This is an excellent movie as far as the artistic and aesthetic dimensions are concerned and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in experiencing the beauty of the Caucasus, or beauty as such. I do not think that there is any need to stress Parajanov's unique depiction of this beauty, after all he is acknowledged (deservedly) as one of the greatest directors of the 20th century. I am not quite sure, however, whether 'Western' audiences will be overwhelmed by Ashik Kerib (by the way 'Ashik' means 'lover', or more accurately, a person who is in love - Kerib corresponds to Turkish 'Garip'= the unfortunate). I showed it to some German friends of mine but they did not seem to be touched by it at all. 'Some' ethnological interest, if not knowledge (and passion) are indispensable. There is only one thing about Parajanov himself which I found irritating. In the documentary which is included in the Rusico edition, Parajanov himself claims to have pursued an ethnological approach in his films - as opposed to the Socialist Realism of his time which he despised so much. But how come that Parajanov says that KURDS are no Muslims when the majority of 90% of Kurds ARE (Sunnite) Muslims when he himself underlines the ethnological aspects of his movies?? How come we have a religious guy who is seen semi-nude (in Islam the exposure of a man's upper part of the body likewise constitutes sin). I did not expect a 100% accuracy watching this movie, and I still prefer it to The Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors and even to Sayat Nova despite its so many flaws (esp. the clothes and customs of the people, surely due to the 'tight budget'). The beautiful language spoken in the film is, of course, NOT Georgian - it's Azeri.
13 Reviews
Azeri minstrels and lovers
lee_eisenberg19 August 2015
Sergei Parajanov's final completed film is based on Mikhail Lermontov's short story about a poor minstrel who must travel for 1,000 days before he is allowed to marry the daughter of the local ruler. Like Parajanov's earlier "Color of Pomegranates", "Ashik Kerib" (which Parajanov dedicated to his friend Andrei Tarkovsky) makes ample use of the visuals and goes long periods without speech. Basically, it tests your attention span; a far cry from Michael Bay's movies.
I wouldn't go so far as to call this movie a masterpiece, but I like that it shows us a culture that we don't often get to see. The culture in this case is Azerbaijan. Parajanov had focused on Armenia with "The Color of Pomegranates", and Ukraine and Georgia with other movies. His refusal to incorporate socialist realism into his works caused friction with the Soviet authorities (as did his bisexuality).
In the end I recommend "Ashik Kerib". I wonder where Parajanov's career would've gone had he lived longer.
I wouldn't go so far as to call this movie a masterpiece, but I like that it shows us a culture that we don't often get to see. The culture in this case is Azerbaijan. Parajanov had focused on Armenia with "The Color of Pomegranates", and Ukraine and Georgia with other movies. His refusal to incorporate socialist realism into his works caused friction with the Soviet authorities (as did his bisexuality).
In the end I recommend "Ashik Kerib". I wonder where Parajanov's career would've gone had he lived longer.
Plays like a folklore Armenian style
jordondave-2808528 November 2023
(1988) Ashug-Karib/ The Lovelorn Minstrel
(In Azerbaijani, Georgian and Russian with English subtitles)
HISTORICAL FABLE
Adapted from the short story "Ashik Kerib the Lovelorn Minstrel" by Mikhail Lermontov. Known as the final film by renown director Sergei Parajanov, starring Yuri Mgoyan as the title character, Ashug-Karibi a talented poet and minstrel lute player falls in love with the merchant's daughter, Magul-Megeri . Except that because he is poor, Ashik Kerib then asks her to wait for him after 1001 nights. And it is not long before his rival Kushud-Bek fools Ashik Kerib by pretending to be his friend only to stealing his clothes, and then bring them back to show them to his mother and others to make the assumption that he may have drowned. The movie plays like a folklore or as a fable as the talented minstrel player, uses his gift to lift others.
