The Village Detective: A Song Cycle Backdrop Blur
The Village Detective: A Song Cycle Poster

The Village Detective: A Song Cycle

Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Iceland, July 9, 2016. The surprising discovery of a canister —containing four reels of The Village Detective (Деревенский детектив), a 1969 Soviet film—, caught in the nets of an Icelandic trawler, is the first step in a fascinating journey through the artistic life of film and stage actor Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov (1899-1981), icon and star of an entire era of Russian cinema.

Top Cast

  • Gísli Fannar Gylfason

    Gísli Fannar Gylfason

    Self - Fróði II Trawler Crew Member

  • Erlendur Sveinsson

    Erlendur Sveinsson

    Self - Former NFAI Director

  • Pyotr Bagrov

    Pyotr Bagrov

    Self - Former Gosfilmotond Curator

  • Mikhail Zharov

    Mikhail Zharov

    Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage)

  • Czar Nicholas II of Russia

    Czar Nicholas II of Russia

    Self (archive footage)

  • Vladimir Lenin

    Vladimir Lenin

    Self - Politician (archive footage)

  • Joseph Stalin

    Joseph Stalin

    Self - Politician (archive footage)

  • Leon Trotsky

    Leon Trotsky

    Self - Politician (archive footage)

Overview

Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Iceland, July 9, 2016. The surprising discovery of a canister —containing four reels of The Village Detective (Деревенский детектив), a 1969 Soviet film—, caught in the nets of an Icelandic trawler, is the first step in a fascinating journey through the artistic life of film and stage actor Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov (1899-1981), icon and star of an entire era of Russian cinema.

Trailers & Clips

Related Movies

Visions of Light

Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography and of the "DP" (the director of photography), illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from Birth of a Nation to Do the Right Thing. Themes: the DP tells people where to look; changes in movies (the arrival of sound, color, and wide screens) required creative responses from DPs; and, these artisans constantly invent new equipment and try new things, with wonderful results. The narration takes us through the identifiable studio styles of the 30s, the emergence of noir, the New York look, and the impact of Europeans. Citizen Kane, The Conformist, and Gordon Willis get special attention.

Visions of Light

7.0 1992