Time of freedom.

A Russian language has a word чернуха (chernuha), which derives from “black” when full meaning is a deep centralization of it. That’s art genre has precisely definition “the negative aspects of life, e.g. doom, hopelessness, cruelty, poverty, violence”. Logically that English language hasn’t an equal word. It’s beyond of noir and neo-noir where a personage can evade from darkness, which isn’t total. Chernuha demonstrates realism in initial understanding. However, these elements can use for exaggeration. Perestroyka imitated a democracy, but allowed absolute freedom for artists who could realize impossible before projects and do them on imperial film studios. It was a time of departure of socialist realism.


Films made in the Soviet Empire yet. 

Иди и смотри (Come and See). It’s impossible for me to watch almost all commie films about World War II due to socialist realism what means absence of true image. “Kill Hitler” was initial title of Come and See was in long fighting for implementation for director Elen Klimov. He regrets that didn’t defend for filming of battle scene between Nazis and partisans who have behind burning peat swamps. It makes unfinished this masterpiece demonstrating two days of boy who experiences of cruel credibility of war as director achieves in it and unbelievable creativity in close-ups of camera and use of Mozart’s Requiem. 

ЧП районного масштаба (Emergency of District Scale.). An unknown masterpiece even for Russian-speaking region, because it never was shown on TV. That’s film is inside of the Communist party or, be in details, it’s youth wing Komsomol in lechery and degradation underlined by time (it sets in 1981.) when strictness weakened.

Игла (The Needle). Rock-singer Viktor Tsoy played in film about drugs, which as any crime didn’t print in their “pravda”-esque newspapers. The Needle as many mentioned here films demonstrates correction in values. Director can be unexperienced in staging of actions with actors, but all these things make a special attraction to which adds songs of musician. 

Фанат (The Fan). Training of karate turned to a prison term in the Soviet. Army sequence of The Fan is falseness in underground conscription servants “whose kung fu was better” of Alexey Serebryakov’s personage and they taught him of “this advanced technique”. However, that’s very interesting action film about talented in fighting guy who gets trouble with criminals and will repeat of Bruce Lee’s kick from Fist of Fury. A film had rumbling sequel The Fan-2 from which involvement Serebryakov declined. He explained this decision in a producer thought that he is a scriptwriter.

Криминальный квартет (The Criminal Quartet). The commie architecture can give exotic charm and associate with fantastic places, but it disgusts as I have everything to communism in living and have surrounding of them. The Criminal Quartet has enticing in showed places and I had a pleasure to look on mundane subjects then. The Criminal Quartet is a police film has Russian mafia and their crimes as corruption and kidnapping, which also didn’t inform in propaganda news. It’s a grandiose staged action in commie aesthetics.

Делай-раз! (Do It – One!). Nothing changed in Russian army since that as can know on incidents. Initially Do It – One! had support of imperial army until those realized that their image will negatively truly and they went against of appearance of this film and demonstration in cinemas. Production was finished in underground conditions. Harassment and bullying from staying long conscription soldiers to newcomers, which goes in circling. First finishes term of presence and the last takes position of oppressors. 

Я объявляю вам войну (I Declare War to You). A career military officer returns in homeland city where knows about bandits who control all activities. Law enforcers in usual incapability to stop them. A protagonist can’t accept ongoing stance and goes in fighting with local mafia. A lot of memorable details as room rental in hotel. 

Гений (Genius). Another excellent film about Russian mafia, which wants to take under control of a highly intellectual inventor who use skills for earning of money. 

Лох – победитель воды (Sucker – A Water Winner). A magical way of telling by narrating of strokes of non-existing epos of turned to revenge of engineer who has only talents in own skills was performed by rock-musician Sergey Kuryohin and Arkadiy Tiguy is a scriptwriter and a director of this film and who also an author of genius scripts Презумпция невиновности (Presumption of Innocence) and Окно в Париж (Window to Paris). 

Штемп, Похороны на втором этаже (Shtemp, Funerals on the Second Floor). Perestroyka allowed a private entrepreneurship from where did way out many criminals and got prosperity Russian mafia. They were creating film cooperative companies, which movies productions used for laundering of stolen money. Of course, private studios could appear without criminal origin. I have no idea who financed a nice duology about militia lieutenant colonel Arkadiy Ershov, which released only on VHS and never had restoration since that. Memorable of these films that perfect wielding of martial arts can’t save from attack of many people.

За последней чертой (Behind the Last Line). A typical for that time Russian action film, which has soulful attraction. Substituted sport master lost in opportunities to have job and with no opportunity traps in dependence of a criminal gang whose head was played by Igor’ Tal’kov, a talented musician who was murdered a year after and it still unresolved crime. A couple of times Tal’kov will take a guitar. Ending scene leaves in curiosity about future in fates. 


