Samantha Roback

Russian Cinema

Final Essays

5/18/17

Introduction to Russian Cinema - Final

1. The Soviet Union has often been characterized by its closed market economy and rigid

political system. Especially during the time of the Stalinist era, the film industry was largely af-

fected by censorship. Films that spoke ill of the country, the leaders, or the political system were

banned. The closed market economy blocked Soviet cinema from Western influence, and the

rigid political system provided censorship that forced filmmakers to be more creative in the ways

messages were presented, especially if they were speaking against the Union. However, the fall

of the Soviet Union in 1991 brought about an open market economy, less political censorship,

and Western influence on cinema. The outside influence on Russian cinema assisted in the devel-

opment of film genres and techniques, but it hindered Russia’s unique film aesthetic.

An example of a film released during the time of heightened censorship is Aletia, Queen

of Mars by Protozanov. The film subtly demonstrates the injustices of Soviet society under the

disguise of a civilization living on Mars. Protozanov’s film was one of the first films to experi-

ment with the idea of space travel, and it paved the way for future space - set science fiction

films in Russian and Soviet cinema. The method of disguising Soviet society or messages against

Soviet society in films became a popular tool during the era of censorship. Eventually, Aletia,

Queen of Mars was not seen favorably by the government, and it then became harder for the gen-

eral public to view. As mind numbingly boring as I personally find Dovzhenko’s Earth, it was

well received by Dovzhenko’s homeland of Ukraine. They praised the film because it aligned

with their ideals. The Soviet Union; however, did not like the nonfinite position the film took re-

garding Stalin taking control of the rural farming land of the Kulaks. Additionally, Eisenstein

and Tarkovsky created some of their most well-known films under the political censorship of the

Soviet Union including Battleship Potemkin and Stalker. It is possible that these Soviet master-

pieces were possible because of the censorship. The censorship provided more guidelines for

filmmakers to find sneaky or creative ways around, overall improving their work. Also, the time

of unrest in the Soviet Union provided powerful material and messages for films of the time to

portray. In the present, many films are being made mainly for monetary or entertainment pur-

poses.

A previously mentioned, the fall of the Soviet Union began an opened market economy

and allowed for a greater influence of Western cinema. This influence both advanced and hin-

dered the traditional Russian film. Russian filmmakers adopted many techniques established in

Hollywood. For example, the eventual distribution of Walt Disney’s animations allowed Russian

animators to integrate the use of the cel technique into their films. The addition of this new tech-

nique allowed for the creation of films such as Buratino. In contrast, Western influence affected

Russian audience reception and perception of films. Instead of films like Stalker, which move at

a relatively slow pace and emphasize character development, recent releases such as Night

Watch have little character development and fit the entire plot into the typical 90 - 120 minute

time span. Audiences are losing the patience to sit through a three hour films. I’m sorry,

Tarkovsky. Other films, such as Black Lighting, pull from the Western superhero film phenome-

non. The influence of these genre films has caused Russian cinema to stray even further from its

roots. The expansion of genre films also applies to movie musicals. Russian movie musicals be-

gan after influence from the West with films such as Volga, Volga in 1938 and have evolved into

films like Stilyagi in the present day. Styling’s staging and color scheme relate closely to Ameri-

can movie musicals like Hairspray, again this demonstrates the influence Western cinema has

had over Russian genre films.

Overall, Russia’s films can be broken in to two overarching categories: films made during

the Soviet Union and films produced after the fall of the Soviet Union. Films made during the

time of Communism and the Stalinist regime are regarded as some of the most visually pleasing

and mentally stimulating films to come out of the Soviet Union. The films of people like

Tarkovsky and, Paradjonov, and Eisenstein are arguably as impressive as they are due the cen-

sorship of the film industry. The censorship provided a barrier, so filmmakers of the time had to

develop creative ways to portray their message while making a film that would abide by the

guidelines. Or they could speak more openly against the Soviet Union, get arrested, and then the

film would survive them as a masterpiece.

