...All is Mine*********************
The other day I was watching once more Romm’s "Ordinary Fascism", and caught myself being filled with sorrow for the knowledge of times past, perishing in the perceptions of today’s children. One might argue that if you are not a Russian, you would not understand the irony, the critique. Not true. It is being a Russian that remembers how it all was back then, that knowledge that opens the eyes to things concealed. Many have said that Eisenstein's "Alexandr Nevski" is full of anti-Nazi sentiment, that it's anti-Nazi propaganda. Yet all of them forget, that when the film was out in 1938, and despite Eisenstein being showered with honors, its run in cinemas was cut short; because at that time the Soviets and the Nazis were – surprise-surprise! – bosom buddies! (It was afterwards of course, in 1941, that the film was out in cinemas again, its now timely message exploited. What was suspicion, became outright challenge.) So, "Ordinary Fascism". And the world will never know. Not unless they read about it; but most will not bother. Every remark on the images of Nazi life, every single one, is a critique on Soviet Russia. The discussions about teaching the intelligentsia what to write, what to explore. Just a year before, Khrushchev delivered a speech on what the Soviet intelligentsia should write about. And how. And how he called Akhmatova and tutored her to write in a more "proletariat" manner. Remember? Offering as a paragon of poetry some coalmine worker/amateur poet from Ukraine. It's like telling Yeats to write like 'Joe the Plumber' (to use a recently coined linguistic portrait). "Hitler says that for his great vision he looked forward to the workers and laborers, not the intelligentsia". Uttered just a little time before the persecution of what the Greeks so eloquently call διανόηση. And yet the initial reaction of the layman will be “this is naive”. Of a most naive and uninformed layman, to be sure. And that’s what I miss, times when it didn’t call for explanation, when the irony was so eloquent.Egir©
P.S. Don’t mind me; I think only
Asha can understand.
*********************
mood: ...A tout alleure, μαλάκα! (I need a break.)
contemplating on/writing: ...writing an article (essay now, but in the immediate future definitely an article) on Soviet epic cinema and the image of Alexandr Nevski in Eisenstein’s movie and in the sad last year's production "
Alexandr. Battle of the Neva"
listening to: ...all the multitude of thoughts in my head
// Mike Oldfield - Full Discography. Well, some albums more than other.
// works for piano. Many works for piano...
reading: ... Mikhail Romm - "
Oral Narrations"
// J. Dietz - "
Memoirs of a Mercenary. Being the Memoirs of Master Johann Dietz Surgeon in the Army of the Great Elector and Barber to the Royal Court"
watching: ... "
Alexandr Nevski" (Eisenstein, 1938). Again.
// "
Alexandr. Battle of the Neva" (Kalenov, 2008)
// "
Milk"
// "
Nothing but the Truth"
popular culture: Η προσωπικότητα ενός άντρα κρέμεται από τ’αρχίδια του. Αλλά λίγοι άντρες τα συνδυάζουν και τα δύο. (Let's play Bamboozle!!)
trivia: ...these last few days were Hell on Earth! So many things to do, and so little time to do them in.
// I'm in love. Every minute, every second. I miss you, Tat... I long for you, your smile, your touch, the feeling of your body next to mine...
// Nick is caughing, Becky's sick. What the f…rig is going on!?
// FOTIS! Happy Birthday, my good man!
// I am completely into this exploration of ideology in Soviet film. One article on Eisenstein's "
Alexandr Nevski", one on Eisenstein’s "
Ivan the Terrible" and one on Romm’s "
Ordinary Fascism". Not bad, all things considered.
// trivia out
N.Did I mention that I'm member of:
No? Ok, maybe I will... Some day... 
Beneath this glassy surface...
