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SL7:SOVIETANDRUSSIANCINEMA
Courseconvenors2016-17
DrEmmaWiddis(ekw1000)andDr.SusanLarsen(sl545)
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ContentsofHandbook
1. Summary
2. TextsandPrimarySources
3. TopicOutlines 4. TeachingandLearningOutcomes
5. Lectureschedule(andcoreviewingforlectures)
6. Supervisionscheduleandessaytitles 7. Sampleexaminationpaper 3
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THEPAPER
ThiscourseinvestigatesthehistoryofSovietandRussiancinemafromitsbeginningsinthe
early20thcenturythroughthepresent:fromearlysilentcomediesandmelodramastothe
emergenceoftheavant-gardeinthe1920s;fromStalinistblockbustersofthe1930s
throughtheSoviet‘NewWave’ofthe1960s;fromthetumultuouschangesof
theglasnost’erathroughthepostmodernchallengesofthepresent.Thepaperencourages
studentstoexploretheworkofoneormoredirectorsindepth,butitalsoasksstudentsto
thinkcomparativelyabouttheevolutionoffilmmakingpractices,genresandthemesacross
historicalperiodsandchangesinpoliticalregime.
ThiscourseisopentostudentsinbothPartIBandPartII;itdoesnotassumeanypriorstudy
offilm,butitstudentswillbeexpectedtoreadawiderangeofcritical,historicaland
theoreticaltexts(inbothEnglishandRussian)asessentialcontextforthefilmsunder
discussion.
Topicsfor2015-16arethefollowing:
1.RevolutionaryFilmCulture:FromBoulevardtoAvant-Garde
2.FromSilencetoSound:Eisenstein,VertovandtheFactoryoftheEccentricActor
3.TheOtherSovietClassics:PopularCinemaintheStalinEra
4.SovietCinemaAfterStalin:RewritingthePast,ConfrontingthePresent
5.RussianCinemafromPerestroikatothePresent
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TEXTS
Filmsaretheprimarytextsforthiscourse,supplementedwithexcerpts(inRussian,but
oftenwithEnglishtranslations)fromfilmmakers'writingsandcontemporarycritics
responsestotheseworks.ManybutnotallfilmswillbeavailablewithEnglishorRussian
subtitles.Youmaywatchfilmsonline(byfollowingthelinksalreadypostedonMoodle)or
bycheckingdisksoutoftheMMLlibrary.Ifthereissignificantstudentinterest,wewill
arrangegroupscreeningsofthemostsignificantfilmsassignedforthecourse:watchingon
abigscreenalwaysgivesyouabettersenseofafilm'svisualcomposition.Insomeinstances
publishedscenariosorshootingscriptsareavailableforthefilmswewillstudy;thesewill
reducethelinguisticchallengethatworkingwithfilmmaypresent.Secondaryreadingwill
includecritical,historicalandtheoreticaltexts.
Eachtopicbelowisfollowedbyalistofthefilmsthatmaybediscussedinlecturesand
supervisions.YouareNOTexpectedtostudyeveryfilmlistedhere,butyouareexpectedto
watchatleast4ofthefilmsidentifiedas'coreviewing'foreachtopicinordertodevelopa
broadrangeofreferenceforthepaperasawhole.Trytowatchasmanyasyoucanover
thesummer:mostareavailableonyoutube,sometimesevenwithsubtitles(linksare
postedintherelevantfolderonMoodle).Browsingtherecommendedbackgroundand
secondaryreadingwillhelpyouselectwhichfilmsyoumostwant(andneed)towatch.
ESSENTIALBACKGROUNDREADING:
Bordwell,DavidandThompson,Kristin.FilmArt:AnIntroduction[skimtoacquireabasic
graspofthetechniquesandterminologyoffilmanalysis;manyveryinexpensive
usededitionsofthistextareavailableforsaleonlinefromplaceslikeamazon;any
editionisfineforourpurposes:theupdatessimplyusemorerecentfilmexamples.
Makesurethatyoupurchase‘FilmArt:AnIntroduction’,not‘FilmHistory:An
Introduction’]
Beumers,Birgit.AHistoryofRussianCinema[skimtogetabroadsenseoftheprincipal
developmentsanddebatesinRussianandSovietcinema]
ADDITIONALBACKGROUNDREADING(eachoftheseisakeyreferenceworkforatleast
oneofthefivetopics):
Beumers,Birgit,ed.,CompaniontoRussianCinema(WileyBlackwall,2016):thisisan
expensivebook,soshouldnotbebought,butyoumayfinditausefulpointof
referenceoverthecourse).
Tsivian,Yuri.EarlyCinemainRussiaandItsCulturalReception
Gillespie,David.EarlySovietCinema:Innovation,IdeologyandPropaganda
Widdis,Emma.VisionsofaNewLand:SovietFilmfromtheRevolutiontotheSecondWorld
War
Woll,Josephine.RealImages:SovietCinemaandtheThaw
Condee,Nancy.TheImperialTrace:RecentRussianCinema
Ashortlistofadditionalrecommendedbackgroundreadingisappendedtothedescriptions
ofeachtopicbelow.
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TOPICS
1.REVOLUTIONARYFILMCULTURE:FROMBOULEVARDTOAVANT-GARDE
ThismodulefocusesonthewaysinwhichthefirstRussianfilmmakerssoughttoreconcile
populartasteswithpoliticalimperatives,bothbeforeandaftertherevolution.Itwill
addressquestionsofgenre,silentfilmform,earlyfilmperformancepractices,theinfluence
ofWesternmodelsandinnovationsinfilmeditingtechniques(i.e.montazh).[NotethatALL
ofthefilmstobestudiedforthistopicaresilentandmanyofthemareveryshort.]
Coreviewing:
Bauer,Grezy(1915);Poslesmerti(1915).Zhizn'zazhizn'(ALifeforaLife,1916),
Eisenstein,Stachka(Strike,1925);BronenosetsPotemkin(BattleshipPotemkin,1925)
Protazanov,Aelita(1924)
Kuleshov,NeobychainyeprikliucheniiamisteraVestavstranebol’shevikov(Extraordinary
AdventuresofMisterWestintheLandoftheBolsheviks,1924)
KozintsevandTrauberg,Shinel’(1926),Novyivavilon(NewBabylon,1929)
Ermler,OblomokImperii(FragmentofanEmpire,1929)
Corereading:
Eisenstein,'TheMontageofAttractions'(1923);'TheMontageofFilmAttractions'(1924)
Kuleshov'Americaniitis','ThePrinciplesofMontage';othershorttexts
Kozintsev,Traubergetal.,'TheEccentricManifesto(1922)
Additionalfilms:
Barnet,DomnaTrubnoi(HouseonTrubnaiaStreet,1928)
Bauer,Revoliutsioner(TheRevolutionary,1917);Umiraiushchiilebed'(TheDyingSwan,
1917))
Pudovkin,Shakhmtnaiagoriachka(ChessFever,1925);Mat'(Mother,1926);KonetsSanktPeterburga(TheEndofSt.Petersburg,1927);PotomokChingizKhana(StormOver
Asia,1928)
Room,Tret'iameshchanskaia(BedandSofa,1927)
Slavinskii,Baryshniaikhuligan(TheYoungLadyandtheHooligan,1918)
Recommendedbackgroundreading:
Christie,IanandTaylor,Richard(eds),TheFilmFactory:RussianandSovietCinemain
Documents,1896-1939.LondonandNY:Routledge,1994.
