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Taylor Neff Propaganda on the Big Screen: Film in the Soviet Union from 1925 to 1936 Aquila – the FGCU Student Research Journa

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Taylor Neff Propaganda on the Big Screen: Film in the Soviet Union from 1925 to 1936 Aquila – the FGCU Student Research Journa Taylor Neff Propaganda on the Big Screen: Film in the Soviet Union from 1925 to 1936 Aquila – The FGCU Student Research Journal Volume 3 Issue 2 (2017) DOI 10.24049/aq.3.2.5 © 2017 Neff Distributed under Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 OPEN ACCESS Aquila - The FGCU Student Research Journal Propaganda on the Big Screen: Film in the Soviet Union from 1925 to 1936 Taylor Neff College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33965 Faculty mentor: Paul Bartrop, Ph.D., Department of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33965 ABSTRACT 7KLVSDSHUDQDO\]HVSURSDJDQGDIRXQGLQ6RYLHW¿OPVGXULQJWKHVDQGVLQRUGHUWRSXVK%ROVKHYLNDQG&RPPXQLVW LGHRORJ\RQWRWKHPDVV6RYLHWSRSXODWLRQ7KLVSDSHUH[DPLQHVWKHXVHRISURSDJDQGDLQ¿YH¿OPVSURGXFHGIURPWR 6RYLHWRI¿FLDOVDQG¿OPPDNHUVIRFXVHGDJUHDWGHDORQSDVWUHYROXWLRQVDVDZD\WRHQFRXUDJHWKHSHRSOHWRFRQWLQXHWKH ¿JKWLQRUGHUWRPDNH5XVVLDDFRPSHWLQJSRZHUDJDLQVW:HVWHUQVRFLHW\7KHSDSHUDOVRDQDO\]HVWKHKDUGVKLSVWKDWWKHSHRSOH IDFHGDVZHOODVWKH¿OPLQGXVWU\%\H[DPLQLQJWKHKDUGVKLSDFRQQHFWLRQEHWZHHQ¿OPDQGUHDOLW\LVFUHDWHG Keywords: Russian, History, Propaganda, Film Propaganda has had many uses in the era of the nation state. :LWK¿OPWKHWUDQVPLVVLRQRILGHDVFRPHVIURPDVXSHULRU Not only have governments used propaganda as a way entity to a mass audience, generally the average person, WRDI¿UPDQGMXVWLI\WKHLUDXWKRULW\WKH\KDYHDOVRXVHG by way of motion pictures. Cinema, the production of propaganda to make a lasting impact on ideologies accepted movies as an art or industry, is crucial due to being able to or rejected by the populace. In Russia, revolutionaries attract people from all classes, social groups, and locations. SURPRWHG0DU[LVWLGHRORJ\WKURXJK¿OPLQRUGHUWR This creates the possibility of strengthening a nation and educate the masses and glorify the years 1905 (which PDNLQJDSROLWLFDOPRYHPHQWPRUHFRKHVLYHDQGXQL¿HG3 In led to Constitutional Reform) and 1917 (which led to the promoting the idea of continuing the revolution, the Russian dismantlement of the Tsarist autocracy). The 1905 and 1917 government focused a great deal on highlighting the negative revolutions in Russia created a transition away from the aspects of the Tsarist regime. Tsarist regime to a new form of government, which later led For the communist government in Russia, cinematic to the rise of the Soviet Union under Communism. Vladimir propaganda became a logical medium to promote the /HQLQFDOOHGWKHµGUHVVUHKHDUVDO¶IRUPDNLQJ revolutionary ideology since it had been the dominant form both 1905 and 1917 important components to Communist of urban, working-class entertainment since 1914. According history.17KH¿OPVXVHGLQWKLVSDSHUZHUHSURGXFHGIURP to scholar Nicholas Reeves, this use of propaganda to 1925 to 1936 and represent the idea of a lasting revolution. connect to the masses “derives from ideology to which the 7KHVH¿OPVVHQWDQDWLRQDOLVWLFPHVVDJHWRWKHPDVVHV Bolsheviks were committed, for at the heart of Marxism during a period of peace