The Needle
The Needle (Игла, Igla) is a 1988 Soviet film directed by Rashid Nugmanov, starring the iconic Soviet rock musician Viktor Tsoi, leader of the band Kino. Tsoi plays enigmatic Moro, who comes home to Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, to extract a debt from his old buddy Spartacus. He decides to pay a visit to his ex-girlfriend Dina, who in the latest years has become a morphine addict. Moro takes her to the Aral Sea, where she begins to recover. But when they return to Alma-Ata, the drug dealers try to ensnare them with morphine. So Moro confronts their leader, the Doctor, who tries to kill our hero. The film has since become most famous for its soundtrack (written by Tsoi), and Tsoi/Kino fans have a strong Nostalgia Filter for it.
Tropes used in The Needle include:
- Adam Westing: Viktor Tsoi is playing As Himself playing Bruce Lee.
- The Aggressive Drug Dealer: The Doctor.
- Dark Is Good: Tsoi as Moro wears pure black outfits he used to wear in real life.
- Deadly Doctor: Arthur AKA the Doctor.
- Downer Ending
- Drugs Are Bad
- Fingerless Gloves
- Going Cold Turkey
- He Really Can Act: Peter Mamonov as Arthur.
- Hey, It's That Guy!: Viktor Tsoi of Kino vs. Peter Mamonov of Zvuki Mu.
- Nice Hat: Arthur.
- Scenery Gorn: Abandoned ships in the Aral sea.
- Snow Means Death: Averted: Rashid Nugmanov has stated that in the end Moro lives.
- Thirsty Desert
- Walk It Off: At the end, after Arthur stabs Moro.
- What the Fu Are You Doing?: Viktor Tsoi's martial arts skills look... debatable on screen.