Like Millions of other people around the globe my very first perceptions of Russia came from 2 sources.
The first was watching the nightly news as a kid where I would frequently see images of a Red Square Military Parade complete with legions of goose stepping human robots with AK-47’s in hand.
The other impression came from the very first time I saw Dr. Zhivago..
To say that I was both haunted and mesmerized would be an understatement.
Because this image.. this angel from heaven itself would replay over and over in my youthful mind.
Who WAS that Girl?
Laura..
Laura was her name..
An incredible muse who was mystically channeled into celluloid by a timeless Julie Christy.
While I watched Laura’s life unfold I just couldn’t believe that such a woman.. so beautiful, so tender, yet so incredibly strong and devoted could exist. I had NEVER seen an image of feminine perfection portrayed like this on TV and certainly not in real life. My American surroundings were simply devoid of any trace of such grace.
So therefore I KNEW that it was just a fantasy.. She DIDN’T exist.. It was sadly just a figment of my boyish desires.
Well the boy grew into a man and his memory of that wonderful sanctuary faded with time. There were new challenges to overcome.. new battles to be fought.. and new harder realities to face. But some where in the recesses of his mind there was the faintest flicker of a secret wish..
To someday travel the world and to see if maybe she does exist..
Some people say that sometimes you need to lose the world to find it.. And whether it was by divine intervention or by my own bravado and ignorance which lead me here I will probably never know.
But I do know this..
The Soul of Laura is everywhere in this land.
The paradox of her beauty and her struggle literally surrounds me now.
And with this.. there is much joy..
but still I am haunted..
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Russian Women - The Real Truth 
August 8, 2006 at 10:39 am
My mother says Dr. Zhivago is really good, but sadly I have never seen it.
The only connection I have with Russia is that my great-grandmother was Russian. I don’t get it, why do people, especially people from Capitalist countries (eg USA) don’t like Russians and Chinese? Yes, they were commies, but now they’re socialists and getting more open. I guess its the hatred leftover from the Cold War.
August 8, 2006 at 6:27 pm
Hello V!
You are always welcome to my blog.. But what makes you think that Americans hate Chinese and Russian People? Do you have any idea how many Russians and Chinese people live in the US? Millions my friend..
We in the United States welcomes that because we are traditionally an open society.
I guess the one thing you need to understand is that historically Americans LOVE FREEDOM. It is part of our nature because we are normally a very rebellious people and we don’t like other people especially government controlling our lives.
The biggest thing I can share with you is this. Most American’s don’t think that to be a TRUE American you have to Love or Identify yourself with the United States Government. Most of us see the US Government as either a necessary evil or a big problem.
We have an identity that is Individual and seperate from Government and our founding fathers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had the wisdom to make it this way.
Now unfortunately in Communist countries the situation is MUCH different. Communist governments want you to believe that for example in order to be a TRUE Chinese.. You have to be a TRUE Communist. You have to believe that Mao was a great man and if you don’t… Well you will get into very big and serious trouble.
To an American this is a frightening and outrageous situation because this is just the opposite of freedom.. Freedom of speech, of ideas, of religion, and of free association. We realize that sometime freedom can bring crazy things out.. So that’s why we deeply understand that real Freedom can only exist with personal responsibility.
The type of government the have in China has been defined throughout history as something called “Tyranny” which is the complete opposite of Freedom.
Or to put it into another way.. That would be like your parents forcing you to live with them and to completely obey them for the rest of your life. You would not be allowed to think or make major decisions outside a certain strict realm.
What do you think happens to people like this if they never leave the home? Well V they never grow up. They remain helpless children who will never know how to think or care for themselves. Now could you imagine if you had brothers and sisters who were also forced to stay home and completely obey your parents. Over time your parents would get old and they would no longer be able to care for you and your siblings and then all of you would starve, have a very bad existence, or even die.
Freedom like I said is the most wonderful thing in the world but it requires lots of work and responsibility.. And unfortunately too many people in this world don’t want to face up to that. So many kids maybe say.. “I don’t want to grow up.. I want to live at home with mom and dad so I don’t have to cook or clean or work..” But then that’s not good for them or their parents for the long term right? You starting to understand this?
