The Russian Soul in Soviet Films
Remember Star Wars—going through the asteroid field. "Sir, the chances of surviving an asteroid field are 1 in 84,000,000 millionth. Well, we're going in, sugar pie!" Next movie, Braveheart. "Sir, the English troops vastly outnumber us. The chances of survival are 1/1000. Well, we're going forward; long live Scotland!" And so forth. The same script changed a little as everyone is supposed to be hypnotized by the cowboy who always survives against incredible odds. "The viewers are too dumb to notice that it's the same script," as they said in a Doris Day film comedy. The only pearl for the rooster in the pile of dung is a film by Capra. In Search of the Russian SoulWhere to find it? Well, a place where a westerner would think unlikely would be in Soviet movies.Soviet movies completely bowled me over. An entire world opens up. I'm not sure what I expected, and I guess I expected nothing, as I had never seen or heard of a Soviet film growing up in America, where anything to do with the Soviet Union was looked down on at best or shunned or demonized.In comparing the U.S. to the Soviet films, there is no comparison. U.S. films are so shallow and full of nonsense without a message or storyline that there is no competition. Except for Capra films and a few others. Modern Russian films or play adaptations rarely make a good impression as they seem to be copied or inspired by the West without an organic Russian soul. For example. Perhaps, because it seems that currying favor with western audiences means bashing your own country to smithereens! Take the movie 'Leviathan.' You'd have to sit down hard and dream to come up with a more cynical film about Russia. Or Snegeer, the movie about fishing—also devoid of any real human feeling. Maybe it was the director's intention to show a sort of Dostoyevsky in Omsk prison experience, but that's just the point. Dostoyevsky was transformed by that experience, whereas these films leave you with a hopeless, cynical feel about life. And they did it deliberately. Go to the theatre! The same thing: a round of the most depressing spectacles is featured year after year. We saw 'Визитни Дамбы,' 'Далше тишена,' and others. Each time it is as if the directors insist that nothing inspiring can be found about Russians or Russian society. Something's off! Fortunately, just like finding a trove of books by your favorite author that you've never read, in coming to Russia, I at first sampled and then jumped headlong into a beautiful world. The collection of films is large, with outstanding films that have a message. To brush them aside as propaganda is completely inaccurate and just proves that the West cannot face Russia in any form. 'You hate what you fear,' I've heard as a reason why the westerners get their angst about Russia.The Soviet films especially are where you can find the Russian soul. I would not include most or almost all of the modern Russian films, as the directors of plays and movies never seem to get in touch with themselves or their people. Too much influence and cheap imitation of Hollywood have led to the deterioration of filmology that is still trying to find itself in Russia. In fact, Russia is redefining itself and struggling with that message. And that is what makes Russia unique, as they have a message for mankind that is buried in their souls as a people and which sometimes is scorned by the Russians themselves.Recently, with a slight cold, I plumped down on the couch and excused myself for keeping the computer running longer than I should. In 'Love,' you can enjoy the playful approach that the director takes with just interviewing people right off the street about the question, "What is love?" Then he walks through a few dramas that inspire, some of which take off and others that find the same problem they started with. The clever filming adds to what you can guess in some of the sultry scenes. We think that it would be strange to interview a priest in a Soviet film, but there it is. In 'The Unquenchable Flame,' the sensitive topic of being imprisoned in the 30s comes up as someone is sent to a camp but later is among the top of the echelons of the government. A personal, compelling story is weaved together in the wilds of Siberia.
Remember Star Wars—going through the asteroid field. "Sir, the chances of surviving an asteroid field are 1 in 84,000,000 millionth. Well, we're going in, sugar pie!" Next movie, Braveheart. "Sir, the English troops vastly outnumber us. The chances of survival are 1/1000. Well, we're going forward; long live Scotland!" And so forth. The same script changed a little as everyone is supposed to be hypnotized by the cowboy who always survives against incredible odds. "The viewers are too dumb to notice that it's the same script," as they said in a Doris Day film comedy. The only pearl for the rooster in the pile of dung is a film by Capra. In Search of the Russian SoulWhere to find it? Well, a place where a westerner would think unlikely would be in Soviet movies.Soviet movies completely bowled me over. An entire world opens up. I'm not sure what I expected, and I guess I expected nothing, as I had never seen or heard of a Soviet film growing up in America, where anything to do with the Soviet Union was looked down on at best or shunned or demonized.In comparing the U.S. to the Soviet films, there is no comparison. U.S. films are so shallow and full of nonsense without a message or storyline that there is no competition. Except for Capra films and a few others. Modern Russian films or play adaptations rarely make a good impression as they seem to be copied or inspired by the West without an organic Russian soul. For example. Perhaps, because it seems that currying favor with western audiences means bashing your own country to smithereens! Take the movie 'Leviathan.' You'd have to sit down hard and dream to come up with a more cynical film about Russia. Or Snegeer, the movie about fishing—also devoid of any real human feeling. Maybe it was the director's intention to show a sort of Dostoyevsky in Omsk prison experience, but that's just the point. Dostoyevsky was transformed by that experience, whereas these films leave you with a hopeless, cynical feel about life. And they did it deliberately. Go to the theatre! The same thing: a round of the most depressing spectacles is featured year after year. We saw 'Визитни Дамбы,' 'Далше тишена,' and others. Each time it is as if the directors insist that nothing inspiring can be found about Russians or Russian society. Something's off! Fortunately, just like finding a trove of books by your favorite author that you've never read, in coming to Russia, I at first sampled and then jumped headlong into a beautiful world. The collection of films is large, with outstanding films that have a message. To brush them aside as propaganda is completely inaccurate and just proves that the West cannot face Russia in any form. 'You hate what you fear,' I've heard as a reason why the westerners get their angst about Russia.The Soviet films especially are where you can find the Russian soul. I would not include most or almost all of the modern Russian films, as the directors of plays and movies never seem to get in touch with themselves or their people. Too much influence and cheap imitation of Hollywood have led to the deterioration of filmology that is still trying to find itself in Russia. In fact, Russia is redefining itself and struggling with that message. And that is what makes Russia unique, as they have a message for mankind that is buried in their souls as a people and which sometimes is scorned by the Russians themselves.Recently, with a slight cold, I plumped down on the couch and excused myself for keeping the computer running longer than I should. In 'Love,' you can enjoy the playful approach that the director takes with just interviewing people right off the street about the question, "What is love?" Then he walks through a few dramas that inspire, some of which take off and others that find the same problem they started with. The clever filming adds to what you can guess in some of the sultry scenes. We think that it would be strange to interview a priest in a Soviet film, but there it is. In 'The Unquenchable Flame,' the sensitive topic of being imprisoned in the 30s comes up as someone is sent to a camp but later is among the top of the echelons of the government. A personal, compelling story is weaved together in the wilds of Siberia.