Adapted from the short story "Ashik Kerib the Lovelorn Minstrel" by Mikhail Lermontov. Known as the final film by renown director Sergei Parajanov, starring Yuri Mgoyan as the title character, Ashug-Karibi a talented poet and minstrel lute player falls in love with the merchant's daughter, Magul-Megeri . Except that because he is poor, Ashik Kerib then asks her to wait for him after 1001 nights. And it is not long before his rival Kushud-Bek fools Ashik Kerib by pretending to be his friend only to stealing his clothes, and then bring them back to show them to his mother and others to make the assumption that he may have drowned. The movie plays like a folklore or as a fable as the talented minstrel player, uses his gift to lift others.
Mesmerizing!
Niffiwan6 March 2005
I've seen all four of Parajanov's well-known films (Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, The Color of a Pomegranate, The Legend of Suram Fortress, and this), and I have to say that this is one of my favorites.
Some people have said that this is a "minor" work, and that you can see evidence of a tight budget. I'd disagree with both of them. Perhaps it IS a minor work in that it is less serious than Parajanov's previous films, but it is tremendously fun to watch! The film whisks the viewer away to a fairy-tale world full of expansive landscapes and golden riches. The costumes and decorations are beautiful and the music is absolutely gorgeous (Parajanov hired a composer from the region to create the music for this film; the result is one of the best movie scores I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. It's folk music, yes, but it's folk music lifted to the realm of high art; the music almost makes this movie worth seeing just by itself).
As for evidence of a tight budget... who knows? Perhaps the magnificent illusion is standing on thin ice sometimes, but the ice never breaks, which is the important thing; you never SEE that Parajanov was working under a tight budget, although sometimes you get the impression that you maybe WOULD see if the camera zoomed out just a little bit. He does use a lot of paintings to illustrate some events, but in my opinion this only adds to the film's extremely rich atmosphere.
Without giving too much away, I'll say that the film has a story based on an old Eastern legend, and it progresses in episodes, much like "Legend of Suram Fortress". It is one of the peculiarities of Parajanov's style that his films do not depend on the credibility of the story or the characters (although the actors in this film are quite good); this is a fantastical fairy tale, and we understand when watching the film that fairy tales have their own sense of logic.
Although "Color of a Pomegranate" remains at the top of my list of favorite films by Parajanov, "Ashik Kerib" is a delightful movie and probably the best one to start with for new-comers to this director. Watching it is in truth more like watching a musical, ballet or folk-dance than watching a film. There is a lot of excellently choreographed dancing in the film, along with excellent artwork and excellent music. If you have an interest in any of those fields, you will probably love this film.
Now as for where to get it... there are currently 2 DVDs available on the market: a KINO 2-in-1-DVD featuring Ashik Kerib and Legend of Suram Fortress and a RusCiCo DVD featuring just Ashik Kerib. I advise that you get the RusCiCo DVD despite the fact that it's only slightly less expensive than the 2-in-1 KINO DVD, because the video quality on the KINO DVD is quite bad. If you want to see HOW bad, go to a website called "DVDBeaver.com" and see their DVD comparison of the two versions of Ashik Kerib; whereas RusCiCo's version is sharp with bright colours, KINO's version is blurry with muddy colours and unremovable green subtitles.
This is unfortunately the only Parajanov movie that is currently available in a decent DVD release; "Color of a Pomegranate" is only available in a KINO DVD with transfer as bad as in "Ashik Kerib"'s, and "Legend of Suram Fortress" is available in the blurry KINO 2-in-1 DVD, as well as in a RusCiCo DVD with sharp image quality but an unremovable Russian voice-over (not dubbing; it's basically one Russian voice translating what the people are saying while the audio in the background becomes quieter). "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" is not available on DVD at all, to the best of my knowledge.
If you liked this movie, I'd also recommend "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" (the world's first animated film, made in 1926 using only shadow puppets and tinted backgrounds and based on tales from Arabian Nights) and perhaps "The City of Lost Children" (a 1995 French film that creates its own dark fairy-tale universe).
