of cheesecake home that was the centerpiece of breakfast this morning. There was also a nice card in the bag thanking us for our patronage and wishing us to return soon – nice touch, and not seen often in Moscow, it seems.
Our final bill pushed 11,000 rubles without gratuity. Keep in mind that we did not drink alcohol – after all, it was a Monday – so your bill can climb quickly. At the same time, we had a few dishes upon the recommendation of our waiter that we would not have had otherwise, as well as our super after-dinner cocktail times two made by the Erik the Barman.
In short, I have only good things to say about our dining experience at Chicago Prime. Location is accessible, pricing as expected, food exquisite and superb service. I highly recommend Chicago Prime for business dinners, relatives in town that need to be wooed, or a nice experience for a couple. |
|
|
|
|
| 622. | Barmalini
|
Barmalini – a new pizzeria cafe from the owners of Coffeemania
My credentials for reviewing Russia’s pizza-places are unshakeable - I was at the opening night of the first-ever pizza cafe in the USSR - in Leningrad, in 1984. It was an unforgettable night – they had a black-&-white chequerboard tiled floor (they’d painted it by hand!), they had Italian music playing, the place was packed with revellers. The only thing they didn’t have was pizza – they’d sold out by lunchtime. But you could bring your own drinks (back then private cafes couldn’t get liquor-licences), and everyone was having a great time - the welcome was warm and heartfelt, and Paolo Conte was on the cassette-player.
Fast-forward a quarter century and slightly to the south, I confidently stride into Pizzeria Barmalini near Paveletskaya. There are funny pictures on the walls and stuffed dolls and toys for the kiddywinks – not exactly the expectation I had of a pizzeria, and Barmalini is the exact opposite of my Leningrad 1984 experience. They do, indeed, have pizza. And it’s great pizza! But some other things you might expect alongside are missing.
My glamorous co-reviewer Emilia Marty arrived late – she’d walked straight past the place, not realising it was the pizzeria she was hunting for. The menu is just a simple single-sided list of pizzas only. If you want a salad, a dessert, or anything to drink, then you can pore instead through the Coffeemania menu, since Coffeemania own Barmalini and are operating full-on the other side of the adjoining partition. Avid pizza fans may well find this to be enough – especially if you’ve just popped in for a lightning lunch (and the service is indeed enviably presto). But I love classic Italian starters like tricolore, or marinated artichokes, or a delicious bruschetta – and somewhat surprisingly, you can’t get them at Barmalini. This seems an odd decision, but presumably it’s to encourage patrons not to linger at lunchtimes? The same idea might be behind not having wi-fi either?
In many small pizzerias or trattorias in Italy, a glass of house wine comes free with the Set Meal, and it’s house wine that the owner will drink himself. Sadly this democratic approach to wine doesn’t apply at Barmalini. We were finally induced into trying a glass each of their red and white offerings - but at ten euros a pop they’re not something you ask them to bring more of. You won’t spend long choosing, though – because in fact they only have one Italian red, and one Italian white on the menu. The price of 490 roubles isn’t for a bottle – it’s for a single glass of Chianti Classico (or 450 roubles for the white choice – an Orvieto San Giovanni Classico). I can’t help thinking that this pricing policy is going to encourage diners to skip wine altogether.
I was in utter ignorance about Barmalini – apparently (or so Emilia told me) he was Pinocchio’s nemesis. His cartoon picture is all over the walls. The rest of the interiors consist of exposed red-brick walls and the ho-hum-seen-it-before exposed high-tech steel ducting and lighting. After seeing the latest venues unveiled by Barmalini owners Coffemania – for example their outlet in the shopping centre at Trubnaya – I was really surprised by the simplistic decor.
We ought to mention the pizzas - which are indeed excellent! Emilia took a Campagna (490 Rbs for a single-serving pizza) – a classic Italian line-up. It came on an authentically thin base, topped with a fragrant tomato sauce and a lavishly generous covering of salami milano. The balance of flavourings, herbs and olive oil was masterly, and this is truly excellent pizza-making, although Emilia had some reservations about having so much salami on one single pizza. Barmalini’s menu offers two pizzas prepared on black dough – although surprisingly they tell you nothing at all about, err, why it’s black? I took a Quattro Mare (450 Rbs for a single-serving pizza) which came on a deliciously thin, black-hued base. The entire area of the pizza is elegantly arrayed by segments of different seafood toppings – there’s tuna, salmon, seafood cocktail and shrimps. Better than this pizza doesn’t get, believe me – a treat for the eyes and tastebuds alike. The pizza bases themselves are enviably crisp and authentically thin, coming from a gleaming pizza oven whose substantial appearance dominates the entire kitchen area. Part of the fun of Barmalini – as in the best pizza places – is that you get to watch the pizza-making as it happens, and the kichen area is at the centre of attention in the cafe’s layout. And you certainly get the real thing here – all of the ingredients are top-quality and delicious, and the sumptuous taste delivers every expectation from enticing appearance and aroma. The difference between factory-made and hand-made couldn’t be more convincingly made – this is the pizza that Momma used to make.
There are no Italian desserts on the menu (in case you had a hankering for panna cotta, or a choice of gelateria?), but you can order desserts from the Coffeemania menu instead. I took an It Girl dessert (310 Rbs) – a raspberry mousse decorously draped with green fronds and with a pineapple centre – a tried and tested Coffeemania favourite. Emilia wasn’t so keen on her Fortunella (290 Rbs) – a concotion of Philadelphia cheese with mandarin and kumquat.
Paveletskaya is keenly short of eateries, and getting a lunchtime table in any of them is a ticklish business. The area all around is lined with the corporate office-blocks of Russian and foreign companies. Anyone who succeeds in opening a cafe here is going to make money – without trying especially hard.But Barmalini are trying hard, and the difference counts. The service sacrifices the personal touch in favour of ruthless efficiency – which might suit you, on occasion?
Barmalini delivers great pizza, reliably and speedily – making it an ideal place for a business-hour lunch. You’ll get a great lunch easily even if you’re pushed for time, without any fingernail-chewing about whether you’ll get back to the office on time. They’re clearly aware of the competition locally for the lunchtime trade. Where I have reservations, however, is the evening. With a major multiplex cinema around the corner, and the concert-hall/theatre complex of Dom Muzyky across the road, there’s another clientele around who might be more keen to see a wider menu (perhaps with more Italian appetisers or desserts) on offer, and whose main priority isn’t merely speedy service. This might be an area which Barmalini are looking to cover later on?
Meanwhile what’s on offer at Barmalini is pizza made to the highest standards, and not for the lowest price. That makes Barmalini a lifestyle choice, because there is certainly cheaper pizza available down the street. Yet the originality and high quality of what Barmalini is offering is worth the small extra cost, and certainly didn’t seem to be deterring diners on the day we visited. Whether they convince you to become a regular or not, Barmalini sets the benchmark for creatively-designed top-quality pizzas, and their local competitors will have to sharpen up their act to remain in contention. |
|
|
|
|
| 623. | Bar Port
|
Hard to find, difficult to forget!
Before getting too deep into this review, I want to clearly state and without qualification – go and dine out for lunch or dinner at Bar Port (BP). Do not delay – seriously. You will not be disappointed in the cuisine, pricing, or atmosphere. For expats, there is a very small window right now for restaurant customers in which, generally speaking, menu pricing has not caught up with the significant devaluation of the rouble during the past 6 months. Carpe diem – you will not regret the Italian inspired cuisine at BP.
“Hard to find, difficult to forget” is the motto that greets you when, well, you find BP. Upon arrival by car or metro, ignore the row of colorful restaurants that line the boulevard bombarding your optical nerve. BP is tucked into a nook at the short end of the monster, long building – walk along restaurant row towards the Garden Ring. Turn right at end of building, keep walking, look to your right, and you will see the BP sign, brightly stating it’s hard to find motto. Once found, though, BP is easy to find again.
As you can see on its website, BP has a sleek and classy interior with a balanced layout of bar and restaurant sitting areas. While it might seem trite, I was tickled to see that almost every seat at the bar has…drum roll please…an outlet to charge your electronic devices. From working on a laptop to keeping your phone or tablet satiated, the outlets were a thoughtful aspect. Not to worry – there are a large number of outlets in the restaurant area. This is clearly a sign the BP opened recently (December 2014) and is in tune with the finer things that its clientele will appreciate.
On most nights, BP gains a lively, edgier atmosphere as the evening progresses with either an in-house DJ or live music. BP is also located in somewhat of a mini business district - the after work drinks, dinner, and dancing scene heats up quickly. BP is also very active in social media, so take a look at BP’s Facebook page before going, as there may be a special event or menu items offered at that time that you will not want to miss.
I got the evening started with a mug of Guiness (400 RUR) to relax and a San Benedetta Water (200 RUR) to hydrate. A bit of a paradox, but BP is a bit paradoxical, so that was the culinary path that I took. To note, BP does have an extensive wine, beer, and liquor selection.
BP has a rich menu of small appetizers called unico that are similar to tapas, but not quite the same. Prices range from 100 RUR to 150 RUR per serving, with most priced less than 120 RUR. This is a key aspect of the “Gastronomic Bar” identity that BP is aiming to hit. Unicos - carbonara, seafood, duck, lamb, salmon, veal, mushrooms, and other vegetables.
I started with 3 unicos – duck ragu, carbonara, and beef with zucchini. The Duck Ragu (100 RUR) was underwhelming – too much dough taste that diluted the duck flavors. The Carbonara (100 RUR) is a surprising black color that delivers a powerful thick wave of mouth watering flavor. From my notes, the Beef with Zucchini (120 RUR) was excellent with tree exclamation points. Suffice to say, the small sized unicos delivered an out sized punch of flavor that greatly exceeded expectations.
To the opening wave of unicos, I added an appetizer of Tuna Tartar with Melons (520 RUR) that was, quite frankly, the best tuna tartar that I have had to date in Moscow. The tuna tartar was presented in a layer of sauce mixed with white melons that gave it a balance of savory flavor and sweet wetness that was divine. For the price, the portion size and high quality are compelling – I highly recommend this dish. There are a number of other enticing appetizers on the menu – and I venture that they all exceed expectations.
At this point in the meal, I was very impressed with BP, and I could not wait for my main entrée to arrive. It was difficult to choose one entree, but I had to limit myself to one, as I wanted to return to the unico menu, plus a couple desserts and coffee. The menu offers a mix of pastas, risottos, seafood, and meat dishes. My final choice was narrowed down to Tagliata Tuna Breaded with Cuttlefish Ink (690 RUR), Dorado al Cartoccio Baked in a Sleeve with Olives Tadzhaski, Cherry Tomatoes, Lemon and Herbs, with Fragrant Smoke (750 RUR), and Saltimbocca Veal alla Romana with Ham and Marsala Sauce (690 RUR).
I chose the saltimbocca, and – a week later – and I am still very happy with my decision. I had never tried this dish before, and I have had tuna and dorado previously. The saltimbocca at BP is my culinary high point for 2015, in part because I did not know what I was ordering (the surprise factor), but primarily because the dish was a knockout punch of pleasure to my taste buds. Tender veal, plus prosciutto, plus marsala sauce, plus the perfect preparation means that this is a dish that I will go out of my way to recommend to others and return to BP to have again. This was a very rare occasion where I forced myself to slow down and eat small bites so that I could enjoy every second that this dish was in front of me. Five stars, ten stars – whatever the ranking scale is, you must try this entrée if you are dining at BP!
After the saltimbocca, a small window opened before desert and coffee that simply had to be filled with an order of two more unico dishes. I chose unicos Marinara with Seafood (100 RUR) and Lamb, Red Onion, Eggplant (120 RUR). The marinara with seafood was very good with thin dough that did not dilute the seafood tastes. I could tell that the lamb unico used high quality lamb, but I would suggest a sauce or similar be developed since the overall taste was somewhat boring. If a light, savory sauce were added, the lamb would be “more tasty” and not be so much of the “only taste” in the dish.
Dessert and coffee are oftentimes the make or break moment of a dining experience for me. Great meal, bad dessert does not leave a great, literal, taste in one’s mouth. However, great meal, even better dessert is like hitting that aces over kings full house at the poker table.
BP has a diverse array of desserts that are similar to other restaurants, so I had resigned myself to the feeling that dessert would be a “check the box” endeavor of “good, try it if you would like a dessert”. I ordered Coffee Americano (170 RUR) and two desserts.
Much to my surprise, the least sexy dessert item – Cake with Pears (320 RUR) – was absolutely divine with a fluffy, tiramisu-like top layer, a second layer of juicy pear, and then a final layer of cake was the perfect combination. My fork sank hungrily through the cream layer, bit into the pear, and melded it all together with the cookie cake layer – to wit, this dessert was so good that it warranted instant recommendations to a number of friends in Moscow who work close to BP. Cheesecake with Passion Fruit Sauce (320 RUR) was also very good with a tangy sauce, but if you really need cheesecake, there is not a shortage of cheesecake choices in Moscow. However, the cake with pears that BP offers is found in only one place – Bar Port!
In closing, the total bill came to 3360 RUR before tip, an exceptional value for the level of quality, presentation, and atmosphere that BP offers. I will return to BP any time that I am in this area of Moscow, and I will continue to highly recommend BP as both a restaurant scene and a bar scene. |
|
|
|
|
| 624. | Il Patio
|
There is a certain something about the Patio Pizza chain that somehow fails to spark much enthusiasm. I've passed the rather tacky looking Belorusskaya branch numerous times without ever feeling the need to pass through its doors. Whether it is the cheap plastic exterior or its close proximity to Rosticks, I have always felt the need to avoid its charms. However once, without really knowing why I decided to try it. I suppose it possessed a strange familiarity, maybe it was the fact that the final bill was unlikely to cause financial ruin or probably it was just because my partner was an avid pizza fan.
On entering the door we were immediately greeted, not by grotesque steroid-filled gorilla intent on implementing face control, but by a sincere smiling waitress who politely asked whether we wanted smoking or non-smoking seats. Oh what a relief it was to have the opportunity to actually taste my food rather than my neighbour's nicotine. We were sat in a quiet corner nicely tucked away from the open plan kitchen but arguably too close to the disturbing plastic waterfall. However this was a minor disagreement. The interior was, at worst, anonymous but nowhere near as offensive as the outside suggested it might have been.
The menu was brought to us by a charming (if slightly robotic) waiter who introduced himself, wished us a pleasant meal and gave us his own personal recommendations. Of course by the time we arrived this welcome had probably passed his lips a hundred times.
A quick glance of the menu suggested that it was rather limited to the staple pasta and pizza dishes. There were a few non-Italian sounding specials such as Steamed Salmon (485 roubles) and an fried Lamb Chops (596 roubles) but anyone who was expecting the lively regional specialities from Umbra, Tuscany or Lombardy would have been left despondent.
However there is little point bemoaning what a menu lacks rather than focusing on what it does well. Unfortunately time prevented us from choosing starters. The selection was a rather uninspiring affair, consisting of old favourites such as oven-baked Focaccia, garlic breads, Gazpacho, but the portions were admittedly impressive. I looked on enviously as a freshly made Bruschetta topped with a generous helping of chopped plum tomatoes drizzled with deliciously pure virgin olive oil was delivered to my neighbour's table. The Minestrone Soup, viewed from afar, was a delightful cocktail of deep-co loured broth swimming with thickly cut fresh vegetables. It filled the air with an earthy, herby, sweet pungency.
Alas we went straight to the main course. Nowadays the popularity of Italian food means that you can find a margarita in Poland, a Hawaiian in Brazil, or even a four seasons in Vietnam. Patio pizza is no exception. Whatever your favourite pizza is you are unlikely to be disappointed here. The prices are very reasonable too (Most are in the 200-350 rouble range). All pizzas are freshly prepared on-site and then cooked in the restaurant's own wood-fired, stone-based oven. Many restaurants now boast of similar classical cooking methods, the same attention to detail but it seems that Patio has managed to go that little bit further than many of its rivals. A deeper delve into the menu is rewarded with the discovery of the pizza specials boasting names such as the Michelangelo or the Valentino. These are prepared with the same love and care but unusual shaped pizza bases and the clever selection of extraordinary coloured ingredients enhance not only the taste but also the visual experience. The triangular Michelangelo with its succulent brown mushrooms, fresh black olives and the unusually fragrant basil leaves was a sumptuous bargain at less than 300 roubles.
No Italian meal can be truly enjoyed without the accompaniment of a good wine. The wine list rather like the menu itself was more functional than exciting. The expected heavyweights such as Pinot Grigio (850 roubles), and Soav e (675 roubles) were all present as were a few young reds from France. The inclusion of Lambrusco (560roubles), in my mind at least, was unfortunate and unnecessary. One had hoped that it had long ago gone into retirement. For those who feel the need there was the inimitable Sovetskoe Shampanskoe' at 250 roubles. Be reassured that if you do go for this option (as we ourselves did) you won't be classed a social leper. In fact will get a snazzy ice bucket and be treated to a very theatrical opening.
All in all Patio Pizza was a complete surprise. As I walked in I have to admit that I was expecting the worst. The uninspiring outside gives no clue as to the quality of both the food and the service that you will receive. The menu isn't wide-ranging nor particularly inspiring but what it does do, it does well. Large tasty portions are served by polite staff in a friendly environment. It obviously won't be to everyone's taste; for some it will be too formulaic, for others it won't carry enough prestige. I for one hope they stay away. Let me keep Patio Pizza for myself! On the other hand, I wonder how many people like me have taken one look and decided not to go in. Do they know what they are missing? It's time they found out. |
|
|
|
|
| 625. | Osteria della Piazza Bianca
|
For me, as the Moscow evening weather cools and the days abruptly become shorter in October, the indoor restaurant season springs to life. This magical Moscow crossroads between long summer days and heavy winter coats rekindles a galaxy of warm memories of past cozy dinners. Thus, Osteria Bianca (Bianca) appeared on my radar with perfect timing for a dinner date during a favorite time of year in Moscow.
Bianca has an extremely convenient location if one is arriving by metro. It is crucial, however, to take one’s time to be sure to exit the Belorusskaya metro labyrinth correctly. Follow the exit signs towards Lesnaya ulitsa – ring line or radius line – and you will exit into a pedestrian only square. Looking straight ahead, Coffemania is to your right, Torro Grill and Starbucks are to your middle, and Bianca is to your left. As well, Bianca is very close to the Holiday Inn Lesnaya if you happen to be in Moscow and staying at this popular hotel.
Dinner was set for 7PM, and I arrived a few minutes early. Bianca was bustling with activity, and I could tell immediately that I was going to like spending time in this restaurant.
The dinner crowd was varied – couples on romantic dates, larger parties of friends meeting up, and several people sitting alone behind a laptop with dinner and coffee. In short, Bianca provides an atmosphere where nearly anybody feels comfortable immediately.
Throughout the evening, I was extremely impressed by the extent to which the head chef, Salvatore Barbara , interacted with all the tables seated. I have not had an experience in Moscow where I have felt that a chef has cared as much about making a customer feel comfortable and taken care of in a restaurant – kudos!
Before going to Bianca, I reviewed its website to understand the cuisine offered. I was not sure if I was to expect a Boston style oyster house as the name Osteria implies or a traditional European seafood restaurant. To this extent, while Bianca does offer Fresh Oysters (180 RUR each), Bianca’s menu is balanced and varied around a surf and turf theme. The menu also offers an array of pasta and pizza if you are looking for a faster turnaround or are short on time.
The dining atmosphere at Bianca balances informal and formal – that is, a person could be as comfortable having a light dinner and drinks with friends after work or formally entertaining guests. I found Bianca to have the perfect touch of lighting for a crisp autumn evening – a mix of “bright enough” lighting melded into a well thought-out interior color scheme, and not the horrible dull lighting as I have found the case in many higher end restaurants in Moscow.
While waiting for my dinner date to arrive, I ordered an Unfiltered Pauleainer Beer (330 RUR, 500ml) and Blue-finned Tuna Tartar with Goat Cheese (580 RUR). The tuna tartar was exquisite, with the fresh taste of the tuna complimented superbly by the toasted bread with goat cheese.
To be sure to have a hot dish on the table when my dinner date arrived, I placed a delayed order for Mussel in Mediterranea Style and Garlic Bread (350 RUR). This is a hearty dish of steamed mussels in a tangy sauce, garnered with cherry tomatoes and greens, and it arrived piping hot and with perfect timing.
To sample the menu and further delve into appetizers, upon Salvatore’s recommendation, we also ordered Salmon Taratara with Potatoes Salad and Sauce (390 RUR), Tomatoes Soup with Ricotta Cheese (250 RUR), and Broccoli Soup with Gorgonzola Cheese (390 RUR).
To wit, between the cold/hot appetizers and soups, Bianca has 37 offerings – so there is a great chance that you will find several items to your liking.
The salmon tartar was presented with caper mushrooms that complimented one of the best potato salads that I have ever tried in my life. To say that I was pleasantly surprised that a dish featuring potato salad could be so good would be an understatement. Both soups, as well, featured the perfect cheese for both – the tomato soup was a balance of hearty and tangy, and the broccoli was a rich cream soup thick on taste and texture.
We ordered main entrees upon Salvatore’s recommendation and wine upon the recommendation of the sommelier to complement. I ordered Duck, Veal, and Lamb Chop Grill Served with Grilled Vegetable and Mushroom Sauce (1100 RUR) and a glass of Argiano Red Wine (550 RUR, 125 ml) from Tuscany. My dinner date ordered Grilled Seafood,Ssalmon, Sea Bass and Tiger Prawns with Green Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes (1500 RUR) and a glass of Catena Chardonnay (480 RUR, 125 ml).
This was the first time that I have had duck in Moscow that proved to be a positive memorable experience – in the past, duck has been a disappointment, but Salvatore assured me that I would not be disappointed. To wit, the duck was fabulous – simply divine – and both the veal and lamb chops were excellent. The mushroom sauce went perfectly with the recommended wine as well.
The seafood entree had huge tiger prawn shrimp that were accompanied by succulent filets of salmon and sea bass. The chardonnay was the absolute correct light wine choice for the composition.
The portions for both main dishes were large and presented appealing value for the price. You would be hard pressed to find the same level of quality ingredients, flavor, and presentation at a similar price point in other Moscow restaurants today. Also, be sure to slow down and enjoy the entree offerings, as the desert menu offers very appealing choices.
For dessert, we had a difficult time deciding what to order – and were happy to take our time after large main dishes - so we chose the tact that variety is the spice of life with a troika of desserts. Tiramisu with Marsala Wine and Orange Zeste (350 RUR), Meringue Rolled Cake with Raspberry (390 RUR), and Sorbet Trio (200 RUR).
We garnered the desserts with Americano Coffee (170 RUR) and Japanese Linden with Chamomile and Lime Oil Tea (220 RUR).
The tiramisu was excellent – the right taste, texture, and sweetness. The meringue rolled cake, however, was one of the most memorable desserts that we have had at any restaurant in Moscow, ever. I forgot to inquire about the secret recipe, but – first and foremost – the next time that I am in the area, I will be sure to stop at Bianca to partake in a cup of hot coffee and meringue rolled cake. The sorbets were well matched to our coffee and tea and would be a nice, quick desert on a summer day.
The final bill was 7510 RUR, not including gratuity, and I consider that at that price level, Bianca offers a solid value proposition of somewhat informal dining with top shelf selection and execution. If we had not been doing a review, the final bill would have been closer to 4000 RUR, and that is an appealing cost for a dinner night out in Moscow.
With that being said, I recommend Osteria Bianca without hesitation and will return to this lovely restaurant, I am sure, many times in the future.
PS: I almost forgot to mention…be sure to try the degustive drink orangecello or limoncello to cap off your evening with a smile! We tried both, and they took the edge off the cool Moscow evening on the walk home. Highly recommended, and I do not believe that they are readily offered on the menu – you need to ask! |
|
|
|
|
| 626. | Laffa Laffa
|
Having a Laffa
Moscow’s cafe culture has been transformed over the years: after years of over-priced ‘see and be seen’ affairs or mediocre fast-food chains a welcome range of new openings in the past 18 months or so has taken us back to basics. Finally the city is embracing a kind of street food culture that values quality cooking and fresh ingredients ahead of pafosny posturing.
Laffa Laffa is the latest in this wave. It has two sites – one on Malaya Bronaya, the other on Neglinaya – and specialises in Middle Eastern cuisine. That means plenty of hummus and falafel, two dishes that have recently become fashionable across Moscow, but the star of the show, undoubtedly, is the shawurma.
Whatever experiences you might have had with shawurma before, rest assured that this is far removed from the old-school kiosk food that has largely disappeared from the city as mayor Sergei Sobyanin cut his swathe through the dubious vendors thronging every metro station.
Here the emphasis is absolutely on quality: meat and veg are freshly sourced each day and the ‘laffa’ flatbread that gives the cafes their name is baked to order at blistering speed. It all takes a bit longer than a minute to put the dish together – not quite the fastest food in town, but a more than fair compromise between time and quality.
Although Middle Eastern in aim, the concept was inspired more by the 15 years the owner of the business spent living between Moscow and London. Like many people familiar with both cities, she noticed that one had a vibrant, multi-national culinary scene and the other had, well, dodgy kiosks next to metro stations or ultra-pafosny posing palaces with next to nothing in between. Laffa Laffa aims to fill that gap.
Key staff were recruited from Lebanon and Syria to ensure authentic recipes – head chef Ali Al-Tikriti comes from Lebanon with several years’ experience of restaurant in his native Beirut and in Dubai; many of his colleagues arrived from Syria. Zen has come up with a menu that is both simple enough not to risk running astray but sufficiently varied to ensure that either of the two cafes would bear regular visits from nearby workers heading out on lunch breaks. The signature shawurma can be served with lamb or chicken, or falafel for vegetarians. There’s also a choice of sauces, from traditional hummus to a seldom seen (in Moscow, at least) amba sauce, a fruity confection based on mangoes that goes especially well with the chicken. Although advertised as spicy, Western palates may feel it’s a Russian take on spice, but that arguably helps the flavour come out and complement the meat rather than overpowering it beneath a big hit of chili.
It’s also worth exploring the dips: aside from hummus, there’s a good selection of rich, smoky vegetable mixes that just cry out to be scooped up on a hunk of laffa bread and wolfed down. The mukhamara, with a nutty after-taste, is certainly worth closer inspection. Once again, it’s a menu with plenty of choice for vegetarians – another selling point in a city where meat-free dishes are not always very easy to find. At present menus are only available in Russian, and the staff’s English is somewhat nervous, but the choices are straightforward enough to suggest that a fairly elementary grasp of Russian will be sufficient to place your order.
Neither cafe is large, and the tend to have a busy, lively atmosphere – especially at lunchtimes. The décor, informed by the street food concept, has a pop-art, graffiti-like vibe that fits in nicely with the ‘urban-trendy’ audience. It’s some distance from the pastiche Middle East of Sindibad, the long-serving restaurant from that region; it’s a bit edgier and cooler than that, and there’s no sign of rugs, curtains or shisha pipes anyway to be seen. That’s not to say it’s exclusively a hipsters’ paradise: both branches have become popular with some locals, particularly the Malaya Bronnaya site, which is even building an audience among the privileged pensioners around Patriarshiye.
Will it be a success? It deserves to be. Prices are reasonable for city-centre eats; a shawurma snack is 310-390 roubles depending on filling, dips and sambusiki (small parcels of stuffed savoury pastry) are 250 a serving and the whole thing, complete with a coffee and maybe a nibble of pakhlava compares favourably with a trip to Starbucks, making it a competitive city centre option. Laffa Laffa is also starting out at a good time, capitalising on the popularity of the hummus and falafel stalls that did a roaring trade in city parks and food festivals during the summer and offering them a more permanent home.
Admittedly, we’ve seen a few food fashions come and go – the brief Tex-mex craze that flickered and then died on a pyre of rising rents and falling sales springs to mind – but this project has a more enduring feel about it. First, the commitment to high quality food augurs well. Second, it seems apt to expand an existing market rather than trade purely on novelty. And third, as the rapid rise in sushi bars has proved in the past and the rise of cheap-and-cheerful Georgian joints is currently demonstrating, it is possible to pitch for that middle ground gap here, even with foods traditionally associated with a full-on restaurant experience or an expensive foreign holiday. |
|
|
|
|
| 627. | Verona
|
I went into my local apteka the other day, and before I'd even been served - the place had been converted into a new restaurant. Actually that isn't true, but if the pace of restaurant-openings continues, you'll be able to get coquilles Saint-Jacques on every street corner, but not a loaf of bread. Who on earth goes to all these places? Surely there aren't enough diners in Moscow to keep them all in business? A huge number of them fail, of course - some because they can't attract and keep a regular clientele, others because the business-plan was worked out on a calculator with a key missing, but many because the owner-originated concept was rubbish to start with. The brief longevity of Moscow eateries is rapidly approaching parity with those in NYC - "still open after two years" is something of an achievement.
Can restaurants really buck this "wo-year lifespan" trend? With this in mind we set off this week to Verona, one of Moscow's most long-standing Italian eateries, whose genial padrone Enrico Caramelli has already clocked-up ten years of putting the cuisine of his native Veneto on the plates of Muscovites. Verona's location is as modest as its prices - tucked down an otherwise featureless street that most will know only as part of the Taganskaya one-way traffic system. And here was the first surprise on a midweek summer evening when you could have swung a cat in your choice of central Moscow's finest, Verona was packed? If we'd not booked a table, the only choice would have been the summer-dining area outside - and even brooding black clouds and thunder-rumbles in the sky found the tables outside pretty full too. A special occasion? "No, it's always like this, the regular customers come all the time - Russians, Italians, people who live locally, it's that kind of place" explains the charmingly shy owner. There's another factor that can't be coincidental, though - this is some of the best-value eating in town. Many of the (huge) pizzas go for under 200Rbs, and it was clear that a lot of the clientele weren't celebrating or entertaining - they were just getting supper on the way home from work. Verona is in the great tradition of Italian local family restaurants - it's not grand or pompous, the interior won't wow your new girlfriend, and the service is far from fawning you come here per mangiare - to eat.
The retro 50's Italian music was a little loud for a conversation, so we opted to risk the rain and sit outside anyhow. A salad Caprese (209Rbs) quick followed us outside - this is a place where people arrive hungry, and although the service lacks charm, it's ruthlessly efficient. Caprese is a salad that's almost invariably served indifferently - because there's almost "nothing to it" (slices of tomatoes and mozzarella), everything depends on the freshness of the ingredients, and this was sumptuousness itself, with some tangy basil and the lightest of dressings. If the piazzas are the glory of the city of Verona, then this Verona's glory is its pizzas. Enrico Caramelli has flown the flag for traditional thin'n'crispy pizza for over a decade, and his special pizza ovens are still in splendid condition if our Pizza Margherita With Rucola (189Rbs) was anything to go by? Yes, it's exactly that - a regular margherita pizza, with some rucola thrown into the still-melting cheese as it's brought to the table. If "margherita" means "the dullest cheap pizza on the menu" to you, then this is a revelation - there's a piquancy to the tomato sauce, the cheese is luscious, and the base is eminently munchable. We shared one - and there was still heaps. At which point the sky thundered more loudly - and we fled indoors whilst there was still a free table there to migrate to. Rather nicer, in my view, than the dining room at ground level is the basement area, which has been newly fitted-out. Phone early if you want to get one of the smart large low-level seating areas (of which there are only two). Don't be deterred by an unmarked staircase and an apparently secret door to this area - step inside, and it's charming, with no Godfather-style hoodlums whatsoever! These were all taken though - so we got stuck into our main courses upstairs.
The menu at Verona runs for pages - there are three pages of fish dishes alone, and even more for the meat entrees. After much indecision my dining associate plucked the Beef Medallions (299Rbs) from the meat courses. This turned out to be a wise choice, because the enormous pizza left us needing very little in the way of main courses (and you could cheerfully have done without). The verdict was "could be a little more tender, but they're delicious anyhow". I took a Swordfish Steak - one of the pricier items on the menu at 489Rbs, but worth every last kopek. Lightly pan-fried with the tiniest suntan of gold, some lemon juice was the only accompaniment it needed.
Heading towards midnight, the place was thinning out as we looked at the desserts - you have to be fairly tolerant of the staff dragging the veranda flowerpots indoors towards closing time. I was already comfortably well-fed at this point, but the corner I nibbled (purely for reviewing purposes, you understand) of my colleagues Tiramisu (120Rbs) proved it to be the real article indeed - a good strong coffee-shot and not stingy on the liqueur content amidst the cream and sponge. I'd intended to bring the curtain down with a double espresso, and I did - but at Enrico's urging, I was tempted to an iced liqueur shot of Limoncello. I was instantly hooked, and I'm already hunting a source for this wonderful stuff, simply the lemoniest alcoholic drink you ever tasted.
It's not grand, it's not imposing. Bring your business clients here - if you want to get a reputation as a cheapskate, that is. But the food is fab, and if you look at the price on the frozen disc of cheese-topped cardboard in your supermarket, it's no wonder they're packing-out Verona to have the real thing for little more (and no washing up either). If Woody Allen lived in Moscow - he'd eat at Verona. |
|
|
|
|
| 628. | Oldich Dress & Drink
|
According to the PR blurb, Oldich's name is partly intended to evoke the ethos (although not, quite, the spelling) of London's Shoreditch, while carrying an air of retro chic. Adverts for staff have demanded a bilingual Russian-English work-force with a keen interest in classic fashion and quirky originality. And the "Dress and Drink" bit handles the two facets of a venue which is a vintage clothes store up top, and bar below. With an active program of live music and DJs, plus themed parties and literary evenings, it's pitching for the same crowd which currently sees the Krasny Oktyabr hub as its preferred point of pilgrimage - news that is likely to distress as many as it delights.
Setting prejudice aside, though, the bar/restaurant section has plenty going for it - once you get in. Arriving in the evening, when the upstairs shop is winding down, the bar possibly takes its 'hidden' vibe a bit too seriously - you'd be forgiven for missing it completely from the street, and even after gambling on plunging into the shop, there's scant evidence of what lies beneath. The management likes to reference Alice in Wonderland and its magical rabbit warrens; those of us who aren't acquainted with Mad Hatters may struggle to keep up.
Still, a willfully obscure location didn't dampen the popularity of the late, lamented Proekt OGI, and like that bunker venue, Oldich has character to burn. With heavy wooden tables and comfortable armchairs, it's a roaring open fire away from being the perfect place to gather for an intimate tete-a-tete over exclusive spirits and exotic cigars. Admittedly the sense of intimacy was heightened - uncomfortably so - by being the only diners on a dreary March Monday which seemed committed to denying any hope of spring returning, but even on a busier night it seems likely to be cozy rather than cramped. Plus, for a larger group, there's a separate room with a full-size dining table. There's serious attention to design detail as well: the crockery has been sourced from vintage markets in London, while the toilets feature retro-erotica wallpaper and voluptuous framed fabric over the pot - go pay a visit, and you'll see what I mean.
Given its Cool Britannia ambitions, it's only fair to note that the overall effect was reminiscent of one of my favorite restaurants in my former home town. OK, so it's not exactly fashionable Shoreditch, but the retro-fashion and underground feel carries well from the Thames Estuary to heart of Moscow. The menu, too, has more than a hint of the gastro-pub about it - and in the best sense of the word. Naturally, a few bar-room staples endure, with burgers and fish'n'chips taking their place despite protestations that the food here cannot be found elsewhere in Moscow. But there's also an honorable mention for a pleasing selection of Mediterranean finger food and some inventive desserts to complement them. The bruschetta with beetroot, artichoke and parmesan was a curious beast: at its base it could hardly have been more Russian, with creamy, mayo-slathered beets that might have come straight from the local stolovaya; the topping of parmesan and artichoke, meanwhile, was a taste of another world - almost literally - offering a fresh waft of Italian flavor. It's also one of relatively few wholly vegetarian options on the menu, although the "wine plate" of tempting tidbits works as a sharing dish as long as someone is willing to hoover up the Parma ham.
For mains we picked out the fish and chips (sufficiently meat-free to suffice) and the duck leg. The former was a genuinely decent attempt at a tricky Brit standard. The chips were actual chips, rather than fries, although they might have benefitted from slightly longer in the fryer; the fish came in a recognizable batter, and despite appearing as a handful of fishy goujon rather than the more traditional single large fillet, worked as well as any attempt at this dish I've seen outside of its homeland. The duck was well-cooked to the point where it slipped easily off the bone as the first gentle probing of a fork, but might have benefited from a more astringent partner than a serving of herb-spattered mash. A side portion of fruity sauce helped, but could have gone a bit further, perhaps.
The highlight, though, came with the dessert menu. Fig in a dark chocolate coating, studded with crunchy grains of sea-salt, was a perfect combination of sweet and savory: a simple idea which could easily become a classic. But the star turn was the pear tart with rosemary ice cream. Leaving aside the slight sensory confusion at confronting a pot of something which looked like it should be mint-choc-chip flavored and tasted entirely different, this was a triumph. The ice cream was a delight - fresh, unexpected and well-matched to the residual sweetness of the tart.
Another pleasant surprise was the bill - the whole thing, accompanied by a bottle of cider, came in at less than 3,000 rubles (albeit helped by a couple of freebies from the kitchen, including a flagon of iced tea). That seemed to give the lie to some of the complaints on Afisha.ru about high prices - generally speaking they seemed to be in line for this kind of market in Moscow. Admittedly, there's no sign of a cheap beer - it's all imported Brit brews at around 300 rubles a glass, rather than fizzy Baltika at 120 - and the clothes store proudly insists that its prices will be kept relatively high to distinguish "vintage" (a premium market) from second hand (with its slightly shabby connotations).
All in all, despite the hipsterish pretensions, Oldich has plenty going for it - and its downtown location makes it a great place for a pre-party gathering, whether you're planning to stay there all night or head on to another venue later. |
|
|
|
|
| 629. | Shatush
|
Shatush is not a Chinese restaurant - it simply serves stunning Chinese food. No bamboo screens, no ethnic or new-age music, no hokum costumes, and no Kazak girls pretending to be Chinese... Forget wizened straw-hatted toilers in photogenic paddy fields - imagine instead the entertainment world where Shanghai's successful young businessmen socialise with TV and film people, and you're nearer the mark. Oriental lacquer-black dominates the interior, offset with classical red highlights. The lighting-scheme is carefully designed - sky-blue higher up on the walls as a dramatic sweep as you enter, with downlighters on your designer-black tables to keep your meal centre-stage. There's plenty to entertain the eye as you dine - the design is achieved on macro, midi and mini levels, and the more you look, the more you find. There's a second, slightly quieter salon offering hookah-pipes if you wish.
