Sometimes, filmmakers have unequivocally supported
propaganda efforts. Even more, their joint action has occasionally surpassed national boundaries and lasted for decades. Western movie industry and Soviet studios had predominantly anti-Turkish
sentiments. Both capitalist and communist filmmakers produced a number of motion pictures, which gave the Turks a bad publicity.
Childish pranks have been portrayed many times in
movies. Funny actions of energetic boys entertain the general audience in an innocent way. However, in our case, one of the boys from an O.Henry’s short story is not a harmless little character.
Quite the contrary. Nevertheless, even his rather dangerous activities have made us smile.
Movies throughout the world have had numerous scenes,
where vicious dogs attack human beings. In fact, the dogs themselves are only puppets in the hands of their masters of superior intellect. The excerpts, cited in this article, have been taken from
the very different kinds of feature films.
A war epic …
The beauty of a female body has inspired creative
people for millenia. It is natural that film directors of many nations have exploited this topic, too. One of the favorite objects their adoration is the back part of a female body, situated below
the waist.
In a French-Italian philosophical comedy Le Diable et les Dix Commandements
When one is nervous or trying to cover up something,
his eyes might become shifty. You know, time is pressing. Environment is hostile. So, he naturally chooses the most efficient way to get the visual information of vital importance, because it is
easier to master your eyes’ muscles than to move your head. In a word, this ability is useful for criminals, businessmen and politicians, who often face stressful situations. The author
…
The Soviet Union was a pioneer in the emancipation
of women. It was one of the first countries to grant women a right to vote. Thousands of the Red Army soldiers sacrificed their lives to free women of the Central Asia and Caucasus from the
centuries-long oppression by Muslim fanatics. The first female ambassador in modern times was Alexandra Kollontai, who was appointed to represent interests of the USSR in …
These are literally hot symbols of dynamic development, life-giving force. No wonder that moviemakers around the world have often alluded to the fiery examples. Sometimes, they have employed
strikingly similar imagery of the phenomenon. Thus, solar myths, Greek fire god Prometheus, Zoroastrian creed, eternal flames of war memorials, and other manifestations of the mankind’s reverence for
the source of warmth is marching on in films.
For instance, famous Soviet eastern «Неуловимые мстители» (The Elusive …
In some movies, gramophones have become a symbol of the cultural enlightment. Convincing scenes of indigenious people, listening to unheard-of devices brought by “white devils”, embody both cultural
and technical progress.
Perhaps, legendary documentary Nanook of the North (directed and produced by Robert J. Flaherty, 1922) heralded this trend in motion pictures. Then, Soviet adventure comedy Chief
Chukotky («Начальник Чукотки», directed by Vitali Melnikov, produced by Lenfilm Studios, 1966) was one of the brilliant films …
Once again, I would like to share
useful information with cinema buffs. There are numerous examples, where Hollywood, willingly or unwillingly, followed in the footsteps of the Red Empire‘s film
directors.
«Год дракона» (Year of the Dragon
Famous Hollywood actor Richard Gere brilliantly played in The
Cotton Club (directed by Francis Ford Coppola, produced by American Zoetrope, 1984)and
Pretty Woman (directed by Garry Marshall, produced by Touchstone Pictures, 1990). The
former portrays a jazzman with criminal connections and the latter actually promotes prostitution. But, few moviegoers in the West know that these feature films were preceded by
…
Not only arms and money are vehicles of confrontation. Books and
films serve this purpose as well. Clashes in the field of ideology invariably accompany wars, fought on the battlefield itself. In this respect, the Middle East is a region, where such fighting is
paricularly intense. Remember Saddam Hussein’s Iraq? At the entrance of a fashionable hotel in Baghdad, they put George H. W. Bush’s portrait under the feet of visitors.
Now, take a …
Pepsico was one of the few Western firms, which had managed to gain wide access to the Soviet market. Therefore, its soft drink Pepsi became a symbol of consumerism in Soviet mass culture. I know at
least three instances of Pepsico’s product placement in feature films of the Red Empire.
«Карантин» (Quarantine, directed by Ilya Frez,
produced by Gorky Film Studios, …
Some moviemakers, not contented with censorship restrictions, have set lurid overtones in their works. Oddly enough,
there was a certain number of films with dubious scenes, released in the Soviet Union.
Don’t Grieve comedy («Не горюй!», directed by Georgi Daneliya, produced by Mosfilm Studios and Georgian Film
Studios, 1969)contains a …
I don’t know for sure, whether it was deliberate plagiarism or simply another instance of coincidence,
when Hollywood filmmakers imitated scenes from some Soviet movies.
«Илья Муромец» (Ilya Muromets, directed by Alexander Ptushko, produced by Mosfilm Studios, 1956) is an epic fantasy about Russian folk hero
of the same …
Soviet filmmakers made several excellent movies, based on works of Mark Twain and O. Henry.
Wonderful television films «Приключения Тома Сойера и Гекльберри Финна» (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, 1981, directed by Stanislav Govorukhin) and «Трест, который лопнул» (The
Trust That Has Burst, 1982, directed by Alexander Pavlovsky), released by Odessa Film Studios (Ukraine), have enjoyed huge success among Soviet and post-Soviet audiences.
But, as in any big …
Genghis Khan’s hordes invade Kazakh steppes. His son goes hunting for onagers (wild donkeys). He manages to strike
down a foal, but its mother kills him in revenge. No one dares to inform Genghis Khan about the tragic event, because the Mongolian Emperor has promised to fill up with lead
the throat of one, who would announce bad news to him. Only a Kazakh musician summons up courage to tell the truth to the formidable ruler with the help of dombra
…
Award-winning Kazakhfilm Studios animation, released in 1967, based on a Kazakh fairy tale. Directed by Amen Khaidarov, music by Nurgisa Tlendiev.
The Stalingrad Battle’s participant Amen Khaidarov in 2009
Old and sick Dragon desperately needs a cure for his disease. Cunning Fox tells him that the best way to restore his
health is to drink sweet blood. Then, …
Советский фильм «Набат», снятый для служебного пользования в 1983 году. В этой малоизвестной и труднодоступной ленте, повествующей о борьбе с терроризмом в гражданской авиации, принимали участие известные артисты: Наталья Варлей, Вадим Захарченко, Петр Вельяминов, каратист Тадеуш Касьянов и другие.
…
