Grigori Rasputin – infamous Russian holy man and historical enigma – has had his tale told in film many times, though too often through the lens of grotesque embellishment. While HBO's 1996 production is not a perfect film and had no hope of accurately framing the man's life in 135 minutes, it is one of the most sober-minded of biographies on Rasputin and reigns as one of the best all-around features of its infamous subject. Though the film deals alternatively pleasing and disappointing plot features in a tit-for-tat manner, it boasts great production values and excellent casting, making for a very satisfying experience that I am surprised never saw a theatrical release.
The story: Driven by a sense of destiny, a Siberian peasant with apparent supernatural talents (Alan Rickman) works his way into the Russian royal family and influences the downfall of an empire.
Alan Rickman *is* Rasputin. Lionel Barrymore and Christopher Lee have nothing on Rickman, who channels Rasputin's extremes with grace and nuance suggesting a genuine understanding of the character. Admittedly, Rickman's most memorable scenes include a lot of caterwauling and grandiose dialogue, but look no further than the quieter scenes to see the sincere and insecure side of Rasputin come to life. Rickman even replicates the curious manner of speech reported of the character, demonstrating an attention to historical detail prevalent throughout the film (more on that soon). As good as Rickman is, he's matched by Ian McKellan who is perfect for the regal role of Tsar Nicholas II. Greta Scacchi as Tsarina Alexandra and young Freddie Findlay as Tsarevich Alexei are likewise strong, but are at the disadvantage of slightly weaker roles.
Nevertheless, I appreciate that the film focuses so much on Alexei, who is the lynchpin of the Rasputin tale but tends to be only fleetingly analyzed in both movies and history books. This film is anchored on the relationship Rasputin had with Alexei and Alexandra, and the result is a pleasantly emotional character dynamic. It's even easier to invest in thanks to the realistic detail. I am not sure whether the movie was actually filmed in and around the actual Winter Palace, but the sets are convincingly beautiful. And though the movie takes some historical liberties, the abundance of accurate details suggest that the filmmakers did indeed do their homework: the inclusion of often-overlooked figures such as Bishop Hermogen and Derevenko the sailor-nanny is one thing, but the filmmakers go out of their way to highlight tidbits such as the fact that Nicholas II abdicated on a train and that Rasputin played with the cabinet in Prince Yusupov's basement before he was assassinated. I'm impressed.
I am a little less impressed with the foreground of the movie. I don't mind that not every facet of the real story is depicted (I still hope for a miniseries to attempt this), but I wish that the film's take was not quite so one-sided and ambiguous. The movie makes hardly any mention of Rasputin's colossal influence on matters of state, choosing instead to explain the public hatred of him by his sexual scandals. And while it was about time that Alexandra was judged favorably by any medium, it's disappointing that there's no hint of the alienating behavior that her adoration for Rasputin invoked. If anything, the movie is *too* friendly to Rasputin and the Romanovs, depicting the former as a horny weirdo and the latter as gullible victims. The picture is what it is, but I'm certain it would have been more interesting if its subjects had been a little less pristine.
Nevertheless, as aforementioned, I am convinced that this is the best Rasputin biography produced to date. Time will tell whether the upcoming Leonardo DiCaprio production or others dethrone it, but for those who are tired of the overdone horror films based on the story, this VHS tape is worth tracking down for now.
The story: Driven by a sense of destiny, a Siberian peasant with apparent supernatural talents (Alan Rickman) works his way into the Russian royal family and influences the downfall of an empire.
Alan Rickman *is* Rasputin. Lionel Barrymore and Christopher Lee have nothing on Rickman, who channels Rasputin's extremes with grace and nuance suggesting a genuine understanding of the character. Admittedly, Rickman's most memorable scenes include a lot of caterwauling and grandiose dialogue, but look no further than the quieter scenes to see the sincere and insecure side of Rasputin come to life. Rickman even replicates the curious manner of speech reported of the character, demonstrating an attention to historical detail prevalent throughout the film (more on that soon). As good as Rickman is, he's matched by Ian McKellan who is perfect for the regal role of Tsar Nicholas II. Greta Scacchi as Tsarina Alexandra and young Freddie Findlay as Tsarevich Alexei are likewise strong, but are at the disadvantage of slightly weaker roles.
Nevertheless, I appreciate that the film focuses so much on Alexei, who is the lynchpin of the Rasputin tale but tends to be only fleetingly analyzed in both movies and history books. This film is anchored on the relationship Rasputin had with Alexei and Alexandra, and the result is a pleasantly emotional character dynamic. It's even easier to invest in thanks to the realistic detail. I am not sure whether the movie was actually filmed in and around the actual Winter Palace, but the sets are convincingly beautiful. And though the movie takes some historical liberties, the abundance of accurate details suggest that the filmmakers did indeed do their homework: the inclusion of often-overlooked figures such as Bishop Hermogen and Derevenko the sailor-nanny is one thing, but the filmmakers go out of their way to highlight tidbits such as the fact that Nicholas II abdicated on a train and that Rasputin played with the cabinet in Prince Yusupov's basement before he was assassinated. I'm impressed.
I am a little less impressed with the foreground of the movie. I don't mind that not every facet of the real story is depicted (I still hope for a miniseries to attempt this), but I wish that the film's take was not quite so one-sided and ambiguous. The movie makes hardly any mention of Rasputin's colossal influence on matters of state, choosing instead to explain the public hatred of him by his sexual scandals. And while it was about time that Alexandra was judged favorably by any medium, it's disappointing that there's no hint of the alienating behavior that her adoration for Rasputin invoked. If anything, the movie is *too* friendly to Rasputin and the Romanovs, depicting the former as a horny weirdo and the latter as gullible victims. The picture is what it is, but I'm certain it would have been more interesting if its subjects had been a little less pristine.
Nevertheless, as aforementioned, I am convinced that this is the best Rasputin biography produced to date. Time will tell whether the upcoming Leonardo DiCaprio production or others dethrone it, but for those who are tired of the overdone horror films based on the story, this VHS tape is worth tracking down for now.