The DJ-Cafe set-up works well here, and a sweetly planned PA system enmeshes the dining environment with a consistently warming and enjoyment-enhancing soundtrack of contemporary sounds. Two welcome elements of Chinese influence remain alongside the cuisine, however - the smiling Asian welcome and hospitality, and the speed of service and preparation. The table staff is almost entirely Russian, and there is no attempt to try to make them look Chinese. However, these guys (it's a largely male personnel, with a charming approach that will keep the female clients coming back) know their stuff, and know the menu inside-out. You want to know more about any dish? They know what's in it, where the ingredients come from, how it's prepared, what will sit well alongside it! Nor do they try and steer you into the pricey stuff - in fact they are keen to recommend the elegant simplicity of the more modest dishes on the menu. However, the line-up of Mercs and BMWs parked outside, in immaculate showroom condition, give the hint that this is not a place to come for a cheap plate of noodles. In reality, the remarkable thing about Shatush is that it's a stunning experience in a top restaurant, yet the prices are still only in the mid-upper range. Flying-in the authentic fresh ingredients from Asia or London, as sparkling GM Nika Loginova explained, is in the interests of top quality, rather than cutting corners. Portions are in the generous, Asian, meal-sharing tradition, however - you might very well opt to take a starter or main course between two? We didn't, and in reality we over-ordered. But the other side of that tradition - they'll cheerfully wrap what's left uneaten in a doggy-bag for you to take home.
Everything comes so quickly from the kitchen that you can enjoy a hot appetiser whilst pondering the rest of your order. The Fried Wasabi Prawns (520Rbs for six gigantic pieces) are stupendously good, in a subtle creamy sauce, served on endive. All of the dishes come inventively and appealingly presented, in fact - cutting-edge contemporary tableware adds to the experience. Spinach in Oyster Sauce (430Rbs) was the waiter's suggestion, and it came lightly stir-fried with fresh bite left in it, making a nice counterbalance to the other dishes. My favourite dish of the evening, in fact, was one of the simplest, and again a recommendation from the restaurant staff -“ Singapore Fried Vermicelli (480Rbs) a combination of vermicelli of different weights (from tiny to medium) warmed by some subtle chilli flavouring and then laden with seafood and vegetables. I would happily have taken this along with the spinach and gone home singing. Instead, though, we pushed the boat out and tried a dish from quite a long way up the pricing spectrum - Thai-style Sterlet, weighing-in at 1400Rbs. The portion is more than enough for two, although the warmth of spicing is authentically Thai, and proved a little hotter than my companion felt comfortable - my asbestos mouth enjoyed every forkful, though. More classically northern-chinese (where they use far fewer spices - it is, after all, on the Siberian border) in inspiration at least was the Ostrich in Yellow-Bean Sauce (780Rbs), and it prompted a rare silent moment of contented munching.
Wines are rarely the best accompaniment to Asian food - neither the wine nor the food gain from the combination. Instead, we strove manfully into the list of House Speciality Cocktails, following-up a pre-arrival tip to try to the Hakka (400Rbs). A cascade of citrus-inspired invention, this quickly doused the chilli flames and had us crying for refills. The Pink Mochito was perhaps less successful for the same price - the raspberry seemed to neutralise the expected minty tang. Voss bottled water brings a refreshing Scandic purity (it's rated as one of the purest bottled waters in the world) from Norway - in a designer-desirable bottle that's a contemporary classic.
How you will possibly find room for desserts after all this, I have no idea! The Strawberry Cheesecake (350Rbs) is pleasantly light, or for those still eager for more substantial pleasures, the Rum Parfait (same price) packs a terrifying number of calories into every cm2 - both of them were at the upper acceptable end of sweetness for me. The more virtuous will instead turn their attention to the extensive list of Chinese gourmet teas on offer.
I really defy you not to like Shatush? It has everything that's really great about Chinese food and service, jettisons all the tired cliches, and conjures up innovative cuisine in a stylish, slick and hedonistic atmosphere that succeeds on every level. Birthday treat, special occasion supper, or just needing to pamper yourself - but book ahead, the word's been out about Shatush for a while now, and you're unlikely to get a table without reserving a few days in advance. Over the summer months, and starting from June 10, Shatush also has a Summer Terrace open - which may ease your chances of getting a table fractionally too. |
|
|
|
|
| 630. | Chemodan (Suitcase)
|
By the mid-C19th, central Siberia was booming. Settlers rights, unlimited free land, freedom for runaway serfs, and tolerance for religious minorities banned in European Russia were just some of the reasons...a gold rush, diamond mines, the post-road to Moscow, and rumours of untold and untapped riches had even stronger appeal. In place of shady taverns and shoddy flophouses, fine eateries and respectable hotels sprang up to cater to Siberia's new bourgeoisie - mine-owners, factory magnates, railway tycoons and families like the Demidovs, whose commercial interests ran far and wide.
“Chemodan” isn't just a Russian-cuisine restaurant – it's specifically a Siberian restaurant, with a menu featuring the freshest river-fish from Siberia's vast rivers and lakes, game dishes from the riches of the taiga forests, pickles and preserves featuring mushrooms and berries that barely even have dictionary names in English. In fact “Chemodan” in Moscow is a branch of the same restaurant in Krasnoyarsk. Well-known actor Oleg Menshikov visited the restaurant there and went in for supper – and loved it so much, that he decided to open another in Moscow. Very frequently movie-actor-owned restaurants are great ideas that fail to work in reality – but in this case, the established know-how and local Siberian expertise that made Chemodan a success in Siberia has transplanted superbly to Moscow.
The individual triumph of Chemodan offering delicious cuisine at medium-high prices (certainly not cheap - but you could easily spend double on dross in Moscow) and without the vacuous ostentation of its rivals. If you want to treat your visiting relatives or business colleagues to fine traditional Russian food, then this is the new pretender to the throne. No waiters in fake C19th livery, no hokum chandeliers, and no twaddle with calling clients “Milord” - this is honest, excellent cooking, on attractive plain white porcelain, with charming and personable multilingual staff in plain black shirts. The dining-room echoes upright provincial excellence of the mid-C19th – no nonsense, but very charming and atmospheric, and a welcome relief from the Theme Park interiors elsewhere. The food is served with quiet, confident pride and expertise – some of the staff are Siberians themselves. The table staff can tell you which rivers the fish come from, and what gives each recipe its special flourish. Restaurants further round the Boulevard Ring will be looking to their laurels – Chemodan will keep them on their toes.
On our waiter's recommendation, we took some house specialities as appetisers – but be warned, some of these dishes come in Siberian-sized portions, and a single appetiser would easily feed two. Emilia instantly warmed to the tenderness of the Venison Carpaccio (490 RUB), while I dived into a truly Siberian experience – stroganina, cold cuts of naturally-frozen fish. I'd had it before in Siberia with friends, but the Chir – translated on the menu as Blue-Back Salmon Stroganina, 590 RUB – exceeded all expectations. With an accompanying dipping sauce and seasoning, this was truly delectable eating – fat-free, carb-free, and guilt-free. In fact lightness, delicacies are hallmarks of Chemodan's menu, in sharp contrast to what you may have expected.
Although there's an extensive wine-list, I strongly recommend you to leave it unopened – the correct accompaniments to Siberian food are plain or flavoured vodkas, or the fruit-flavoured alcoholic tipples found in Siberian homes of the nineteenth century. The menu not only lists them, but gives an insightful account, in endearingly wonky English, of how they are made, and the lore and traditions surrounding them. Even long-term expat stalwarts are unlikely ever to have tried Erofeich – but these potent liqueurs were the staple of the Siberian table from the C17th onwards... and pack a powerful 56-percent-proof punch. A superlative accompaniment to my stroganina, in every sense! However, with ladies present we restricted our other drinking to the fruitier tipples with marginally lower alcohol content – Emilia's Honeysuckle Nalivka(196 RUB) – 26-percent-proof and coming in at a mere was pleasantly tart, while my own Blueberry Nalivka (180 RUB) was attractively and authentically sweet.
Salads aren't part of the Siberian scene, and probably we should have gone with the delicious-sounding soups on offer instead. Emilia had a Salad with slightly salted Whitefish, Avocado and Sweet Pepper (490 RUB) – nice enough if you wanted it, but rather out-of-place amid the Siberian specialities. This dish wasn't really too different from what you might make yourself at home. We had a few reservations about the limp green lettuce-leaves, however. They also topped my Warm Salad with Tiger Prawns, Mussels, Mushrooms under Garlic-Soy Sauce (690 RUB), but were only there for decoration, and I didn't bother with them. Once again, we'd blundered into ordering food that isn't Siberian – unless prawns now live there?
But things were firmly back on an even keel with our waiter-recommended main courses. Steamed Siberian Whitefish (890 RUB) is one of the most delicate things I've tasted in many a year. In fact it's been smoked before steaming, and was both succulently tender and sophisticated in taste - I could happily eat this every day. And once again – easy on the waistline, served with mouthwatering mushrooms. Emilia found her Grilled Cutlets of Siberian Stag (890 RUB) a trifle too pink in the middle – but you may find them to your taste, or might request them more well-done? Delicious aromatic black bread came on the side.
For dessert we shared a Walnut Soufflé, especially as the recipe came from “Exemplary Cuisine of Krasnoyarsk, 1892” - the source of quite a few other house specialities. To go with it while we had very pleasant espresso, and a pot of Guan Yin Iron Bodhisattva Tea (390 RUB).
Fine food, fine service, and a warm, relaxed atmosphere – what's not to like? All the ingredients of a memorable meal in Moscow are here – the only thing missing is you. Word is already out about Chemodan, and the place was packed when we went midweek - so be sure to book in the evenings. Or pop along for their 450 RUB Business Lunch (12pm–17pm) instead? |
|
|
|
|
| 631. | Vanil
|
When I told Mr Polly that Expat.Ru had invited me to review Vanil, a place that a clueless prole like myself had never heard of before, his eyes lit up and he got very excited. He messaged all his friends to make them jealous. Turns out Vanil is, or at least was at one time, one of the top elitny eateries in town. After all, it was founded by some pretty well-known people: Fyodor Bondarchuk, Stepan Mikhailkov and none other than local restaurant legend Arkady Novikov. This initially gave me the impression that it must be packed with Moscow’s gilded youth and socialites, especially after noting that Vanil, a restaurant, enforces face control. But I soon came to understand that Vanil is more for an older, perhaps more refined crowd: Moscow’s gilded thirty-somethings.
Naturally my expectations were high. Very high. Especially after reading that an average dinner at Vanil without drinks will break you off about $140. I had also read conflicting comments about the menu, allegedly filled with indecipherable, purposely obscure selections. But in fact, once we had been seated at a table for two near a window facing Ostozhenka, I found that the menu was not as pretentious as I had been led to believe. I was only slightly disappointed when I understood that we would not be sitting at one of the popular tables facing an amazing view of Christ the Savior Cathedral. Instead we had a full-on view of the traffic jam outside and car-less metro commuters hurrying home from work. But never mind that - after all, who doesn’t enjoy watching the poor folk hobble by and stare wistfully in at you while you dine? Thanks to Vanil’s glistening ceiling-to-floor windows, this was a special treat we were granted the opportunity to enjoy several times that evening.
After perusing the menu for a bit, I was met with more disappointment upon learning that despite the fact that there are two scallop options listed on the menu, there were no scallops. So I was forced to rethink my plan. We decided on two cold appetizers the beef carpaccio with mushrooms (970Rbs) and tuna fillet with seaweed salad (750Rbs). Initially I had wanted to try the “warm scampi on rocket salad” (690Rbs) purely out of curiosity (what is rocket salad?), but we decided instead to share (note: “share”) another shrimp dish from the hot appetizers – scampi in tandoori sauce (450Rbs). I ordered a Kirin beer (180Rbs per 0.33L) and Mr Polly opted for a simple non-carbonated water.
Our cold appetizers were served quite soon after we ordered. Mr Polly’s water was poured into two wine glasses, even though he had only ordered water. My beer was nowhere to be seen. Oh well, I was hungry, so we began to check out the appetizers, which were both presented elegantly on Japanese-style plates. (One of the pages of Vanil’s menu offers a selection of what are allegedly Japanese delicacies, including sashimi and sushi rolls.) Vanil’s beef carpaccio is not cut in the traditional super-thin slices, but in small, thick rectangles. Not exactly what I was expecting, but this is probably the best thing I ate all evening there, and that is not meant to demean the carpaccio. It was excellent. Mr Polly’s tuna fillet was also quite good, but towards the end the large quantity of sea salt gracing the tuna and seaweed salad overwhelmed him.
Next came the scampi in tandoori sauce and Mr Polly’s order of cream of mushroom and celery soup. When the shrimp were served, I was again impressed by the detail devoted to presentation. I was also very impressed by the extremely large plate, considering that there were only four shrimp on it. Despite the accompanying iceberg lettuce salad, the actual food only covered about 1/3 of the plate. I began to feel like Steve Martin in LA Story when I noticed that Mr Polly’s soup was served in a gigantic bowl, also filled only about 1/3 high. I was getting a little nervous now since we had asked to share the shrimp, and there were only four. Plus, the waiter did not give Mr Polly silverware to partake in the shrimp, so there was clearly no chance that they had heard us say the word “share” and that he would be bringing the remaining four shrimp on a separate plate post-soup. I had not ordered soup because I thought it would be too much food. I was sorely mistaken. So I saved Mr Polly’s two shrimp for him after trying as hard as I could to relish the strange tandoori sauce drizzled over my half.
By the way, my beer had still not arrived at this point in time. I had to ask the waiter to please bring the beer I had ordered at least 30 minutes previously when he came to collect our dishes. He nodded obediently, but I got some look like “uh, yeah,” like it was my fault that he hadn’t brought it already.
We waited a little while before the entrees were served. Having been forced to forego the scallop plate, I had decided to try the “stake [sic] with vegetables Chinese style” (1250rbs). Mr Polly chose the veal breast with crunchy vegetables in an orange sauce (1100Rbs).
Now let me begin my diatribe by saying that I selected the Chinese-style “stake” because (a) I figured a place with such a high reputation would do a good job with “Chinese style” and because (b) having been misled by the description of “Chinese style,” I had envisioned said “stake” and the alleged vegetables would be served up as a stir-fry. Boy, was I ever wrong. Instead I got another gargantuan plate with a small, not-choice cut of steak surrounded on either side by saut?ed bits of probably two mushrooms cut up real small, and three snow peas cut up real small (the small slices make it look like there is actually more than three to the untrained eye). The worst of it was that the majority of these “vegetables” was freaking Chinese lettuce!!! First of all, Chinese lettuce is an affront to any kind of real lettuce. Plus, lettuce isn’t exactly what you imagine when you read the word “vegetables.” To top it off, this mutant, evil spawn of the lettuce devil and the “stake” had all been soaked in some sort of cheap-tasting teriyaki (read: Japanese, NOT Chinese) sauce that really did not do much to help either the hateful Chinese lettuce or the tough meat. To add insult to injury, a few drops of the offensive sauce literally leaped off of my fork, staining my sweater. So I guess the lesson here is that even in Moscow’s best, any “Asian-style” sauce will do and that bok choi’s rejected deformed cousin Chinese freakin lettuce can make any dish “Chinese style.” Oh, and neither of us received steak knives despite both of us ordering main courses with meat. You can imagine what a joy it was to saw away at my wretched “stake.”
Mr Polly’s veal was served in two pieces, one with meat, and one that was 90% bone and 10% impenetrable grizzle. The “crunchy vegetables” were not crunchy, and consisted of about 12 rectangular slices of some obscure vegetable measuring roughly two inches long and ?-inch wide. Maybe they were carrots, I’ll never know and at this point I’ve no desire to find out. They were, as you could probably guess, presented beautifully. But that had started to lose significance. Mr Polly liked the meat part of the veal, which he said was very tender, and the orange sauce it had been cooked in. He also noted that this was the first place he’d gone with me to review at which he’d actually been able to eat everything he was served. That should help you understand just how ‘minimalist’ the very pretty servings are.
We were then offered the dessert menu, which has a large selection of pretentiously named sweets at prices ranging from 250-950Rbs. At least the English dessert menu had enough mistakes to be amusing, with choices like “Ring with ice cream” and “chestnuts muss [supposed to be mousse].” After the stake disaster, I was in a foul mood and nothing except the berries appealed to me at all, but at this point I was in such a snit that I couldn’t even bear to not have to pay 950Rbs for what I assumed would end up being three to five berries on a giant plate. Thank you, I’ll pass. Mr Polly, however, cannot pass up anything halyava, so he tried a creative little number with vanilla ice cream topped with strawberry sorbet surrounded by three “French meringues” and fresh whipped cream topped with slices of strawberry and a sprig of mint. Not bad. Now I was even more pissy because hey, I should have ordered a freakin dessert. He also ordered a latte but I didn’t bother looking to see how much it costs. Probably a lot. I just finished nursing my puny, overpriced beer.
While I simmered away in my silent little hissy fit, Russian Mr Polly hastened to note that you have to pay for atmosphere and ambiance. OK – to their credit, Vanil has got the whole interior design thing down right. The restaurant is decked out predominantly – and tastefully- in what we can call Asian style. The color scheme is light, eliminating anything even slightly resembling Moscow’s heavy and ubiquitous “wood factor.” The lights are dimmed – but not too much, and the music is played at a perfect, unobtrusive volume. There are plenty of tables, many of which were filled with clients before we left, and despite their close proximity to one another, Vanil really manages to retain a sense of intimacy at each table. You don’t feel crowded, but you do feel cozy. This could be a great venue to chat someone up, for either business or pleasure.
That said, I’ve experienced my fair share of atmosphere and I ain’t payin no 950Rbs for no berries. It was with a sigh of relief that I stepped out onto the sidewalk, breathing in the cool autumn air and rejoining the masses of car-less commuters, without even one wistful glance back at Vanil’s fabulous floor-length windows. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 632. | The Brothers Grimm
|
The Brothers Grimm
Directed by: Terry Gilliam. Written by: Ehren Kruger. Starring: Matt Damon, Lena Headey, Heath Ledger, Jonathan Pryce, Peter Stormare. 118 mins. Czech Republic / USA.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: an adventure-comedy-fantasy-horror-thriller type thing. Great cinematography but lame story.
The key problem is that the core characters simply do not have the presence on screen to bind the facets of the story into one believable whole.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: the visual aspects of the film are enough for you
• No, if: if you are a fan of Gilliam’s great work such as “Brazil,” “Twelve Monkeys” and “The Fisher King”
• Maybe, if: somebody dropped an illegal substance in your orange juice an hour or two ago and the walls are beginning to look furry
Comments: this is one for the plebs. Gilliam pretty well said as much. He and Johnny Depp did a deal: they’d make a “popularist” film each to get the bread together to collaborate on a real film. One that they really wanted to make.
So this was Gilliam’s attempt to make something to appeal to the unwashed: lots of visual effects and wisecracks for the people in the cheap seats. I don’t have a problem with that per se. The problem is, the result here is a lacking conviction and is a poorly constructed plan regardless of the money spent to paper over the cracks.
I am a serious Gilliam fan. He is one of the few film-makers who, in my view, really can key into what is going on politically in the world and serve it up in such a way that it makes it to market (admitted, by the skin of its teeth at times).
Although a little dated now, his “Brazil” is still my number-one film. I sensed its prophetic quality when I first watched it twenty years ago and events, sadly, are proving my intuition right. It was so close to the mark, it almost failed to get distribution. Gilliam put it on in a cinema himself and word-of-mouth compelled a distribution deal. If you haven’t seen it, you really should.
So why doesn’t Gilliam just stick to making great films? Because he can’t. The world isn’t made that way. If you want to get funding for “real” films, the Hollywood masters insist that you humiliate yourself and debase your talent first by producing a firework display for the masses.
“The Brothers Grimm” is such a film.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story:
• Dialogue:
• Substance:
• Film craft: *****
Story comments: the story is an unconvincing, cobbling-together of various fairy tales. And while the motifs from stories you had read to you as a child are wheeled out and given a good dumbing down, the whole magic which makes up a fairy tale is processed out of the mix.
Fairy tales have an inherent structure. Things in them happen in threes. Three brothers, three attempts, three journeys. All children know this. This is the genre.
“The Brothers Grimm” seeks to utilise the motifs without submitting to the genre or making the effort to create anything new of value itself. To me, it was a cheap, uninteresting attempt to asset-strip our pre-existing knowledge to no great purpose.
Dialogue comments: Wilhelm Grimm (Matt Damon) and Jacob Grimm (Heath Ledger) left me indifferent and unmoved. In my view, both were poor casting decisions. The actors simply did not have the presence to carry the film. They looked swamped and overdressed.
The dialogue was fashioned around low-grade riposte. Several lines can be seen coming a mile off and not a few are lifted from other films. The whole was tiresome and a little depressing.
I would suggest looking at the great Russian film “The Very Same Munchausen” for a comparison. There, Oleg Yankovsky’s charm creates a convincing magic – and that without the aid of all the computer graphics found in “The Brothers Grimm.”
Substance comments: I suppose the film is trying to arrogate to itself some sort of significance but I couldn’t work out what it was.
Film craft: exquisite. If this is why you go to the cinema, you’ll have a great time. The film is brilliantly executed visually. The sets all looked like they had been built for an excellent film, as well. The only problem was that this film wasn’t it.
A taste of the story: Will and Jake Grimm are travelling con-artists who encounter a genuine fairy-tale curse which requires real courage instead of their usual bogus exorcisms.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 633. | Nine Songs
|
Nine Songs
Directed and written by Michael Winterbottom. Starring: Kieran O'Brien, Margot Stilley. 69 mins. UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a tedious and amateur exercise in prurience passing itself off as something arty and punctuated by almost uniformly vapid musical interludes, “Nine Songs” is a cheap (and I do mean cheap) attempt to create scandal by featuring interminable scenes of a sexual nature.
The best that can be said about the film is that it is short and there is no chance of a sequel.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you are still looking up rude words in the dictionary for the purposes of getting a sexual education
• No, if: you have ever had a real girlfriend
• Maybe, if: you are fourteen and suffering the torments of the damned in an all-boys school
Comments: I would have left after ten minutes had I not been duty-bound to stay for the duration. It was clear this film was going nowhere. And I didn’t want to go there.
“Nine Songs” is about two immature and almost breathtakingly uninteresting individuals who spend their every waking moment licking and sucking and fiddling with each other. I found myself wondering how much nipple-sucking one film can hold. The answer is: a lot.
There is no story (and I mean no story), and in the absence of one, the spectacle of these two characters endlessly shagging each other and jumping about at the Brixton Academy (a music venue) to the sound of crap bands is meant to suffice.
I lived in Brixton for about five years. When I was there we had bands at the Academy you would really want to see. Things must have changed.
The premise of the film is that endless shagging, going to gigs every night and whoofing lines of cocaine up your nose is a radical, alternative way to spend your time. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the context of modern Western society – predicated as it is on the dissolute and distracted nature of the drones which make up its fan base – a more conformist mode of existence is difficult to imagine.
If you really want to stand out from the crowd, try working on having a good marriage, taking care of your kids and pursuing a course of life-long, self-directed education. Now that’s radical.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story:
• Dialogue:
• Substance: *
• Film craft: *
Story comments: there is no story, no character arc, nothing.
The only question for me – given the film’s sole interest in things carnal – was which of the characters was going to get bored with it all first. Yes, it was that dull.
If the topic of sexual dynamics is one which interests you, I recommend Roman Polanski’s “Bitter Moon” and Adrian Lyne’s version of Nabokov’s “Lolita”.
Dialogue comments: the characters’ mouths are pretty much too full of bits of the other person to talk at all and the total interaction between them would be hard pressed to fill the back of a postcard.
Since there’s nothing to add here, I’ll tell you something else. We (the people who had come to this first showing) were given crib sheets explaining the background to the film, how it didn’t have a script and was ad-libbed into being, and how the director had read a book once about sexual love which he wanted to make into a film. But someone had already optioned that book, so he made something up himself.
That’s all very well, but the film is still rubbish.
Substance comments: for me, sex scenes rarely work in films. This is not prudishness, exactly. I just find such scenes almost never add anything to the plot. And few things do more violence to a magical sense of romantic intensity than the sight of people doing it. We’re grown-ups. We can be trusted to imagine that the fact has taken place. We don’t need our faces rubbed in it.
Such scenes – whether they work or whether they do not – only make sense in any case in the context of a story. “Nine Songs” has no story. It has no context. It’s just shagging.
So, is this esoteric art? Perhaps the film has a deep psychological and philosophical base and we need to expunge our ingrained prejudices in order to suck the marrow out of the bone of its profundities, profundities which only a sexual adept is capable of perceiving. Perhaps that’s it.
I don’t think so. And I want my sixty-nine minutes back.
There are films which don’t focus on plot but which manage to create a state and thereby a value. “Dead Man” with Jonny Depp would be such a film. I stuck with that film to the end (and I mean, the end) and I’m very glad I did.
Could “Nine Songs” be such a film? You know, striving to create a deeply intense sensation, a portrait, a semblance of a higher verity, an essentially sublime representation – in this case of the joys of erotic love?
I’m afraid the answer is much simpler: this film is self-indulgent rubbish hoping we will be afraid to say so because it’s got lots of crotch-shots and nipple-sucking.
Film craft comments: the film would make one, good picture. One decent static composition could convey anything of value this film has to say.
For a film of sixty-nine minutes, this is sixty-eight minutes and fifty-nine seconds too long.
A taste of the story: Two insipid people who live in Brixton, London, shag each other on a backdrop of terracotta walls and go to gigs at the Academy. Oh, and they take drugs.
Yawn.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 634. | Noise Ensemble
|
Noise Ensemble
Have you got an annoying colleague who's always tapping rhythms on his desk? Send them along to Noise Ensemble - the cult Brit performance-art showteam who've made tapping rhythms into an artform.
The brains behind the bashing is film-composer, producer and ex-percussionist Ethan Lewis Maltby, with the visuals masterminded by Ben M Rodgers. The two-part gig is a clever synthesis of the primal with the sensual, and despite the visual appeal of a team of groovily-apparelled fit bods of both sexes bashing the hell out of tom-toms, for my money it was the more subtle and delicate numbers which were the highlight of the show. Scott Foster, Nat Butler, Amy Kelly and Louise Samuels drew luscious textures from a dazzling array of xylophones, glockenspiels and marimbas - not only with phenomenal stick technique, but using violin-bows on the glocks and all kinds of other sweet sounds too. The uncredited compositions are presumably Maltby's - a delectable fusion of latin sounds with contemporary harmonies and and melodic fragments.
I somehow doubt many of the audience got much of the linking video material- an amusing spoof of British TV programmes of different kinds (everything from DIY shows in which a dedicated loon crafts his own drumstick from a chunk of tree, through to online shopping for a guiro - “only 139 left in stock”). The satire in this was a bit too subtle - many people thought it was for real? And the British weights and measures (the heights and weights of the performers given in feet and inches, and stones and pounds) only added to the confusion here. However, this was far from being a major inhibiting factor on enjoying the evening - two generously-long sets with a spectacular light show.
A pity the MDM hall remained resolutely half-empty for the entire show - probably a mistake, in retrospect, to try to fill up two gigs when one would have been enough? Despite a sorely-needed makeover of the public areas, the MDM remains a grim venue for this kind of gig... the Attendants seem to have been recruited from amongst the ranks of the Stasi? When it was clear it was going to start at least 40 minutes late, they actually refused to let us leave the hall to go to the bar! Not that we'd missed much... the huge and well-designed bar remained resolutely closed, and one girl sold half-melted ice-cream and warm drinks from what looked like a Bring-&-Buy Table at a Scout Jamboree. Considering the top-end ticket-price, this was a long way from acceptable for an evening out. They actually refused to put the orange juice in the Campari, and said we could buy a carton of orange juice separately and do it ourselves.. a bit like going to a concert in a Railwayman's Palace Of Culture in Tarakansk in 1987. Woeful, substandard, and a blight on the evening.
Anyone who wants to know what they missed can buy some cheap drinks from their local corner kiosk, take them home (taking care not to chill them to consumption-temperature on the way) and take a look at Noise Ensemble's homepage. |
|
|
|
|
| 635. | Electrelane
|
Electrelane
The UK has an endless supply of bands, for any taste of music. The amount is so big, that any new band seems to be just another Brit-pop or Brit-rock exponent, repeating their predecessors and adding their own little twist. Ever renewing and evolving, the UK music scene hardly ever offers real surprises: you mostly have it heard before in some form. But sometimes, you will find bands that allow themselves to be influenced without copying. Electrelane is such a band. Sure, you will find whiffs of The Cure, Blur, Sonic Youth, Janis Joplin, Saint Etienne, and Velvet Underground, but Electrelane sounds like neither of them. They do their own thing and don’t seem to care about the rest of the world. What’s more, the ladies do not limit their love for experiments to studio sessions but take it on the road and on stage, with remarkable results.
On stage in Ikra, Electrelane has a difficult start. The microphone is not on during the first song, too loud in the second and other instruments are adjusted during the first four or five songs. But this is tuning to perfection, pure perfection!
Yes, it was that good. And here’s why.
First of all, drummer Emma Gaze, doesn’t have any “clicks” – the little earphone that many drummers use to keep a steady beat and avoid speeding up too much. The countless changes in rhythm would render such a device useless anyway, but she simply doesn’t need one. Ros Murray has the seemingly unrewarding task of playing bass and adds the necessary structure to the songs. Centred on stage, she is where she should be, keeping the others together. Verity Susman switches between vocals, keyboard, guitar and saxophone. These instruments decide upon the mood and overall sound of the songs, which are all very different. The sheer ease with which she seems to play is impressive. Most impressive though is Mia Clarke on guitar. She uses plectrum, fingers, feet and even her whole body as she hangs over the speaker to send some feedback noise into the room. Most of the time, though, she is standing, with her eyes closed, in trance, playing with unbelievable virtuosity. Whether it’s scraping along the strings with the pick, making the guitar ‘talk’ by plucking with her fingers or just strumming, she produces sounds previously unknown to this instrument.
The band radiates enthusiasm, energy, concentration, love for their instruments and hours of practice, practice and practice. There are no gimmicks, no added show elements, just music that is being played exceptionally well. The elaborations on the songs resemble on-stage experiments that seemed to have gone after the 1970s. The Ikra crowd gets the point and people freak out dancing or just witness the concert in awe. This time, there is no begging for just an encore, we all beg the band to please play the whole set again. Electrelane answers this ridiculous request with a lengthy encore after which they call it a night, have a short break and soon after can be found checking up on the goodies sale and looking after the clearing up on stage. Their appearance is so down-to-earth that they seem unaware of the fact that they just put down the best musical performance in Moscow so far this season. |
|
|
|
|
| 636. | IX Moscow Synthetic Snow Festival
|
IX Moscow Synthetic Snow Festival
There's a moment during "Will you be there?" when suddenly one of those visionary insights drops from above. If only Kraftwerk had been fronted by Morrissey, the result would have been Deine Lakaien. Vocalist Alexander Veljanov, a Macedonian based in Germany, straddles the same fine line between self-indulgence and excellence that the former Smiths frontman has veered across throughout his career, while behind him Ersnt Horn rattled up a fusillade of pounding electronica which wouldn't have disgraced Ralf Hutter and the boys. Yet Deine Lakaien's set - a new one, which combined several acoustic numbers with their trademark technology - wasn't quite the perfect ending to the festival. Partly that was down to logistics - a gig which had been scheduled to finish around midnight inevitably over-ran, meaning the crowd thinned alarmingly as the witching hour of Metro o'clock hoved into view.
But it also reflected the difficulties Deine Lakaien, a band which tends towards reflective rather than uproarious music, would have in following the powerful industrial performance of Mexico's Rabia Sorda. Both acts are impressive in their own way, but after the latter really got the party going, the Germans risked ending things on a downbeat. That would be a harsh criticism of the band, which produced strong versions of "Over and done" and encored with a chilling take on 80s synth symphony "Round and round", but reversing the running order might have been a smart move from the organizers.
Why? Because Rabia Sorda was simply magnificent. While the group is a solo spin-off for Hocico frontman Erk Aicrag, and is felt to be the outlet for his more reflective music (it's electroclash rather than aggrotech, for those who like their labels), nobody would mistake it for easy listening. On stage, Aicrag is a captivating figure, wild-eyed and spikey haired, leading his audience into an industrial frenzy with echoes of Rammstein (an act heading to Moscow early next year). There was some serious stage-prowling going on up there as well. The music contrasted sharply with much of what had gone before, and lifted the bulk of the crowd from discreet toe-tapping to vigorous pogo-ing. Even the girl in ultra short zebra-print shorts became excitingly animated for a few moments, which was surely worth the entrance money on its own.
The high-octane approach was a welcome contrast to the slightly monotonous sets of both Solar Fake and Cause and Effect. The latter, flying over from the US, were hit with technical problems at the start of their set and never quite recovered. On the other hand, kicking off a show at a synth festival with a solo track for acoustic guitar was quite an audacious stroke, even if it was only because the laptop had crashed and the electronics were lost for the time being.
Solar Fake had more luck, and a bit more life about them. However, it was striking that their most successful track on the night was a cover of "Such a shame", originally by English 80s synth-poppers Talk Talk, and later covered by Sandra, who took it high in the German charts. Not a bad song, by any means, but compared with the contrasting artistry of those who came later it highlighted a slight blandness among much of the genre.
For veterans of previous Synthetic Snows, the move from Tochka to Pipl prompted some questions, mostly about the distance from the metro (and, perhaps, the slightly intimidating stroll through some ill-lit, run-down backstreets which felt like out-takes from a Kino clip) and the smaller crowd than previous years. But those who did venture out were rewarded with an intriguing line-up and, after a slow start, some memorable performances. |
|
|
|
|
| 637. | Lydia Lunch
|
Lydia Lunch
Last Thursday, the controversial American feminist punk singer, writer and poetess, Lydia Lunch, played a low-key gig at B2 as part of her tour to celebrate her 25 years in the music business. In what was one of the most hyped ‘underground’ concerts in recent times, the gritty New Yorker who has in the past worked with such musicians such as Nick Cave and German anarchists, Einsturzende Neubauten, gave Moscow a brief taste of her confrontational brand of vocal hooliganism.
She was joined on stage by her long time friends and fellow musicians Terry Edwards, Ian White and James Johnson. The small cramped smoky stage was the perfect setting for Lunch’s dark and tortured persona. The small crowd that had gathered in the pit directly below the stage seemed to slowly grow impatient as the 11 p.m. start time came and went. The relatively expensive ticket prices had seemed to put few people off as more and more fans pushed their way to the front. All around the balcony a mainly Russian crowd struggled to balance pints of freshly poured Nevskoye whilst trying to jostle their way to the best position. Then the lights came on. The dark arena was filled with an incredibly eerie green glow. The three male musicians made their way to their instruments before the rotund Lydia Lunch dressed provocatively in a revealing black top with a black top hat, appeared on stage.
She said few words to the crowd, preferring to let the music do the talking. The backing group played their first chords confidently. Lunch swaggered from side to side glaring at the crowd as if a wild animal ready to pounce on its prey. She then let fly with her first song.
Her strong American accent was as overpowering as it was tuneless. Her voice, gritty after years of touring and heavy smoking, seemed to swallow the words that came from her mouth. It was difficult to determine whether she was actually singing in English. There contrast of the band’s superb sound and the weakness of the lead was disappointing. The crowd was left confused. Lydia Lunch was too; rather oddly she had to read the lyrics of her songs from a song sheet. All but the die-hard fans struggled with her stream of incomprehensible noise. They did not know how to react. Some moved in time to the music, others nodded their heads backwards and forwards. They were at a loss to understand this music. Lunch’s sexually explicit and confrontational lyrics lost their edge in a mist of wheezy screams and missed notes.
Her singing style would have embarrassed even the entrants of down market karaoke contests. It certainly was painful to listen to. The spoken tracks, where Lunch voiced her thoughts to an accompaniment of heavy guitar chords and drumbeats, were more successful. Her monotone delivery, radical ideas and the moody backing music were well suited to the intimate, slightly seedy atmosphere of the club. However this was most certainly lost on the Russian audience.
Obviously Lydia Lunch has got talent; her career would not have spanned decades nor continents if it were otherwise. Unfortunately her concert in Moscow last week was not up to the hype that preceded it. I was tempted to buy one of her CDs that were on sale around B2 but was scared off by the horrible thought that her Moscow performance may be typical.
So is Lydia Lunch really one of the top ten most influential musicians of 1990s as has been claimed by some elements of the American music press? Well, thankfully she probably is not; otherwise 1970s punk rock (where lack of singing talent was no obstacle to success) would still be popular today.
Robert Lees |
|
|
|
|
| 638. | Dear Frankie
|
Dear Frankie
Directed by Shona Auerbach. Written by Andrea Gibb. Starring: Gerard Butler, Jack McElhone, Emily Mortimer, Mary Riggans. 105 min. UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a well-crafted and emotionally harrowing film with a great central idea, fine photography and the occasional curious blunder.
This is a full-on weepy. If anything you’ve seen in the last year has had you quietly dabbing the corners of your eyes, this film will leave you howling on the floor in a pool of your own tears.
Not first-date material if one of you is a single parent. Nor is it a boys’-night-out film if you have a tender underbelly and don’t want your mates laughing at you.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you’re into a good emotional battering and like to mainline large doses of pathos in your free time
• No, if: you’re a systems analyst, a computer programmer, or enjoy doing anything connected with an Excel spreadsheet
• Maybe, if: you’re spending lots of money on a therapist to help you get over your absent father and want to get off on someone else having a relatively much worse time than you did
Comments: I don’t mind low-budget. I mean, my top film for the year so far – “Sideways” – rang up for less than Spielberg’s personal allowance for Coke during the making of “War of the Worlds”. But “Sideways” looks like it was meant to begin its descent to cable from a cinema theatre. This film doesn’t. It looks Channel 4.
Is this because I'm from Britain, a place where the sun never shines for more than ten minutes and people's teeth are uneven and have a yellowish-brown tinge? Is it that only America's endless sun and perfect teeth can make a film look big-screen? I don't think so. "The Full Monty" and "Billy Elliot" both hail from dank, tea-stained Britain but still looked at home where the seats cost ten bucks a pop. "Dear Frankie" somehow does not.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: ****
• Dialogue: ***
• Substance: ****
• Film craft: ***
Story comments: the story premise is great. I had one of those wish-I’d-thought-of-that-first moments. No complaints – it’s a really cool idea. And having started like that, the film twists and morphs into something even better. Yes, this is an original, telling idea pretty well developed.
But the film has problems. Its main one is it’s hard-up for antagonists. They are either hollow or absent (either dramatically, factually – or both).
The unpleasant little git Frankie – played by Jack McElhone – chooses to pal up with digs his poisoned daggers in at opportune moments for no apparent reason then goes away again. Something was missing here.
You could argue with the ending, too, though it worked for me.
Dialogue comments: if you couldn’t follow “Trainspotting” for linguistic reasons you are going to have problems here since the story takes place in Scotland with all the attendant complications for people attuned to international English.
This is a film without stars – which I personally often like. But, despite the competent – even good – delivery all round, I was troubled by the feeling that the whole thing looked just a tad out of its depth on the big screen.
