The Needle

"Tsoi, drugs and Soviet rock."

1989 1h 16m RU

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 94

DramaThrillerMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Moro returns to Alma-Ata to collect money owed to him. While waiting out an unexpected delay, he visits his former girlfriend Dina and discovers she has become a morphine addict. He decides to help her kick the habit and to fight the local drug mafia responsible for her condition.

“Tsoi, drugs and Soviet rock.”

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Cast

Viktor Tsoi
Моro
Marina Smirnova
Dina
Aleksandr Bashirov
Spartak
Pyotr Mamonov
Artur
Archimed Iskakov
Archimed
Grigorij Jepshtejn
Rustem Tashibaev
Gennadi Lyui
Гесс - неформал

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Rashid Nugmanov
Writers: Bakhyt Kilibayev, Aleksandr Baranov
Languages: Kazakh, Russian
Countries: Soviet Union, Kazakhstan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Kazakh, Russian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Soviet Union, Kazakhstan.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Rashid Nugmanov, shot by Murat Nugmanov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Viktor Tsoi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Hadisha Urmurzina shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Rashid Nugmanov directs. Murat Nugmanov behind the camera. Viktor Tsoi scores. Hadisha Urmurzina cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Soviet Union, Kazakhstan. Dialogue in Kazakh, Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
237 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Kazakh, Russian.
4International production across 2 countries: Soviet Union, Kazakhstan.
5Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
6Directed by Rashid Nugmanov, shot by Murat Nugmanov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Viktor Tsoi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Hadisha Urmurzina shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Viktor Tsoi and Marina Smirnova and Aleksandr Bashirov carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "Tsoi, drugs and Soviet rock.".
11IMDB entry: tt0097561 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Only 94 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.