Eastern promises: Tatoos

[Desspite]

"Воры в законе" literally "Thiefs in law" is a guild of thiefs that was created about 400 years ago. The first Thief in law was Ivan Osipov crowned in 1617. "in law" means that they live according to criminal, thief's laws. This organiztion is the top of Russian criminal hierarchy.

Viggo Mortensen played this role the best!!!

[jurassicturd3]

What is the song?

[spiftz]

@HUNK3304 - Not needing to be afraid of a Vor makes me laugh as the journey to being a Vor is one that is bloody and macabre. They have to live by the thief of law (vor v zakone) which I have to admit very few live by but the significance of tattoos in the Russian Mafia still exists. Go get your facts right.

[lotsder9999]

@spiftz it calls "Vory v zakone" or "Wory w sakone" not "vor"

[spiftz]

@lotsder9999 I was referring to "Vor" as in the person whereas Vory V Zakone(thief of law) refers to the Russian Mafia. "/

[spiftz]

@HUNK3304 - Your understanding of Vor(s) is wrong. Vors are distinguished with stars on their upper body and lower body, Vors are likened to a general in the Mafia structure. Infact real russian mafia bosses have such tattoos. In fact the star used in Easter Promises is not accurate. The number of points have different meanings in the Russian Mafia. Any real Russian Mafia, legit or not would have some form of tattoo beneath their clothes.

[JiggaNiggaFigga]

This is just a movie, a hollywood story, but really Russia is a place you wouldn't like to live for a long time. Extreme poverty mixed with extreme wealth, but still they are loving their motherland. Americans see everything like they want to see, they invaded Middle East because it is so different and unintelligible for them. But Russia it's a different story, they won't anyone came to their country and try to change things. Respect and love for them.

[MKlevig]

Viggo acts like he was a dane all the way through.. lol... just wrote that cause... you know... im bored

[dicenteria]

in Mexicou get a tatoo if u want ok!! idiots !! Russia, US, Japan, or everywhere ,,tatoo is an expression of body art and the use(the meaning U, WE give) is ur problem

[hatikva2211]

I like tattoos, religion, traveling and sports

[HoraceJacobi]

Well, those with tattoos did used to be a major threat. I think over time they evolved, realized that in order to stay afloat in the criminal world, they have to appear legit - thus why the Mafya now normally do not have tats. But yeah, there was a time they would use magnesium to burn off any undeserved tattoos. That's the one thing that confused me about this movie, though, as well.

[amo22601]

didnt see any trailer for this on tv...gotta watch this..looks dark as hell

[cbr0oks]

i was born in the zone!!!

[69crafty]

Viggo Mortensen does an excellent job in this, as he`s so calm and even polite and thats what so scary about his charactor, it`s the gangsters like that, that everyone should be the most afraid of and not the ones who walk around trying to be the hardest.

[BlowDeBloodyDoorsOff]

This movie came at the right time. I used visit a friend in London around 2002 or '03. She lived near Dalston. There's a bar called The Russian Bar. It used stay open all night, the kind of place you go when everywhere else is closed. She'd tell me all sorts of wild characters would be in there, including scary looking Russian types. there was a mystery about the place because there was mystery about the Russians in London at the time. eg, ,how could they be open at 6 am?! Is that illegal?!

[B3LLIZZI]

I am only driver.

[YoungZer0]

Lol, the american guy had to be fat ... :D

[RRSTYLE77]

star wars ..fuck haha

[ImmortalHardOn]

in soviet russia the tattoos wear you

[toligen955]

@ImmortalHardOn In soviet russian , they rape stuipid kids like you , for this words

[ImmortalHardOn]

@toligen955

dont u mean 'these' words and 'russia' instead of 'russian'? nigga please

[toligen955]

@ImmortalHardOn sorry , no im not a black slave

[ImmortalHardOn]

@toligen955

then why do you write like a nigger?

[TheVinceLyons]

There's a such thing as prison tats here in america too. Always has been, shit, probably before Russia.

[jay020289]

@TheVinceLyons impossible, Americas only a few hundred yrs old

[MegaBlackDynamite]

Well Im black and I absolutely love this movie one of my favorites.

[shylildude]

tattoos are for pussies, brands are for men

[xkalexanderx916]

@shylildude

noo your just the type they call...a red neck or a hick!

[S11NNY]

everything aspect is spot on in this film, except the ending. its a shame the ending is so shit it kinda ruins what is otherwise a great film

[XxTaylorRowlettxX]

badass trailer shouldve been a bigger movie but everybody prefers movies about "hardcore ogs from da hood" we need movies like this about russian and yakuza the 2 most powerful crime orginizations in the world

[RussianIcon]

Bratva is pretty strong here in Brighton Beach.

