Introduction to Soviet Films....

[RadioRaheem84]

Hi guys. I was wondering if anyone in here was familiar with Soviet films? I am thinking about starting a collection of the best films of the former USSR. Anyone recommend any? Starting with the best of the best of all genres!

Thanks

[Tavarisch_Mike]

I recomend Idi Smotri, ore in english Come and See. A WW2 movie thats suppose to be in Belaruse. Its just beautiful.

[RadioRaheem84]

Excellent. Any one recommend any Soviet films that take a swipe at capitalism?

[praxis1966]

Sergei Eisenstein's films are good, especially his early works Dnevik Glumova (1923), Stachka (1925), Battleship Potemkin (1925), and Ten Days That Shook the World (1928). His late work, Alexander Nevsky (1938), is a matter of some debate as some on the left consider it an argument for Soviet imperial expansion under Stalin (especially considering he was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Stalin Prize for it), but I think that's a misinterpretation considering the history of it. In fact, its real message was distrust and dislike for the Nazi regime and the Soviet authorities couldn't have that given the recent signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. They didn't want anyone off the talking points, as it were, and subsequently pulled it from circulation.

Anyway, Eisenstein's considered the inventor/father of montage style editing and his panoramas were groundbreaking in their day. So, there's that.

EDIT: As an aside, Eisenstein is to this day studied at just about every film school as an integral part of the development of modern film making if that means anything to you.

[x359594]

Second all of Praxis' recommendations.

The Soviet Cinema enjoyed a tremendously creative period between 1918 and 1930. Dziga Vertov made some great films but I'm uncertain of their availability; I saw a huge retrospective of Soviet movies at the Museum of Modern Art around 30 years ago and attended some free talks by Jay Leyda who authored a book on the history of Soviet cinema called Kino and was Sergei Eisenstein's assistant on Bezhin Meadow.

Memorable movies are By the Law by Lev Kuleshov and The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in the Land of the Bolsheviks also by Kuleshov; by Dziga Vertov: Three Songs of Lenin, Stride Soviet and Man With a Movie Camera; by Alexander Dovchenko Earth, Zevenigora, Arsenal and Aerograd. Pudovkin's Storm Over Asia was an epic drama about the Mongolian revolt against Western imperialism.

Then there's a period of conservatism and "socialist realism" with few good films (the exceptions being Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible I and II.) I'm not familiar with Soviet films of the 1950s, but starting in the 60s you have Andrei Tarkovsky making great pictures like My Name is Ivan, Andrei Rublev, Solaris and Stalker. There is also Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors and the 8 hour War and Peace.

[Arlekino]

I love Soviet Movies with my pleasure would I recommend to add to your list.

And Quiet Flows the Don (1958)
The Meeting cannot be changed (1979)
Siberiade (1979)
Lev Tolstoy film
Hot Snow (1972)
Timur and his team (film, 1940)
Virgin Soil Upturned film( 1959)
Seventeen Moments of Spring,
With regards I think all you can find on online with English subtitles and they are good leftist movies.

[ComradeOm]

His late work, Alexander Nevsky (1938), is a matter of some debate as some on the left consider it an argument for Soviet imperial expansion under Stalin (especially considering he was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Stalin Prize for it), but I think that's a misinterpretation considering the history of it. In fact, its real message was distrust and dislike for the Nazi regime and the Soviet authorities couldn't have that given the recent signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. They didn't want anyone off the talking points, as it were, and subsequently pulled it from circulationAlexander Nevsky is generally accepted as an allegory/warning of Germany at a time when the USSR was still seeking to build an anti-Nazi alliance. After the signing of the Non-Aggression Pact Eisenstein was instructed to make amends by directing a stage showing of Die Walküre in Moscow... until the political tides turned again and he was given the opportunity to direct Ivan the Terrible. The latter is pure Russian nationalism but still well worth watching

(Edit: And of course Ivan the Terrible was filmed in two parts - the second not being released for over a decade after the first due to some unflattering comparisons with Stalin)

[praxis1966]

Alexander Nevsky is generally accepted as an allegory/warning of Germany at a time when the USSR was still seeking to build an anti-Nazi alliance. After the signing of the Non-Aggression Pact Eisenstein was instructed to make amends by directing a stage showing of Die Walküre in Moscow... until the political tides turned again and he was given the opportunity to direct Ivan the Terrible. The latter is pure Russian nationalism but still well worth watching

(Edit: And of course Ivan the Terrible was filmed in two parts - the second not being released for over a decade after the first due to some unflattering comparisons with Stalin)

I agree completely, but I've seen people on forums elsewhere make the mistaken interpretation of Nevsky. I only mentioned it so nobody got the wrong idea about why I was making the recommendation.