Substance comments: this film has substance. A mother's love for her son. A boy's need for his father. This is all highly emotional stuff which is hardwired into our sympathies. And it's been effectively - if somewhat sneakily - utilised here.
The themes are treated emotionally rather than intellectually. This is not an erudite or clever film. It is a gush fest based on a strong idea which works pretty well but not brilliantly.
Film craft: well-shot, nicely edited and well cast, the film’s chief failing is that it has been wrongly marketed. It’s a TV drama, not a cinema experience.
A taste of the story: a deaf and mute boy writes to his absent father via a PO box. But the correspondence is not what it seems.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 639. | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
|
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Directed by: George Lucas. Written by: George Lucas. Starring: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson. 140 min. USA.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a high-intensity arcade game marinated in gallons of medievalesque, futuristic swashbuckle. Less of a film and more of a self-referencing cyberthon fest for confirmed fans.
I’ll tell you now, the only Star Wars film I liked was the first one. I liked it a lot. But I was ten at the time.
I was afraid that the intervening twenty-odd years had affected my ability to get the most out of loud and shiny hi-tech heroics draped over a completely moronic plot so I took my as-yet-unjaded seven-year old son along as a control. His verdict: somewhere between good and really good.
There you have it. If you’re a full-on Star Wars fan, you need read no further.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you are, what for me is a completely alien creature: a Startrekkie, Deep-Space-Ninie, Starwarsian cyber junkie. It all makes sense to you and you care what happens
• No, if: on your way from reading comics to dealing with work-related emails you made any kind of detour into the realm of books without pictures written by people who have been dead for a while
• Maybe, if: you’re a computer graphics artist and want to see some genuine masters of the craft at work
Comments: the film follows on from the last one and features the same basic ingredients: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) with his unconvincing British officer’s accent and Nikolai II beard, Padme (Natalie Portman) more hopelessly in love than seems decent beyond the bounds of a chewing-gum advertisement, and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) looking way too toy-boyish and pampered to cut it as any sort of warrior-caste knight committed to a life of rigorous self-discipline.
Yoda is wise, reflective, green and unbelievably supple for a semi-omniscient being of his age. And the android sidekicks bring up the rear with R2-D2 blipping forth a stream of withering diode-driven pessimism and C-3PO hopping about with the jittery servility of a heavily caffeinated butler.
In short, there’s something for everyone.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: *
• Substance: *
• Film craft: *****
Story comments: the lazy way to write new stuff, it seems, is just wait till everyone has forgotten all the good writers, then dumb it down and serve it up again with a straight face.
The story here is a hybrid creation formed from an asset-stripped Greek tragedy (complete with prophecy, premonition and seemingly endless deus ex machina), and a viral culture of Faust, Frankenstein, and Paradise Lost grown under fluorescent lights after some jiggery-pokery with the DNA signatures of the originals. But then, the reviewers of Goethe, Mary Shelley and John Milton probably said something similar about them. Since there’s not much new under the sun, fluorescent lights will have to suffice.
Where the story really comes into its own is in connecting the dots of the Starwarsian meta-story – that is, of the total Star Wars myth – to achieve a genuine sense of closure. It’s cleverly done and makes the second half of the film worth watching (at any rate, I stopped yawning and closing my eyes during protracted lightsabre sessions which give me a headache).
The story’s ability to self reference successfully is an indication of the critical mass this contemporary myth franchise has accumulated. But I’m still in the dark as to what, for me, is the key mystery of the whole saga: how does R2-D2 get up and down stairs?
Dialogue comments: on the comedy side, there is a series of android quips and antics which borders on slapstick, and the whole thing gets dangerously close to a lightsabre-witheringly expensive pantomime more than once.
The rest is an arcade game with characters you can choose to be or not be through an unlimited number of levels. The personalities are made of cardboard and any emotions they evince come from a palate with a limited range of options and have a block-like, pixel quality (which may be more or less convincing depending on the kind of processor you have and the amount of RAM you can afford).
My problem with a lot of it – and here I am returning the question of deus ex machina – is that the outcome is entirely spurious. It’s just a matter of Player One having more powers (suddenly, and for no comprehensible reason) than Player Two. But even within this very subjective framework there is no consistency. Yoda, for example, for all his semi-omniscient powers can’t seem to learn to form basic sentences properly. Does that make sense? No, it doesn’t. And don’t expect it to, either. This is the province of fantasy. Things just are for no reason and they change for no reason. Life is a computer game and you just have to learn each level as you go and accept the programmer as your god.
If you can’t get into it on that level then I suppose you have no business going to see a film designed to entertain seven-year olds.
Substance comments: the story deals with loyalty, ambition and the dangers of siding with evil in the interests of a seeming greater good. But again, you have to close off large portions of your mind (something which literature professors refer to as suspending disbelief) and understand that you are not going to find anything on this level (or on any other) which a programmer did not put there on purpose and want you to find.
However, on the political side, there were some interesting moments. The point, it turns out, of the core struggle was to save Democracy. I laughed out loud. But on reflection it seemed that in the context of a story which revolves round elite-caste in-fighting, there is something refreshingly realpolitik and subversive about the situation as presented here. A story featuring a genocidal, neo-fascist oligarchy invoking Freedom and Democracy to achieve its nefarious ends invites comparisons and conclusions which are inescapable to even the most indoctrinated CNN or Fox News devotee.
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) lays it on the line: If you’re not with me, you’re my enemy. Yeah, we’ve heard similar noises in recent times from George Bush who was quoting (unwittingly, obviously) a man with whom he has much in common: Joseph Stalin. Perhaps the same person is writing their speeches.
And again: So this is how liberty dies – with thunderous applause, says Padme. This sort of statement is more politically unfettered than anything any mainstream news outlet in the United States today can say.
Let’s hope the audience still has the tools to grasp it.
Film craft: this computer-generated culturally-synthesised world woven out of strands of ancient Sumer, Babylon, Egypt, Rome, medieval Europe, a top-secret NASA project and a business park in Milton Keynes is brilliantly executed and – within the terms of the genre – among the best I have seen.
A taste of the story: after three years of fighting in the Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker begins his journey towards the Dark Side of the Force, putting his friendship with Obi Wan Kenobi and his marriage at risk.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 640. | British Sea Power
|
British Sea Power
Moscow - or at least a section of Moscow's hip young things - has long been in love with the rock music of my native England. Maybe it's a subconscious throw-back to the days when learning the language with freshly smuggled Beatles discs was a subtly subversive gesture; maybe it's an abstract homage to the heady days of the early 90s when the Iron Curtain rusted in time for the golden age of Britpop, before Tony Blair's "Cool Britannia" reduced it all to propagandistic parody. Perhaps it's just a lingering symptom of having Elton John arrive as the first Western rock star to appear for a stony-faced army of politburo apparatchiks back in the grey days. Or, more likely, none of the above. Whatever the reason, the sounds of foggy Albion still carry a resonance in these parts - and even a group like British Sea Power, some way from being Blighty's biggest names, can draw a committed crowd to a Moscow venue.
The Brighton-based, Cumbrian-conceived band arrived with a reputation as one of England's best live acts, and their sound - part raucous terrace chanting, part miasma of overdriven guitars - is transformed on stage. Even a slightly sludgy sound mix - which robbed set opener "Who's in control" of any clarity - couldn't hinder the show once it got into its stride. Roared on by a word-perfect crowd of dedicated local fans enjoying the band's return to Russia after a seven-year gap, BSP rose to the challenge admirably to put in a blistering set for the opening night of Avant Fest 2011.
Unlike many touring acts, they looked genuinely pleased to be back; "Can you understand me at all?" asked Yan in a fairly broad accent of the fells. Approving cheers. "Fuckin' marvellous!" Fellow vocalist Hamilton added: "Youse are much better at clapping in time than the English." A pause. "This is not a man who gives compliments lightly - this means something," from Yan.
Musically BSP are hard to pin down. The name sounds like a diplomatic threat hanging over a 19th-century European peace conference to remind the Spanish that Gibraltar is going to continue helping Britannia rule the waves, and there's a certain wistful preoccupation with a sepia-tinted era of semi-rustification. It's almost "Dig for victory" meets "Withnail and I", with t-shirts on sale pledging "I'm a big fan of the local library". But the sound is more timeless than retro. It has a bovver-boy swagger and stomp - "easy, easy!" - allied to a shoe-gazing wall of distortion-heavy sound. But that is infused with the sort of energy that suggests My Bloody Valentine pumped full of Red Bull and amphetamines to create something which encloses the audience rather than puts them on the other side of the creative barriers.
Most of the set was drawn from the most recent album, "Valhalla Dancefloor", recorded in a bleak midwinter in a farmhouse in Sussex. Big skies and snow-covered fields infect its lyrical pre-occupations; musically the original four-piece has been expanded to six, with the permanent addition of violins and keyboards, plus the occasional bit of brass. New material was no challenge for the crowd: even "Zeus", an EP track unreleased in Russia, was immediately taken up by the download-ready locals.
But it was perhaps the older songs which really took flight. "No Lucifer" and "Flag Waving", from 2008's "Do you like Rock Music", perfectly marked the transition from concert into gig - that vital and elusive moment when the crowd stops listening and becomes part of the show. "Carry On", from the early "Decline of British Sea Power", lost its dreamy recording studio sheen to re-emerged as a brute of a live track, the original undertow overwhelmed in a mass of sound.
By the time the finale rolled around - "We're all in it" - the words became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Tomato-flinging guitarist Noble crowd surfed his way across the sweaty hordes, pausing to hoist himself onto a low-slung ceiling support as the masses bellowed the chorus, helped along by the band. Britain's naval power may have begun its decline a century ago; British Sea Power remains as buoyant as ever, no matter how unfamiliar the port in which it docks for the evening. |
|
|
|
|
| 641. | The Village /By M. Night Shyamalan/
|
The Village /By M. Night Shyamalan/
I recall reading the review on CNN.com about this movie when it came out stateside. The reviewer called it “Shyamalan’s best film yet, demanding repeated viewings…” After seeing the movie, I feel just as strongly as this reviewer, but just in the opposite direction. “The Village” is M. Night Shyamalan’s absolute worst film to date, and if this movie doesn’t prove that he’s Hollywood’s biggest hack, I can’t wait to miss his next one.
This movie is basically an exercise of overindulgence for Shyamalan. He’s gotten so used to critics comparing him to Hitchcock that he probably believes it. He’s also watched enough Twilight Zone episodes to mine a lifetime of stories to rehash. Add to this his patented use of ‘the twist’, and you have a guy who’s making the same kind of movie over and over again, but using a different b-movie storyline.
This time around, the story is about an Amish-like community in a small village in what seems to be the 1800’s. The village is completely enclosed by a forest, wherein deadly creatures are said to inhabit. There is an apparent truce between the village and the woods, where one party cannot enter the others’ territory. What we then have is a delicate sort of ‘caged utopia’, which stays this way until it appears that the truce is broken.
The relationship between Lucius (Joaquin Phoenix) and Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard) is what drives the plot of the movie, as it seems to serve the love story while everything else – creatures, village, town, politics – stays in the background. The two actors are complemented by a stellar ensemble featuring William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, and Adrien Brody, who only really play supporting roles. Phoenix really shines in his role as the silent hero, a role that was written for him. It’s easily his best performance since Cassius in “Gladiator”. Howard is also adequate in her feature film debut, although the attention she’s receiving is more likely due to her Hollywood parentage (her father is mogul Ron Howard).
It’s amazing to see such star power go to waste. In every line of dialogue in the movie, in every shot and every scene, Shyamalan is all-too-eager to show the viewer that this movie is his and his alone – attempting to duplicate the auteur impulses of none other than Alfred Hitchcock. However, old Hitch’s techniques were designed to be a revelation in filmmaking; Shyamalan’s are designed to fuel his ego. On the other hand, his egotism is only outshone by his audacity. Whereas Hitchcock’s cameos were modest, this time around Shyamalan even uses a series of carefully designed glamour shots to expose himself in the most ‘discreet’ way possible.
In 95 percent of the film, Shyamalan revels in excess: crane shots, bombastic music, smoke and fog lighting, and loud effects for cheap thrills. This guy takes himself way too seriously. In what is a painfully long exercise in showing off, he even gives us 3 (!) twists this time around. The first is the one you see from miles away, the second is a tired rehash straight out of Star Trek, and the third and final one busts open the doors of absurdity by trying to milk tears from tired and bored eyes. The movie stays flat throughout. I was told once that the worst a story can ever end with is “and it was all but a dream”. In this case I wish it were.
In fact, there are many inconsistencies throughout the movie that even the hackneyed twists couldn’t answer. If I were allowed to give spoilers, I would love to address each and every single one of them, for this movie can then be taken as a comedy. In Shyamalan’s defense though, there was one good scene in the film. It involves a meeting of the characters played by Phoenix and Brody; a very powerful scene, reminiscent of one in “Saving Private Ryan”.
But that is pretty much it for the 5 percent that’s worth watching. He is no Hitchcock. I read somewhere that this ‘caged utopia’ village is actually an allegory to Bush’s America during his War on Terror. I think this is giving too much credit to Shyamalan. He’s not even Michael Moore. His “Sixth Sense” was excellent, but it seems as though his movies are getting progressively worse. His next outing shouldn’t be that bad though. Hell, I’ll probable even see it. After all, it can’t probably get any worse than this. |
|
|
|
|
| 642. | Zimpala
|
Zimpala
Zimpala - from Bordeaux? Yes, Zimpala dropped into Moscow on Friday night and treated the patrons of Tinkoff to a musical treat. Zimpala - the band - is a group of 4 very talented musicians who make their home in Bordeaux, and like their DJ partners, present electro jazz with a hint of pop, funk and latin in the mix.
Tinkoff is a perfect watering hole - perfect for Friday night relaxation after a tough week of work. Being my first visit to the brew-pub, I was compelled to experiment with a variety of beverages, with a personal preference for the lighter varieties of beer. Beer coupled with heaping appetizers set my mood for some good jazz to follow.
A few interesting facts about the band. Each band member plays the keyboards and composes music, bringing their personal preferences into the music mix. Adding to the obvious keyboards were a bass guitar, saxophone and acoustic guitar, plus the computer tracks for background detail. The trip marked the band's first gig in Moscow and before the show, were practicing the basic two Russian words.
The pub was primed and ready for some lively music and at long last, the band appeared on stage. The first songs were rather mixed and I was somewhat unsure of exactly where the music was headed. However, two back-to-back songs defined the band. Adios, a more romantic jazz vocal focused piece started to catch the attention of the patrons and those able to find a square meter, began to dance and enjoy. The next song, Crazy Girl, was pure electro jazz beat and rhythm, bringing the crowd to life and action in the dance area. These two songs set the parameters of the spectrum of music and the rest of the evening flowed well, or was it the beer that flowed well?
Tinkoff is perhaps not the most ideal venue for dancing as tables near the stage impede movement for dancers, patrons and staff. That is perhaps the only negative as the service was super fast and beer was delivered on time and cold, food portions were of a good size and tasty, and the atmosphere was friendly and relaxing.
The temptation to compare Zimpala to Bordeaux wine is irresistible - well-aged and mature, best enjoyed with friends and beer. |
|
|
|
|
| 643. | The Skatalites
|
The Skatalites
The Skatalites have influenced and incubated generations of Raggae, Ska and Rock Steady artists. The collective formed in the early sixties continues to transform itself and inspire admirers. The Skatalites latest incarnation performed at Club B2 last Thursday night.
Club B2 hosts class-acts on a regular basis (www.b2club.ru). The club is humongous but cleverly designed to almost feel cozy. Carousing the flights and secret rooms of the concert hall, one completely forgets about the activity bustling below in the Japanese Kitchen, Beer
Restaurant and Billiards.
The staff is friendly (some very), young and good-looking - much like the clientele. There was an interesting and unpretentious mix ranging from university students and tattooed types to Finnish businessmen. The most notable anomaly was a revelry of bald dudes wearing cotton button-downs and suspenders - the new fashion for true Ska enthusiasts.
Rushing into B2 off the drizzled streets of Moscow, I had to down a Johhny Walker (high in price but low in volume - standard) before hustling backstage to greet the greats. Honored to meet the masters of Ska, it was tempting to barrage them with common questions but
intuition and an attempt urged better.
Dangling unaware of occasion specific protocol, I resorted to the usual survival tactic - dilate pupils and smile. Amused, Devon James - veteran guitarist, picked up a camcorder and teased me with compliments. Thus, infused with courage, I could pose the first and most pressing question - "Who's Lloyd?" "Lloyd Knibb is sitting on the other chair." "He's an original." "He knows all the beats," they replied as he reigned silently and sure. Just then entered the other original Lloyd, Lloyd Brevett - bassist. Tall and thin with bright colors, ruby gold rings and long long dreadlocks, he was accompanied by a velvet-clad lady and the lovely Doreen Shaffer.
Forty years and still strong, I wondered how the collective could so successfully transcend space and time. "Some of us have been together since tender age." "We follow the drum beat." "All of our songs are hits." "It's Magic! When we play even the cripple – he gonna move." That last remark was made by the one and only Lester "Ska" Sterling. A charming alto earl in red shirt and black cap, he would nod off from time to time, waking up when elbowed.
Curious as to their attitude towards Babylon, I inquired if I could ask about politics. Ken Stewart - keyboardist and Bostonian, succinctly expressed his opinion on the recent US elections. But
when Lloyd Brevett proclaimed he don't have nothing to do with it, that he only care about the One Love, my written list of questions suddenly seemed even more mundane. There was only one thing to do - lean back and bask in the nuances of Patoi and Island English which swirled
around the room.
Devon James cut off the video recorder and offered a beer. "Don't go, we like your company," he chuckled. Oleg, the excellent waiter brought in a tray of exotic fruit, and before long Mr. James
and I began to reminisce about mangos, glass-bottomed boats and the pleasures of creation. As the performance hour approached, our conversation lulled to a soft alto sax merging with eager trumpet, joining Mr.Batchelor's rhythmic feet and sounds to create an impromptu jazz standard session.
Onstage, embraced by three tiers of bar and dance floor, the Skatalites brought an anticipatory audience to the fore by mixing intricate interpretations of familiar classics with famous raggae
renditions as interspersed by JAH! JAH! JAH! shoutings. Yes, it was truly sweet to indulge in the honey warm melody of "Sugar, Sugar" as sung by Ms. Shaffer. (Nothing like a tropical romance.)
Indeed, Vin Gordon, Karl "Cannonball" Bryan and the rest of the Skatalites did make us all in the concert hall, relax and move, shake, sway. "It's magic," I mused while noting the group's rich, gold tone. And then, just as if to echo that thought, the effervescent Lester "Ska" Sterling danced a happy jig while the legends launched into the night's last number. The lyrics of which flowed like this: "Oh, the stars shine above on our golden love." |
|
|
|
|
| 644. | Erasure
|
Erasure
It might have been the glittery red jacket. Erasure vocalist Andy Bell, who achieved a certain notoriety back in the day by performing in a snug-fitting leotard with a tinsel-covered crotch, took to the stage wearing an item that even Nikolai Baskov might have considered a little bit too much. And, in single gesture, made it clear to a packed house at A2 that this was authentic, old-time Erasure in action: the voice, the synths, a couple of backing singers and - crucially - the hits.
Inevitably the jacket didn't last long in the heat, but after a slightly uncertain start which drew heavily on the latter - less prepossessing - half of the band's career, the show steadily crescendoed into the kind of night that made you understand why live music is worth bothering with. And it thrilled an impressively varied crowd: crusty Soviet-era survivors who, we fondly imagined, had thrilled to the strains of "Sometimes" as a contraband clip from an alien culture were rubbing shoulders with the bright young things of modern Moscow, for whom the 1980s exist merely in the history books. And, come that magical midway tipping point that every great show spirits on to the set list, they were all dancing together merrily like it was simultaneously 1987 and 2011.
It helped enormously that this tour - bringing the band to Russia for the first time - was not even pretending to sell new material. Although Erasure never broke up, it felt more like a triumphal reunion show, returning to the old favorites for the fans. And, earning extra credit, Bell went far beyond most visiting frontmen in his efforts to speak Russian to the masses. If the majority struggle to get as far as a hesitant "spasibo", Erasure wanted to have a go at full sentences. Admittedly several of them might have been in Chinese for all the sense they appeared to make, but the gesture was the key thing.
The other big bonus was just how well the back catalog stands up over the years - the likes of "Ship of Fools", "Oh l'Amour", "Stop", "Sometimes" or "A Little Respect" have defied those who dismissed Erasure as a cheap, overly flamboyant and ultimately disposable version of the darker, more intellectually minded Pet Shop Boys. And, for all the poppy sensibilities, this is audibly removed from the mindlessly chirpy early 80s musical world defined in one direction by the gaudy camp of Adam Ant and in the other by the unthinking good times of Wham! In Erasure's England the early 80s bubble had burst and the beat was taking on a more urban bent. This is the sound of a generation realising that the promise of "Club Tropicana" is never going to be delivered; the dream turns bittersweet.
Then, of course, we come to "Love to Hate You". This particular track is indelibly associated with Russia for me, thanks to an early 90s school trip over here where it was simply inescapable. Every taxi, every shop, every restaurant or bar: life was accompanied by the fate of all those unsatisfactory lovers. And now, 20 years on, it's probably the band's best-loved release, representing the zenith of their popularity before that middle-aged drift into declining relevance and the slow death of the nostalgia circuit. Bravely they popped it in the middle of the set: pre-show predictions made it a certain encore. And it worked beautifully. Conventional wisdom defied, it fired up the audience to the point where simply reciting from the phone book would have sparked further riotous acclaim.
Too many aging acts come to Moscow with little more than a pay-off in mind; the result is top-dollar ticket prices for performances phoned in with little enthusiasm or animation. Even though Erasure's carefully programmed electro-pop doesn't exactly demand to be heard live in the way the balls-out frenzy of heavy metal might, they delivered a perfectly tailored show, restoring the faith of the most jaded gig-goers. |
|
|
|
|
| 645. | Chris Clark
|
Chris Clark
A fast Jungle beat drops and gets broken down into fragments, leaving anyone who was dancing wondering: what’s next? Noises, scratches and contra-rhythms are thrown at ears and feet, with only the bass keeping you remotely in check of the beats-per-minute you should be moving your body to. Then, the bass halts and all dancing suddenly looks awkward. In a minute long cacophony, all notes and beats are mixed, stretched, distorted, hinting at the track you just heard and at the one that might follow. From this chaos, finally a completely new sound texture evolves and Chris Clark lands on an Electro track that gets the crowd moving again. Then, he rises from his almost continuously bent-over position, breathes, sips his bottle of beer and gives the audience a grin. Yes, this is a wicked mind at work in Sixteen Tons, all right.
Chris Clark debuted in 2001, while still studying maths on university on the record label Warp, also the home to the notorious Aphex Twin. And there are resemblances. In both cases you’re talking about disorienting Ambient music with a sharp edge. However, Clark’s music comes across a bit more subdued. The fast-paced break beats are there, for sure, but the undertone is darker - ominous maybe. If Aphex Twin would be a raving lunatic, Chris Clark would be his quiet, but far more dangerous brother.
During his set, it becomes clear that you have to be in the dancing crowd to fully experience and appreciate Chris Clark’s performance. You have to really listen to keep up with the tempo changes and different styles: this is no simple hop-along house music. The concert is a series of changing rhythms and moods that are connected by complex interludes. It is interesting and at the same time great fun. And once you get into the weird musical twists and turns, you get sucked in. However, there seems to be no real build-up in the set, and there’s no climax at the end. Or it must be that suddenly, Clark rises up, waves, and is gone. What remains is the desire for an encore that doesn’t come.
If you are sitting back at one of the tables across the bar, the concert may have passed unnoticed. At some moments, you may actually have thought that over there on stage, some maniac was pushing his records into a food processor that was wired to speakers. Or that the CD player is hanging at random moments… Which is probably why after the concert, the Sixteen Ton’s audience seems to be divided into those who obviously had a good time and those who aren’t overly impressed.
But the verdict is: with most big names in dance music producing risk-free muzak, it is nice to see that at least one creative mind is brave enough to demand the audience to pay proper attention. If you did so last Saturday, you will know what I mean.
Photo by Anna Gavrilova |
|
|
|
|
| 646. | Kill Bill: Vol.2 / By Q.Tarantino /
|
Kill Bill: Vol.2 / By Q.Tarantino /
Kill Bill: Vol.2 is a magnificent movie, and definitely one of the best of this year. While I’m eager to entertain people’s arguments against it (poor pacing, too much dialogue, lacking in action, etc.), at the same time I can’t help but explain to these people that they’re just missing the point.
First of all, while this movie stands perfectly well on its own, one has to remember that it was originally meant as the latter half to last year’s breathtaking Kill Bill: Vol.1. Most of the new fans that director Quentin Tarantino attracted with that movie will probably be unhappy with this offering, as he has forsaken the stylish hack-and-slash music video presentation of KBv1 with a more penetrating study of the very Tarantino ‘universe’ and the motivations of the characters that populate it. On the other hand, if you allow yourself to inhabit this universe, you’ll find that his razor-sharp storytelling style inflicts a much deeper cut than a sword from Hattori Hanzo himself.
For the benefit of the people who missed KBv1, this movie actually begins with The Bride (Uma Thurman) speaking to the audience and explaining her mission and backstory: “I’ve killed a helluva lot of people up to this point, and I only have one left to kill… Bill.” Of course in order to get to Bill (David Carradine), she must first find a way to get past the two remaining Vipers: Budd (Michael Madsen) and Elle (Daryl Hannah).
The Characters
When we first see Bill’s brother Budd in a flashback, we are immediately reminded of a similar character in Reservoir Dogs; apart from being classy and loyal, Mr. Blonde was also unpredictable yet effective. The years have not been kind to Budd however, as a subsequent falling-out with Bill has put him in a bit of a downward spiral. Michael Madsen, in a seemingly flawless Mickey Rourke impression, is excellent as the pathetic and self-punishing strip-club bouncer. In the showdown with The Bride, he shows that his instincts have not dulled with time; he is still just as unpredictable and effective as ever.
You can also tell that Daryl Hannah had a blast in playing Elle, the most ruthless Viper. Being The Bride’s rival and now Bill’s mistress, their fight scene is the action highpoint of the movie. In contrast to the beautiful wire-fu sequences in KBv1 however, this time around it’s no-holds-barred brawl in Budd’s dilapidated trailer. The action is so fierce you’ll cringe after witnessing its eye-popping outcome.
In addition to Hannah’s turn as superbitch Elle, David Carradine is simply perfect as Bill. In past outings, Tarantino has saved many a career on life support, and this time around he does a great favor to the old Grasshopper. Carradine delivers each line with such composed disposition that you even wonder if he’s acting at all. The result is one of the coolest characters in the Tarantino universe. I only wish they actually showed some scenes with him and his si fu Pai Mei (Gordon Liu), the legendary kung-fu master whose tutelage scenes are just too hilarious to properly describe here.
The Direction
Tarantino’s direction is excellent, using different techniques to heighten the emotional impact of his off-the-wall storytelling. He finds the appropriate times to show the tricks he’s used before: long shots, black & white, foot shots, old-school soundtrack. This time around, he also plays with the granularity (at times coarser to convey more grit and awkwardness) and screen ratio (he switches from letterbox to 4:3 to convey claustrophobia and helplessness). There’s even one scene in the Texas Funeral sequence where the screen is completely black for a good 5 minutes, while all we hear are endless heaps of earth being piled upon the heroine’s casket. Brilliant.
Kill Bill: Vol.2 shows why Tarantino is one of the best American directors today. It’s evident in this movie that in his youth he had digested most of what pop culture had fed him, primarily in kung-fu flicks, cult classics, westerns, and comic books. He lovingly garnishes this movie with references that most viewers will miss, but at the end he proves that transcends all of his inspirations. You’ll see how he brings it all together: The Bride’s femininity, ferocity, and focus are apparent when she finally faces Bill. In the meantime, Bill’s exposition allows us a peek at the complexities of their relationship, and the reason for his past actions. In very Tarantino-like fashion, it all seems to make sense. The emotional impact at the end of the movie is quiet but great, and too much bloodletting would have ruined it.
If I am allowed one objection however, it is that the movie could have been tighter. I suggest you take your washroom or concession break at the beginning of two scenes: Budd late for work at the strip club, and The Bride meeting up with Bill’s mentor. The scenes slow down the pace considerably, and they could have been easily cut and explained in passing. However, these are only minor reservations for an otherwise awesome story and triumphant return of a great director. Watch KBv1, immediately follow it up with KBv2, and immerse yourself in the Tarantino universe. Have one helluva ride! |
|
|
|
|
| 647. | Hide and Seek /By J.Polson/
|
Hide and Seek /By J.Polson/
There have been many times when viewers are totally immersed in a story, awaiting each following scene with eager anticipation, until a certain turning point and we are left scratching our heads and wondering what just happened. “Hide and Seek” has such a story, one that has its third act betraying all that was brilliant in its first two.
After a short beginning in New York City, most of the action in the movie takes place in cottage country, far from civilization and thus closer to the setting that most thrillers and horror movies are placed in. Recently widowed psychologist Dr. David Calloway (Robert De Niro) moves to an upstate summer community, to find respite for himself and his traumatized daughter Emily (Dakota Fanning). This is against the advice of colleague Dr. Katherine Carson (Famke Janssen), but David’s decision as Emily’s father and Katherine’s mentor is enough for her to relent. He feels that his desire to live life anew with his daughter, away from the city, is the best course of action for them to deal with their tragic loss.
There is an immediately threatening atmosphere as soon as the Calloways reach their new property, also helped by the many disturbing characters that they come in contact with. Everyone from the sheriff (Dylan Baker) to their next-door neighbors seem to display an uncanny interest in Emily, and once the weird and scary occurrences start happening, it’s not too long before David becomes suspicious of everyone in the small town. Fortunately for David, he finds a kindred spirit in Elizabeth Young (Elizabeth Shue), a recent divorcee.
“Hide and Seek” begins much like a Hitchcock thriller, moving at a deliberate pace and focused squarely on the character interactions. The visual cues and feelings of eerie suspense are brought about the old-fashioned way, without cheap thrills or clich?d tricks. Director John Polson does a good job of maintaining the ominous undercurrent throughout most of the movie, at first hinting at the supernatural, and then later making it more terrifying with an ‘it could happen to anyone’ type of realism.
The performances are outstanding throughout, from the supporting characters all the way to the top-billed actors, namely with Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning. De Niro is sharp, once again working against type and proving his range. He seems quite comfortable in slipping into the more mainstream roles as he ages, much like Paul Newman in the 90’s. His acting as a grieving widower trying to salvage communication with his daughter is believable and tender. In addition, he also handles the surprise sequences very well near the end of the movie.
Much acting praise also goes to the youngster Fanning, who has now officially and quite deftly stolen scenes from yet another cinematic legend. In the many shared moments with De Niro, her wide expressive eyes and subtle demeanor speaks of talent that betrays her youthful appearance. There is much talk stateside about her rumored drug habit, with the unavoidable over-attention due to her age. In this movie however, her appearance as a malnourished insomniac only adds to the role, be it from a crack addiction or the skilled hand of an experienced makeup artist.
Despite the many positives, there is one glaring flaw in this movie that should have been remedied before production. If anything, the composition of this movie resembles more that of a psychological thriller than anything else, but then the producers take a decided turn against this in the last 30 minutes of the movie – moving more into the territory of a formulaic slasher flick. Ari Schlossberg’s script begins taut and controlled, like Shyamalan without too much reliance on the supernatural. However, with the last act, we end up with a movie that resembles “The Shining”, but lacking any adrenaline or payoff at the very end. A comparable neo-Hitchcock thriller would be “What Lies Beneath”, but where that movie (barely) succeeded, this movie falls flat.
The movie is still a good watch, especially in the first hour or so. The potential for this movie to be an excellent thriller much in the vein of M. Night Shyamalan was definitely there, but I’m sure most viewers would have handled the last act quite differently if given the power to rewrite. I understand that Shyamalan’s style has become a trademark in itself, but in the efforts of the filmmakers to offer something unique, they sacrificed their potential to come up with something big. As effective the movie was in the first two acts, the thrills were well hidden in the end. |
|
|
|
|
| 648. | Basement Jaxx
|
Basement Jaxx
Fittingly, in a city of jaw-dropping juxtapositions and cultural collisions, the last night of Basement Jaxx’s summer tour brought a hybridity and experimentalism to B1 Maximum that the Muscovite audience responded to in kind. Be it cheesy house, mental mosh-ups or Jamaican Gabba Street parties replete with skipping ropes, Moscow lapped it up and asked for more.
The set, percussion, DJ, drums and 3 horns provide a backdrop for 3 super-talented vocalists, an MC and guitarist and Basement Jaxx founder Felix Buxton, to run amok, and reflected the street party vibe at the roots of the Basement Jaxx route to popularity. The group draws upon the music of Brixton and London SW9, from the street sound of Jamaican ragga or The Clash to Saturday night house music and Sunday morning atonement with a church gospel choir to constantly surprise and uplift the audience by bringing a new vibe, a new twist, and countless costume changes.
Opening on an up and keeping it there, they brought the street vibe to Moscow, Jump’n’Shout had them high-kicking for starters before they stitched together three pieces from 2001’s Rooty and 2003’s Kish Kash that endeared singers Linda Lewis and Vula Melinga to all and sundry. The dancing was Jamaican, the singing was soulful, the horns were Latin and the beats were massive, yet it sounded like ska, or maybe hip-hop, or was that disco? It was loud though, very loud.
Four tracks in and it was time for “Take Me Back to Your House”, the video to which is saturated in Russian and soviet iconography and as such has received saturation rotation on MTV Russia. It was rather like seeing Prince in 1989, and standing agog as he played “Purple Rain” four songs in. Like, what were they going to do next? What about the encore?! Like Prince, Basement Jaxx had faith. They even chilled out for a bit – giving the white jump-suited horn section a Memphis moment before kicking into “Do Your Thing” from 2001’s “Rooty”, an Aretha meets Blues Brothers belter replete with manic Charleston dancing.
They did it again too, giving a big-up to label mates White Stripes by bashing out “Run for Cover”, before dropping the pace with a soulful “When the light is over now”, beautifully sung by Linda Lewis, whose extraordinary vocal prowess proved too much for the sound system, which frankly, should have been switched off altogether and must have been handled by a deaf 16 year old on speed, but more of that later.
The energy kept coming from stage centre, while video screens relaying the on-stage shenanigans to the gathered masses, filling Club B1 to about 3/4s capacity. Rooty’s “Get me off” was performed like Salt’n’Peppa (remember "Push it"?) were actually there. Ten times cheekier than Gwen Stefani, the girls loved it, both on stage and off. “Just Look Around”, (Yo Yo Yummy Yummy!) brought a dominatrix and a lime green track-suited belly dancer to make us smile, before things got totally out of hand. “Where’s Your Head At” was utterly lost in the sound – which was by now dangerously stupid – only matched by the on-stage cavorting of the Jaxx-ers, and the brilliant Horn Section costumed up as Klingon-Silverback-Ninja-Warriors in Tubeway Army’s castaways. Looked great, sounded terrible (it actually sounded like this at several points).
With that it was goodnight time, though a 20 minute African-Mambo multi-party singalong (It’s Basement Jaxx!) encore stretched the evening to 10.30, and brought the groups summer tour well and truly to an end. Right up to the end they were tight, together, having fun, and working hard, an infectious cocktail.
Groups come and go but a venue and its management remain. B1 Maximum has lead Moscow’s foray into quality musical nights out over the summer, offering a series of concerts appealing to a European/Western musical palette. For me, Air’s kaleidoscopic 2 ? hour set stands out in this respect though others would argue that Sonic Youth or Gogol Bordello are more worthy of mention, though perhaps I’m just showing my age. In short, Club B1 is a quality venue offering quality events with quality artists at Moscow prices. Basement Jaxx’s visit represents the latest efforts of Moscow’s more savvy music promoters to bring us a quality night out… as opposed to the Scorpions, again.
But, there is room for improvement. The sound was truly awful. The system regularly peaked at dangerous levels, prompting apologies on the band’s myspace site. If Club B1 wants to stay ahead of the posse of promoters and venues offering nights-out to Moscow’s revelers it will have to pay more attention to fundamentals such as this, and let the gloss take care of itself. |
|
|
|
|
| 649. | The Forgotten / By J.Ruben /
|
The Forgotten / By J.Ruben /
A friend told me once before that if a movie runs exactly at the feature length of 90 minutes, watch out: it’s crap. At exactly 89? minutes, I guess I should have realized it sooner, as I don’t know who else among the total of 8 people in the theatre felt suspicious at the noticeable lack of trailers.
The premise follows: Telly Paretta (Julianne Moore) is a grieving mother, having lost her beloved 9-year old son 14 months ago in a tragic plane crash. This same incident also claimed the lives of eight other children, and has left an indelible mark on Telly’s life. She takes time off work, and her marital life suffers as well, and it’s no surprise that she’s seeing a psychiatrist to ease the burden of her loss.
Her psychiatrist, Dr. Munce (Gary Sinise), explains that she is confounding her life more even while treatment, suggesting that she is actually inventing a lot of the memories of her deceased boy. As time goes on, she starts to lose some valuables to remind her of her son, and so suspects Dr. Munce and her husband (Anthony Edwards) of collusion. Soon enough, Dr. Munce informs her of the big shocker: that her son was just a figment of her imagination!
In true big-budget thriller fashion, we realize that all is not what it seems, and we follow Telly and newfound ally in Ash Correll (Dominic West), another mourning parent who has gone through a similar experience. With the help of detective Ann Pope (Alfre Woodard), Telly and Ash piece together the complex puzzle that ultimately is far too much to swallow. SPOILER: Shhh… It involves aliens!
In what seems to be Hollywood’s over-reliance on twist-heavy suspense thrillers (we only have to thank M. Night Shyamalan for this), “The Forgotten” doesn’t bring anything new. Its hackneyed plot doesn’t quite live up to X-Files standards. What’s worse is that the characters seem to exist only for use within the actual movie itself, making it appear to Telly as if everyone she knows is involved in the grandest conspiracy scheme: a faithful yet doubting husband, a psychiatrist that you suspect knows more than what he lets out, a mysterious man that appears in key scenes, and an investigator willing to get to the bottom of it all.
I really can’t blame the filmmakers for this poor excuse of a film, as director Joseph Ruben seems to have done as much as he could with what would have been a better idea for a novella. He employs many overhead angles, just to add to the paranoia of being watched. He also uses a lot of blue-tinted hues in the overall look of the film, just to add to the somber mood, implying loss and despair. He also has a few beautifully-composed shots, particularly the repeating scenes at the playground. However, the film’s pacing could’ve been handled a lot better, as aside from an excellently directed crash scene, the rest of the movie – obligatory chase scenes and all – is a study in tedium.
