I saw this film for the first time at the Richelieu Theatre in San Francisco in 1965. It took my breath away. I've seen it several time since. I had no idea that it was Ukrainian by an Armenian director. As a Balkan dancer then, I related to the music, costumes, visuals & the sound. It is remarkable & puts Parajanov up with Ingmar Bergman & the other outstanding film makers of the 1960's. I am still waiting for a film about Hawaii before contact because I think they have these kinds of stories to tell. The American Indians do as well. Parajanov was jailed for 5 years for having made Shadows. So he paid a price for his art. But he did such a service to these woodcutters that there is a museum dedicated to the film in the location where it was made. I've seen it 18 times. The prints have faded over the years. I hope there might come a time where they will reprint it with the colors the way they were in the original. Thank you for this deep dive into this amazing work.
With all due respect to the deep and beautiful Ukrainian culture and story, the guest dismisses Parajanov’s creative ownership of this film, claiming this was an example of Ukrainian film. No, this film became a jewel precisely because of Parajanov’s illustrious imagination and painterly style, as well as his own tragic Armenian diaspora experience, and respect for his adopted Ukrainian home. Therefore, he was able to infuse a passion for things that are dismissed by the movement of politics and time, and make it into something colorfully majestic and poetic. Yes, Parajanov went to study in Moscow and Kiev but his films were unremarkable until he watched Tarkovsky’s work shortly before he started Shadows. This was a turning point in his style, and yet I would argue that it took a displaced Armenian like Parajanov to appreciate old culture and to brush each scene with flourishing detail and punch, making every one a still painting, evident in Armenian illuminated manuscripts and khatchkars. I am glad for this mix of cultural influences and someone like Parajanov should not be swept under the rug.
Very interesting. Thank you 🙌✨🎺
I saw this film for the first time at the Richelieu Theatre in San Francisco in 1965. It took my breath away. I've seen it several time since. I had no idea that it was Ukrainian by an Armenian director. As a Balkan dancer then, I related to the music, costumes, visuals & the sound. It is remarkable & puts Parajanov up with Ingmar Bergman & the other outstanding film makers of the 1960's. I am still waiting for a film about Hawaii before contact because I think they have these kinds of stories to tell. The American Indians do as well. Parajanov was jailed for 5 years for having made Shadows. So he
paid a price for his art. But he did such a service to these woodcutters that there is a museum dedicated to the film in the location where it was made. I've seen it 18 times. The prints have faded over the years. I hope there might come a time where they will reprint it with the colors the way they were in the original. Thank you for this deep dive into this amazing work.
Can someone identify the Theme Music? Thanks.
With all due respect to the deep and beautiful Ukrainian culture and story, the guest dismisses Parajanov’s creative ownership of this film, claiming this was an example of Ukrainian film. No, this film became a jewel precisely because of Parajanov’s illustrious imagination and painterly style, as well as his own tragic Armenian diaspora experience, and respect for his adopted Ukrainian home. Therefore, he was able to infuse a passion for things that are dismissed by the movement of politics and time, and make it into something colorfully majestic and poetic. Yes, Parajanov went to study in Moscow and Kiev but his films were unremarkable until he watched Tarkovsky’s work shortly before he started Shadows. This was a turning point in his style, and yet I would argue that it took a displaced Armenian like Parajanov to appreciate old culture and to brush each scene with flourishing detail and punch, making every one a still painting, evident in Armenian illuminated manuscripts and khatchkars. I am glad for this mix of cultural influences and someone like Parajanov should not be swept under the rug.