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Yellow Cloud — a Nizhny Novgorod super-action film, a science-fiction disaster movie from the film company "Kondor". A feature-length non-commercial film in the trash genre, featuring a large number of staged fights and computer-generated graphics. Filming began in June 2009; the premiere took place on 31 October 2010.
The film was accepted into the Gosfilmofond of the Russian Federation under number 211050410, dated 1 December 2010.
Synopsis
"In places of divine manifestation, the dark side concentrates all its forces to sow doubt, to turn people away from the light, to kill faith in a person."
Plot
At the Sarov Nuclear Center, during physics experiments, an incident occurs that produces a yellow cloud, which spreads over Nizhny Novgorod, where thirty years later all manner of evil creatures begin to multiply. Unlike King's "The Mist," the film's world is populated mainly by numerous successful patriots who overcome hardships through hand-to-hand combat.
Official Information
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The premiere of the Nizhny Novgorod film "Yellow Cloud" will take place on October 31 at the Rekord cinema in Nizhny Novgorod, with the support of the state enterprise Nizhny Novgorod Region "Oblkinovideoobedineniye," as announced by the cinema's press office.
To date, this film is the largest non-commercial film project undertaken by the company. In addition to the screening itself, the organizers promise "one more small surprise" on the day of the premiere, but are not disclosing any details. The director and screenwriter is Aleksandr Kondratenko. Genre: futuristic drama. Description: "Evil creatures of many kinds live in these places. They can kill, they can tear you apart, they can frighten you to death. Civilization has vanished here; the seasons sometimes change within a single day. Time does as it pleases. You have to survive here. And to survive, you must do the simplest and at the same time the hardest thing — remain human." Screening begins at 20:00. |
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About the film company "Kondor"
"Kondor" is one of the few Nizhny Novgorod film companies engaged in the production of feature-length fiction films. These span a variety of genres: children's film, action, adventure, parody, science fiction, and comedy. There is also a short film project in the horror genre.
Works already released include: "Zoloto plemeni Simenov" (1988), "Byvshiy Ninja 1" and "Byvshiy Ninja 2" (1994), "Astral" (1995), "Samogonka" (1995), "Byvshiy Ninja 3" (1995), "Poiski Sharidy 1" and "Poiski Sharidy 2" (1996), "Kumite na planete drakonov" (1996), "Drakony-politseyskie" (1997), "Kaliforniyskiy udar" (1998), "Kitayskiy stil" (1999), "Nikronomikon" (2000), "Nastoyashchaya zashchita 1" (2002), "Nastoyashchaya zashchita 2" (2004), "Nastoyashchaya zashchita 3" (2007), and "Zheltoye oblako" (2010), "LISHNIE" (2012); in production: "Katarsis", "Noy", "Dominus".
The company continues to develop new projects.
The thriller "Katarsis" is scheduled for release in 2012.
About the director
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Director, screenwriter, actor. Born in Nizhny Novgorod into a family of actors.
Alexander's grandfather worked in the circus alongside Wolf Messing. A former athlete (karate, fencing, Greco-Roman wrestling, various styles of kung fu), he holds a black belt in karate-do, and practices powerlifting and bodybuilding; he is proficient with all types of bladed weapons. He graduated from a journalism school and an acting school, and worked in television. He possesses exceptional knowledge in the fields of directing and screenwriting from various schools around the world. As a director, he is very well-disposed toward those who strive to work for the common result, and harsh toward those in whom he detects backstabbing, the early signs of star syndrome, or talentless stubbornness. On one occasion he threw such a person off the set of the film "Zheltoye oblako" on the spot. |
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Cast and crew
Country/City: Russia/Nizhny Novgorod Year of release: 2010 Running time: 93 minutes
Director: Alexander Kondratenko Producer: Alexander Kondratenko Screenwriter: Alexander Kondratenko Cinematographer: Alexander Stefanyuk Composer: Alyona Krasilnikova
Cast: Alexander Kondratenko, Svetlana Shatalova, Eduard Trubsky, Alexey Frolov, Nikolay Leshkov, Anastasia Chubarova
Editor: Alexander Kondratenko
Sound designer: Anton Kosulin
Film features
According to the filmmakers' statement, the features are as follows:
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Features of the film:
1. The largest non-commercial project in the country. 2. The author spent 3 years working on the screenplay. 3. Hollywood-scale effects, stunts, and fight scenes of the highest caliber. 4. The film has been highly praised by professionals. 5. The film's author also serves as director, screenwriter, actor, editor, martial arts specialist, visual effects artist, and stuntman. 6. The film features an exceptionally large number of actors for a non-commercial production. 7. The director depicted his hometown in ruins. 8. The film is a warning to humanity. 9. The film stars Russia's finest stuntman — Aleksey Kalashnikov. 10. A custom system of composite photography and editing was developed specifically for the film. 11. The best specialists in the region were involved. 12. Outstanding debuts. 13. A masterpiece of auteur cinema. 14. Excellent cinematography. 15. An engaging, original plot. 16. Great energy and ambition. 17. Sparkling humor. 18. Beautiful music. 19. Total immersion in another world. 20. High praise from both professionals and general audiences. |
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Film Reviews
Anselm Nizhegorodsky
I have never written film descriptions or posted them anywhere. This is mainly because there is no shortage of such information "out there on the internets." One can hardly claim that torrent trackers lack films in every conceivable format and size, or that sites like Kinopoisk haven't written entire essays about them — covering not only plot summaries but also countless critical scores and comments.
