Get ready for Mother Russia’s version of Saving Private Ryan!
OK, so there might be more to director Fedor Bondarchuk’s Stalingrad than that, but the first international trailer for the war-torn drama (posted above via YouTube) sure makes it look like a cross between Steven Spielberg’s Oscar winner and the equally gritty Enemy at the Gates. We have a band of brothers defending a distinct location against an enemy threat. We have snipers, an unnecessary romance, and cloudy historial accuracies. We have that washed out, grey cinematography that just screams “This was set during World War II!” Seriously, did the sun ever shine over Europe while the continent’s lands were being destroyed by ongoing battles?
The film is attempting to tell a romantic story against the backdrop of a significant Russian battle. But from what we’re reading, it will be significant to Russian culture for various other reasons. RT.com confirms that Stalingrad will be the first big-budget Russian movie produced with 3D technologies. It’s also the first Russian-produced movie to be released in the IMAX format, according to a release shared via WeAreMovieGeeks.com.
Now we just hope that the action on screen lives up to the pioneering efforts of Bondarchuk and his compatriots. I’m not familiar with the director’s work, and the cast (as it should be) consists of Russian actors. The movie will be released in the U.S. later this year, though IMAX has provided an official plot synopsis. We’re sharing it below. Do you think you are interested enough in Stalingrad to check it out on IMAX screens?
"The Soviet army mounts a counter-attack on the Nazi forces that occupy half of Stalingrad on the other side of the Volga, but the operation to cross the river is unsuccessful. A few soldiers who managed to get to the other side take refuge in a house on the banks of the Volga. Here they find a girl who didn’t escape when the Germans came. While the whole might of the German army descends onto them, the heroes of Stalingrad experience love, loss, joy and the sense of ultimate freedom that can only be felt by those about to die. They defend the house at all costs while the Red Army prepares for another attack."
