Our theme for tomorrow’s class, “Post-Soviet decay and corruption”, is portrayed in various ways in the film Leviathan. On the surface, the Russian political system depicted in this movie is corrupt, to say the least, but when you look a bit deeper, this film works to depict several other aspects of their reality as corrupt and decaying. Visually speaking, the colors and tones used in the camerawork are dreary and bleak – this is seen everywhere from the washed out skin tone of the characters to the lack of natural color in water bodies and mountain ranges. Where I would expect color, there are only washed out tones of greys and greens, and I think this acts as a commentary on the wider societal reality of the time. The bleakness of the camerawork reflects the very bleakness of the characters and the society in which they are currently living. Most evident is the corruption and decay of the characters and how societal influences have created this in them. There are numerous examples of corruption in one’s character: Lilya cheating on Kolya with Dmitri, Dmitri willingly betraying his dear friend Kolya, the many acts of cruelty of Vadim, and generally, the characters in this film seem overly aggressive in their interactions with others, whether aggression is permitted or not. Kolya resorts to physical violence when he feels at all threatened or upset, as does his son, Roma, and Vadim and his colleagues. Social justice is not a feature in this film, as we see through the broken justice system, and the characters act according to this notion. The emotional states of these characters, similar to some of the Post-Soviet experience, are broken. Not to mention, the prevalence of alcoholism in both the male and female characters speaks to their depressed mental state. Throughout this film, I was reminded of this idea of collectivism and how this type of society was characteristic of the Soviet Union. As it relates to these characters, I noticed a lack of this collectivist mentality – most of these characters operate independently and out of self-interest. Almost every aspect of this film – from the aesthetics and camerawork to the poor
Tag Archives: Decay
Gradual but Unmistakable Decay
One of the most ingenious aspects of Chekhov’s work, Uncle Vanya, is the subtle connection of the decay of the natural world to the physical and social decay of the play’s characters. The contemporary environment is presented on numerous occasions by Astrov, the doctor. He praises the natural world in its abilities to “make a harsh climate milder” and improve man’s abilities and spirit, but later in the play he describes the local district as “basically a picture of gradual but unmistakable decay” (71,93). While on the surface it may seem that the district’s environmental decay does not play a central role in the story, it does in fact present an interesting parallel to the state the characters find themselves. Uncle Vanya complains throughout the play of his declining condition and old age, commenting how he has become much lazier over the years and feels as if both he as well as his passion are dying (66, 79). The decay of Uncle Vanya’s condition and his realization of that he has squandered away his best years at the estate connect with Astrov’s comments about local environmental decline since they have both occurred within the timeframe of Uncle Vanya’s work at the estate (101). One would think that the nature and peacefulness of the countryside would prove beneficial to Uncle Vanya over the years that he lives at the estate, but surprisingly it leaves him seemingly worse off than he was before moving there, which in part can be attributed to the decaying natural environment.
Another similar theme Chekhov highlights is the connection between individual health and the natural environment. Having the doctor, Astrov, as the most ardent supporter of the environment is a very intentional choice as it ties the idea of human health to environmental health and stresses the mutual relationship they have with each other. Professor Serebryakóv’s poor health and desire for its improvement also fit within this theme of self-improvement and rejuvenation in the countryside, however, Chekhov makes it clear that while provincial living was once considered natural and pure, its “noxious fumes” now poison the inhabitants (107). The professor’s abrupt departure, claiming that he “cannot go on living in the country,” highlights how both environmental decay, along with the social decay of his relationships with others at the estate, are closely linked and degrade his quality of life (98). With nothing done by the end of the play to counteract the downward trend of environmental quality or that of individuals’ lives, one is left with little hope and a boding sense of gradual and inevitable decay.