Author Archives: Nothando Khumalo

Youth

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Window to Paris is the perfect film to finish our class with. While it most definitely is a Russian film (the name Nikolai Nikolayevich stood out to me), one does not need to know much about Russian history or culture to enjoy it. My family actually watched the whole thing with me, and they were laughing throughout. This movie might have been full of laughs, but it effectively depicted changes in post-soviet society.

The schoolchildren in this film were used to demonstrate the shift in economic strategies and the impressionable nature of children. Youth were very important subjects of soviet indoctrination. Instead of being spoon fed the ideals of the proletariat, the children in this film are being molded into young capitalists. One child even wears a suit and carries a briefcase. Speeches giving praise to Lenin are replaced by passionate strike speeches calling for self-determination and popular sovereignty, ideals of the perfect democracy. The teacher that is spearheading the business agenda wears a sparkly gold suit reminiscent of an American pop star. Nikolai plays his flute and the children follow. This speaks to the pliable nature of children. Whether it be in the soviet union or the united states, children can easily be swayed by propaganda. 

My favorite bit was the montage of the children, Nikolai, and Nicole enjoying all that Paris has to offer. In typical fashion, the movie did not end on this happy note and, instead finishes with the two lovers being split searching for each other.    

Locks in Anna

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In Anna, Nikita Mikhalkov illustrates the shift in the Russian political awareness during Perestroika using the development of his daughter from child to young woman. As a young child, Anna is not yet cognizant of the malevolent forces at play in the world. Her worst enemy is borsch, her least favorite soup. At this time, to an extent the soviet government was still able to distract its citizens from its internal inadequacies. Magnificent shows of military and industrial might kept unease at bay for now, but theatrics can only do so much. As she grows older, she slowly begins to lose her childish qualities and begins to notice structural issues within her society. Her father notices “the locks she [Anna] forged” and realizes that he might never gain access. The lock metaphor demonstrates that the creation of these boundaries was not immediate but a gradual shift that was facilitated by the natural aging process and the collection of experiences. Locks are installed to keep intruders out and to protect precious possessions. Anna now holds delicate emotions that she does not want to be tarnished. In her interview with her father, she points out that soviet clothing is not great quality, and the new clothing is better. This moment marks the beginning of the development of her social consciousness, and consequently, the beginning of the national revival that took place during Perestroika. 

This film prompted me to consider my own coming of age story. While I appreciate this wonderful documentary, I would hate to be Anna and have a camera following me around during, arguably, the most tender moments of my life.

Youth in Burnt by the Sun

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As the ending credits of Burnt by the Sun rolled onto the screen, a single tear also rolled down my right cheek. This film really pulled at my heart strings. By the end, I had forgotten that it was based on historical figures, but the ending reminded me just how pervasive and cruel Stalin’s rule over the Soviet Union. The characters in the film were not just fabricated for the plot but real people that suffered. Like a hot sun in the sky, the revolution did not discriminate when it came to persecution, all victims of its constant siege. The scene with Colonel Kotov and his young daughter, Nadya, stood out to me.

The director uses feet to illustrate the emphasis and need for youth in Stalinist Russia. While caressing his daughter’s soft foot in his own calloused hands and with a hint of sadness in his eyes, Kotov says, “Because we’re building up Soviet power for that… so, that all their lives… people will have feet like yours”. The phrase ‘all their lives’ demonstrates that real Soviet potential can only be attained by young people untainted by the hardships of the revolution and hard life. Those that know only the joys and fruits of the revolution can survive. ‘Building up power for that’ reveals that even the general knows his work and the efforts of other revolutionaries are not meant to celebrate in the country that helped create. They simply serve as steps for those with soft feet to walk on to reach Soviet greatness. Nadya’s young foot at the center of the frame amplifies these sentiments.

Emasculation in Heart of A Dog

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 Heart of A Dog has been sitting on my bookshelf since January. Honestly, til I had to move out last month, I’m sure it had been collecting a modest amount of dust. Little did I know, I had been ignoring one of the most provocative, hilarious, and creative books I have ever read. The overall plot is reminiscent of Gogol’s The Nose: personification of a non-human character and his adventures with his newfound humanity. I’m not sure if I can go so far as to say that this story is another example of magical realism, but this satire definitely contains elements of the absurd and the bizarre. 