between the two world wars by was the proposition that the revolution transformation of praising the Russian people who fought for the end of the capitalism into socialism would create a society in which, 7VDULVWUHJLPH7KH¿OPVZHUHSURGXFHGLQDSHULRG¿OOHG IRUWKH¿UVWWLPHKXPDQEHLQJVZRXOGEUHDNIUHHIURP ZLWKKDUGVKLSDQGVWUXJJOHWKDWXOWLPDWHO\DIIHFWHGWKH¿OP alienation and thus achieve their true humanity.4” For Russia, industry. This paper analyzes the different elements found SURSDJDQGLVW¿OPSURPRWHGDYLVXDOµ8VYHUVXV7KHP¶ LQ6RYLHW¿OPWKDWDFWVDVSURSDJDQGD6SHFL¿FDOO\LWZLOO mentality that even those seen as illiterate could understand.5 pay close attention to character representation, symbols, :KHQFUHDWLQJ¿OPVWKUHHWDUJHWHGDXGLHQFHVZHUHNHSWLQ the use of language, and the appeals to emotion. This paper mind; soldiers, workers, and peasants. The soldiers were ZLOOXVH¿YH¿OPVWRJDWKHUDFRQFHSWXDOXQGHUVWDQGLQJ WKHHDVLHVWWRLQÀXHQFHE\ZD\RI¿OPGXHWRWKHODFNRI of Russian propaganda from 1925 to 1936. By taking a entertainment available. By the end of the 1920s, the average conceptual approach, the paper hopes to capture a broader VROGLHUVDZWKUHHWLPHVDVPDQ\¿OPVDVRWKHU6RYLHW understanding of the uses and meanings of propaganda in citizens.66RYLHWRI¿FLDOVEHFDXVHRISURSDJDQGLVW¿OPVKDG relation to the continuance of the revolutions. the means to educate the people on issues that mattered the Propaganda is concerned “with the transmission of most while they found joy and entertainment at the movies. ideas and or values from one person, or group of persons, The goal of the propagandist is to persuade others to to another.2” Historically, the spread of these particular accept the creator’s assertions and act on them. In order LGHDVWHQGVWRKDYHDELDVSHUVSHFWLYHLQRUGHUWRLQÀXHQFH to do this, the propagandist makes broad and positive the audience to believe in a certain cause or message. For statements in a simple and familiar language that is familiar 5XVVLD6WDOLQDQGRWKHURI¿FLDOVXVHGSURSDJDQGDDVDZD\ WRWKHDXGLHQFH,QWKHFDVHRI6RYLHW¿OPWKHZRUGVRI to promote the continuation of revolution set out by Lenin. Lenin, a communist leader who died in 1924, is an example 47 Neff DOI 10.24049/aq.3.2.5 of the use of familiar language and statements. Quotes taken ZLWKKHUVRQ¿JKWLQJIRUWKHUHYROXWLRQDULHV10 IURPVSHHFKHVJLYHQE\/HQLQEHFDPHDIRFDOSRLQWLQ¿OPV Characters also represented a positive role model and to promote his intentions for a revolutionary movement. hero for mass audiences to identify with and aspire to Using these quotes demonstrated the fact that those involved EHFRPHHVSHFLDOO\LIWKH\ZHUHFKLOGUHQ,Q6RYLHW¿OPWKH LQFUHDWLQJSURSDJDQGD¿OPVGLGQRWKLGHWKHUHYROXWLRQDU\ KHURSHUVRQL¿HGWKHUHYROXWLRQZKLOHWKHHQHP\EHFDPH ideas being pushed on to the people. At the beginning of DV\PERORIWKH7VDULVWUHJLPH5XVVLDQ¿OPPDNHUVGLG Battleship Potemkin (1925), a portion taken from a speech not hide from the chance to help what they perceived as a given by Lenin in 1905 stated, “Revolution is war. Of all greater cause by adapting their creative talents to the needs the wars known in history it is the only lawful, rightful, just, of the Party.11 With the heroes who were being created as and truly great war… In Russia this war has been declared SURSDJDQGDWRROVLWZDVYHU\HDV\WRXVHWKHµ8VYHUVXV and begun.”7 The words presented on the screen were simple 