The Movie: the Mother 1926 - Essay Example

Module Module ID: The Mother 1926 Introduction: The contemporary era has introduced the excessive use of mechanical devices, including computer technological equipments and others, in all fields of professional and domestic life. As a result, work hours have been reduced, and the people can take active role in recreational activities during their leisure hours after work. Since the people look for consuming the leisure time and recreation in a creative way, the experts have also introduced multiple recreational facilities at massive scale, so that the variety could be observed by the people while making their free hours remarkable and creative; the production of films and movies is also the part of the same campaign has been launched in order to provide the people with economical and enjoyable entertainment. The present study aims to analyze the movie belonging to the most initial years in the history of film entertainment industry. The critics view two major reasons behind watching movies on various topics. One of the most important reasons behind doing the same includes enjoying with the romance, thrill, action and love etc being presented through movies; the other one is seeking of information about the history, culture, civilization and traditions attributed to one or more regions or states of the world. Consequently, the films are produced on the subjects including romance, scientific topics, action, politics, society and culture etc. In addition, low-rated films are also produced for the cheep and inferior entertainment including carnal desires and lustful pleasures. However, such films are made just for the sake of low-grade entertainment, and destroy the moral values of the public at large. It is therefore not only this that these films are not included in the mainstream movies, but also such condemnable pictures undergo strong opposition from the religious, social, rational and prudent circles. The present paper aims to evaluate the various aspects of the Russian movie under the title The Mother, which was produced with the motif of social and political reforms to be introduced in the Russian society of early 20th century. It was the time when Soviet Russia was undergoing turmoil and disintegration, as different factions and groups were at daggers drawn against one another in the name of freedom, justice and equality. The writer and director have skillfully elucidated the pathetic condition the poor strata of Russia observed. The film also pointed out towards the exploitation of the haves at the hands of haves-not in the sacred name of justice, liberty and fair-play. The film also looks for bringing reforms in the judicial, bureaucratic and prisons systems of Soviet Russia, so that the people could be set free from the awkward clutches of exploitations and maltreatments. Background: The film under analysis, with a historical background, serves as a wonderful description of domestic, cultural, social and political environment of the Soviet Russia soon after the outbreak of the famous Red Revolution of Russia that had taken place in 1917 during the peak of WWI, where the royal system of government and Tsarist-regime were overthrown by the Socialists in order to establish the purported people’s government on the principles of socialism including equality, justice and fraternity. Since the revolution had got the attention of the people in the name of equal distribution of resources and wealth, the masses had associated very high hopes with it. Somehow, when the power got transferred from the Tsar to the cruel and ruthless opportunists, all the dreams the Russian had once developed dashed to the ground eventually. As a result, the nation was divided into several groups, where the intellectuals and reformers were persecuted, tried and severe punishments and sentences were announced against them. At this precarious state of affairs, the writers, intellectuals and patriots rose to the occasion in order to save the nation from the cruel clutches of the pro-Tsarist White army, the revolutionists’ Red-army and so-called civilian revolutionists at large; The Mother was also the part of the same campaign launched in the country in order to revel the real picture of the scenario on the one hand, and the nefarious designs of the opportunists on the other. Motif behind the Movie: Some of the films contain the elements of enjoyment and entertainment in their scope, which capture romantic scenes, captivating songs and alluring environment. Somehow, some films are traditional and artistic in nature, which reveal the cultural activities of the society. Similarly, there are some pictures that have political and social motifs in their fold; the same is applied to the mother, which carries motif of the long and arduous struggle made by the Russian subjects during 1917-1925 in the aftermath of the advent of Red Revolution, which gave a go to several social evils, delinquencies and criminal activities, due to the very fact that the opportunists left no stone unturned to exploit the people I the name of equality and justice, though they crushed both these noble principles under the chariot wheels of selfishness and personal benefits. Hence, the movie does not come under the definition of an entertainment picture; rather, it depicts the historical events took place during one of the most critical era of the country. The movie seeks its history in the era, where the film industry was undoubtedly in its budding. The industry did not possess the modern techniques and equipments, and was confined to some specific cameras and instruments, which were applied to reveal the sentiments and message the director, writer and the actors aimed to communicate with the help of limited resources and equipments; the same is applied to the Mother (1926), where the basic movie techniques prevailing in that era including flashback, cross cutting, reverse cutting, jump cut and several other techniques, which have been elaborated in the