This time I want to talk about a film that cannot be found on trackers, YouTube, or even just via Google. Despite being mentioned fairly often — mostly in connection with posters announcing screenings at the Rekord cinema — it cannot be tracked down. This may have something to do with copyright and the like. There was even talk that nobody bothered making a cammed copy because people liked the film so much they didn't want to pirate it.
There is, however, an important caveat:
the film was shown in a cinema that not everyone can always attend — especially people from other cities (the film was made in Nizhny Novgorod, by a Nizhny Novgorod company, and screened in that same city).
The filmmakers probably won't be thrilled if I change the current state of affairs by writing about the film here and releasing it into the public domain. I should point out that I am doing this precisely because I liked the film, not for money, seeder ratings on a tracker, or anything else. I want this film to be seen by people who have never been to Nizhny Novgorod and have no way of attending a screening. If anyone likes it, nothing stops them from donating a small (or large) sum to the project's creators. That is far more appropriate than paying only the price of a cinema ticket.
Now, about the plot
What might seem like a tired theme — the Exclusion Zone — is presented here in a relatively fresh way. The Strugatsky brothers framed it as an alien invasion, where all the strange phenomena were simply alien to our world yet perfectly mundane for the visitors'; in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game and some of the books, the preferred explanation is experiments gone out of control, though of entirely earthly origin. In other books in the series the theories vary wildly and are remarkably diverse. But here...
A yellow cloud suddenly appears over Nizhny Novgorod and the surrounding region. Nobody can explain what it is or where it came from. The authorities declare the area closed, feed the media a story about a nuclear plant accident, and cordon off the territory with a military perimeter. For a time the Zone gives no cause for concern: the soldiers on the cordon are bored from inactivity, nothing and nobody emerges from the dome formed by the yellow fog or makes contact with the outside world. Everyone assumes the city's population and those of the surrounding area have perished, and no one expects anything to happen — until the cloud begins to grow.
Alarmed by the prospect of the cloud expanding all the way to Moscow, the authorities hastily organize yet another expedition (the previous military units never returned), consisting of five people: a young woman who is a Federal Security Service officer; an occultist the group calls "the Shaman"; a young hacker named Maxim; a disgraced cop who, as it happens, once chased that same hacker; and a military man.
According to the group's intelligence, one soldier from the perimeter guard did not disappear when the anomalous dome expanded, as the others did — he actually survived. Not only did he enter the Zone unimpeded, he periodically comes back out to the nearest shop for food and basic necessities. Their task is to find him — though as it turns out, the search doesn't take long at all. Literally just a few meters after entering the anomalous area, the group is attacked by zombies (the film never uses that word directly, but that's what they are). The group begins to falter in the unequal fight when this strange soldier — the Guide, as they come to call him — arrives to help. He assists them in dealing with the zombies and explains the peculiarities of this world beyond the cordon.
The expedition's objective, as they learn, is to locate the center of the cloud and determine the reasons for its growth. Despite the Guide's warnings about the dangers of making such a journey, the group sets off toward the center of the Zone. Along the way they encounter many strange things...
I am deliberately not going to describe the ending, knowing that for many people that kills any interest in the film. It is better to see it once than to read many words about it — and it is well worth the time spent watching.