Tsivian,Yuri.EarlyCinemainRussiaandItsCulturalReception.Chicago:UofChicagoP,
1998.
Youngblood,DeniseJ.TheMagicMirror:MoviemakinginRussia,1908-1918
Youngblood,Denise.MoviesfortheMasses:PopularCinemaandSovietSocietyinthe1920s
Keytheoreticalsources:
Doane,MaryAnn."Melodrama,Temporality,Recognition:AmericanandRussianSilent
Cinema."East-West:FilmJournal4.2(June1990):69-89.
Gaines,Jane."RevolutionaryTheory/PrerevolutionaryMelodrama."Discourse17.3(Spring
1995):101-118.
Grieveson,Lee,andPeterKramer.TheSilentCinemaReader.1edition.Routledge,2003.
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Keybackgroundsourcesontheperiod:
Kapterev,Sergei.‘MezhdunovymIstarymsvetom.Nekotoryeproblemykul’turnogo
kontekstasovetskogonemogokino.’
http://pub.unibielefeld.de/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=2305017&fileOId
=2305058
Kenez,Peter.CinemaandSovietSociety,1917-1953.NY:CambridgeUP,1992.
Listov,Viktor."EarlySovietCinema:thespontaneousandtheplanned,1917-1924."
HistoricalJournalofFilm,RadioandTelevision11.2(1991):121-127.
StockholmStudiesinRussianLiterature11.Stockholm:Almqvist&WiksellIntnl,
1979.237-263.
Taylor,RichardandIanChristie,eds.TheFilmFactory:RussianandSovietCinemain
Documents,1896-1939.Cambridge,MA:HarvardUP,1988.particularlydocuments
8-11,13,22,39-40.
Taylor,Richard."Agitation,PropagandaandtheCinema:TheSearchforNewSolutions,
1917-1921."Art,Society,Revolution:Russia,1917-1921.Ed.NilsAkeNilsson.
--."TheBirthoftheSovietCinema."BolshevikCulture:ExperimentandOrderintheRussian
Revolution.Ed.AbbottGleason,PeterKenez,andRichardStites.Bloomington:
IndianaUP,1985.
Tsivian,Yuri.EarlyCinemainRussiaanditsCulturalReception.Tr.AlanBodger.Ed.Richard
Taylor.London:Routledge,1994.
--."EarlyRussianCinema:SomeObservations."InsidetheFilmFactory:NewApproachesto
RussianandSovietCinema.Ed.RichardTaylorandIanChristie.London:Routledge,
1991.
--ImmaterialBodies.CD-ROM(offersillustratedoverviewandanalysisofsilentcinema
actingandfilmingstyle.
Yangirov,Rashit."SovietCinemaintheTwenties:nationalalternatives."Trans.Richard
Taylor.HistoricalJournalofFilm,RadioandTelevision11.2(1991):129-139.
Youngblood,DeniseJ.TheMagicMirror:MoviemakinginRussia,1908-1918.Univof
WisconsinPress,1999.
Youngblood,DeniseJeanne.SovietCinemaintheSilentEra,1918-1935.UniversityofTexas
Press,1991.
OnBauer:
Boele,O.F.,O.F.Boele,1016510,andFaculteitderGeesteswetenschappen.“AfterDeath,
theMovie(1915)-IvanTurgenev,EvgeniiBauerandtheAestheticsofMorbidity.”
https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/16319.
DeBlasio,Alyssa.“ChoreographingSpace,Time,andDikovinkiintheFilmsofEvgeniiBauer.”
TheRussianReview66,no.4(2007):671–692.doi:10.1111/j.14679434.2007.00464.x.
Morley,Rachel.“GenderRelationsintheFilmsofEvgeniiBauer.”TheSlavonicandEast
EuropeanReview81,no.1(January1,2003):32–69.doi:10.2307/4213623.
OnKuleshov:
Kepley,VanceJr."TheKuleshovWorkshop."L'EffetKoulechov/TheKuleshovEffect.Iris4.1
(1986):5-24.
--."Mr.KuleshovintheLandoftheModernists."TheRedScreen:Politics,Society,
ArtinSovietCinema.Ed.AnnaLawton.London:Routledge,1992.
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Kuleshov,Lev.KuleshovonFilm.Tr.RonaldLevaco.Berkeley:UofCAP,1974.
--.SelectedWorks:FifthYearsinFilms.Trans.DmitriAgrachovandNinaBelennkaya.
Moskva:Raduga,1987.
--.Osnovykinorezhissury.Moskva:Goskinoizdat,1941[repub:Moskva:VGIK,1995].
--.Sobraniesochineniivtrekhtomakh.[2volumespublished].Moskva:Iskusstvo,
1987-8.
Petric,Vlada."ASubtextualReadingofKuleshov'sSatireTheExtraordinaryAdventuresof
Mr.WestintheLandoftheBolsheviks(1924)."InsideSovietFilmSatire:Laughter
withaLash.Ed.AndrewHorton.NY:CambridgeUP,1993.
Sokolov,V.S."Kteoreticheskimistolkovaniiam'effektaKuleshova'."Kinovedcheskiezapiski.
6(1990):26-62.
Yampolsky,Mikhail."Kulesbov'sExperimentsandtheNewAnthropologyoftheActor."
SilentFilm.Ed.RichardAbel.NewBrunswick:RutgersUP,1996.
OnProtazanov:
Christie,Ian."DowntoEarth:AelitaRelocated."InsidetheFilmFactory:NewApproachesto
RussianandSovietCinema.Ed.RichardTaylorandIanChristie.London:
Routledge,1991.
Christie,IanandJulianGraffy,eds.YakovProtazanovandtheContinuityofRussianCinema.
London:BFI/NFT,1993.
Youngblood,Denise."IakovProtazanov,the'RussianGriffith'."MoviesfortheMasses:
PopularCinemaandSovietSocietyinthe1920s.ByDeniseYoungblood.NY:
Cambridge
UP,1992.
Zorkaia,Neia."IakovProtazanovisovetskoekinoiskusstvo20-khgodov."Voprosy
kinoiskusstva6(1962):165-91.
2.FROMSILENCETOSOUND:EISENSTEIN,VERTOVANDFEKS(THEFACTORYOFTHE
ECCENTRICACTOR)
ThismoduleexplorestheworkofSergeiEisensteinandtwoavant-garde‘collectives’:Dziga
Vertov’s‘FilmEye’group,andtheFactoryoftheEccentricActor(GrigoriiKozintsev,Leonid
Traubergandothers),focusingonthewaysinwhichtheynavigatedthetransitionfrom
silenttosoundcinema,andalsohoweachadaptedtothechangedpoliticalandartistic
constraintsofthe1930s.Filmswillbestudiedinthecontextofeachdirector'stheoretical
writingsandcontemporarycriticaldebates.
Coreviewing:
Eisenstein,BronenosetsPotemkin(1925);IvanGroznyi,Parts1and2(IvantheTerrible,
1944-1946)
Vertov,Chelovekskinoapparatom(1929);Entuziasm(SimfoniiaDonbassa,1930);Tripesnio
Lenin(1932)
KozintsevandTrauberg,Novyivavilon(NewBabylon,1929),Odna(Alone,1931)
Corereading:
ShorttextsbyEisenstein,VertovandKozintsev(postedonMoodle
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Additionalfilms:
Eisenstein,Oktiabr'(1927);General'naialiniia(TheGeneralLine,1929);AleksandrNevskii
(1938)
Vertov,Shestaiachast'mira(SixthPartoftheWorld,1926);Odinnadtsatyi(TheEleventh
Year,1928);
Recommendedbackgroundreading:
Bordwell,David.TheCinemaofEisenstein
Gillespie,David.EarlySovietCinema:Innovation,IdeologyandPropaganda.
