light and dark: stagnation period comedies (approx. 1964-85)

Light and Dark: Light and Dark: Stagnation Period Stagnation Period

Comedies Comedies (approx. 1964-85)(approx. 1964-85)

Comedies Comedies as a response to life’s dullnessas a response to life’s dullness

Life under Brezhnev: no economic growth, no positive Life under Brezhnev: no economic growth, no positive social changes, especially after 1968social changes, especially after 1968

free thinking (the free thinking (the dissidentsdissidents) suppressed) suppressed Many cultural figures driven abroad: Solzhenitsyn, Many cultural figures driven abroad: Solzhenitsyn,

Brodsky, Rostropovich, BaryshnikovBrodsky, Rostropovich, Baryshnikov The reign of bureaucracy The reign of bureaucracy Bleak life: Lining up for food; “getting” clothes and other Bleak life: Lining up for food; “getting” clothes and other

stuffstuff Jokes and comedies as antidotes to the monotony and Jokes and comedies as antidotes to the monotony and

hopelessnesshopelessness

The differences of the Soviet The differences of the Soviet cultural system from the Westcultural system from the West

Detached from the market place: money provided by the stateDetached from the market place: money provided by the state

No reason to work efficientlyNo reason to work efficiently

Interaction between the needs of the party and the creative freedom Interaction between the needs of the party and the creative freedom of the individual - testing the limits of the permitted. of the individual - testing the limits of the permitted.

““Familial" relations between the different camps (Dom Kino). Familial" relations between the different camps (Dom Kino).

Inefficiencies in the system of control (e.g., approval of script, but no Inefficiencies in the system of control (e.g., approval of script, but no control over the production)control over the production)

Control over distribution. Filmmakers didn’t get royalties.Control over distribution. Filmmakers didn’t get royalties.

The separate strands of film The separate strands of film productionproduction

““Opportunists” (commercial and political) who worked for the Opportunists” (commercial and political) who worked for the system (Bondarchuk – system (Bondarchuk – War and Peace (1968)War and Peace (1968); Menshov - ; Menshov - Moscow Does Not Believe in TearsMoscow Does Not Believe in Tears, (1979, Best foreign film, , (1979, Best foreign film, 1980)1980)

““Messianic elitism”- Andrei Tarkovsky, ParadzhanovMessianic elitism”- Andrei Tarkovsky, Paradzhanov

““Populists” who steered a middle course (Eldar Ryazanov, Nikita Populists” who steered a middle course (Eldar Ryazanov, Nikita Mikhalkov, Larisa Shepitko), giving good middle-brow filmsMikhalkov, Larisa Shepitko), giving good middle-brow films

““Entertainment” classics (Leonid Gaidai’s comedies)Entertainment” classics (Leonid Gaidai’s comedies), The White , The White Sun of the Desert Sun of the Desert (Vladimir Motyl, 1970)(Vladimir Motyl, 1970)

Cartoons (the Cartoons (the multfilms, multfilms, мультфильмымультфильмы) for children ) for children ((CheburashkaCheburashka))

The White Sun of the DesertThe White Sun of the Desert

((1970), by Vladimir Motyl1970), by Vladimir Motyl


Ironic comedy become a cult movie: quoted in Ironic comedy become a cult movie: quoted in everyday conversationeveryday conversation

Takes place in the desert on coast of the Caspian sea Takes place in the desert on coast of the Caspian sea at the end of the Civil War (1920)at the end of the Civil War (1920)

Framing in letters to hero Sukhov’s fiancFraming in letters to hero Sukhov’s fiancée in Russiaée in Russia

Cultural differences between Russians and Muslims: Cultural differences between Russians and Muslims: girls in Abdullah the bandit’s haremgirls in Abdullah the bandit’s harem


Celebrates myth of Russian “values” in hero Sukhov: carefree Celebrates myth of Russian “values” in hero Sukhov: carefree attitude to life, vodka, gallantry to women, trust betrayed, winning attitude to life, vodka, gallantry to women, trust betrayed, winning in the endin the end

Shades of Shades of ChapaevChapaev: Sukhov with the machine-gun: Sukhov with the machine-gun

Western-style drama: shoot-out on boatWestern-style drama: shoot-out on boat

Comedy of charactersComedy of characters

Pathos: young innocent soldier, Pasha the honest customs officer Pathos: young innocent soldier, Pasha the honest customs officer killedkilled

Music: popular song Music: popular song “Your Excellency”“Your Excellency”

Leonid Gaidai (1923-93)Leonid Gaidai (1923-93)

Scriptwriter and directorScriptwriter and director Slapstick comedies with Slapstick comedies with

elements of music elements of music comedycomedy

Best comic actors Best comic actors Popular punch linesPopular punch lines Smuggled irony and Smuggled irony and

social criticismsocial criticism Success (up to 76 million Success (up to 76 million

tickets sold per film)tickets sold per film)

The great comic trio The great comic trio (Vitsin, Nikulin, and Morgunov)(Vitsin, Nikulin, and Morgunov)