Irinka Poleshchuk: We really did love the film))) Those who didn't come to the premiere missed a lot))) We hope to see many more films from the studio))) Great job, everyone))) You really pulled it off))))
Alexander, the film is great))) Even a little bit funny))) We loved it))) Can't wait for the film Lishniye)))
Mariya Malakeeva: What I liked about Yellow Cloud was its healthy dose of humor delivered with a straight face. The plot is interesting, but I just can't help wanting to ask: when does Sméagol show up and fish out that super-little book?)) Probably in the second part. I'll be waiting)) As for the Lishniye trailer: concise and intriguing. After watching it you want to see the film — which means it did everything right. The viewer is hooked and will come to the screening to satisfy the curiosity the trailer stirred up.
capporicci capporicci: I was at the premiere of "Yellow Cloud" — the hall was packed to capacity. I suspect Alexander himself didn't expect such interest in his first truly big, professional film.
Well done, Sasha! Making a film is titanic work, as I now know — and on the whole, you pulled it off. As for the rest, the details, your friends will help you with those — that's us :)
Aleksey Kalashnikov: Yeah, the film is cool, it packs a lot in — didn't expect that, Sanya) you surprised me! Hope the bald guy's roles keep getting bigger and bigger with each film!)))
Vadim Pugachev: I liked the humor and energy. The fight scenes are all well choreographed and executed. In terms of a certain liveliness, spirit, and jokes, it's much better than, say, The Expendables. But there were scenes that didn't convince me — for example, the scene where "the Shaman" tries to seize the book and take control of it. As for the acting, my impressions were mixed — the female characters didn't impress. The main male characters, on the other hand, were good. I walked out of Rekord in no doubt that the trip was worth it. I was left with the feeling that you have some genuinely interesting ideas and tried to blend different genres in your film. So thank you — and the whole crew — for this film. As they say, you don't judge a singer by a single song. So I'm looking forward to the next film. If I were the state, I wouldn't be giving money for films to Popogrebsky — I'd give it to you)
Aleksey Trutnev: Watched the film. Left with a wealth of genuine impressions — I even dreamed about parts of it during the night. Here's what I want to say: The picture quality is excellent — I think you were being coy about that. In full quality I can't even imagine how stunning it would be. The sound is cinematic, the music is great. I sat through the entire film engaged the whole time, never once felt like yawning. The fight scenes — I'll say nothing, except that I've been to many such premieres in Nizhny Novgorod and I've never seen anything like them. They're alive and powerful, and above all they feel real — not something you could just repeat.
Because there are all sorts of acrobats out there trying to do fight scenes, doing somersaults and falls, but the result isn't the same — you can see the artificiality. Here I genuinely had a blast watching. The effects... blew me away!!!!!! I do have a few complaints. You can tell several camera operators were shooting. I know all of you and tried to work out who filmed what.
I noticed that the most professional and interesting camerawork appears in the scenes that don't feature the lead, Alexander Kondratenko. That was probably him behind the camera. Because almost all the shots involving him are not great. The final fight with the guys in black is brilliantly staged, performed, and even edited — but the camera operator really dropped the ball there. I liked the character of Max, who was funny throughout — but that's more to the credit of whoever created him, and more of a knock against whoever cast the role. There's absolutely no acting there. He comes across as rather irritating. The farewell scene drags. At first I thought that was a flaw, but now I realize the director was simply feeling it intuitively — that's how it had to be.
When my wife and I got home from the cinema, that was the exact scene we talked about; it stayed with me. If it had been shorter, I don't think it would have had the same effect. There's a bit too much action, but since I love the genre I watched it with pleasure — so thank you to the director for that excess. Keep it up, guys!!! Well done!!!
Aleksey Minaev: Awesome!!! Professional!!! Super!!! Nothing like this has ever been done in Nizhny Novgorod, and probably never will be!!! Those Expendables don't even come close. I want to see it again. Put me on the list! Two tickets for me!!!
Elizaveta Lisitsina: When will there be a sequel? I loved everything. Except the actor playing Max wasn't really right for the role. Acted poorly — you could see him trying not to laugh. And he's kind of an unpleasant type. The militiaman who can't shoot — now there's a great character! And the farewell scene is really good. Fantastic humor. The fight choreography is so crisp. Like Chuck Norris. Even better! We'd go again. Put me down for 3 tickets. And will the discs be available to buy?
Sergey Bakharev: Incredible film! I did kickboxing for 10 years and I have to say I've never seen technique that polished. The film held my attention from start to finish. Would love to watch it again and pick up a disc. After all these Nizhny Novgorod premieres showing nothing but rubbish, this is the first time I've actually seen a real film — real cinematography, real acting, real fights (it felt like full-contact), real effects. Everything promised in the advertising was delivered and then some. Thank you to the filmmakers. Well done!