Some people have said that this is a "minor" work, and that you can see evidence of a tight budget. I'd disagree with both of them. Perhaps it IS a minor work in that it is less serious than Parajanov's previous films, but it is tremendously fun to watch! The film whisks the viewer away to a fairy-tale world full of expansive landscapes and golden riches. The costumes and decorations are beautiful and the music is absolutely gorgeous (Parajanov hired a composer from the region to create the music for this film; the result is one of the best movie scores I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. It's folk music, yes, but it's folk music lifted to the realm of high art; the music almost makes this movie worth seeing just by itself).
As for evidence of a tight budget... who knows? Perhaps the magnificent illusion is standing on thin ice sometimes, but the ice never breaks, which is the important thing; you never SEE that Parajanov was working under a tight budget, although sometimes you get the impression that you maybe WOULD see if the camera zoomed out just a little bit. He does use a lot of paintings to illustrate some events, but in my opinion this only adds to the film's extremely rich atmosphere.
Without giving too much away, I'll say that the film has a story based on an old Eastern legend, and it progresses in episodes, much like "Legend of Suram Fortress". It is one of the peculiarities of Parajanov's style that his films do not depend on the credibility of the story or the characters (although the actors in this film are quite good); this is a fantastical fairy tale, and we understand when watching the film that fairy tales have their own sense of logic.
Although "Color of a Pomegranate" remains at the top of my list of favorite films by Parajanov, "Ashik Kerib" is a delightful movie and probably the best one to start with for new-comers to this director. Watching it is in truth more like watching a musical, ballet or folk-dance than watching a film. There is a lot of excellently choreographed dancing in the film, along with excellent artwork and excellent music. If you have an interest in any of those fields, you will probably love this film.
Now as for where to get it... there are currently 2 DVDs available on the market: a KINO 2-in-1-DVD featuring Ashik Kerib and Legend of Suram Fortress and a RusCiCo DVD featuring just Ashik Kerib. I advise that you get the RusCiCo DVD despite the fact that it's only slightly less expensive than the 2-in-1 KINO DVD, because the video quality on the KINO DVD is quite bad. If you want to see HOW bad, go to a website called "DVDBeaver.com" and see their DVD comparison of the two versions of Ashik Kerib; whereas RusCiCo's version is sharp with bright colours, KINO's version is blurry with muddy colours and unremovable green subtitles.
This is unfortunately the only Parajanov movie that is currently available in a decent DVD release; "Color of a Pomegranate" is only available in a KINO DVD with transfer as bad as in "Ashik Kerib"'s, and "Legend of Suram Fortress" is available in the blurry KINO 2-in-1 DVD, as well as in a RusCiCo DVD with sharp image quality but an unremovable Russian voice-over (not dubbing; it's basically one Russian voice translating what the people are saying while the audio in the background becomes quieter). "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" is not available on DVD at all, to the best of my knowledge.
If you liked this movie, I'd also recommend "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" (the world's first animated film, made in 1926 using only shadow puppets and tinted backgrounds and based on tales from Arabian Nights) and perhaps "The City of Lost Children" (a 1995 French film that creates its own dark fairy-tale universe).
A stunning experiment in living icons
Jonah-723 August 1999
This is Sergei Paradjanov's last film. He died after it's completion.
Ashik Kerib is based on a the poem by Mikhail Lermontov which he wrote while in exile in the Caucasus. It blends many cultures; Armenian, Georgian, Moslem, and Orthodox iconography.
Paradjanov meant the film for children, there is no dense, intellectual symbolism in it. There is also no dialogue. It was his ideal to create a visual myth. The film is incredibly beautiful, truly an experience.
One thing to note is how he makes two-dimensional icons come to life in the film. If there is a man that "paints" on celluloid, it is Paradjanov.
Ashik Kerib is based on a the poem by Mikhail Lermontov which he wrote while in exile in the Caucasus. It blends many cultures; Armenian, Georgian, Moslem, and Orthodox iconography.