Hicks,Jeremy.DzigaVertov:DefiningDocumentaryFilm.
Nesbet,Anne.SavageJunctures:SergeiEisensteinandtheShapeofThinking
Taylor,Richard(ed.),ThePoeticsofCinema
LilyaKaganovsky,“TheVoiceofTechnologyandtheEndofSovietSilentFilm:Grigorii
KozintsevandLeonidTrauberg’sAlone’,StudiesInRussianAndSovietCinemaVol.1,
Iss.3,2007
NeiaZorkaia,“’Odna’naperekrestakh,”Kinovedcheskiezapiski74:143-158.
3.THEOTHERSOVIETCLASSICS:POPULARCINEMAINTHESTALINERA
ThismodulelooksattheclassicsofSocialistRealistfilmmaking,focusingonpopulargenres:
themusical,theromanticcomedy,themelodramaandthewarfilm.Lectureswillexplore
thewaysinwhichthesefilmsbothconformtoanddeviatefromthenormsofclassical
Hollywoodnarrativecinema.Lectureswillalsoaddresstheconstructionofadistinctively
Sovietsubjectposition;genderednarratives;cinematicLeninsandStalins;laughterand
terror.
Coreviewing:
AbramRoom,Strogiiiunosha(1936)
Barnet,Okraina(1933)
Vasil'evBrothers,Chapaev(1934)
Aleksandrov,Volga-Volga(1938),Svetlyiput'(1940)
Pyr’ev,Kubanskiekazaki(1949)
Iudin,Devushkaskharakterom(1939)
KheifitzandZarkhi,Chlenpravitel'stva(1939)
Medvedkin,NovaiaMoskva(1938)
Romm,Leninv1918g.(1939)
Kalatozov,ValeriiChkalov(1939)
Raizman,LetchikiI1935),Mashenka(1942)
Ermler,Onazashchishchaetrodinu(1943)
Timoshenko,Nebesnyitikhokhod(1945)
Stolper,Povest'onastoiashchemcheloveke(1948)
Chiaureli,PadenieBerlina(1949)
Corereading:
Scriptsandexcerptsfromdebatesandreviewsoffilmslistedabove
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Additionalviewing:
Savchenko,Garmon'(TheAccordion,1934)
Aleksandrov,Veselyerebiata(1934),Vesna(1947)
Barnet,Usamogosinegomoria(1936),PodvigRazvedchika(1948)
Pyr'ev,Partiinyibilet(1936),;Traktoristy(1939),SvinarkaiPastukh(1941);Skazanieozemle
sibirskoi(1948)
Donskoi,Kakzakalialas'stal'(1942);Raduga(TheRainbow,1944);Nepokorennye(1945)
Romm,LeninvOktiabre(1938)
Recommendedbackgroundreading:
Dobrenko,Evgenii.StalinistCinemaandtheProductionofHistory.
Kaganovsky,Lilya.HowtheSovietManwasUnmade:CulturalFantasyandMaleSubjectivity
underStalin.
Kenez,Peter,CinemaandSovietSociety,1917-1953
Miller,Jamie.SovietCinema:PoliticsandPersuasionunderStalin
Taylor,RichardandDerekSpring,eds.StalinismandSovietCinema.
Widdis,Emma.VisionsofaNewLand:SovietFilmfromtheRevolutiontotheSecondWorld
War
4.SOVIETCINEMAAFTERSTALIN:REWRITINGTHEPAST,CONFRONTINGTHEPRESENT
ThistopicexaminesthewaysinwhichSovietfilmmakersrebelledagainsttheconstraintsof
theStalinerainboththeformandcontentoftheirwork.Itexploresrevisionistapproaches
tofamiliarplotsandtheemergenceofnewthemesandvisualstyles.Filmmakersonwhose
workstudentsmaywishtoconcentrateinclude:MikhailKalatozov,MarlenKhutsiev,Larisa
Shepitko,GrigoriiChukhrai,KiraMuratova,El'darRiazanov,orAndreiTarkovskii.
Alternatively,studentsmaychoosetoconcentrateonthemesorformalelementsthat
appearintheworkofseveralfilmmakers.Thesemayinclude,butarenotlimitedto:
revisionistapproachestohistoricalsubjects;experimentswithnarrativeform;gender
trouble;soundscapes;iconoclasticvisionsofcityand/orrurallife;generationalconflicts;
filmadaptationsofliterarytexts,etc.
Coreviewing:
Riazanov,Karnaval'naianoch'(1956),Devushkabezadresa(1957)
Khutsiev,Vesnanazarechnoiulitse(1957),Mne20let(Iam20,1962-5),Iul'skiidozhd',
1966)
Kalatozov,Letiatzhuravli(1957),Neotpravlennoepis'mo(TheUnsentLetter,1959)
Chukhrai,Balladaosoldate(Balladofasoldier,1959);Chistoenebo(ClearSkies,1961)
Romm,Deviat'dneiodnogogoda(Ninedaysofasingleyear,1961)
Tarkovskii,Ivanovodetstvo(1962),AndreiRublev(1967/1971)
Konchalovskii,Pervyiuchitel'(FirstTeacher,1965);IstoriiaAsiKliachinoi,kotoraialiubila,da
nevyshlazamuzh(1967)
Shepit'ko,Kryl'ia(Wings,1966)
Muratova,Korotkievstrechi(1967),Dolgieprovody(1971)
Askol'dov,Komissar(Commissar,1967)
Gaidai,Brilliantovaiaruka(TheDiamondArm,1968)
Motyl',Beloesolntsepustyni(WhiteSunoftheDesert,1970)
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Mikhalkov,Svoisredichuzhikh,chuzhoisredisvoikh(Athomeamongstrangers,Astrangerat
home,1974)
Abdrashitov,Slovodliazashchity(SpeechfortheDefense,1977)
Corereading:
Contemporaryresponsestofilmsfrom1950s-1970s;scripts;excerptsfromTarkovskii's
Zapechatlennoevremia.
Additionalfilms:
AlovandNaumov,PavelKorchagin(1956),Mirvkhodiashchemu(1961)
Bondarchuk,Sud'bacheloveka(DestinyofaMan/FateofaMan,1959)
ChebotarevandKazanskii,Chelovek-amfibiia(AmphibianMan,1961)
Chukhrai,Sorokpervyi(TheForty-first,1956)
Daneliia,IashagaiupoMoskve(1963)
Mikhalkov,Rodnia(Kinfolk,1981)
Riazanov,Beregis'avtomobilia(WatchoutfortheAutomobileORUncommonThief,1966)
Shepit'ko,Voskhozhdenie(TheAscent,1976)
Shpalikov,Dolgaiaschastlivaiazhizn'(ALongHappyLife,1966)
Tarkovskii,Zerkalo(Mirror,1974);Solaris(1972);Stalker(1979)
Recommendedbackgroundreading:
Bird,Robert.AndreiRublev.BFI,2008.
Bird,Robert.AndreiTarkovsky:ElementsofCinema.Reaktion,2008.
Prokhorov,Alexander,ed.SpringtimeforSovietCinema:Re/Viewingthe1960s.