Undergarments, specifically women’s panties, were a recurring symbol in this novel. Bulgakov uses underwear to demonstrate women as the recipients of violent masculinity and emasculate men. Sharik comments on a woman’s underwear: “… her panties give no warmth, a bit of lacy fluff. For her lover’s sake. Let her just try and put on flannel panties, and he’ll yell!” (Bulgakov 4) The line ‘bit of lacy fluff’ depicts just how little worth the pretty underwear actually possess. They do not even protect against the bitter cold. Just as the dog whose fur is burned off she is left to the mercy of the rough Moscow wind. ‘Lover’s sake’ reveals the reliance that she has on the man in her life for support. It also adds a bit of irony to the story. How much could Vlas possibly love her if he would be aggressive with her for leaving the precious panties behind for some warm clothes. When the man who came in for a surgery to increase his sexual potency removes his pants, he reveals “ a pair of the most unique underpants. They were cream colored, embroidered with black cats, and they smelled of perfume” (19).  The phrase ‘cream colored’ suggests that the underwear are characterized by a frail feminine air. The decorative touch of ‘black cats’ adds an innocent or prepubescent flair to the man. Only small children have images on their underwear. Since he was previously lacking in the sex department, the man is not only being reduced to a feminine identity, but he is also given a childish demeanor.

disturbing image of Sharik

The Tale of the Potemkin Through Film

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Sergei Eisentein does it again! His depiction of the triumph of the crew of the Potemkin works to exalt the efforts of the revolutionaries and diminish the moral code of the tsarist regime. Each shot seems to have been meticulously chosen to add to the overall narrative. I’m going to discuss a few cinematic techniques I noticed throughout the film.

Eisenstein’s uses of asynchronous sound, reaction shots, and fast motion elevate this historical account into the realm of heroic drama. Throughout the film, the characters seem to be speaking, but none of their words are heard. Instead, the viewer is told the story through written word, visuals, and orchestral music. This asynchronous sound synthesizes a more story-like tone and adds a melodramatic atmosphere to the narrative. Even though this is a historical drama, this cinematic tool makes the viewer feel as if they are watching a hero’s tale. Though no spoken word is heard, a skillfully crafted operatic soundtrack rises and falls with the story.  Additionally, Eisenstein makes use of reaction shots throughout the film to demonstrate a narrative that really builds upon itself and give the impression that each action of the players in the story has an important role to play in the creation of the narrative. No movement is made without reason. Fast motion refers to manipulation of frames to make action seem more rapid than normal pace. This manipulation creates a hectic atmosphere and adds a level of action to the already lively film. 

The Pain of Zinaida Serebriakova

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Russian artists during this transitive moment in history strove to create paintings, sets, costumes, and literature that sparked all levels of the sensory system and represented society and emotion using evocative methods that classical techniques were not capable of. In a small, emerging sect of the Russian art psyche, Natalia Goncharova, Liubov Popova, and Zinaida Serebriakova occupy an even smaller group of women that were part of the symbolist and avant-garde movements. While Goncharova and Popova deserve all of the attention in the world, I’d like to focus on one of Serebriakova’s works since I am least familiar with her.

All of her pieces on the class website are wonderful. I have a soft spot for portraits completed by female artists, so I could not resist doing an analysis of a Serebriakova self-portrait completed in 1956. Serebriakova’s use of color and gaze work to reveal the duality of her reactions to her estranged children and residence in Paris: joy at being able to create her art and despair at being away from her eldest kids. Though the background contains green, blue, and red hints that are also present on her body, black permeates throughout. The black demonstrates the lack of control Serebriakova feels over her current situation in France and the oppression she feels from the Soviet government. Even though she is not in the country, they are able to prevent her from seeing her children, two of the people she treasures most in the world. On her blue dress, the left side is a vibrant blue while the right side is such a dark navy that it seems almost black. This explicit color contrast demonstrates the duality of her current state of mind. The blue color of the dress works to show that in bright parts of her life there is still sadness. Her left hand is almost completely covered by the easel to add to the idea that drowning herself in her artwork serves as her only solace from her suffering. The darkness on the right side continues up to her face and draws the viewer’s attention to the face, specifically the eyes. In her portrait, Serebriakova is gazing directly at the viewer. Since Serebriakova painted this image, she is also gazing directly at herself. Gaze allows artists to view an object subjectively. In this case, Zinaida is able to look into her own eyes and peer into her own soul. This creative choice amplifies the dual nature of her mental state and demonstrates just how helpless she is to change her own reality. All she can do is watch. 

