Sign In / Sign Up

The Theme

The Theme
Release date: 1979-01-09
Rating: 5.4
Votes: 16
Genres: Drama
In search of inspiration and new topics, the famous metropolitan writer Kim Yesenin goes to the province. Unexpectedly for himself, he discovers that here people live very differently than in the world familiar to him. By chance, he witnesses someone else's love drama - intellectual Sasha and dissident Andrei who is leaving for America. He is shocked by this complex conflict and fictitious problems, where there is no place for either melancholy or depression. In this situation, the hero decides to go to Moscow...

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

"Yesenin" (Mikhail Ulyanov) has been a successful writer in years gone by but is now in something of a black fog. It's not that he doesn't think he's a great writer, it's that he thinks he's lost it and that nobody will ever care. To try and kick start his creative juices, he sets off with fellow scribbler "Paschin" (Evgeniy Vesnik) and enthusiastic assistant "Maria" (Yevgeniya Nechayeva) to the snowy town of Vladimir. It's his arrival that symbolises his approach to life as he tells his pal to make an illegal turn off the street. This attracts the attentions of a local, impressionable, police officer (Sergey Nikonenko) whom he tries to charm then intimidate into not giving them a ticket. This meeting rather sums up the man's impotence, even though the decent young man is a fan of his works. A visit to the local museum proceeds to make matters even worse for a time as he encounters "Sasha" (Inna Churikova), a curator in the place who has also read his works but has long since consigned them to the bin of inconsequence as she has grown older and wiser. Despite her politely veiled criticism of his works, he is taken by both her and he intellect. It's the latter that might just offer him a solution to his creative constipation...? It starts off quite promisingly this, with a bit of spatting amidst plenty of snow an a little Schubert, but quickly that rather static and distant style of direction and photography starts to effectively freeze us out of their characterisations. There are far too many lingering shots, way too much "insightful" narration and though I did think there was a bit of chemistry between Ulyanov and Vesnik on occasion, there wasn't really between him and Churikova and the rapport with Nechayeva was borderline "Carry On" at times. Perhaps it was supposed to be a test of patience? It does allow us into his mind and that's not the most organised of places to live, but it still needed more focus for the viewer and less angst-ridden diatribe. It was banned in the Soviet Union for a time, but given the plentiful supplies of food and drink available in this wintery wonderland I'd have thought it exactly the symbol of success they'd have wanted to export.

Movie Recommendation

  • Affair in Trinidad
    Affair in Trinidad
    1952-07-29
    A nightclub singer enlists her brother-in-law to track down her husband's killer.
    More...
  • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
    The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
    2012-12-12
    Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon.
    More...
  • Iron Man
    Iron Man
    2008-04-30
    After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
    More...
  • Inception
    Inception
    2010-07-15
    Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious.
    More...
  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
    Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
    2016-11-16
    In 1926, Newt Scamander arrives at the Magical Congress of the United States of America with a magically expanded briefcase, which houses a number of dangerous creatures and their habitats. When the creatures escape from the briefcase, it sends the American wizarding authorities after Newt, and threatens to strain even further the state of magical and non-magical relations.
    More...
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
    2003-12-17
    As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.​
    More...
  • The Terminator
    The Terminator
    1984-10-26
    In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony. Meanwhile, the human-resistance movement dispatches a lone warrior to safeguard Sarah. Can he stop the virtually indestructible killing machine?
    More...
  • Forrest Gump
    Forrest Gump
    1994-06-23
    A man with a low IQ has accomplished great things in his life and been present during significant historic events—in each case, far exceeding what anyone imagined he could do. But despite all he has achieved, his one true love eludes him.
    More...
  • Despicable Me
    Despicable Me
    2010-07-08
    Villainous Gru lives up to his reputation as a despicable, deplorable and downright unlikable guy when he hatches a plan to steal the moon from the sky. But he has a tough time staying on task after three orphans land in his care.
    More...
  • Snowpiercer
    Snowpiercer
    2013-08-01
    In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer; a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine.
    More...
  • Thor
    Thor
    2011-04-21
    Against his father Odin's will, The Mighty Thor - a powerful but arrogant warrior god - recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
    More...
  • Zombieland
    Zombieland
    2009-10-02
    Columbus has made a habit of running from what scares him. Tallahassee doesn't have fears. If he did, he'd kick their ever-living ass. In a world overrun by zombies, these two are perfectly evolved survivors. But now, they're about to stare down the most terrifying prospect of all: each other.
    More...
  • The Avengers
    The Avengers
    2012-04-25
    When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
    More...
  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
    The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
    2013-12-11
    The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.
    More...
  • Interstellar
    Interstellar
    2014-11-05
    The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
    More...
  • Star Wars
    Star Wars
    1977-05-25
    Princess Leia is captured and held hostage by the evil Imperial forces in their effort to take over the galactic Empire. Venturesome Luke Skywalker and dashing captain Han Solo team together with the loveable robot duo R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the beautiful princess and restore peace and justice in the Empire.
    More...
  • Avatar
    Avatar
    2009-12-15
    In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.
    More...
  • Halloween: Resurrection
    Halloween: Resurrection
    2002-07-01
    Reality programmers at DangerTainment select a group of thrill-seeking teenagers to spend one night in the childhood home of serial killer Michael Myers. Their planned live broadcast turns deadly when Michael decides to crash the party.
    More...
  • Titanic
    Titanic
    1997-11-18
    101-year-old Rose DeWitt Bukater tells the story of her life aboard the Titanic, 84 years later. A young Rose boards the ship with her mother and fiancé. Meanwhile, Jack Dawson and Fabrizio De Rossi win third-class tickets aboard the ship. Rose tells the whole story from Titanic's departure through to its death—on its first and last voyage—on April 15, 1912.
    More...
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    2002-12-18
    Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths. Their destinies lie at two towers--Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupt wizard Saruman awaits, and Sauron's fortress at Barad-dur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor. Frodo and Sam are trekking to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power while Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn search for the orc-captured Merry and Pippin. All along, nefarious wizard Saruman awaits the Fellowship members at the Orthanc Tower in Isengard.
    More...

Similar Movies