The Last Bolshevik
Chicago Filmmakers

Based on the life and work of the Russian director Alexander Medvedkin (1900-1989, The Last Bolshevik (116 min, 1993) is a tribute from one filmmaker to another, an archaeological expedition into cinema history revealing new treasures and insights, a reflection on the relation between art and politics


3/18/1995 - 3/18/1995


Based on the life and work of the Russian director Alexander Medvedkin (1900-1989, The Last Bolshevik (116 min, 1993) is a tribute from one filmmaker to another, an archaeological expedition into cinema history revealing new treasures and insights, a reflection on the relation between art and politics and above all an anguished exploration of what communism in the former Soviet Union meant. Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader March 17, 1995

The film captures the commitment, energy, struggles, illusions, and disillusions of believing, but never na‹ve Bolshevik. From the ?film train? that Medvedkin directed in the 1930?s to his sardonic comedies and bitter war newsreels, Chris Marker draws a panorama of the artistic political, and moral universe of a life and a country, bringing it right up to date with his won vision of a Russian right now.

?A dynamite program. Happiness is the most famous and probably best film by the late, neglected Russian pioneer Alexander Medvedkin, "the last bolshevik" in Chris Marker's recent video of that title (see separate listing). This late silent film (1934) with a music track was only recently made available in this country on video (which is unfortunately the only way Chicago Filmmakers can show it, though it's a good transfer). It's a hilarious and daring surrealist masterpiece that combines some of the pie-eyed "magical realism" of a Gogol with what might be described as a mordant communist folk wisdom. On the same bill, one of Marker's earliest essay films, Letter From Siberia (1957), which provides an excellent introduction to his thoughtful, ironic style. Each picture is about an hour long; both are rarely screened and well worth seeing.?

Director
Chris Marker

Production
Chicago Filmmakers

Tags: Film, Old Europe, 1995