 

Prisoner of the Mountains as Social Commentary

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I’d give Prisoner of the Mountains a solid 7/10 rating. It combined all of my favorite things about movies: comedy, action, and love. Unfortunately, I have never been particularly attracted to war films, so, based purely on commitment to my true being, I was unable to give the movie a higher rating. This film expertly displays the conflict between Russian military ideals and the culture of the native Chechen people. The beginning scenes did a wonderful job of setting up the contrasting images of the Russian military and the Chechen people that the director, Sergei Brodov wanted to convey. In the scene where the boys were walking naked in the hospital, the camera angle and frame, made it seem as if the boys were riding on toy horses like children instead of covering themselves. This scene shows that the ‘great’ Russian army consists of childish boys, not strong men. Also, when the doctor is checking to make sure everything is alright with Vanya’s genitalia, Vanya is unable to stifle his laughter. This scene furthers the childish motif. On the other hand, when Abdul is first introduced, he is pictured standing squarely, gun in hand, with the towering mountains in the background. This scene works to depict the strength of not only Abdul, but also the Chechen people as a whole. By depicting him with the image of a formidable, mysterious mountain, the scene shows the Chechen people’s allegiance to nature and gives them a mystical quality. Additionally, since mountains are such unmovable figures, Abdul’s association with them gives him an unfaltering demeanor. Therefore, his masculine strength and size are exacerbated. These two scenes set the stage for the rest of the plot to unfold. 

 

I’m a huge fan of art, so, naturally, when I saw that today’s assignment covered nineteenth century painting I was extremely excited! Russians did it again. To be more specific, Karl Briullov once again shows us how Russians are able to master Western art forms and reinvent them with a touch that is so uniquely Russian. I’d like to do a visual analysis of Karl Briulov’s The Last Day of Pompeii, 1833. This painting stands out from other Russian neoclassical paintings at this time, and set Briullov as a leader in the painting world. The eruption of the volcano in Pompeii has long been a subject for artists as its tragic story is especially awe-inspiring. Briulov’s use of planar composition, color, highling, and shading work to display the desperation and torment of the citizens of Pompeii. Vertically, the painting is split into three parts: one line is drawn the rightmost pillar on the right and the other by the head of the man in the green robe. This places the fallen young woman in the center. Additionally, Briulov added the most light on the young woman highlighting even further. Her exposed breast shows just how helpless the people were against this violent act of nature. This light is skillfully contrasted with the dark black and red of the sky and ominous volcano in the background. This contrats exposes the underlying tension that often exists between humans and nature. Additionally, the way the sky seems to open up to heaven above the suffering people brings image of God to mind. It’s almost as if the the eruption is divine retribution against the citizens of Pompeii for their sins.  (sounds slightly similar to the story of St. petersburg) Bruilov deserved the praise from Pushkin and many more! This painting is so expertly crafted and striking!

Reading A Guide to a Renamed City With Susan Sontag’s Excerpt

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At first, Joseph Brodsky’s choice to begin A Guide to a Renamed City with an excerpt by Susan Sontag confused me. What could a quote about photography have anything to do with St. Petersburg? As I continued to read, I began to realize that the line actually illustrates the relationship between ‘Peter’(St. Petersburg) and his people, specifically their excessive pride in themselves and their city and St. Petersburg’s ability to give Russians a space to subjectively analyze their country. In his description of the Neva River, Brodsky writes, “The … Neva… provides this city with such a quantity of mirrors that narcissism becomes inevitable”. (77) Though ‘quantity of mirrors’ does not directly reference a camera, I interpreted ‘mirror’ to be synonymous to lens in this instance. This line shows that if St. Petersburg’s inhabitants are constantly viewing snapshots of themselves, they are “re-experience[ing] the unreality and remoteness of the real” as Susan Sontag writes. Sontag’s line demonstrates that St. Petersburg’s citizens view themselves only in a flash of time instead of as an integral part of Russia’s vast history and as separate from the ‘real’, or Moscow/the rest of Russia. Even though Brodsky effectively conveys this quality in his reading, the Susan Sontag line offers a new and exciting way to read his piece. He continues the photography motif when describing St. Petersburg after the capital moved to Moscow: “Petersburg, having nowhere to withdraw to, came to a standstill-as though photographed in its nine teenth-century posture.” (88) The line ‘came to a standstill’ shows that once Moscow became the capital, St. Petersburg, a reformative city, did not revert with the rest of the country into Russia’s old conservative ways. St. Petersburg instead stood in contrast to Russia and became a place for Russians to experience a reality that did not exist in the rest of the country, therefore, accentuating the ‘remoteness of the real’, or offering an opportunity to properly assess the rest of the country.