I also can’t fault the cast, with particularly deep performances from critically-acclaimed actors Sinise and Woodard. Julianne Moore, one of the best actors in the business today, certainly does not disappoint. Her layered performance as the grieving yet relentless mother invokes so much sympathy that one just cannot help but wonder why her character was not in a better movie.
Satisfactory direction and performances aside, “The Forgotten” has nothing to offer a viewer who is expecting a thought-provoking suspense thriller, much like we have grown accustomed to. Frankly speaking, the story sucks. Unless you’re a huge fan of crash scenes or Julianne Moore, this is one to miss. Quite a forgettable experience. |
|
|
|
|
| 650. | Kronos / Kluster
|
Kronos / Kluster
Since their formation in 1976, practically every major western composer has collaborated with the Kronos Quartet. They've premiered works by Philip Glass, John Cage, Luciano Berio, Stockhausen, Arvo Paart... they've championed the avant-garde, and recorded benchmark performances of Shostakovich and Bartok... whilst also sharing the stage with personalities as diverse as David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Brian Eno. But - how do you follow that? Although their Moscow gig was announced as a joint concert with Finnish concept-music duo Kluster (Kimmo Pohjonen & Samuli Kosminen), publicity attention inevitably focussed on the Kronoses themselves. With no concrete information about what they were going to play, MDM had sold-out largely on the Kronos name alone. Kluster are probably well known in their native Finland - but their fame hasn't yet travelled far. On the basis of this gig, however, it's probably too early to rush out and buy Kluster cds. Meanwhile, the Kronos Quartet faced the difficult task of living in their own shadow.
MDM is a crummy venue - a grotty worn-out soviet dump where time has stood still since 1987. Promoters blamed the single security gate for the 1.5-hour late start, but this was obviously far from the only reason - why had we been forced to gulp-down our drinks to take our seats ninety minutes too early? The mood was already sour when Kronos took the stage, without Kluster, for a very short first half. We had three pieces, plus an opening dedicatory lament to the Beslan victims – introduced in English by David Harrington, lead violinist of the quartet. There was some inventive use of sequencing and sampling, and some delicious lush textures laid-down by the viola and cello. The remained of the first half was also introduced by Harrington – and considering that the audience was over 95% Russian, it seems to be somewhere between carelessness and rudeness not to provide either a translation or a printed program? However, after only 30 minutes we were being herded out of the hall for the interval, so that lighting and electronics could be set-up for the second half.
To say the resulting sound/light show was underwhelming isn't saying much - in fact the only noticeable difference from the first half was a back-projection of Roehrich's three-holed tantric symbol, for no obvious reason. Attention was thrust back upon the music itself - and it was barely robust enough to support this attention. Announced as "work in progress", it was an improvisational piece for accordion, synth/sampler, and string quartet. In practice this amounted to eight different, although remarkably similar, slow crescendos. Each one peaked and dropped back to the pianissimo of the next. By the fifth of the series the fatal weakness of this paper-thin material was blazing brighter than any promised spotlight. Far from anything new at all, this infantile "look what an expensive synth I've got" approach was deep-rooted in the 1980's - and wholly out-classed even by veteran pieces like Tubular Bells (whose presence seemed to lurk in the background throughout). This was heavily derivative work any 2nd-year music-college student could produce - except that it wouldn't cost 1000+Rbs to hear student work. I wish I could say it had made me angry or left me fuming, but it failed to do even this - and just left me bored stiff. 1 out of 5 for effort, and really must do much, much better than this. If music came with sell-by dates, this was well past "consume-by". |
|
|
|
|
| 651. | Futureshorts Russia II Film Festival
|
Futureshorts Russia II Film Festival
As an infrequent moviegoer whose diet is primarily high budget, low quality Hollywood cinema, it is sometimes easy to lose the sense of film as art. Mainstream productions of true artistic merit are rare as powerful commercial forces pull directors towards the mass market. Any function of filmmaking, beyond simply the generation of cash, can be forgotten, firewalling innovative productions from the part-timer’s consciousness.
Two encounters with the big screen last week highlighted the point beautifully. I don’t know what possessed me to buy and then even more inexplicably watch “The Terminal”, a 90 minute attempt to patronise and irritate anyone unfortunate enough to be watching it. Perhaps it was the tempting familiarity of seeing Tom Hanks opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones or maybe it was a blind faith in the ability of Steven Spielberg. Whatever my excuse, it was a mistake, and as the timely credits rescued me from the early onset of dementia, I was left to ponder how my faith in cinema could possibly get off the canvas after this weighty blow.
The resuscitation job was carried out on Saturday as I traded in my night on Moscow’s tiles for an hour in the wind tunnel of fresh air created by “FutureShorts” at 35mm. In 60 minutes of quick-fire quality, this selection of short films had taught me more about originality and imagination in world cinema than a year’s free entry to any Odeon you could mention. Varying from a 10 minute animated aircraft safety announcement to 2 minute black comedy on the lunar landing and including almost every genre in between there was a dish for every palate in the packed auditorium to enjoy. Personally I found an agreeable flavour in almost everything on offer, a tribute to the quality control job done by the curator.
Opening with a comical French sketch entitled “I am a horse”, I was slightly concerned that the collection might have placed the emphasis on cheap laughs. Happily this proved not to be the case. This Gallic farce was followed immediately by an animation from Germany that took us on a runaway train through a valley of death to a star wars shoot out using a series of evocative old movie clips and imaginative sketching. Whilst with this, and a couple of other more abstract offerings, the themes were difficult to fathom, you could not fail to be impressed by the imagination and workmanship of the finished product. In general, however, there was a lighthearted feel to the selection. The English study of a boy who sends his deceased 80 year old best friend on a final journey on his scooter to cause havoc at the ballroom dancing before heading off into the blue yonder was certainly intended to warm the heart. If the groans of approval from the audience were anything to go by, it achieved just that.
If I had to choose a favourite, then the Japanese piece featuring a girl named Yuki would be my selection. Another triumph of imagination and novelty, the piece follows our heroine through a very short series of insignificant events. The innovation of the creators brings in a new, almost identical actress to take the girl’s character for every new movement she makes, each actress remaining on set, standing motionless in a continuous line. As the camera gradually pans with a silky smooth movement of the lens across the short slice of Yuki’s day that we have been invited into, I found myself hopelessly drawn into the scene, looking eagerly for the next move and wandering where this train was going to lead. One of the most captivating elements of the work is the chirpy Japanese pop song, perfectly selected to match the rhythm of the piece and adding to its irresistibility. With such a short time to hold the audience’s attention, music can be a powerful tool of the short filmmaker and other than a rather tedious study of an orchestral drummer it was used with great skill throughout.
As the selection above illustrates, the curator’s choices cut across not only disciplines, but also geographical boundaries. Films from Europe, Asia and America made the grade with those that included dialogue being subtitled in English since the festival had not simply been put together for a Russian audience. The collection is midway through a tour of London, Paris and St Petersburg amongst others, something that appears to have been made possible by the highly visible sponsorship provided by a mobile phone manufacturer. Happily translation devices were provided leaving the predominately Russian audience reaching for their earpieces like a visiting UN delegation when the dialogue kicked in.
Having the good fortune to find entertainment and enjoyment in a place you least expect it is a rare and satisfying experience. Neither too long nor too abstract, this introduction to film shorts was just such an event, made all the more gratifying by the contrast with my recent less successful dabbles with cinema. I have no idea how they survive, but that there are studios all over the world producing material of this sort of quality is a cause for celebration. Therefore my advice would be - when Hollywood dross leaves you feeling bitter, try a little something short and sweet. |
|
|
|
|
| 652. | Eric Truffaz Quartet
|
Eric Truffaz Quartet
Legendary French cross-genre trumpeter Eric Truffaz made an all-too-brief appearance with his quartet (Marcello Giuliani, bass; Marc Erbetta, drums; and Patrick Muller, Fender-Rhodes) at Chocolate this week. How would the diners at this louche, lounge-lizard venue take to Eric’s latest material... which extends his exploration of rock idioms and experimental sounds?
They lapped it up, and begged for more. “It’s great in Russia – people come up on stage afterwards and hug and kiss us, they’re so pleased we came” explained Marc Erbetta. “It’s so different here to anywhere else”.“Yeah, we were in Nizhny Novgorod six years ago... and like, they drive you around the same block where the venue is three times, and then they kinda hint there is some special reason they did that? It’s definitely different here!” added Marcello Giuliani.
The same personnel line-up has been playing together now for 6-7 years – since the time of their last appearance in Russia, on a venturesome itinerary featuring Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Yaroslavl and Arkhangelsk as well as Moscow and Saint-Petersburg. All their material is original – they don’t play “standards” or covers – and evolved in extensive jamming sessions in a joint creative process. All the titles – released on the Blue Note label, and available in Moscow through the www.plegion.ru online store – carry joint credits for all the band members. This Moscow gig at Chocolate was a one-off however – for which the band had come specially, largely in connection with latest album Walk Of The Giant Turtle.
Although it’s barely visible, there’s extensive use of live electronics in the set. Sounds are sampled live, and then set-down as a track over which further extemporisation takes place. Eric pushes the trumpet’s ranges to the limits, with unconventional techniques like extreme pedal notes, and extensive half-valving to produce softened textures with delicate timbres... and wired mutes that feed to the huge soundboard that masters the overall sound. Every single texture is there for a purpose, and the result is a luscious lyricism that makes the horn sing seductively above a delicate matt-weave of sound.
The material is eclectic... hints of Miles and Zorn peer through, mixed-up deliciously with rocky rhythms or laid-back cool, free-form numbers follow on from melodically wistful explorations. “This is the good side of globalisation – we can mix it up however we want, a little of this and that” says Marc. The result is like a warmly-blended scotch – soft-centred, subtle, but with a unique identity of its own, rather than an uncomfortable mix of disparate parts. Ambient features too, especially in the final number – mixing samples from the natural world (frog-calls, Eric’s own voice) with trumpet-generated whale-calls, keyboard layovers and a final rocky adventure kicked into motion by Marc Erbetta’s joyful swingy drum-riff. Whole-tone scales added an other-worldly ethos of pointilliste mellifluousness – like Debussy after a few absinthes.
Chocolate is a pricey venue – the interior is an instant guide to the menu-prices. But you don’t have to dine, or even sit, and drinks at the bar for those who chose to chill-out on the comfy sofas are priced to encourage extensive lounging. The venue’s staff went out of their way to accommodate all-comers – whether the diners plunging into vintage champagnes over their exotic mains, or the beardy jazz-buffs cradling a four-dollar beer around the bar for the 90-minute set.
Come back soon, guys. |
|
|
|
|
| 653. | Silver Apples
|
Silver Apples
One of the best things about Moscow over the past five years or so has been the growth in quirky, edgy venues taking over semi-derelict industrial sites and breathing new life into them. Proekt Fabrika’s Aktovy Zal arguably started the trend; Winzavod made it trendy and Krasnye Oktyabr made it almost too trendy. More recently Flacon has taken the same template to the north of the city – and is steadily carving out a reputation for interesting left-field acts.
The audience, almost inevitably, veers towards “cooler-than-thou”. Silver Apples, while a seminal act in many ways, hardly represent the apex of musical popularity. Formed in 1967 but disbanded within two years, the legend lay dormant until the march of rave, techno and IDM inspired new interest in old electronics and prompted a 90s revival. That saw the early albums re-released, but ended abruptly in near tragic circumstances when Simeon Coxe III was left with a broken neck after the tour van was forced off the road. Worse was to follow: drummer Danny Taylor died in 2005, and that seemed to be the end of the whole project. A handful of solo shows and festival appearances since 2007 has seen Simeon keeping the Silver Apples name alive, but it hardly accounted for why a decent-sized crowd of young Russians – far too young to remember even the 90s revival in many cases – headed to Dmitrovskaya to bellow their approval and call out for their favourite tracks. It would be tempting to suggest that genuine passion for the music was allied to a certain cultural one-upmanship, particularly given the whoops and whistles which greeted tracks which were still at the ‘unformed’ stage of their intros.
The music itself, though, was certainly deserving of attention. In the past electronic acts have come in for heavy criticism on these pages for delivering formless noodling with minimal audience interaction. Well, it would a lie to say that Simeon sprung onto stage as a fully-formed Iggy-aping rock god. That accident left his movements restricted, and he contented himself with a few words of greeting and a performance of his songs. But those songs carried enough to sustain the evening without any extras: the sound comes from an army of old-school oscillators and – now – some pre-programmed drum patterns. It blends radiophonic bleeping with a swirl of orchestrated electrics that becomes a precursor of everyone from Joy Division to the Pet Shop Boys, with any of them attempting a cover of the Doctor Who theme (the original, scary-as-hell 1960s version, of course). Throw in Simeon’s vocals – a dark, deadpan growl almost buried by his unique instrumental palate, and you’ve got the same kind of visionary music produced by the more celebrated likes of Brian Wilson and the other whacked-out late 60s noisesmiths. It’s little surprise that Simeon jammed with Hendrix, for example, and his on-stage persona – clad in black, leather Stetson prominent – underlines the vibe perfectly.
It makes for a fascinating show. At times it’s like hearing a pre-echo of industrial rock, another moment calls to mind New Order at their sparest and most intense. The stand outs, the likes of “I have known love”, “You and I” and “Misty Mountain” remain as powerful and fresh today as they were almost half a century ago – unlike so much music intended to sound futuristic, Silver Apples hasn’t dated. Instead it remains as sharp as ever. That’s a tribute to an artist focused on the music rather than the sound-effect. It might not always be easy listening, it might not even be ideal fodder for a night out, but it fully deserved the rapturous reception it got from the Flacon audience. For once, the promise of some alternative creativity was richly fulfilled. |
|
|
|
|
| 654. | One-Self
|
One-Self
As Ipods, Kylie lingerie and the Novy Bolshoi prove, sometimes, less can indeed be more. The latest evidence in support of that ancient proposition arrived at Krizis Janra on Friday night in the form of UK hip-hop collective One-Self. Appearing without their main attraction, lead Yarah Brava, this relatively unknown group still managed to send the packed crowd into orbit with a sumptuous set of inventive tunes and an MC master class from Blu Rum 13.
Starting in the unfamiliar role upfront as a result of the group’s injury crisis 13 made it clear from the start that this was not going to be just a face-showing exercise. “What’s up Maaascaaaaw?!” he asked as if someone had dropped a speaker on his foot as he took the stage. Judging by the ecstatic roars back from the crowd, the only thing up was that they had been starved of One-Life for a little too long. Now they were baying for music like an angry mob.
The unruly audience were certainly not what you would get at Club XIII, and I guessed from the Ladas drawing up outside that Krisis Janra was going to be unfamiliar territory. For a man who has spent the majority of his Moscow nights surrounded by posturing and pretension, this Pokrovka cafe was the antidote to elitny Moscow that I needed. Admittedly there is face control, but they appear to be checking nothing more than the length of your stubble, allowing enough patchy beards inside to make up a Kurt Cobain convention. Stranger still, labels were being worn on the inside of clothes and try as I might I could only see one pair of sunglasses. When I resorted to the bar to gather my thoughts in these new surroundings, what did a find but Baltika on tap! Strange times indeed, and though the crowd was young and bouncing the shock of finding a group of revellers who had not simply come to check each other out took a little time to get over. The Student Union must have been having a quiet night, or perhaps the snow had got too much for the tree-huggers of Baikal. Either way, I was glad to be amongst them. Unlike the fashionistas, these clubbers knew there music and as One-Life burst into their opening rhymes they got on with what they had come to do – they moshed.
Thanks to the high quality of the stage output, on this occasion moshing came easily. Blu Rum 13’s voice combines the smooth reggae feel of Arrested Development’s Speech with an aggressive rapid-fire delivery of an early Eminem. Somewhat confusingly he also bears a visual resemblance to Snoop Dogg that almost demands a double take. Using these core virtues the American filled the gap left by his co-singer’s absence so comprehensively that had he not mentioned her absence, I would have presumed he ran the show. With frequent resort to the fans, the front man played the crowd, drinking in the atmosphere as enthusiastically as the inter-song cognac. It was a pleasure to behold.
When he did step aside, there were occasional musical interludes from DJ Woody. Woody’s adolescent looks were unfortunately matched by some amateur mixes but the change in tempo did at least keep the set varied. Hitting the decks also allowed One-Self’s trademark ragga and world music flavours to the fore. Subtly woven into the general hip-hop vibe, these fresh sounds were lapped up by the crowd adding an infectious quality to the music. Some bounced from the balcony, others swayed on the stairs whilst a full contact sport ensued down in the mosh pit. Whatever your viewpoint, One-Self was hitting the spot.
Behind the group, both on stage and off, is Russian born DJ Vadim who’s polished production gives the project an unusual feeling of consistency. Given the local connection, he could have perhaps expected the warm reception his band received. However, by the end of the gig I was in no doubt this reaction was richly deserved for One-Self are not the Friday night journeymen I had been expecting. Their sound is original, their performance exciting and even without the silky, seduction of usual lead Yarah Bravo’s voice then they are a truly high quality outfit. Next time they are in Moscow I recommend you ditch the razor, follow the beards and make sure you check them out. |
|
|
|
|
| 655. | The Met: Anna Boleyn live in HD
|
The Met: Anna Boleyn live in HD
Going to the cinema to watch an opera might seem a somewhat unlikely activity, especially here in Moscow where top-notch live performances are not exactly thin on the ground. But the city’s first experiments with screenings from New York’s Met Opera suggest the idea could be a big hit. Admittedly, opening night was something of a nailed-on crowd-pleaser. The latest golden girl of Russian opera, Anna Netrebko, taking on the title role in Donizetti’s Anna Boleyn, was always going to appeal to audiences starved of opportunities to hear one of their own perform on the local stage (pops recitals at Dom Muzyki, usually at exorbitant prices, don’t quite hit the spot for the cognoscenti). And, with a couple of other rapidly emerging singers on the playbill as well, it was little surprise that the main hall at 35mm was sold out.
Initially the experience is slightly disconcerting. Footage of a distant theatre filling up, punctuated by discreet messages from the sponsors: this isn’t quite the muted hubbub of an evening at the Bolshoi. And the audience seemed slightly unsure how to behave. From the mixture of ‘Night at the opera’ over-dressing to ‘Saturday night at the movies’ casual in the cloakrooms to a touching uncertainty over whether or not it was appropriate or ridiculous to applaud performers singing their hearts out over the ocean, it felt like most of us were learning our cues as well.
Regardless of the background, however, the show’s the thing. And the performance did not disappoint. Donizetti’s opera was his first big hit – at the 35th time of asking – and manages to wrap up the final days of ill-fated Henry VIII’s second wife in a dynamic and dramatic evening. OK, so at times the history is a bit creaky around the edges, but in effect this is from the same cultural stable as “Shakespeare in Love” – only tragic rather than comic. Nifty story-telling and some virtuoso performances make the whole thing hang together, assuming you’ve got a cast which is up to the job. And the Met has: Netrebko was always going to be the star of the show, tackling one of the most demanding roles with the kind of diva attitude that ensured she was always the focus of attention when on stage. As well as the vocal pyrotechnics demanded of a coloratura role like this, she also brought her character to life effectively – another detail of the opera-singer’s craft overlooked by those celebrity “greatest hits” recitals in international concert halls.
However, even if she took top billing, Netrebko was hardly alone in impressing. Bass-baritone Ildar Abdrazakov was a powerful Henry VIII, scowling and grimacing his way through the performance with just the right level of affronted megalomania. Yekaterina Gubanova, as the queen-in-waiting Jane Seymour, also gave a strong performance as a woman torn between her love for Henry and her loyalty to Anna, and there was much to enjoy in the ardent Richard Percy, sung by Stephen Costello.
One bonus for cinema-goers was a detailed presentation of the performance – in expat-friendly English which was easy enough to follow despite the simultaneous translation. Amid various fluffy, interval-fillings interviews with cast members there were more interesting segments about the attempts to render the costumes historically accurate. This is no easy task: representations of Henry’s court are few and far between, and most of them are head-and-shoulders portraits. Rather than tumble into the rumbustious, red-tunic regality of popular cliché, the production was largely decked out in somber tones – although historical accuracy was dampened by a chorus which represented the diversity of contemporary New York more than the rarified environment of Tudor England. But such nit-picking was swept away in a powerful performance which saw the evening fly by.
In the year that Bolshoi is set to finally re-open its main stage, some may question whether Moscow needs to import opera in this way. But the evidence of the first of the six screenings planned from the Met suggests that the answer is a resounding “yes”. After all, it’s cheaper than getting to New York … and it might just inspire people to explore the cultural thrills to be found in the city’s own theatres.
The Met: Live in HD is screened at four Moscow cinemas (and one in St. Petersburg). The next scheduled performance is on Oct. 29, with a production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Details at: www.coolconnections.ru/ru/projects/project/76-metopolitan-opera-don-juan. |
|
|
|
|
| 656. | Sparks
|
Sparks
In music, longevity is no measure of quality. Music fans have long memories and deep pockets and bands are too often guilty of trying to exploit their adoring public. Moscow‘s gig-goers seem to have become particularly popular targets. You can barely go a week without another minibus full of wrinkled has-beens turning up to peddle old rope in a “definitely our last tour (we promise)” special appearance.
In the last couple of months we’ve had Slade (twice), the Bee Gees (despite one member having snuffed it), the KLF (please), and this summer even the creativity-proof Rolling Stones will be hitting Russian shores. With this in mind I think I can be forgiven for presuming Sparks’ first appearance in Russia, 35 years after their first album, was scheduled simply to shake the charity collection box in a new precinct. I could not have been more wrong.
Split over two nights at B2, Sparks in Moscow was an unqualified triumph. Indeed the reception on Monday night was so overwhelming that it prompted front man Ron Mael to pledge to return in the summer. 35 years to get here, and now they want to come back in 3 months. I can only hope for those that missed out that they got a double-entry visa; this was one of those concerts you felt a warm sense of smugness at having attended.
In my opinion, the remarkable success of the gig owed as much to a smart choice of play-list as the quality of the material itself. Facing an audience expecting some of their older floor-fillers (listened to on vinyl whilst sneaking out of Communist classrooms according to one reveller) you would have expected a heavy back catalogue bias. Instead, the American brothers split the concert 50:50.
First came a full run through of the less familiar (twentieth) new album “Hello Young Lovers”. The disc is brand spanking new, released on 6 February and bearing all the hallmarks of Sparks’ experimental, innovative genius, it is as refreshing as a spring dip in Lake Baikal. The fans warmed to the new stuff immediately with several singing along despite the album having been overlooked by radio stations in Europe let alone Russia. For me, “Perfume”, “Dick Around” and “(Baby, Baby) Can I Invade Your Country” are some of the catchiest, cleverest tunes I have heard for ages and their omission from the mainstream is baffling.
Nevertheless, if the music wasn’t enough there was the colourful spectacle of straight-man Ron’s battles with his own video screen image or bursts on the air guitar to entertain. The band also used the screen to flash up their powerful lyrics and add a dose of slapstick to ease them through the album’s more difficult moments. There weren’t many.
In any case, anyone who did find the opening 90 minutes difficult to swallow had a whopping great bucketful of sugar to follow in the second half. The band cleared the stage and set about blasting the crowd into orbit with some of their most popular oldies. Beginning appropriately with “Aeroflot” and moving through “Happy Hunting Ground” and “Bon Voyage” to “Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth”. Then a familiar introductory tinkle from Ron’s keyboard heralded the gig’s deafening crescendo - “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us”. Though he has probably done it more times than my Gran has had hot dinners, Russell delivered this 1974 hit with all the enthusiasm of a teenager doing his first gig.
Throughout this second half jamboree, Ron assumed his traditional waxwork pose at the keyboard whilst younger brother Russell jumped around like a jack-in-the-box. In both looks and mannerisms, they make an intriguing double act; like Alan Greenspan teaming up with Austin Powers. Backed up by a group that includes former Faith no More guitarist Dean Menta and Redd Kross bassist Steve McDonald the band’s music may defy categorisation but the sound is of unquestionable quality.
For thirty years Sparks have been the midfield workmen behind strikers like Queen, the Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode. Their new material is now setting the agenda for a whole new generation of rockers; Goldfrapp being one example. At the same time they put on one hell of a show, making them a must-see act regardless of their bulging back catalogue. If bands, like sportsmen, are only as good as their last performance, Sparks are at the top of their game. If you were remiss enough to miss out this time, make sure you catch them if immigration lets them back for a second go in the summer. |
|
|
|
|
| 657. | Front 242 (Version 2007)
|
Front 242 (Version 2007)
Before reading this I suggest you watch this.There is a certain inevitability to most things in life – things tend to happen with a delightful, comforting, mind boggling or infuriating, consistency, depending on your point of view. One man's Lebowski is another man's Dude. For example, a stockbroker might argue that Darwin's theory of evolution emphasizes competition over co-operation, the whole survival of the fittest thing. While a biologist or botanist might stress natural selection as less about survival and more an expression of the interdependence of beings and their environment. One way or the other all would probably agree that as environments change, animals change. Anthropologically there's consensus that as things change, people change and whichever came first is not important. Fair enough, good and bad stuff happens, things change, we get by as best we can, adapt, innovate, move on.Then there's the cockroach theory – you know, the one that says the most cunningly and perfectly devised military machines on the planet haven't changed for over a million years and are in fact the ultimate expression of a primordial militarism deemed somehow terribly impressive by people who believe human history is all about war, rather than em… not. Accordingly, life as we know it is a battle against your "enemies", real or imagined, who ultimately become one's reason to live."Fascists? No Lonnie, worse… they're Nihilists."This permanent state of readiness for war not only explains the philosophy of neo-conservatism (hardly in itself liberating) but it also tells us why cockroaches are so cool: because their survival demonstrates how we can best encapsulate the history of humanity. It's the philosophy that finishes with the ultimate in self-justification, saying "…for I'm the meanest mother f#cker in the valley". Fightin' talk thus.Front 242 (that's zwei vier zwei to you), it seems, are the cockroaches of electronic music. There were four of them in Apelsin on Saturday – to whom respect should be given as the sound was great, the staff helpful and it never took longer than two minutes to get a drink. Comprising two frontmen, a keyboard-player/programmer and a drummer who worked off the powerful programmed beats yet really didn't add any extra depth to the sound coming through the circuits, Front 242 are quite old. They started life nestled into the (mainly German) techno scene in the early 1980's and while they are experienced performers, for sure, perhaps they've just got the wrong ideas about themselves.Richard 23 (Richard Jonckheere) opened the show bopping around in sleeveless military fatigue with fingerless gloves, ubiquitous wraparounds, slightly be-muscled though fleshy nonetheless. In his day clothes he seems a very approachable chap, and there was no faulting his energy. In fact there was no faulting anyone's energy… loads of effort, lots of pumping fists, finger pointing and that funny industrious bopping you'd see the lads from the gym do when they're off their heads on E. Remember that kind of non-stop ergonomically efficient hammer-bopping with the odd move from Madonna's vogue video thrown in to add some sense of mystique? This was it, here in 2007, in Moscow. I hadn't seen it for years.. not since MC Hammer..Vocals were divided into two categories: American football coach delivery from our abovementioned friend, or a Rammstein-esque graveltone delivered utterly without irony by another shaded booted and gloved techno-muppet (Singer jean Luc De Meyer – here he is singing Baudelaire's poems with his group Modern Cubism. Seriously, I'm not joking). Having heard of them as "pioneers" of electronic music, I expected at least an iota of intelligence strewn amongst the zwei vier zwei fingerless glove and sleeveless we-mean-business-brigade, but alas in 2007 there was none. They may have been clever, they cited Wagner, Shostakovich, the Italian futurists, Rossolo and Graphsim to beard-scratchers favorite journalist Simon Reynolds in Melody Maker in 1991, but it seems they've managed to avoid any other influences since about 1983, when they released their first album Geography.Even my mate sleepy Dennis the boxer who'd seen them before was nonplussed by the sheer, well, stupidity of it all. Dennis is off the sauce though, so may not be as compos mentis as we gave him credit for. He could've seen someone else entirely a couple of years back.Still, the sound never distorted (this is where Apelsin have one up on B1) despite the mountains of whumping bass on offer. The show opened with impressive graphics running on the video walls either side of the stage, with most of us eventually preferring to watch the screens rather than the gym/stage.Programmer Daniel B. kicked us off with a thumping intro to Welcome to Paradise, the dramatic effect of which was somewhat undermined by Richard23's appearance in military garb bopping like Michael Flatley on speed. But as the drummer and second vocalist were added to the line-up things got a little mushy. Football coach and uber-soldier swapped lead-singer roles throughout but never looked like anything was choreographed – that they'd put some work into the stage show. This is rather surprising considering they're supposed to have been playing music together since before most of you were born. Instead we got cheesy arms round shoulders, and my favorite: kneeling and pointing through the roof towards some distant greater purpose or good which they allude to in their music, in the depth of their lyrics, the profundity of their philosophy. Bollocks.At this stage I would like to briefly, and not altogether tangentially mention the wearing of sunglasses on stage in dark rooms. There are a few performers who could and can wear sunglasses on stage (and here I'm speaking about Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles or The Blind Boys of Alabama). I've got a feeling that on Saturday our posers with delusions of grandeur wore sunglasses not to fool us into thinking they're cooler than they really are, but to fool themselves into thinking it. They could have taken off their shades, said hello to the 300 odd devoted fans, but they didn't. They could have looked 300 people in the eye and said to them "yes, as our music asks you to believe in ideas, we show you the whites of our eyes and yes, we believe it!". But they didn't. Anyone who wears shades throughout a gig has something to hide and is either Prince or shouldn't be onstage. This was cabaret.To be honest, the best bits were when they played pieces from their early albums, and that was an encore. Here the key changes, song structures, and beats were more sophisticated, subtle and yes, intelligent. One song reminded me of Depeche Mode's "New Life", for example. But the unhappy evidence on the basis of Saturday's set-list is that while Underworld, Orbital, Aphex Twin, Prodigy, and even Scooter explored technology's potential as a medium for music during the 90's and up to now, Front 242 explored music's possibilities as a medium for technology. Their adherence to the ideas of the twentieth century started out as a form of modernism (constructivism was a guiding principle in their latter years), but is now frankly embarrassing to the point that their cringe-inducing fear-mongering would not be out of place at a Nashi convention.Jack-hammer bass drums and de-ne-ne-ne keyboards were cool in 1982 (remember the start of Kim Wilde's "Kids in America?"), but that was 25 years ago. Grunge reminded us that in order to be heavy, in order to rock, you had have to have guitars. Like, even the Prodigy had a guitarist when were at their most pompous, but the Fronters just had their keyboards… and when you're trying to be heavy, to be hard, to rock, but dance and do justice to your fingerless gloves, then keyboards are about as out of place as an expat in Petrovich when the school disco's on. Things are out of whack, the centre cannot hold. Guitars go well with muscles such as Richard23's but muscles and keyboards just look wrong, morally wrong. No matter how bulgy your biceps, if you stand behind a keyboard you look like a puff – it's the legacy of the 1980's, just ask any heavy metal band.Anyhow – turning music into technology was clever in the 70s, all the Germans did it (Einsteunde Neubaten, Can, Kraftwerk, Nina Hagen even). In der shule von industrielle uber music Front 242 may have been innovators in 1983, who sadly now they represent the no-necks, the jocks. In my part of the world they'd be strapping 11-toed fuckers lured down from the mountains with raw meat who can kick and catch a ball while in Russia they'd be Duma deputies. Not the brightest, but a force to be reckoned with.They are nihilist soldiers at the gates of oblivion striving for something to strive against, and as such, Saturday's performance was an honest no-frills expression of a mentality which defiantly stands up to its enemies and shouts "no surrender!". This is fine if you believed Star Wars, of you see the world as a battle between good and evil, black and white, Christian and Muslim, Democrat and Republican, anarchist and fascist.Front 242, it seems, will just keep doing what they're doing, regardless of their (ir)relevance (Apelsin was less than half full), regardless of how things have changed, ignorant of the damage they do to minds and to music: they are soldiers, they are Donald Rumsfeld, they are OMON: a stripped down, empty, single purpose unintelligent military machine – the cockroach - leaving the geneticist or botanist, the true holders of Darwin's heritage, wondering where have all the flowers gone.I'll leave the last word to Dennis "It wasn't supposed to be like this". |
|
|
|
|
| 658. | Andy Warhol and Russian Pop Art exhibitions
|
Andy Warhol and Russian Pop Art exhibitions
The chips on the shoulders of cultural critics are many. Chief among them are the seeming lack of standards for defining art (“is Damien Hirst’s cow in formaldehyde really art?”) and the ability of pop icons to gain and hold onto fame by manipulating their image rather than their craft (“I felt like the 'P' was getting between me and my fans,” the newly-monikered Diddy remarked recently). As two new exhibitions at the New Tretykov Gallery demonstrate, pop artists make reinventing the self and erasing the lines between the beautiful and pedestrian into their own art forms.
“Andy Warhol: Artist of Modern Life” provides a comprehensive look into the artist’s career, beginning with his work in advertising during the 1950s, when he first moved to New York, to his collaborations with young artists (Basquiat, Mapplethorpe, Schnabel) in the 1980s, by which time he had become king of the New York cultural scene. Warhol’s interest in the interplay between mass-culture images and the self are on display in his famous silk-screen portraits. Present are his iconic images of Jackie O, Elvis, Mick Jagger, and Liz Taylor, not to mention himself. Warhol’s interest in representing the self is also captured in photographs of some of his favorite personalities, including Marilyn Monroe. Not to be missed though are photos of the marginal, the famous, and the marginally famous making up Warhol’s New York. The sets dedicated to Candy Darling, a Long Island transvestite who gained her own notoriety in the city, and Edie Sedgwick, who starred in many of Warhol’s films, only to be fatally saved by “associates” of Bob Dylan (so notes the text accompanying the photos), communicate the energy, novelty, innocence, and tragedy lived by Warhol and those around him. Warhol’s experimentation with the forms and subjects of art continues in the still-lifes presented at the exhibit. The paintings and silk-screens of everyday objects-a telephone, a Colt revolver, the infamous Campbell soup cans – serve as chronicles of a cultural moment when the boundaries between the artful and the everyday were dismantled.
The blurring between the ordinary and artistic is also exhibited in “Russian Pop Art.” Like the Warhol exhibit, “Russian Pop Art” is set up chronologically, running from Mikhail Roginsky’s and Ilya Kabakov’s work with everyday objects in the 1960s (matchbox, door, iron) to Vladislav Mamyshev-Monroe’s work, “Monroe-Warhol-Monroe,” an avtoportret of the artist dressed up as Marilyn fashioned after Warhol’s famous Monroe icons. While the sheer newness of these works for those of us from the West makes them interesting, a few pieces stand out. Yuri Vasilyev’s assemblage, “The Suffering of Modern Woman”, depicting the domestic life of a Russian housewife through a composition of photographs, copper wire, razor blades, and doorbells, makes a powerful visual statement. And the paintings of Alexander Vinogradov and Vladimir Dubossarsky, current darlings of Russian art in the West, provide a “portrait of our time” through eroticized and glossed-up images of fashion designers, strippers, yappies, mafia, and the like. If more politically-minded than the work of Warhol, the pieces in this collection continue the reflection and fascination with the everyday that inspires the pop art movement and vexes those who would rather keep the masses outside the museum gates. Read more
“Andy Warhol: Artist of Modern Life” and “Russian Pop Art,” from September 14th to November 13th, the New Tretyakov Gallery, 10 Krymsky Val. Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 8pm, last entry 7pm. Metro Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury. Telephone: 230-7788/1378. www.tretyakovgallery.ru. |
|
|
|
|
| 659. | Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason / By B. Kidron /
|
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason / By B. Kidron /
I’m not the biggest fan of chick flicks. I didn’t see the first Bridget Jones movie (“Bridget Jones’ Diary”), but counting myself as one of the many Russian-deficient cineastes in Moscow who are always starving for the next English-language movie to come out on theatres, I just had to make an exception. After all, with the sheer amount of advertising this movie received in posters, postcards, and billboards, I just had to give it a chance and find out if it was worth all the hype.
I’m very glad that I did.
It certainly was the biggest premiere that I’ve ever seen in America Cinema, one that made use of every available seat in the theatre. You can thank the massive amount of publicity of course, but you can also thank the strength of its built-in audience from the books and the first film. And besides, this movie was good, especially for a chick flick!
Set a couple of months after BJD, the movie continues to follow the life and happenings of Bridget Jones, played by Renee Zellweger. It’s a new phase in Bridget’s life, so it begins with a new entry in her celebrated diary. Having discovered true love with the man of her dreams in Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), throughout the movie she finds herself having to contend with Mark’s “high-flyer” status and social circle, all the while slowly losing the hope of him asking for her hand in marriage.
While Mark’s career as a Human Rights lawyer is quickly rising, Bridget is struggling with more degrading assignments as a TV journalist. She finds herself losing the battle in competing with Mark’s colleague Rebecca (Jacinda Barrett) for quality time, and is later sent off to Thailand to meet with Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), her former boss and boyfriend. Laughs are long and loud in the Thai scenes, especially Bridget’s first time encounter with mushrooms… Magic!
Such as how it would be in a diary, Bridget’s life seems to progress in a narrative of episodic fashion, finding herself caught in one comedic situation after another. Depending on your experience in knowing people like Bridget, these situations can either be looked at as genuinely hilarious or hilariously genuine. In the midst of laughing at her creating many embarrassing moments for herself, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her misfortune and admiration for the way that she continues to plug away, despite her many obstacles and shortcomings.
The problem with this format is that each occurrence in Bridget’s life is actually just a plot device that perpetuates the story and acts as some sort of comedic/dramatic foreshadowing. Even the least sophisticated of viewers will realize the divinely inspired purpose of Bridget’s drug bust in Bangkok, and how the subsequent events will conveniently wrap it all up in one cute package worthy of the indefatigable Bridget. The Force is strong with this one…
Plot considerations aside, the film stands well from excellent direction, soundtrack, and performances. Even with the Mushrooms Scene, the movie manages to retain its hilarity without reaching “American Pie” standards. Credit director Beeban Kidron, especially for the ease in which uninitiated viewers (like me) can easily get immersed into this special world. In addition, the soundtrack fits flawlessly, provided mainly by female artists – augmenting Bridget’s strength in her femininity.
Finally, the performances were absolutely outstanding, especially from the leads. It’s cool to see Hugh Grant relish his return as the sniveling scoundrel in Cleaver, and Firth delivers yet again another masterful performance, this time as the fastidious Mark. Ultimate honors go to Zellweger though, for playing the title character in what seems to be a role made with her in mind. Her charisma easily shines throughout while playing the plump and plucky Bridget; one can easily see what makes her so especially desirable to these men, despite her intended unattractiveness.