Troianovskii,Vitalii,ed.Kinematografottepeli.Knigapervaia(1996);Kinematografottepeli.
Knigavtoraia(2002)
Woll,Josephine.RealImages:SovietCinemaandtheThaw
5.RUSSIANCINEMAFROMPERESTROIKATOTHEPRESENT
ThistopicexaminestheprincipaltrendsandfiguresinRussianfilmmakingsincethe
introductionofperestroikaandglasnost.PrincipalfigureshereareNikitaMikhalkov,Kira
Muratova,AlekseiBalabanov,AleksandrSokurov,AlekseiGerman,Jr,AndreiZviagintsev
andtheyoungfilmmakersassociatedwiththe'Koktebel''group:AlekseiPopogrebskii,Boris
Khlebnikov,andVasiliiSigarev.Issuestobeaddressedinlecturesinclude:changesinthe
culturalinstitutionsandmarketconditionsthatregulatefilmproductionanddistribution;
therise,declineandresurrectionofchernukha;theinfluenceof'documentarystyle'on
featurefilmmaking;thequestfornewsettings,newstoriesandnewactingstyles.
Coreviewing:
German,MoidrugIvanLapshin(MyFriendIvanLapshin,1984);Khrustalev,mashinu!
(Khrustalev,mycar!,1998);andpossiblyTrudnobyt'bogom(2013?2014?)
Abuladze,Pokaianie(Repentance,1985)
Soloviev,Assa(1987)
Nugmanov,Igla(TheNeedle,1988);Dikiivostok(TheWildEast,1993)
Pichul,Malen'kaiaVera(LittleVera,1988)
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Sokurov,Krugvtoroi(1990);Russkiikovcheg(RussianArk,2002);Telets(Taurus,2001)
Rogozhkin,Chekist(1992),Osobennostinatsional'noiokhoty(1995)
Livnev,Serpimolot(1994)
Mikhalkov,Utomlennyesolntsem(BurntbytheSun,1994),12(2007)
Khotinenko,Musul'manin(TheMuslim,1995)
Balabanov,Brat(Brother,1997)
Zviagintsev,Vozvrashchenie(TheReturn,2003)
Muratova,Nastroishchik(TheTuner,2004)
Khlebnikov,Svobodnoeplavanie(FreeFloating,2006);possibly:Dolgaiaschastlivaiazhizn'
(ALongHappyLife,2013)
Todorovskii,Stiliagi(Hipsters,2008)
Sigarev,Volchok(Wolfie,2009)
Mamuliia,Drugoenebo(Anothersky,2010)
Loban,Shapito-Shou(Chapiteau-Show,2011)
OTHERSTBC
Corereading:
Contemporaryreviews,scripts,andinterviewswithfilmmakers.
Additionalviewing:
Balabanov,Schastlivye(HappyDays,1991);Gruz200(Cargo200,2007;caution:contains
somegruesomeviolence);Iatozhekhochu(Metoo,2012)
Muratova,Astenicheskiisindrom(AesthenicSyndrome,1989);and(ifIcanfindacopy)
Vechnoevozvrashchenie(2012)
Rogozhkin,Blokpost(Checkpoint,1998),Kukushka(Cuckoo,2002)
Popogrebskii,Prostyeveshchi(Simplethings,2007);Kakiaproveletimletom(HowIEnded
LastSummer,2010)
Khlebnikov,Sumasshedshaiapomoshch'(InsaneAssistance,2009)
Sigarev,Zhit'(Live,2012)
Sokurov,Dnizatmeniiai(DaysofEclipse,1988),Otetsisyn(2003)
Recommendedbackgroundreading:
Condee,Nancy.TheImperialTrace:RecentRussianCinema
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TEACHING:
Teachingwillcomprise16lectures,5revisionseminarsand10fortnightlysupervisionsover
thecourseofMichaelmas,EasterandLentterms.Thepaperwillconsistoffivetopics;three
lecturesandonerevisionseminarwillbedevotedtoeachtopic.Studentsarealsourgedto
attendthegenerallecturesonfilmanalysisthataregivenaspartofCS6inMichaelmasterm.
ASSESSMENT
StudentsinPartsIBandIIwillbeassessedbyexaminationattheendofEasterTerm.The
examconsistsoftwosections.Studentswillanswerthreequestions,atleastonefromeach
section.InSectionAcandidatesareaskedtocomparetheworksofasingledirector.
Questionsarephrasedsothattheymaybeansweredwithreferencetotheworksofmany
differentdirectorsstudiedinthecourse.InSectionBstudentsareaskedtocomparethe
worksoftwoormoredirectorswithreferencetoawiderangeofthematic,theoreticaland
historicalquestions.Thesequestionswillnotbelimitedtoasingletopicasoutlinedabove,
althoughitwillbepossibletoanswermostquestionswithreferenceonlytothefilmsand
issuesaddressedwithinasingletopic.Thecoursehasbeendeliberatelystructuredto
enablestudentstopursueanddeveloptheirindividualinterestsacrossgenres,periodsand
theoreticalquestions.AsampleexampaperisavailableontheMoodlesiteforthiscourse.
Students in Part 1B may choose to submit a portfolio of essays in lieu of sitting the final
examination,butshoulddiscusstheirplanstodosowiththeirsupervisoratthestartofthe
Michaelmasterm.StudentsinPartIImaychoosetosubmitanOptionalDissertationinlieu
of sitting a final examination; any students considering the Optional Dissertation should
consultwiththecourseconvenoroverthesummeraboutpreparatoryresearchandpossible
supervisors.
LEARNINGOUTCOMES
1.Historicalknowledgeandculturalawareness:Thispaperwillfamiliarizestudentswith
thedevelopmentofoneoftheworld'smostinfluentialcinematictraditionsinitshistorical
context.StudentswillalsoacquireadeeperandmorenuancedunderstandingofRussian,
Sovietandpost-Sovietculturalprocessesandsocialforcesfromthe1900sthroughthe
present.Attheendofthecoursetheyshouldbeabletoperceivebothsignificant
continuitiesanddifferencesacrossfivekeyhistoricalperiods.
2.Theoreticalandmethodologicalskills:Lectures,secondaryreadingsandsupervision
assignmentswilldevelopstudents'abilitiestothinkanalyticallyaboutvisualmaterialin
historicalandtheoreticalcontexts.
3.Russianlanguageskills:Workingintensivelywithfilmswillimprovestudents'listening
comprehensionandexpandtheirvocabularyinRussian.Studentswillalsodevelopreading
skillsandexpandtheirvocabularythroughthestudyoffilmmakers'manifestosandrelated
criticalwritinginRussian.
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LECTURESCHEDULE
Michaelmas
1. FromBoulevardtoAvant-Garde1:Pre-revolutionaryCinema(EKW)
Coreviewing:Poslesmerti(Bauer,1915),Zhizn’zazhizn’(Bauer,1915)
2. FromBoulevardtoAvant-Garde2:Kuleshov,AmericanismandMontage(EKW)
Coreviewing:NeobychainyeprikliucheniiaMisteraVestavstraneBol’shevikov
(Kuleshov,1924),Stachka(Eisenstein,1924),Shinel’(KozintsevandTrauberg,1926)
3. FromBoulevardtoAvant-Garde3:TheRevolutionaryAvant-GardeandtheirOthers
(EKW)
Coreviewing:BronenosetsPotemkin(Eisenstein,1926),Oblomokimperii(Ermler,
1929),Aelita(Protazanov,1924)
4. FromSilencetoSound1:TheFactoryoftheEccentricActor(EKW)
CoreViewing:Novyivavilon(1929),Odna(1931)
5. FromSilencetoSound2:Eisenstein(SKL)
Coreviewing:BrononosetsPotemkin(1926),IvanGroznyi(PartsIandII)
6. FromSilencetoSound3:Vertov(EKW)
Coreviewing:Chelovekskinoapparatom(1929),TripesnioLenine
7. TheOtherSovietClassics1:TheShifttoSocialistRealism(EKW)
Coreviewing:Strogiiiunosha(1936),Okraina(Barnet,1933),Chapaev(Vasiliev
brothers,1935)
8. TheOtherSovietClassics2:Musicals(EKW)
VolgaVolga(Aleksandrov,1938),Svetlyiput’(Aleksandrov,1938),Kubanskiekazaki
(Pyr’ev,1939).
