Alexander Fedorov Western World in the Soviet and Russian Screen: From Epoch of Ideological Confrontation (1946- 1991) to Modern Time (1992-2016). Moscow, 2016 Fedorov, Alexander. Western World in the Soviet and Russian Screen: From Epoch of Ideological Confrontation (1946-1991) to Modern Time (1992-2016). Moscow: ICO Information for All, 2016, 153 p. This monograph analyzed the image of Western world and Western people in the Soviet and Russian screen: from epoch of ideological confrontation (1946-1991) to modern time (1992-2016). For scholars, universities professors and students. © Alexander Fedorov, 2016. 2 Content Introduction 4 1. Dynamics of the production of Soviet and Russian films, associated 6 with Western world topic 2. The image of the Western world on the Soviet screen in the era 9 of ideological confrontation (1946-1991) 2.1. Film Myths about Western world on the Soviet screen in the times 9 of ideological confrontation 2.2. A brief history of the transformation of the Western world topic 10 in the Soviet screen: 1946-1991 years 2.3. Soviet cinema stereotypes of the image of the Western world in the era of 33 ideological confrontation (1946-1991) 2.4. The ideological, structural analysis of the interpretation of the image of the 47 Western Word in the Soviet screen, in the era of ideological confrontation (1946-1991) on the example of concrete Soviet films of different genres 3. The image of the Western world on the Russian screen: the current stage 71 (1992-2016) 3.1. Film Myths about Western world on the post-communist era (1992-2016) 71 3.2. A brief history of the transformation of the western world topic 72 in the modern Russian screen: 1992-2016 3.3. Cinematic Western world stereotypes topics on the Russian screen 83 in the modern era (1992-2016) 3.4. The ideological, structural analysis of the image of the Western world in 97 the Russian screen in the post-Soviet era (1992-2016) Conclusions 100 Filmography: Soviet feature films (1946-1991) relating to the 101 transformation of the image of the Western world on the Soviet screen Filmography: Russian feature films (1992-2016) relating to the 131 transformation of the image of the Western world on the Russian screen References 144 About the author 151 3 Introduction Cinema (thanks TV, video, DVD and internet technologies) is an effective means of influence (including political, ideological) to the audience. Therefore, the study of the transformation of the image of the Western world on the Soviet and Russian screens today is still important. Among the objectives of this study — the definition of the place and role of the theme of transformation of the image of the West in the feature Soviet cinema since 1946 (the start of the post-war ideological confrontation) and 1991 (fall of the Soviet Union) years compared with the trends of the modern era (1992-2016); the study of political, ideological, social, and cultural context, the main stages of development, goals, objectives, concepts of this topic in the Soviet and Russian films; classification and comparative analysis of ideology, content models, modifications genres stereotypes of Soviet and Russian cinema, associated with the image of the Western world. The research methodology is based on key philosophical positions of the theory of dialogue between cultures (M. Bakhtin – V. Bibler). The study is based on substantial research approach (identifying the content of the process under study, taking into account the totality of its elements, the interaction between them, of their nature, refer to the facts, analysis and synthesis of theoretical opinions, etc.), the historical approach — consideration of the particular historical development of the Western world topic Soviet and Russian cinema. The methods of theoretical research: classification, comparison, analogy, induction and deduction, abstraction and concretization, theoretical analysis and synthesis; and methods of empirical research: collecting information related to the research subjects. The effectiveness of such methods has been proven as the Western (R. Taylor, D. Youngblood, A. Lawton et al.), And Russian (N. Zorkaya, E. Ivanyan, A. Kolesnikova, M. Turovskaya) researchers. It is known that the interpretation of media texts changeable and often subject to fluctuations of the political regimes courses. After the peak of the ideological confrontation (1946-1953), when the screen enemy image prevailed mutual evil