Paragraf 78 (2007)

Director:

Mikhail Khleborodov

Writers:

Mikhail Khleborodov (screenplay)
Ivan Okhlobystin (novel)

Release Date:

22 February 2007 (Russia)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Paragraph 78: The Die is Cast.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Number In Title

Cast

Yuriy Kutsenko	...	Gudvin (as Gosha Kutsenko)
Vladimir Vdovichenkov	...	Skif
Anastasiya Slanevskaya	...	Lisa
Grigoriy Siyatvinda	...	Festival
Anatoliy Belyy	...	Spam
Stanislav Duzhnikov	...	Lyuba
Aziz Beyshenaliev	...	Pay
Yusup Bakhshiev	...	Doktor
Aleksandr Tyutin	...	General
Aleksey Malashkin	...	Stantsionnyy doktor
Marina Bakhshieva	...	Marta
Mikhail Efremov	...	Nachalnik tyurmy
Aleksey Ogurtsov	...	Nachalnik okhrany
Timofey Bayer	...	Glaz
Sergey Shakurov	...	Chlen voennogo tribunala
Viktor Verzhbitskiy	...	Chlen voennogo tribunala
Mariya Kiselyova	...	Chlen voennogo tribunala
Mikhail Mukhtasipov	...	Khozyain kafe
Sergey Stakhov	...	1-yy pekhotinets
Yuriy Lukashevskiy	...	2-oy pekhotinets (as Gosha Lukashevskiy)
Aleksey Korolev	...	3-iy pekhotinets
Konstantin Gatsalov	...	1-yy pilot
Pavel Trubiner	...	2-oy pilot
Darya Krivonogova	...	Devushka za barnoy stoykoy
Aleksandr Fastovskiy	...	Okhrannik
Keysi	...	Sobaka Keysi

Directed by
Mikhail Khleborodov

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mikhail Khleborodov		screenplay
Ivan Okhlobystin		novel

Produced by
Yusup Bakhshiev	....	producer
Iskander Galiev	....	associate producer
Dmitri Yudayev	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Tobias Enhus

Cinematography by
Sergei Kozlov

Production Management
Oksana Rankova	....	production manager

Sound Department
Anton Balaban	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pavel Doreuli	....	sound

Special Effects by
Ilya Churinov	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Chelomov Alexey	....	digital compositor
Timofey Goloborodko	....	visual effects supervisor
Vladimir Leschinski	....	visual effects supervisor
Elena Lotanova	....	visual effects
Sergei Lysogor	....	post production producers
Sergeev Mikhail	....	visual effects coordinator
Bogdanov Vyacheslav	....	post supervisor
Martin Wells	....	digital intermediate colourist

Stunts
Oleg Botin	....	utility stunts
Martin Ivanov	....	stunts
Viktor Ivanov	....	stunts
Vladimir Orlov	....	fight choreographer
Vladimir Orlov	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Kirill Speransky	....	director of photography: additional photography

Editorial Department
Timofey Goloborodko	....	digital colorist

Music Department
Robert L. Bennett Jr.	....	composer: additional score
Stephen Coleman	....	orchestrator: conductor
Thorsten Laewe	....	composer: additional music
Robert Puff	....	music preparation
H. Scott Salinas	....	composer: additional music
H. Scott Salinas	....	music editor
Fredrik Sarhagen	....	score mixer: orchestral recording

Other crew
Andreev Dan	....	film conformist
Ryjonkov Evgeni	....	final conformist
Lacis Normund	....	title designer

Production Companies

• MB Productions
• Star Magic
• Stimul M Production

Distributors

• Central Partnership (2007) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Cinergia (2007) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
• Suraya Filem (2008) (Indonesia) (theatrical)
• Suraya Filem (2008) (Malaysia) (theatrical)
• Suraya Filem (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Suraya Filem (2008) (Vietnam) (theatrical)
• Swift Distribution (2008) (France) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Dr. PICTURE Studios (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Cinelex  digital intermediate
• Cinelex  editing
• Cinelex  post-production
• Cinelex  title design

Also Known As:

Параграф 78 (Russia)
Paragraph 78 (International: English title)

Runtime:

Greece:95 min

Country:

Russia

Language:

Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Kaliningrad, Russia

Company:

MB Productions

Trivia:

Film's promotional blog written by producer Yusup Bakhshiev had to be shut down after the discussion between Bakshiev and discontented moviegoers got out of control.

Quotes:

Doctor on station: Do you know what a virus is?
Lab girl: A virus?
Doctor on station: Well, yes. A virus.
Lab girl: It's a form of life.
Doctor on station: No.
Lab girl: Then what?
Doctor on station: It's a form of death.
Lab girl: That's not funny.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Paragraf 78 - Film vtoroy (2007)

Not as good as I have expected

The two major disappointments when I finished watching this movie in the theater, was the plot background and the fact that it is split in two parts. Well, I understand the marketing principles and why not intrigue viewers enough to encourage them to go to the second part, but to me, it is a bit unfair. Like you go in the restaurant only to find an appetizer and to be told that other dishes will be available few days later.

The plot background is far worse than just non-original. A secret underground lab, a disaster in the form of deadly virus turning everyone there into zombies (if not killing), a group of highly professional SWAT-like heroes sent to investigate, an unwelcome member of the group, behaving strangely and suspicious, a female member who does not have any femininity at all, etc -- all possible clichés of that genre are undoubtedly here. Too strong resemblance to both of "Resident Evil"s, strong resemblance to "Doom", "Phantom Force", "Dragon Fighter", "Alien 2" isn't just annoying, but you can actually predict what would happen in next few minutes.

The special effects is nothing special. In 21st century, it's unlikely to impress viewers with the zombie jumping on walls like Spiderman; the only hope that this hole will be filled with the second part of the movie.

The bright side is a character personalities and a lots of humor, somewhat specific to the ex-USSR reality; like the military facility operator surfing the Internet in MSIE right on the control board of high-tech military radar or something; like digging the rare metals out of outdated electronic equipment in the middle of the mission, etc. Not only almost all characters try to mock and sometimes annoy each other with every single sentence, they actually succeed, and a classic love triangle helps a lot.

I'll give this movie 3 out of 10 for characters and humor, hoping that the rest of "what I think should be in the good movie" will be included in the second part.