Part 3 - USSR & Russia
In his masterpiece Tarkovsky adapted the famous novel of Strugatsky brothers. Back then Konstantin Lopushansky worked as a production assistant. Thanks to this he gained the filmmaking experience and inspiration to create his own films. The first one, Solo, is but a thirty minutes long short shot in black and white. I wouldn't say it's a must see, but it could be an interesting addition if you have seen all his full-length movies. It's very austere and quirky thus really unappealing for people not knowing Lopushnsky's other works. Six years later Letters from a Dead Man was released. In his best known film up to date, which is often regarded as his magnum opus, Lopushansky managed to conceptualize some ideas he used in the short. It's hard not to notice Tarkovsky inspirations as the film features very limited colour palette interestingly similar to Stalker's bleaker parts at the beginning of the film. It's pretty bleak, austere and almost hopeless being an considerable improvement in relation to the short. It's said to be the greatest Soviet sci-fi film on par with Stalker and/or Solaris.
One could think that after he has released his masterpiece, Lopushansky wouldn't have anything more to say. Surprisingly enough, only three years after, his sophomore film had its premiere. Visitor of a Museum seems to be even gloomier, almost mournful in its moments, religious in content, being even more Tarkovsky alike. Audience being used to simple formulas found it strangely equivocating and therefore the film didn't get too much praise. However, in my opinion it's even better than Letters from a Dead Man. The man being some kind of a messiah or seer to a group of handicapped fellows climbing up the mountain, struggling to reach the Absolute should be an image as known as the shower murder in Hitchcock's Psycho or the airport scene in Casablanca. It's so iconic yet having this metaphysical vibe to it. The film is worth seeing just for this one scene, but it's far more than that. Seeing the obscure, dingy, dilapidated world portrayed in Visitor of a Museum is an unforgettable experience, including the final shot with a post-apocalyptic landscape and a man walking away, quickly blending into panorama, which portrays nothing more but death. It's still, unmoving and the only living thing are these crows flying above being a harbringer of the end of the world.
Moving to the next film, Russian Symphony. Lopushansky didn't change too much and kept the theme he feels the best with - post-apocalyptic. Being not too different in style compared to two previous films, Russian Symphony still uses the colouring tricks, bleak atmosphere and iconic, metaphysical metaphors such as a pilgrimage, the most interesting protagonist comparing himself to the greats of Russian literature trying to give a speech, which results in some sort of Dies Irae and masterful ending being a penance or atonement. Another great masterpiece.
After three masterpieces, Lopushansky made another film called The End of Century being completely antagonistic to anything he has ever done. It's probably a family drama. I couldn't find it anywhere and we can forget about English subtitles. In his last film, The Ugly Swans, Lopushansky returns to his favourite genre creating another post-apocalyptic gem, once again including every trick, he has done before, yet not being recurrent or repetitive.
Unfortunately, Lopushansky never got adequate public praise and has been criticized for the seriousness of his works lacking humour and lighter moments thereupon not being "fancy" for mainstream audience. In spite of that I think that all his films are a must-see for either a post-apocalyptic theme lovers, arthouse film lovers, or Tarkovsky lovers. Being aware of the variety of the themes of his films I dare to say he's equal to Tarkovsky in metaphysical filmmaking. The later one was more diverse, but I've got pretty similar feeling from the films of both these geniuses.
Thanks to
Harry Lime I watched Check-up On the Roads and found it to be a great film. I'd like to thank you, Harry. Would love to watch more of German films, but they aren't that easy to find. Great filmmaking.
Now moving to Russian animation, I'd just like to point I don't feel like I know too much about it, or about the animation in general, but I just wanted to introduce my two favourite animators. The first one, Yuriy Norshteyn, created his first film in 1968 and then made another two in 1969 and 1971. Although stylistically faultless, they didn't enchant me as his later films. Worth seeing, but after the newer ones. With The Fox and the Hare Norshteyn began creating child tales with very wise moral. Altough rather simplistic, they make adults cry and are proper for people of any age. He continues this formula in The Heron and the Crane and completely gorgeous Hedgehog in the Fog.
However, he reached his artistic peak with flawless masterpiece Tale of Tales. It combines top-notch animation and fairytale aesthetics with metaphorical naturalism, giving an outstanding results and it's still suitable for both kids and adults. The first group should like the beautiful visuals and characters, such as a small wolf (look at the picture, isn't he cute?), while the second enjoying the complexity rich of symbolism and many ways of interpretation.
Aleksandr Petrov, another Russian animator created shorts such as The Cow, Mermaid, Oscar-winning Old Man and the Sea and My Love, of which all are worth seeing due to their undeniable visual mastery. But it's The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, which adds more substance, creating a very emotive and philosophical Dostoyevsky-adapted story, full of symbolism, including some Biblical metaphors, some of which I still don't get.
Besides these two masters, there are films like The Cameraman's Revenge, made by a Pole, but in 1912 (!) when Poland was still annaxeted by Prusia, Austro-Hungary and Russia and thus treated as Russian film. It's truly incredible they managed to create such film about 100 years ago!
Another thought-provoking, or just plain enjoyable shorts include:
Cheburashka (1972)
Island (1973)
Budet laskovyy dozhd (1984)
The last one being a hidden gem, truly great short animation with post-apocalyptic theme to it.
That's it folks!
... to be continued (?)