7KHP¶FRQFHSWLRQZKHUHWKHµXV¶LVWKHKHURDQGWKH and very understandable, even to those who did not have a µWKHP¶LVXVXDOO\DUHSUHVHQWDWLRQRIWKH7VDULVWUHJLPH7KH strong educational background. From the beginning of the HDJHUQHVVWRPDNHSURSDJDQGD¿OPVFUHDWHGWKHSHUIHFW ¿OP6HUJHL(LVHQVWHLQDIDPRXV6RYLHW¿OPGLUHFWRUKDGWKH opportunity to rewrite Soviet history in favor of revolution. purpose of not only highlighting the twentieth anniversary 7KH¿OP6HYHQ%UDYH0HQ SUHVHQWHGWKHDGYHQWXUHV of 1905 but to present the ideology of revolution; the use of of polar explorers, heroes, and defenders of the Soviet WKLVTXRWHKHOSHGIXO¿OOWKDWJRDO7KH¿OP0RWKHU SHRSOH7KH¿OPGLVSOD\HGWKHVWUXJJOHVWKHPHQIDFHG began with the quote, “We must see to it – there will be none during their exploration of the cold terrain. The explorers but us to see to it – that the people learn of those days that faced harsh conditions that forced them to become lost.12 ZHUHVRDOLYHVRHYHQWIXOVRVLJQL¿FDQWDQGRIVXFKJUHDW 7KH¿OPKHOSHGWRSURPRWHWKHUHDOSRODUH[SORUHUVRIWKH consequences much more thoroughly in greater detail…8” time, making them local heroes and celebrities amongst The quote demonstrated the great importance of knowing the people. Seven Brave Men helped promote the idea that the past in order to create a better future. In order to create Russia could become a great power by encouraging men to this better future, the people of 1926 Russia needed to have pursue similar careers. The hard work of aviators, explorers, the same passion of those involved in the past revolutions. soldiers, and potentially the average person would be a Again, the language is easy for the audience to understand great contribution in helping with the continuation of the DQGFRQQHFWZLWKWKXVPDNLQJWKH¿OPVXFFHVVIXO revolution. In October: Ten Days that Shook the World (1928), a The subtle message that is presented through propaganda memorable quote by Lenin appeared at the beginning of the LVPHDQWWRLQÀXHQFHWKHSHRSOHWRMRLQWKHFDXVH)RUWKH ¿OP7KLVTXRWHVWDWHG³:HKDYHWKHULJKWWREHSURXGWKDW Soviets, the message was to trust in the government and to to us fell the good fortune of beginning the building of the follow the tenets of communism since that would lead to a Soviet State and, by doing so, opening a new chapter in the JUHDWDQGSRZHUIXOFRXQWU\7KHPHVVDJHVLQWKH¿OPVKDG history of the world.9” This is a powerful statement meant WREHDEOHWRLQÀXHQFHWKHDXGLHQFH¶VHPRWLRQVVHQVHRI to connect with the younger generations of Soviet people. community, and sense of reason in order to be successful. Similar to the other quotes, there is great importance in 6RYLHWSURSDJDQGLVW¿OPVXWLOL]HGWKHUKHWRULFDOGHYLFHVRI remembering the past revolutionary actions that created the pathos (an appeal to emotion), ethos (an appeal to ethics), current state of the nation. The three quotes provided are DQGORJRV DQDSSHDOWRORJLF WRSURPRWHVSHFL¿FLGHRORJLFDO all excellent examples of how the use of language can be a messages to audiences. The device of pathos creates a scene VLJQL¿FDQWWRROIRUSURPRWLQJSURSDJDQGD LQZKLFKWKHDXGLHQFHZLOOHPRWLRQDOO\FRQQHFWWRWKHµKHUR¶ Another method used in creating propagandist messages RIWKH¿OP7KLVFDQEHVHHQLQ%DWWOHVKLS3RWHPNLQZKHQ is subtle suggestion. The propagandist will make hints WKHµKHUR¶9DNXOLQFKXFNGLHVVKRUWO\DIWHUUDOO\LQJWKHRWKHU
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