Post revolution cinema in Soviet Union - Dissertation Example

Soviet cinema in the twentieth century and beyond is particularly important because film reaches far more people than other literary and narrative forms. In 1917 Russia, this was more important than at any other time during the 20th century. In 1917, Russia’s large expanse was comprised of a people of diverse cultures and languages and with different economic, social and political statuses. A majority of the population was illiterate with little, if any political participation. Communications were limited since newspapers and books were useless to a predominantly illiterate population.

It is therefore hardly surprising that the Bolsheviks would immediately grasp the potential for cinema to communicate with the masses. In 1919, the film industry was nationalized, given expression to the Bolsheviks’ efforts to control ideology and culture. This fact together with the chaos of the Civil War forced talented filmmakers to flee. When the war ended and the economy improved under the New Economic Policy, theatres houses began to open up around the country and new film producers began to rejuvenate the film industry in the Soviet Union.

However, this period of creativity ended when Stalin intervened in 1928. Socialist Realism commanded that the films were produced for the masses. Thus Soviet cinema “entered a new and terrible phase in its history”. . films provide information both on a conscious and an unconscious level, Soviet cinema both before, during and after the revolution is a valuable source of raw evidence of the socio-political experiences of the Soviet Union in the period preceding the revolution, during the revolution and more especially after the revolution.

Soviet cinema in the twentieth century and beyond is particularly important because film reaches far more people than other literary and narrative forms. In 1917 Russia, this was more important than at any other time during the 20th century. In 1917, Russia’s large expanse was comprised of a people of diverse cultures and languages and with different economic, social and political statuses. A majority of the population was illiterate with little, if any political participation. Communications were limited since newspapers and books were useless to a predominantly illiterate population.

It is therefore hardly surprising that the Bolsheviks would immediately grasp the potential for cinema to communicate with the masses.2 In 1919, the film industry was nationalized, given expression to the Bolsheviks’ efforts to control ideology and culture. This fact together with the chaos of the Civil War forced talented filmmakers to flee. When the war ended and the economy improved under the New Economic Policy, theatres houses began to open up around the country and new film producers began to rejuvenate the film industry in the Soviet Union.

However, this period of creativity ended when Stalin intervened in 1928. Socialist Realism commanded that the films were produced for the masses. Thus Soviet cinema “entered a new and terrible phase in its history”.3 It is alleged that Lenin declared that “of all the arts” in the Soviet Union, “cinema is the