HTF REVIEW: "The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming" (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[Felix Martinez]

Well, the good news is that it indicates that MGM is using a pristine print from before the subtitles were burned in. The bad news is that no one is aware enough to make sure they are added later.

I believe Jewison addresses this in his interview - he decided against subtitles, so they were never there to begin with. I never saw it theatrically, so I can't confirm this. I have to take his word, though.

Also, the print is far from pristine, IMHO. Anyone else notice the small cluster of white dots (holes in the print or negative - looks like negative since the dots are white) at the top of the frame throughout the ENTIRE movie? Visible in some scenes more than others, but they're there. Not overly distracting, but I think this could have been cleaned up a bit.

Enjoyable flick and a pretty good lookin' DVD to boot!

Felix

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I noticed the white dots too, and commented on them in my review of the film at Digitally Obsessed. It almost looks to me like a spider-web---was it time to clean the telecine machine or something? It seems unlikely to be a problem with the negative, since it's present in most of the frames, and most visible in lighter ones.

I would agree with Ron that if you loved Mad World, you'd probably love this, though it's badly dated (still memorable for us elderly folks that remember the Cold War, though). Unfortunately, I despise Mad World and didn't get much entertainment value from this one either. YMMV.

I also agree that the trailer is hilarious. From this I conclude that they should have dumped the script and just let Reiner, Arkin and Winters improvise everything; it would have been a much better--certainly funnier--movie. Reiner seems quite uncomfortable in his role, and there's not much chemistry between him and ice queen Eva Marie Saint.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

I believe Jewison addresses this in his interview - he decided against subtitles, so they were never there to begin with. I never saw it theatrically, so I can't confirm this. I have to take his word, though.

Well, I don't have the LD but my friend swears that the subs appear to be burned onto the print as opposed to being added after the telecine process. That leads me to believe that there were indeed some prints that had the subtitles.

Jeff

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I don't know why you'd need subtitles. From the context and the body language it's amply clear what the Russians are saying.

 

[Peter Kline]

Much of Alan Arkin's, no all of Arkins "Russian" is doubletalk. He's not really speaking the language. This is one of my favorite comedies, produced and distributed by United Artists.

 

[James David Walley]

The original theatrical release didn't have subtitles, nor did the version shown on network television several years later.
You're right about the picture flaws. On my widescreen RPTV, they don't look like a spiderweb so much as a series of random dots. When I first saw them (the initial shot of the sub aground), I thought they were a primitive attempt to add stars to the sky. Strangely, they only show up when you've got a uniform light-colored area behind them. When that part of the image is dark, you don't see them. Mr. Harris, are you there with an explanation?
A final note: I wonder whatever happened to Andrea Dromm? When I saw this film for the first time, I was at just the right age to not only find it hilarious, but to develop my first gen-yoo-wine "crush" on an actress. I checked her listing in IMDb a few years ago, and found that (aside from a continuing role on the first season of Star Trek) "Allison Palmer" seemed to have left the acting business altogether, shortly after this film was made.