Lent
[FilmstobediscussedinLentlectureswillbedrawnfromlistofcoreviewingfortopics3,4,
and5.TitleswillbeannouncedbytheendofNovember.]
1. TheOtherSovietClassics3: StalinistRomances(SKL)
2. SovietCinemaAfterStalin1:RevisionistHistories,1956-1968(SKL)
3. SovietCinemaAfterStalin2:TheFemaleGaze(SKL)
4. SovietCinemaAfterStalin3: NarrativeExperiments(SKL)
5. RussianCinemafromPerestroikatothePresent1:Reviewingthe1930s(SKL)
6. RussianCinemafromPerestroikatothePresent2:GenderandGenre(SKL)
7. RussianCinemafromPerestroikatothePresent3:PostmodernisminthePutinEra
(SKL)
8. RevisionSeminar
Easter.
1.RevisionSeminar
2.RevisionSeminar
3.RevisionSeminar
4.RevisionSeminar
14
15
SUPERVISIONSCHEDULE
GENERALGUIDELINESFORESSAYS:
1500-2000 words. Provide a filmography and bibliography of works cited and consulted.
Citations may be parenthetical within the text, i.e. (Morley2002, 35) would refer to an
articleorbookbyMorley,publishedin2002,page35.Thebibliographymustcontainfull
publicationinformationforallworkscitedand/orconsulted.Ifyouonlyciteoneworkby
Morleyyoumayomittheyearofpublicationinyourparentheticalreference.
Asuccessfulessaywillofferaprecise,carefullystructuredandnarrowlyfocusedargument
that is based on detailed analysis of one or two films from the silent era. Remember to
avoidthepitfallsofplotsummaryinyouressays:alldescriptivestatementsshouldalsobe
analytic:WhenX(evidence)happens,itindicatesZ(claim),becauseY(youranalysis.).
You need not (indeed, you should not) discuss every aspect of the film(s) you choose to
discussinyouressay.Instead,selectoneormorekeysequencesandanalyzetheminthe
contextofthefilmasawholeand/orthedirector’swritingsaboutfilm.Youmustprovide
visualevidencetosupportyourpoints,soyouwillneedtore-viewthefilmyouchooseto
analyze(atleastinpart)inordertomakeasufficientlydetailedargument.
*Forallsupervisions:
a)Pleaseletyoursupervisionpartnerknowwhichfilmsyouwillbediscussinginyouressay
assoonasyouselectthem,sothats/hewillhavetimetowatchatleastone(ifnotall)of
thembeforethesupervision.
b)Emailyoursupervisionpartneryouressaywhenitisfinished.Readandprepare
commentsonyourpartner’sessaywhenitarrives.
MICHAELMASTERMSUPERVISIONSCHEDULE
Supervisionone:FromAvant-gardetoBoulevard
YouressaymaycomparetheworkoftwodifferentdirectorsORtwoworksbyasingle
director,butyoushouldcometothesupervisionpreparedtodiscussatleastoneprerevolutionaryandonepost-revolutionarysilentfilm.
Supervisionstwoandthree:FromSilencetoSound:FEKS,Eisenstein,Vertov
Foronesupervisionyoushouldfocusyouressayontheworkofasingledirectoror
collective.Fortheother,youmaywriteeitheracomparativeessayoranotheressay
examiningtheworkofasingledirector.Thisisnottheonlytopicthatisconducivetothe
studyofasingledirector'swork,butitisoneofthebestopportunitiesyouwillhavetothink
abouttheearlySovietfilmdirectorasauteur.Ineachessayyoushouldwriteaboutatleast
twofilmsinsomedetail,butyouwillwanttoframethemwithreferencetootherworks—
theoreticalwritingsand/orfilms—bythedirectorsyouchoosetostudy.
16
Supervisionfour:PopularCinemaintheStalinEra
Essaysandsupervisionsforthistopicshouldcomparefilmseitherwithinoracrossgenre
categories(i.e.musicals,warfilms,‘easterns’,biopics,romanticcomedies,melodramas)
LENTTERMSUPERVISIONSCHEDULE
Supervision1:Studentschooseoneofthefollowingoptions:
a)ContinueworkonTopic3,workingwithadifferentsetoffilmsandtheoretical
approachesthaninthefinalsupervisionofMichaelmas.
b)Writeacomparativeessay,examiningatleastonefilmmadebefore1953andone
madeafter1956.
c)MoveentirelyintoTopic4(seeessaytitlesbelow)andwriteanessaythat
analyzestwoThaw-erafilms.
Supervision2:EssayanalyzingatleasttwofilmssetforTopic4OR––ifyoudidnotselect
option(b)above––anessaycomparingatleastoneatleastonefilmmadebefore1953and
onemadeafter1956.
Supervision3:EssayanalyzingatleasttwofilmssetforTopic5.
Supervison4:First(of3)revisionsupervisions.Thissupervisionmaybepostponedthefinal
fewdaysofLenttermORweek0ofEaster,butitisbettertotrytodoitinLent.Itbecomes
verydifficulttofit3revisionsupervisionsintothe4weeksofEasterterm.
17
ESSAYTITLESLISTEDBYTOPIC
TOPICONE:GUIDELINESFORESSAYS
Thetitleslistedbelowaredeliberatelyopenandbroadlyformulated.Youshouldformulate
amuchNARROWERargumentaboutspecificworksthatengageswiththekeyconceptsof
eachtitle.Feelfreenotonlytopolemicizewiththetitle,butalsotoreformulateitinmore
specifictermsthatarerelevanttothefilmsandissuesyouchoosetodiscuss.
Topic1:EssayTitles
1.
‘Silentcinemabothassertsandchallengestheauthorityofvisionasasourceof
accurateknowledgeabouttheworld.’Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwofilmsfromthe
silentera.
2.
Selectasinglemotifornarrativepatternintheworkofasinglefilmmakerand
analyzeitsuseandsignificanceinatleasttwofilms.
3.
'EventhemostseeminglyfrivolousRussianfilmsareimbuedwithpolitical
significanceafter1917.'Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwofilmsfromthesilentera.
4.
‘AestheticchoicesandpoliticalconvictionsarelinkedintheworkofmanyRussian
filmmakers.'Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwofilmsfromthesilentera.
5.
Compareandcontrastthewaysinwhichsilentcinemamapssocialconflictsinterms
ofsexualdesireinatleasttwofilms,onemadebefore1917andonemadeafter.
Rememberthatyoumustaddressthistopicintermsofvisualdetail(i.e.donotrelyonplot
summaryalone.)
6.
Compareandcontrastthefunctionofcross-cuttinginanytwofilmsofthesilentera.
7.
