The various themes and sound effects really worked in this movie. The music during the tank scene kept the audience in high suspense. In addition, the scene where the lieutenant allows Alsyosha vacation time and random gunshots rang out shows the audience that although, the soldiers are inside and seem safe, there is no safety on the battle field. Furthermore, the various themes through out the movie kept the movie flowing very well.
Mr. Nuamovich made the characters more dramatic and believable with the use of reaction shots. For example, Vergenty Urtanskiy (the one leg soldier), reaction shots showed how miserable he truly was when everyone was laughing and he was not. Furthermore, the reaction shot of the girl at the ticket counter scene, when the one leg soldier said that he does not want to go home. Her reaction shot really made his decision look foolish to the audience. Also when the one leg soldier was walking away and thought that his wife didn’t show up and she screamed his name, the scene was intensified with the reaction shot of the one leg soldier. Another reaction shot that really intensified a scene is when Alyosha is telling the Shura that; Alyosha thought that Shura was the lieutenant when she first walked into the train cart. Furthermore, the reaction shot of the Ukranian girl hoping that what she heard was lightning on the train and not a bomb also strengthened the scene. The audience was shown again that during wars nothing is safe. In addition, Alyosha’s reaction when he finds out that another train won’t come for another two hours, also worked very well, because it reminded the audience that his time is limited.
The medium shot also worked very well for this movie the various scenes of Alyosha and Shura on the train really made this movie a love story. In addition when the one leg soldier was holding his wife in his arms the two shot made the audience feel the love.
The various framing techniques that Grigory Nuamovich utilized made this movie work. For example, the train scene where Alyosha and the one leg soldier are riding with their comrades, they were tightly framed directly in the middle of the scene, because the scene was about them. In addition, the scene where Shura first came into the cart and began running around and screaming, because she was petrified by Alyosha. Alyosha was framed slightly in the middle of the screen and Shura was framed at the edge of the screen to show that she is on the edge of her fear of Alyosha.
The cinematographer also did a wonderful job in using lights and darks inside the train cart. For example, in the scene where Shura fell asleep, the cart was dark; however her face had a spotlight. In addition, the whole time that Alyosha and Shura are in the train wagon its dark, however most of the time they have a spotlight on their face. Another example, of the cinematographer’s excellent work is when Shura is chasing the train that Alyosha is on and he is trying to give her his address.
I really enjoyed Ballad Of A Soldier because not only is it thrilling and intriguing, because of the various filming techniques that Grigory Nuamovich used, but it also show’s the beauty of the land and the mindset of the Russian people during that time period. Everyone worried about their kids and loved ones on the battle field. In addition, the train scene in which Alyosha was riding with his comrades shows Russian hummer at its best. (Hard to explain) Furthermore, the scene in which the fat soldier that lets Alyosha on the train really shows how soldiers abuse their authority during the war.