grotesque, "thaw" of the late 1950s - early 1960s affected the situation of ideological confrontation in the media sphere in towards a more plausible picture potential enemy. The political reasons for ideological media confrontation mentioned by both Western and Russian researchers (Beumers, 2008; Condee, 2009; Gillespie, 2003; 2008; Graffy, 2008; Graham, 2008; Hashamova, 2007; Ivanyan, 2007; Jones, 1972; Keen, 1986; Klimontovich, 1990; Kolesnikova, 2015; Kovalov, 2003; LaFeber, 1990; Lawton, 1992; Levering, 1982; Michaels, 2009; Norris, 2005; Rifkin, 2002; Sandomirskaia, 2008; Sarsenov, 2008; Shaw, Youngblood, 2010; Shlapentokh, 1993; Strada and Troper, 1997; Strada, 1989; Turovskaya, 2003; Van Gorp, 2011). Hence it is clear that the Soviet scientific and journalistic literature on the topic of "ideological struggle on the screen" (Ashin, Midler, 1986, 83; Baskakov, 4 1981, 16-17; Kokarev, 1987, 5-6; Kukarkin, 1985, 377) was anti-West orientation. Now I'm interested in the image of the Western world, seen by the Soviet and later the Russian cinema, because, despite all the changes, even positive image of aliens in a number of Russian / Western films of the last twenty-five years, "enemy image" continues today actively used in the practice of international relations, used both as a tool of social and political mobilization of the state’s population, leading an aggressive foreign policy, and for the formation of a negative international image of competitor countries" (Kolesnikova, 2010). 5 Chapter 1. Dynamics of the production of Soviet and Russian films, associated with western world topic I examined the dynamics of the production of Soviet and Russian films, associated with western world topic, from 1946 to 2016. Around 800 feature films, associated with western countries and western people topic, were delivered to the Soviet Union and Russia during this period. Table 1. Western countries’ feature films related to Soviet / Russian topic and Soviet feature films related to Western countries/people topic (1946-1991) The Soviet period (1946-1991) Year of Total feature films Countries release of the on these topics fsiclrmee onn the RSSU nretseW :seirtnuoclanot ASU KU ynamreG ecnarF ylatI adanaC rehtOseirtnuoc 1946 4 2 2 1 1 1947 5 3 2 2 1948 8 2 6 5 1 1949 12 4 8 7 1 1950 10 3 7 5 1 1 1951 8 1 7 6 1 1952 18 1 17 16 1 1953 12 4 8 6 1 1 1954 12 4 8 4 1 2 1 1955 24 11 13 6 3 2 1 1 1956 14 6 8 3 2 1 2 1957 16 5 11 9 2 1958 22 9 13 5 3 2 2 1 1959 13 4 9 4 2 2 1 1960 21 10 11 5 3 2 1 1961 24 14 10 3 5 1 1 1962 24 10 14 5 3 3 2 1 1963 27 8 19 3 7 1 1 4 1 2 1964 25 6 19 6 5 4 1 2 1 1965 40 19 21 4 4 2 3 5 1 2 1966 28 4 24 8 7 2 2 4 1 1967 29 6 23 1 6 11 2 1 2 1968 27 11 16 4 7 1 1 1 2 1969 27 12 15 4 4 2 2 2 1 1970 24 11 13 2 4 3 2 2 1971 21 10 11 3 3 2 1 1 1 1972 31 20 11 3 1 3 4 1973 23 10 13 4 2 2 2 3 1974 25 9 16 6 2 2 2 2 2 1975 17 9 8 2 1 2 1 2 1976 22 15 7 1 1 2 1 2 1977 18 9 9 3 2 1 2 1 6 1978 27 21 6 4 1 1 1979 35 24 11 2 7 1 1 1980 29 18 11 7 2 2 1981 30 19 11 2 5 1 2 1 1982 30 21 9 4 1 2 2 1983 32 23 9 4 3 1 1 1984 39 25 14 5 3 3 1 1 1 1985 55 26 29 19 7 2 1 1986 44 31 13 5 4 1 2 1 1987 40 19 21 14 2 2 1 1 1 1988 31 11 20 14 1 1 1 3 1989 29 18 11 8 1 1 1 1990 34 14 20 8 4 1 3 3 1 1991 34 24 10 3 1 1 2 3 Total 1120 546 574 242 121 59 54 45 9 44 The ratio between the Western feature films related to Soviet / Russian topic, and Soviet films on the western countries/people theme in 1946-1991 (Table 1) is as follows: 574 Western countries’ feature films related to Soviet / Russian topic (242 from USA) on 546 Soviet feature films related to Western countries/people topic, i.e. approximately identical. The data in Table 1 shows that the peaks of the Soviet interest in the Western countries/people topic on the screen occurred in 1955 (11 films), 1960-1962 (from 10 to 14 films annually) 1965 (19 films), 1972 (20 films), 1976-1991 (an average of 20 films per year) years. In other words, the level of common West-Soviet cinema interest reached its peak during the time of the Cuban missile crisis, the change of power in the USSR and the 'perestroika' times. Although, of course, feature films production differs substantially from the process of creation of media texts in the press, on radio and television: the creation of movies is a long process. Table 2. Western countries’ feature films related to Soviet / Russian topic and Soviet feature films related to Western countries/people topic (1992-2016) Russian period (1992-2016) Year of release of Total feature films Russia Western countries: the film on the on these topics tonal screen 1992 33 22 11 1993 40 25 15 1994 25 14 11 1995 12 3 9 1996 20 5 15 1997 22 6 16 1998 16 6 10 1999 18 2 16 2000 29 7 22 7 2001 33 9 24 2002 29 10 19 2003 28 5 23 2004 36 11 25 2005 27 9 18 2006 28 10 18 2007 32 13 19 2008 37 11 26 2009 42 15 27 2010 35 10 25 2011 32 8 24 2012 41 15 26 2013 36 13 23 2014 31 10 21 2015 37 12 25 2016 * 8 1 7 Total 727 252 475 * At the time of this writing, the author is not possessed by filmography 2016 full year data. The relationship between Western countries’ feature films related to Soviet / Russian and Russian topic and Russian feature films related to Western countries/people theme (1992-2016): 475 (film from Western countries) and 252 (Russian films). The peak of the interest of Russian cinema to the Western world and Western characters was in the first two post-Soviet years (from 22 to 25 films per year). A general decline in the Russian film industry (1995-2000) caused a decrease in the number of Russian films with Western world / people topic: only 3-7 movies per year. The new increase in the number of Russian films with Western world / people topic was since 2001. Russian topic in the Western countries’ movies traced at a stable level in the years 1992-1999 (from 9 to 16 films per year). However, the Russian themes in the western countries screen became significantly increase in XXI century: from 2000 to 2016 in the USA and other western countries annually filmed between 19 and 27 films about Russia and Russian. If we compare the 45-year period from 1946 to 1991 with a 25-year period from 1992 to 2016, reveals a clear trend average increase the proportion of Western countries’ films about Russia and Russian characters. From 1946 to 1991, this kind of films is available in an average of 12 per year, while from 1992 to 2016 — 19. The situation with the Soviet and Russian films about the West is somewhat different: from 1946 to 1991, this kind of films is available in an average of 12 per year while between 1992 and 2016 — only 10. Thus, since 1992 the situation with the "parity" has changed dramatically: the West is still retained an increased interest in Russian category (475 films from 1992 to 2016), in that time, as the Russian cinema in the same period has produced just 252 films with "Western world motif"... 8 Chapter 2. The image of the Western world on the Soviet screen in the era of ideological confrontation (1946-1991) 2.1. Film Myths about Western world on the Soviet screen in the times of ideological confrontation The era of the "cold war" and ideological confrontation between the West and the Soviet Union has created many cinematic myths. The first myth: the famous Soviet film art masters tried to be higher than the "ideological struggle", so the ideological confrontation has become the lot of artisans class "B". Even a cursory look at the filmography 1946-1991 easy to refute this thesis. Both on the west side and the Soviet side, such famous directors as Costa-Gavras, J. Losey, S. Lumet, S. Pekinpah, B. Wilder, P. Ustinov, A. Hitchcock, J. Huston, J. Schlesinger, G. Alexandrov, A. Dovzhenko, M. Kalatozov, M. Romm and, of course, dozens of famous actors of different nationalities, were involved in the process of "ideological struggle". Moreover, among the Soviet actors, of course, have been let and not so famous, but the talented Russian performers with "western" appearance, immediately specializing in the roles of foreigners (mostly – hostile to the USSR and Russia). Here I can recall A. Fait (1903-1976) – 83 roles, 46 of them – the role of foreigners; G. Plaksin (1925-2008) – 56 roles (episodic), 43 of them – the role of foreigners. Myth Two: Soviet anti-Western films have always been less truthful than the anti-Soviet Western movies. Here, again, it is not so simple. Yes, some of the anti-Western films (for example, Silver Dust by A. Room or Conspiracy of the Doomed by M. Kalatozov) created a false image of the Western world and people. And Nicholas and Alexandra by F. Sheffner and Assassination of Trotsky by J. Losey were much more truthful and convincing. However, the anti-Soviet Red Dawn or Amerika look, to put it mildly, implausible even in comparison with the Soviet militarist movie Solo Voyage, which became a kind of counter-reaction on winning the pathos of the American Rambo... Myth Three: "confrontational" films