The Cranes Are Flying

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Ekaterina P The cinematography is what is hailed the most about this movie, and it is undeniable, especially for its time. The close-ups are reminiscent of silent film techniques, reminding me even of the very famous shot in Jeanne d'Arc when Veronika is witness to the disdain of the men in the hospital, talking about the woman who left her war-fighting fiancé for another man. Some of the shots are spectacularly haunting, and the lighting is something to behold. When emotions and situations are frenetic, it is deeply felt. Some scenes are parallell to each other, like Veronika running up the stairs after the bombing, and Boris fading away in the forest. It is notable that the conversation about consent blooming in recent years has certainly changed the narrative of movies such as this. A New York Times review from 1960 calls the heroine "a sensitive Moscow girl who weakens and is unfaithful to her sweetheart when he is at the front in World War II." For me, there is no way around it - she was raped and forced into a marriage by an obsessive man. Before he succumbs to his horrible urges, he does lead a very powerful scene where he aggressively tries to drown out the sounds of fighter jets on a grand piano. But quickly, he falls from grace, and that feeble yet passionate protest falls apart, just like their city. This movie is beautiful and important, and definitely unmissable in the long string of WWII movies. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/02/23 Full Review Dani G Spectacular technique!!! Those moving shots, those sequences in the middle of crowds, the cinematography. Amazing low budget film that reminds us that all you need is a camera Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/06/23 Full Review Stephen R if i ever saw this movie again i think my life would immediately end after crying for another 40 minutes Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/21/23 Full Review bill t I am not SURE if I saw this before, and dismissed it at the halfway mark or sooner, or whether that was a completely different film. (this was at LEAST 25 years ago.. and I'm thinking it was a different film.) Anways, simply DEVASTATING and in the most part, BEAUTIFUL movie about War and what it does to lovers, families, and friends. I haven't seen too much of Kalatozov's work, but I should seek out more, because the film is truly a cinematography wonder, filled with simple, yet remarkable scenes, along with the most incredible one shot scoping scenes you'll ever get to see. Just incredible. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review spencer p A powerful romantic tragedy from Soviet citizens' point of view in World War II, The Cranes Are Flying is visually as well as narratively memorable. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review s r 1001 movies to see before you die. This is a cultural film that showed the shift in propaganda towards communism and its cause. It was real and it showed how people lose in war and even though that happens, life still continues. It was moving, and well made. A little dated, but it still is a great film. I saw it on youtube. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Cranes Are Flying

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