Paradjanov meant the film for children, there is no dense, intellectual symbolism in it. There is also no dialogue. It was his ideal to create a visual myth. The film is incredibly beautiful, truly an experience.
One thing to note is how he makes two-dimensional icons come to life in the film. If there is a man that "paints" on celluloid, it is Paradjanov.
seductive
Kirpianuscus13 March 2016
it is not only a beautiful adaptation. another film by a great director. or Paradjanov song of swan. it is a testimony about past. about the grace of fairy tales, about Azer traditions , about the time as a flight, about choices, humor, courage, love, as parts of a single event. a film who remains a gem for the science to remember the flavor of a lost, mythical period. a film who impress. and describe. suggest. and remains touching again and again. a film about a rhythm to live. forgotten, ignored, hidden. subtle. strange. fascinating. and a form to imagine the life. mystical. pure. useful. one of films who could be a meeting with yourself.
Sergei Parajanov's last movie
Red-12522 December 2020
Ashug-Karibi (1988) was shown in the U.S. with the title Ashik-Kerib. The film was directed by Sergei Parajanov. (David Abashidze is listed as co-director.) The title literally means "The Strange Lover." The movie is called a Georgian or Russian movie, but it was produced in Azerbaijan. (Azerbaijan was under Soviet rule until 1991.)
The hero of the film is a talented but poor musician, who plays the traditional stringed instrument the saz (baglama), which looks and sounds like a small lute. The hero is in love with the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and she with him.
However, her father demands that she marry someone with wealth. It's agreed that the minstrel has 1001 days to make his fortune and return home to marry the young woman. That's the plot--the hero leaves his home and the rest of the film is a road movie that follows him in his travels.
This would be a fairly standard film device if Parajanov's style were like the style of other great directors. However, his style is unique. He shows us colorful paintings, dancing, and we hear Azerbaijani music. We see tableaux and he used intertitles. Color is at the center call the movie. "Colorful" doesn't capture the absolute riot of colors that we see.
This is a film that would work better on the large screen than on the small screen, but we watched it on DVD. It has a strong IMDb rating of 7.4. I thought it was better than that, and rated it 9.
P.S. Parajanov spent years in jail because of "crimes" he committed. His real offense was that he refused to make Soviet Realism films. These authoritarian officials deprived Parajanov of his liberty and deprived the world of his talent.
The hero of the film is a talented but poor musician, who plays the traditional stringed instrument the saz (baglama), which looks and sounds like a small lute. The hero is in love with the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and she with him.
However, her father demands that she marry someone with wealth. It's agreed that the minstrel has 1001 days to make his fortune and return home to marry the young woman. That's the plot--the hero leaves his home and the rest of the film is a road movie that follows him in his travels.
This would be a fairly standard film device if Parajanov's style were like the style of other great directors. However, his style is unique. He shows us colorful paintings, dancing, and we hear Azerbaijani music. We see tableaux and he used intertitles. Color is at the center call the movie. "Colorful" doesn't capture the absolute riot of colors that we see.
This is a film that would work better on the large screen than on the small screen, but we watched it on DVD. It has a strong IMDb rating of 7.4. I thought it was better than that, and rated it 9.
P.S. Parajanov spent years in jail because of "crimes" he committed. His real offense was that he refused to make Soviet Realism films. These authoritarian officials deprived Parajanov of his liberty and deprived the world of his talent.
Treat or Trick
p_radulescu30 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Parajanov starts here from a short story by Lermontov to go further in his own way, sometimes very far from the original. It's true, both novel and movie end with the same promise for the two lovers (happy together for ever and ever), but along the film Parajanov follows his own instincts and abandons some very important points that are present in Lermontov's story.