are so weak that they do not deserve any attention, any critical analysis. In this regard, I can say the following. On the one hand, we can find among media products from cold war times the significant works of art (I am Cuba by M. Kalatozov, Dead Season by S. Kulish, Assassination of Trotsky by J. Losey, Reds by W. Beatty, 1984 by M. Redford and others). And on the other — there is no method can not be considered exhaustive to media text analysis, "because even the most primitive film is a multilayer structure comprising different levels of latent information revealed only in the interaction with the socio-political and psychological context. ... As if tendentious – or, on the contrary, unemotional – nor was the author of the film, it captures a lot more aspects of time, what thinks and knows itself, starting from the prior art, which he uses, and ending with the ideological myths that it reflects" (Turovskaya, 1996, 99). 9 2.2. A brief history of the transformation of the western world topic in the Soviet screen: 1946-1991 years The term cold war is closely related to such concepts as information- psychological war, ideological struggle, political propaganda, ideological propaganda and the enemy image. According to A. Fateev, enemy image is the ideological expression of social antagonism, dynamic character hostile to the state and the citizen forces, a policy tool of the ruling groups in society. The image of the enemy is an essential element of "psychological warfare", which is the deliberate and systematic use of political opponents propaganda, among other means of pressure for the direct or indirect influence on the opinions, sentiments, feelings and behavior of the enemy, allies and their populations in order to force them to act in pleasing to the government directions" (Fateev, 1999). A. Kolesnikova, in particular, reasonable to notes that the most common in Soviet films were the following characters are foreigners who helped audience in their perceptions of "alien to the West": “West German, British and American spies and saboteurs, former exiles (switched to the service in the Western European and US intelligence centers), the US military, industrial magnates, Western scientists (specializing in prohibited military developments), as well as former Nazis, the SS and the ranks of the Third Reich. The spectrum of cinematic images of the enemy in the Soviet Union included and internal characters — the so-called enemy accomplices — former nobles, the Whites; inclined to luxury and the Western way of life of Soviet citizens: fashions, representatives of the "golden youth" people "liberal professions" (professionals in the field of art, journalists, scientists), having contacts with foreigners. Criminal movie characters were also often associated with the West (such as smugglers)” (Kolesnikova, 2010). The positive western characters in the Soviet cinema, of course, were presented of the "socialist orientated democratic society", "the working class", "oppressed by imperialist nations", and similar figures. The era of the "cold war" has become a source of creating a plurality of anti- Soviet / anti-communist and anti-western / anti-bourgeois films released in theaters within the time period 1946-1991. In April-May 1949 the Soviet Union developed a special Action Plan to strengthen the anti-American propaganda in the near future, which included "systematic printing of materials, articles and pamphlets exposing the aggressive plans of US imperialism, anti-popular character of the social and political system of the United States, debunks the fable of the American propaganda about the "prosperity" of America, showing the deep contradictions of the US economy, the falsity of bourgeois democracy, the insanity of bourgeois culture and mores of modern America" (Plan ... 1949). In addition, the external threat was "a convenient excuse for Soviet problems and contradictions in the socio-economic and political system, which could otherwise be perceived residents of the Soviet Union as evidence of his imperfections" (Fateev, 1999), for the Stalinist socialism with its "methods and orders with them to set up social order, life and social psyche became possible in Russia only because he mutatius mutandis, with the corresponding time variation degrees and qualities revived the traditional type of hostel, which is characterized by a dominance of ruthless and overpowering state" (Konchalovsky, 1969, 17). 10