‘Everyformalparallelmarksbothacontrastandasimilarity.’Discusswithreference
toatleasttwofilmsfromthesilentera.
8.
‘Melodramainscribesthebodyindistresswithmeaning.’Discusswithreferenceto
atleasttwofilmsfromthesilentera.
9.
‘EarlySovietcinemarejectedboththeformalandthethematicfociofitsprerevolutionarypredecessors.’'Discusswithreferencetotheworkofatleastoneprerevolutionaryandonepost-revolutionaryfilmmaker.(Toanswerthisquestionsuccessfully,
youwillneedtolimityourdiscussiontodetailedanalysisofasingleclusterofcloselyrelated
formalandthematicfeatures)
10.
'Everychangeinfilmhistoryimpliesachangeinitsaddresstothespectator,and
eachperiodconstructsitsspectatorinanewway.'Discusswithreferencetotheworkofat
leastonepre-revolutionaryandonepost-revolutionaryfilmmaker.
18
11.
'Spectacleandnarrative–thatis,showingandtelling,astonishingandinforming–are
oftenatoddsinthecinemaofthesilentera.'Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwofilms.
12.
'Theoriginsofavant-gardecinematicpracticesarediscernibleinthepopularcinema
ofthepre-revolutionaryperiod.'Discusswithreferencetotheworkofatleastoneprerevolutionaryandonepost-revolutionaryfilmmaker.
13.
'Objectsspeakmoreloudlythanwordsinthecinemaofthesilentera.'Discusswith
referencetoatleasttwofilms.
14.
‘Meaningisproducednotwithintheshot,butinthejuxtapositionofoneshotwith
another.’Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwofilmsfromthesilentera.
19
TOPICTWO:GUIDELINESFORESSAYS
Keyissuestoconsiderasyouthinkthroughtheworkofthesethreedirectors/collectivesare
thefollowing:
a)Howdoestheirworkevolveovertime:whichimages,issues,visualstrategiespersist?
whichareabandoned?howdoesthelaterworkdiffermostdistinctivelyfromtheearlier
work?
b)Howdoeseachnegotiatetheshiftfromsilenttosoundcinema?Howdotheyimagine
theshiftwilltakeplace?Howdotheysubsequentlyimplementitintheirwork?
c)Howdoeseachrespondtopoliticalpressures,historicalchangeand/orculturalfashionin
hiswork?
d)Howdotheyrespondtooneanother'swork––bothexplicitlyandimplicitly?
e)Howdoestheir'theory'matchwiththeir'practice'?
Topic2:EssayTitles
Pleasenote:Asthistopicisintendedtoallowyoutofocusindepthontheworkofasingle
director/collective,youareencouragedtocraftyourownessaytitleforatleastoneofthe
supervisions.Youarenotrequiredtodoso,buttheexperienceofformulatingyourown
topicandargument,ratherthanrelyingononeofthetitlesprovidedisgoodpreparationfor
theexam.Inanyevent,youshouldbesuretoarticulateyourOWNideasinyourresponse.
1.
SelectakeytheoreticalconceptfromthewritingsofEisensteinorVertov;analyzeit
anddiscussitssignificancefortwoormoreoftheirworks.Ifyouwish,youmaychooseto
contrastthemwithoneanotherORwithFEKSinrelationtothisconcept.
2.
'Themarkoftheauteurishisorherrelianceonostranenie.'Discusswithreference
toatleasttwofilms.(bearinginmindShklovsky'sdiscussionofostraneniein'Artas
Device').
3.
'Filmsrewritehistorynotonlyintheirspokendialogueandintertitles,butalsoin
theircameraworkandeditingchoices.’Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwofilms.
4.
‘Sounddoesnotexpandafilm’sexpressiverange;itlimitsit.’Discusswithreference
toatleasttwofilms.
5.
'Theformalinnovationsofavant-gardefilmmakersinthe1920swerebasedin
theoriesaboutthenatureofhumanperception.'Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwo
films.
20
6.
'Inthe1920sSovietfilmmakersbasedtheirpracticeontheoriesthattheywere
compelledtomodifyordiscardentirelyinthe1930s.'Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwo
films.
7.
HowdoVertov'sfilms"expose"(or,inFormalistterms,'barethedevice'of)
cinematictechnologies?TowhatextentdohisfilmssupportVertov'scontentionthat"the
Cine-Eye"is"moreperfectthanthehumaneyeforexaminingthechaosofvisual
phenomena"andthatthe"Cine-Eye....perceivesandfixesitsimpressionsinacompletely
differentwayfromthatofthehumaneye"?
8.
Compareandcontrastthetheoryandpracticeofmontageinatleasttwofilms.You
maychoosetoworkwithfilmsfromtheearlyandlaterworkofasinglefilmmakerORwith
worksbydifferentfilmmakersworkingatroughlythesametime.
9.
CompareandcontrastthewaysinwhichanytwoormorefilmsbyVertov,
EisensteinorFEKSnarratethepast.Makesureyouressayaddressesthespecifically
cinematicmeansbywhichthefilmsyouchooseapproachthepast.YoumayfindHayden
White’sessayon‘historiophoty’ofinteresthere(ornot).
10.
‘Cinemaistheartoforganizingmovingobjectsinspace.’Discusswithreferenceto
atleasttwofilms.
11.
Whatchangesandwhatremainsthesameintheworkthatfilmmakersproduce
beforeandafter1932?Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwofilms.Bearinmindthatyou
cannotdiscusseverythinginyouressay.Selectasingleaspect--technological,political,
narrative—andfocusonit.
12.
Howdofilmmakersconstructrelationshipsbetweenthe‘old’andthe‘new’in
visualterms?Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwofilms.Donotwritea‘list’or
‘catalogue’:makeanarrowlyfocusedargument.
13.
‘Allviolenceisallegorical’.Discusswithreferencetoatleasttwofilms.
14.
‘Propagandaeducatesandtransforms;agitationmobilizes.Forthisreasonfilm–
propagandaandfilm-agitationdeployverydifferentvisualandnarrativestrategies.’Discuss
withreferencetoatleasttwofilms.
15.
Compareandcontrastthewaysinwhichanytwoofthesefilmmakersmadethe
transitionfromsilencetosound.
21
TOPICTHREE:GUIDELINESFORESSAYS
Thelistofsuggestedfilmsbeloworganizesfilmsyoumightwanttodiscussforthistopicby
genre(notethatsomeappearinseveralcategories).Theseclassificationsareintended
primarilytogiveyouasenseofwhichfilmsyoumightwanttowatchandthekindof
theoreticalreadingonwhichyoumightchoosetofocus.Pleasenotethatnotallofthese
filmswerereleasedtouniversalacclaim.YoushouldaimEITHERtowatchseveralfilmsfrom
asinglecategoryORatleastonefromeach.Filmswithasingleasteriskarethosethe
courseconvenersconsidermostcentraltothistopic,butyouarefreetowatchandwrite
aboutanyfilmsonthislist,asteriskedornot.Filmswithadoubleasteriskareparticularly
usefulifyouwanttothinkabouttheconstructionofgenderinthisperiod.