Actually the story is in the film only a pretext. Well, in all the great movies of Parajanov, starting with the Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, the story is more a pretext for the master to immerse in a traditions' universe and to enjoy there the view. But here in Ashik Kerib, even the traditions' universe becomes a pretext! The master simply plays with all kind of artistic genres from all kind of traditions' universes, to see how they fit. All kind of treats or tricks, that may leave you in total perplexity. At a certain moment it's like you attend a Kabuki theatre. Some other times you seem to visit an exhibition of Azeri or Persian art. It all seems gratuitous, only to see at the end that Ashik Kerib is dedicated to the beloved memory of Tarkovsky: a dedication like a joyous present.
Actually the story is in the film only a pretext. Well, in all the great movies of Parajanov, starting with the Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, the story is more a pretext for the master to immerse in a traditions' universe and to enjoy there the view. But here in Ashik Kerib, even the traditions' universe becomes a pretext! The master simply plays with all kind of artistic genres from all kind of traditions' universes, to see how they fit. All kind of treats or tricks, that may leave you in total perplexity. At a certain moment it's like you attend a Kabuki theatre. Some other times you seem to visit an exhibition of Azeri or Persian art. It all seems gratuitous, only to see at the end that Ashik Kerib is dedicated to the beloved memory of Tarkovsky: a dedication like a joyous present.
fractured fairy tale from a remote culture
mjneu595 November 2010
Another odd, exotic fable from the Soviet Union's most enigmatic filmmaker, set this time in a storybook past where, to win the hand of his true love, a penniless minstrel is forced to wander for a thousand days in search of wisdom and enlightenment. Parajanov is one of the leading figures in his country's so-called 'poetic cinema movement', which means his films are crude, heavily stylized rites of passage, thick with symbols and anachronisms. The naive, almost primitive formality recalls both the ancient, ritual folklore of its Central Asian setting and the cheap conventions of early silent film melodrama, with the Georgian voice-over narration (added on top of Parajanov's post-dubbed Azerbaijani dialogue) giving the film an added level of weirdness. On his magical quest the lovelorn troubadour encounters a blind wedding party, a despotic sultan with a toy machine gun toting harem, a pantomime tiger, and survives various other trials and tribulations, all to a nerve-racking background of wailing Middle Eastern music.
from Orient
Vincentiu15 August 2013
mixture of parable and fairy-tale, expression of Parajanov art, it is naive, seductive and strange. like an Oriental carpet. labyrinth and search of life sense. a love story in old Caucasian traditions, laws and rules. it is not a surprise. only a kind of last will. and a declaration of freedom for a new world. amusing, it is a lesson about a world. precise, it is trip in heart of a manner to understand existence. mystic, it is a speech about passion, sacrifice and ideal. small window to a garden of beauties, it is story of a young man who desires conquer the trust of his girl friend father. so, not the story is real important in this case. but the spell of images. the flavor of delicate and strong spices of a brave art maker.
Ashik Kerib? Ash!t Kerib
rooprect26 March 2006
Ay Karamba! What a letdown. Having read the other reviews on IMDb, I was expecting to see a delightful cross between Alice in Wonderland and Tarkovsky. Instead it's more like Fellini on a bad day with a really low budget.
When I say "Fellini on a bad day", I mean that there is no coherent theme to the almost random images we receive. Aside from the thin plot of a man travelling many miles for love, there doesn't seem to be much substance holding this film together. I'd group it in the genre of "road movies" that are best watched under the influence of psychomorphic drugs.
And when I say "a really low budget" I mean A REALLY LOW BUDGET. I've seen home movies that are more professionally made. Granted, the low budget led to some very innovative storytelling techniques perfect for fantasy (namely, the use of a red handkerchief to symbolize blood, or the use of extras in a paper mâché tiger suit to symbolize a gladiatorial fight--I really did enjoy those scenes), but the uneven camera-work, the poor film/sound quality, bad editing (jerky scene cuts) and the amateur (over-)acting really killed it. It reminded me of one of those notorious Ed Wood movies where suspension of disbelief is impossible due to the overwhelming flaws.