Olesya Medyanova: I also wasn't impressed with the actor playing Max. All the other characters are such sweethearts and act so well. I suppose that was the intention. What a magnificent farewell scene — a very beautiful love story, beautifully performed. The film completely draws you into its atmosphere. Thank you for a wonderful evening and a beautiful film. We'd happily go again. Let us know about repeat screenings.
Semyon Sebastyanov: Yeah, the toothy one ruined the whole film. But the film is wonderful all the same. The scene that stuck with me was when the Black guy shows up and reads everyone. The camerawork there is genius. The opening credits are shot nicely too. The whole film is nearly a five-star. I didn't like the shots of them walking through the city, but the effects — wow! Brilliant, guys. When the deranged soldiers attacked the group — insane. What a scene!!! It's been a long time since anything worthwhile showed up in cinemas, and then our guys pull something like this off! If you screen it again, let us know — we'll be there.
Oleg Ryabinin: Had a great time, left the cinema in high spirits. Somehow we genuinely got transported into that yellow cloud. A heartfelt film, despite all the flaws you've mentioned here. It boggles the mind how something like this can be made without any funding. My wife even shed a tear at the farewell scene. And I thoroughly enjoyed that little slice of genuine western at the end — they don't make those anymore, and I love them. You can tell straight away that these guys can successfully make films in all kinds of genres. Congratulations on the premiere. We're waiting for "The Expendables"!
Artur Proskuryakov: Let me tell you everything I think. No point complaining about poor picture quality. For that damned Rekord cinema, this was absolutely top-notch! Rekord doesn't know how to screen HD. This film is a real film — with everything that entails. I've seen premieres at Rekord, and let me tell you, what I saw there was garbage. Two people talk for ten minutes, and that's it. But this is a real film. Comparing it to "Avatar" versus an episode of "Sasha + Masha." I also wasn't a fan of the guy playing Max. You could tell the director was dragging him along by the ears. The rest acted quite well. The fight scenes only really work for the actor playing the Guide and the gang leader... and the bald guy, though he flubbed his lines.
The rest aren't cut out for action films. The girls actually carried themselves far more fiercely in moments of danger than, say, the detective. Maybe that was intentional. The effects are just FREAKING AMAAAAAAZING!!! Wow, HIP-HIP HOORAY. The fights and shootouts too. Some say the script mixes too many genres, but that's the hook. It really makes you think. A lot of things only clicked a few days after watching. Very deep meaning — and more importantly, it comes through clearly! I liked the gangsters, the Black guys were genuinely menacing. I watched a real, worthwhile film! Thank you to the filmmakers. When the disc comes out, we'll definitely buy it.
Marina Preobrazhenskaya: Hello, filmmakers. I attended the premiere, only discovered your group and the reviews today. I really enjoyed the film. A very interesting script. A beautiful film. The person I liked most was Aleksandr Kondratenko as the Guide. The other actors also performed well. Except — well, yes, I agree with the majority on that one. But I'd like to add that the role of Max should have gone to Dima Prokofyev. I know he performed all the stunts for the Max character. But he could have acted the part too. And his looks are far more appealing. The computer effects are great, the battles are super. The militiaman who can't shoot eased into the role nicely. Unhurried. The Indian woman turned out really well. What about a sequel and the alternate ending — can you let us in on a secret? And where can you buy the film?
Oleg Ryabinin: Why so many words! And so many professional nitpicks. It's obvious that only the director carried the film and pushed it past the threshold of PROFESSIONAL. No explanation needed. This is a landmark event for Nizhny Novgorod. Nothing like this has ever been made in the entire history of the city by anyone outside the commercial sector. And no one will! When is "The Expendables" coming, and where can the disc be bought. If you won't sell me a disc of "Yellow Cloud," I'll show up to "The Expendables" with a camera and pirate it!
Artur Proskuryakov: Yellow Cloud is a masterpiece of Russian cinema, end of story!