Bridget is a girl who’s in her mid-30’s and hopelessly in love, the type of woman that exists strictly in the fictional universe. Indeed, if there were such a thing as a Bleeding Hearts Fan Club, she would be its president. I can sense in myself that the thing I found most appealing in her character was the thought that despite her numerous failures in the realm of love and romance, her indomitable spirit allowed her to continue baring her heart and soul with each romantic affair. This might not be a novel approach in romantic comedies, but certainly one made easily believable by the writing and performance of the Bridget Jones character. I had this warm and inviting impression throughout the movie, and I couldn’t help but sport a wistful smile even after the movie finished.
I’m still not a fan of chick flicks, but you can count me in as a fan of Bridget Jones. |
|
|
|
|
| 660. | Nowhere to Go but Up aka Happy End
|
Nowhere to Go but Up aka Happy End
35mm
America Cinema
By Robert Lees
“Nowhere to go but up”, is director Amos Kollek’s first attempt at a romantic comedy and is a blatant money making exercise which hopes to cash in on the current popularity of French actress Audrey Tautou.
The story is simple: an aspiring foreign actress comes to America to make it big. She balances numerous of menial jobs while trying to fit in casting sessions and auditions. She encounters Jack, a screenwriter who is suffering from writer’s block. He watches her from a distance as she sleeps rough in his garden and writes a film about her. She gets the part in his film, becomes a star and then they fall in love. It has all the ingredients of a successful romantic comedy; a good story line and star actors, but somehow it manages to go badly wrong
The choice of Tautou in the role of Val Chipzik, an idealised French actress trying desperately to get her big break in Hollywood, is understandable. In the 2001 French hit film Amelie, she played the romantic waitress who tried to make other people’s dreams come true and in her English language debut “Dirty Pretty Things”, she played an immigrant trying to make it in a foreign culture. However in “Nowhere to go but up”, Tautou fails to live to the promise of her earlier films.
Even though “Nowhere to go but up” is a comedy it has to be plausible enough to get the audience to believe in it. At times it is too far fetched to be credible. As beautiful as Audrey Tautou undoubtedly is, it is unlikely that she would look that good if she really did sleep rough on the streets. Secondly when was the last time a successful Hollywood writer did his washing in a public laundrette? Do they not sell washing machines in the USA anymore?
There are a few mildly amusing scenes and the odd funny joke but there is nothing that makes the audience laugh out loud. Justin Theroux puts in a relatively good performance as Jack, the screenwriter, but is let down by some woeful dialogue and hammy acting on the part of Tautou.
Tautou however cannot carry all the blame for the failure of the film. The writers and casting directors must take some responsibility. The film is littered with a whole plethora of mediocre and clich?d characters played out with little conviction by a cast who realise that the film is little more than a vehicle for it leading actress.
In the supporting roles Jennifer Tilley cannot quite pull off the ridiculous part of Edna the lesbian ex convict poet. The same can also be said of Jenna Lamia whose performance as the slightly dopey wannabe actress, Sparkle, would have looked out of place in a school nativity play.
The Only Way is Up is a contemporary reworking of the 1961 hit, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. However this latest offering fails to rekindle the magic of the original. Where Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard had an alluring on-screen chemistry, Audrey Tatou and her co-star, Justin Theroux are entirely unconvincing. The earlier had a fast paced and witty script whereas the latter is unnatural and entirely predictable.
It really only succeeds in highlighting the limitations of its lead actress, Audrey Tautou. The success of the whole film ultimately rests on her and she is incapable of carrying it off. Her lack of comic talent is cruelly exposed. Where she was quirky in Amelie and so natural in Dirty pretty things, she appears wooden and forced in this latest effort.
If she wants to shed her ‘Amelie’ tag, Audrey Tatou will have to move away from these cloyingly sweet roles and until she loses her strong French accent she will be limited to playing immigrant roles. “Nowhere to go but up” is not one of her better films and if an entertaining romantic comedy is the order of the day, then it is best left alone. |
|
|
|
|
| 661. | Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
|
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
I fell in love with a sweet sensation
i gave my heart to a simple chord
I gave my soul to a new religion
Whatever happened to you?
Last Thursday, something serious happened, something really important. The two great religions of modern man collided in a moment of cultural fury. Football met rock'n'roll in a face-off, and football lost. I'm not going to speak about Russia's loss to Spain in the European Championship. No. I’m on about something less cataclysmic, but more immanent, warmer. A shot in the arm delivered in 2 hours, equivalent in potency to the 10 day seismic party that shook this great nation as their heroes pirouetted over the fields of Innsbruck, Salzburg and Basel, where they tragically came a-cropper.
I'm talking about rock'n'roll. This was rock'n'roll. If the Cure, right, if they totally loved Led Zeppelin when they were young... no... if The Cult were Cureheads.. no, if Spiritualized ever got their shit together or Oasis really, really had balls.... no no no. You see, I'm grasping at straws, because I'm starting with a British band. Let’s face facts. Today, the 4th of July 2008, it is appropriate that we remind each other that America gave rock’n’roll to the world. Europe didn’t, Africa neither, and Russia not at all. America did. And this is why so many British or European bands who love rock’n’roll have to, at some stage, go to America. It’s a pilgrimage. Some understand the journey (Stones, Led Zep, U2) and mature as artists as they reach back into their own roots. Others fail embarrassingly (Oasis). America is the melting pot, it’s the bridge for wherever you want your rock’n’roll to go. Europe could never handle something as twisted and lonely as the American South to have emerged. There’s not enough space.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC), who’s performance at Moscow's B2 last Thursday is presently under discussion, are American. They live in LA, and hail from San Fran. But lately they’ve spent some time in the South. And that’s really important. I came across some comparisons with Oasis, and frankly find that very hard to accept. BRMC's music is a much more evolved, astute and intelligent beast than the shouters from Manchester. To use the aborigine expression BRMC trace a song line from their urban west coast roots to the heart of the American South. This is the revolutionary music of the southern swamps, the bridges, the heat, and this is why they should be proud. They are American; their music has a seamless undeniable sprit that traces an audible path from college radio to Lomax anthropological recording.
“If you look directly at something, it’s in-apprehend able”
In the documentary Searching for the Wrong Eyed Jesus musician Jim White looks under the rocks and stones to find some truth about the American South: “To find the gold tooth in God's crooked smile”. It is a profound film about real people and the stories they tell each other about themselves. BRMC brought their blues with them and generously shared it with us – dragging up from the swamps an evening of such sonic intensity (respect to B2 as the sound was SUPERB), such feeling, that I simply closed my eyes and listened, and what I heard was a thing of beauty. Rancid angry guitar-lead verses punctuated by euphoric beach boy harmony choruses, finger picking soulful blues, 8 minute atmospheric guitar workouts, delivered out of a barrel of a gun.
Robert Levon Been (Bass), Peter Hayes (guitar), and drummer Leah Shapiro (who frankly does a better job live than the temporarily indisposed drummer Nick Jago, if the evidence on You Tube is to be believed), literally beat us into submission in a venue that delivered atmosphere and conviviality in equal parts. Been and Hayes share vocals, often alternating verses and chorus in what I can't resist calling a “twin vocal attack”, for the laugh. They enjoy it too by the looks of things and do it, I would suggest, because they can.
”Weapon of Choice” burned the room with a white noise chorus perfectly contrasted against a “get-yourself-arrested” low down dirty riff underpinning (shared) verses. How refreshing it was to be in a Moscow club and listen to 300 music lovers chant “I won’t waste my love on a nation” in unison. From there it was into an 8 minute ”Ain't no easy way”: a primal southern juju hoe-down played (live) with a delayed electric (not a resonator) and death-echo harmonica. Think Black Sabbath playing Muddy Waters in an echo-chamber. During ”Spread your Love” they came closest to Spiritualized, who I've seen twice, but decimated the British pretenders with a burning driven piece of blues, where Been and Hayes once again shared verses and joyously combined in a chorus. Stipe had Mills, these guys have each other. They of course played ”Love Burns”, a genuine crowd pleaser and followed it up with “Need Some Air”, in an obvious nod to heroes the Jesus and Mary Chain.
Hayes then treated us to two solo finger-picked pieces of southern blues poetry that sadly lamented the losses, admitted his failings “I been living on a fault line”, and humbly gave thanks for the here and now, commanding respectful silence in a venue almost full to capacity. “Faultline” has us all singing. Been provided an enjoyable cameo when, sitting on a monitor, he tuned his guitar for about 3 minutes before delivering “Weight of the world” (“It has to be right!” he explained).
It was all carried off effortlessly. These guys are the real deal – members of the church. Every song, however, broody, mean, vulnerable or angry, possessed the essence of a great pop song, that instant mind erasing quality where all you can hear, is all you can feel.
Churches, prisons, bars, forests, mountains were almost perceptible in the black noise delivered from the stage. People openly turned to me and started explaining how lucky they felt to be there. There was a little crowd surfing (why not?) and a lot of respect for a band that have to be amongst the best in the world at the moment.
Each band member played with a punk intensity matched by the others, but each had their own style, made their own noise. To fully apprehend this group you listen to the parts but are moved by the whole (Pixies, Beatles, Smashing Pumpkins). I honestly have not heard anything so utterly convincing, so demanding of attention, since the Pixies humiliated the Red Hot Chili Peppers in front of 120,000 people in Dublin’s Phoenix Park in 2004, or Motorhead doing the same to Black Sabbath in 1981 Dublin's Dalymount Park. They may be young lads, but BRMC is maturing into a deeply powerful black wall of sound that embraces, cajoles, suffers and inspires. This is life-affirming blues, anger is a gift, remember. “Suicide is easy, what about the revolution?”
BRMC rightfully espouse a musical politics that is angry, that seeks revenge for the travesties perpetrated on American culture by American politics. And they are one of the reasons why I am jealous of my American friends. This cocktail of roots, blues, rock, roll, Jesus and mind-twisting California was enough to make my skin tingle and my ears happily bleed. This was a communion, and it was a privilege to be there.
I told Polina twice that the gig was like the first and last chapter of a book, where all the routes and roots that stretch out from the beginning return, the same, but different, having been on the journey. If you love rock'n'roll you have to see this band. |
|
|
|
|
| 662. | Cold Mountain
|
Cold Mountain
It’s the last year of the American Civil War. A confederate soldier escapes from a front line military hospital and sets off on the long walk home to Cold Mountain. Avoiding death and capture, he crosses the country and is reunited with the woman he loves. It’s as simple as that! Well…not quite. A star-studded cast, a Romanian mountain range, a story of deadly war and desperate love all blend together in an award-winning film, which proves to be as emotionally flat as it is visually breathtaking. It is love, Jim, but not as we know it…
The story evolves along two separate lines: We follow Inman (Jude Law) who after being injured in battle, deserts from the Front and struggles to make his way home. And back on the mountain we observe Ada (Nicole Kidman), the southern belle he loved but had to leave behind. Inman’s trip is both helped and hindered by the various people he meets along the way, providing us with some of the most meaningful parts of the film. Ada’s fate seems uncertain after the sudden death of her father, as she is left alone, totally unprepared for the harsh realities of rural life, proud, stubborn and useless. Farm girl Ruby (Renee Zellweger) arrives and soon has both Ada and the house in a fit state to survive the war. Their friendship becomes the only really developed relationship of the film.
Just as in ‘The English Patient’, writer/director Anthony Minghella weaves the two strands of the story using a mixture of chronological scenes and flashbacks, with a voice-over narrative taken from Ada’s letters to Inman. Although seemingly precarious at the beginning, the technique works well, serving to highlight the contrasts of the two separate fights for survival.
Another Minghella trademark to be seen in this film is his love for vast and grandiose landscapes. Set in North Carolina but shot in Romania, the film is endowed with long, wide indulgently sweeping shots of snow-capped mountains and unspoiled forests which stretch as far as the eye can see. Even the gruesome battle scenes are full of depth and scale, illustrating the awe-inspiring levels of human loss on the wide open blood-soaked battle fields.
The beauty of the scenery can be rivaled only by that of the leading lady. No matter how torn are her clothes, or how unkempt her hair, Nicole Kidman manages to grace every scene with her un-spoilable fairy-tale looks. Paired with Zellweger’s understated beauty and charm, the two leading ladies are worth watching if only for the sake of aesthetics!
For indeed unlike these women’s beauty, their acting certainly leaves something to be desired. Ada’s role requires pouting and crying which Kidman manages quite well but fails to add to, whereas Ruby’s unrefined earthiness and no-nonsense attitude seems (despite the Academy award) to be somewhat thickly laid on by Zellwegger. Jude Law’s good looks are well-hidden under a beard and some dirt, and he appears convincingly haggard by the time he reaches home. But while his acting fares better than that of the women, it is the secondary roles which really steal the show. Ray Winstone excels in his role as the evil Mr Teague; Philip Seymour Hoffman is as splendid as ever, in the part of a desperate and promiscuous priest; Finally, Nathalie Portman and Kathy Baker provide powerful performances as female characters we can actually believe in.
Despite its many encouraging factors, Cold Mountain has one major flaw: The completely unbelievable plot. Inman and Ada’s sole motivation for survival is the supposed intensity of their love for one another, despite the fact that their relationship only ever amounted to a mere few words and a hurried kiss. Who are they trying to kid? We understand that war-time romance is accelerated by the urgency of life in the face of death, but please!! 3 years?? The sickeningly gooey language used by the lovers is even mocked by another of the characters, but that does not make it any easier to bear. The success of the trip is improbable enough, but the motivation behind it is sheer nonsense.
From the start, we are drawn by the quality of the film-making and at the same time repelled by the lack of plausible action and sentiment. Regrettably, what we gain in historical understanding and social comment, we lose in the absence of basic heartfelt emotion. A great director, good acting, fantastic scenery…and a lousy plot! It’s always a shame to see a good film ruined. I don’t care how many Oscar nominations it received, Cold Mountain doesn’t reach anywhere near the heights of its potential. |
|
|
|
|
| 663. | The Human Stain
|
The Human Stain
35mm
America Cinema
By Robert Lees
The Human Stain is the latest novel to be given the Hollywood treatment. Phillip Roth’s controversial novel is certainly difficult to adapt to the screen but it is debatable whether director, Robert Benton, could have made a worse job.
It seems as if the whole approach to the film is to throw in a few big stars (Nicole Kidman and Anthony Hopkins), add a few contentious issues, a liberal sprinkling of sex and then hope for the best.
The film is set in Athena, a sleepy lakeside town on America’s East coast. Hopkins plays Cameron Silk, a renowned College professor who is fired from his job after making apparent racist remarks. His wife dies suddenly from the ensuing shock and sends his world into turmoil. Time moves on and he goes to see writer, Nathan Zuckerman, in an attempt to help him clear his name. Zuckerman declines to help Silk but the two still become good friends.
Silk’s chance encounter with the trashy Faunia Farley results in an unlikely love affair. Both their troubled pasts, not to mention, Farley’s psychotic ex-husband lead to predictably tragic results.
The success of the film relies on the audience dispending all disbelief. Its major weaknesses lie in its casting. Its two leads, both talented screen actors, just cannot be convincing in the roles they play. Hopkins should never have been chosen for the part of Silk. Not matter how skilled or experienced he is, he rather obviously will never pass for a black man, and Cameron Silk is supposed to be black. Albeit a very light skinned black man who overcomes the bigotry of pre-Luther King America by abandoning his race and taking on a Jewish identity.
Nicole Kidman’s character, Faunia Farley, fails to be convincing. She oscillates from unstable white trash slut who thinks only of her next one nightstand to dignified and deep spiritualist, capable of eloquent and moving speeches. The two sides of her character just are just too different to be believable.
The on-screen chemistry between the two leads is also problematic. It lacks any warmth or tension. But who could really blame Nicole Kidman? A beautiful young woman in her prime is asked shed her clothes with a rather unattractive, rather old and wrinkly pensioner and then look as though she is enjoying it. It would take a superhuman effort plus bundles of talent to pull this off. Only in a Hollywood film could two so different and mismatched characters meet on a roadside and within five minutes be in bed making passionate love.
The script and the direction are weak and fail to cover satisfactorily the major themes of Roth’s novel. The irony of the story, a black man accused of racism is highlighted through the use of flashback to Coleman Silk’s youth. The early Silk, played by Wentworth Miller, seems to have little in common with the elderly Silk and the connection between the too is difficult to see. The flashbacks are inserted into the film in random places and serve only to complicate the plot. The power of this original idea is gradually lost.
Although the book’s major theme is unsuccessfully dealt with, the film might otherwise have been resurrected by becoming an above average thriller. However Robert Benton manages to waste even this opportunity by needlessly flashing forward at the very beginning of the film and showing the deaths of both Farley and Silk at the hands of Farley’s ex-husband. All dramatic tension is spoiled and as a result we get a disappointing mess, which fails to utilise the talents of its actors or realise the potential of the novel itself.
For those who have money to burn and time to waste then the Human Stain is to be recommended. However if a good story, strong performances and clever direction is required then this film should definitely be avoided. |
|
|
|
|
| 664. | Birds II
|
Birds II
Directed by: Luc Jacquet. Written by: Michel Fessler, Luc Jacquet. Starring: a colony of emperor penguins. 85 min. France.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: this is a shortish documentary, and this review is tailored to suit.
The film features a colony of emperor penguin in their native Antarctic as they battle with the elements to reach their breeding ground and reproduce.
The narration is positioned somewhere between a documentary and a free male-female interpretation of the subjects’ inner dialogue. Some of it works and some of it, frankly, is a little silly. But the footage is engrossing and speaks for itself.
The film is in French with Russian subtitles. If you don’t know either language, get someone who does to whisper the key developments to you at strategically important moments and you’ll have no problem following the plot.
Comments: emperor penguins freezing to death in a barren wasteland.
Now, if that doesn’t imply a wide scope for drama to you, I understand. But, as I discovered, the sorrow, joy and even romance of a penguin’s life leaves “The Waltons” looking like a houseful of pedantic accountants conducting an inventory.
The film paints a portrait of refined, dignified creatures blessed with impressive social cohesion and an eerily human capacity for incongruous – almost contradictory – sets of characteristics: at once clumsy yet graceful, waddling yet streamlined, pedestrian yet exquisite, stoical yet affectionate.
Penguins demonstrate a heroic, uncomplaining persistence in the face of a climate that makes Moscow in February look like the Algarve in June. And if you’ve done a few Moscow winters, you’re going to respect that one.
When you see what penguins go through to reproduce, you’ll realise that hanging around in a Circle Line station with a bunch of daffodils for a date who is now so late the flowers have begun to wilt is, by compassion, no big shakes.
See the film and learn why penguins rock.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 665. | Kaiser Chiefs
|
Kaiser Chiefs
As gigs go, this one was in danger of winding down to a conclusion as disappointing as Russia’s Euro 2012 football campaign: a highly promising start gave every hope of a triumph in the making, but things were starting to sag a little as the latter stages came into view. And then, out of nothing, came the moment of magic that the fans had been waiting for. Spotting an unguarded passage down the right wing of the arena, Ricky Wilson timed his run to perfection to launch an audacious surge, which took him clear of the stage and planted him directly on top of the bar. Calling on the startled staff for vodka, he was perfectly placed to deliver a couple of songs for an audience which, abruptly, found it had been yanked out of an arena gig and returned to the intimacy of a club venue. With the security team left flat-footed by an unprecedented counter-attack, the singer had broken free and was back in touching distance of his fans (or at least those fortunate enough, or alcoholic enough, to be loitering at the bar rather than piling into the mosh pit). And, unlike Alexander Kerzhakov, his performance hit the target nicely.
It was a curious echo of the quasi-mythical 2005 gig that the band gave in the cramped confines of Kitaisky Lyotchik – a bizarre event which saw the UK critical success of debut release “Employment” lead to the Kaiser Chiefs’ first ever foreign show in one of Moscow’s least glamorous venues (OK, yes, the band also played a festival on Bolotnaya on the same visit, but when the legend is more colorful than the facts, stick with the legend!). It also highlighted, as much of any gurning for the cameras on-stage at Afisha Picnic last summer, how much more effective Wilson is when he has an audience he can communicate with face-to-face, or as close to face-to-face as possible. In a few moments he elevated the entire show from ‘competent’ to ‘memorable’ – a skill other acts would do well to consider.
The rest of the set ranged from the earliest days of the band’s career to tracks specially penned for the “Souvenir” greatest hits compilation that was notionally underpinning this tour. From the golden oldies, there was a rare outing for “Cover of your Magazine”, a three-minute spurt of sharp and spiky post-punk, which managed to cram in plenty of pre-echoes of the anthemic hits, which were to follow it. New tracks included “On the Run”, which carried another one of those trademark epic choruses, but veered close to soft-rock territory with a whisper of “St. Elmo’s Fire” hovering around the edges. More interesting was the darker “Listen to your Head”, with hints of a power ballad amid reverb-heavy vocals and heavy, sonorous piano. Even though they hail from the same part of West Yorkshire as half of Britain’s 1980s goth scene, Kaiser Chiefs don’t really do doom-laden. If they did, though, their Sisters of Mercy phase would probably end up sounding a lot like this.
Instead, however, the band serves up big choruses, easy to shout along to in any language, and it serves up plenty of them. From the opener, “Never miss a beat”, their music has chantable climaxes studded through them like the Kasier Chiefs logo on the stick of candy rock used to give a quintessentially English seaside vibe to the promo material for “Souvenir”. But if this music is, on one level, as definitively English as the earlier calls to rocking arms submitted by the likes of The Clash or The Jam, we’re already at one remove from the visceral anger of “A Town like Malice” or the rallying cry of “London Calling”. Even the likes of “I Predict a Riot” and “The Angry Mob” lack the edginess of their punk-era predecessors. This is musical revolution for the MP3 generation, where audiences are more likely to assault the world with a polyphonic ringtone than a well-aimed Doc Martens boot. As such, therefore, it’s appropriate that the engagingly witless “Ruby” is the song which ultimately becomes the night’s calling card. Punk may not be dead, but it’s closing in on retirement age by now.
If there was a serious disappointment, it was that the crowd seemed relatively small. Given how well the band had played at last year’s festival date, and given the huge numbers who flocked to both of The Prodigy’s shows at Stadium Live – and left seemingly content despite an ear-splitting sound mix which left much of the music buried in an impenetrable sonic soup – the promoters could have hoped for more here. After all, by Moscow standards, a cover of 1500 rubles wasn’t too extortionate for a touring act. Meanwhile, there is evidence that the sound crew at Stadium Live is beginning to hit its stride as well – the mix for this show was far better than other recent performances at the same venue, with pretty much everything coming off the stage clearly and the vocals never overwhelmed by the rest of the band. It was only that impromptu trip to the bar which caught the sound boys out, as Wilson retreated towards the back of the hall while the music blazed away from the onstage speaker sets. With the singer hamming it up and belting it out at the opposite end of the venue, it left a slightly disconcerting dislocation between sound and sight. But without a Rammstein-sized budget to fund two stages and a collapsible bridge between them, no tech crew can overcome that kind of spur of the moment gesture. |
|
|
|
|
| 666. | Jeans Team
|
Jeans Team
Sixteen Tons…..what do you get on a Saturday night? A unique band from Germany with excellent visual graphics and a unique style is the answer. The image of a club named Sixteen Tons conjures up in the minds of expats a dank warehouse constructed of concrete with few amenities. However, this is Moscow. In Moscow, a club called Sixteen Tons gets you six burly doormen and an interior is that of dark wood and rich upholstery quite dissimilar to the minimalist craze that has been sweeping Moscow’s clubs interior as of late.
Jeans Team from Berlin Germany is what you get when you mix four band members with different musical tastes and styles. Jeans Team is made up of a dynamic four-person team of Gunter, Henning, Franz, and Reimo. While some of Jeans Team minimalist sound music was new to Muscovites the only people that weren’t dancing when Jeans Team played were the large doorman guarding the stage. Reimo and Franz awed the crowd with their unorthodox dancing styles. Jeans Team played for a 1 ? hours including a 30-minute encore. Jeans Team was able to rotate the playing of their instruments and each member of the band made their own unique sound on each instrument. They played such songs as Eatin’ Up and Stomp. Jeans Team songs ranged from punk electro to minimalist sound music. Jeans Team’s graphics show perfectly mimicked their music showing minimalist shapes that bopped about the screen.
The individual members of Jeans Team are as unique in musical style as they are in there own dress. Henning looked not unlike an ice-cream truck man dressed in an all white button-up shirt and pants ensemble with a black ribbon around his neck. Gunther looked a bit like a preppy frat boy in khaki cargo pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt titled “Hard”, while Franz looked very rock and roll in black leather pants and a vest, while Reimo was the boy next door in jeans and a short-sleeved polo. Four unique styles that blended together very well.
One thing that the members of Jeans Team agree about is that they refuse to be branded within the electro music scene. Music labels use brands to market CD’s to a customer….even the savvy customer of electro music. The definition of brand is “a word, mark, symbol, or term, both visual and oral, used for the purpose of identification of some product or service.” The definition of branding “is an ancient mode of punishment by inflicting a mark on an offender with a hot iron or the marking of cattle for identification purposes.” In the genre that is electro/techno music they are many brand and sub-brands that large music label usually force upon their artists to appeal to a particular “niche market”. There are so many that most people don’t know what the labels mean or which group falls where. There is Progressive, neo-industrial, electro clash, Neo 60’s, electronic dancefloor, Bastard Pop (bootleg mixes), quiet guitar electronica, retro dancefloor, electro hip hop, break dance, noise electro, classic electronic, geek electro, “keine melodien" is very impressive when remixed by techno deejay mj lan. Also peaches' cover version rocks like hell. Their regular style is more computer-oriented though, goth electro darkwave, synth pop, elaborate pop house, neo pop, dance floor NU wave, neo wave…….just to name a few. Jeans Teams has refused to be branded by playing an amazingly wide range of music and playing each show in a unique way.
According to Jeans Team, in Berlin the Russian clubs have a lot of rock and ska rock music; however, they have been very well received throughout their Russian tour. If asked to classify their music Jeans Team would lean toward part punk and part electronic. However, Jeans Team refuses to put a label on their music. Gunther’s influences were hard punk rock with a touch of 80’s German music, while Henning enjoys pop music. Jeans Team is a real electronic band and that’s how they differentiate themselves from their competitors. Jeans Team composes and plays their music together. While most electronic groups are made by a single person using a computer Jeans Team writes and plays its songs together. They only started using a computer 1.5 years ago. Jeans Team is unique because its music is made up of different styles and influences composed by everyone in the band. Jeans Team 2nd LP is almost finished and will be out by late summer or early autumn. The second album will be different from the first because it is broader. Jeans Team uses a computer for the first time on their 2nd LP. While Jeans Team was influenced by Spaceman 3 and Spiritualized they are interested in a variety of music from African music to the Velvet Underground.
Jeans Team was on the last leg of their Russian tour; their finale was in Moscow. They have been to Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saratov, and Rostov-On- Don. The tour was sponsored in part by the Goethe Institute. Their first album “Baby” was released in 1996. Their latest album is Gold and Silber released 09/02. Their other albums are Ding Dong, Baby 3, and Keine Melodien. They formed their own label Nadel Eins in 1998 to have more artistic control over their music and help other artists release their own music. Jeans Team formed a label Nadel Eins to release their first two 7” singles when they couldn’t find a record company to release their songs. For more information have a look in the shop or on www.jeansteam.de or www.nideleins.de. |
|
|
|
|
| 667. | Les Hurlements D'Leo
|
Les Hurlements D'Leo
If you expect the unexpected and see where it may take you, then perhaps you are ready to experience the music of Les Hurlements D'Leo, the French sensations who invaded the stage of Moscow's B2 Club, Tuesday, January 18.
French, though useful in understanding some of their animated speeches and heartfelt words, is not a requirement. These guys are clearly more concerned with the musician's individuality and knowledge of their own instrument, not only to connect with each other on stage but more importantly with the audience who in turn catches this uplifting, self-confident electricity.
All pretenses seem to evaporate when watching Les Hurlements and you suddenly find yourself among a group who hasn't only come to hear mindless punk or "ska gypsy," music, two established definitions of Les Hurlements, you have entered a room where you will see, listen to, and feel a thoughtful, stylistically unique performance of complex highs and lows.
There is no escaping the "Frenchness" of it all which is perhaps the very core of Les Hurlements. Picture it: The trademark accordion plays its nostalgic carnivalesque tunes. The flag of three thick vertical red, white, and blue bands is draped across the black backdrop containing the words "La Republique de France en Russie." The girls upfront do the can can on the dance floor, and the people sitting at the elevated tables sip red wine instead of the usual club cocktails or beer. Luckily, there is always the boisterous shout of "DAVAI!" to remind you that you are still in Moscow.
Characteristically, each song begins with its melodic and slow overture as if the guys are just fine tuning and warming up their instruments for what is about to come. While each member radiates this punk sense of indifference and true spontaneity when the songs finally take off, during this seemingly calm start, there is a very professional, deliberate, and complete awareness over the group as if they are whimsically testing the air not only with the audience but more importantly, with each other. This may be one of their most impressive and expressive qualities which demonstrates the fact that they are no newcomers to the stage.
Once this equilibrium is found, there is no holding back. Most songs explode into a surge which inevitably rips through the room. Not only does each musician take on his own spirit and moves but suddenly the way in which he handles his instrument transforms into something of a special, almost intimate nature. Sometimes nurturing and gentle. Sometimes harsh and violent.
Overall, the performance lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes--nowhere near enough for fans who have just started to break a sweat and want to dance some more. When forced to return for an encore, not only does the band come prepared with shots of vodka and beer, they came with another 45 minutes of pure energy and commotion leaving themselves breathless, and the audience finally exhausted.
Scheduled to tour through Russia until the end of the month, there is no doubt that Les Hurlements d'Leo will go out with a bang when they return to Moscow for their final performance on January 30, at OGI but then again you never know what to expect with this eight piece French punk band and that's the way they like it. |
|
|
|
|
| 668. | Pink Grease
|
Pink Grease
Why did God inspire AMERICA to invent Rock-n-Roll?
So that skinny British boys would dance around in tight pants and eye-liner.*
"Pink Grease" is exuberant - and funny. Admittedly, glam rock/ tent revival tactics have been done before, but ain't it always fun! The whole band should come play in my hometown.
If they all can't make it, I'll stick to Front-man. Dedicated to prancing about stage and jumping over arched necks, this pale platinumed singer cuts a unique profile. He's lick-able.
Bass-boy appears extra-enthusiastic, liking to kick about the stagehand during his multiple scurries to restore mic-stand arrangement. The Hand preserves good humour by consistently knocking him back, taking out vodka bottles and cymbal stacks in the ruckus. Drummer just wears an expression of bland calm while catching the metal pre-crash and beating away.
Meanwhile Jimi Hendrix in lead guitar and light brown afro regularly jumps in and out of position whilst clicking thrift-store cowboy boots. Two absorbed electro-wizards more peacefully occupy their respective corners concentrating on colourful boards and duct-taped mini-synths. (Instead of passively reading further disaster description, why don't you click on www.pinkgrease.com and discover some zany creativity for yourself.)
Although the music exudes numerous influences, these infusions are well merged and the tunes sound fundamentally self-spawned. Quite an accomplishment in general, but notably here. Many musicians visiting Moscow stoop to render popular world standards in order to easy please a foreign audience. Not these boys. Concerning less sell-out-ish crowd-winning stratagems, Bass-boy chooses the high road of shouting Russian phrases and striving to convey complex messages in 'MATY'.
The audience itself starts out over ponderous, mesmerized by the bands antics and unsure of what to do to each other. But "Pink Grease" eventually works the crowd up into a steady paced enthusiasm, gleefully expressed in incessant insistence on an encore. Lacking by now Mister Percussion, Bass-boy conjures up from the masses none other than Phil - the fill in drummer Gorbachev, who makes it through two tunes before Bass-boy himself is forced to attack stated duty. Front-man jigs on an amp lost in this moment of artistic despair...
The spectacle is over and everyone goes to smoke a cigarette. Contemplating the essence of this young raw anomaly, I sombrely wonder if they are quite as slutty as advertised. The world is ever in need of lasting decadence and utter rejection of family values, so I pray to God there are not false prophets. You see, it's a pitched battle and the Baptists must be stopped.
*In fact, contrary to fundamentalist Christian doctrine, glam rock is the true telos of linear history and not a uni-polar world led under Bush family fascism. |
|
|
|
|
| 669. | Sin City
|
Sin City
Directed by: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez and (special guest director) Quentin Tarantino. Written by Frank Miller. Starring: Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Nancy Callahan, Rutger Hauer, Elijah Wood. 126 min. USA.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a very stylised film noir nightmare with lots of blood (much of it white) and unnaturally husky narrative voices.
This is not so much a film as a spitting competition between a directing fraternity of talented (but very nerdy) overgrown art students with a lot more money to spend than they had when they were at art school.
Is it a great film? Not in my book.
Is it art? Er, dunno. Ask me in a century or two.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you’re into the D.C.-comics brand of pithy and languid one-liners on a backdrop of stylised and excessive violence
• No, if: like me, you really liked “Sideways”, “Lost in Translation” and “Before Sunset” (i.e. wimpy films which concentrate on character and theme at the expense of hacking off limbs and blowing things up) and you don’t like comics
• Maybe, if: you’re a second-year art student and really hard up for ideas
Comments: a film populated by cardboard characters with no compelling motivation battling through an insipid but hostile terrain doesn’t do it for me. But that’s me.
Parts of “Sin City” are funny, but this film is not dramatically engaging or exciting in any comprehensive sense and it’s certainly not a comedy – not even a profoundly sick one.
That said, it is sufficiently revolting to hold your attention to the end. There are some excellent snippets of dialogue and the film generates a sense of unease which should persist long enough to make your walk home from the Metro feel more uncomfortable than usual.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *
• Dialogue: **
• Substance:
• Film craft: *****
Story comments: there is a story of sorts, but is has a disposable, almost polystyrene-cup quality to it. There must be a template somewhere for designing comic storylines, and they weren’t afraid to use it here. But nobody cares because what’s important is the delivery, the packaging.
Go prepared for a genre fest rather than a story with a point. You’ll enjoy it more.
Dialogue comments: the acting and dialogue are delivered in the same heavily stylised flat pack boxes as the visuals, i.e. they have their genesis in the comic genre and are as three dimensional as a pizza.
But if you prefer to order out rather than eat a healthy and balanced diet, then you’re in for some toppings which include a liberal sprinkling of very passable one-liners.
Substance comments: this film has no unifying point other than to demonstrate how clever the directors are. They are clever, but I don’t go to the cinema to be reminded of the fact.
Film craft: if Stan Lee were to reshoot “The Matrix” with Humphrey Bogart in the lead after the two of them had spent six months in Guantanamo Bay being force-fed mind-bending substances by the CIA and being beaten severely about the head with rolled-up Batman comics the result might look something like “Sin City”: dark, scary, way over the top, and disturbingly disjointed.
Having said all that – and having registered my own dislike of this particular film – the film craft is, objectively, masterful and visually refreshing.
A taste of the story: an adaptation of Frank Miller's stories based in the fictional town of Sin City where everyone is either a prostitute, criminally insane or just waiting for someone to make their life a misery for no apparent reason.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 670. | Finding Neverland
|
Finding Neverland
By Ryan Macalino:
The story of Peter Pan and his adventures in Neverland have fascinated many in the last 100 years, and have gone through numerous revivals and revisits. “Finding Neverland” gives us another angle from which to view this story, one through the eyes of its creator, Sir J.M. Barrie. Based on a play by Allan Knee, the movie begins with the words ‘Inspired by True Events’, thus immediately suggesting to the audience to treat this as a biography – a magical one at that.
The setting is London of a little over a century ago, in 1903 where a theatre is set to show Barrie’s (Johnny Depp) new play. Already a well-known playwright by this time, Barrie is nervous at the sight of so many ‘serious faces’ in the crowd, sensing that they will not be satisfied with this new production. After disastrous results, his friend and theatrical impresario Charles (Dustin Hoffman) implores him to produce something new that will satiate the appetite of his more sophisticated audience.
Barrie thus retreats to his typical leisurely walk through Kensington Gardens, where he falls upon a newfound source of inspiration. On what becomes a serendipitous occasion, he makes the acquaintance of recently-widowed Sylvia (Kate Winslet), the mother of the brothers Davies – the kids who would later be immortalized as Barrie’s inspiration for Peter Pan’s followers, the Lost Boys.
The innocence of the Davies brothers and the strength of their imagination awaken something latent within Barrie. To the delight of the ailing Sylvia, Barrie immediately befriends them, providing the fuel for his imminent creation in taking writing breaks amidst games of make-believe with the children. Among them, he develops a special affinity to Peter (Freddie Highmore), who seems wary of Barrie’s intentions, suspecting him of trying to replace his deceased dad.
“Finding Neverland” has three main dynamics which would have an effect on the creation of Barrie’s Peter Pan: his relationship with his wife (Radha Mitchell) versus his newfound kindred spirit in Sylvia, the meddling of others into his connection with the Davies family, and most importantly, his interaction with his Peter. In effect, Peter seems to be Barrie’s opposite – whereas Barrie relishes in the innocence of never-ending childhood, Peter seems to have abandoned this, instead wanting to be treated seriously like an adult.
Adapted for the screen by David Magee, the surprisingly modern script focuses primarily on Barrie and the motivation for his opus. Magee’s Oscar-nominated adaptation is mature, and wisely avoids any nuances of what could easily be Hollywood fodder in exploring either an adulterous or pederastic subplot in Barrie’s life story. In addition, Marc Foster’s masterful direction allows us to see this story unfold with what seems to be Barrie’s special, self-contained way of seeing the world – his ‘Neverland’. Reminiscent of the literary works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Paulo Coelho, Barrie’s life seems to have reality and magic intertwined, but not merely as a source of escapism but also of inspiration.
Barrie’s life story also benefits from the actor portraying him, in another stellar turn from Johnny Depp. While the rest of the cast delivers, Depp shows that he is deserving of his Oscar nomination. His performance is extraordinary; once again he proves his range and the care he puts into his craft. He imbues Barrie with a gentleness that makes the whole story believable, and carries Magee’s script with the proper sensibility. Add to this his flawless Scottish accent, and he becomes Barrie.
Unsurprisingly, “Finding Neverland” is billed as somewhat of a ‘feel good movie’. And while the elements are in place to make it as such, some viewers might not agree after seeing an all-too-real final scene. This is understandable, as it is still the filmmakers’ responsibility to wrap this biography as neatly as possible, without taking too many liberties with the script. This does not at all take anything away from the pure brilliance of this film, and if anything it adds to it. In effect, by movie’s end, we are reminded of the life’s beauty through its fragility, and the importance of unlocking one’s imagination – one’s own Neverland.
16.02.05
By Sara Sly:
Despite Johnny Depp's charisma and qualifying good looks, the actor's true appeal lies in his clever choice of roles. The essence of each human creature Depp plays shines through a blank slate of body and movement while a fantastical ambience whirls about them both - actor and character.
