This is a controversial entertainment drama which is aimed on the modern Russian youthful or feeling themselves so audience. Profanities are presented in abundance. I may find some analogy with Kids / Ken Park movies, but almost without explicit body exposure. Interesting to watch. Shot from a "real world" camera, always shaken and carried around. The plot is about relations and problems of an ordinary classmates of 9-A class at an ordinary Moscow school. It had some cut scenes during the first episodes, while the night-time episodes were uncut. Some public hearings were held in Russian State Duma (e.g. Parliament) about eligibility to air drama with such foul language where all the under-aged minors are casted. As the result the series are broadcasted only at the evening-night time.
5 Reviews
School
leonguber10 December 2010
Although this movie is not a documentary, it surely documents a large part of the Russian school life. Valeria Gai Germanika creates an extremely realistic environment where the camera acquires an almost voyeuristic nature. The movie is filmed in an amateur style with uncut scenes and a hand held camera. The movie touches and examines the sore wounds of the young generation. The camera becomes an x-ray that penetrates the outer shell and reveals the corruption of the students and the teachers. The difference in values between the young and the old generation is portrayed in vivid colors. The preoccupation of the young with appearance, popularity, love, and sexuality clashes with the solid standards of the older generation. The sub cultures that are so popular in Russian are also portrayed clearly. The emerging skinhead and the Emo girl are like stereotypical characters that exist in every school.
worst movie
nikolaev-pavel-n12 March 2010
I wanted very much to write about ordinary ugliness at our screens. After all, as usual, or indicate that all very well, or show that everything is very bad.
Appeared director, which shows that everything is very bad, and in Russia's school. Valeria Gai Germanica. Saw the film "All will die, but I'll stay" and TV series "School". As a man, spent 5 years in the Moscow school, plus a man the same age as "director" of the films I want to say that all that is shown in these films complete nonsense, complete nonsense, which is not even worth discussing. So that shown in the film - does not happen in reality, it is non-science fiction.
About the film - absolutely rigid plot, a plot of the three brainless cheeks who constantly commit stupid acts. Well there is no such in our schools. No. If a situation of 140 million inhabitants of Russia and the accident occurred, the show is like a "normal" school, I think blasphemy. Sidedness of the film is striking. And the most interesting that constantly while watching it seems that until the movie is not good enough "little" - in the end I realized what was lacking, not enough truth.
About the Series does not want to talk. Absolutely unnatural teacher, absolutely. As a teacher of literature, can be so crooked writing on the blackboard. How could a teacher can lead a lesson as did the physics teacher - will not be an adequate teacher called him a student at all, yes, even one on one, blunt, nonsense once. Teachers "allegedly" did not control the children. Children allegedly unruly beast - a man comes to him as soon as a person made in the corridor - an anecdote. Well, not all actually. We're Russian people. Yes, there are cattle, there are freaks. But most people and children in schools - adequate normal Russian people. I couldn't see gang seize power at school, power over the classes in which they learn, most often they just find their own kind, and become outcasts.
Furthermore. The question, who needs all this show on the first channel? There is a first thought - with the director of the film, there was some unpleasantness when she was studying in 9 th grade. So she takes off "girls" - about alcohol, sex and girls, "boys" - about alcohol, sex and boys, "all will die and I'll stay" - about alcohol, sex, girls and boys, "the school" - about the girls and boys, alcohol, sex.
To be honest, I'm against censorship, and now the State Duma is discussing the possibility to disable it to show. Oh Lord, show, can anyone really need, but not on the first channel of the country, show it to em-Tiwi, or even some, perhaps episodes will find an audience, but to show why this film went to Ernst & Company incomprehensible.
And what do they have? Remember the "childhood" - about school life, we prophesied two series - "Adolescents of Degrassi Street" and "Beverly Hills 90210." And you imagine, there were also girls, boys, alcohol, sex. But the show was completely different. These serials were taught how not to behave. From these North American serials of our young people would be more useful than that issued from the first channel. Films and TV series Valeria Gai, taught that "so anywhere around, so it's normal. In general, the next project, killing our country from within.
Appeared director, which shows that everything is very bad, and in Russia's school. Valeria Gai Germanica. Saw the film "All will die, but I'll stay" and TV series "School". As a man, spent 5 years in the Moscow school, plus a man the same age as "director" of the films I want to say that all that is shown in these films complete nonsense, complete nonsense, which is not even worth discussing. So that shown in the film - does not happen in reality, it is non-science fiction.
