Alina
I'd like to comment to the words of one of the reviewers here, who says"In reality 4-5 unexperienced women and one man (even if he is a genial soldier) would have no chance against 16 Gebirgsjäger. "It's not the point of the film. It's not a fight film that wants to show the valour of soviet soldiers.It's true that in reality these 16 nazi "Gebirgsjäger" would just slay the women in seconds... would it be than less impressive as in the film? they did slay them all, but in a different way... The film shows women that have to face the violence of war.. have to fight and have to die.. they are longing for love and family happiness, but the time is not on their side...
fw-bz
First, I often like Russian/sowjet war movies (for example Idi i smotri). And I expected much of A zori zdes tikhie (German title: Im Morgengrauen ist es noch still), because I had not seen bad Russian war movies before (well I have seen only 5 or 6, but thats not few) and because of the good comments the movie got here in IMDb. But I think this movie is not convincing, even not for the time it was done (1972). For today standards it is even kitschy in some parts - I means the flashback, when they all dream of their men (the colour film parts) - nobody would do this this not subtle way today - but well - that was the time. But many users said the movie would be realistic - hell it is not. The German soldiers (and they are described as elite force) act so stupid it hurts - (everyone who have been some time in the army will see it). In reality 4-5 unexperienced women and one man (even if he is a genial soldier) would have no chance again 16 Gebirgsjäger. Well I accept, that in movies the leading characters act a bit better than their opponent so that it is a little bit unrealistic (like in Die Brücke - which is by the way a far better movie from 1959) but this was to much. I also think that to much patriotic phrases are used in the movie - that the women fought for good reason would have been clear also without this
sym4ny
I saw this movie several times. First, I watched this movie when I was a kid. At that time it didn't say much to me. There isn't much war-film stuff in it: except for some air-raid attack-counter-attack scene at the beginning and several shots in the second part of the movie. Last time I watched the movie, I was more knowledgeable about WWII and conscious about the calamities it brought to my country. My grandmom's favorite movie, as my Dad says, "A zori zdes' tihije", conveys more than Soviet propaganda wanted it to do. This movie greatly explores people's lives and destinies in a war period. It asks with passion:"How can we live an everyday life in an extraordinary time, the war proves to be."
fa7999
This is arguably one of the very best war movies ever made. The story is touching and poetic. A great ensemble cast shine under the careful and sensitive direction under Stanislav Rostotsky. The use of montage and different coloring schemes for several different periods work nicely and the cinematography is stunning. This is a movie not to be missed by any serious movie buff. Ruscico is gonna release in on DVD sometime in 2004. Keep your fingers crossed.