Lyudmila Zueva, journalist for the newspaper "Birzha":
Thank you for the film! You had me worried it would be too brutal and frightening. But I was only scared once — so you prepared me well, apparently. Everything is done with such sincerity — you can feel it in every frame. A warm, kind energy. That's a rare thing these days — against the backdrop of all those absurdly bloated-budget pictures of recent years, where the idea is worth a kopek but the money spent could save the world. And even the fact that you spell out the main ideas declaratively, too directly — that's probably what's needed right now. So that everyone hears it. It's a tendency in art that critics approve of, and thoughtful people generally too. Though I would think about how to do it a little more subtly — set against the martial arts, it would actually hit even harder.
There's still something living inside you that surfaces now and then and misbehaves — that Indian you played as a child. But again, it worked in your favor and the film's — it added charm. And in real life with real people, that happens often enough too. And the fights — they're brilliant and in places truly artistic! And for me, as a dancer, some scenes were just a joy to watch — I was watching on a breath and a smile. And the fighters are such different physical types! It's wonderful that you don't cast everyone in your own image. Even in the hardest strikes he was pointing his toes — just delightful!
But the monsters and creatures lurking inside the cloud — they came across, forgive me, as somewhat fairy-tale-like. Though still from the good fairy tales — from the Soviet era, ones that even Hollywood envied. And in general, I sincerely wish you this: don't lose your inner kindness and that slightly childlike way of seeing things and the world — as you climb the ladder in film. Mila Zueva
Seryozha Frolov Aleksandr Kondratenko now has more than two dozen films to his name. The director has no doubt that his films are far more interesting than the work of his Hollywood counterparts. Even small-town actors dream of an Oscar.
Chairs shatter, wardrobes collapse, glass shatters — large-scale, dynamic hand-to-hand combat scenes and gunfire are the hallmark of Aleksandr Kondratenko. All of his films contain elements of mysticism.
In one of them, Nizhny Novgorod is enveloped by a mysterious yellow cloud; the city becomes the center of an exclusion zone where strange and frightening things occur.
View the original article at http://www.1tv.ru/news/other/235504
Channel One (ORT)
"In Hollywood, it's mostly computers doing the work these days. But here, real people are working. Sweat, blood — everything here is alive, everything is real," says theatre actor Yuri Grigoryev.
Aleksey Kalashnikov performs striptease in real life, but on screen he transforms into a glamorous villain, striking his opponents at cosmic speed. This is already his third film with the Nizhny Novgorod director.
See the original story at http://www.1tv.ru/news/other/235504
Official
This film is virtually the only one in Russia made based on the beloved, million-strong game series "Stalker." A mission into the exclusion zone, inhabited by strange creatures. Abandoned villages, settlements, cities. The film achieved high ratings on television channels and sold-out screenings in cinemas. NTV The director has an enormous number of scripts on the most topical subjects to his credit. Many of his films have been successfully shown on local television channels. And the crime action film "Lishnie" and the feature-length film "Yellow Cloud" about the exclusion zone have received a license from the Ministry of Culture and may be screened in cinemas across the country.
Details — in the NTV report.
Andrey Ponomarev
A worthy film. As a Stalker fan, I really enjoyed it — even though the action quota clearly goes off the charts compared to pure Tarkovsky. But the times demand it, and you have to keep up. Thank you for the film. We could use more like it from Russian producers.
Independent Viewer, anonymous review from 95.154.91.2, 13.12.2012 at 16:32 Such blatant hackwork that words fail me. What was the director thinking about for "3 years"? Probably where to find some new weed. Too bad he actually found it. The world now has one more "masterpiece."
Anonymous review
Holy f**king sh*t! I am absolutely blown away!!! Make me a baby! I'm just coming!!!
Interesting facts
- In 2012, "Yellow Cloud" will be broadcast multiple times on the Volga television company's channel.
- Filming took place at Avtozavod, Skoba, in Sormovo, at Minin Square, on the Borskiy Bridge, at the The Chkalov Staircase, and in Sortirovka. In the film, all of these locations are depicted in ruins.
- According to the director's statement aired on the Seti-NN television network, the film's budget was just a few thousand rubles — "and not all at once; it was pocket money." This makes it something of a Nizhny Novgorod record in the field of feature film production.
- According to the filmmakers, the film had a successful theatrical run across the Nizhny Novgorod and neighboring regions, and was broadcast on the Volga television company. Several other Russian channels acquired broadcast rights, including the Amazing life channel (program "Yarmarka Kino," episode 22). The film has been accepted into the GOSFILMOFOND of the Russian Federation under number 211050410.
- The Volga television company acquired broadcast rights for all films produced by the Kondor film company for the period 2012–2013.
Official website of the film
- Contact Kinostudiya Kondor