Description
Book SynopsisFilm emerged in pre-Revolutionary Russia to become the 'most important of all arts' for the new Bolshevik regime and its propaganda machine. The 1920s saw a flowering of film experimentation, notably with the work of Eisenstein, and a huge growth in the audience for film, which continued into the 1930s with the rise of musicals. The films of the Second World War and Cold War periods reflected a return to political concerns in their representation of the 'enemy'. The 1960s and 1970s saw the rise of art-house films. With glasnost came the collapse of the state-run film industry and an explosion in the cinematic treatment of previously taboo topics. In the new Russia, cinema has become genuinely independent, as a commercial as well as an artistic medium. A History of Russian Cinema is the first complete history from the beginning of film to the present day and presents an engaging narrative of both the industry and its key films in the context of Russia's social and political history.
Trade Review'An indispensable addition to any library, this superbly researched and engagingly written history of Russian cinema will be the standard reference for years to come. Beumers introduces readers to the rich complexity of Russian cinema and convincingly demonstrates the key role played by the 'most important art' in Russian, Soviet, and post-Soviet culture.' Denise J. Youngblood, Professor of History, University of Vermont A comprehensive history of Russian cinema has not been available until the publication of this book. In short, [Beumers] has provided a most effective presentation of Russian movies as art. Slavic and East European Journal This is an excellent resource for students of film and history. P.H. Stacy, CHOICE Magazine As valuable as it is timely and would be ideal for use in survey courses on the history of Russian and Soviet cinema, and periods therein. It deserves a long publishing life, with regularly updated editions. Cultural & Social History The best account to date of Russian cinema in all its forms and guises ... A History of Russian Cinema is the important companion that teachers of Russian cinema have been waiting for. It gives precious reading on all the major films that are likely to be on the curriculum of Russian cinema courses, and Beumers' extensive knowledge of Russian theatre gives the book a personal touch that no existing account can match. A study of the intricate star system of Russian cinema could find no better pen than Beumers'. Europe-Asia Studies
Table of ContentsContents Introduction 1. The Silent Era: The beginnings of Russian cinema (1908-1919) 2. Cinema and the Revolution: art vs the masses? (1919-40) 3. War and Cold War: The Leader and the Enemy (1941-1956) 4. The Thaw: New Beginnings, Individual Lives (1956-64) 5. Stagnation Blockbusters: Comedies and adventures (1964-1986) 6. Between ideology and art (1964-1986) 7. Glasnost and its aftermath (1986-2000) 8. Russian cinema today (2000-) Conclusion Bibliography
