What I liked
Loved the special effects in the airplane scenes. Great, crisp, confident direction. A deft touch, to make the Nazis characters we can laugh AT. Great development of relationships with a large cast of characters and against a historical backdrop. And excellent use of the space. It felt like, what I know was the standard set used by all shows give or take a furnishing, was built for the show.
The musical selections gave it the very punk feeling that I think appeals to the same people to whom this show should appeal. I loved the sounds.
And crisp sound effect calls. Kudos to the sound board op (the SM?) and the sound designer as well. Gun shots that match gun actions! Difficult to do and perfectly done.
What I didn't like
There were a few moments when the volume of the music drowned the dialogue. Not many, but I think I missed a bit of witty repartee from the balcony.
And this isn’t something I didn’t like, but I wondered: Since the accents seem to stand in for the language, when the French and the Russians talk to each other, using a French accent and a Russian accent, which language are they speaking?
My overall impression
A must see of HFF16. Night Witches hits on all levels. Easy to watch, because the practiced professionals are clear, crisp, and confident. An enveloping world with a compelling story, and plenty of humor to drive the poignancy home.