After collapse of the Soviet Empire. 

Обнажённая в шляпе (Naked in a Hat). A first erotic comedy to where includes detective made in the last year of the Soviets and released in the next year. A lot of nudity, which was impossible as sex scenes and use without allowance, as it also was in communist countries (you know that about “everything belongs to people”.), of music. Mostly it’s Enigma (their first and magnificent MCMXC a.D.) while among other music has Paula Abdul’s Straight Up. Humor is funny without vulgarities and one joke of social kind. 

NB. Russian singers in that time freely stole music from foreign countries for songs with own texts. Many times it did Igor’ Tal’kov. Russians always did plagiarism. Alexey Tolstoy did hide that he used Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio (1883) for Buratino (1936). Book series of The Wizard of Emerald City by Alexander Volkov is plagiarism of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve wrote Beauty and the Beast in 1740, which more known lighted for kids version was published by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1756. Sergey Aksakov talked that written The Scarlet Flower in 1857 is a fairytale told by keykeeper in childhood. And Alexander Pushkin referred to his nanny on The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Bogatyrs, which appeared in 1833 while Brothers Grimm wrote Snow White in 1812. Marquis Astolphe de Custine in his journey criticized Russians that they can’t create own and always steal and do plagiarism. He had dislike to Saint-Petersburg architecture, because taken from Greek. Marquise about Russian nationality talked about his Russian cabbie for whom was obedience to steal in every stop. I disagree with marquise on his statement on Pushkin who, in his words, would find same success if he published translated French poems as own. Pushkin did plagiarism, but he was good in poem writing. Korney Chukovskiy did disgusting translate of Robinson Crusoe, which was ridding of capitalist stuff. Crusoe in his editing just returns at home. Nothing that he owner of slaves and made bank account. Chukovskiy’s committed stealing was of Doctor Dolittle stories for his Doctor Aybolit (Ow-Hurts) as a character Pushmi-Pullyu in straight Russian translation Тяни-Толкай (Tyani-Tolkuy).

Игра всерьёз (The Earnest Game). A detective film made in collaboration of became Ukrainian government Dovzhenko studio and two private cooperatives. Ex-worker of militia who degraded in law duties to village scale gets unofficial revival from his ex-boss with investigation of murder and stolen of his money. Usually militiamen in Soviet films behave blatantly to people (as in reality where can be more worst.) while a lead hero of The Earnest Game is polite even in tension situation.

Комедия строгого режима (Maximum Security Comedy). A hilarious flick about convicts in the Soviet prison got order from administration to conduct concert to 100th Anniversary of Ul’yanov (the year 1970). Viktor Suhorukov plays a prisoner who in the low of criminal hierarchy, but his likeness with commie’s leader and transformation to him makes him a main person among prisoners. I’m thinking two directors Vladimit Studennikov and Mihail Grigor’ev indicates on The Internationale, which has a stroke “who was nothing – will become everything”.

Окно в Париж (Window to Paris). That’s film appeared in right time. It was impossible in Soviets where initial idea was conceived and was sold for a bottle of cognac and in contemporary days of KGB ruling. Yuriy Mamin is one Russian who did objective in showing the West and the East. It has many memorable dialogs and phrases. I understand a main character conversation between protagonist and lyceum’s principal, because experienced multiple times. Chizhov did a fine reference on difference of “builders of communist” and “builders of capitalism” and old woman will precisely in thoughts. Mamin made Window in Paris in time of possible to hope on prosper future. The director is grandiose to get a feeling of a mood of French communist party in whose representors can catch their expectation of money from Russians. I like, which in any flick here, to watch a zeitgeist as a scene with trampoline, which just appeared, and a man with two filled Soviet fabric bags (avos’ki in plural) jumps on this thing.

Стрелец неприкаянный (Unsettled Sagittarius). Unemployed journalist German returns to his grandfather for get in legacy a case of savings in the Soviet money, which costs nothing of then now, and keys from a country house. Ambience of that time, great staging of… and hero in circumstances. I would like to express everything, but I come to the ending. It isn’t logical what doesn’t make disrupt to adoring to the film, and I write one thing – I would like same. 

Сын за отца…/Сын за бацьку… (Son for Father…). A conflict between pro-commie father whom fired for offensive and he came to reality of 90s and capitalist son went in private entrepreneurship. The last offers return in activity to his parent, whose gullibility in signing contract will bring mafia interference in family business.

Классик (Classic). Elegant masterpiece has excellent rare music and by director Georgiy Shengeliya about famous billiard player who participate in a game with mafia boss.