Perhaps Depp's choices reflect something quixotic in his personality. Edward Scissorhands, Ichabod Crane, Raoul Duke of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Captain Jack Sparrow, George Jung of Blow, Dean Corson of The Ninth Gate - all radiate a defiance not only against particular asphyxiating environments, but against the mentality allowing surroundings and societies to smother beauty. When watching Depp be these characters, do we not sense their disdain for the mundane and accompany them in retreat from the vulgar into a realm of ethereal morality?
In Finding Neverland Johnny Depp is James M. Barrie, the Scottish playwright who created “Peter Pan”. Barrie is an extraordinarily imaginative man whose contrast to those about is well marked. Everyone around him speaks in muted high society English whilst his lilted tongue sticks out. His social pattern does not quite conform to the respectable. When his wife turns a house cold and distant, he retreats to a room of glowing ambrosia. Down on his luck in the realm of public applause, he must begin to dig deep for redeeming inspiration.
Having sat in search on his customary park-bench, he hears a noise from beneath. It is the murmuring of someone’s little brother imprisoned for being just that – a little brother. That afternoon, Barrie makes the acquaintance of Peter, Jack. George and Michael Davies with their mother Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. The developing relationship between the six protagonists is delicate and dreamy. The boys are caught in the crux of child and adulthood, Sylvia suffers from a terminal chest cold and Barrie must deal (not deal) with a deteriorating home situation. However, together they manage to find warmth and caring elsewhere lost. Floating in the little world they make, the children gain a male role model, Sylvia finds a friend, and Sir James Barrie discovers “Peter Pan.”
“Peter Pan” taps into a theme of eternal appeal. It isn’t only a story about growing up, it’s also an admonition to retain a touch of innocence and fiercely guard that flashing imagination even as an adult. In Finding Neverland, this message is twice as deep. Not only do we recall the spirit of the play itself, we watch as Barrie and the Davies form their own difficult reality into one more beautiful and tender. Although no one can resist the sound of adventure, lofty passions, and noble deeds, most people can’t actually run off and follow the horn. What people CAN do, however, is learn to use imagination and kindness to create inner worlds of dear friends and family that illuminate melancholy or tragic environs. They can do this successfully even despite severe disapproval from society.
In sum, I advance the proposition that Johnny Depp is aware of the importance of fancy as a weapon in the war against the absurdities of over-realism. I bet the role of Sir James Matthew Barrie appealed to his sense of hallucination and he likes the misfit glow underlying the film flow. I also move that Depp likes producing messages rich with colorful mischief and glimmers of altruism. That and/or he is a cunning image businessman who knows that people will never tire of purchasing products that seduce the imagination. You see, the consummate public seducer knows that no one can resist the lure of promise and vicarious escape from triviality. Con artist, politician, and rock star types for example, remake themselves into the embodiment of an heightened reality, a place where people can join them to have it all, defend the fatherland, or sing well. Well, who knows what Johnny Depp is up to. I prefer to believe that he has a lovely soul and refined sensibilities. What you believe is up to you. |
|
|
|
|
| 671. | Ray
|
Ray
Directed by Taylor Hackford. Written by James L. White based on a story by Taylor Hackford and James L. White. Starring: Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King. 152 mins. USA.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a period-piece tribute to the late, great Ray Charles based on his life in all its glory – and lack thereof – which catalogues his musical development.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: when the box says Charles, you buy it
• No, if: you’re in the market for a bona fide drama
• Maybe, if: you have ever clicked your fingers to “Hit the Road Jack” and would like to know more
Comments: tribute films do not make good cinema. At worst, they are a pointless fiction riding on the back of a famous name. At best, they work as pumped-up documentaries with an unconvincing justification for being shown in a cinema.
Their place is on TV.
To my mind, considering its genre – if you can call it that – “Ray” is not a bad tribute film. But coming as close is it does to the man’s passing, it leaves itself open to the charge of opportunism.
Ambulance-chaser was a – perhaps unfortunate – phrase which came to mind as I watched.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: *
• Substance: *
• Film craft: ***
Story comments: the writer has strived – not without success – to craft a character arc out of a biography and to hit the requisite three-act peaks we subconsciously expect (but hate if they come in just the way we expect) from the cinematic experience.
The problem is that real-life stories don’t have plot points as such. They have bills to be paid and people who get on your nerves.
The moments which most resemble plot points in the lives of celebrated people like Charles (in the context of biography-done-as-cinema) are when they meet certain people whose influence or patronage impact on them in some significant way. But even that’s pretty dull, too.
However you dress it up, we – like Charles are really only there for one thing: the music.
So the question is: does it work?
Absolutely. Jamie Foxx gives great Ray. I mean, he’s got the blind-man thing down pat. Ray’s body language not only differed from a seeing person’s body language, it was a whole different language altogether. And Jamie Foxx does it superbly while hitting a mean mime to all the Ray Charles classics. It’s kinda eerie and an achievement in its own way.
But is it great cinema?
Er, no.
Dialogue comments: a great deal of the film is in that post-war Black jive speak which – to be perfectly honest – I have to concentrate to understand.
Foxx’s performance is generally good – given my misgivings about the genre per se – but he wavers a little too close to a Malcolm X and even a Louis Farrakhan at times for me to be entirely comfortable.
The supporting roles were all right. But again, none of this is cinema. It’s a movie of the week.
Substance comments: the film is about the music of Ray Charles. It has no other point.
It tries to draw some sort of amateur psychoanalysis rabbit out of the hat. This film cost quite a bit to make, so they felt they had to do something. But the attempt did nothing for me.
We occasionally yawned in the direction of the Helen-Keller-against-all-odds thing. But that, too, worked like a damp sparkler and fizzled out pretty much as soon as it got going.
Film craft comments: the film is well put together technically and tastefully shot.
Given that I was there for the music, I found it best to regard the rest of the film as a long advert for Southern Comfort in which the product itself makes no appearance.
A taste of the story: Ray Charles was born. He went blind. He made some of the kickingest music of the twentieth century. The end.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 672. | The Whole 10 Yards / By H. Deutch /
|
The Whole 10 Yards / By H. Deutch /
Once in a while, a very special film comes along, a film with such power and scope that it is enough to change your mind about a great many things… Such a movie is very rare, and when it arrives, it is truly an event. This movie is Fahrenheit 9/11.
On the other hand, we have another movie, a movie that could care less about impact, message, presentation or performance…
In the latest money-making initiative from people of Warner Bros. (yes, the same Hollywood masterminds who rushed to bring you the Matrix sequels), we have the The Whole Ten Yards – a completely unnecessary sequel to a completely unnecessary movie. Sure, its predecessor, The Whole Nine Yards was utterly forgettable, but at least it had a nude scene to placate bored stoners and frat boys. 10 Yards has nothing but (less of) the same empty, doubtful laughs.
The movie essentially picks up from where the other one left off. Jimmy the Tulip (Bruce Willis) and his wife Jill (Amanda Peet) are now living large in Mexico, rich off their spoils from the first movie. While Jill is very slowly realizing her dream to be a professional hit man, Jimmy has retired from the hit man game, instead devoting his life to becoming a househusband. Oz (Matthew Perry) is now a successful dentist in LA, married to Cynthia (Natasha Henstridge), once Jimmy’s wife and accomplice. Upon release from prison, Hungarian mob boss Lazlo Gogolak (Kevin Pollack) puts into motion his plan to finally kill Jimmy, and thus avenge the death of his son, whom Jimmy ‘offed’ in the previous movie. Hilarity ensues? No, not really.
The main problem with this movie is that it’s a horrible script with a ridiculous premise, featuring a group of Hollywood has-beens. Well, in all actuality, Bruce Willis is the singular has-been. Twice in fact, having found movie success as the working man action star in the 90’s, and then with a second wind as M. Night Shyamalan’s bankable name in “Sixth Sense” and “Unbreakable”.
As for the other people, well, they’re more like ‘never-beens’. Amanda Peet’s claim to fame was a breast-baring moment in the previous movie, while Natasha Henstridge’s claim to fame was a breast-baring moment in another movie. Kevin Pollack is Kevin Pollack. As for Matthew Perry, he has yet to find success outside of his typecast “Friends” character.
I must admit though that I actually enjoyed Perry’s performance. Out of all the cast, he’s the only one that really rises above the asinine script. He’s really just playing an over-caffeinated Chandler with a dose of physical comedy. Sure, this “Friends” role is the only role he knows how to play, but he plays it really well. His facial reactions and comedic delivery really drive the few laughs in the movie.
Aside from this, the movie manages giggles that are few and far between. Really the only other attempts are as follows: a 100+ year old grandmother who suffers from uncontrollable gas, and a very ugly, very stupid gangster doing what you’d expect him to do. There are also a few stupid Bruce Willis gags: a scene of him in a wig and apron, one showing his very pale buttocks, and another using his shiny bald head as a bowling ball for a stack of shooter glasses. Yup, this is the same guy who in one movie died drilling holes in a cataclysmic asteroid and in another movie discovered that he was a contemporary superhero. How’s that for breaking type, eh?
The filmmakers tried to adopt a sort of spontaneous, anything-goes style to the movie, but it results in mind-numbing storytelling and laughs that are too contrived. My view is that in a few years from now, everyone that was involved in this movie would rather pretend that it didn’t exist. You get the feeling that the actors were somewhat intoxicated in delivering their lines, as if to lessen the misfortune of being in such a mess of a movie. I was jealous, wishing I were just as intoxicated as they were when I watched it. |
|
|
|
|
| 673. | David Carretta / DJ IDO
|
David Carretta / DJ IDO
Every ass was shaking in DJ Cafe MIO whether it wanted to or not when David Carretta’s live set with DJ IDO began on Saturday night. While, DJ IDO warmed up the eager crowd by playing his popular pop/electro music, Carretta’s music screamed for a larger dance floor for the crowded dancers and the throbbing bass as a light fixture near the back of the bar crashed on the floor. Needless to say the duo rocked the dance floor at DJ Caf? MIO with their electro/techno music. Carretta’s and DJ IDO’s fans felt they were worth the wait on Saturday night at Caf? MIO when their set began a bit late and they played well into the morning hours on Sunday. DJ IDO’s brand of techno is more mainstream and oriented towards hip-hop while Carretta’s hard electric techno used vocals, guest and his own, to incite body movement with the Caf? Mio crowd. Carretta spun.
Internationally known electro/techno wizards Carretta and IDO made their first ever appearance together in Moscow on Saturday night at DJ Caf? Mio. Carretta and IDO met in 1998 when they were both playing a party at Rex Club in Paris. Their mixture of Carretta’s electro/techno new wave 80’s and IDO’s A-Pop/minimal electro techno blends together very well. Carretta has a gift for mixing and blending techno/electric beats. Carretta may be a household name in Europe’s electro/techno scene, however Muscovites are relatively new to Europe’s electro music but they are catching on fast. The crowd and setting on Saturday night would lead one to think that you were at a hip “see and be seen” club instead of an electro/techno show but this is Moscow and one has to look good no matter where you go. On a side note, DJ Caf? MIO woman’s bathroom was playing soft-core porn on the bathroom mirror when this author came in to use the facilities.
Carretta inspired DJ Hell to start his own record label, International DJ Gigolo Records, with his track Innerwood. Carretta has been credited with paving the way for other Gigolo Record artists such as the famed Miss Kittin & the Hacker and Tampopo. Carretta’s off stage quietness appears to signal he wishes his music to speak for himself, see the above ass shaking sentence. The music that inspired Carretta is Depeche Mode, New Order, and DAF, and other “new wave 80’s” music. For those readers not familiar with “new wave 80’s” Carretta describes the music as non-mainstream music that he puts to electro/techno beats. Carretta has earned rave reviews in Europe for his hit - tracks "Futurama" on Compilation, "Le Cauchemar" -- where he worked with Chicks On Speed -- and for “Ca Plane pour moi” from his first French album Le Catalogue Electonique.
The history of techno music began in the mid to late 70’s with the German band Kraftwerk. In the ’80s musicians in Detroit began combining the sounds of Kraftwerk with funk. Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson combined synthesizer beats inspired by Parliament, George Clinton, and Funkadelic. Combining techno with electro began possible with the advent of computer technology in the early 80’s. As early as ten years ago techno music was considered an underground movement. Techno became more mainstream and commercialized with hits like Prodigy’s “Charly”. Rave parties playing techno music began in Britain in the early 90’s and spread throughout the US and Europe, this also helped bring techno to a mainstream audience.
Carretta has been a DJ and doing live sets since 1984 and the genre of music that he works with has stayed consistent, “new wave 80’s”, however he does experiment with new technology that allows him to produce different sounds. DJ IDO was inspired by A-Pop, electric pop, and industrial music such as Afrika Bambaataa. Carretta is now working on a new album yet to be named and played some of his new music on Saturday night as well as a couple of songs from his previous albums. He can be seen touring throughout South America and Europe. IDO is currently producing two new projects on David’s label, International DJ Gigolo Records, titled Leitmotiv 10, 11. You can read more about David Carretta and DJ IDO at International DJ Gigolo record’s website www.gigolo-records.de. |
|
|
|
|
| 674. | Spanglish /By James L. Brooks/
|
Spanglish /By James L. Brooks/
Written by James L. Brooks. Directed by James L. Brooks. Starring: Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, Paz Vega, Cloris Leachman. 130 minutes. USA.
Review top sheet: Check in your mind along with your coat and hat when you come to see this film. Better still, have a lobotomy. Then sit back and gorge yourself on dramatic candyfloss and popcorn until the end credits appear.
The film has pretensions to being meaningful. It isn’t. But that’s okay, isn’t it? (I loved “Lost in Translation” which I say rocked. You can take your bearings from there.)
“Spanglish” is a corporate Big-Mac-and-fries experience. You’ll leave less satisfied than glutted, and with the nagging suspicion that you would have been better off having a salad – or, perhaps, nothing at all.
Take this film for what it is: brain candy with genuinely funny moments.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you like Adam Sandler ("50 First Dates", "Anger Management", "Longfellow Deeds", "Punch-Drunk Love")
• No, if: you don’t like Adam Sandler ("50 First Dates", "Anger Management", "Longfellow Deeds", "Punch-Drunk Love")
• Maybe, if: you’ve never seen an Adam Sandler film ("50 First Dates", "Anger Management", "Longfellow Deeds", "Punch-Drunk Love")
Comments: the Adam Sandler mix of diffidence (the slightly spazzy older-brother thing), apparent lack of affectation, and his poor man’s noblesse oblige franchise either yanks you in or gets on your nerves.
Personally, I like it in the way I like Status Quo: one dose every two or three years is all right, but more than that is overkill.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: ***
• Substance: *
• Film craft: *
Story comments: the film’s excuse for existing is a limp look at questions of cultural identity and belonging.
The tension in the film is provided by a superbly neurotic and sociopathically competitive T?a Leoni. She plays the blonde with whippet-like body tone to the brunette Paz Vega’s voluptuous curves.
I’m a curves man, so my loyalties were pretty much a given.
Dialogue comments: Cloris Leachman (who plays the alcoholic mother) imbues her lines with an energy, humour and pathos sufficient to pull the film over onto the verge of excellent drama for as long as she occupies the screen.
If you go, go for Cloris.
Substance comments: “Spanglish” is based on the notion that America – and here I mean the super-rich White America which makes up all of two percent of the total – is an earthly paradise to which all right-thinking third-worldlings naturally aspire.
Having been accepted at the high table of the ruling elite, broken the language barrier, and mastered their ruthless and soulless (but totally necessary) education system, you will realise how lucky are to have started life scratching a living from some dustbowl thousands of miles away. It’s your cultural inheritance and you lose it at your peril.
Again, I am lost by the American need to confess sexual indiscretion to one’s partner as a way of making it all right. For me, it’s not a plot point. It’s a futile exercise in inflicting needless suffering on your wife, children and – to some lesser degree – yourself.
Film craft comments: functional.
A taste of the story: a young, pretty Mexican girl and her young, incredibly pretty Mexican mother (Paz Vega) leave a life of idyllic perfection in Mexico for the bright lights of assorted US minimum-wage sweatshops.
Though she knows no English whatsoever, this voluptuous Hispanic beauty is invited by a plain-looking rich woman with obvious and severe marital problems (T?a Leoni) to keep house for her.
Thereafter, the key question is: can Adam Sandler – the plain-looking woman’s husband – resist the obvious imperative to do to the voluptuous Hispanic beauty what the rest of male America would like him to?
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 675. | Hitch
|
Hitch
Directed by Andy Tennant. Written by Kevin Bisch. Starring: Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James and Amber Valletta. 115 mins. USA.
Male-Friendly Romantic Comedy
By Ryan Macalino
There are many movies which immediately give the impression that watching them will surely be a waste of time. From my own experience, it seems that romantic comedies form the bulk of this banal heap. I hope I’m not alone in saying this, but males tend to avoid these movies like the plague. Typically for us, this genre is utilized only as the second half of a dinner-and-a-movie affair. While we are happy with the moments of intimacy that these movies would allow us, most of the time we are either too uncomfortable with the sappiness or just plain bored out of our wits.
Thankfully however, “Hitch” is something different. Aside from being funny, it is surprisingly charming, with characters that are interesting enough to keep both male and female audience members entertained. Overall it’s an excellent vehicle for Will Smith, who I guess is tired from blowing things up in his usual repertoire of action movies, with the most recent being “I, Robot”.
Smith plays Alex ‘Hitch’ Hitchins, a professional consultant with a business that relies solely on referrals. Known as the ‘Date Doctor’, he specializes in giving relationship advice and creating opportunities for single men to be with the women they love – and charging them handsomely for his services. His latest client is a dorky accountant named Albert (Kevin James), who falls in love with New York City’s most talked-about celebrity heiress, Allegra Cole (Amber Valletta). Hitch welcomes the immense challenge in hooking Albert up with his dream girl, and along the way he meets (and of course falls in love for) Sara, an investigative journalist assigned to cover the elusive Ms. Cole.
Seeing that this movie is a rom-com, it will undoubtedly have the expected clich?s associated with the genre. There are however, a few noteworthy points. Director Andy Tennant does a fairly safe job of directing the movie, but I really enjoyed the opening credits, which is kind of an infomercial for Hitch’s services. It’s snappy and funny, and it does a good job of establishing the main characters. Screenwriter Kevin Bisch also gives us a smart script that peppers the usual rom-com fare with hilarious situational comedy that some of us, male or female, can use as dating advice.
This ‘advice’ of course is more useful to the male audience, and just for this alone it is a great movie to take a date to (ignore the possible circularity in this statement). While the third act somehow slips into the regular predictability, the story is definitely entertaining (and/or informative) enough to get you through the whole movie. Besides, if that’s not enough, the soundtrack also boasts a great selection of R&B music, from Motown to hip-hop to neo-soul.
For the females reading this, persuasion is perhaps unnecessary. For the more discerning tastes in their romantic comedies, I reckon that it’s better than the standard fare, plus the movie also has merit in casting minorities for the leading roles while wisely not adhering to any racial angles. Rather, the appealing quality to this story is that the main characters all seem to be professionals who appear to be at the top of their game, yet also suffer from the same love problems as ‘us regular folk’.
The main draw for this movie is Will Smith, who really has a guaranteed audience. Here he plays against type, but reminds us that it is his charm that brings people to the box office. It seems as though the role was tailored specifically for Smith, and with him serving as Producer, it is very likely. The supporting cast does an admirable job, but this is clearly his show.
Overall this is a great date movie, one that both men and women will enjoy – especially those consider themselves a little more sophisticated in the dating game. A fair warning to female viewers: if there is a bone to pick with this movie, it is that while the clients who employ Hitch are inherently good, it seems that they only fall for women who are successful and stunningly beautiful. Who knows, maybe a sequel is in the works, featuring a female Date Doctor! |
|
|
|
|
| 676. | Pelageya
|
Pelageya
It was a packed house on the night of the Pelageya concert at 16 Tons. The Friday club atmosphere was its usual cool, but the crowd started to get restless once it hit 11 o’clock: howling, clapping, and crying out Pelageya’s nickname for her and the band to start performing. It’s amazing to me how at only 17, she can inspire such enthusiasm in a place where she legally wouldn’t even be allowed in.
So just what is it about Pelageya, exactly? What makes her so special? According to a long-time fan, she is considered to be a national treasure here in Russia – so much so that since the age of 10, she has performed for numerous personalities in the past, including presidents and patriarchs. And yet by earnestly thanking her fans for their support over the years, it just might be that this 17-year old is not only famous and gifted, but humble as well. Such a glowing reference indeed, but if you’re still not convinced, just wait until you hear her sing...
Pelageya began the night with an aria, singing a capella and giving her band enough time to quietly set up and watch her in admiration. When the song was finished, she had left the crowd motionless for about a second or two before they started clapping. In a show of humility and unselfishness, she then quickly proceeded to introduce her bandmates one-by-one before they properly carried on. They began their set in the same manner at the Festival Avant a few weeks ago, and it was just the perfect way to prepare uninitiated onlookers and tag-alongs to their music.
Just like a few weeks back, the band played in fine form. Once again, the star is unmistakably Pelageya herself, but there’s no denying that she is surrounded with exceptional talent. Each band member could easily carry his own weight, and was given an opportunity to do so. I got the impression that their unique sound was a combination of different musical backgrounds and interests as well as endless hours of practice and rehearsal. This was made more evident with a song that had Pelageya singing over what sounded like ethnic music from Borneo. The combination of Malaysian instrumentation, obscure Russian folk lyrics, and Pelageya’s banshee-like delivery for this song seems impossible to pull off, but the band didn’t even break a sweat.
The next song sounded at times Middle Eastern, and at times Indian. It had somewhat of a sensual quality to it, and it featured Pelageya’s singing at its most seductive, kind of like Mata Hari reincarnated. They then did a popular number that demonstrated Pelageya’s 4-octave vocal range over an accordion-laced cover of the Mission: Impossible theme. This song had the crowd going bananas afterwards. However, the band knew they were in complete control, so in the next song they responded by going the other way…
Introducing the song with a groovy 70’s style bassline, the band seamlessly moved into a reggae vibe, topped with Pelageya’s angelic vocals. Her singing was serene, and her power to captivate became more evident with each song that passed. Songs that invoked all sorts of emotions and reactions, from agony, to silence, to wonder – it was all there. The band met her power with different musical landscapes, from Africanesque rhythms, to Miami conga beats, to Bossa Nova smoothness. The Russian-folk-rapping was there too, and so was Fifth Element chorus, again without the aid of computer audio enhancement. It was an awe-inspiring show, and the crowd was feeling it the whole way through.
In a short interview after the concert was finished, Pelageya told me that her main aim is to educate Russian youth about the beauty of Russian music. I myself grew up never having heard one Russian song, but it’s easy for me to say that this group is one of the best I’ve ever seen. They have such an uncanny ability to merge diverse musical styles from all over the world and fuse them with nearly-forgotten folk songs from the farthest reaches of Russia. Take this fresh, unique sound and add Pelageya’s unequalled vocal prowess, and I believe you have a group that has international success stamped all over them.
Russian or Expat, if you’re reading this review and you’re just a little bit curious, do yourself a favour: cop her albums, watch her and her band perform live. You won’t be disappointed. Pelageya is not only a national treasure but also Russia’s gift to the world. |
|
|
|
|
| 677. | Rammstein
|
Rammstein
Playing keyboards is almost always a rough gig. If the axe-wielding guitar hero is transformed from pimply youth to rampant love god simply by slinging his instrument round his neck, and a vocalist is guaranteed time in the spotlight, there's no such reward for the geeky guy with the box that goes beep. Even the back-handed compliment of the drummer joke is denied to the rock'n'roll equivalent of tech support, it seems. I know. I played keyboards, and watched a succession of willing young ladies ignore me in favor of my sexier colleagues.
Rammstein, however, manage to take it several stages further. In the course of the latest stage show, Christian Lorenz is subjected to a range of torments that my erstwhile bandmates never had the budget to inflict on me. Like bubbling up a cauldron to accompany the cannibal-inspired "Mein Teil" and, after chasing Herr Lorenz from it with a giant flame-thrower, having him run around the stage pursued by descending firecrackers while further pyrotechnics illuminate his backside. There's a further grilling for the nether regions later in the set, when the action switches to a second smaller stage at the back of the dance floor and, after being whipped across a bridge by the drummer, our hapless hero drops his trousers while singer Till Lindemann simulates a spot of sodomy. Later Lindemann gets the fun stunt, sitting gleefully astride giant pink foam cannon to spray the audience during "Pussy", although Lorenz does at least get the crowd-surfing stint, complete with rubber dinghy, as compensation for his troubles.
Of course, a Rammstein show will always be theatrical. This one starts with a procession from the back of the arena, part entrance of the gladiators, and part march to the scaffold. The band trudges across the bridge on to the main stage, bearing a Russian flag and a flag of the hitherto unrecognized republic of Rammstein. Blazing torches and pounding drums create a medieval atmosphere: somehow it wouldn't be a shock to see the heads of the support act arrayed on spikes around the drum kit. And so it goes: fireballs erupt regularly throughout, with an eye-brow singeing ferocity that leaves even the back rows of the cavernous hall feeling the heat. Don't stand at the front if you value your facial hair. At various points Lindemann and his colleagues pause from unleashing musical mayhem to blow something up, set something on fire or spit flame across the stage: Engel is performed in massive angel wings with sparks flying merrily.
The one downside of all this is that the band itself it often rendered more or less static on stage. After all, if your stage crew is unleashing Armageddon onstage, it's pretty important that you plant your feet firmly on the X which marks the spot that ensures you won't get a rocket up your rear. At times, therefore, it can feel like the pyrotechnics overwhelm the musicians themselves. Then there is the occasional suspicion that all the blazing fury is a means of distracting the audience from a set of songs which can tend towards the repetitive. Grunting vocals and grinding guitars create a sonic assault which is, at times, as exhausting as it is impressive.
Yet Rammstein manage to pull off a great stage show and a great gig in precisely the way that, for example, Empire of the Sun failed to achieve last year. A better back catalogue, and a style which manages to blend unexpected subtleties into a raw rock mix (those keyboards again, once allowed out of the torture chamber), make it work far better than many gimmick-laden arena tours. It's rare to see a sold-out Olimpiisky, and rarer still to find a band which can dominate one of the world's least inspiring concert spaces but Rammstein managed to do both - two nights running. By the time Moskau was played as the final encore of a two-hour set, the band had conquered the audience to the point where they were largely helping the crowds in their own singalong. |
|
|
|
|
| 678. | Be Cool
|
Be Cool
Directed by: F. Gary Gray. Written by: Elmore Leonard (novel) Peter Steinfeld (screenplay). Starring: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn, Cedric the Entertainer. 118 mins. USA.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: take a “Pulp Fiction” burger, slap it in a “Nutty Professor” bap with a slice of processed Britney Spears and there you have it: “Be Cool”.
Sound hard to swallow? It was.
But if you take it for what it undoubtedly is – a very silly film – you might enjoy yourself.
I did.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you’re in the mood for something untaxing and are prepared to sacrifice both plot and theme on the alter of some pretty good one-liners
• No, if: you’re writing your doctoral thesis on symbolism in Proust and like to listen to Brahms and solve complicated chess problems to relax
• Maybe, if: you ever wondered how a Quentin Tarantino film about Britney Spears might turn out
Comments: this film is the dramatic equivalent of junk food. Yes, it fills you up, but you just know it’s not doing you any good. But what the hell!
This is a comedy and – hey – it’s funny. There are some really snazzy, off-the-cuff one-liners which must have taken hours to polish to a languid, liquid sheen.
Just don’t take any notice of the plot. It’s silly and loses focus. This can be justified to some extent by the fact that it’s a comedy, but don’t sweat it if you stop knowing (or caring) what’s going on.
There’s nothing to be gained by finding out.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *
• Dialogue: ***
• Substance:
• Film craft: **
Story comments: I loved the first ten minutes. They seemed to auger a quick-fire dialogue-based comic drama requiring brains. But it quickly re-aligned into a quick-fire dialogue-based comic drama requiring no brains at all. Well, fair enough, but it shouldn’t have got me all worked up.
The main course is a ludicrous rags-to-riches, girl’s-dream-come-true story draped over a pretty funny bad-boy Black gangster fashion parade.
The pace and development of the story has an interesting quality to it. It doesn’t peak or trough. It just is. And that’s how rap music strikes me. It has no beginning or end or shape. It’s a potentially infinite state rather than a self-contained and self-resolving episode. And that’s how this film is. You could come to it halfway through and hook into the experience as deeply as anyone who’s been there since the start in a matter of seconds.
This quality is both an achievement and the film’s main downfall, since the story doesn’t so much finish as fade out due to time constraints.
Dialogue comments: this is not art. It is not a great film. It’s not even staggeringly crap. It’s a space for those desperately in need of vegging-out to park their minds for a while.
But there are some very cool one-liners which both lionise and poke fun at music underworld gangster types, and some great visual comedy.
I laughed.
Substance comments: this film has no substance. But then, it doesn’t pretend to.
Its only deviation from this highly commendable tack in the circumstances is that it tries at one point to wax lyrical about racism.
Hollywood is very concerned to see to it that Black Americans get a good press. But other kinds of racism are perfectly all right. Don’t believe me? Name two mainstream films which are genuinely sympathetic to either Germans or Arabs.
No, nor can I.
I will be prepared to take the high-sounding concerns seriously when I’m sitting here writing a review on yet another mainstream film which positively profiles American citizens of Arab origin. Or just one blockbuster release which examines the plight of the Palestinians.
Something tells me I’m in for a long wait.
Film craft comments: this a bit of a homage film. The director would really like to be Quentin Tarantino, but by some perverse quirk of Fate, he isn’t. But that doesn’t stop him peppering his film with Tarantinoisms.
But whereas Tarantino has a dark, litter-strewn basement side to his work, this film is all gloss and shininess and perfect teeth.
Personally, I prefer more litter.
A taste of the story: Chili Palmer (John Travolta) decides to take on the music mafia to get a young talented girl to the top.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 679. | My Summer of Love
|
My Summer of Love
Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski. Written by: Pawel Pawlikowski & Michael Wynne; based on the novel by Helen Cross. Starring: Nathalie Press, Emily Blunt, Paddy Considine. 86 mins. UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: this is a strong story well told.
This film is original, surprising and interesting with a haunting afterglow which stayed with me well into the next day.
It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you go to the cinema to be enriched rather than distracted, I recommend you catch this one.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you liked “Lost in Translation” or “Sideways” – I certainly rate both films very highly
• No, if: loud music, visual fireworks, plotless violence, Sci-Fi or horror are your thang
• Maybe, if: anyone you know has recently joined the Unification Church
Comments: this is the first decent film it has been my lot to review for some time. And good thing, too. I was getting tired of bitching and, happily for me, now I don’t have to.
But because of the nature of the film, there is a limited amount I can say without spoiling it, so I’m keeping this review short and my points general.
Pawlikowski has delivered a brutal, tender, insightful and humorous human drama devoid of sentimentality or political badgering. I enjoyed it a lot.
The first ten minutes appear amateurish. I wasn’t sure the director knew what he was doing. But perhaps the first ten minutes were shot first and he was just getting settled in at the helm of the project. So hang in there; it’s worth it.
Although set roughly now in time, it has a bare-shelved 1970s feel to it. The slightly jittery documentary-style camerawork is a bit unsettling at first, but I came away feeling that it wasn’t pointless pretentiousness – it really does serve a purpose. Just try not to sit too close to the screen if you don’t travel well.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *****
• Dialogue: *****
• Substance: *****
• Film craft: ***
Story comments: this is a compelling, strong story which focuses on three people and one small town. Yeah, this is blatantly the land of low-budget cinema. But it makes no difference because the script is great. Give me “My Summer of Love” over any of the multi-million dollar froth fests I have endured recently, any day.
While it focuses mainly on a girl from an underprivileged and potentially violent background and her intimate relationship with another girl, it doesn’t have a politically-correct, man-hating agenda to bore you to tears with.
The story oozes underlying conflict from every pore and despite its essentially dramatic form, the plot of this film will surprise you. I’ll say no more.
Dialogue comments: the dialogue is natural, vibrant and engaging. The two girls in the film, played by Nathalie Press and Emily Blunt, represent different ends of the social spectrum, but nowhere do we descend into caricature. Both are fully-rounded, convincing personas and both performances are first-rate. This film stands to kick their careers forward substantially.
The girls’ relationship – which is the essence of the film – is explored with tasteful insight, free of the shock-value prurience or agenda-driven badgering a lesser film would have concentrated on.
As a viewer, I felt complimented and impressed.
Substance comments: this film is about intimacy, the nature of belonging, and true (as opposed to fake) personas. It’s complex, fascinating fare.
Film craft: the feeling is a little stark – I prefer more sumptuousness myself, but if it’s a matter of this or more “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, I’ll put up with the starkness. But since the story is so strong dramatically, we end up not noticing that we’re cut-price shopping.
The camerawork has a “realistic” documentary aspect to it in places. While not my cup of tea, it makes a justified contribution to the whole and helps make the most of limited production resources.
A taste of the story: Mona (Nathalie Press) is an orphan. Her brother Phil (Paddy Considine) has ceased running a pub and beating people up in favour of born-again Christianity. Effectively abandoned by her only living relative, Mona finds friendship and intimacy with Tamsin (Emily Blunt), a pretty and pampered rich girl.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 680. | The Aviator /By M.Scorsese/
|
The Aviator /By M.Scorsese/
Written by John Logan. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Alan Alda, Ian Holm. 170 minutes. USA.
Review top sheet: “The Aviator” is a catalogue of episodes from the life of Howard Hughes as interpreted by the Hollywood machine. Lots of gloss with no discernable theme.
No amount of ?-la “Titanic” computer-generated effects, isolated “fuzzy-feeling” moments or functional performances from actors you’ve really liked in other things can distract from the fact that is a long film. Take sandwiches and a flask of coffee and sit near an aisle.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: coolly-executed decadence and split-second decisions concerning tens of millions of dollars and the lives of thousands of people impress you.
• No, if: you consider that in the time it took to watch this film, you could have cleared up your flat, done your laundry and finished preparing for that difficult nine-o’clock meeting you’re not looking forward to.
• Maybe, if: you have a secret crush on DiCaprio and nurture the hope that by some unbelievable confluence of circumstances, you and he are destined to end up sharing a cab one day.
Comments: As a reviewer, I have three principles. Firstly, I go to a showing “clean” (that is, I know nothing about the film other than what it is called and, perhaps, who is in it). Secondly, I want to like the film. I am not a film snob. I have no axe to grind against “Hollywood”, and nor do I think only obscure Polish art films in black and white have value. I turn up ready to like what I see. Thirdly, I write my own review and submit it before reading anyone else’s.
To my mind, this film has a recipe. And here it is: first, condense twenty years of Hughes’ life down to a set of bullet points and put it through a blender. Add two shots of “The Great Gatsby”, a dash of DiCaprio’s “Catch Me If You Can”, and a pinch of Nietzsche’s “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”. Then shake hard, pour into glasses and garnish with a “Titanic” cherry. Et voila. That’ll be ten bucks, please.
I felt ripped off. The cinema is not the place for epic storytelling (unless you’re up for a trilogy). You just end up with a barrel of nibbled apples. And that annoys me. Not only did the makers of this film not eat the apples themselves, now nobody else can either.
A story has to have a theme, a central idea which universalises the particulars and makes the story worth watching, since we can learn from it. “The Aviator” has no theme. There is nothing to unify it other than the fact that DiCaprio is good looking and the film clearly cost a packet to make.
Hughes is an interesting character, and after this film I am more likely to read an in-depth biography about him. And this is the film’s chief value. It will stand as a saccharine monument to the man and remind people that if they want to learn anything of substance about him, they will have to go somewhere else.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *
• Dialogue: *
• Substance: *
• Film craft: ****
Story comments: very bitty and episodic. I would have preferred the makers to bite off less and chew it more.
Dialogue comments: bland and functional. The film is dutifully and competently executed, but there is no getting away from the fact that it really has nothing to say no matter how much it says it.
Substance comments: yes, Hughes was an aviation visionary. He thought bigger than big. He flew his kite very high. And that’s passably interesting for a quarter of an hour. But after that I’m getting into my “so what?” zone. It’s like when new Russians try to impress you with how much the various features of the new dacha cost. It wears thin pretty quickly. I’m glad it makes you happy, but it doesn’t move me in any way. Why should it? It’s not my dacha. You need a gift for being impressed by ostentation, and I don’t have it. That said, I couldn’t help noticing how Hughes’ mammoth “Goose” plane - which cost untold millions, flew for only a matter of seconds, and was good thereafter only for scrap – works as a fitting metaphor for the film made about his life.
Film craft comments: this film is a visual fiesta and expertly made. It put me in mind of a firework display on a Milan catwalk.
A taste of the story: Howard Hughes (DiCaprio) spends unimaginable sums of money on humungous projects – some of which work and some of which don’t. And between bouts of looking really cool, curling his eyebrows, making vital snap judgments based on nothing more than a ten-second acquaintance with the facts and getting cosy with a series of Hollywood stars, he also manages to find time to become mentally ill.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 681. | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
|
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Directed by: Garth Jennings. Written by: Douglas Adams (book), Douglas Adams (screenplay) and Karey Kirkpatrick (screenplay). Starring: Mos Def, Zooey Deschanel, Martin Freeman, Sam Rockwell. 109 min. USA/UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: based on the original British low-budget radio series and later low-budget TV series, this Hollywood attempt to generate batty “Briddish” humour in the shape of a Douglas Adams’ epitaph (granted, he wasn’t dead when they started) has got to be the worst film in the history of the universe.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you’re under ten, have recently had a lobotomy and have been locked out of your flat till your mum gets back in exactly 109 minutes’ time
• No, if: the random musings of a John Cleasian understudy don’t do it for you
• Maybe, if: you’re writing a thesis on why “Briddish” humour should not – under any circumstances – be touched by the corporate wand
Comments: I won’t beat about the bush: this film is crud.
It is an insult to the intellect, the aesthetic sense and the innate, genuine inclination to seek for truth which not a few of us on Planet Earth seem to suffer from.
The story has been re-engineered to comply with the dictates of the fascistic social engineering project known as political correctness (thus, Arthur Dent’s key companion, Ford Prefect, has been turned into a Black man… it’s all so tedious).
And, more annoyingly, neither Dent nor Prefect can act worth a damn, and the new Ford Prefect’s diction is so ambiguous I wanted subtitles.
Let’s be honest, the original was crap, too. But it worked because it didn’t try not to be. It was low-budget silliness. The TV production looked like what it was: a bunch of students with a very limited budget dicking about. You could take it or leave it.
What the US producers of this film haven't understood is this: low-tech "Briddish" humour simply doesn't scale up by stuffing lots of money in the pot. It was "Briddish" in some part simply because it was small and crap. When it gets a major injection of US corporate money, it becomes big and crap, but in a totally "un-Briddish" way. Such upscaling has to be done very, very carefully to work. The "Red Dwarf" series on Briddish TV managed to pull it off - going from low budget to medium budget without losing what made the low-budget original worth watching. But the makers of this film haven't come close to negotiating the problems of scale.
