Get Out: War & Peace @ SIFF

The 1968 film version War and Peace, directed by Sergei Bondarchuk, with the participation of over 100,000 Red Army soldiers, is in a class by itself, not least because it runs 411 minutes and is being presented in Russian with subtitles.

We're not sure how to recommend a 7-hour movie, except to agree with Roger Ebert that it does "take the enormous bulk of Leo Tolstoy's novel and somehow transform it into this great chunk of film without losing control along the way," and to point out that the seven hours includes intermissions. SIFF is showing War & Peace at their McCaw Hall theater in two parts (Part 1: almost 4 hours, with intermission; Part 2: 3 hours with intermission).

Happily, the rare showing has occasioned a special review from our favorite Seattle film critic, John Hartl. The P-I's Bill Arnold has a good write-up on it, too.

We also can't think of what to compare this film to, in any helpful way -- it kicks Dr. Zhivago's ass. There's a new translation of War and Peace out that we suspect will soon become the new standard, but since you probably don't have time to rush out and read it, we recommend some internet-based review of the plot and characters. The film, being Russian, tends to assume you know the story and people involved, and we got lost in a few places. Of course, we also got lost in the succession of gorgeous shots -- each time we'd think, Okay that's amazing -- don't think we'll ever forget... -- wait what's this -- how on earth did they get... -- all right, now we can die. With equal mastery, Bondarchuk renders days of brutal battle with intensity and detail, captures quiet, enigmatic nature scenes, plunges into the social politicking of the nobility, and marks the teenage sparkle and beauty of Natasha Rostov (Ludmila Savelyeva) at her first ball.

Just make sure to make the americano a double.

Thru December 20 // SIFF Cinema // Tickets $10 general, $8 members, $9 student/senior w/ID