by Anura Guruge
on August 3, 2021
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I have visited ‘Leningrad’ — albeit in 1970 as a callow schoolboy on an expensive field trip. We did visit the ‘Hermitage‘. I do recall, though not as vividly as I would like, that it was grandiloquent. These two movies, set 120-years apart, if nothing else make you realize that ‘Saint Petersburg‘ (today’s Leningrad) leaves many Western cities (especially those in the U.S.) in the dust when it comes to ostentatious grandeur, splendid elegance & just over-the-top glorification of wealth.
I think we all knew that the elite in pre-Revolution Russia enjoyed untold luxury at the expense of the peasants. ‘Silver Skates‘ deals with that.
What I was NOT prepared for was the supposed wealth in Saint Petersburg today — from the Oligarchy. I will confess I knew zilch about the Russian oligarchy. ‘Major Grom‘ deals with that. WOW. Have YOU ever thought about Russian high-tech entrepreneurs? They must have them. ‘Major Grom’ sets out to portray one — fictional though it maybe. We know about hugely successful Chinese high-tech ventures: e.g., Alibaba, JD.com, NIO, DIDI etc. When was the last time we heard about a Russian high-tech company — outside of ransomware. Does Russia have its own Facebook? Major Grom would like to you think so.
Both are good, eminently watchable movies. Parts of Major Grom are hilarious. Both are exquisitely produced. Beyond masterful. I recommend both, highly.
