Author Archives: Sophie Bell

The Cultural Phenomenon of Pussy Riot

3 Replies

The cultural phenomenon of Pussy Riot merely existing is a sign of a (slowly but surely) changing Russia. The act of a group of women going into one of the most prominent and revered churches and singing about bringing down Putin is an act of dissident, following in the long history of Russian citizens protesting whatever the current regime was. 

The title of the song Pussy Riot sang has a symbolic meaning. Called Mother of God, Drive Putin Away, the song circles back to the religious reverence that highlighted early in this class. The bringing back of religion, oppressed for so many years under Communism, is an interesting take. It seems especially powerful as a tool to fight against what Pussy Riot blatantly believes to be an oppressive regime under Putin. Pussy Riot invokes the name of the Virgin Mary in their claims that she would be a feminist and support them, urging Mary to get rid of Putin. They are simultaneously targeting the Church as a flawed institution, highlighting the worrying closeness of Church and state. This statement was particularly interesting, as only a few decades ago, the government was vehemently against the closeness of Church and state. Pussy Riot further drew on this relationship, comparing the KGB and the Church in the line “black robes, golden epaulettes.” This line is most striking, as the rise of the Church has encouraged many Russians to start going back to Russian Orthodox Christianity and caused many Russians to go up in arms about Pussy Riot. Although three of the five women from Pussy Riot who were involved in this song and the following Church performance were arrested, the protest goes to show that dissidence in Russia is just as apparent now as it was in the Communist period, under the Tzars, during the Mongol invasion, and even earlier.

Anna’s life

7 Replies

Films like Anna are always striking. The significant events of life and the world are often seen through the harsh, and often pessimistic, eyes of an adult. Using a child, however, gives a more pure and maybe more honest perspective. The eye of a child offers a unique perspective on huge events such as the ones happening in the Soviet Union during Anna’s life. We can see not only the development and change in Russia but the observations and insights a young girl offers. In a way, viewers can see two transformations. We see the transformation of the Soviet Union to Russia, and we see Anna’s transformation from an innocent child to an introspective young woman. Mikhail’s skill in filmmaking is apparent, as he can intertwine Anna’s answers into the perfect spot, surrounded by actual footage to compare and contrast to Anna’s perspective. 

As Anna grows up, it is also apparent to see her notice of structural changes and flaws in her country. Most young people go through this awakening, as they see the flaws in their nation. There becomes a desire to fix things for their future and the generations following them. I found the film to be especially powerful as Anna cried in the last scene while talking about her future, her fears, and her feelings. It becomes apparent that Anna is patriotic and wants her country to change for the better. 

Burnt by the Sun

11 Replies

I found this film to be very powerful. The tension between Kotov and Mitya, whether about Maroussia or Mother Russia, was very interestingly done. The fear of going against Stalin’s government caused deep trouble among citizens, even though Kotov was a revolutionary war hero. The fact that this alone was not enough to protect him from the government highlights the danger of being a prominent person in the 1930s. It is striking how Mitya can get back into Kotov’s family, and cause so much trouble.
A scene I found particularly striking was the scene with Kotov and his daughter Nadia on the boat. The chaos and insanity on the beach are juxtaposed with the tranquility on the water. The purity of Nadia, added to this pure tranquility of drifting on the water, gives Kotov a tenderness he may not have gotten otherwise. Initially seen as a hardened (albeit respected) war hero, the emotion and evident love he has for his daughter humanizes him. Rather than be brusque with Nadia, they are allowed to be together calmly, for maybe one of the last times ever. His daughter telling him the simple phrase “I adore you” gives a childlike air to the scene. This statement creates even more sympathy towards Kotov, especially as the movie progresses, and we see his family torn apart by Stalin’s violence. I interpreted this scene to be interrupted by Stalin’s violence in a less obvious way: when Mitya jumped into the water and brought the chaos of the beach and his allegiance to Stalin into the peaceful water. He brought Stalin’s presence into one of the few places where Kotov and Nadia could simply be father and daughter.