[rube2104]

Only the savage criminal is a true revolutionary!

[babakin]

Traditional "Thief" would never been allowed to move outside Russia.Father might never raise his son to "thief" level by himself.Pimping sertanly never going to make you "thief in law",neither drug use or dealing.And when it comes to whores, whores are just whores,and organized trafficking and kidnapings is just spin-ups by whores and western police cause sexrelated stories sells,and westeuropeans get a reson to feel supirior..

[RussianIcon]

@babakin

You're a fucking stupid dumb ass...

[babakin]

Movie sucked, the play was awesome but none tradition or rules of russian underworld was followed up , merely the esthethic part with tatooes and other superficial details.They just set up an traditional "italian" operation in russian colours...By the way "traffiking" is bullshit..

[bekjanov1]

0:22 =D

[benbarton93]

the irish mafia is petty ruthless to

[Goatoftheforest]

I know it's just a movie, but the real Russian mafia has to be the most hardcore

[regretfulconfessions]

i love how the american is a fatass. hahaha. with starwars tattoos. hahaha. even better.

[aryanbulgarian]

american gangs are bad, but its a stated fact that the slavic mafia is the greatest crimnal organization ever to touch this planet

[ih8britishpeople]

lol they make americans sound like pussys

[Japanorama]

They are.

[Tom89m]

lol you make that sound like a lie

[crazycriminal123]

MinisterKGB a tu sy4ara mycarckou

[crazycriminal123]

the stars on knees means that i never get down on my knees before the law idiots,i get this stars then i was teenager

[dremelinskov]

No, stars means you bow before NO ONE. Not just law.

[tylkopolak]

eta est pravda.

[dremelinskov]

@tylkopolak

da. :p

[myorli29]

Wow, that was intense! A great way to promote the movie! :D

[starscream6969]

u.s tatoo for show how them stupid

[6urup]

What a fuck ?!? Star Wars tatoo ?!? Fucking shame !!!

Sorry for my English .

[aduysbv]

I think a phoenix across the back would make a great tattoo (Black&white though. Colored tattoos usually make you look like a sleezy drug abuser). The fiery wings could spread to the arms or hang down the side of the back.

[IFIWAZACOOLKID]

stupied amercians with the cartoons lol

[piratebri]

Best Russian: Fedor

[MinisterKGB]

Spider For drug dealer

The church and towers for how many years youve been in prison

Stars on the knees , represent your rank

spider web for drug addiction

[Krandlers]

and these stars which viggo mortensen has on his chest one on the left and one on the right side? and what means rank which ranks are given and how do these people behave

[MinisterKGB]

I am unsure of the ranks , But i am sure the more stars the higer the rank

[777zxcvbnmmnbvcxz777]

@Krandlers

The Stars mean that he is a "made man". In the movie they give him the stars as a decoy to set him up.

[mattallen1991]

@MinisterKGB Actually if they have a star on their knee it's self it states that they will kneel before no one.

[MinisterKGB]

@mattallen1991 Exactly if you are of a high rank you kneel to no one

[XxTaylorRowlettxX]

@MinisterKGB i thought if you had a spider facing up ur still in crime and if its facing down your not

[groundzero1945]

the first dragon's tatoo, not japanese "irezumi".

that is chinese Design.

Japanese is a basic dark green scales of a carp.

Japanese food culture, and affect the tattoo.

Japan and China are similar, slightly different culture......

[animeloverryan85]

@groundzero1945  The Chinese Dragon has five fingers while the Japanese has only three

[xbibzx]

no offence anarcho but we are pretty bad tempered, heartless and do drink alot, its our nature.

Россия будет господствовать againt, Советский Союз не находится недалеко мертв!

[anarcho2narco]

Idk, I'm Russian, and I personally loved the movie, their russian wasn't too bad, but they did have a small accent (Which is fine by me) although my parents hated it saying that it shows all russians are evil and drink all the time, but it's one of my fav movies

[piratebri]

Why would they think that? There's only a couple Russians in the movie. They weren't even in Russia, either. :/

[alxqp]

@piratebri Actually they were in Russia, because those tattoos are made in Russian prisons.

[piratebri]

@alxqp Huh? My comment was in response to someone saying that the movie reflected poorly on Russian people as a whole. I was just saying that the characters weren't in Russia, they were in England (if I remember correctly.) That would be like saying The Sopranos reflects poorly on Italians, when in fact The Sopranos is about an Italian-American family, and is highly dramatized.

