Highly Overrated But Still Good

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Otar Iosseliani's "Iko shashvi mgalobeli" ("Once Upon a Time There Was a Singing Blackbird" in English) is essentially a look at the futility of everyday life. Gia, the protagonist, is a percussionist who lives with his mother and has to make it to work every to perform in the orchestra, leaving him little time to interact with people. Such is the reality of life. No matter what the economic system, your job owns you. The end was inevitable: Gia's empty life could lead only to that.This is the first Otar Iosseliani movie that I've seen. I hope to see more of his work, and I also hope to see more movies from Georgia (the country in the Caucasus, not the US state).

This is a story from the life of a young man. One evening, one day and one morning.This young man is a musician. He plays on percussion instruments in theater or opera. He even tries to become a composer but .... We see him in his home working on his composition but it doesn't last long. Then we see him in public reading room. It looks he wants to work seriously but, once again, it doesn't last long. Something else turns his attention and he leaves. His day looks like this: he has many friends in every age and gender, he constantly meets them. One of them he accompanies to the doctor(his another friend), to second one he offers a book, with third one he simply chats, with one of his girlfriends he goes to her job etc. Whether is his hunger for life or simply lack of responsibility it's up to spectator's opinion. On the other hand, he forgets that he promised one visiting couple(who visited him following the recommendation of another friend) that he promised them to show Tbilisi. He tells her mother, criticizing him for that, that he had "a very busy day".During a concert in theater he leaves early, goes to her aunt's birthday, plays piano to accompany her aunt singing, then leaves in a hurry to play one short solo at the end of the concert. Thats of course infuriates both the conductor and director of the theater. However, he is always on time to deliver a solo ... After concert he goes to restaurant when two groups of his friends claims their right to him. One man is disappointed that he came lately, that left him for the others etc.He dies next morning after his "busy" day. Hit by a car, stupid and unnecessary death. His composition is unfinished...One question arises: What did director wanted to say? That life is to short to waste it on stupid stings? That one shouldn't get involved only in petty issues but find a serious occupation?Maybe yes, maybe now. Clock in last scene may suggest this. But's it up to you to decide.

There Once Was a Singing Blackbird (1970) -- a day in the life of Tbilisi musician Guia Agladze -- expresses a joy of unconstrained living, joking, art, camaraderie, and the pleasures of the flesh that is plainly opposed to the narrow expectations and petty bureaucratic requirements of the People in Charge. In its vision, pacing, and black-and-white cinematography, it is reminiscent of the early Fellini, such as Nights of Cabiria, and the Nouvelle Vague, with a touch of the Marx Brothers and their brand of playful anarchy thrown in for good measure. The camera follows Guia from place to place -- from the cramped apartment he shares with his mother and a pair of visiting Russians, to the theater, to a series of boutiques and restaurants, to the street -- as he does what he does, acting on his impulses, avoiding confrontation, until the day ends and his metaphorical song goes silent.

The main character has no substantial relationships with anyone but especially not with himself. He is constantly fiddling with his hands and partying with acquaintances or flirting with an endless parade of women. He has ambitions to write music and tailor a suit but he's too easily distracted and never finishes anything.Simply put, he lacks introspection. To make that point clear the director has the main character repeatedly peering through scopes, cameras, microscopes and telescopes. He's constantly, obliviously exploring the world around him, but he never contemplates himself. He makes time for and promises favors to anyone and everyone who randomly stumbles into his life, but never has time for himself.He laments to his doctor friend that he's constantly running all day long on various errands but he never gets anything done. He dies tragically in an accident, without ever accomplishing anything in his life.It's a very good movie, but it's confusing to watch the first time because there are many loose ends created by the his random interactions with so many people.Thematicly, it reminds me of Fellini's "La Dolce Vita".