Kidnapping, Caucasian Style Kidnapping, Caucasian Style (1967)(1967)

Patriarchal values, Patriarchal values, money and power vs money and power vs youth, love, liberated youth, love, liberated womanwoman

Protagonists: young Protagonists: young studentsstudents

Villain: a party member Villain: a party member who hires petty who hires petty criminalscriminals

Song about polar Song about polar bearsbears

Features twist - a Features twist - a “bourgeois” dance in “bourgeois” dance in positive lightpositive light

Kidnapping, Caucasian Kidnapping, Caucasian StyleStyle (1967) (1967)

Ivan Vasilievich Ivan Vasilievich Switches Profession Switches Profession (1973)(1973)

Time machine, Time machine, Ivan the Terrible, Ivan the Terrible, “back to the “back to the future” themefuture” theme

Colour vs black Colour vs black and white = and white = dream vs reality dream vs reality (ironic comment (ironic comment on the epoch?)on the epoch?)

The Diamond ArmThe Diamond Arm (1968) (1968)

Semion, a good family man, gets Semion, a good family man, gets a chance to go on a cruise and a chance to go on a cruise and travel abroadtravel abroad

Meets a “nice guy” who is a gang Meets a “nice guy” who is a gang membermember

Smugglers take Semion for that Smugglers take Semion for that guy and put diamonds in the cast guy and put diamonds in the cast on his “broken” armon his “broken” arm

Back at home, Semion Back at home, Semion collaborates with the police as a collaborates with the police as a sitting duck while the gangsters sitting duck while the gangsters try to get the diamonds at all costtry to get the diamonds at all cost

Misunderstandings and Misunderstandings and confusion; happy endingconfusion; happy ending

The Diamond Arm (1968)The Diamond Arm (1968)

More comediesMore comediesand cartoons of the and cartoons of the Stagnation eraStagnation era

Everyday life and philosophical Everyday life and philosophical exploration of beingexploration of being

Eldar Ryazanov (b.1927) Eldar Ryazanov (b.1927)

Numerous hit Numerous hit comedies, including comedies, including

Irony of Fate, Irony of Fate, shown shown every New Year’s every New Year’s Eve since 1975Eve since 1975

Comedy of charactersComedy of characters IronyIrony Poetry and songs in Poetry and songs in

filmsfilms Social criticismSocial criticism Humanistic valuesHumanistic values

Office RomanceOffice Romance (1977) (1977)by E. Ryazanovby E. Ryazanov

A sad (despite the A sad (despite the happy ending) and happy ending) and detailed comment on detailed comment on many aspects of life many aspects of life during the during the Stagnation (dull Stagnation (dull senseless work, senseless work, hypocrisy, lies, hypocrisy, lies, overloaded women, overloaded women, ugly daily life, line-ugly daily life, line-ups, monotony, ups, monotony, hopelessness).hopelessness).

Georgy Danelia (b.1930)Georgy Danelia (b.1930)

Among his most Among his most popular films:popular films:

I Walk Through I Walk Through MoscowMoscow (1963) (1963)

AfoniaAfonia (1975) (1975) MiminoMimino (1977) (1977) Autumn MarathonAutumn Marathon

(1979)(1979) Kin-dza-dzaKin-dza-dza (1986) (1986)

MiminoMimino (1977) (1977)

Georgian, Armenian and Georgian, Armenian and Russian characters: Russian characters: Soviet Union at its bestSoviet Union at its best

A man in search for A man in search for himselfhimself

Mild irony, comedy of Mild irony, comedy of characters and situation; characters and situation; verbal comedyverbal comedy

Human values tested Human values tested and asserted (friendship, and asserted (friendship, love for one’s birthplace love for one’s birthplace and family, one’s and family, one’s vocation, etc.)vocation, etc.)

Autumn MarathonAutumn Marathon (1979) (1979)

Sad comedy, tragicomedySad comedy, tragicomedy Pathetic, indecisive (though Pathetic, indecisive (though

endearing) character caught endearing) character caught between two womenbetween two women

Complex ironyComplex irony

Subtle social criticism: day by Subtle social criticism: day by day, nothing changesday, nothing changes

The central problem unresolved The central problem unresolved – a metaphor for the Stagnation– a metaphor for the Stagnation

Vodka as the only solutionVodka as the only solution

QuestionsQuestions

What type of comedy is this?What type of comedy is this? (slapstick/verbal; absurd; dark; farcical; (slapstick/verbal; absurd; dark; farcical;

situational/character; screwball; romantic)situational/character; screwball; romantic) How would you characterize this comedy?How would you characterize this comedy? What is Russian about it? Is it different from the What is Russian about it? Is it different from the

comedies you know?comedies you know? Do you sense any irony?Do you sense any irony? What is comic about it, where is the humour?What is comic about it, where is the humour? What comic devices are used? (hyperbole; What comic devices are used? (hyperbole;

misunderstanding; misunderstanding; qui pro quoqui pro quo; culture clash; etc.); culture clash; etc.)

light and dark: stagnation period comedies (approx. 1964-85)

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