Russian films worth watching
Karnavalnaya noch (Carnival Night), 1956
Comedy
Synopsis
A Soviet ‘palace of culture’ – or local entertainment centre – is in full swing, preparing for the annual New Year’s party when news of the ‘disaster’ arrives. Their head is leaving and his replacement, Ogurtsov, is a dull bureaucrat whose motto is ‘I don’t like joking myself and won’t let anyone else.’ Now the young actors have a real challenge: they must dodge Ogurtsov’s stupid orders and boring ideas and stop him from ruining the concert.
Trivia
–The film is the debut production of famous comedy director Eldar Ryazanov. It also made actress Lyudmila Gurchenko, who played the lead female part, an instant star.
–With its joyous atmosphere and the buffoonish Ogurtsov depicting philistine Soviet bureaucrats, the film was a sign of its time – Khrushchev’s ‘thaw’.
–Almost a third of the film is made-up of footage of stage performances, as the party rolls on. Ryazanov was initially discontented with the idea.
Chapaev, 1934
War epic
Synopsis
The film follows the life and death of Red Army Commander Vasily Chapaev during the Russian Civil War. Chapaev is loved by his men who he calls upon to fight fearlessly against the tsarist Cossacks.
Trivia
–The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same title by Dimitri Furmanov, an officer under the real-life Chapaev’s command. He is portrayed in the film as well.
–The film’s popularity is dwarfed by that of its characters. Chapaev, his batman Petka, Anka the machine gunner and Furmanov are all subject to countless Russian jokes. They are even featured in several computer games.
–The film contributed to making Chapaev a legendary figure in Russian history. But many historians believe his actual role in the war has been greatly exaggerated.
Dobro pozhalovat, ili postoronnim vkhod vospreshchyon (Welcome, or No Trespassing), 1964
Satirical comedy
Synopsis
Dinin, the head of a summer camp for kids, runs it like a military unit: regulations, schedules and prohibitions bracket children on every side. Kostya, a boy with a natural distaste for limitations is banned from the camp for violating its rules. However, when he dreams that his grandma is upset to death by his early return, he decides to stay. He lives ‘illegally,’ hiding from Dinin and his spy and relying on friends for food and cover.
Trivia
–Satire against Soviet society hidden under the guise of children’s films was a tactic used in many 1960s productions. This one is a real gem among them.
–Dinin gives the niece of a powerful bureaucrat the lead role at a concert to flatter the man. She plays ‘Corn’ the queen of fields. It’s a political joke as Nikita Khrushchev was a big supporter of shifting from traditional wheat and oats to corn.
–Director Elem Klimov didn’t enjoy a successful career despite his talent. Many of his later projects were banned by censors.
Chelovek-Amfibiya (Amphibian Man), 1962
Romantic adventure
Synopsis
People of a seaside town in Latin America are disturbed by rumours of the mysterious Sea Devil lurking in the deep. Businessman Pedro Zurita wants to catch the silver-scaled beast hoping it will boost his pearl diving business. But in fact the ‘beast’ is a young man named Ichtiandr. His adopted father, the scientist Salvator, saved the boy’s life by transplanting shark’s gills into his body. Ichtiandr has to spend half of his life in the open sea to stay fit and he is inept in human society. But he becomes very interested in people when he falls in love with a beautiful girl who happens to be betrothed to Zurita.
Trivia
–The film is based on the 1927 novel by famous writer Aleksandr Belyayev. Dubbed the “Soviet Jules Verne,” Belyayev was the founding father of Russian science fiction. He wrote 13 novels and dozens of shorts stories.
–The film was shot in Crimea. Lacking accurate knowledge of contemporary Latin America, the crew made many details like songs or costumes more Spanish-like.
–Ichtiandr is an invented name. It literarily means ‘fish-man’ in Greek.
Mimino, 1977
Lyrical comedy
Synopsis
Valiko, a handsome and kind chopper pilot, works in his native Georgia delivering mail, fruit and sometimes cattle to remote mountain villages. But his secret dream is to pilot one of the big supersonic planes that fly all over the world. One day he leaves for distant Moscow to apply to the long-distance aviation school. He finds a new best friend, Armenian truck driver Rubik, and together the go through a series of events – some funny, some tragic – that will eventually make Valiko’s dream come true.
Trivia
–Mimino is the nickname given to Valiko by his friends. It means ‘falcon’ in Georgian.
–Vakhtang Kikabidze, who plays Valiko, is not only a renowned actor but also a famous singer loved both in Russia and in Georgia. Both his parents were of noble origin – quite unusual for a successful person in the Soviet Union.
–Many gags in the film derive from Valiko and Rubik being far from fluent in Russian. For example, Valiko gives a word-to-word translation of a proper Georgian phrase used to call someone on the phone which results in a rather ambiguous “I want Larisa.”