following paragraphs: The beginning scenes of the movie depict the state of conflict had been in vogue during the initial decades of the Red Revolution at domestic and societal scales at large. The portrayal of scenes and situations, televised and recorded by Vsevolod Pudovkin, the creative and talented director of the film, prove the mastery of his art in respect of elaborating the scenario with the help of the use of shade of dark and light colors, shadows and particularly the background music, which infuse life in the situation to be exhibited before the audience and spectators alike. It was particularly the hard nut to crack during an era, where the world was not familiar with the possibility of potion pictures. However, the movements of the characters, their walk from one corner, and scene to the other, their gestures and expressions wonderfully convey the message the writer or director aimed to communicate. In addition, since the characters are somewhat dumb in the film because of the very fact that the movies had not reached the progress through which the complete movement and voice could be projected, technical support had also been sought from words and statements written on the face of screen in order to describe the viewpoints and opinions of different characters for the ease of the viewers. The image of military personnel at the very beginning scene of the film reveals the political era in which the film has been produced. The appearance of the protagonist characters exhibited the miserable condition of the general public during the first quarter of 20th century. Presentation of day, night and evening time was made with the help of depiction of dark, semi-dark and light shades. Although the expressions and body language of the characters portrayed the situation prevailing in social and physical the environment, yet the words written on the screen were the most imperative technique of conveying the motifs, sentiments and messages related to the different characters involved into the film. Moreover, the areas and locations have also been shown with the help of words, so that the spectators could comprehend with the area and place the film aims to take them through the characters. Apparently, political and reformatory one, the movie is also traditional and domestic one in nature, which displays true familial love between the family members, particularly a mother’s love for her son. The picture, in a highly moving way, portrays how the people are captured and driven just like animals towards the prisons and torture cells because of political rivalries. The picture also captures the attention of the spectators when the protagonists appear to be making struggle in order to earn their bread on the one hand, and for keeping the wolf from the door on the other. The movie also draws out the attention of the viewers towards the injustices and malpractices the authorities inflicted upon the hapless workers by exploiting their wishes and crushing their dreams under the chariot wheels of cruelty and ruthlessness. The close-up technique enjoys central status in the film under investigation. It is particularly the case while displaying scuffle between the protagonist Mrs. Vlasov and her husband Mr. Vlasov where close-up technique remains active while the characters murmur and deliver words in order to show their expressions towards one another; the same can be viewed in the tension between Vlasov and son Pavel. Close-up technique can also be witnessed during the conversation between the individuals in the pubs, inns and fields, where the words also give background support to each and every event and incident. Similarly, the same techniques have also been applied while drawing out the conspiracies and intrigues taking place, in the then Russian society, throughout the movie. Range Shots and Camera Angles: Since range-shot was in vogue in the films of that era, the same technique has also been applied in The Mother. Like its contemporaries movies, avant-garde methodology has been used in The Mother too, which was the only way for combining different scenes of the movie in order to sustain the sequence of images for drawing out the continuity of developments being made in it. The director, Pudovkin, has used the same while recording the outdoor scenes particularly in the vast fields, where the social conflict and civil war had also taken place in Russia. Since long and wide range shots cover the vast fields and mountainous zone in the movie, the techniques of medium shots and close-ups have also been applied in order to cover the long rooms, inns and bars and prison house on the one hand, and social and political gatherings and military marches on the other. Consequently, the movie successfully hits the bull’s eye because of the gifted talent, intelligence and skillful proficiency of the topics discussed in the movie. Composition of People, Props and Scenery: Since the movie elucidates the chaos, disturbance, revolts and civil war had been in practice in the initial years of Soviet Russia, Pudovkin (1926) has skillfully sought support from the beautiful and pageant objects of nature including the captivating landscapes, snowy hill-tops, spacious crop-fields, bewitching waves of restless ocean and various commercial and public zones. The prison scenes also capture the governmental edifices along with residential and commercial buildings and images, which demonstrate the director’s command over the cinematography of his era. One of the most dynamic aspects of the film under analysis includes the powerful message it conveys through its platform. The heart-melting movie depicts the helplessness of the working class, which undergo severe trials at the hands of poverty on the one hand, and under the wheels of stone-hearted judico-political structure of the then Russia on the other. Each and every scene of the movie is too powerful to resist its charm; it is therefore, it is hard for the spectators to remove their eyes from the movie throughout. Read More