[Jazzhands]

Dziga Vertov invented a philosophy of film-making called "Film-Eye" (Kino-glaz) which also happens to be the name of a series of newsreels directed by him. I used to know more about it but I forgot it because I've been neglecting my studies.:( That was in the early days after the revolution until the 1930s.

Sergei Eisenstein is a great way to start out. I did a whole segment of a research paper on Soviet film propaganda and I used Alexander Nevsky as an example. Soviet montage means that taking images and cutting them together, new concepts could be introduced into the mind of the viewer as well as new emotional states.

in mathematical terms, Eisenstein believed that maggotty meat+dead, hungry and diseased sailors+healthy, fat capitalist=the meat poisoned the sailors but the capitalist doesn't have to eat it. in other words, A+B=C for Eisenstein. On the other hand, Vertov believed A+B=AB. tell me if I got it right.

[Comrade Marxist Bro]

I recomend Idi Smotri, ore in english Come and See. A WW2 movie thats suppose to be in Belaruse. Its just beautiful.

I would also recommend Come and See. It's a 1985 Soviet film that depicts the experiences of a teenage partisan in Nazi-occupied Belarus -- it isn't anything like a wartime action film, but very movingly and realistically depicting the suffering and the brutality of that period through the eyes of the young protagonist.

This would be the best film that the USSR ever produced, in my opinion.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Two Comrades Were Serving (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rVHCHIWvNQ) - funny/dramatic movie about the last major victory in the civil war. includes a tachanka chase.

They Fought for the Motherland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjBPF_lYJf0) - pretty good war movie, in color, opening days of the great patriotic war.

The entire playlist for "Quiet Flows the Dawn" (http://www.youtube.com/user/IgorRusland#p/c/D7788DDC94702B83/0/p1uwyDQAhVQ) - Absolutely great movie about cossacks tied up in between the red and white armies. 6 hours long, in 3 parts. EXCELLENT drama.



probably one of my favorites for its quirkiness
"White Sun of the Desert"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_pmbG3wNQ4


Basically this guy has 3 or 4 channels dedicated to english translations of russian and soviet films/tv shows

first one with a SHIT LOAD OF STUFF (http://www.youtube.com/user/IgorRusland#p/p)
Second One (http://www.youtube.com/user/IgorRusland#p/p)
I think this is an entire collection of "17 Moments of Spring (http://www.youtube.com/user/Igor17moments#p/p)" a Black and White Soviet tv show

And this one has a good quality but shitty pro white civil war movie called "Admiral (http://www.youtube.com/user/IgorAdmiral#p/p)"


sorry this was all poorly organized but the links are all to youtube videos and playlists.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I love Soviet Movies with my pleasure would I recommend to add to your list.

And Quiet Flows the Don (1958)
The Meeting cannot be changed (1979)
Siberiade (1979)
Lev Tolstoy film
Hot Snow (1972)
Timur and his team (film, 1940)
Virgin Soil Upturned film( 1959)
Seventeen Moments of Spring,
With regards I think all you can find on online with English subtitles and they are good leftist movies.

sorry for the double post but i have been dying to see hot snow. i cant find it on veoh, youtube, or torrent sites. do you know where it is!?

[Arlekino]

The Hot Snow. [URL="http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/drama/watch/v185451454nSmSaHc"

]A heroic drama, based upon the title novel by Yuri Bondare

[Rusty Shackleford]

The Hot Snow. [URL="http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/drama/watch/v185451454nSmSaHc"

]A heroic drama, based upon the title novel by Yuri Bondare

Ah fuck i realize that i have already seen this movie and the one i was looking for was "Battle for Moscow" "Bitva za Moskvu" i found it in russian but i havent been able to find an english translation of it.

[Communist]

.

I like Dovzhenko even more than Eisenstein, although background knowledge of the Ukraine, late teens through 1932, is helpful to properly understand his work. "Earth" and "Arsenal" are among my all-time favorite movies; two very beautiful films with images that I can almost guarantee you'll never forget.
Pudovkin certainly has great films as well (although, for some reason, "Storm Over Asia" puts me to sleep, which is unusual for early Soviet cinema). Boris Barnet made a great Soviet silent comedy and an early sound masterpiece called "Outskirts", and they're both on the same dvd.
There's really a lot of great USSR cinema.

.

[HEAD ICE]

Can anyone recommend some Red Westerns?

[Bright Banana Beard]

The Cranes Are Flying is a great film to watch.

[ComradeOm]

Can anyone recommend some Red Westerns?Lemonade Joe is Czech and is more of a comedy than a Western, but I still love it