Film and Television Genres of the Late Soviet Era

Most histories of Soviet cinema portray the 1970s as a period of stagnation with the gradual decline of the film industry. This book, however, examines Soviet film and television of the era as mature industries articulating diverse cultural values via new genre models. During the 1970s, Soviet cinema and television developed a parallel system of genres where television texts celebrated conservative consensus while films manifested symptoms of ideological and social crises. The book examines the genres of state-sponsored epic films, police procedural, comedy and melodrama, and outlines how television gradually emerged as the major form of Russo-Soviet popular culture. Through close analysis of well-known film classics of the period as well as less familiar films and television series, this ground-breaking work helps to deconstruct the myth of this era as a time of cultural and economic stagnation and also helps us to understand the persistence of this myth in the collective memory of Putin-era Russia. This monograph is the first book-length English-language study of film and television genres of the late Soviet era. Most Histories Of Soviet Cinema Portray The 1970s As A Period Of Stagnation And The Gradual Decline Of The Film Industry. This Book, However, Examines Soviet Film And Television Of The Era As Mature Industries Articulating Diverse Cultural Values Via New Genre Models. During The 1970s, Soviet Cinema And Television Developed A Parallel System Of Genres Where Television Texts Celebrated Conservative Consensus While Films Manifested Symptoms Of Ideological And Social Crises. The Book Examines Police Film, Melodrama, Comedy, Children's Film, Variety Show Film, Art Cinema, And Epic Film, And Outlines How Television Gradually Emerged As The Major Form Of Russo-soviet Popular Culture. Through Close Analysis Of Well-known Film Classics Of The Period As Well As Less Familiar Films And Television Series, This Groundbreaking Work Helps To Deconstruct The Myth Of This Era As A Time Of Social Stability And Also Helps Us To Understand The Persistence Of This Myth In The Contemporary Russian Collective Memory. -- A Brilliant Overview Of The Film And Television Of The Soviet Union In The Stagnation Period, Shedding New Light On The Culture Of The Era-- Machine Generated Contents Note: -- Introduction -- 1. Prestige Productions I: Epics For Cinema And Television -- 2. Prestige Productions Ii: Art Cinema -- 3. The Police Film -- 4. Melodrama -- 5. Comedy -- 6. Film And Television Productions For Children -- 7. Variety Show Film -- Conclusion -- Filmography -- Bibliography -- Index. Alexander Prokhorov And Elena Prokhorova. Filmography: Pages [207]-212. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover page 1 Halftitle page 2 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Contents 6 List of illustrations 8 Acknowledgments 11 Introduction 12 Approaches to film and television genres 13 Why television? 17 The difficult fate of genre studies in the USSR and Russia 18 Overview of chapters: from socialist realism to film genres 26 1 Prestige Productions: Epic Film as a Tool of Hard and Soft Power during the Cold War 32 Syntax and semantics of the genre 32 War and Peace: art cinema on state service 38 Liberation : war spectacle and the politics of memory 54 Postscript: the revival of prestige productions under Putin 70 2 The Socialist Television Police Procedural of the 1970s and 80s: Teaching Soviet Citizens How to Behave 78 Syntax and semantics of the genre 78 The Investigation is Conducted by Experts: the Soviet police procedural is born 91 The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed: the romantics of the criminal underworld 101 Postscript: streetwise cops meet the Russian mafi a 115 3 Late-Soviet Comedy: Between Rebellion and the Status Quo 118 Syntax and semantics of the genre 118 El’dar Riazanov: the trappings and traps of private life 127 Mark Zakharov’s television films: between the romance and the sitcom 139 Postscript: the living and the (un)dead 157 4 Reinventing Desire: Late-Socialist Melodrama 160 Syntax and semantics of the genre 160 Television melodrama 169 Cinematic masculinities 174 Late-Soviet “woman’s film” 184 Postscript: televised passions 199 Conclusion 202 Bibliography 208 Filmography 218 Index 224 "Most histories of Soviet cinema portray the 1970s as a period of stagnation and the gradual decline of the film industry. This book, however, examines Soviet film and television of the era as mature industries articulating diverse cultural values via new genre models. During the 1970s, Soviet cinema and television developed a parallel system of genres where television texts celebrated conservative consensus while films manifested symptoms of ideological and social crises. The book examines police film, melodrama, comedy, children's film, variety show film, art cinema, and epic film, and outlines how television gradually emerged as the major form of Russo-Soviet popular culture. Through close analysis of well-known film classics of the period as well as less familiar films and television series, this groundbreaking work helps to deconstruct the myth of this era as a time of social stability and also helps us to understand the persistence of this myth in the contemporary Russian collective memory. "-- Provided by publisher "A brilliant overview of the film and television of the Soviet Union in the Stagnation period, shedding new light on the culture of the era"-- Provided by publisher