Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #39905 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-03-09
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: Russian
• Subtitled in: English
• Running time: 87 minutes

On the DVD
Digitally mastered at the visually correct speed from an excellent original print brought to the USA in the 1930s by film historian Jay Leyda
Presented for the first time with correct and full English intertitles (also presented with original Russian titles)
New musical setting compiled by Rodney Sauer and Susan Hall, performed by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra
Optional beginning-to-end commentary by Julian Graffy (professor of Russian Literature and Cinema at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College, London, and author of "Bed and Sofa: The Film Companion" [I.B. Taurus Publishers, 2001]), which illuminates the film in the context of Russian cinema and of the Soviet culture, preoccupations, and politics of the time
Half-hour bonus comedy film Chess Fever by Vsevolod Pudovkin and Nikolai Shpikovsky (presented with full English titles and also with original Russian titles, with new music by Rodney Sauer)

DVD Menu

• Side #1 -- Disc One: English Version
  • English Titles: Feature Start
  • English Titles: Scene Selections
  • Audio Commentary: On
  • Audio Commentary: Off
  • Chess Fever: Start Feature
  • Chess Fever: Scene Selections
• Side #2 -- Disc Two: Russian Version
  • Russian Titles: Scene Selections
  • Russian Titles: Feature Start
  • Chess Fever: Start Feature
  • Chess Fever: Selections

DVD Chapters
Side #1 -- Disc One: English Version
1. Main Title; Moscow Was Still Asleep [4:09]
2. The Morning Routine [5:31]
3. A Man Without a Home [4:21]
4. Volodia's Kingdom [6:23]
5. The Morning of July 9th [5:13]
6. Friends of Aviation Day [5:37]
7. In the Cards [6:33]
8. A Few Days Later [5:50]
9. The Confession [3:44]
10. At Work After Hours [2:25]
11. Shelter From the Storm [3:30]
12. All Three Together Again [5:30]
13. And Every Evening [3:05]
14. Their Life Was Becoming More Difficult [6:50]
15. Two Months Passed [5:18]
16. In a Private Clinic [4:59]
17. Never to Return [7:54]
1. Main Title: The Chess Tournament [3:34]
2. It's Chess Fever [3:36]
3. The Polarity of the Pawn [7:17]
4. Nothing to Live For [6:01]
5. Could Love Be Stronger Than Chess? [4:38]
6. The Start of a Happy Marriage [2:37]
Side #2 -- Disc Two: Russian Version
1. Main Title; Moscow Was Still Asleep [4:09]
2. The Morning Routine [5:31]
3. A Man Without a Home [4:21]
4. Volodia's Kingdom [6:23]
5. The Morning of July 9th [5:13]
6. Friends of Aviation Day [5:37]
7. In the Cards [6:33]
8. A Few Days Later [5:50]
9. The Confession [3:44]
10. At Work After Hours [2:25]
11. Shelter From the Storm [3:30]
12. All Three Together Again [5:30]
13. And Every Evening [3:05]
14. Their Life Was Becoming More Difficult [6:50]
15. Two Months Passed [5:18]
16. In a Private Clinic [4:59]
17. Never to Return [7:54]
1. Main Title: The Chess Tournament [3:34]
2. It's Chess Fever [3:36]
3. The Polarity of the Pawn [7:17]
4. Nothing to Live For [6:01]
5. Could Love Be Stronger Than Chess? [4:38]
6. The Start of a Happy Marriage [2:37]

Customer Reviews

An Unusual Soviet Silent
Abram Room's Bed and Sofa is quite different from the most famous Soviet silent films such as Battleship Potemkin, Earth or Mother. The Great Russian silents are usually full of propaganda, with stylised characters representing archetypes rather than individuals. Such films, while undoubtedly brilliant, can at times appear to be an exhibition of a director's particular theory of filmmaking. While Bed and Sofa uses typically fast "Russian editing", it is used unobtrusively and doesn't overwhelm the narrative. The characters in this film are believable individuals rather than revolutionary heroes or villains. The story is more about subtly exploring the way men and women treat each other, than about expressing propaganda points.

The film begins with Kolia and his wife Liuda living in a one room apartment. It is apparent that their marriage is not particularly happy. Kolia meets an old army friend Voldoia, who has come to Moscow to work. Without even asking his wife, Kolia offers to put him up on their sofa. When Kolia has to go away on business, Volodia takes the neglected wife out on some trips. It soon becomes apparent that an attraction has developed between them. The story is involving, often amusing and at times poignant. Each of the characters has faults, but they all remain sympathetic. The three main actors give fine performances, using gestures and slight changes in facial expression to suggest their emotions. It is easy to care about these characters and this makes the film all the more moving. Bed and Sofa is not only an entertaining film, it also shows something of the details of daily life in Moscow during the 1920s. It is continually fascinating to observe the customs and routines of this period. Moreover the film provides a valuable record of the Moscow streets and landmarks which have changed or been destroyed since the film was made.

This is a really fine DVD. It has two discs one with English and one with Russian titles. It has in addition to the main feature a bonus short film, Chess Fever, which runs just less than half an hour. This film is a comedy about the Russian obsession with chess and was directed by the great director Vsevolod Pudovkin and Nikolai Shpikovsky. Chess Fever is pretty funny and anyone interested in the history of chess will find it fun to spot some of the Grandmasters from the 1920s who crop up during the course of the film. Both Chess Fever and Bed and Sofa have fine scores played by Rodney Sauer and the Mont Alto Orchestra. This music is both appropriate to the period and to the mood and action of the films. There is also a very useful commentary to Bed and Sofa provided by Julian Graffy. He is clearly an expert on the film and speaks in an informative and entertaining way. The prints of both films are very good and much better than many Soviet films I have seen from this period. The images are sharp, clear and detailed with only a small amount of apparent print damage. The two films on this DVD are both enjoyable; Bed and Sofa may well be an unsung minor masterpiece.