Soviet Cinema and Socialist Realism

Paper Summary:

This paper attempts to define the term "socialist realism" and looks at the works of the Vasiliev brothers (in particular film "Chapayev") and Eisenstein (in particular "Alexandra Nevsky") and how the socialist realist doctrine affected their work. It also analyses the differences between various Soviet films prior to Stalin and during his time in power as well as the factors that led to these differences.

From the Paper:

"Boris Shumyatsky was recruited to take over as head of the film industry in the Soviet Union. He wanted to get a Hollywood style system going based on studios and frequent distribution of films, a factory like mechanism. He spent some time in Hollywood researching this before he returned and was appointed the job. Stalin over saw his work but being so obsessed with films himself he appointed himself along side Shumyatsky to screen the films for release. Stalin told him that one hundred were to be released per year, but due to his pedantic obsession with the pre-screenings, only thirty-three were released and Shumyatsky was subsequently executed for this in 1938. I included this little tale to try and put into perspective the conditions the filmmakers were working under. This would have enforced their focus on producing Socialist Realist films that pleased Stalin."

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