In short, this film has nothing of the (admittedly dubious) charm of the low-budget original, and nothing original of itself – other than special effects – to offer, either.
Scarily, the ending foreshadows a sequel journey to the restaurant at the end of the universe.
Personally, I’d rather go hungry.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story:
• Dialogue: *
• Substance:
• Film craft: **
Story comments: the story is a random and unsatisfying collage of inanity underpinned by a somewhat repellent comic-book theology. Its catalogue of bizarre and unrelated events is neither profound enough to be interesting nor funny enough to be compelling.
There is no thread or plot as such, just expensive silliness going nowhere interesting or amusing. Having said that, I did like the bit where the whale falls to earth. But it was hardly enough to justify a full 109 minutes of my life.
Within this surreal framework there is a lame, suburban attempt to generate a love story but, personally, I couldn’t have cared less.
Dialogue comments: I have a soft spot for Stephen Fry (who narrates). He could make the London A-Z sound interesting.
But the key players, namely Mos Def (Ford Prefect), Zooey Deschanel (Trillian), and Martin Freeman (Arthur Dent) seem to be fresh out of a community school Christmas play. The personal energy levels were so low that even the intensely vibrant Sam Rockwell couldn’t lift the whole thing more than a couple of inches off the assembly hall floor.
Substance comments: er, pass.
Film craft: the stars of the show are the Vogan puppets. I hope some competent producer decides to make a truly gruesome children’s story using the makers of these puppets. That would be worth a watch.
A taste of the story: mere seconds before the Earth is to be demolished by an alien construction crew, journeyman Arthur Dent is swept off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 682. | Closer /By M.Nichols/
|
Closer /By M.Nichols/
Written by Patrick Marber (based on his play). Directed by Mike Nichols. Starring: Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Clive Owen. 104 minutes. USA.
Review top sheet: “Closer” begins well, is genuinely funny in places, and sports the best opening soundtrack I’ve heard in a long while.
The story concerns four physically desirable characters for whom the concepts of sexual continence, abstinence or even rudimentary self-control hold no meaning whatsoever and the sticky situations they get themselves into.
Seriously not first-date material.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you want to spice up your life by snorting a line of high-grade suspicion and resentment up the nose of your current relationship (and don’t mind if a film which begins life as a romantic comedy suddenly stops being one halfway through)
• No, if: you don’t buy into the idea of moral relativism, think you know what sin is and don’t want to go to Hell
• Maybe, if: you are considering a career as a groupie or a lap dancer
Comments: the opening worked for me. And twenty minutes in, I was beginning to enjoy the hope that I could write something approaching a rave review.
But as the story moved on, large holes appeared in that particular balloon. We hovered on full thrust a few feet off the ground during act two and were standing in a field in a basket by the time the film hinted it was going to end soon.
But there were compensations.
This film gives great subtext. Roberts and Law tread round each other like a couple of lions on heat while exchanging banalities and we sit transfixed. This is good cinema.
Also, the romantic-comedy section of the film (i.e. the first half-hour) is appealing and funny (though gross in places).
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: ****
• Substance: **
• Film craft: ***
Story comments: “Closer” probes (exhaustively) how shagging other people’s partners will give you exquisite but temporary relief from an otherwise bland existence and how, when other people start shagging your partner, the foundation on which you built your house will dissolve into an unpleasant mush.
Dialogue comments: the dialogue is good. Well-crafted lines are delivered naturally and believably.
Substance comments: this film is about “lurve”: that neurosis-based ego-trip on the weaknesses of people you can feel good about hurting (as long as they can hurt you more than you can hurt them) and which we all want but hate when we have it because it hurts so much (but which we don’t want to stop having because it is just too pleasurable to give up). It’s an interesting subject, but not one I felt I knew any more about after watching this film.
“Closer” demonstrates – without expressly meaning to - how capricious and infantile we look when, aged thirty-something, we still haven’t progressed emotionally past fifteen years old. The end product is a sort of morality tale about the vice once known as vanity welded to a story which began life as a romantic comedy.
The American moral obsession with “honesty” (i.e. using your partner as a priest after you’ve done the dirty on her) is embedded in here as well. This form of moral duplicity leaves me lost as to how to react. It appears to be a given in the States, but I’m from England and I don’t understand what I’m supposed to be thinking.
I mean, ideally, don’t cheat on your wife. But if push comes to shove, be a man about it and learn to carry your burden alone. That’s what I say. Where does this urge to gush come from? Perhaps someone can explain it to me.
I was faintly annoyed that the screenwriter applies this cheat-and-tell compulsion to the Englishmen in the film as it is not a British trait. Moreover – though less significantly - we call the alcoholic drink consisting of vodka and tonic a “vodka and tonic”. To us, a “vodka tonic” means a tonic made from vodka.
Here endeth the lesson.
Film craft comments: shifts in situation (who is currently shagging whom) and time (blink, and it’s six months later) occur unannounced. No titles cluttering up the screen or shots of calendars and Christmas trees here. This was clearly a characteristic of the original play which the director left in the film. Good call.
A taste of the story: Alice (Natalie Portman) gets picked up by Dan (Jude Law) and they start shagging each other. Then Dan starts shagging Anna (Julia Roberts) thus causing Alice great pain. Anna then starts shagging Larry (Clive Owen) thus causing Dan great pain. Dan then starts shagging...
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 683. | Roisin Murphy
|
Roisin Murphy
If confirmation was needed that platinum-selling albums and worldwide critical acclaim do not guarantee a ticket to musical easy-street, 90 minutes of Roisin Murphy in XIII was it. Making her first performance in the city since the break up of Moloko and performing unfamiliar material, Moscow was always going to be a difficult leg of Murphy’s European tour. When you add the cramped conditions, an early start and stifling heat, Murphy had herself a tough day at the office. The weary remark only a couple of minutes into the set that “it has been a long tour” suggested an ominous apathy might well ruin the show. In fact, by meeting the challenging conditions head-on with a dynamic, exciting and energetic set, Murphy showed there is plenty more to this gutsy performer than fancy costumes and wacky sounds.
In the circumstances, you could have forgiven Murphy, who appeared on stage with her influential producer Matthew Herbert and a young and lively band, for simply trotting out the tracks and hitting the road. When you have played to 10,000 plus on stadium tours, the idea of rolling out your wares in a place the size and temperature of a storage container is unlikely to inspire. It is a mark of Murphy’s professionalism and class therefore that she still got through a full and varied selection of tracks from her album Ruby Blue. In addition, she combined with Herbert for a few journeys into improvised new territory (like providing the bass line for one track through stamping on a suitcase) confirming that Murphy still has a zest and enthusiasm for the live performances that has made her one of the stars of the UK pop scene.
Anyone who has followed the rise and fall of Moloko over the last decade would have learned to expect the unexpected from a concert featuring their lead singer. Since her debut in 1995, Murphy has invariably presented her wonky pop-house through flamboyant on-stage personas that match the unconventional sound. The 2005 vintage is no exception. Through 3 costume changes, our hostess transformed from mysterious cloaked seductress to gypsy queen and back, the only continuity being provided by a strong Alexander McQueen influence on the frocks. Appearing alongside, in flat cap and scruffy mullet, Herbert added a contrasting Chas and Dave simplicity to proceedings. The overall effect was a visual garnish that set off the tasty audio main course beautifully.
In the sauna like conditions, the quality of the sound being belted out by Murphy and her ensemble was impressive. The collaboration between Murphy and Herbert has introduced ever more unusual influences into the former’s sound, and taken her further into the realms of electronica than Moloko ever dared wander. Herbert’s pulpit of syths and keyboards as well as a much used effects mic ensured these were recreated in all their dischordant splendour for the live audience. When combined with some more conventional toe-tapping jazz numbers, and the occasional sultry ballad there was variety as well as ingenuity to this set. As we have come to expect, everything on offer was signed off with the indelible ink of Murphy’s still fresh, still irresistible vocals.
To see for myself a phoenix rise from the cherished flames of Moloko was a satisfying experience. Given the heavy influence Murphy had on the band before the departure of ex-partner Mark Brydon (causing the collapse) it should not be a surprise to see her talent living to fight another day. Whilst there were murmurs of disapproval from some of the Russians in the audience who had no doubt expected melodies along the lines of “Sing it Back” and “The Time is Now”, such criticism ignores the fact that those tunes were the conventional exception to Moloko’s innovative rule. This challenging material is not a deviation from Moloko’s tradition, but an extension of it. Murphy has rightly refused to compromise her imagination by putting her voice to bland material and long may her (and Herbert’s) exploration of new sounds and instruments continue.
In the tropical humidity, and with an unmoved audience this gig could never fit into that magical category of great bands in an intimate venue. Thankfully however, nor was this a standard run-through of the album. By grinding out a lively display through sweat and tears in difficult surroundings, Murphy put paid to any fears I had about a change in musical direction or a loss of form. Moloko has gone, but on the basis of this performance, the milk has yet to turn sour. |
|
|
|
|
| 684. | The Interpreter
|
The Interpreter
Directed by Sydney Pollack. Written by: Martin Stellman & Brian Ward (story); Charles Randolph and Scott Frank and Steven Zaillian (screenplay). Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener. 128 min. UK / USA / France.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a competently made “movie of the week” toting a feature-film budget, this political and personal drama has more mileage in it as a terrestrial TV presentation than a big-screen event.
You will need to concentrate if understanding the plot is important to you.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you liked “The Firm” – also a highly plot-driven Pollack film. Like “The Firm”, “The Interpreter” leaves you with an impression of having quite enjoyed the ride but not exactly sure where it is you’ve been
• No, if: you are an anti-globalisation activist and like to fire-bomb US embassies in your free time – there’s loads of subliminal NWO propaganda in here and if you’re alive to that sort of thing, it will get on your nerves
• Maybe, if: you are good at crosswords and like finding plot holes – you’ll have a field day here; personally, I couldn’t be bothered
Comments: what I liked about this film is that it has strong themes and the key relationship works well.
The backstory, the “politics” and the rest of what everyone’s getting hot and bothered about didn’t do it for me at all.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: ****
• Substance: **
• Film craft: ****
Story comments: if you look at the writing credits above, you will see that they use both an “and” and an ampersand (if you noticed without me mentioning it I suggest you get out more often). These two seemingly synonymous conventions have different and specific applications. “&” denotes a team working together. “And” denotes unrelated people re-doing each other’s work.
This story has one “&” and two “ands” and a total of five writers. At least three of these were getting copious notes from Sid – a majorly powerful director – and were, thus, very keen to please. Maybe the more so since you can be fired from a screenwriting project in Hollywood and not even be notified – even from one you dreamt up. The screenwriter is not an artist in American cinema. He is a service provider.
And because there were so many stakeholders in the plot, the end result – while calibrated to keep us engaged – suffers from a lack of personality.
“The Interpreter” is not badly written. It’s strong on theme and the key relationship – that of Kidman’s Silvia Broome and Penn’s Tobin Keller – worked for me. But had it not, there was not much else there to keep me interested.
If you want to keep track of the ostensible plot, get a jolly good night’s sleep first and take a notepad.
Dialogue comments: I like Sean Penn. He reminds me of myself in a really bad mood. When I watch him, I think: if I carry on frowning at people I’m going to end up looking like that. Then I try to relax my face.
But the guy can act. He makes being quietly belligerent and potentially psychotic look like the only really sensible life choice. The hard-nut shell and predisposition towards bloody and invigorating violence mark him as of Irish decent beyond reasonable doubt. But you just know there’s the wit and gentleness of a poet underneath it all, embedded in some remote crag. The interest is in watching it evolve into view. All he needs is the right occasion.
Which brings us to Kidman. Her character (Silvia Broome) is revealed by degrees, too, but her backstory was too convoluted for me to buy into. However, she delivers the package with the messianic certainty of a new cult recruit.
If she believes it, it must be true.
Substance comments: the story looks at grief, forgiveness, revenge, hope and disillusionment. Their treatment made up what, for me, were the interesting portions of the film.
All the pro-UN, pro-US isn’t-war-a-nasty-thing stuff (i.e. isn’t-war-which-the-US-doesn’t-currently-find-useful-a-nasty-thing) just grates on me. The idea that the US administration is more civilised or moral than the naughty African junta in the story is simply not borne out by reality. Try booking your next holiday in Yugoslavia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq or in any of a wide range of Central and South American countries if you want convincing.
But, clearly, none of this is an issue for many people. If it were, the English-speaking world would simply withold its taxes. And a certain amount of political indifference will be an advantage for the purposes of enjoying the film under discussion.
Film craft: this is a nicely-shot film. The composition is great. But the edit does seem to assume that we are paying a lot more attention than we probably are after a long, hot summer’s day in a stressful and complicated city.
A taste of the story: political intrigue and deception unfold inside the United Nations, where a US Secret Service agent (Penn) is assigned to investigate an interpreter (Kidman) who overhears an assassination plot.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 685. | Alfie
|
Alfie
Directed by Charles Shyer. Written by Elaine Pope & Charles Shyer (screenplay) based on the earlier screenplay by Bill Naughton (based on his own stage play). Starring: Jude Law, Ren?e Taylor, Jane Krakowski, Jeff Harding. 103 mins. USA/UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a remake (with some alterations) of the well-known sixties’ film starring Michael Caine, “Alfie” complies with the original in that it is a cheeky-chappy narration accompanying a catalogue of seedy and unedifying sexual exploits.
The result can be viewed as an object lesson in how to become what is known by women the world over as a bastard.
Worthy though such an aspiration may appear to some, the film itself is flat, tired and dull.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you went to see “Nine Songs” despite – or even because of – my unreserved slating of it, liked what you saw, and now want to know how to get to a place where you have problems similar to those experienced by the characters in that film
• No, if: you go to see “Alfie” expecting a comedy in the sense of there being something funny to laugh at
• Maybe, if: you are considering becoming a gigolo
Comments: I go to the cinema a lot these days. I have to. But I always arrive with a sense of hope: please, please, be good. I’m ready and willing – nay, desperate – to like what I see.
Unfortunately for me, so much of what makes it to the screen is pap and, to be honest, a chore to watch. “Alfie” might be worth a watch if you’ve got nothing better to do, but it’s candy-coated dross and there’s no point pretending otherwise.
Go and see it if you really need to block out your world for an hour or so, but don’t expect to be better equipped to deal with reality when you get back.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *
• Dialogue: *
• Substance: *
• Film craft: *
Story comments: an unconscionable English dandy-cum-sponger (Law) narrates his way through a catalogue of sexual conquests.
You can choose to regard the result as either a poor attempt to illustrate the tensions between vanity, morality and commitment or a reasonably thorough how-to on getting and ditching women.
The film is heavily dependent on our getting entrenched in the envy zone (while Alfie philanders about with a number of great-looking chicks who all dote on him), before attempting to kick the football of what it would have us regard as the point into touch.
It tries to impose a three-act structure on the main protagonist’s uncoordinated flitting from one flower to another, but the result is, predictably, superficial and unconvincing.
Dialogue comments: the protagonist (Jude Law) is cheeky and charming and genetically incapable of forming any decision independently of how he feels about the latest attractive woman to enter his radar.
Law really works for me in “Gattaca”, for example. His well-fed, public-school boyish sneer is convincing and appropriate. In “Alfie”, his personal charm (and I mean here the look of a boy not only adored by his own mum, but by everyone else’s as well) works for a bit. But while it might be enough to get the girl at the tuck shop to give you free packets of crisps, it’s not a sufficient basis for an entire film.
Substance comments: I suppose the film is trying to demonstrate by overstatement the essence of the male conundrum.
To summarise: we men are hardwired to desire attractive females. But, having found an attractive female, we can find an almost infinite number of other females equally or more attractive than the one we have. Enduring societies develop structures – morals, taboos and laws – to protect themselves from the decline which would ensure if we all gave free rein to the contradictions inherent in this situation.
Alfie – unsurprisingly, given Hollywood’s almost religious commitment to demonstrations of sexual abandon – is not fussed with any of that. His approach to the conundrum is very simple: shag more women. Moreover, his inability to resolve himself on this issue is both the engine behind – and purpose of – his existence.
Men whose worldview is wholly dependent on this kind of activity become uninteresting very quickly since they are, in essence, weak. They are not heroes striving for an ideal. They are couch potatoes with dress sense.
The film intimates that it wants us to draw conclusions of a semi-tragic nature from the heap of one-night stands and broken hearts Alfie leaves in his wake. But it is not clear exactly what these conclusions are.
Ultimately, I’m inclined to think the makers themselves had only a passing idea what ideological premises were driving this project forward – the main point being to get lots of shagging in.
And since the film is not entirely sure what its point is, we can hardly be expected to have grasped it either.
Film craft comments: functional; pleasantly shot.
A taste of the story: Alfie shags lots of women. Then he shags lots more.
This gets him into trouble.
He has an epiphany through which he learns a poignant truth: it’s time to shag more women.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 686. | Sideways
|
Sideways
Directed by Alexander Payne. Written by: Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor based on a novel by Rex Pickett. Starring: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh. 123 mins. USA.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: A funny, profound, complex (though not complicated) story. Light-hearted but far from superficial, this film has something to say and it says it superbly.
This is the best film of the year so far. Spend ten bucks to see it. You’ll come out richer than when you went in.
Perhaps not a film to take your fianc?e to if you spend a lot of time away on business trips and your relationship is going through a hard patch.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you can do joined-up writing, know what it is to read for pleasure and are old enough to have messed up something important in your life
• No, if: you’re a Viz fan, spend a lot of time on Playstation and are really looking forward to your next Club 18-30 holiday
• Maybe, if: you have ever really disliked being somewhere where everyone else seemed to be having a groovy time
Comments: I don’t know why Hollywood still churns out expensive rubbish like “Aviator” when for the cost of that one film they can make twenty films like “Sideways”.
Using a B-list (or even C-list) cast, no big explosions or other pyro-frippery, “Sideways” dwarfs the aforementioned film on all points that count.
I came away with a sense of having read a good novel. One of those books you know has to end but wish wouldn’t. One of those rare books.
This is a film for grown-ups. For people who can read and have a bit of life experience behind them. But its themes are accessible and not pointlessly cryptic or “arty”.
Films like this are why I still go to the cinema.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *****
• Dialogue: *****
• Substance: *****
• Film craft: *****
Story comments: the story is beautifully crafted, balanced and satisfying. It deconstructs, demonstrates and saut?s in a good wine what it is to be male, mortal and less than hugely successful in a society in which only winners go to heaven.
The film’s strength is that it achieves this without resorting to cliches: Gaw blimey, gov’ner, I ain’t nuffin’ but a poor man, but I got a heart of gold. There’s none of that. Life is more complex than that. And so is this film.
Dialogue comments: the relationship between Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Haden Church) yields natural, delightful dialogue which sent ripples of pleasure through the core of native speakers in the audience as line after line tickled some portion of the funny bone long neglected by the Hollywood industrial production line.
On-the-nose dialogue is completely absent and the film pays you the compliment of allowing you to engage with it organically and without grinding you through a checklist of set-ups first.
People with headphones or less-than-perfect English tended to leave the cinema early. The stripped-down, reduced-functionality demo version of English which has – for better of worse – become the world language won’t gain you access to this film.
”Sideways” is not a wordy or pretentious art film. It’s a great dramatic comedy with moments of significant pathos. But it is a film for people who genuinely know the English language. Neither the translation nor Headway Intermediate will take you there.
Substance comments: “Sideways” looks at masculinity, morality and personal significance in a refreshingly unpoliticised way. No superfluous or tedious mea culpa diatribes here.
Wine is used wonderfully as a metaphor throughout. Whether you like wine or not won’t matter because the film’s treatment of it – as of everything else – is unpretentious, vibrant and accessible.
All actors and writers over the age of thirty-five who have yet to achieve the recognition they feel is their due should be required by law to see this film.
Film craft comments: the film is shot in a low-key way, is well cut, and has some great five-second wordless vignettes. I suspect a generous budget for film stock and an inspired and hardworking director wise enough to allow a talented editor to get on with his job without interference.
Full marks to the casting director. The screen is occupied by faces which seem to know something personally of the lives they portray. Out are the pretty boys wrestling with questions of universal import (about which they patently could not have the faintest idea) and in are irregular, life-weathered features hacking through a humbler but far more interesting set of circumstances. Even the “hunk” Thomas Haden Church’s strong jaw and good teeth are underpinned by a dog-like quality which makes him interesting.
A taste of the story: a sensitive, negative, recently-divorced and yet-to-be-successful writer Miles (Paul Giamatti) and his bit-part actor friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) go away for the week under the rubric of Miles showing Jack a good time prior to Jack’s wedding.
The story really gets underway as they negotiate what each of them wants out of the week ahead.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 687. | Valiant
|
Valiant
Directed by Gary Chapman. Written by: George Webster (story), Jordan Katz and George Webster and George Melrod (screenplay). Starring: (the voices of) Ewan McGregor, Ricky Gervais, Tim Curry, Hugh Laurie, John Cleese. 105 min. UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a tedious and predictable children’s story in computer-generated form.
Think: “Scrappy Doo” meets a pantomime version of “The Dambusters”.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you thought the “Tellytubbies” was quality TV or accept anything Bush or Blair have to say at face value
• No, if: you can do joined-up writing
• Maybe, if: you had a choice between watching this film or being kidnapped and mercilessly beaten and then waking up in a cell in Guant?namo Bay
Comments: this is a computer-generated animation film with famous people doing the voices. I sat there thinking, Isn’t that’s… er… whatsisname?
I was fairly sure about John Cleese and Hugh Laurie. I don’t know what the rest of them got paid, but it was wasted on me.
This is a coming-of-age story the end of which could be predicted by a myopic sloth with amnesia. And saying but it’s for kids won’t work. They’ll have the whole thing worked out in the first ten seconds, too.
The good news is this is a short film.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story:
• Dialogue: *
• Substance:
• Film craft: **
Story comments: another faceless, written-by-committee story-by-numbers guaranteed to dim your senses and leave you faintly resentful at your wasted time.
“Valiant” is a twee, coming-of-age-story sauce on a bed of re-hashed, re-constituted, dumbed-down pro-WWII agitprop served up with lashing of rousing moments to the sound of good old Blighty music. But none of this rousing was justified by the story and I wasn’t roused in the slightest. I was concentrating on not going to sleep.
The most interesting thing about “Valiant” is we learn that animals – including pigeons – were awarded medals in WWII for bravery. The awards ceremony must have been a priceless spectacle.
Dialogue comments: the humour is strained and clunky. How many bird jokes can one film take?
Even the great John Cleese can’t bring life to a story which is missing from the script. They should have let him write the thing himself.
Substance comments: this film has no substance. It’s just empty, candy-coated froth, so I’ll move on to some general remarks about writing for children before returning to deliver the coup de grace to “Valiant” on this score.
I agree with Spike Milligan. For him, children were not simply smaller versions of grown-ups. They were a completely different species.
Children see the world through a glass darkly, as it were, yet they are privy to insights denied most adults. They are complex and wonder-driven and cruel and possessed of the most exhaustive logic (albeit obedient to a grammar different to our own). They need a mythology which meets them where they actually are and not one which comes pre-packaged in neat little blocks lifted from a PowerPoint marketing plan.
Evidently, some producers and publishers think that dumbing down is the way to reach the children’s market. In the short term, they may make the bucks back, but they’re never going come up with anything of real value. Ultimately – and perhaps more importantly for them – they’re going to make less money in the long run, too.
The producers of pap are misunderstanding the reality, I would say, on at least two counts. Firstly, it is parents who do the buying. We hold the wallet, we have the power. If you want to sell a story to my child, Mr. Producer, you have to go through me. When was the last time you saw a seven-year-old buy his own ticket? And on the basis of “Valiant”, I’m not buying. I would not choose to pollute my child with rubbish like that for the same reason I don’t take him to McDonalds or thrust fizzy drinks under his nose. However, I do realise I’m in a minority on that one.
What will strike a broader chord is the fact that you have to make me, the parent, enjoy it. A. A. Milne understood that the secret of a successful children’s story is to make it accessible and enjoyable on both the child’s and the adult’s levels. This is why Winnie-the-Pooh still sell millions today. It’s no sacrifice to read it to your children. It’s a pleasure. And let’s face it, when it comes to choosing books at bedtime, who has the final say?
“Valiant” reaches no-one. It talks to a template-driven idea of what a “kid” might be like. A McKid , if you like. But there are no such children except, perhaps, in the minds of certain producers.
This film will be forgotten before you even make it to the aisle.
Film craft: in Russian there is an expression: ne myso, ne ryba – which roughly translates as neither one thing nor the other. And so with this film. It isn’t straight animation and it isn’t a real feature film. It’s computer-generated analogy which is not as good or as convincing as either film or animation.
Having said that, it’s well executed for what it is.
A taste of the story: a small pigeon wants – and gets – the chance to risk having his head blown off for king and country.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 688. | Assault on Precinct 13 /By J.F.Richet/
|
Assault on Precinct 13 /By J.F.Richet/
Written by James De Monaco (based on the original film by John Carpenter). Directed by Jean-Francois Richet. Starring: Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishbone, Maria Bello, John Leguizamo, Brian Dennehy, Gabriel Byrne. 106 minutes. USA.
Review top sheet: “Assault on Precinct 13” fuses dialogue-heavy psychodrama with an inventive and protracted kill-or-be-killed extravaganza. Its core theme is how we justify both our failings and our fear.
A kick-ass opening scene gives way to a slow-climb first act. Shifting allegiances and a clutch of shock twists serve to keep the wings of a punchy visceral joyride bolted to the fuselage of a convoluted plot. A couple of excellent and amusing supporting roles distract from the obvious failings of the key storyline.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: life-and-death, against-the-odds action movies do it for you.
• No, if: what you really like about Ethan Hawke is his mastery of subtext and intense personal-relationship conflict.
• Maybe, if: you can buy into the notion that Ethan Hawke, who looks as though he has been up all night re-writing the last chapter of an Existentialist novel is, in fact, a crack police officer recovering from deep personal trauma.
Comments: I am an Ethan Hawke fan. For me, his “Before Sunset” was a top film of 2004. There he brought a simple, low-budget freshness and theatrical intensity to cinema which wiped the floor with the previous half-dozen fifty-million dollar films I had seen. It demonstrated the point we all know but film executives can’t seem to grasp, which is that the story is not in the budget. It’s in the script.
“Assault on Precinct 13” is Hawke’s attempt to span the divide between his more classical (and totally cool) thespian story-based origins and a base camp on Mount Hollywood Superstar. I think we need more male actors there who, like Hawke, are visually interesting and personally magnetic but who don’t look like Catalogue Man. Whether this is the film to put him there is another question.
Laurence Fishbone, best known for his role as Morpheus in the Matrix films, was the man of the match for me. He is utterly convincing as an intelligent, ruthless and gifted Mafia boss. Personal gravitas and single-mindedness of purpose ooze from every pore. And at no point, despite the shoot-em-up nature of the film, do you think, “In a minute, Hawke’s going to have to choose between a red pill and a blue one...”
Quite an achievement in the circumstances.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *
• Dialogue: ***
• Substance: **
• Film craft: ***
Story comments: the plot defies belief. Unescorted prison buses with wanton criminals onboard sliding about in a blizzard on New Year’s eve may have been acceptable to John Carpenter’s original audience. But things have moved on since then. And Jean-Francois Richet is too good a film-maker not to know that. The only place for this kind of scene now is in a spoof. The set-ups to the main story are annoying, pointed, and clunky. You just have to grit your teeth and bear it. The way our plucky group under attack discovers it has lost all means of communication with the outside world almost made me laugh it was so clumsily done. The film’s makers clearly hoped that act two would get us so drenched in blood and power-reverses we would forget the pain of the road by which we arrived. I didn’t. But then I knew I’d have to write a review.
Dialogue comments: much of the dialogue used to shepherd us into the fold of the situation needed to get the story rolling reads more like a checklist than things people would (or should) say to each other. On the other hand, there are some great one-liners which I’m sure will make their way to a bar-room conversation near you soon.
Substance comments: the killing this film serves as a launch pad for is not entirely gratuitous. There is a point to be picked out of the blood and broken glass here. And it is this: a man is able to justify almost anything to himself if it serves the dictates of his underlying character. In the context of the fallacious justifications for certain wars in the world right now, this is a point the global English-speaking community might do well to digest.
Film craft comments: the film is well made though a bit “cutty” in places. But you don’t need to bring a sick-bag. These jolty sections are mercifully short and serve a dramatic purpose of sorts.
A taste of the story: Sergeant Jake Roenick (Hawke), a one-time top undercover cop, is now a desk officer hiding from the pain of a bad call he made eight months previously which cost his comrades their lives.
Unconvincingly, a top Mafia boss, Bishop, (Fishbone) and some assorted small-time crims find themselves banged up at the now decommissioned police precinct where Roenick and a few colleagues are celebrating New Year.
Powerful and well-armed bad guys need to take the now-captive Bishop out so he can’t testify against them in open court.
The resultant siege forces Sergeant Roenick out of his shell and back into hero mode.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 689. | LO'JO Interview and Concert Review
|
LO'JO Interview and Concert Review
LO'JO came to give a single concert in Moscow last Thursday. We couldn't miss such an event and sent our journalist there to share her impressions with us. Before the concert Anya Wolf went along to interview Denis Pean of LO’JO on behalf of "The Moscow Expat Site". And that's what she has found out...
AW: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. First question, what does Lo’Jo mean?
DP: Nothing.
AW: Nothing?
DP: Yes, nothing. Just a word coming from my imagination.
AW: Is this your first time in Moscow?
DP: Yes. It’s my first time in Russia.
AW: And how do you find it?
DP: It’s my first day in Moscow, because we arrived, but very late.
AW: Is it not too cold for you here?
DP: (laughs) No, not too much. It’s good for me!
AW: Have you been able to see any of the city today?
DP: Yes, a little bit. And I have a good friend in Moscow; we played with him in France a few years ago. His name is Anatoli Gerasimov, the saxophonist. He played in this place (B2) about five months ago.
AW: Will you perform anywhere else in Russia or only in Moscow?
DP: Yes, tomorrow we will go to Riga and then the day after that, St. Petersburg. When I was a teenager I dreamed of going to St. Petersburg.
AW: I’ve read that you are the ‘shaman in chief’ for Lo’Jo. You come from a catholic background though, so how did this title come about?
DP: (laughs): Yes, I’m the old one in the band, the one that gives direction, who has organised the band and the direction. Now we are a collective and we all imagine the songs together.
AW: The old one. Do you see yourself as the father of your collective?
DP: Yes!
AW: Do you consider yourself still Catholic?
DP: No, originally with my grandparents, but now no. I believe in all things.
AW: But no specific religion?
DP: No, I’m interested in all different religions, all different people, and enjoy communicating with people of all faiths.
AW: In ten years, do you still see yourself making music with Lo’Jo?
DP: I’ve been making music with Lo’Jo already twenty years, and I hope that I will still be making music with them for twenty more.
AW: What makes a band able to stay together for twenty years?
DP: Passion. Love about the way the band travels and our image in music, we fit together like family. We like to be together, to compose music together, to organise our lives together.
AW: Do you have any influences?
DP: Many. All of the things I’ve heard in my life, but sometimes we don’t know which things give influence. I’m interested in modern music, hip-hop, pop, all music coming from many centuries ago. When I was a teenager I played all music, then after I played classical music. Some of my favourite music is coming from jazz music.
AW: Any specific jazz artists or just jazz as a genre?
DP: Not all of it. Just some.
AW: As a child you studied at a music conservatory. Were you trained in just classical or all genres?
DP: Classical.
AW: Has this had any influence on Lo’Jo’s music?
DP: Yes, some part. I like Claude Debussy, etc. and the harmonies have influenced me.
AW: Are you ever influenced by places you’ve visited?
DP: Yes, we traveled many times in Africa, and we got power and magical vibes, which I like very much and which now I have in my body all these vibes. We have now this instrument from Africa, for example. The violin player from Lo’Jo is now playing this little violin coming from the Sahara, traditionally played by the nomadic people in the desert. Yamina now plays this kind of harp that’s coming from West Africa. We have many influences from playing a long time with this band, a voodoo band coming from Benin.
AW: So do you think you’ll be inspired by Russia?
DP: Sure, of course! The trip is short, but after this we will tour in Great Britain for one month. But we hope to come back here.
AW: Does it bother you to be traveling so much? Do you have a family at home waiting for you?
DP: No. My family is the band, my wife is music, and my father is sound.
AW: As far as venues, do you prefer to play clubs, or concert halls, or festivals?
DP: I don’t like crowds so much; I like to be close to the people. This kind of place (B2) is good. It depends also on the quality of the sound. If we have good sound, and a good crowd, then it’s all good.
AW: If you had only one word to describe your music, what would it be?
DP: (long pause) Harmony. Because you can find harmony in music, and in life and relationships too.
AW: The last question I have for you, Denis, is if you were not making music, what would you be doing?
DP: Ah I’m interested in many things. Education for children. That I can do with music. Sometimes I work in jails with young people and teach them about music and poetry. All education for children is important, in this modern world, we need education to continue on.
AW: Agreed. Merci, Denis, and I look forward to the show tonight!
And here what it was like:
Before the show, I had the pleasure of interviewing Denis Pean, the founder and shaman-in-chief of Lo'Jo, who carries the vibes of the entire planet in his small frame. From the moment we sat down, I could feel that this is a man with 10.000 melodies in his mind, who has the unique gift of taking the songs of the world and channeling all of them into one amazing harmony. The crowd at B2 was diverse, and while it wasn’t a packed house, the crowd very easily and quickly began feeling the vibe of Lo'Jo.
To try to contain Lo'Jo within a genre is impossible, because Lo'Jo IS a genre. This isn’t the kind of music that you would put on as background noise, as from the opening notes, Lo'Jo takes you by the shoulders and demands all of your attention. The talented sextet plays a dizzying array of synthesized and acoustic instruments that they have acquired from all four corners of the world. Lo'Jo’s beat is unusual and infectious; it’s impossible not to tap your toes or move to the rhythm. Denis has a uniquely melodic voice which, combined with sisters Yamina and Nadia on backing vocals, makes for songs that will long stay in your mind. Although they sing in Arabic, French, and English, Lo'Jo’s music transcends any language and nationality. The two-hour performance went by too quickly for me, and even after two encores, I found myself wanting more.
Lo'Jo as a band is not for everyone, but there is something in their music that everyone can get into. In their songs, it’s easy to pick out strains of rap, hip-hop, Arabian, classical, funk, jazz, and African, but it’s Lo'Jo’s unique ability to combine these very different genres that have enabled them to be a French tour de force for 20 years. Although this trip to Russia (they are also performing in Riga and St. Petersburg) is short, they will most certainly be back. Kudos to B2 for their continuing ability to find the best of world music and bring it to Moscow.
More background info and tour dates for Lo'Jo can be found on their website, www.lojo.org |
|
|
|
|
| 690. | Cinderella Man
|
Cinderella Man
Directed by Ron Howard. Written by: Cliff Hollingsworth (story); Cliff Hollingsworth and Akiva Goldsman (screenplay). Starring: Russell Crowe, Paul Giamatti, Renee Zellweger. 144 mins. USA.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: this is a long film but it’s so well done you won’t notice. If you go to see it, be prepared to care what happens.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you liked “Million Dollar Baby”
• No, if: you’re at all squeamish
• Maybe, if: you’ve ever been laid off work for any length of time
Comments: coming so close on the heels of “Million Dollar Baby” I was concerned this might be one of those ambulance-chaser films. But it isn’t. It is a gut-wrenching, believable, inspirational, hard-hitting drama which stands tall on its own merits and is a top film of the year for me.
It clearly cost a mint to produce. But with a first-rate script to work from the expense was justified on all counts.
I shall digress here slightly as there is something I wish to get off my chest, and now seems an appropriate place to do it. As someone who has to go to the cinema a lot, I obviously have to deal with the, well, unpleasant side of cinema-going far more often than the average person. So I’ve developed a strategy for minimising the annoyance factor given that, yes, I have to share the hall with other people.
I try to sit as far as possible from anyone with boxes of popcorn and a drink (they are going to munch right through the next 120 minutes and keep getting up to go to the toilet).
I have also developed a sort of pre-emptive metal voodoo to discourage any female whose hair threatens to go bouffant from sitting in my line of vision, and I have about a 90 percent success rate with that.
Lastly, I try to put a lot of distance between myself and any couple plus friend. This friend is going to be so painfully aware of not being part of the couple that she (and it is nearly always a she) will feel the need to keep up some sort of really urgent communication by mobile phone about some drama happening with someone else who also has a boyfriend. This will entail lots of flashing mobile displays, beeps and whispering.
But I must warn you now of a new scourge blighting the public cinemas. And the plague of which I speak is particularly rife at films like the one under discussion which is why I mention it here.
“Cinderella Man” is an emotionally engrossing film. And for some reason, films like this attract people who feel the need to predict, at key points in the story, what’s about to happen (ostensibly to their partner) in a voice just loud enough for everyone else to hear. It’s like they are doing an advanced degree in stating the crashingly obvious and they’re out together on a field trip.
If you are one of these people, let me tell you now: you are not providing a public service. We all know this thing is going to happen. You’re not a genius. You’re meant to know it. The director and the scriptwriter wanted you to know it and they designed the film so that you would know it.. You are not helping anyone. You are not enlightening anyone. You are just spoiling the film. If you do it again, I and everyone in rows 3 to 10, will rise up out of our seats as one man and come and beat you to a bloody pulp.
Yes, cinemas can be stressful places.
Ommmm.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *****
• Dialogue: ****
• Substance: ****
• Film craft: *****
Story comments: the story here is beautifully designed. It is a well-balanced construct based around a clear-cut desire. But this is not the sort of desire that people like Tom Cruise are capable of having. Like when he’s got to shag some incredibly beautiful woman in order to get hold of the microfilm which is going to save the world. I’d like to relate to that sort of difficulty but, frankly, I don’t. “Cinderella Man” is populated by people whose desires are less shiny – more humdrum, in fact – but no less crucial within their own terms.
It may be interesting to watch the neon-lit high-tech setbacks of super rich congenital geniuses dissected for me, but personally I don’t relate. Jim Braddock’s drama (pleasingly rendered by Russell Crowe) is the quintessential small man’s struggle. You want him to make it but you know he probably won’t.
That said, this is not a depressing “reality” drama. You will care what happens.
Dialogue comments: this film was tastefully and, well, correctly cast. The relationship between Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe) and his wife (Ren?e Zellweger) was a little lovey-dovey and overly in-love for my personal taste, but this is an American film after all and I’m from England where people don’t fall in love so much as drink tea and complain about the weather.
I am personally glad to see Paul Giamatti hit the big time. He so deserves it. His negged out, life’s-out-to-help-me-shoot-myself-in-the-foot thing is a niche he has made all his own. He’s a great actor and ungoodlooking enough to be likeable. Since his blinding delivery in “Sideways”, I’m a confirmed fan.