[animeloverryan85]

@anarcho2narco the only thing I didn't like about the movie is the child being born through rape. That's the only thing that still bothers me.

[TuddleToni]

@animeloverryan85 Loads of children are born through rape everyday. Disgusting act but a fact nonetheless.

[animeloverryan85]

And it still bothers me...

[3uMeXaHa]

Привет парни, как бодрость духа. Например.

[mcgggsup]

this Movie sucked, It has nothin' to do with thieves-in-low, its very westernized, just like some mafia b.s.  '' antikiller'' is da movie u want to watch if ur lookin for thieves-in-low shit

[Superpenguinsquirrel]

It came out 6 days after viggos birthday :]

brilliant film one of my favs

[hwdzxdavo]

LMFAOOOOO IN AMERICA DER FOR FUN

[lerealizte]

lolll

[MsAustenfan]

Loved the movie, Viggo was fantastic:)

I got my own tattoo when I was 17,

thanks for posting

[251Trioxin]

Star Wars Tattoos????  WTF??????

[123lawoman]

The movies was great, viggo has done a fine job

[ShockTherapist007]

im russian and i loved the movie, viggo really nailed the character

[troubles47]

@ShockTherapist007

Yea, but the movie itself is fucked up in too many different ways.

[babakin]

@troubles47 so agreed

[McAwsomeBurger]

@ShockTherapist007 im Ukrainian and Lithuanian and i agree entirely.

[KitchenSpeclol]

@ShockTherapist007 ya ne ivoshnim sayte gdeta prachital shto u nevo mat bela polu ruskaya. eta pravda?

[Whyisthat101]

@ShockTherapist007 Thats nice, what is russia like?

[EvilKorbinDallas]

@Whyisthat101 Russia, is not a safe place for non whites.

[kathy8757]

big deal and you are proud of that

[maxrussia1982]

In America they are for fun:)

[anarcho2narco]

They pretty much really are lol

[wilk8121]

@maxrussia1982 lool

[LaneWalkerz]

@maxrussia1982 hahaha It was a fat kid who likes Star wars hahaha

[Sharukkin]

So great actors and the movie was a total bullshit..

[nerdStarwars]

2:22

[Put1nPut0ut]

now people in russia get tattoos for fun. but since the 30 or 40s Vors have been getting tattoos to in prison for honor amongst thieves, :P. its not propaganda idiot

[dremelinskov]

Your a fucktard. YES THEY DO asshole

[IkusOne7]

Fuckin mad tatts, love that cross.

you dont have to be a hard cunt to get a tattoo to wanka below me, it can simply be a decorative thing, also most aussies get the southern cross.. how does that make them a wanna be hard cunt? its just patriotic

[Don0chi0cho]

haha same thing happening in australia..everyone getting a tattoo tthinking there hard cunts hahahah

[SUNDAYBLOODZSUNDAY]

whoa people, sorry to say it, but most of you sound like idiots....

i loved this movie, and i watched it russian dubbed, so Viggo's russian did not really bother me... he was great ^^!

i have a book about these tatoos and russian prison stuff...hope i can find it and gather some information...

[MegNito967]

hey, could you tell me the name and author of the book about russian tattoos? i think it is amazing...but i havent been able tol find anything on the subject....help!! :)

[SUNDAYBLOODZSUNDAY]

hey....sorry tried to find the book, but couldn't find it....its my brother's, and he lost it probably~~

[Don0chi0cho]

ur fool of shit...nice reason there lol... i could just say the samething u said...and hell y not u give a reason...oh...i stuck in my cows pussy after i fuk her lol

[SUNDAYBLOODZSUNDAY]

oh your pretty bad tempered now arent you ? arent u bored.......insisting on insulting people...listen, go and get a life, if it makes think happy and full of yourself to tell people their full of shit on the internet, well uve got a problem...=___= gee

[Don0chi0cho]

LOL then what u think ur doin?? u got a problem with me now..what are u saying?? LOL

[gudiss]

prison tattoos in russia is a big tradition, in USA you get tattooed because you think that you are a bad motherfucker!

[aannaalloogg]

anybody knows what starts in the guy?the name..

[Singh778]

Fuck this video and fuck russia!!

In america also u get tattooed in gangs

fuck russians

[sean02051984]

Your all Dumb America is the greatest nation on the planet.

[rotedrachen]

FUCKIN DUMB AMERICANS!!!!!!!