Historical-Revolutionary/Biopics:
*Vasil'evBrothers,Chapaev(1934)
KozintsevandTrauberg,
(TheYouthofMaksim,1935)
**KheifitzandZarkhi,Chlenpravitel'stva(AMemberoftheGovernment,1939);
*Romm,Leninv1918g.(1939,Leninin1918);LeninvOktiabre(LenininOctober,1937)
Kalatozov,ValeriiChkalov(1939)
*KheifitzandZarkhi,Chlenpravitel'stva(AMemberoftheGovernment,1939)
Donskoi,Kakzakalialas'stal'(1942)
**Stolper,Povest'onastoiashchemcheloveke(TaleaboutaRealMan,1948)
*Chiaureli,PadenieBerlina(1949,FallofBerlin)
Raizman,Kaval'erzolotoizvezdy(1950)
Musicals:
Aleksandrov,Veselyerebiata(JollyFellows,1934);Tsirk(Circus,1936),Svetlyiput'(Bright
Path,1938),*Volga-Volga(1938),**Vesna(Spring,1947)
Pyr'ev,*/**Traktoristy(TractorDrivers,1939);SvinarkaiPastukh(TheSwinemaidandthe
Shepherd,1941);*Skazanieozemlesibirskoi(TaleoftheSiberianLands,1948);
KubanskieKazaki(CossacksoftheKuban,1950);
Romanticdramasandcomedies:
**Room,Strogiiionosha(AStrictYouth,1934)
Barnet,Usamogosinegomoria(ByTheBluestSea,1936)
**Raizman,Letchiki(Pilots,1935);Mashen'ka(1942);**Poezdidetnavostok(1947)
Medvedkin,NovaiaMoskva(NewMoscow,1938)
*/**Iudin,Devushkaskharakterom(AGirlwithCharacter,1939)
*/**Timoshenko,Nebesnyitikhokhod(CelestialSlowpoke,1945)
Melodramas(thisisatrickyclassfication):
*Ekk,Putevkavzhizn'(RoadtoLife,1931)
Vasil'evBrothers,Chapaev(1934)
**Room,Strogiiionosha(AStrictYouth,1934)
Pyr'ev,Partiinyibilet(PartyCard,1936);
Donskoi,Kakzakalialas'stal'(1942);
Ermler,Onazashchishchaetrodinu(ShedefendstheMotherland,1943)
*Stolper,Povest'onastoiashchemcheloveke(TaleaboutaRealMan,1948)
22
Warfilms:
*Barnet,Okraina(Outskirts,1933);
Vasil'evBrothers,Chapaev(1934)
Raizman,Mashen'ka(1942);
*Ermler,Onazashchishchaetrodinu(ShedefendstheMotherland,1943)
Donskoi,Kakzakalialas'stal'(1942);Nepokorennye(TheUndefeated,1945)
**Timoshenko,Nebesnyitikhokhod(CelestialSlowpoke,1945)
Stolper,Povest'onastoiashchemcheloveke(TaleaboutaRealMan,1948)
*Chiaureli,PadenieBerlina(1949,FallofBerlin)
'Easterns'
Romm,Trinadtsat'(Thirteen,1936)
Iudin,Smelyeliudi(Daringpeople,1950)
Detective/spyfilms
Pyr'ev,Partiinyibilet(PartyCard,1936);
Macheret,OshibkainzheneraKochina(EngineerKochin'sMistake,1939)
Aleksandrov,VstrechanaEl'be(MeetingontheElba,1949)
Topic3:EssayTitles:
1.
‘Stalinistcinemawasneitherpure“entertainment”normere“propaganda”.’Discuss
withreferencetoRussianand/orSovietcinema;makesureyouprovideaveryclear
definitionofhowyouunderstandthekeytermsofthistopic.Youmaychoosetoground
yourdiscussioninhistoricaland/ortheoreticalreferences.
2.
‘Theconventionsofpopularfilmgenres–whethermelodrama,musical,detective,
cowboy--werereadilyadaptedtotheideologicalaimsofSovietand/orpost-Soviet
filmmakers.’DiscusswithreferencetoRussianand/orSovietcinema.‘
3.
'Melodramainscribesthebodyindistresswithmeaning.'Discusswithreferenceto
Russianand/orSovietcinema.‘DiscusswithreferencetoRussianand/orSovietcinema.You
willfindPeterBrooks’essayonmelodramainfilm(onMoodle)usefulinthinkingaboutthis
topic.
4.
‘AnalyzetwoStalin-eramusicalswithreferencetoEITHERRichardDyer’stheoryof
utopiaandentertainmentORRickAltman’sdiscussionofthemusicalasdual-focus
narrative’.[KeyextractsfromtheirwritingonthistopicarepostedonMoodle].
5.
‘CompareandcontrastthewaysinwhichStalin-eraBildungsfilmspresentthe
formationofa“new”Sovietsubjectivity.Youmaywishtoapproachthistopicfromthe
prismofsocialorigin,genderdifferenceorgeneration.
6.
‘CinemaintheStalineraemulatedtheWestinordertocritiqueitsvalues.’
7.
Плохтоткоммунист,которыйлишенспособностимечтать.Мечтакоммуниста
—неестьотлетотземного,аполетвбудущее',[LUNACHARSKII]
23
TOPICFOUR:GUIDELINESFORESSAYS
Thisisatopicthatlendsitselfeithertocomparativeanalysisofmultiplefilmsalongthematic
lines(history,gender,subjectivity,generationalconflict)ORtotheexaminationofworkbya
singlefilmmaker(Khutsiev,Muratova,Tarkovskiiarethemostlogicalchoices,butothersare
possible).PleasewritetoDr.Larsenforspecificsuggestionsoftitlesthatmightmeetyour
interests.YoumaychooseEITHERanyquestionfromSectionAofthesampleexampaper
(postedonMoodle)ORanyofthefollowingORyoumaymakeupyourOWNessaytitleona
topicthatinterestsyou(butconsultmeaboutitfirst).
Topic4:EssayTitles.
Discussanyoneofthefollowingwithreferencetoatleasttwofilmsmadebefore1985.If
youexpecttopreparethistopic
1.
‘Alllaughterissubversive.’
2.
'Filmsrewritehistorynotonlyintheirplots(fabula)anddialogue,butalsointheir
cameraworkandeditingchoices.’
3.
‘After1953Sovietfilmmakersattemptedtocreateasenseofiskrennost’through
innovationsinthevisualformandnarrativestructureoftheirworks.’
4.
‘GenderroleswerearticulatedinverydifferentformsinRussiancinemaafter1956.’
5.
‘ThevoicesandvisionsthatappearonSovietscreensafter1956differfromthoseof
theStalineraintheirresistancetoinstantlegibilityandeasyreplication.’Discuss.
6.
‘SovietcinemaduringtheThawreconfiguresthepossibilitiesforSovietdesire.’
Discuss.
7.
'Torevealideologyasfalseislesspowerfulthan
torevealitasmeaningless.’Discusswithreferencetopost-Stalinistcinema.
8.
'CinemaoftheThaweraconceptualizedthepassageoftimeinwaysthatdiffered
significantlyfromthetemporalitiesofStalinistcinema.’
9.
‘Thereturnofsubjectivityisthedefiningfeatureofpost-Stalinistculture.’Discuss
withreferencetocinemaoftheThawera.
10.
‘Somehistoriesaresuchthattheycannotbenamedinwordsorrepresentedon
screen.’
11.
‘Cinemaofthepost-Stalinperiodoftenborrowstheiconographyand/orrhetoric
ofSovietmasscultureinordertodeconstructit.'
24
12.
'Theworkofmanylate-Sovietandpost-Sovietfilmmakersattemptstopreservea
visionoftheSovietpastthatisinvisibleinofficialartoftheSovietperiod.’
13.
