Archangel (2005) (TV)

Director:

Jon Jones

Writers:

Robert Harris (novel)
Dick Clement (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 January 2006 (Estonia)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

A British college professor working in Russia investigates certain mysteries surrounding the life and death of Joseph Stalin.

Plot Keywords:

Female To Male Foot In Crotch | Chase | College Professor | Josef Stalin | Murder Of Father

Cast

Daniel Craig	...	Prof. Fluke Kelso
Yekaterina Rednikova	...	Zinaida Rapava
Gabriel Macht	...	R.J. O'Brian
Lev Prygunov	...	Vladimir Mamantov
Alexey Diakov	...	Suvorin
Harry Ditson	...	Frank Adelman
Tanya Moodie	...	Velma
Avtandil Makharadze	...	Josef Stalin
Anna Gerasimova	...	Anna
Claudia Harrison	...	Louise
Kaspars Zvigulis	...	Young Papu Rapava
Valery Chernyak	...	Old Papu Rapava
Aurelija Anuzhite	...	Olga
Ziedonis Lochmelis	...	Viktor
Jakov Rafalson	...	Moscow Official (as Yakov Rafalson)

Runtime:

Japan:133 min | 124 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Company:

BBC Drama Group

Trivia:

Icon Productions originally held the film rights to the novel, with intentions to develop it as a Mel Gibson vehicle for the big screen.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Kelso states that Arkhangelsk was founded by Peter the Great, but Arkhangelsk was founded no later than 1584, almost a century before Peter was even born.

Quotes:

Fluke Kelso: Look, actually... I don't want to sleep with you. Although that would be... a very attractive proposition but... I want something else from you.
Zinaida: Whatever you want is still three hundred.

Well done...well filmed.

Having not the advantage (or disadvantage) of reading the novel, i can say that my six years spent in Russia throughout the 90's helped me rate this film so highly. The grit in this film is true to life. That is what i liked about it. You were dealing with characters that i met, lived with and drank with during my time in Moscow.

I miss those characters and they were brought to life in the 90 minutes i spent watching the film. The story line was a bit tough to follow though i didn't have the expectations of having read the novel and therefor was pleasantly surprised by the pace and interactions.

Great movie in my opinion. The first to truly show a westerner's experience in modern Russia...not every foreigner gets that type of intrigue though it was/is there if you wanted to find it. And that is the enigma...pravda.