Heart of a Dog

6 Replies

The Heart of a Dog is quite a bold satire, especially when reading between the lines and focusing the story’s ridicule of Bolshevism. The transformation of a mangy stray to the “ideal” Soviet man back to a mangy dog is in itself a hot take that, not surprisingly, was not even allowed to be published. The emphasis on the unreal and out-of-the-ordinary to highlight the absurdities and flaws of the society that Bulgakov lived in is striking. The concept of poking fun (fun might be too simple of a word, but attacking feels a bit too strong) at the government’s regime using such normalized terms is quite powerful.
One especially striking thing is Bulgakov’s choice of character names. The doctor’s name is a prime example of names implying more than expected. After doing a bit of background research on the book, it turns out that Dr. Preobrazhensky’s name derives from the Russian word meaning “of transfiguration.” This name choice seemed especially ironic, as he is the one to transform Sharik the dog to Sharikov the man. Choosing to give Dr. Preobrazhensky this name is a simplistic way to add a bit of satire, which unfortunately is lost on those who do not understand Russian. Another bold choice when it comes to names is the one Dr. Preobrazhensky gives Sharik once the dog transforms into a man. Sharik gets the name Poligraf Poligrafovich Sharikov. The name Poligraf Poligrafovich is modeled after the tradition of double names in Russian culture, especially prominent in the Soviet Union. However, Bulgakov satirized this tradition by using this name, as both the first and middle names are so similar it would be like naming a character John Johnson in an English satire.

Endless Stairs in Battleship Potemkin

6 Replies

Battleship Potemkin is an outstanding work, as the film’s propagandistic power is undeniable. Eisenstein’s clear-cut and intentional filmmaking made the movie, and symbolism is rampant throughout the film. The film is full of scenes of revolution and riots, but one of the most powerful (and iconic) is that of the Odessa Steps.
The psychological power this part alone has in carrying a propagandistic story is breathtaking. The audience watches as Russian soldiers march down the steps, firing into the ground, seemingly marching down forever. The endless march of the Russian soldiers is powerful, as it portrays them not only has never-ending, but a mechanic. The sight of the mighty tsarist militia marching down on innocent citizens serves as a powerful incentive to remain angry and resentful.
However, what is truly striking, even after finishing the film, is the baby carriage (with the infant still inside) rolling down the long and endless set of steps after the baby’s mother had been shot and killed. The framework of a mother attempting to protect her baby evokes strong emotion across all cultures, no matter where in the world. Seeing the baby roll down the stairs after his mother’s death, surrounded by fear and death, adds on to this propagandistic ideology. It becomes even more comfortable to associate the tsarist militia as an evil group, one that tears a mother and her baby apart. The separation is a prominent part of the film, creating a final, blatant attempt at creating a clear right and wrong side in the revolution.

Natalia Goncharova’s Avant Garde

2 Replies

Natalia Goncharova’s art is trailblazing, even for the avant-garde art scene. She is unique in that she is a woman, as women did not reach the levels of fame she did in art. However, I found her style and boldness in the artworks to be quite intricate. Goncharova was known for her radical art in the Jack of Diamonds group, and her pieces often were fragmented reflections of Russian society. However, the work that struck meetups the most was her self-portrait, painted in 1907.

Titled Self-Portrait with Yellow Lillies, the piece does not seem as bold as her other pieces, yet it holds skill that is distinctive of expressionism. Her self-portrait is reminiscent of those done similarly by the artist Vincent van Gogh, who was known for his bold expressionist self-portraits. The way Goncharova painted herself looking directly at the viewer gives off extreme confidence. She framed herself as a creator in this painting–this is obvious by the unfinished pieces behind her. Both her confidant gaze and the works behind Goncharova indicate that she is very proud of her art and not at all worried about backlash. She seems calm and in control of her surroundings. 

The colors Goncharova chose to use in her self-portrait are telling of additional details. Again, she is bold and bright in her usage of colors. The brightness, rather than overpowering the portrait, adds a dynamic nature and emotion. The pink and orange tinges brightening her face make her look, in a way, imperfectly perfect, as viewers can connect with the confidence this painted flush adds. The flower bouquet Goncharova holds is especially eye-catching. The glowing oranges, reds, and yellows in the flowers are especially stunning. The flowers are like a torch, lighting up the piece. The bold colors she chose are again similar to Van Gogh’s bright color choices. 

The influence of expressionism in avant-garde art seems to be a popular choice in Russia, and across Western Europe. I think it would be interesting to cover both expressionism and impressionism in European art, and how Russian avant-garde artists incorporated that style and made it their own.

