Soviet cult film's ironic fate gets another twist

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2008

MOSCOW (AFP) — Russians are flocking to see a modern sequel to a Soviet-era cult film, indulging in a bout of nostalgia that embraces the subtle -- and not so subtle -- changes that have overtaken their country.

The original "Irony of Fate" has been a hit for 32 years. The lengthy but often hilarious and unashamedly romantic comedy is considered a national treasure, showing without fail on state television every New Year's Eve.

The modern version, "Irony of Fate: The Sequel," uses the same main actors, as well as younger stars, and revolves around the same magical day, December 31.

But the differences are as striking as the similarities, transposing the boy-meets-girl plot from an austere Soviet setting to consumerism-mad modern Russia -- as love remains...