The Admiral

[Phil Robinson]

Just a  heads up if you are in the UK, HMV have this in the sale for £4.99 

[Adam]

Thanks for the heads up, Phil. I've seen it on youtube but at a fiver I think I'll get a better quality version. It might be innaccurate sometimes and its certainly very biased towards one view but if you don't let this bother you it is an entertaining film. I especially like the fanciful charge (accompanied by brass band) scene.

[Plynkes]

Had this for my birthday, and watched it the other night.

...and its certainly very biased towards one view...

I'll say! It's funny to see how modern Russia is rolling things back and painting the Tsarist days as some kind of lost paradise. It was all fancy balls, days at the beach and stolen kisses in the rain! It seems inconceivable that there could be a revolution in such a jolly place. Can't say I found old Kolchak to be a very sympathetic character in this picture, and I must admit I was starting to lose interest towards the end (and cheering for the Bolsheviks so they would hurry up and kill him).

The navy bits were amazing, though. I want a whole film of that. More messing about in boats and less sitting around on bloody trains next time, please.

[former user]

H It was all fancy balls, days at the beach and stolen kisses in the rain!

I agree

"Titanic" meets "Dr. Shivago"
the ship scenes were really good, but the rest.....

noticed Kolchak resembled putin in appearance and style?

and the Bolsheviks - the anonymous faceless enemy
no charismatic Trotzky, no plotting Lenin

and the Tsar - grandaddy is nice to You

[Adam]

Can't say I found old Kolchak to be a very sympathetic character in this picture

Yeah, I chuckled when the Commisar got the little 'how many wives have you got?' dig in just before they shot him and...erm...threw his body through an ice crucifix. That might well have happened for all I know but it just seemed to cap the Kolchak, Russian Messiah' theme of the film. Even so, I watched it again on DVD today and you're quite right the naval scenes are excellent.

[Hammers]

Had this for my birthday, and watched it the other night.

I'll say! It's funny to see how modern Russia is rolling things back and painting the Tsarist days as some kind of lost paradise. It was all fancy balls, days at the beach and stolen kisses in the rain! It seems inconceivable that there could be a revolution in such a jolly place. Can't say I found old Kolchak to be a very sympathetic character in this picture, and I must admit I was starting to lose interest towards the end (and cheering for the Bolsheviks so they would hurry up and kill him).

The navy bits were amazing, though. I want a whole film of that. More messing about in boats and less sitting around on bloody trains next time, please.

Russians are, as I know them and as a whole, a very romantic people. Come to think of it, I perceive Germans the same way.

[Funghy-Fipps]

I'll say! It's funny to see how modern Russia is rolling things back and painting the Tsarist days as some kind of lost paradise. It was all fancy balls, days at the beach and stolen kisses in the rain! It seems inconceivable that there could be a revolution in such a jolly place.

True, but then one can hardly blame them after seventy-odd years of stifling Soviet propaganda portraying the exact opposite!  Regarding this nostalgia for Imperial days one of the more amusing pieces of news I've heard in relation to Russia was this (actually I think the restoration of the Russian monarchy with Prince Michael at its head was a plot of a Freddie Forsyth book (?)).

Anyways, so for somebody gaming the RCW is The Admiral worth investigating then?  Sounds rather turgid from the accounts here!  Surely, though, from an aesthetic point-of-view it is of interest? 

[Plynkes]

...one can hardly blame them after seventy-odd years of stifling Soviet propaganda portraying the exact opposite! 

Well maybe, I guess. But after 70 years of Orwellian Doublethink personally I think I'd be ready for a bit of truth and honesty, rather than merely a whole new set of lies.

Anyways, so for somebody gaming the RCW is The Admiral worth investigating then?  Sounds rather turgid from the accounts here!  Surely, though, from an aesthetic point-of-view it is of interest? 

I really enjoyed it up until the Revolution and Civil War. There are some really great naval battle scenes early on in the film. I was even enjoying him betraying his best mate and cheating on his wife, and even all the gorgeous "BBC period drama" stuff that made Tsarist Russia seem so appealing. But once the Civil War got going it turned into a real yawn-fest for me. Gets very talky as there is so much exposition to get through. That's the trouble with these bio-pics sometimes. There was lots of sitting around on trains and talking, saying which general was where and what those naughty Bolsheviks were up to; and frankly I couldn't care less what happened to any of them by the end.

It may well reflect the fact that I find the Great War endlessly fascinating and have no interest whatever in the Russian Civil War in my enjoyment the early part of the film and not the latter, but I think not. The film really does take a turn towards dullville about halfway through. I must say it is visually impressive right the way through. Certainly a feast for the eyes if nothing else.

[Funghy-Fipps]

Thanks for your evaluation, Plynkes.  I think I'll investigate further if only to be able to immerse myself in some period ambiance. 

Personally I think a biopic following Baron Wrangel's last ditch attempt to carve out a non-Bolshevik enclave in the Crimea would be of more interest, but then what do I know?  Given the Russian interest in this important period perhaps such a venture will not be short in coming?  If so I can only hope it meets more approval than The Admiral seems to have!

[koz10]

Anyways, so for somebody gaming the RCW is The Admiral worth investigating then?  Sounds rather turgid from the accounts here!  Surely, though, from an aesthetic point-of-view it is of interest? 

Heck yes! General Kappel's attack across the snow has prompted me to get some nuns from Old Glory to paint as Sister's of Mercy. I'm even going to try my hand at converting some Old Glory WWI Russians in winter coats into a band to play a scenario.

[Helen]

Heck yes! General Kappel's attack across the snow has prompted me to get some nuns from Old Glory to paint as Sister's of Mercy. I'm even going to try my hand at converting some Old Glory WWI Russians in winter coats into a band to play a scenario.

That's the spirit! Notating of course how the men were stirred into action on the death of one of the sisters - Truly inspiring fevour which know doubts brings on heroic deeds and medals.

I loved the film for what's worth. As an avid collector of RCW books, reading its turbulent history and knowing that we had an Australian naval delegation try to reach Kolchak by train is romantic in itself besides the two VCs that were awarded to Australians for our small part in this conflict.

Helen

[huevans]

Lots of stuff on Youtube, Gospozha!

[koz10]

That's the spirit! Notating of course how the men were stirred into action on the death of one of the sisters - Truly inspiring fevour which know doubts brings on heroic deeds and medals.

My four nuns are almost finished. I even added a bag to one like the sister in the movie had in the snow assault scene. She'll be the one that gamers get to use to "stir" the men to charge!

I loved the film for what's worth. As an avid collector of RCW books, reading its turbulent history and knowing that we had an Australian naval delegation try to reach Kolchak by train is romantic in itself besides the two VCs that were awarded to Australians for our small part in this conflict.

There was just enough good war stuff to overcome the mushy love scene stuff. I've watched it countless times (I don't have a TV in my man cave so watch DVDs). I really like learning new stuff that leads me to gain new insight and info about the period like the music played during the charge. Neat stuff.

[Tacgnol]

(actually I think the restoration of the Russian monarchy with Prince Michael at its head was a plot of a Freddie Forsyth book (?)).

Icon. I read it ten or so years ago. Was pretty good as far as I remember.

[Altius]

Koz, post some photos if you can. I'd love to see that.