Archangel (1990)
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75% of critics liked it
(8 reviews) -
75% of users liked it
(317 ratings)
Archangel is a courageous if not altogether successful attempt to emulate the styles and techniques of silent films within a talking-picture framework. Kyle McCulloch plays a crippled British officer, who during World War 1 takes up residence in the Russian town of Archangel. Here he falls in love… More Archangel is a courageous if not altogether successful attempt to emulate the styles and techniques of silent films within a talking-picture framework. Kyle McCulloch plays a crippled British officer, who during World War 1 takes up residence in the Russian town of Archangel. Here he falls in love with a woman who is the living image of his deceased lover. This arouses the jealousy of McCulloch's landlord's wife, who covets the soldier for herself. While it is obvious that director Guy Maddin has put a great deal of love and effort into this project, it is liable to confuse anyone not familiar with the "language" of silent movies. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Guy Maddin
- Written By
- John B. Harvie, Guy Maddin
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy, Special Interest
- In Theaters
- Jul 19, 1991 Limited
Critic Reviews
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
What comes across is a fascinating fetishist delirium, where memories of remote war movies get recycled into something that's alternately creepy and beautiful.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Confused? No matter; so are the characters in this absurdist melodrama.
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Stephen Holden, New York Times
From its flickering, inky cinematography to its wavering late 1920's-style sound track, to Veronkha's kohl-eyed vampish look, the movie is an expert parody of a period movie style.
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Sean Axmaker, Parallax View
... a surreal silent movie melodrama of love, war, and amnesia for the sound era: an absurdist silent WWI epic that never was.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Inspired absurdist melodrama.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Kyle McCulloch
as Lt. John Boles
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Kathy Marykuca
as Veronkha
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Sarah Neville
as Danchuk
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Michael Gottli
as Jannings
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David Falkenberg
as Geza
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Michael O'Sullivan
as Doctor
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Victor Cowie
as Captain
- Ari Cohen
- David Falkenburg
- Margaret Anne MacLeod