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THE DESERT OF FORBIDDEN ARTMovie Reviews
Documentary about a Russian artist and art collector who created a museum in Soviet Uzbekistan in which he secretly amassed thousands of artworks that were censored under Russian rule. Cast:Ben Kingsley, Sally Field, Ed AsnerDirector:Amanda Pope, Tchavdar GeorgievRelease Date:September 24, 2010DVD Release:November 23, 2010Length:1 hr 20 min
NOVEMBER 23, 2010
The Desert of Forbidden Art, Very Good Reviews (Doc) Limited
The Desert of Forbidden Art played in limited release to very good reviews. • G. Allen Johnson wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle, "...does an admirable job of telling the stories of the obsessive Savitsky and other important Soviet artists... packed with art, as well as interviews..." • And Steven Litt wrote in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, "...a lovingly made but somewhat slow-paced documentary..." More Reviews Below...
The Desert of Forbidden Art Positive Reviews (12 Reviews, reviews below)
The Desert of Forbidden Art has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (6 Reviews)
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: EXCELLENT "The filmmakers found an appealing collection of relatives and others who knew these artists and Savitsky to tell the story, but they also let the art do the talking..."(See all of Neil Genzlinger's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 302 words, 03/11/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "Viewers of this remarkable documentary will be astonished at not only what this art looks like and why it's forbidden, but also where it is and how it got there."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 602 words, 03/18/11
V.A. Musetto, New York Post: MODERATE(cg) "Uzbekistan, a sandy former Soviet republic in Central Asia, is one of the last places you'd expect to house a world-class art museum. But it does."(See all of V.A. Musetto's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 204 words, 03/11/11
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "An expanding sphere of influence by Islamic fundamentalists in the region could jeopardize the art, warns this enlightening film."(See all of Bill Stamets's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 290 words, 11/05/10
Ernest Hardy, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...engrossing... illuminates the deadly political, religious, and historical tensions that made life precarious for art and its creators -- pressures that still linger today."(See all of Ernest Hardy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 204 words, 03/09/11
KEY CITIES (3 Reviews)
Tom Russo, Boston Globe: VERY GOOD(cg) "The goal: to protect these frequently disintegrating paintings and graphics from intolerant party bureaucrats in Moscow, some 1,700 miles away."(See all of Tom Russo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 430 words, 10/01/10
Steven Litt, Cleveland Plain-Dealer: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a lovingly made but somewhat slow-paced documentary... blends lively interviews with Kinzer and other protagonists with images of artworks that blend influences..."(See all of Steven Litt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 200 words, 03/24/10
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "...does an admirable job of telling the stories of the obsessive Savitsky and other important Soviet artists... packed with art, as well as interviews..."(See all of G. Allen Johnson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 249 words, 09/24/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (3 Reviews)
Ernest Hardy, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...engrossing... illuminates the deadly political, religious, and historical tensions that made life precarious for art and its creators -- pressures that still linger today."(See all of Ernest Hardy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 204 words, 03/09/11
Diego Costa, Slant: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "It is the film's more descriptive and contemplative moments that allow for its tale of quiet existential rescue and symbolic intervention to fascinate."(See all of Diego Costa's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 442 words, 03/09/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: EXCELLENT "The filmmakers found an appealing collection of relatives and others who knew these artists and Savitsky to tell the story, but they also let the art do the talking..."(See all of Neil Genzlinger's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 302 words, 03/11/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "Viewers of this remarkable documentary will be astonished at not only what this art looks like and why it's forbidden, but also where it is and how it got there."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 602 words, 03/18/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Dennis Harvey, Daily Variety: EXCELLENT "...fascinating... Well-crafted package captures the flavor of the region, but the most arresting sights are inevitably those of the bold, richly colored paintings themselves."(See all of Dennis Harvey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 536 words, 03/23/10
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "Viewers of this remarkable documentary will be astonished at not only what this art looks like and why it's forbidden, but also where it is and how it got there."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 602 words, 03/18/11
Jeff Farr, Cinema 24/7: GOOD(cg) "...a sincere, PBS-style documentary with high production values... it feels as if the paintings are doing a bit too much of the work to make this film a lively affair."(See all of Jeff Farr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 944 words, 03/02/11
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: EXCELLENT "The filmmakers found an appealing collection of relatives and others who knew these artists and Savitsky to tell the story, but they also let the art do the talking..."(See all of Neil Genzlinger's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 302 words, 03/11/11
10.6 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Desert of Forbidden Art's reviews are separated by an average 10.6 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
The Desert of Forbidden Art (12 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Desert of Forbidden Art's reviews cover 11.7% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 4,605 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 384 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Desert of Forbidden Art Coverage, Volume & Length (12 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 112 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Desert of Forbidden Art's reviews on average broke 112 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is The Desert of Forbidden Art's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Desert of Forbidden Art (12 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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