The story itself is forgettable. It begins very nicely, but around midway you realize that it's not going anywhere. And at the end of the movie your suspicions are confirmed. The ending is as unfulfilling as it gets--no drama, no deep message, rather predictable... almost "hollywood" but on a very low budget. I understand that this movie is the compilation of many traditional fables... but aren't fables supposed to have morals (meanings) to them? And last of all... what's with everyone's eyebrows? Whoa. Even the women are sporting the neanderthal look. It's very distracting, because after a while you can't tell who's who. Crazy, just crazy. lol.
When I say "Fellini on a bad day", I mean that there is no coherent theme to the almost random images we receive. Aside from the thin plot of a man travelling many miles for love, there doesn't seem to be much substance holding this film together. I'd group it in the genre of "road movies" that are best watched under the influence of psychomorphic drugs.
And when I say "a really low budget" I mean A REALLY LOW BUDGET. I've seen home movies that are more professionally made. Granted, the low budget led to some very innovative storytelling techniques perfect for fantasy (namely, the use of a red handkerchief to symbolize blood, or the use of extras in a paper mâché tiger suit to symbolize a gladiatorial fight--I really did enjoy those scenes), but the uneven camera-work, the poor film/sound quality, bad editing (jerky scene cuts) and the amateur (over-)acting really killed it. It reminded me of one of those notorious Ed Wood movies where suspension of disbelief is impossible due to the overwhelming flaws.
The story itself is forgettable. It begins very nicely, but around midway you realize that it's not going anywhere. And at the end of the movie your suspicions are confirmed. The ending is as unfulfilling as it gets--no drama, no deep message, rather predictable... almost "hollywood" but on a very low budget. I understand that this movie is the compilation of many traditional fables... but aren't fables supposed to have morals (meanings) to them? And last of all... what's with everyone's eyebrows? Whoa. Even the women are sporting the neanderthal look. It's very distracting, because after a while you can't tell who's who. Crazy, just crazy. lol.
Sumptuous survey of Azeri culture but that's about it
jennyhor200410 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
"Ashik Kerib" is a sumptuous survey of the culture of Azerbaijan as it was from the 1500′s to the early 20th century. The film takes the form of a retelling of Russian author Mikhail Lermontov's short story of the same name (which in Azeri and Turkish means "Unfortunate Lover") and is performed as a children's fairy-tale. Two young lovers, the minstrel Ashik and a rich trader's daughter Magul-Megeri, pledge their love and wish to marry; unfortunately the girl's father, greedy for a huge bride price, prevents the marriage from going ahead unless Ashik can cough up the wealth required in 1,001 days. During this period, Ashik has many adventures in faraway lands and undergoes one trial after another as he tries to raise the money. If he doesn't get back in time with the bride price, Magul-Megeri's mean old man will marry her off to the equally odious Kurshudbek. Can Ashik raise the money and return home in time to claim his love? As with Parajanov's previous films like "The Color of Pomegranates" and "The Legend of Suram Fortress", the film's presentation is rich and layered with many shots of still life (a jug on a rock against a mountain waterfall, Persian-style miniaturist portrait paintings, displays of jugs, cups and musical instruments) that demonstrate what everyday life was like for Azeri people or the rich and middle-class among them at least. Scenes are filmed at some distance from the actors to show off their cultural context which helps to explain why they think and behave the way they do; there are very few close-ups and many of those are head-and-shoulder shots. The effect is one of a series of moving dioramas which suit the episodic nature of the plot, broken up into many short chapters each revolving around one incident. Dialogue is minimal and serves mainly to advance the story. The musical soundtrack is nearly continuous throughout the movie and doesn't match the action closely so some viewers may find the wailing singing annoying and shrill.
There are many outdoor scenes which give the impression of Azerbaijan as a semi-arid grassy country where horses and Bactrian camels seem to be the main animals used for transport. Urban life takes place in small towns or large villages of old stone buildings.