Prisoner of the Mountains

Leave a reply

I thought the Prisoner of the Mountains was an intriguing film. I’m generally quite interested in war films, but the ones that seem to be the most popular focus on Western Europe, so watching one about Russia was a breath of fresh air. The film puts a Russian twist on love, war, and cultural differences. What is truly intriguing is the way the Chechens and Russians approached war, and more specifically, the conflict between the two sides. The idea of empathy, at least from the view of the Russian military, is looked down upon heavily. Russian dominance is more valuable to the Russian army than anything else. The Chechens, however, are pushed to their motives because of a desire to remain free. It is rare to see a movie highlighting the quiet power of the Chechens, as towns like the one featured are isolated and quickly overrun by Russians. The introduction of the Chechens is especially powerful, as the first scene with Abdul highlights the quiet power his people have. Although Abdul and his people have Sasha and Vanya entirely at their mercy, the decision to not immediately kill the two is remarkable. Abdul’s decision to not kill Vanya at the end of the film is especially impressive considering the next few scenes showing Russian helicopters heading to annihilate the village. This irony showed indicated to me that the decisions of a few people might put off the illusion of peace, but it is the big corporations (or armies, in this case) that have a more significant influence in war.

Alexei Venetsianov’s dignified peasants

1 Reply

Alexei Venetsianov’s skill in painting the most mundane lives of those considered to be almost less than human is genuinely striking. In the most basic sense, the usage of bright colors completely changes the perspective on peasants. In previous styles, it was not uncommon to see peasants wholly drained of their humanity, looking like they were on their last dregs of life, and utterly depressed. Venetsianov uses light colors, framing his paintings as not sad scenes, but scenes of everyday life of a commoner. The light colors give those in the paintings a dignified and dream-like appearance, seeming to indicate the idea that, although peasant life was extraordinarily hard, it was possible to be happy and even joyful.
The painting of the Spring, Plowland, painted in the early 1820s, shows this colorful depth (among many other meaningful elements). The bright blue sky and the deep green landscape seems reminiscent of the surroundings the artist himself may have grown up with in childhood. These bright colors give more to the picture, creating a background of happiness. The central peasant woman is barefoot and wearing a pink dress, which seems to be an almost beautiful take on a woman who is the lowest of the low in Russian society. The inclusion of the baby also seems to symbolize motherhood and the desire to care for something. These peasants seem to be living a lyrical and dignified lifestyle, contrary to what we have seen previously. Many of Venetsianov’s paintings are like this: his focus on dignifying the peasants and giving them an ethereal lifestyle represents a new style of painting that had previously been uncommon.

Russian Fairytales

1 Reply

An element in Tsarevich Ivan and the Grey Wolf, Vasilisa the Beautiful, and The Frog Tsarevna that struck me was the similarities to West European fairytales. Take The Frog Tsarevna. This story is very similar (almost the same) as the Princess and the Frog. Vasilisa the Beautiful is identical to the story of Cinderella, what with her having an evil stepmother and stepsisters. These folktales spread across Western Europe, and Russia created twists on these stories to fit their culture. All three of these are old oral tales transcribed in the mid-1800s to early 1900s. The similarities of these old folk stories to other Western European folk stories seemed to indicate to me that Europe was influencing Russia (and Russia was influencing Europe) much more than it ever had before.

Because of the similarities to other European folklore stories, focusing on what makes these distinctly Russian provides an insight into the values of Russia at the time. I found the incorporation of Russian legend Baba-Yaga important in making the stories part of Russia’s beliefs rather than the generic European take. In The Frog Tzarevna and Vasilisa the Beautiful, Baba-Yaga’s influence is prominent. She seems to be two-fold: an evil witch, on the one hand, and a wild but wise figure on the other. In The Frog Tzarevna, she exemplifies the standard of the wise old crone, offering advice to the hero. In earlier Russian history, older women were guardians of wisdom, often benevolent. When Ivan finds Baba-Yaga’s hut in this story, she gives advice freely, serving the role of wise advisor. In Vasilisa the Beautiful, Baba-Yaga shows her other side: a witch that forces Vasilisa to suffer through tribulations and threatening to eat her. This version of Baba-Yaga plays an important role, forcing Vasilisa to depend on herself and develop into womanhood. However, this Baba-Yaga is not benevolent but quite dark.