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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready....
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Since 1996 |
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready....
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Tulpan Stars: Askhat Kuchinchirekov, Samal Yeslyamova, Ondasyn Besikbasov, Tulepbergen Baisakalov, Bereke Turganbayev and Mahabbat Tuganbayeva Director: Sergey Dvortsevoy Scriptwriters: Sergey Dvortsevoy and Gennady Ostrivskiy Language of Kazakhstan, subtitled Cinematography: Joia Dyleska Pandora Films No Rating but could be PG 13 or R for animal birth, nude photos and language Running Length: 101 minutes Love. It can encompass many things---people, animals or the land. In Sergey Dvortsevoy’s film, Tulpan (Tulip) love refers to all three of the above. This is seen in the life of Asa, who lives in the Betpak Dala region of Kazakhstan, which is flat, arid, sandy and an occasional dust devil. Asa (Askhat Kuchinchirekov) is Everyman who has come back from the military (here it is the Russian Navy) and wants to settle down. How to find the right girl, how to find the right occupation and how to fit in are universal ideas and brought to the forefront in this casual-moving story of assimilation. Asa returns to his home area and stays with his sister, Samal (Samal Yeslyamova), her husband, Ondas (Ondasyn Besikbasov) and their four children. The family lives in a yurt, without electricity, but keeps in touch with the world by battery-powered radio. They are herders and in this area, in order to gain the responsibility of herding animals, you must have a wife. Thus, for Asa to be a herder, he must marry and there is the rub. Only one eligible girl in the area and her name is Tulpan (Tulip). The courting process is amusing as Asa must gain the respect of her parents first, and they just plainly aren’t interested. Especially with the gift of a plastic chandelier and they don’t have electricity. Tulpan, unseen, sends out her reply. She isn’t interested because his ears are too big. Thus, begins a transformation, as Asa hastens to learn the business of herding and trying to be pleasant and sociable for his next chance at courting. In the meantime, Ondas is becoming impatient with Asa, and Asa’s rather wild friend, Boni (Tulepbergen Baisakalov) who is the region’s trader-on-wheels with everything from magazines to cucumbers. Boni loves loud rock music. We witness an actual lamb birth, plus the transportation of an injured baby camel (complete with bandage around its neck) by the local vet. The baby’s mother hovers nearby, whining constantly. The vet travels by using a blue-painted motorcycle, Red Cross on the front and complete with sidecar in which the baby camel rides. Tulpan is slow in spots and we have one too many shots of herding animals or Samal’s children at play. Photography is very good and gives you a vision of life here, which is harsh and one wonders just what the animals find to eat on the steppes. Acting is well done, especially Asa as the man-in-love and his sister, Samal, who cares for him, but doesn’t quite know how to help him. What ends up being annoying is the constant singing of Samal’s daughter. Enough is enough. Family life is close and the relationships within the family unit are friendly and warm. This seems to be what Asa wants, but how to achieve it? His ears are a constant reminder of looks and while other people ride horses, he has a mule. Sand is everywhere and it really is useless to brush it off your clothing as it will come back again. Water has to be trucked in and yet, people love this land and call it home. Copyright 2009 Marie Asner
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