Substance comments: this is about the small man’s quest against the odds to claim what’s his by rights.
As a sideline, the film handles the male role in society. That Western men have been psychologically emasculated should be self-evident to the reader and there’s no need to go into it here. This film depicts a very male man striving to fulfil his genetic purpose against the might of an economic environment that would thwart him.
The film is pleasantly free of all the embedded psychological “PC” man-hating programming found in so many films today. If you are fortunate enough to ever have been in a city with no billboards (e.g. Moscow circa 1990) you will know how pleasant something can be by its absence. The psychological effect here is similar.
Film craft: great sets, great (but not overdone) cinematography, superb delivery on all fronts. Must have cost untold millions. But, frankly, this is one of those rare cases where it was worth it.
A taste of the story: Jim Braddock – a one-time boxer – struggles to put food on his family’s table during the Great Depression. His battle against the odds comes to embody the plight of millions.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 691. | Million Dollar Baby
|
Million Dollar Baby
Directed by Clint Eastwood. Written by Paul Haggis based on stories by F.X. Toole. Starring: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman. 132 mins. USA.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: if film were food, this is the kind of place French chefs would come to eat on their day off.
“Million Dollar Baby” bears comparison with the critically-acclaimed “Raging Bull” not only thematically, but in terms of creative achievement.
Yes, critics drool over work like this. They love it.
I liked it, too. I liked it a lot. But I didn’t love it.
But you may.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: you own a copy of “Raging Bull” and have watched it more than once in the last twelve months – great film that it is
• No, if: you thought “Charlie’s Angels” was a good film
• Maybe, if: you like wide-ranging drama and are in the mood for an expert emotional pummelling
Comments: film critics like talking, and this sort of fare gives them the chance to talk a lot. I’m not a film critic, I’m a reviewer. So I’ll try to keep this short.
The bulk of this film is visually rich in a soulful, pleasingly-sordid 50s’ way. The acting is convincing throughout. Its dramatic peaks and troughs balance out into perfect equations. It sports extremely catchy bluesy-jazzy music (some of which was composed by Eastwood himself – I was impressed, and I think you will be as well). Its themes are poignant and excellently treated.
I can’t fault this film. Which is why I’ve given it full marks on all points. Not so much because I must, but because I can’t not.
But deep, deep down – despite the undeniable greatness of each of the parts – there was a lack for me somewhere in the region of the sum which makes up the whole.
Perhaps, it’s just not my kind of film.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *****
• Dialogue: *****
• Substance: *****
• Film craft: *****
Story comments: a film about a girl boxer.
Hmm.
Had I known this beforehand I might have sidestepped this assignment. Politically-driven indoctrination posing as life-and-death drama turns me right off.
But I’d have missed a good film. A great film, even.
“Million Dollar Baby” is a brutal-yet-tender, fully-rounded drama for which the subject of boxing (rather than specifically girl boxing) serves as both the occasion and the metaphor, but – mercifully – not the sole reason for being.
That said, the sight of girls beating the living crap out of each other strikes me as revolting and unnatural in a way that men doing the same thing simply doesn’t.
That’s just the way I am.
Dialogue comments: Eastwood and Freeman have become, in effect, the salt’n’pepper grandpappies of Hollywood.
In this film, they bring to their worlds a long and convincing pre-history; the deep, time-soaked quality of a rare double-malt. You can’t fake this kind of maturity. Weather-beaten faces and near-perfect laryngitis like theirs aren’t acquired overnight.
And in “Million Dollar Baby” we witness the culmination of decades of both their graft and craft. They are, unquestionably, our seniors. So they don’t over-explain to each other for our benefit. It behoves us, mere whippersnappers that we are, to shut up, listen and learn. Which we do. And to great advantage.
Hilary Swank’s contribution to the mix is inspired. A less visionary casting decision here would have sunk this film. Swank more than makes the grade. She takes the film forward. An achievement by any standards in such austere company.
Substance comments: “Million Dollar Baby” is about over-caution, under-caution, protection, lack of protection, family, lack of family, the will to win, fear of losing, being realistic, being unrealistic, putting things right, not putting things right, and living with mistakes. And that’s before we get into the really deep moral choices.
Sound like a lot? It is.
And this is partly why I think – despite the fact I was not personally ecstatic about this film – it is a great film. It has a wide and genuinely successful range which nudges it into the realm of epic: that elusive category Hollywood breaks its head against time and time again trying to master.
Kids in film school are going to be writing essays on this film ten years from now. And the next generation of screenwriting books is going to feature it. I can feel it in my bones.
Film craft comments: the director of photography has created a work which comprises a series of masterful and thoroughly modern visual compositions. Any single still from a full two-thirds of the film could be used to market anything from safe sex to deodorant. And it is all done in a pleasing, uncluttered, tasteful and nostalgically shabby fashion.
The lighting in this film is breathtaking. There is a grainy, noir quality (yeah, I know it’s in colour) which picks out each line and crevice in Eastwood’s Death Valley visage to marvellous effect. If you’re old and wrinkly, you may as well flaunt it.
There is an experienced, mature directing hand at work here concerned with a broad and reflective purview. The film has both the urgency and mastery of an old man writing his own epitaph. It is, perhaps, Eastwood’s magnum opus-in-waiting.
Swank is brilliantly cast. She’s impressive-looking but rough-hewn. And you just know she’s never had a professional manicure in her life.
A taste of the story: Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) is the best cut-man in the business and a trainer par excellence. If you want to know how to bash someone’s head in, he’s the man to teach you how to do it properly. But he’s made mistakes, and he doesn’t want to repeat them.
Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) wants to bash heads in. It’s the only thing she’s felt happy doing. But Frankie doesn’t train “girlies”.
Well, we’ll see about that.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 692. | Statsky Sovetnik (Councilor of State)
|
Statsky Sovetnik (Councilor of State)
Directed by Filipp Yankovsky. Written by Boris Akunin. Starring: Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Mashkov, Oleg Menshikov, Nikita Mikhalkov. Russia: 125 min (cinema version)/208 min (TV version). English subtitles.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a fast-moving, somewhat bewildering caper featuring Fandorin, the Russian Holmes-Poirot hybrid mutation.
The author, Boris Akunin, is famous for his highly successful series of books with Fandorin as the centrepiece who masterfully deduces his way through carefully constructed – some say contrived – sets of circumstances not unlike a three-dimensional crossword puzzle. This film is cut of the same cloth. But does it work?
Yes and no.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if:you’re a Tretyakovskaya Gallery enthusiast and culture vulture keen to up your ratio of Russian-to-Western film intake (or at least make that one Russian film) and are willing to do whatever it takes to say you’ve seen one
• No, if: you don’t understand Russian fluently and are relying on the subtitles to keep you in the picture
• Maybe, if: you’re an Akunin junky – and there are plenty – and are keen to know how it all works on the big screen
Comments: this film starts well, has a great cast and – visually, at least – is tastefully and skilfully put together. But the fact that the cinema version is essentially a cut-down version of the real version (i.e. what will be shown on TV once the cinema demand peters out) really tells. The strain of such a mammoth edit (a full quarter of the film) leaves the cinema experience sparse – even threadbare – in places.
Whoever engaged the subtitles translator should be shot at first light. It ought to be obvious, but quality written translations are only possible by a native speaker of the target language. But the producers of Russian films still think that if a first-year student delivers them an “English” translation featuring English words which he, the producer, personally doesn’t understand, then it must be okay. The trouble is, no one who really does speak English can understand it either.
Even with fluent Russian, the film is a jerky, uncompelling fiction fortified to some degree by Mikhalkov’s person charisma and idiosyncratic dialogue. Vladimir Mashkov makes an appearance, reheating the mad-dog intensity of his Ragozhin in the objectively excellent 2003 Russian production of “The Idiot”. Menshikov is reserved and controlled – as per type – but ultimately uninteresting. I respect and like him as an actor, but his distant and cerebral Fandorin failed to engage me.
We can’t blame Akunin for being unaware of the excellent Western antidote to this entire genre in the person of the hopeless Inspector Jacques Clouseau of the Pink Panther films. If he had been, he would have thought twice about giving Fandorin a Japanese martial arts expert as a houseboy. As soon as the oriental domestic sidekick came on, the Western section of the audience thought the same thing: Cato!
Then we were left half-expecting a swift descent into farce which never came.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: ****
• Substance: *
• Film craft: ****
Story comments: the film kicks us into the plot superbly in the first ten minutes, but it’s pretty touch-and-go thereafter.
Akunin is a writer, he’s not a screenwriter. They are different disciplines and I wonder whether he was really the man for the job of screenwriter here.
Be that as it may, the story failed to hold me – much of it being circumstantial, superficial and contrived – and I satisfied myself with Mikhalkov’s highly entertaining performance.
Dialogue comments: the dialogue is great. Funny, apposite, and in some ways descriptive of Russian attitudes in general.
As is common with whodunnits, characters don’t so much arc as unpeel which Mikhalkov’s character, Pozharsky, does in a most engaging manner.
The rest of the cast – and their related roles – flail about in an attempt to imbue their worlds with significance, but I wasn’t convinced.
Substance comments: whodunnits don’t really need theme, but they do need plot. The problem in this case is that it’s all too complex and convoluted for us to get our teeth into the full meat of the plot because we are working with a stripped-down version of the real, fuller version for TV.
Instead, we satisfy ourselves with personality, namely that of Mikhalkov’s Pozharsky.
Now, Mikhalkov has a view, and whether he was technically the director or not, you can be sure he was top dog on set. And he’ll be damned if he’s going to charm us for 125 minutes without giving us a good dose of what, for him, constitutes the chief causes of the beleaguered state of Mother Russia. It’s a form of ranting and you can indulge in it if you’re as accomplished as he is.
But I wish he would stop. My feeling is that if Mikhalkov stopped trying to save the Russian people he would start making better films. His thesis is that if everyone got with the Mikhalkov program national suffering could be reduced.
I beg to differ on the basis of national character rather than politics. Eight years in this country have shown me that – whatever they might profess – deep down, Russians have an ingrained passion for avoidable tragedy. If they didn’t they would learn to drive properly and wear seatbelts. Without the constant possibility of imminent and superfluous calamity something is just not quite comfortable in the Russian mind. At the very least they get bored. And no amount of Mikhalkov cinema is going to induce them to stop – perhaps unconsciously – straining to experience something which, in truth, they like. We all strive to make our lives significant the best we can, and this is but one tack.
The great works of Russian literature and cinema explore and demonstrate this strain of weirdness in all its festering destructiveness. Historically, however, the works which have seriously tried to effect a change of any kind have been uniformly mediocre.
Film craft comments: beautifully shot. Perhaps not quite on a par with “The Return”, but still a highly pleasing – though somewhat absorbedly patriotic – visual experience.
A taste of the story: Fandorin (Oleg Menshikov) gets drawn into a distilled version of what must have been at some point a more convincing and fully-baked whodunnit (not to mention, whosdoingit) plot.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 693. | Beyond the Sea
|
Beyond the Sea
Directed by Kevin Spacey. Written by: Kevin Spacey and Lewis Colick. Starring: Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, John Goodman, Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blethyn. 118 mins. USA/Germany/UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: a drama-stroke-musical based on the life of Bobby Darin, an American performer of the sixties and early seventies.
Like almost all biographical films, this one lacks a unifying point other than the person it is about.
And since the film re-heats the currently incredibly famous actor Kevin Spacey (albeit in a sauce of the now relatively obscure Bobby Darin), the key response it evokes is: hey, I never knew Kevin Spacey could sing and dance like that – and at his age, too.
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: lack of a theme doesn’t bother you – you want to see Kev strut his stuff and lose his hair
• No, if: like me, when a story doesn’t have a point you want your money back
• Maybe, if: the sixties were a reality to you rather than just a chapter in a book you read once about how to grow cash crops of marijuana under fluorescent lights, and now you want to go back there
Comments: this film represents a catalogue of things which happened to Bobby Darin. It has no central conflict driving the drama, and if that’s important to you (and it is to me) you will miss it.
Being not long out of the chair from “Ray” – another musically-minded quasi-biographical fantasy – I was less than ready to weather more of the same. But there you are. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it.
As the picture opened, my heart started high and sank by degrees. Starring Kevin Spacey. Great. I like Kevin Spacey. Directed by Kevin Spacey. Hmm. Everyone on a set wants to usurp the director, deep down believing they can do a better job. But very few of them can, particularly actors. But what the hell, give the guy a chance. Maybe he’s one of those all-round geniuses. Screenplay co-written by Kevin Spacey.
Now I was really concerned.
It is a rare thing for even a bone fide talented director to be able to write. It does happen, I mean: James Cameron wrote and directed, among other things, “Aliens” – a great film with a vibrant and surprising theme given the genre: motherhood.
But more often than not, a big-name writer-director means just one thing: this film got the green light on the strength of the name and all the usual stops and checks (otherwise known as development) have either been skipped altogether, or at the very least, majorly reduced.
The result is either outstandingly great (the unique concept the artist had was not polluted or diluted as it was passed up the chain of bureaucratic command on its way to The Money and the director could deliver his vision uninhibited).
Or it’s crap. No one told the director before he started out that he just didn’t have a story; not a professional writer, not a bureaucrat, not an executive. For various reasons they was all too busy, too star-struck, too at lunch, or just too scared to be the first one to say so.
“Beyond the Sea” belongs to this second category.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: **
• Dialogue: **
• Substance:
• Film craft: **
Story comments: the introduction and development of characters is superficial and full of relationships we haven’t fully grasped given the time commitment to music and song.
There was a tear-jerking episode with a moment-of-truth revelation involving a character I simply didn’t recognise. I’m sorry, but the investment just wasn’t there for me to make a big emotional payout. Call me old fashioned, but I need to work up to these things slowly.
The storyline addresses in an inventive way the fact that Spacey is too old to play the role he plays here. But the neatness of this workaround neither detracts nor distracts from the fact that, well, he is way too old to play this role.
The interlocking nature of the framing of the story is clever and seems to have its genesis in theatre. It works absolutely and allows us to observe the tale from several perspectives at once. It was, for me, the most successful aspect of the film.
Dialogue comments: despite the great cast, the problem is that the drama is sequential rather than integral. There is no core engine driving the story, only bits of a life which – no matter how cleverly arranged – do not make up a plot.
There’s not much you can do with that fact, no matter how talented an actor you are.
Substance comments: I defy anyone to tell me what the theme in this film is.
A theme is the DNA, if you like, of the story. It is the theme which gives a story a sense of wholeness and it is better known to people without literature degrees or eighty-thousand dollar debts from two years at film school as the point.
Aristotle says we go to the theatre (and I say, by extension, the cinema) to learn. If all that sound and fury packed into two hours at five dollars per hour ends up signifying nothing, I feel cheated.
Being about someone is not the same as being about something. And biographical films, in my experience, always fall at this fence: they’re not about anything.
“Beyond the Sea” is no exception.
Film craft comments: the film is visually pleasing and has some tastefully choreographed dance routines. But it’s not a musical in the sense of “Chicago” or “Grease”. It teeters on the edge of drama, yet you can’t say it is a drama per se. I don’t mind experimentation and blurring the edges of a genre if it works. In this case, though, it didn’t.
I don’t think Spacey set out to blur any edges. I think he simply didn’t know what he wanted other, that is, than to play the role of director on set. He’d seen it done lots of times – how hard could it be?
A director can get by if he has just two things in large quantities: a grip on the “big picture” – i.e. he knows what he wants overall – and taste. Then all he has to do is keep saying “no” till he sees what he likes.
But I think, if we’re going to be brutal – and sometimes it pays to be – Kevin Spacey doesn’t have either, not in the proportions needed to be a strong director, anyway. If he had, he wouldn’t have made this film.
Not knowing what you’re doing is fine with me – how else are you meant to learn? But the world judges you on your results. The result here is that some of the bits are okay, but there is no cohesion as concerns the whole. And Spacey’s going to find it harder to get the money monsters to fork such big wads into his wagon next time without asking a lot of hard questions first.
Thankfully, none of this prevents him from still being a great actor; with the right direction, of course.
A taste of the story: based on the life of the famous-but-nothing-like-as-famous-as-Elvis sixties’ performer Bobby Darin and featuring his mixed-up adulthood seen partly through the prism of his mixed-up childhood.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
| 694. | The New Tango Orquesta
|
The New Tango Orquesta
Brazil, Bandoneons & B2 - it all came together this week when Swedish smoochers The New Tango Orquesta appeared live in Moscow.
Think of the Tango, think of Brazil… and you think of rays of sunlight piercing the pristine northern birchwood forests, as elk meander through the conifers, and salmon splash in the… what d’ya mean, “no”? Yet strange as it might seem, the only remaining live group carrying the torch for “New Tango” don’t come from the rainforests of Brazil, but the pineforests of northerly Sweden.
And no one is more passionate about New Tango than NTO founder and front-man Per Storby. I asked this mohican-cut evangelist about the instrument that’s the heart and soul - not to mention the main melody-line - of New Tango… the bandoneon. “Well, yes, it’s kind-of like an accordion or concertina – a BIG concertina! It was invented in C19th Germany, to play the hymns in small Lutheran churches who didn’t have an organ, or couldn’t afford one. Sailors and missionaries took it to South America – where it immediately went straight into the whorehouses, of course! From moral superiority to moral depravity in one quick jump. Then it was taken-up into the tango orchestras, but with a minor problem… it’s such a bloody clumsy instrument to play, they had to slow the tempo of the tango down specially for the bandoneon players!” Per fell in love with the sound of the instrument from hearing records – “I just knew I wanted to play that sound!” - but only realised later that being clumsy to play was only half his problems. No one even makes bandoneons any more, and no one could show him how to play one either. A long search tracked-down an aged second-hand instrument, and he figured out the double button-boards for himself.
Almost all the material the quintet perform these days is original – but lurking in the background is the guiding spirit of the genre’s originator, the legendary New Tango king, Astor Piazzolla. Indeed, his spirit (the man himself died over a decade ago) took a posthumous turn around the stage for one number at B2 – a piece Piazzolla had written as a farewell present to his own quintet, when the time came for them to disband. “We were in Brazil last year, and doing the sound-check for our gig, when they told me that we had visitors – the relatives of Astor Piazzolla. When I said what we were going to play… well, you could see they were a bit uneasy about it! So we played it – just for them. At the end, there was a HUGE cheer, and I knew we’d passed the test” Per explained… with the faintest hint of a nervous tremor still lingering in his voice.
Sharing the melody-line honours for the ninety minute set was fellow Swede and violinist Livet Nord. Some of the material being heard was so new that it’s “work in development”, and doesn’t even have official song-titles yet. Livet’s soaring strings illustrated clearly what other critics have said openly – there are some strong overtones of classical and jazz in the NTO’s unique sound. One of her semi-improvised solos had a hint of the spirit of Vaughan William’s “The Lark Ascending” – with all of the brilliance, exhilaration and technical mastery stunningly turned-round into a wholly new form. In an unusual way the NTO are akin to contemporary classical ballet – steadfastly remaining true to a revered tradition, yet pushing the envelope in every direction. Another untitled number, unashamedly introduced as being influenced by baroque music, featured a multi-track playback of different strings, against which the live musicians added their own contributions. The audacious result makes a “new tango” out of the archaic form of the Chaconne – but here there are Chaconnes of all eras!! We start in the C17th, with Josef Kallerdahl’s sumptuous string bass establishing the bass-line, and slowly golden melody-threads begin to interweave between bandoneon and violin, suggesting Pachelbel or Purcell. Tomas Gustavsson wrestled to add delicacy from a somewhat thrashed-sounding piano but soon the genteel control of the “baroque” form gives way to an unstoppable wildness that fused ideas suggestive of John Adams “Shaker Loops” with orgiastic mayhem, as though the periwigged fops had cast-off their crinolines for a boozy bacchanal to Beelzebub’s doorstep… before slipping back, as if caught with their trousers down, into the delicate accuracy with which it all began.
Rhythmic drive in this percussion-less line-up was ably driven along by Peter Gran on guitar, whose seamless accompaniment was sometimes given special permission to solo. Especially welcome was a lunatic guitar-bass duet that galloped along like a Bach two-part invention after a very large spliff, which expanded to become a kind of “Tango Fugue” with melody lines being rapidly back-passed between the whole group like a skilful rugby team on a top-form attack. Even so, the classic sound of New Tango is more wistful and plangent, and this is how they went out. Storby’s self-acquired bandoneon style is uniquely vocal – he plays only on the “pull” strokes, pausing to close the bellows in a breath-like instant before playing the next line, with the poise and delicacy of the most heart-tugging and breathless chanteuse.
The whole thing was sweetly set-off by a lush warm PA system at B2, and superlative sound management. Apart from the barman who decided to use the ice-crushing machine during the slow double-bass solo, you could’ve heard a pin drop, and the NTO had the audience eating of their hands long before even half-way.
The New Tango Orquesta are: Per Storby – bandoneon, Thomas Gustavsson – acoustic piano, Peter Gran – guitar, Livet Nord – violin, and Josef Kellerdahl – string bass. They are appearing at the Red Club in St Petersburg before continuing their European tour through Germany and northern Europe – they also featured on Russian TV this week. They have a website at www4.tripnet.se/~storby. |
|
|
|
|
| 695. | Avant Festival 2011
|
Avant Festival 2011
Very occasionally even the most jaded of gig-goers hears something which harks back to that mysterious ground zero and recalls the day when music leapt beyond the Top 40 and became something which mattered. These mini-epiphanies can happen anywhere, but the more unlikely the venue, the more powerful the resonance. And so, towards the end of Asobi Seksu's Saturday night headline slot, a cover of The Jesus & Mary Chain's "Never Understand" suddenly transported this reviewer back to a formative teenage trip to a converted ice rink for an evening of feedback-driven, shoe-gazing noise.
The New York band, fronted by diminuitive Japanese singer Yuki Chikudate had already shown a good grasp of My Bloody Valentine-based guitar overdrive. Throw in some slightly ethereal vocals - at times it was unclear whether the lyrics were in English, Japanese or some hybrid of the two - and you get a striking soundscape which is perhaps three parts solid indie to one part Bjork-inflected otherness. And the Mary Chain cover somehow brought the whole set full circle.
It was the first time Asobi Seksu (the name loosely translates as 'playful sex') had ventured into Russia, and claiming a 17-hour journey (from New York? did they come by seagull?) they had to tackle jetlag and a smattering of culture shock. But, rising to the challenge admirably, the only thing which gave them cause for alarm was the ever-present tide of 'pukh' drifting across the outdoor stage. "What is this stuff? I can hardly breathe up here!" protested Chikudate in between diligently practicing her 'spasibos' for an indulgent crowd.
The contrast with Sunday's headliner, Chinawoman, could hardly have been greater. Set up by Canada's Michelle as a YouTube hobby band, it's basically a one-girl show. But from the moment she came on stage, toting a retro radio set like a character from a St. Etienne B-side we were embraced by a set which resembled more of late-night cabaret recital than a bill-topping festival slot. While critics have likened Chinawoman's debut album to a Velvet Underground-related faded grandeur, the on-stage effect is closer to a sequence of contemporary torch songs. Along the way, Moscow audiences might be forgive for hearing a hint of Alla Pugacheva in full 70s balladeering bombast: Michelle is a child of Russian emigrants, and some of the old songs made the trans-Atlantic trip along with Mama and Papa. Performing in Russia for the first time, she enjoyed a good reception, but the set perhaps ran out of steam a little too early.
The same couldn't be said of Finland's On Volcano, a female-fronted pop-rock outfit which could be one killer hook away from becoming the next Blondie. Their current crop of songs has the same cruel cool that Ms Harry and the boys used to tout back in the day, with all the benefits of an updated sound that leaves the 70s behind. Most of the components are in place, and once they stumble upon that truly memorable, can't-get-it-out-of-your-head chorus, this volcano is set to well and truly erupt.
Beyond the headliners, one of the great thrills of any festival is unearthing something new and unexpected - and Avant Fest provided three diverse treats from the ranks of hopefuls on the undercard. And the good news is they are all fairly regular visitors to Moscow, and are likely to be back again in the foreseeable future.
From Belarus, a land not noted for its fine pop sensibilities, Kassiopeia don clownish fancy dress for an adult fantasia of lewdly perverse lyrics supported by strangely memorable keyboard-heavy riffs. From the reggae-inflected "Yesli" to the catchy "Kinzhal", with its shout-along chorus, their Sunday afternoon set marked the point where the crowd's attention switched from beer to stage. Vocalist Ilya Cherepko-Samokhvalov was back later on Sunday evening with his rockier Petlya Pristrastiya, but it was Kassiopeia who made the greater impact.
Petersburg, long regarded as the spiritual home of all that's interesting in Russian rock, kept up that reputation with two diverse but fascinating shows. Surtsey Sounds, with a name evoking a volcano, combine a post-rock ensemble with a classical string trio to great effect: imagine the likes of Alexei Aigi's 4'33" shackled to the likes of 65daysofstatic and you're getting there. From a slow start this music builds and builds to a shattering conclusion of overwhelming sound, like an ocean storm refusing to blow itself out.
And the northern capital's other star contributor, Chikiss, is another slow-burning. Female singer-songwriters tend to get alligned into a narrow set of stereotypes: either kooky Tori Amos late, strident Kristin Hersh-alikes or self-consciously weird Nordic types prone to inexplicable bouts of incoherent shreiking. Chikiss, despite a piano which points alarmingly towards Amos, avoids the worst excesses of all three, delivering tight, well-constructed songs which burn slowly but powerfully, like a conversation accompanied by autumn rains blowing against a twilit window.
Eight years in, and now with a permanent home in the Artplay na Yauze complex, Avant Fest is going from strength to strength. This year's edition, kicked off with a blistering set from British Sea Power, maintains the happy tradition of combining the best of the local alternative scene (the real one, not the version that A1 TV pretends is alternative) with a well-chosen selection of international acts which are committed to making music which is interesting rather than commercial. The crowd - perhaps a bit self-conscious in their hip-ness to begin with - lapped it up; bring on Avant 2012! |
|
|
|
|
| 696. | The Wind that Shakes the Barley
|
The Wind that Shakes the Barley
Until November 19, 5 Stars - Novokuznetskaya
Directed by Ken Loach. Written by Paul Laverty. Starring: Cilian Murphy, Padraic Delaney, Liam Cunnigham, Orla Fitzgerald. 127 mins. Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Ireland, UK.
By Erik Jansma
Review Top Sheet: This movie was banned from many theatres in the UK, but featured prominently on the British Film Festival in 35mm’s big hall. Winning a Golden Palm in Cannes and labelled as “Anti-British” by many, it’s safe to call “The Wind That Shakes The Barley” a controversial film.
It tells the story of the Independence War that the Irish fought between 1919 and 1921 against the British rule and is based on facts. Director Ken Loach hasn’t tried to hide the ugliness of both the Black & Tan forces and the IRA itself, which means that this movie is raw, violent and sad. At the same time, it is interesting and makes a good philosophical point about how thin the line between freedom-fighting and terrorism is.
Will you like this film?
Yes if:You like history and don’t mind to be confronted with very ugly human behaviour.
No if: You just want to catch an easy flick to brighten up the rainy Sunday afternoon.
Maybe if: Your autumn depression isn’t deep enough.
Comments:Not the easiest movie to watch for sure, but worth the effort of doing so. “The Wind That Shakes The Barley” is as long as its title suggests and the contents is as easy to digest as raw potatoes. Hence the lengthy review in front of you.
35MM’s Bolshoi Zal was filled at the beginning of the movie, but quite some people decided not to stick around to join in on a deserved applause. I guess the movie is maybe too confronting (either politically or graphically) for the faint of heart or too long if the subject doesn’t interest you.
Provided you’re ready to stick around for two hours and close your eyes and ears at some moments, you are in for a movie that will make you reconsider who is right or wrong in the conflicts in the world today. Heavy stuff? Yep, definitely.
Out-of-five star ratings:
Story: ****
Dialogue:***
Substance:*****
FilmCraft:*
Story Comments: Paul Laverty, the writer of the story, has found an interesting mix between summing up historical events and the personal stories of people that were involved into these events.
As for the “facts”, we are confronted with a British Black & Tan force that is cruel beyond imagination. Ken Loach hasn’t tried to paint a pretty picture for sure, and as a viewer, you must be prepared for some scenes that you may find disgusting. There’s one particular scene that you will remember (believe me) and that one was enough for some people to leave 35mm’s big hall. The IRA is portrayed as a non-professional guerrilla movement that quickly learns the tricks and trade of intimidating and liquidating the enemy. Don’t expect them to be Robin Hoods: the eye-for-an-eye mentality and the demand for absolute loyalty of the IRA led to many deaths amongst both the British and the Irish. There is no winning spirit in this movie, and it looks like Ken Loach has tried to emphasize the view that in a war, there are no winners. Doing this, he has refrained from making the IRA look any prettier than they were in the conflict, even though the story is definitely pro-Irish and takes a clear political side.
The film zooms in on a small IRA cell and its members, especially two brothers. With every military win and loss in the story comes the need to choose between personal loyalty and loyalty to the political objective. These choices, often of a “live or die” nature, are painful and may lead to unexpected outcomes. In the small community of the featured faction, no-one remains unaffected and everybody suffers from inflicted pain or inflicting it. This layer of the story makes the movie more than just a flick with facts. The sadness is almost tangible, not in the least thanks to the outstanding acting performance of a relatively unknown cast.
Dialogue Comments: Needless to say that all the shown violence needs some explanation by those committing it or suffering from it. Again, the British aren’t given a platform in the film, but the Irish side is already enough food for thought, as they aren’t angels either.
Historically correct, but slightly hindering in a movie that has only Russian subtitles, is the heavy Gaelic accent of most actors. It’s not going to prevent you from getting the point of the film, but I’d recommend you to practice some Russian reading skills or head to an Irish pub beforehand (stay sober).
Most of the time, the dialogs naturally fit in into the story. There are some scenes (like the one in the court) that are used for elaborate discussions. These are the moments that Loach is really trying to get his view across to the public. Especially in the mentioned scene, it looks like he has worked from a synopsis rather than a scene script, as the actors are allowed to stutter and stumble over their words, making it the more emotional and sincere. So it looks like there was room for some improvisation for the cast. Otherwise, it may be a case of under-rehearsal that worked out surprisingly well.
Substance Comments: “The Wind That Shakes The Barley” provides an interesting view on the ideological motives that shaped the Irish Republican Army in the Independence War, only to be split after the 1921 Anglo-Irish treaty, eventually resulting in the provisional underground IRA that became notorious for their violent methods.
It’s not to say that you’ll become to like “the IRA as we know it now” after seeing this movie, but you’ll at least understand a bit about why there was still an army after the treaty and what drove them. On a slightly different level, the movie shows how brutal treatment of people makes fanatic freedom fighters out of them. And –at least to me- this is an interesting point, not often made by film-makers. To put it bluntly: this movie could feature the Vietcong, PLO or some other contemporary freedom fighters and still tell the same story.
It’s this universality that makes the movie almost scarily relevant for the present day. “The Wind That Shakes The Barley” is therefore a warning that hopefully sticks in the memory of those who watch it: violence breeds violence.
Filmcraft comments: As mentioned in the dialog section, the mostly Irish cast is impressive. Cilian Murphy (Red Eye, 28 Days Later) is the biggest name on the cast payroll and has already proven to be a versatile actor, yet in this role he impresses again. His character has to deal with some impossible situations and Murphy makes him look credible. Co-star Padraic Delaney makes his international debut on the silver screen and uses natural charisma to shape his role of future leader of the IRA. We could go through each name and comment on his or her contribution, but it suffices to say that the cast was obviously motivated.
Ken Loach is always motivated and socially engaged, so much is clear from his previous films, such as Navigators, McLibel and 11’09”01 – September 11. He is to continue his collaboration with Paul Laverty, which is due to result in some interesting material. Social engagement is however no excuse for anachronisms and other goofs. Like: if a soldier falls down after being shot, let us at least hear that shot. Or: in the 1920s there were no PVC window frames. If you want to be taken seriously, make sure that at least no-one can get you on this type of unnecessary failures. Apart from that, thumbs up!
A taste of the story: And so I said, "The mountain glen / I'll seek at morning early / And join the brave united men" / While soft wind shook the barley |
|
|
|
|
| 697. | Kingdom of Heaven
|
Kingdom of Heaven
Directed by Ridley Scott. Written by William Monahan. Starring: Orlando Bloom, Marton Csokas, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, Ghassan Massoud, Liam Neeson. 145 min. USA/Spain/UK.
By Sam Gerrans
Review top sheet: from the director of “Gladiator”, this a visually breathtaking fantasy with superb, gut-wrenching fight scenes. It is set in a real historical context, but one with which the story presented to us has almost no factual connection.
I liked “Gladiator” and accepted it on its own terms, those of a pseudo-historical fiction. The story wasn’t bad, and it was refreshing to have a hero with a concept of a life after this one and a sense of moral responsibility.
“Kingdom of Heaven” is “Gladiator II” by another name (complete with incredible sets, good looks, moral integrity and many of the usual failings of a sequel).
Will you like this film?
• Yes, if: politicised history doesn’t bother you and you’re not overcome by the need to mock the fact that 12th century European Christian crusaders had to include a token Black, albeit fleetingly… I kid you not. No, pants to all that, you’re there for the action and the spectacular visuals.
• No, if: history is your thing. My next-door neighbour and good friend is a historian. Films like this one leave him a heaving, fuming wreck. Personally, I hope he’s too busy to see it since I’m going to have to deal with at least some of the fallout.
• Maybe, if: like me, you were interested to see a film which has something positive – however guardedly stated – to say about Muslims and Islamic culture, manners and morals during the Crusades (or at any other time, come to that). Now that’s a first.
Comments: the fight scenes are awesome. I mean, they are viscerally impressive. They drag you into the gut-wrenching, adrenalin rush of the transcendental semi-madness which is battle (medieval battle I mean – where you see your adversary’s face – not picking off Iraqi civilians three miles away from the comfort of an Abrams tank while you listen to Megadeth and suck the dregs out of a Coke through a straw – that doesn’t count).
Scott is the master of the whole pre-gunpowder battle genre in my book and he excels himself here.
The landscapes, sets and cinematic composition are breathtaking and form a superb canvas for the fine period dress, intricate Arabesque latticework and hard-wrought tools of war. The result is a visually rich, intricate, sumptuous, martial experience. The mass scenes are awesome in terms of scale, beauty and sheer power. It’s all done astoundingly well and you can gorge your senses till you burst.
The story was lacklustre. The typical roles were represented of course – the good, the bad and the ugly – but they were more token than integral.
If you take scale out of the picture, you will miss a lot of what makes this film worth seeing, so I recommend the large screen.
Out-of-five star ratings:
• Story: *
• Dialogue: **
• Substance: *
• Film craft: *****
Story comments: the pillaging of history to derive conclusions which would have been utterly foreign to the people involved in the actual events seems fated to a certain mediocrity no matter how masterfully it is all presented.
The result, for me, is too Communistic and New World Order to be either credible or even particularly interesting. But that’s me, and there’s a lot more to this story than, er, just the story.
Dialogue comments: the lines are well-crafted and pared to a military minimum.
You go to certain death, says one character. All death is certain, comes the reply. This is my kind of stuff.
But then it all gets bogged down in a pro-lumpen, pseudo-democratic rhetoric better suited to (and about as interesting as) a Billy Brag concert.
Obviously, if you like Billy Brag you’ll hate the bits I liked and have a better time overall.
Orlando Bloom as Balian is good looking and can act tolerably well. That may give the girls something to look at while their American boyfriends sit and gut a gallon or two of popcorn, but I need more. Ghassan Massoud as Saladin on the other hand isn’t good looking as such but has an awesome presence and can really act.
I would have preferred to have Saladin as the main character. But then, I don’t eat popcorn. Perhaps I should start.
Substance comments: the film fumbles around with questions of life, death and faith, but the delivery is way too superficial to deserve serious consideration.
It is much better to regard the film as the vehicle for an ideological statement arrived at by committee; that is, a statement which is misshapen, driven by politics, and incapable of pleasing anyone fully.
I can understand why a lot of thought went into the propaganda subtext of the film – i.e. how the thoughts the film was designed to leave you with were to be embedded without you noticing – given the tensions between the West and the Islamic world right now. But the purview of the ideological remit extends much further than merely the clash of civilisations our tax dollars are helping to pay for and, for me, ended up bordering on the ludicrous.
I pictured this committee made up of the directors of a “non-government organisation” (you know, well-funded, nice office, and a set of policies which miraculously happen to mirror those of the current US administration), Gloria Steinem, Louis Farrakhan and some commissar-wannabee United Nations interns. I had Ken Livingstone, the left-wing, right-on mayor of London in the chair and Condoleezza Rice taking the minutes and making the coffee. The result was such a dog’s dinner of conflicting certainties that it would require an entire dissertation unpick. Another time, perhaps.
Despite the moral hero’s grindingly consistent integrity, it takes all of eight seconds for him to come round to the idea of sleeping with another man’s wife once the opportunity presents itself. Given that the best-looking woman in the film is married, the question was always going to come up. What interested me was how a secularised audience was going to be expected to absorb this behavioural blip in the context of that rare creature on our screens: the moral man. The answer was: she doesn’t like her husband.
I’ll keep a baseball bat handy just in case Mr. Moral decides to pay me a visit when I’ve just had a disagreement with my wife.
On the upside, the film will introduce Generation X – delinked as it is from any real historical appreciation – to the Muslim world’s superior morals and manners at the time of the Crusades. The chivalry (noble self-sacrifice and protection of those in need) which we associate with European knights was, in fact, learnt from the Muslims during the Crusades and brought back to Europe.
In the context of the on-going occupation of Iraq (let’s stop calling it a war – the US has not declared war since 1941) you can’t help but look for analogies in this film with the situation on the ground, or at least what’s left of it in Iraq, no matter how far-fetched they might seem.
For my money, the sickly and ineffectual King Baldwin represents the United Nations, Guy de Lusignan and his Knights Templar are George Bush and his robber barons, and the plucky hero, Balian, (who lacks nothing but the right patronage at the highest levels) is Scott Ritter.
That just leaves the righteous, maligned and unfairly provoked Saladin as, er, Saddam Hussein.
I’m sure that’s not what they meant to say, but if you try to write by committee, that is what you get.
Film craft: outstanding. The sheer scale is breathtaking and the computer-graphic extras blend into the mix acceptably well. But see it on the big screen.
A taste of the story: a humble blacksmith, Balian, played by Orlando Bloom, is called to serve in Christian-occupied Jerusalem.
Some (but by no means all) powerful people take to Balian and promote him, irresponsibly, I thought, way beyond either his talents or experience.
Events conspire to leave our hero carrying the can of responsibility for the public good amid an ever-worsening situation.
Sam Gerrans is a freelance writer and translator: http://samgerrans.com. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The virtual community for English-speaking expats and Russians