[Don0chi0cho]

haha fukin sad americans FOR FUN HAHAHAH

[spetsnazGRU]

Breath easy my friends.

[Ampersandra]

According to the DVD extras, the filmmakers researched all kinds of stuff, including the tattoos. I respect that attention to detail, because I can't read Russian, but someone went to a lot of trouble to get things right anyway. It's cool information to file away in the back of one's head, because people get tattoos for reasons. They have something to say. You can learn a lot when you listen to people.

Also I thought Viggo was a pretty convincing Russian. He did his homework.

[NIKKKRED]

However I met some russian girls and people...They are very nice...The real russians are nice...Not the bastards surrounding Russia in Armenia, Urkraine, all those shitty countries

[duhessliga]

ey you french pussy u dont know nothing about the russians or ukraine people so shut up before you get fucked

[Sharif80]

dont pay attention to this frenchie; they just hate us arabs and the rest of the world. they are just stupid motherfuckers. it is no wonder why in Amercia we refer french fries to freedom fries

[1ruskie]

i know frechez do hate on everyone and mostly all the americans

[3333111111]

shut up you fuckin pussy from france!! im from ukraine and you are very lucky that i will never meat you, coz i would show you how the real live look like and what happen to a retard like you!

[molodoj151286]

blja, nasmeshil! :))) nenaprigajsja, dishi nosom a to vozduh cherez zhopu pojdet! dibila kusok :))))))

[ShockTherapist007]

any armenian would wipe his ass with u, u dumb shit

[middimar]

the main character in 'American History X' definitely doesnt kno the meaning of his onw tatoos (as a character)

[Tarles7]

XIPM3 you seem pretty sure of what you are talking about.i would sugest to rincosider when you say Vory V Zakone is dead.greetings from Eastern Europe

[chermenn]

in russia,ukraine,georgia,armenia and in other countries near russian federation vory v zakone are the strongest and powerful criminal organization. i know that because i live in georgia and know what's really happening here.

[NIKKKRED]

Im french living in Germany/Austria/

And I had many contacts with slavic people...Always drugs/prostitution/ horrible stuff....

[DarkCone]

nikkkred what the fuck are you talking about?! slavic people=drugs/prostitution WTF!!??

[NIKKKRED]

Yeah everybody exept east slavic people

[DarkCone]

everybody? how can you generlize such things? dont talk crap. you watch to much tv from which all this fucking stereotype shit streams into your brain.

[NIKKKRED]

I dont really know what to say to that lol

[Thediablomaster]

'' All Americans are dumb since Bush is Dumb. Or even better, All americans are fatasses who can't locate their own country on the map !''

You can not say things like that because it is not the whole nation doing it !!!

[1ruskie]

shut the fuck up frenchy before u get slapped the fucked up

[Zdrav0]

"In America, there for fun"

uahaahahhahahahahahahaha

I love this trailer ;)

[raven93140]

lool ! stupid american!

[1ruskie]

its showed the fat ammerican with the tatoo hahahahahaha ,its the truth

[IceDigger77]

Most people told me that I look like guy from Eastern PROMISES

[ihatebarbara]

yo greeny monster

why the fuck u wanna get a orthodox cross on ur chest

to look cool ? are u orthodox ?

im from easten europe where the sun aint shinin where ma people bag to god everiday , land up in prison and make tattoos of cross to get a nother chance

watch wat u tallk

[KingUser2008]

I watched this movie, and its not all that. In the enitre movie there are only about 2 action packed scenes, although I like story behind the tattoos and Viggo being the driver. The rest is just a bout Naomi running around trying the translate the diary and get an address in Russia! Viggo is one of my favourite actors and after watchng History of violence, I thought this movie would do the same.... but no it didn't.

[NeuroticPixieSlasher]

So I take it it's not worth watching =P

[KingUser2008]

It's okay, but I just thought it was a bit to slow.. maybe I expected to much . after watching History of violence. I thought this will be good also. But do watch it, you might think different. Peace.

[NeuroticPixieSlasher]

ok, cheers =)

[Humanophage]

It's just an unorthodox form of government, not mafia.

[PartizanOfPahonia]

what the fuck do you know polak, your people are retarded peasants who think they are in mafiya but are clowns at circus

[2540clops]

fuk u PartizanOfPahonia u racist kunt watch wat u say kunt.

