Just over a week ago I discovered the Ukrainian director Konstantin Lopushansky, a director of the late Soviet era but certainly one of the lesser-known due to a relatively thin library over the decades. Having watched two of his films, I had a general idea of what Konstantin Lopushansky had to say, and the manner in which he said things. I mentioned prior that his style very much reminded me of the much more famous Tarkovsky films, riddled with spirituality, despair, and often themes on the end of the world. It came to no surprise to me that Lopushansky had actually joined Tarkovsky in directing Stalker. Lopushansky's Dead Man's Letters and A Visitor to a Museum were two interesting ideas, of which I feel I both enjoyed and disliked to some degree. Incredibly similar to each other, but very different still. These films offered something that I just not had really seen elsewhere, sparking a new interest for me: the Soviet era idea of humanity's decline.
Throughout history there are endless tales of vast empires coming to a halt, total systematic failure that leads to complete stagnation followed by abandonment of the established way of life. For most nations, these events took place deep within our history, we have very little understanding as to what these events may actually look like or feel like to witness firsthand. For those in the west, far from Russia, it's pretty difficult for us to comprehend the sheer scale of the Soviet Union. The numerous republics which were part of this empire, beyond just the borders of Russia itself. For those in those republics and in Russia, the perspective of the Soviet Union's collapse would have been a terrifying ordeal. Cultural and industrial and economic collapse bringing people to their knees, returning them to God in question of direction. I can't imagine what it must be like to witness your past reduced to nothing, your present grim, and your future uncertain. It is why that even today, with the horrors of war as a result of Russia's elites, I can't help but feel some sympathy towards the citizens thrown into it all.
Beneath any power hungry elite government is a population of fathers, sons, mothers, and daughters. Each of which that just want to live in peace, pursue their ambitions. And not feel the fears of all that they know coming to a sudden end.
Russian Symphony
To begin with, I really couldn't comprehend what Russian Symphony was actually about. As part of the director's supposed apocalyptic trilogy in which he explores the Russian land as a wasteland void of purpose with few survivors, there are often undertones that give off the idea that humanity itself often caused much of these disasters. For the era of the 80s and 90s, this would've been nuclear war. The fear of the Cold War era in which nuclear nations held a strong anxiety with fingers kept close to that fire button, to which all everyone knows would be reduced to nothing. And with those who survived, left to pick up the pieces and question their very idea of hope itself. Russian Symphony isn't much different in this regard, displaying a bit of context regarding the idea of war, but primarily focused on the world coming to an end as a result of a vast flood. Of course, to no surprise, there come the strong religious elements. Orthodox Christianity makes a strong appearance in the later parts of the film, strong in themes and pretty blatant to what the film is effectively trying to convey: the longing for answers. The sudden realisation of life's fragility and the desperation to seek support from a higher power in times of struggle.
Interestingly, compared to the prior two films from the director, this is the film which contains the most religious elements. Taking the spirituality to another level and really promoting this dependence on God in times of struggle. The prior films didn't do this so much; they had their fair share of themes that explored meaning, hope, and the despair that comes from a roaming mind incapable of finding answers to such questions in times of hardship. Where those prior films rely more on philosophy, Russian Symphony questions God. Has humanity been abandoned? Is it being punished? Who, if anyone, seeks to find peace in the face of death? Our protagonist comes to the realisation of wasted life and lack of purpose, and thus in these times panics to pursue and find some sort of meaning. To quickly give his life some foundation that may give it weight. Stories in such events often display a man's realisation of neglect, to which for selfish reasons they pursue a better life. Only in the face of punishment do they come to the realisation that they have wronged, but is it a lesson they are going to learn from, or one that they suddenly attempt to fix in effort to save themselves from whatever may come next? It's an interesting idea regarding life and the way that religion may influence us as people. Giving us foundation and values to live by; ultimately the fear of God guiding us forward.
Though, at the same time, do we fear God when it seems as if God is evil? Or punishing us for no reason that we can comprehend? As the world comes to an end and God seemingly refuses to intervene, causing immense suffering upon the people, what good is worship? The very idea of faith comes into play through this. I think the film handles these themes well in parts, but at the same time it can be a bit unclear, or perhaps even a bit boring. This is a film that is constantly in motion, with lots of noise and events taking place as our protagonist struggles to find himself in a world of chaos. As expected with this director, he uses film stock which is specific to certain colours, giving off almost a yellow or red filter cast upon the Earth. It highlights this end of the world feeling, completely muting all emotion in life. Bringing only darkness and despair as a result. It's effective, and alongside these confusing elements of story, I can admit it works in giving off a very uncomfortable aesthetic.
I don't think it's the best film from Lopushansky that I have seen, but it still contains much of the elements I have already witnessed from his prior works. It's definitely not a film that seeks to tell any positive outcomes. While watching it, I couldn't help but feel it came at a time of intense difficulties for both Russian citizens and those in the former republics, of which had just managed to fight for and gain their independence from Russia. Though something remained in these nations: a fear of what comes next. An uncertainty met with a glimmer of hope that God may guide the people forward. Pushing them through their greatest struggles, to which whatever comes next just is not clear. Much like a total flood of the Earth.