About the film - absolutely rigid plot, a plot of the three brainless cheeks who constantly commit stupid acts. Well there is no such in our schools. No. If a situation of 140 million inhabitants of Russia and the accident occurred, the show is like a "normal" school, I think blasphemy. Sidedness of the film is striking. And the most interesting that constantly while watching it seems that until the movie is not good enough "little" - in the end I realized what was lacking, not enough truth.
About the Series does not want to talk. Absolutely unnatural teacher, absolutely. As a teacher of literature, can be so crooked writing on the blackboard. How could a teacher can lead a lesson as did the physics teacher - will not be an adequate teacher called him a student at all, yes, even one on one, blunt, nonsense once. Teachers "allegedly" did not control the children. Children allegedly unruly beast - a man comes to him as soon as a person made in the corridor - an anecdote. Well, not all actually. We're Russian people. Yes, there are cattle, there are freaks. But most people and children in schools - adequate normal Russian people. I couldn't see gang seize power at school, power over the classes in which they learn, most often they just find their own kind, and become outcasts.
Furthermore. The question, who needs all this show on the first channel? There is a first thought - with the director of the film, there was some unpleasantness when she was studying in 9 th grade. So she takes off "girls" - about alcohol, sex and girls, "boys" - about alcohol, sex and boys, "all will die and I'll stay" - about alcohol, sex, girls and boys, "the school" - about the girls and boys, alcohol, sex.
To be honest, I'm against censorship, and now the State Duma is discussing the possibility to disable it to show. Oh Lord, show, can anyone really need, but not on the first channel of the country, show it to em-Tiwi, or even some, perhaps episodes will find an audience, but to show why this film went to Ernst & Company incomprehensible.
And what do they have? Remember the "childhood" - about school life, we prophesied two series - "Adolescents of Degrassi Street" and "Beverly Hills 90210." And you imagine, there were also girls, boys, alcohol, sex. But the show was completely different. These serials were taught how not to behave. From these North American serials of our young people would be more useful than that issued from the first channel. Films and TV series Valeria Gai, taught that "so anywhere around, so it's normal. In general, the next project, killing our country from within.
Sad but true
ilya-4228 January 2010
The plot revolves around one particular class in an ordinary Russian school in bedroom suburb of Moscow. Unlike many other works of the same field it's hard to figure out who are the main and supporting characters, it's rather a cross section of a daily school life with all its ins and outs.
Much like Germanika's other works the atmosphere on set is extremely close to reality: the school is a real school, the camera is shaking, the kids are talking the way they talk in real life stumbling in their speech occasionally. The themes portrayed in the movie include: drinking, smoking, having sex, teen violence, revolt against parents and school administration, climbing the hill of class hierarchy, or in other words everything almost every 16 year old goes through in one way or another while being at school. Realistic characters and shocking content with life served to the audience "as is" make the series to stand out among other films portraying teen life.
While being aired in prime time on a federal channel "Shkola" was criticized for almost exclusive focusing on the darker side of adolescent years: rude language, taking alcohol and smoking on screen, violence and portraying teachers and other adults as base, egotistic, self-centered people. However, the public uproar and constant requests from various groups and individuals to stop airing the series only gave it a popularity boost.
The movie is recommended for everyone who is interested in a true face of today teens.
Much like Germanika's other works the atmosphere on set is extremely close to reality: the school is a real school, the camera is shaking, the kids are talking the way they talk in real life stumbling in their speech occasionally. The themes portrayed in the movie include: drinking, smoking, having sex, teen violence, revolt against parents and school administration, climbing the hill of class hierarchy, or in other words everything almost every 16 year old goes through in one way or another while being at school. Realistic characters and shocking content with life served to the audience "as is" make the series to stand out among other films portraying teen life.
While being aired in prime time on a federal channel "Shkola" was criticized for almost exclusive focusing on the darker side of adolescent years: rude language, taking alcohol and smoking on screen, violence and portraying teachers and other adults as base, egotistic, self-centered people. However, the public uproar and constant requests from various groups and individuals to stop airing the series only gave it a popularity boost.
The movie is recommended for everyone who is interested in a true face of today teens.
