Product Description

Studio: Kino International Release Date: 03/06/2007 Run time: 330 minutes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36389 in DVD
• Brand: Kino Video
• Released on: 2007-03-06
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: Russian
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Chinese, Russian, Dutch, Arabic, Japanese
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 107 minutes

Amazon.com
Quiet Flows the Don is a film of truly epic proportions, based on the Nobel prize-winning novel by Mikail Sholokov. At 5 1/2 hours long, this love story chronologically centered on the Russian Revolution is probably the most detailed account of Cossack culture that exists cinematically. Grigory Melekhov (Pyotr Glebov) is a Cossack who falls in love with a fellow soldier's wife, Askinia (Elina Bystritskaya), which causes scandal in their small village along the Don River. Askinia's husband repeatedly beats her, and when she becomes pregnant Grigory takes her away, to escape her brutal husband and Grigory's wife by arranged marriage, Nathalia (Zinaida Kiriyenko). When war hits, Grigory is drafted and leaves Askinia to care for the baby, which results in tragedy. World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution take up the bulk of the plot that details the political discrepancies between the Reds and Whites within Russian borders. Quiet Flows the Don, therefore, is as politically enlightening as it is a fascinating look at the Cossacks' rich heritage. Relentlessly slow at times, the film is indicative of the Russian affinity (in literature) for describing the human condition in excruciating detail, as a tragedy that is only sometimes relieved by love. The levels of tragedy in Quiet Flows the Don delve so deep that it is hard to watch, though one feels it worthwhile to persevere for kernels of truth nonetheless. A full DVD of extras, such as interviews with the actors and shorts about Cossack culture, make the 4-disc set feel especially complete. --Trinie Dalton

Customer Reviews

A must!
A digital remastering of the 1957 epic film, with English subtitles. The original international release of the film cut it to just over 100 minutes. This is the full director's cut: 330 minutes. As rich and multi-storied as the novel, this is the Russian Gone with the Wind, a tale of love and civil war, pride and deceit. Filmed on location, it has an authentic feel and many memorable scenes. A must see. (Reviewed in Russian Life)

Quiet Flows the Don
I did not think it would be possible to make Mikhail Sholokhov's great novel into a movie, but I was very wrong. The movie is very moving and outstandingly deep. It is an absolutely engrossing production with wonderful acting and production values. I recommend this film without reservation, It is one of the finest films of the Soviet era.