[PartizanOfPahonia]

hehe, why polak dont like being what you are? filthy fucks

[PartizanOfPahonia]

Im from belarus and in western russia we laugh at these low class vors, they are jews and gypseys, the real mafia does not wear gold-chains or get churches tattooed on their hands, they look like me and you

[XIPM3]

why would jews get CHRISTIAN tatoos?

[PartizanOfPahonia]

They are not CHRISTIAN tatoos, the orthodox churchs represent jail, with each spire symbolliziing periods of incarceration. The mother mary and saints represent crime families and rank, these Vors are not christians, most are fucking jews, the real mafiya wear suits not gold and ink, these men with tattoos are like your american street gang, any one who is actually in mafiya as maybe small only markings, not allover

[XIPM3]

well- besides the fact, vory v zakone doesnt even exist anymore, so there is no point in arguing this. i just dont think jews would get christian tatoos, jews dont give a rats ass about mother mary or crucifixes.

[timik15]

if you guys know Fedor Emelianenko,the best MMA heavyweight fighter in the world,so his brother Alexander,also a great figther,has preety much of these tattos,including the stars on the shoulders and knees,that say you are 'vor v zakone'

[HUNK3304]

Russian tattoos, serious business.

Certain tattoos, false ones, worn by people trying to look cool, your skin will be sliced and diced where it is. Do not do that. Get other tattos unless you earned them.

[HoraceJacobi]

@HUNK3304 Actually, not true at all.

[HUNK3304]

@HoraceJacobi Really? I thought that if someone is seen wearing certain tattoos only used by the Russian mob, that ISN'T involved with the Russian mob, they could get into loads of shit?

[HoraceJacobi]

@HUNK3304 The Russian Mafya don't have tattoos, and they're the ones you have to worry about, threat-wise. The tattooed guys are called "Vor" and they are the American equivalent of low-level street gangs. Dangerous, but more bark then bite these days. The whole "burn off the undeserved tattoos" deal went out of style awhile back, mainly due to the threat that the Vor once held in Russia, which now basically incorporates only prisons. Also, that star design is used on the CIA emblem.

[HUNK3304]

@HoraceJacobi Oh I see now. I must have been thinking in the wrong direction. The way the tattoos were portrayed in this movie must have confused me a bit!

[sezitall]

green monster is a fuckin idiot. you need to learn how to spell...wait,im sorry i take it back...you are gonna be in the CUBAN MAFIA! Please don't hurt me! HAHAHAHAHAH, fuckin loser.

[shiroisan87]

anyone know where i cam get that music in the background? anyone know the name of it?

[tanchist]

it's part of the Eastern Promises soundtrack

2nd song, called "Tatiana"

[shiroisan87]

track 2? cool. thanks.

[Hanss1989]

greenmonster =)) if you whould rly work for the mafia you whoudnt tell it on youtube =)))))

[greenemonster]

sure

[greenemonster]

first off its an orthodox cross and im Greek orthodox and second my family has huge ties with the cuben mob which i will be workin for when im out of school thats the benefit of living in florida

i could get the tattoo when ever i want mob or no mob cuz im orthodox and i really dont think im gonna be standing around a bunch of russians with my shirt off

[ParadoxicalPresence]

gunna get murked for saying shit on youtube ass

[greenemonster]

im gettin the orthodox cross on my chest after im done with school and i start my business and some stuff idk yet on my knuckles

[CrimesonWitcher]

I wouldn't do that cause as you know that those are some real tattoos and you might get killed if real mobsters see you with them, they MUST be EARNED.

[Morkoor]

TheShorelessC, some people can get a cross on their chest if they are just religious.

[Typ6oHapog]

серп и молот - смерть и голод!

[wiresinlove]

in British prisons; tears mean murder, barbed wire around the head means life with no parole, a dagger means rape and (a dagger on the shoulder means child rape) and a lark means assault. in case anyone one wanted to know.. everyone seems to be talking about it on here..

[glassbowls]

a really shity movie.

[iartghetto]

ur dumb, this movie was a god send, fucking brilliant.

[umonanny]

You sir, are a fucking idiot.

[stopkris]

amazing

[polishoutlaw]

ya russian mafia is serious shit

[EdwardMerriman360]

Weren't tattoos originally used by the Nazis as numbers printed on Holocaust victims?

I wish the Vory V Sakone would teach a little respect to those 50 cent clans and teach them real pain.

The hardest gangsters in the world were born from the prison camps of Stalin.

[qikies]

are you evening trying to ask if tattoos started during the holocaust? if so your a moron tattoos have been around for hundreds of years.

[EdwardMerriman360]

Why the need to call me a moron?

Why don't you try explaining tattoo history?