The bottom line is this V. American’s don’t really hate anyone group of people certainly not Chinese or Russian. In my site I mostly talk about the wonderful and deep things I have leaned about the Russian people.. especially Russian Women.
We hope that everyone has freedome like we do but we know that this is not the case everywhere. I think most Americans understand that the world is actually a very big family like what I described.. And the best thing this family can do is to make sure all of it’s children understand what freedom is and to use it responsibily so that we can all take care of ourselves when we are at our strongest and to help those who really need help.
We also need to somehow make sure that no other children take that freedom away from other children.
Anyways V I need to go for now but thanks for commenting!
GL
October 31, 2006 at 2:52 am
Very good. When I first became extremely interested in Russia, I found my own DVD copy of Dr. Zhivago.
An interesting story but I am told much different than the Russian version. Ours has a happy ending. 😉
October 31, 2006 at 11:40 am
Hi Canajun,
Thanks for your comment.. I hope more guys will get a chance to see this incredible movie now that they are thinking about going to Russia. 🙂
December 4, 2006 at 2:24 pm
Do you mean the Dr. Z that was made in 1965 or the 2002 version? I saw the 1965 version a long time ago but not the 2002 version.
December 5, 2006 at 5:17 pm
Hi Hero.. I’m taking about Dr Z from the 60’s.. I saw both but you can’t beat the original..
February 15, 2007 at 5:57 am
I wish to compliment GL for this great blog and also I would like to know if anyone would recommend me more movies that depict RW? I have been searching for some but it is hard to figure out which ones are films based on real life.
February 15, 2007 at 8:34 am
Hi Francisco,
Thanks for your support and please tell your friends and other Men about us..
There were two versions of Zhivago made in the West and the one with Julie Christie to me is far superior. There was also a version done here in Russia fyi..
Whatever you do don’t get the Nichole Kidman flick called Birthday Girl where she plays a Scam Artist posing as a Russian Internet Bride.. stupid as hell flick..
If you live in a major city there may be a small Russian district where they rent Russian Videos. One of the more famous flicks here was called Moscow doesn’t want tears.. about 3 russian ladies trying to live their life in Moscow.
Good Luck.. GL
February 16, 2007 at 3:47 am
Thanks for the advice GL, I found the synopsis on the web and I should see it soon.
Also, I have already told my friends about your site. Keep up the good work!
February 16, 2007 at 3:07 pm
rw_man Sorry to burst your bubble. It’s ‘Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears”. At least that’s what I rented it as.
February 16, 2007 at 3:30 pm
“Whatever you do don’t get the Nichole Kidman flick called Birthday Girl where she plays a Scam Artist posing as a Russian Internet Bride.. stupid as hell flick..”
Why do you think they had to show Nicole’s bare butt in the film? They needed some way to get men to see the movie.
February 16, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Wolverine,
Thanks for the correction.. I had a feeling I might have gotten the name wrong..
GL
February 17, 2007 at 4:07 pm
rw_man, I should have been nicer about correcting you. I’m sorry. I”ll do better next time.
February 17, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Wolverine.. no worries mate. more then happy to get corrected if I’ve made an error..
GL
January 29, 2009 at 8:43 am
Mhmh I’m sorry I have to correct you too GL, but there is no character in dr.Zhivago called “Laura”.
Lara was her name, short for Larissa.
August 14, 2009 at 1:41 pm
“Some people say that sometimes you need to lose the world to find it..”
I’m a little surprised no one passed comment on that phrase – it was an excellent quote (whether your own invention or someone else’s), and really touched a nerve with me, as this is something I am certainly coming around to.
Unfortunately I’m one of the 9 out of 10 men turning into a “depressed potato” as was so delicately stated in an earlier post, but if anything is going to tip me into that top 10%, it’s this blog.
Luckily I have the advantage of only being 25, and I’m begining to see the edge of the cliff and it’s calling out to me to jump feet first into the unknown.
August 14, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I’ve also seen Dr. Zhivago (the 60’s Western version) and it’s a real epic.
Must see viewing, especially so for any men who are already drawn to this blog in some way.