The film often features histrionic acting by villains or those who threaten Ashik in some way. Villains are readily identified by their lurid make-up and hammy, buffoonish actions. The two lead roles are passive and make little effort to overcome the obstacles that separate them: things happen to Ashik and he suffers and despairs a great deal but the plot's convolutions give him no opportunity to try to improve his fortunes. This is where the film founders: if it's a fairy-tale, surely Magul-Megeri and Ashik should have some direct or indirect access to magic so they could help each other? Magul-Megeri could find a wise woman or magician to send a helpful dove to guide Ashik and keep him out of trouble, and that dove could convey communications between the two to keep each other's spirits up and hold Kurshudbek at bay. The film already deviates from the original short story as it is: if Parajanov and Abashidze had followed it closely, the plot would end up as a remake of one of Parajanov's other films in which a Romeo leaves his love to pursue fortune and ends up wealthy but forgets to return home and marry the girl pining for him.
As it is, the plot and Ashik wander from one struggle to another until time runs out and something has to be done to get Ashik back home. There's very little sense of the wonder and enchantment that should have accompanied this otherwise interesting ethnographic survey of Azeri culture. Usually with films in which a hero must endure trials and tests of character in a fairy-tale narrative, the main character is seen to change into a nobler person and proves a worthy marriage partner. This doesn't happen with "Ashik Kerib" and so in spite of the beautiful visual work and the good-looking lead actors, the film becomes just an exotic moving travelogue with some interesting still-life scenes but little else to hold the audience's attention.
There are many outdoor scenes which give the impression of Azerbaijan as a semi-arid grassy country where horses and Bactrian camels seem to be the main animals used for transport. Urban life takes place in small towns or large villages of old stone buildings.
The film often features histrionic acting by villains or those who threaten Ashik in some way. Villains are readily identified by their lurid make-up and hammy, buffoonish actions. The two lead roles are passive and make little effort to overcome the obstacles that separate them: things happen to Ashik and he suffers and despairs a great deal but the plot's convolutions give him no opportunity to try to improve his fortunes. This is where the film founders: if it's a fairy-tale, surely Magul-Megeri and Ashik should have some direct or indirect access to magic so they could help each other? Magul-Megeri could find a wise woman or magician to send a helpful dove to guide Ashik and keep him out of trouble, and that dove could convey communications between the two to keep each other's spirits up and hold Kurshudbek at bay. The film already deviates from the original short story as it is: if Parajanov and Abashidze had followed it closely, the plot would end up as a remake of one of Parajanov's other films in which a Romeo leaves his love to pursue fortune and ends up wealthy but forgets to return home and marry the girl pining for him.
As it is, the plot and Ashik wander from one struggle to another until time runs out and something has to be done to get Ashik back home. There's very little sense of the wonder and enchantment that should have accompanied this otherwise interesting ethnographic survey of Azeri culture. Usually with films in which a hero must endure trials and tests of character in a fairy-tale narrative, the main character is seen to change into a nobler person and proves a worthy marriage partner. This doesn't happen with "Ashik Kerib" and so in spite of the beautiful visual work and the good-looking lead actors, the film becomes just an exotic moving travelogue with some interesting still-life scenes but little else to hold the audience's attention.
How to turn a fascinating and little known culture into a tacky pop video.
fergalff26 August 2009
Oh God......I love Alim Qaismov and Mugham music. I've traveled in Armenia and Georgia and fell in love with the Caucasus. I looked forward to seeing this film so much.....oh god!!!! Yes the music is interesting, but the problem is simply this; it looks like a Boy George video...and one made by some guy he met in a pub. I have never, in all my life seen such an inept, appalling and entirely worthless aberration such as this. Really. It's quiet stunning how bad this is. Like a home movie from a transvestite wedding. During the dire extras documentary on Paradjabov, he makes quiet an extraordinary statement; "It is not possible to become a Director, you must be born one. And it is not enough to be born a Director...your mother must be an actress." That makes as much sense as this bag of offal. If there were truth in that, on evidence of this film I'd say the only acting Mrs Paradjanov did so, was telling her son he had talent.
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