For Georgian Cinema, every film of T.Abuladze was a landmark. Each project was at least the most typical if not the best film of its time. Visually they all are made in different style and form defined (or sometimes defining) the trends in the contemporary Georgian cinema. (! -there are several spoilers ahead).
The Early films (made in co-operation with T. Chkheidze) were definitely influenced by the Italian NeoRealism (though the influence was more stylistical than conceptual). In the first film - Magdanas Lurja- the classic short story of I. Chavchavadze (Writer, Poet and Political Activist of the 19th century, assassinated by the socialists, and later declared a Saint by the Georgian Orthodox Church) was used to make one of the earliest attempts of Georgian cinema alla' Neorealism. The attempt was nice for the debut but was limited by the demands of Official Censorship - the story of a 19th century court case obviously had a Propaganda touch - "Such injustice would never happen in the Soviet Union". Even the happy end of the original story was changed.
In the next film - Our Yard - in addition to obvious use of Neorealistic traditions one can feel (mostly in camerawork) the influence a new cinematic vogue - Indian Cinema (that used to be very appraised at some period in USSR before becoming a stereotype of mixture of melodrama, singing and fighting-by the way very popular among certain parts of the Soviet audience). Despite (or maybe because of) all these Our Yard was very popular with Georgian viewers .
Others Children - finishes the "NeoRealistic Period" and mixes the extremely melodramatic story with stylish (sometimes excessively stylish) visuals. This film reflects the new fashion of using camera and editing in cinema established in USSR by the director D.Kalatozishvili (sometimes referred as Kalatozov).
Than Abuladze made a screen version of the humoristic bestseller "I, Grandma, Ilia and Illarion". The film was rather popular with Georgian audiences but most admitted that it was not as good as the book. Some criticized the casting for the title character - Zurikela (the "I") looked too much like a well-bred-upper-middle-class-city-boy instead of being a sly and witty provincial. New trend that is sometimes called Intelligent Romanticism of 60-ies abounded in this film. In general the film is no more than just nice, but one of the last episodes (death of the grandmother) was very strong and became the most brilliant screen achievement of the theatre star Cecilia Takaishvili (the Grandmother).
The major achievement of Tengiz Abuladze himself is a trilogy The Plead (Vedreba), Tree of Wishes (Natvris Khe) and Repentance (Monanieba). Whereas I personally regard all three films to be masterpieces, the Non-Georgian Audience will hardly understand their depth as most symbols and allusions used are "Very Georgian". Despite this the last two parts of a trilogy got a wide critical acclaim and Repentance even became the major commercial hit at Soviet Cinemas. But with the magnificent Plead the situation was different. The major problem is that film is not just based on the poetry of Vaja-Pshavela (regarded by many to be the greatest Georgian poet ever), its literally full of it. Poetry of Vaja-Pshavela is very complex one and actually not translatable as he uses a very specific language, symbols, notions and terms of East Georgia Mountain Provinces, the mood of the entire film is based on this verses constantly cited within the film; Retelling just their content gives nothing and foreign audience is left with graphic and extravagant visuals that may seem interesting for 10 minutes but become tiresome during the full-length film. Both visually and conceptually the film is perhaps the most outstanding and controversial Georgian film of its time.
Unlike the Plead, the Tree of Wishes was accepted by Georgian audience without any hesitation. Tree of Wishes is exquisite for its beautiful cinematography and all star casting (from these especially should be noted Lika Kavjaradze as beautiful Marita, Sophico Chiaureli as extravagant Pupala , Ramaz Chikvadze as a corrupt priest, Erosi Manjgaladze as idealistic patriot and Cecilia Takaishvili who once again (since "I, Grandma, Ilia and Illarion") gave a brilliant performance (again as a grandmother and again giving the brilliant ending of the film). The various characters and storylines of Giorgi Leonidze's short stories about his childhood are united in a delicious, poetic and entertaining film.
The Early films (made in co-operation with T. Chkheidze) were definitely influenced by the Italian NeoRealism (though the influence was more stylistical than conceptual). In the first film - Magdanas Lurja- the classic short story of I. Chavchavadze (Writer, Poet and Political Activist of the 19th century, assassinated by the socialists, and later declared a Saint by the Georgian Orthodox Church) was used to make one of the earliest attempts of Georgian cinema alla' Neorealism. The attempt was nice for the debut but was limited by the demands of Official Censorship - the story of a 19th century court case obviously had a Propaganda touch - "Such injustice would never happen in the Soviet Union". Even the happy end of the original story was changed.
In the next film - Our Yard - in addition to obvious use of Neorealistic traditions one can feel (mostly in camerawork) the influence a new cinematic vogue - Indian Cinema (that used to be very appraised at some period in USSR before becoming a stereotype of mixture of melodrama, singing and fighting-by the way very popular among certain parts of the Soviet audience). Despite (or maybe because of) all these Our Yard was very popular with Georgian viewers .
Others Children - finishes the "NeoRealistic Period" and mixes the extremely melodramatic story with stylish (sometimes excessively stylish) visuals. This film reflects the new fashion of using camera and editing in cinema established in USSR by the director D.Kalatozishvili (sometimes referred as Kalatozov).
Than Abuladze made a screen version of the humoristic bestseller "I, Grandma, Ilia and Illarion". The film was rather popular with Georgian audiences but most admitted that it was not as good as the book. Some criticized the casting for the title character - Zurikela (the "I") looked too much like a well-bred-upper-middle-class-city-boy instead of being a sly and witty provincial. New trend that is sometimes called Intelligent Romanticism of 60-ies abounded in this film. In general the film is no more than just nice, but one of the last episodes (death of the grandmother) was very strong and became the most brilliant screen achievement of the theatre star Cecilia Takaishvili (the Grandmother).
The major achievement of Tengiz Abuladze himself is a trilogy The Plead (Vedreba), Tree of Wishes (Natvris Khe) and Repentance (Monanieba). Whereas I personally regard all three films to be masterpieces, the Non-Georgian Audience will hardly understand their depth as most symbols and allusions used are "Very Georgian". Despite this the last two parts of a trilogy got a wide critical acclaim and Repentance even became the major commercial hit at Soviet Cinemas. But with the magnificent Plead the situation was different. The major problem is that film is not just based on the poetry of Vaja-Pshavela (regarded by many to be the greatest Georgian poet ever), its literally full of it. Poetry of Vaja-Pshavela is very complex one and actually not translatable as he uses a very specific language, symbols, notions and terms of East Georgia Mountain Provinces, the mood of the entire film is based on this verses constantly cited within the film; Retelling just their content gives nothing and foreign audience is left with graphic and extravagant visuals that may seem interesting for 10 minutes but become tiresome during the full-length film. Both visually and conceptually the film is perhaps the most outstanding and controversial Georgian film of its time.
Unlike the Plead, the Tree of Wishes was accepted by Georgian audience without any hesitation. Tree of Wishes is exquisite for its beautiful cinematography and all star casting (from these especially should be noted Lika Kavjaradze as beautiful Marita, Sophico Chiaureli as extravagant Pupala , Ramaz Chikvadze as a corrupt priest, Erosi Manjgaladze as idealistic patriot and Cecilia Takaishvili who once again (since "I, Grandma, Ilia and Illarion") gave a brilliant performance (again as a grandmother and again giving the brilliant ending of the film). The various characters and storylines of Giorgi Leonidze's short stories about his childhood are united in a delicious, poetic and entertaining film.