It never adds more scandal than needed
AndreiPavlov4 October 2011
Have seen 4 serials that can be called "cult" ones: "Thunder in Paradise", "Twin Peaks", "Interny", and this one - "Shkola". All these four are not just good, they are excellent. "Excellent" means this: when you watch them, you really feel for the characters, you really care, and you want the series to go on and on
"Shkola" has quite a few of interesting characters who behave in a most groovy, rowdy or stupid way. The present life is depicted in bawdy but realistic colours. Remember watching "Beverly Hills 90210" once, and of course the impression was radically different. If you like your cinema only cosy-rosy, soft, warm, romantic, smoothed-out, pathetic, and friendly in a childish innocent way, stay far away from this serial. You will be upset or even foam and faint in front of the TV-set. But if you enjoy rough, uncouth realism with the doltish true-to-life characters, who just happen to be all in one place, all in one movie, then this is for you. You don't have to wait long till one of the characters brings havoc or goes berserk: it happens every 10 minutes. A very smart move of the director was her use of mostly unknown actors. Actors with big names would have ruined the documentary feel of the reel. And truly enjoy the jerky camera handling and wild angles. Often the faces look so disproportional and uncomfortably ugly (sometimes it adds a hysterical effect to the action)...
It is to be viewed attentively and without long gaps (personally watched it almost every evening – usually a couple of parts at once). You will notice how the characters' lives are changing in strict accordance with their previous misdeeds. The effects of their own behaviour get into sight vividly. Don't know if it had been planned by the director beforehand – perhaps it just turned out like that in the final product (in one of Nelson Algren's books this phenomenon was explained). To me this topic is not something exotic. Being a teacher by first profession quite agree with those who say that in reality the things can get much worse than in this serial. Just one scene to back it up. In the movie the headmistress comes up to the "neo-Nazi" Bagira and tells her to quit smoking and leave the school. There are words shot from both sides. Just words. In reality in a similar situation in our school the female teacher (she was also the school manager) was punched in the face and had to lead classes with a big bruise under her eye.
Have read a few bad things about Valeriya Gay Germanika. Even if it's all true, it doesn't mean anything. Do happy, stylish, rich, and successful people need to make realistic movies that show human hearts agonizing in pain of the modern world? Very unlikely. They'd rather make "Smativai udochki", "Machete", and other blockbuster trash/remakes/etc.
It is not entertainment. And it never adds more scandal than needed. Rough sex is not shown. Blood sprays are not shown. There is no stupid and overused these days slow-mo. There are almost no taboo words. And no nakedness "to spice it up". If you are looking for this material, go get something like "Ken/South Park" or "MILF".
And of course this movie is for adults only. And to know Russian is essential. To know very well that is.
A very peculiar drama without even the slightest tint of glam but with bitter taste and dark atmosphere, not to everybody's liking to be sure, but quite monumental and groundbreaking. Give it a 9 out of 10. Thank you for attention.
It is to be viewed attentively and without long gaps (personally watched it almost every evening – usually a couple of parts at once). You will notice how the characters' lives are changing in strict accordance with their previous misdeeds. The effects of their own behaviour get into sight vividly. Don't know if it had been planned by the director beforehand – perhaps it just turned out like that in the final product (in one of Nelson Algren's books this phenomenon was explained). To me this topic is not something exotic. Being a teacher by first profession quite agree with those who say that in reality the things can get much worse than in this serial. Just one scene to back it up. In the movie the headmistress comes up to the "neo-Nazi" Bagira and tells her to quit smoking and leave the school. There are words shot from both sides. Just words. In reality in a similar situation in our school the female teacher (she was also the school manager) was punched in the face and had to lead classes with a big bruise under her eye.
Have read a few bad things about Valeriya Gay Germanika. Even if it's all true, it doesn't mean anything. Do happy, stylish, rich, and successful people need to make realistic movies that show human hearts agonizing in pain of the modern world? Very unlikely. They'd rather make "Smativai udochki", "Machete", and other blockbuster trash/remakes/etc.
It is not entertainment. And it never adds more scandal than needed. Rough sex is not shown. Blood sprays are not shown. There is no stupid and overused these days slow-mo. There are almost no taboo words. And no nakedness "to spice it up". If you are looking for this material, go get something like "Ken/South Park" or "MILF".
And of course this movie is for adults only. And to know Russian is essential. To know very well that is.
A very peculiar drama without even the slightest tint of glam but with bitter taste and dark atmosphere, not to everybody's liking to be sure, but quite monumental and groundbreaking. Give it a 9 out of 10. Thank you for attention.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