'Late-Sovietandpost-Sovietcinemaisdominatedbyanattempttoreshapeboth
thememoriesoftheSovietpastandtheformsinwhichthatpastmaybecommemorated.'
Discuss.
14. ‘‘ThelookofSovietcinemaafter1953ismeaningfulpreciselybecauseofthewaysin
whichitdiffersfromthatoftheStalinera.’
15. ‘SovietcinemaintheThaweraaimsforgreaterauthenticitybyforegroundingthe
artificeinherentinallculturalproduction.’
25
TOPICFOUR:GUIDELINESFORESSAYS
(ifyouhaveaninterestthatisnotaddressedhere,youarewelcometoformulateyourown
title,butconsultmefirstandmakesureyoudiscussatleast2filmsinyouressay.Forthe
examyoushouldpreparemorethan2foranygiventopic.Youmayalsochoosetouseany
suitableessaytitlesetforTopic4,asitisoftenpossibletoanswerquestionsfortheThaw
topicwiththefilmssetforthistopic)
Topic4:EssayTitles
1.
‘SovietandRussiancinemaafter1984appropriatestheiconographyofSoviet
masscultureinordertodeconstructit.'Discuss.
2.
‘SovietandRussiancinemaafter1984isdominatedbyanattempttoreshape
memoriesoftheSovietpastandtoreconceivetheformsinwhichthatpastmaybe
commemorated.'Discuss.
3.
‘Cinematicversionsofчернухаandгламурappearradicallyopposedintheirorigins
andaspirations,butinmanyinstancestheyemergefromacommonimpulse.'Discuss.
4.
‘Experiments with narrative, poetic, and visual form in Soviet and Russian cinema
after 1984 signal a corresponding shift in ideas about how or whether the past can be
known.’Discuss.
5.
‘SovietandRussiancinemaafter1984mistrustslanguage;itsmeaningsare
producedindirectly,inthegapsbetweenwordsandtheexperiencestheyseemintendedto
articulate.'Discuss.
6.
‘Soviet and Russian cinema after 1984 is simultaneously enamoured of and
estrangedfromthepast.’Discuss.
7.
'SovietandRussiancinemaafter1945mapsculturalconflictsonthehumanbody.’
Discuss.
8.
‘Soviet and Russian cinema after 1984 plays with Hollywood genre conventions in
ordertocritiquethe(Western)culturethatproducedthem.’Discuss.
9.
‘The dominant mode of Soviet and Russian cinema after 1984 is pastiche; in its
approach to existing narrative, genre, historical and/or cultural codes it is imitative, not
transformative.’Discuss.[CamtoolshasexcerptsfromtextsbyHutcheonandJamesonthat
willhelpyouapproachthequestionofpastiche].
10. ‘Even when they seem furthest from their Soviet past, contemporary Russian
filmmakersremainindialoguewithit.’
11.
‘SovietandRussiancinemaafter1984portraysbodiesindistressinordertoconvey
communal,ratherthanindividuallosses.’Discuss.
26
12.
‘EveryindividualidentitycrisisportrayedinSovietandRussiancinemaafter1984is,
almostinevitably,acrisisofnationalidentity.’Discuss.
13.
‘TheexperienceorfearoflossshapesboththeformandthecontentofSovietand
Russiancinemaafter1984.’Discuss.
14.
‘SovietandRussianfilmmakingafter1984ischaracterizedbyrecurrentidentity
crises.’
15.
‘SovietandRussiancinemaafter1984isshapedbylossesthatitcannotmourn.’
27
MODERNANDMEDIEVALLANGUAGESTRIPOSPartIBandPartII
PaperRu.2
SOVIETANDRUSSIANCINEMA[SPECIMENEXAM]
Answerthreequestions,atleastonefromeachsection.
Candidatesforthispapermaynotdrawsubstantiallyonmaterialfromtheir
dissertationsormaterialwhichtheyhaveusedorintendtouseinanotherscheduled
paper.
Candidatesmaynotdrawsubstantiallyonthesamematerialinmorethanone
questiononthesamepaper.
STATIONERYREQUIREMENTS
20PageAnswerBookx1
Roughworkpad
Youmaynotstarttoreadthequestionsprintedonthe
subsequentpagesofthisquestionpaperuntilinstructed
thatyoumaydosobytheInvigilator
28
SECTIONA
RefertoatleasttwofilmsbyasingleRussianorSovietfilmmakerinyouranswerstothese
questions.
1
‘Aneventoradetailgainsmeaningbyitsrepetition,whichisboththerecallofan
earliermomentandavariationofit.’Discuss.
2
'Soviet avant-garde filmmakers constructed their works as if they were poems.'
Discuss.
3
'Themarkoftheauteurishisorherrelianceonostranenie.'Discuss.
4
'Filmsrewritehistorynotonlyintheirspokendialogueandintertitles,butalsoin
theircameraworkandeditingchoices.’Discuss.
5`
‘Melodramainscribesthebodyindistresswithmeaning.’Discuss.
6
7
‘Sounddoesnotexpandafilm’sexpressiverange;itlimitsit.’Discuss.
‘Allviolenceisallegorical.’Discuss.
SECTIONB
DiscussthefollowingwithreferencetoRussianand/orSovietcinema.Refertotheworkof
atleasttwoRussianorSovietfilmmakersinyouranswerstothesequestions.
1
Either (a) 'EventhemostseeminglyfrivolousRussianfilmsareimbuedwithpolitical
significanceafter1917.'
or (b) ‘Aesthetic choices and political convictions are linked in the work of many
Russianfilmmakers.'
2
Either(a)'Theformalinnovationsofavant-gardefilmmakersinthe1920swerebased
intheoriesaboutthenatureofhumanperception.'Discuss.
or (b) 'In the 1920s Soviet filmmakers based their practice on theories that they
werecompelledtomodifyordiscardentirelyinthe1930s.'Discuss.
3
Either (a) ‘Stalinist cinema was a unique phenomenon that was neither pure
“entertainment”normere“propaganda”.’
.
or (b) ‘Cinema in the Stalin era was unrealistic, conservative and above all
sentimental.’
29
4
Either (a) ‘After1953Sovietfilmmakersattemptedtocreateasenseof‘iskrennost’
throughinnovationsinthevisualformandnarrativestructureoftheirworks.’
or(b)‘Intheirexperimentswithnarrativestructureandvisualformafter1953,Soviet
filmmakersresistednotonlythe“what”,butalsothe“how”ofStalinistculture.’
5 Either (a) ‘Contemporary Russian filmmakers are simultaneously enamoured of and
estrangedfromthepast.’
or(b)‘EvenwhentheyseemfurthestfromtheirSovietpast,contemporaryRussian
filmmakersremainindialoguewithit.’
6
‘Theconventionsofpopularfilmgenres–whethermelodrama,musical,orWestern–
werereadilyadaptedtotheideologicalaimsofSovietand/orpost-Sovietfilmmakers.’
Discuss.
7
‘EveryrevolutioninSovietfilmformwasfueledbyideologicalconflict.’Discuss.
8
“Alllaughterissubversive.’DiscusswithreferencetoRussianand/orSovietcinema.‘
9
‘Women’srolesinRussiancinemachangedradicallyafter1956.’
10
‘Russianfilmmakersportraybodiesindistressinordertoconveycommunal,rather
thanindividuallosses.
11
'Filmsrewritehistorynotonlyintheirspokendialogueandintertitles,butalsoin
theircameraworkandeditingchoices.’Discuss.
ENDOFPAPER