Firstly. Hello! This is my first post after joining this instance.
I have recently gotten into PROPERLY studying Marxism and Communism. Unfortunately every time I try to watch something now I just see it as western capitalist propaganda. The new Tetris movie for instance shows Russia as grey and awful. I'm looking for something different.
Any good films made during the Soviet Union that you would recommend?
Certainly not the type of movie you're after, but Soviet short film Polygon was one of the first Soviet art pieces I had ever properly watched, and it has stuck with me ever since then. Only a ten minute animation, but extremely effective imo.
Kin-Dza-Dza uses a desolate desert planet as a satirical analogy to capitalism. It was released near the end of the Soviet Union's existence and is quite interesting to watch.
Solaris is amazing but it starts really really slow, if you’re used to the pace of Hollywood movies, you’ll lose it. But power through, it’s like 2001: a Space Odyssey but more intelligent.
Klimov’s Come and See (1985) is the greatest [anti]war film ever made, and the greatest film I’ve ever seen. Soviet war films distinguish themselves from western schlock in that, having suffered conflict on their own land, they don’t romanticise the abstract ‘glory’ of war that Americans and English can idealise (Even celebrated western films like Saving Private Ryan or 1917 too easily get caught up in sentimental ideas of brotherhood, nationhood, relatable protagonists etc). Klimov was actually in a shelter as a child during Stalingrad, and it becomes clear that through his presentation of war, that there is nothing but horror. Come and See is also portrayed through some of the most innovative filming and sound design and the ending really punches you in the gut like nothing else; every other war film will seem infantilising after Come and See.
We get questions like this every now and then, so searching should yield plenty of results. That said, I am happy to help! What's your poison? Do you like comedies? Action? Drama?
Didn't mean to be rude, sorry. Anyway, for comedy I would suggest movies with Alexander Demyanenko, such as Operation Y, Prisoner of Caucasus and Ivan Vasylievich Changes Profession.
For action-adventure I would suggest The Elusive Avengers and its sequels (not to be confused with capeshit avengers). Plus the White Sun of the Desert, which could be classified as an "Eastern western".
The only good soviet horror I can think of is Viy. Never been much into horror, so can't help much.