3. When asked to reflect on Russian cinema, the word comedy is not typically the first

word to come to mind. Russian films are usually somewhat depressing with endings that leave

the audience questioning religion or the existence of it. That is not to say, after all, that comedies

do not exist within Russian cinema. Even though Russian comedies appear to have evolved from

the same sources as American comedies, they popularized different comedic tactics overtime

such as dark humor, social satire dramatic irony, and simply moments of absurdity. They also

frequently used comedy as a propaganda tool for the Soviet Union.

Russian comedies and American, in my opinion, developed from a common source —

the silent film. Physical comedy in American silent films was largely made popular by Charlie

Chaplin. Early Soviet silent films, like The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in The Land of

the Bolsheviks by Kuleshov, had a similar element of over-exaggerated physical comedy and

emotions. However, the slapstick comedy performed by Geddy the cowboy and the other mem-

bers of the cast was all part of a plot to demonstrate the “true and good” society that was the So-

viet Union. The film concludes with the Soviet police rescuing Mr. West from the criminals as a

parade in honor of Lenin passes below demonstrating the real Soviet Union and what a great

place it is to reside. Mr. West then calls his wife back home and instructs her to hang a picture of

Lenin in their house. In the case of The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in The Land of the

Bolsheviks, as well as other Russian films, including Volga, Volga and Circus, comedy was often

used as optimism towards the ideologies of the Soviet Union. Later in the evolution of Russian

film making, specifically 1973, the comedy Ivan the Terrible Changes Professions was released.

Ivan the Terrible Changes Professions used comedy tactics similar to those of Kuleshov in The

Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in The Land of the Bolsheviks, such as over-exaggerated

physical comedy. It also played with sound effects and dramatic irony.

Comedy in Russia, especially during the Stalinist era, was not always well regarded. Of-

ten times critics and political authority figures were suspicious of comedy films, and they wor-

ried that the films were opposing the Soviet Union. The excessive censorship during the reign of

Stalin lead to the resurgence of social satire. The use of social satire in Russian comedies al-

lowed for a period of more sophisticated comedies after the Thaw. Unlike many American come-

dies, Russians used comedy to reflect on the past period of history and comment on the political

state of their country. Films such as Ivan The Terrible Part II and Shadows of Forgotten Ances-

tors were released during the period of the Thaw and do reflect on the past and present political

state of the country. After the end of the Soviet Union, comedies transformed and achieved a

more egotistical feel and included more dark humor.

Overall, comedy, like much of Russian filmmaking, was greatly influenced by the cen-

sorship of the Soviet Union. Before the Thaw, critics were untrusting of many comedies for fear

that they were speaking out against the political system. The comedies of Russian evolved from

the exaggerated acting of silent movies, similar to American comedies, to increased dark humor

and dramatic irony as commentary on the past and present political climate in post - Soviet

comedies. American audiences have been conditioned with a wide array of ridiculous comedy

films made for no other purpose than to amuse audiences. It does not take much thinking to com-

prehend these films. Due to humor tactics such as dark humor and dramatic irony, Russian films

are not usually regarded as comedies, especially to American audiences. However, comedies still

exist in Russian cinema, but the history of the country has caused humor to evolve differently

than humor in American films.

1. 2009 was right in the heart of a surge of romantic comedies and dramas in the United

States. The increased production of romantic genre films in America had a ripple effect in Rus-

sia. At this time in history, Russian film production was becoming increasingly westernized.

They were beginning to produce more genre films as well as films with simpler plots, characters,

and shorter running times. An audience expecting to see a “melodrama about the ups and downs

of love” probably also expected the movie to be easily digestible, especially if they have grown

accustomed to the trials and tribulations that make up a typical American romantic drama. How-

ever, Oxygen went against all preconceived notions as “a puzzling cinerap about mortal sins, the

meaning of life, love for God and for earthly people in which the main heroes never say a word

throughout the entire film.” I do not wish to fully compare the style of Oxygen to that of

