Stanislavsky and the Russian Theatre

A good overview
I rented the streaming version for two dollars. I have long appreciated Russian literature including Chekhov's short stories and have managed to see a couple of his plays. I heard about Stanislavsky and the Moscow Art Theater from a lecture by Professor Irwin Weil in his video course Classics of Russian Literature. I found Michael Craig's film and decided to watch it. It is mostly still shots with narration plus a few interview clips thrown in. It was interesting, informative and well produced for what it is. It is not a high budget film and probably would not be of much interest to a expert or to young students who likely know little of Russian culture or history. But for me it was at the right level. I have also ordered Anton Chekhov Collection, a DVD with many of Chekhov's plays performed in English that I am looking forward to.

Solid work - a must for those interested in drama and theatre
This film captures the spirit of the time as well as introducing some of Stanislavsky's most important precepts for acting and drama. Contributions from professor Jean Benedetti from the Stanislavski Centre and Anatoly Smeliansky of MXAT (The Moscow Arts Theatre) give the film a breadth and depth and a significant amount of useful information not readily available in English.

A unique and subtle insight into this great genius of the Russian theatre
"Stanislavsky and the Russian Theatre" includes unique and rare archive footage of Stanislavsky and the period itself and never before published photographs from Stanislavsky's main productions which were granted by the Stanislavsky archive of The Stanislavski Centre in London (the largest archive of Stanislavsky in Europe outside Russia). The film was made with locations in Moscow, including footage of the former apartment of Stanislavsky which is now preserved as a museum - a place which breathes with the life and soul of Stanislavsky and gives a flavour of and insight into Stanislavsky's interior world and the epoch in which he lived.

The film has an unusual approach. If you are looking for a straight forward introduction to the theories and philosophy of Stanislavsky's work which avoids the intrigues and surface flashiness of some documentary films then this film is a good choice. Consult other films, books etc and this film too, rather than relying on the vain opinions...

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