Ashik Kerib (1988)
"Ashug-Karibi" (original title)

Wandering minstrel Ashik Kerib falls in love with a rich merchant's daughter, but is spurned by her father and forced to roam the world for a thousand and one nights - but not before he's ... See full summary »

Directors:

Sergei Parajanov, Dodo Abashidze

Writers:

Gia Badridze, Mikhail Lermontov (story)

Stars:

Yuri Mgoyan, Sofiko Chiaureli, Ramaz Chkhikvadze

6 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Yuri Mgoyan
Sofiko Chiaureli
Ramaz Chkhikvadze
Konstantin Stepankov	...	(as Konstantin Adamov)
Veronique Matonidze
Baia Dvalishvili
David Dovlatian
Levan Natroshvili
Slava Stepanian
Nodar Dugladze
Dodo Abashidze

Storyline

Wandering minstrel Ashik Kerib falls in love with a rich merchant's daughter, but is spurned by her father and forced to roam the world for a thousand and one nights - but not before he's got the daughter to promise not to marry till his return. It's told in typical Paradjanov style, in a series of visually ravishing 'tableaux vivants' overlaid with Turkish and Azerbaijani folksongs.

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Plot Keywords:

love | merchant | wandering minstrel | minstrel | father daughter relationship | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

Georgia Soviet Union

Language:

Azerbaijani Georgian

Release Date:

May 1989 (Turkey)

Also Known As:

Ashik Kerib

Filming Locations:

Baku, Azerbaijan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Qartuli Pilmi

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dedicated to Sergei Parajanov's close friend Andrei Tarkovsky who had died two years previously.

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Connections

Featured in Parajanov: The Last Spring (1992)

User Reviews

Ashik Kerib? Ash!t Kerib

Ay Karamba! What a letdown. Having read the other reviews on IMDb, I was expecting to see a delightful cross between Alice in Wonderland and Tarkovsky. Instead it's more like Fellini on a bad day with a really low budget.

When I say "Fellini on a bad day", I mean that there is no coherent theme to the almost random images we receive. Aside from the thin plot of a man travelling many miles for love, there doesn't seem to be much substance holding this film together. I'd group it in the genre of "road movies" that are best watched under the influence of psychomorphic drugs.

And when I say "a really low budget" I mean A REALLY LOW BUDGET. I've seen home movies that are more professionally made. Granted, the low budget led to some very innovative storytelling techniques perfect for fantasy (namely, the use of a red handkerchief to symbolize blood, or the use of extras in a paper mâché tiger suit to symbolize a gladiatorial fight--I really did enjoy those scenes), but the uneven camera-work, the poor film/sound quality, bad editing (jerky scene cuts) and the amateur (over-)acting really killed it. It reminded me of one of those notorious Ed Wood movies where suspension of disbelief is impossible due to the overwhelming flaws.

The story itself is forgettable. It begins very nicely, but around midway you realize that it's not going anywhere. And at the end of the movie your suspicions are confirmed. The ending is as unfulfilling as it gets--no drama, no deep message, rather predictable... almost "hollywood" but on a very low budget. I understand that this movie is the compilation of many traditional fables... but aren't fables supposed to have morals (meanings) to them? And last of all... what's with everyone's eyebrows? Whoa. Even the women are sporting the neanderthal look. It's very distracting, because after a while you can't tell who's who. Crazy, just crazy. lol.