Gorky Park |  | Actors: William Hurt, Lee Marvin, Brian Dennehy, Ian Bannen, Joanna Pacula
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
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Rating:  28 reviews
Sales Rank: 19938
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 127 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.6
MPN: MGMD1001276D
ISBN: 079284792X
UPC: 027616855565
EAN: 9780792847922
ASIN: B00004ZBVK
Theatrical Release Date: 1983
Release Date: December 19, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Three mutilated bodies are discovered buried in the snow in Moscow's Gorky Park. Hurt is assigned to solve the crime, but is confronted by the uncooperative KGB. His trail leads to Irina (Pacula) who becomes his love.
Genre: Mystery
Rating: R
Release Date: 30-JUL-2002
Media Type: DVD
Amazon.com
Martin Cruz Smith's bestselling mystery novel seemed ideally cast for this movie version, but director Michael Apted and the usually reliable writer Dennis Potter couldn't solve the problem of taking the story from the page to the screen. William Hurt plays Renko, a Cold War-era Moscow police detective who must cope with both crooks and Communist party protocol as he tries to solve a murder case in the middle of one of Moscow's public parks that leaves three faceless corpses. The strands of the mystery involve corruption, American money, and the fur trade and, ultimately, take Renko to New York. But the tension is never all there, despite a deliciously menacing performance by Lee Marvin as the bad guy and Brian Dennehy as an American cop who becomes Renko's ally. --Marshall Fine
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 28
 Disappointing February 18, 2010
Temple Valley (UAE)
Being a fan of Arkady Renko, and particularly of Gorky Park (the novel), I was very disappointed at the way the entire book was encapsulated into the video. Hunt did not make a very good Arkady.
westonjm: More like an Albert Camus than a Martin Cruz Smith January 29, 2010
Merry Jester (Weston, FL) (Weston, FL)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Martin Cruz Smith's book is quite a read. The detective Arkady is an extremely convincing character. He doesn't quite fit in with the party, but he is totally dedicated to his job. The movie in part fails because William Hurt cannot carry the role. In the book it is easy for the reader to sympathize with the detective because the detective is man that has taken quite a few lumps in life, but he never gives in. Arkady is truthful to himself and even at the risk of loosing his life he is determined not to give in to the very corrupt system. He is tough and bruised. Not a hero, but also not willing to lie down. William Hurt seems lethargic in the role. He does not have any depth. He is not a man of passion. He just exists. He is not easy to identify with. The movie seems more like an Albert Camus work, rather than the thrilling ride that Martin Cruz Smith delivers.
 Read the book instead June 14, 2009
N. Joseph (Chicago, IL)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
This movie would have been a lot better if all the actors (sans the ones who are playing American characters)made a sincere effort to make use of a Russian-English accent rather than a cockeyed version of it. They are trained actors and if they can't bring themselves to study these roles and put themselves into the character than what is the use of their acting talents? William Hurt is am emotionless, bland, dispassionate actor who truly was the wrong choice for the role he played. He can't seem to keep a British accent going and he comes off sounding very American in some of the scenes which makes absolutely zero sense to me. The pace of the film is very slow, but the mystery factor of it is definitely there. I am a purist. I would have preferred Russian actors in this film. But if you're going to play a Russian character, then make it more believable. Otherwise, it doesn't work in my view. You are better off reading the book instead.
scifijoe October 12, 2008
Joseph F. Pandolfi (san jose,calif.usa)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
i found Gorky park an entertaining film. it takes place in a Russia that few of today's young people know about.it's a Russia that's portrayed as cold and unfriendly.it's a place where know one trust anyone.it's a place that know one wants to be. the story takes place in winter and begins with three murdered people found skinned in the trees of the park.who would do such a Hannis crime,and why? a murder mystery with enough twist and turns to keep your mined busy.William Hurt plays a detective who rubs the political system the wrong way.he'll stop at nothing to get the right person,know matter who it is,there going down!Lee Marvin in one of his last roles plays an American who might be at the heart of these murders .Brian Dennehy plays a American cop with his own agenda and reason for being there.crime and punishment the way it should be delivered,with a wake of innocents left in it's trail.this is a good suspenceful movie.get the popcorn and enjoy!
GREAT BOOK, MEDIOCRE MOVIE! August 2, 2008
Elaine Campbell (Rancho Mirage, CA United States)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
"Gorky Park" is the most thrilling, exciting mystery novel I have ever read. Through Amazon reviews I noted that some reviewers thought the film was not up to par with the novel. I ordered it anyway just to see what the directors, writers, etc. came up with. Well, I guess they tried, but the problems were manifold. The Amazon.com editorial reviewer hit the nail on the head in his/her comments. Quite frankly, watching this film, I could barely stay awake.
The actors, to give them credit, were up to par despite inferior material. I did not care for Joanna Pakula's performance because it was just plain dull. Wikipedia states she was recommended for the role by her at the time boyfriend, Roman Polanski. It shows, although to give her credit, she did have some theatre training in Poland, and her career continues on in the U.S. to this day.
One of the most obvious problems in this great novel downtrodden into a film is that although it takes place in Moscow (does it not?), there are no shots of the city iself. We get a shot of some nondescript government building, and then back alleys that could be in any country. When the film moves on to Stockholm, we get to see that lovely city (by the way, not much of an escape for the heroine from just a next door country, when in the novel she makes a much grander escape to New York).
Performances by Brian Dennehy and Lee Marvin really are outstanding. William Hurt is a fine actor, but he was handicapped by cliches of the script. Ian Bannen was hardly believable as a Russian government official with an English accent.
Take the roller coaster ride of a novel and, in my estimation, don't get curious about the film as I did. Sometimes these adaptations (transitions) just don't make it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 28
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