Tarkovsky, Paradjanov, or Eisenstienm because I believe they exist on separate levels. I do;

however, believe that the messages portrayed in Oxygen require the same type of thinking and

analysis as the messages of in the films of Tarkovsky, Paradjanov, and Eisenstien. Lately it has

become increasingly more difficult to find a large majority of the public who will watch a film

for the artistry and complex messages rather than for a spoon-fed, hour and a half escape from

their daily lives. So it does not come as a surprise that many people got up and left during the

showing of Oxygen. Also, Vyrypaev’s style was new for Russian cinema. The entire story was

told through music, and it used different versions of the main characters for the musical perfor-

mance and the daily performances. It was like one continuous montage, Eisenstein would have

been proud. Oxygen also included elements of animation that interrupted the live action. How-

ever, it appears as though nothing new is easily and readily accepted in Russian culture. Tradi-

tion and hierarchy seem to play large roles within Russian society. Tarkovsky discussed having

slow builds so people who were not in the correct place could leave, and that is exactly what

happened with Oxygen. In contrast to Tarkovsky’s methods, Vyrypaev hits the audience over the

head with the style right at the beginning and keeps the momentum going through the end of the

film This way audiences can make the decision early if they wish to continue watching or not.

As for the second part of the quote, I agree. “If I was a director, I would shoot a film just

like Vyrypaev.” It started conversation. It may not have been the romantic melodrama audiences

hoped for, but they did pick up on the additional messages, even if they did not enjoy them. This

film put something different in the eyes and minds of Russian society. Even though I believe

some aspects of the music videos were heavily influenced by Western film production, the film

also regained the “deep” (I’m really sorry that I just used that phrase) and more intellectual think-

ing brought about by films by Tarkovsky, but in a more entertaining way. In my mind, Oxygen,

even without simple messages, is more accessible to the current public because of their thirst for

constant entertainment.

2. Tarkovsky uses Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” in his 1972 film Stalker. The poem was adapted

to create Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9” which plays at the end of the film. The film beings and

ends in similar ways. The film has a sepia tone to it and the men are seen talking at the bar while

a slow pan occurs and a train whistle is heard in the background. The upbeat message of the

poem starkly contrasts the depressing and hopeless feel of Stalker. Beethoven’s “Symphony No.

9” also, musically, is more upbeat and fast - paced which contrasts the extreme long shots and

slow build in Tarkovsky’s film. The poem appears to emphasize togetherness using lines such as

“thy enchantments bind together” and “be embrac’d, ye millions yonder! / Take this kiss through-

out the world.” It has been theorized that the zone represents the Soviet Union and the hardships

and tortures one endures as a citizen of such a place. Perhaps the use of Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” at

the end of the film, combined with the train whistle, is supposed to emphasize how trapped these

individuals feel in a increasingly mechanical society that puts up a front to convince outsiders it

is a welcoming place for all. The messages in Schiller’s poem are reminiscent of the scene at the

end of Circus where the African American baby is passed around to people of many different

cultural backgrounds to show the diversity as well as the “big happy family” aspect of the Soviet

Union.

Many of Tarkovsky’s films deal with the ideals of Christianity as well as the issue of indi-

vidual moral duties. The use of the ode to joy in this particular film could be another vehicle for

him to explore Christian values. The poem speaks of “Joy, beauteous thy godly lighting,” as if

joy or happiness is the product of miraculous works of God. The poem also includes the line,

“Heavenly, thy holy home!” This line could refer to the room within the zone and how each of

the characters — the writer, the scientist, and the stalker — hope to be granted their greatest de-

sire after entering the room. Tarkovsky may be using this element to question the existence of

God in a society as corrupt as the Soviet Union. Without god, are they ever able to escape? The

distant train is a reminder that there might be an escape, but the characters end up back in their

colorless lives at the end of the film. This shows another one of Tarvosky’s main themes — the

internal battle of the individual.

Now this may be a bit of a stretch, but during one scene in Stalker the main character has

a dream where water runs over many things he deems destructive in life — like shells and guns.

This could very well be the main character wishing for a baptism of all that is destructive and

causing their lives hardship. With this scene, Tarkovsky could be suggesting the necessity for a

God to wash away the sins of the crimes committed by the people in the Soviet Union. The ef-

fects of the zone can be seen at the end of the film as the Stalker’s daughter appears to have de-

veloped telekinesis. This plot point demonstrates how the destructive ways of the Soviet Union

are corrupting younger generations as well, and they too are in need of a messiah to save them

from themselves.