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From a Genre Film to a Genre Film

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From a Genre Film to a Genre Film Lauri K rk From a Genre Film to a Genre Film The given title actually summarises a vast ma- also result from representational devices—for jority of issues that are connected with Grigori instance, a melodrama or an action film. Genre Kromanov’s The Last Relic (Viimne reliikvia, inherently involves tradition. Tradition can be 1969), as well as pointing to the position the tied to cultural memory; it can act as its bearer. legendary film holds in Estonian film history. To A genre is nothing more than a means of imple- some extent, we are dealing with almost the first menting a rather significant cultural function. film that, after a couple of comedies in our cin- On the other hand, (genre) tradition stands for ematography of that time, was consciously de- a set of certain rules and conventions. signed as a genre film (a historical-romantic ad- Here we have come to the characteristics venture). On the other hand, it is a film that, in in the aspect which most interest us, and which the shadow of its historical scenery, from within solely belong to genre and the genre film. The the conditional regulations of a genre film, was rules of a genre dictate that there has to be able to address and affect its contemporaries. It laughter in a comedy and, similarly, song and also had enormous popularity among the view- dance is required in a musical. The rules are ers both in Estonia and in the Soviet Union as a set not only for the action taking place on the whole, as well as being distributed to more than screen but also for the audience. By equipping 50 foreign countries.1 the latter with proper expectations (Hollywood In talking about The Last Relic, one can- movies mostly have happy endings with the not just limit the topic to The Relic itself. The only exception being that their formats might generic nature of The Last Relic and its sig- have altered throughout the years). At the nificance in the film history of those days—in same time, viewers are being offered a key or one way or another, one must also address the a code that can help them decipher what they peculiarities of genre films in Soviet cinema and see (since blood is an essential component of make a brief observation on some of the pages a gangster film, there is no need to feel intimi- from the story of Soviet Estonian film-making. dated by its presence). After which, it is necessary to analyse how The Evidently all films can be categorised in Last Relic connected to its contemporary cul- certain genres. What is it that distinguishes a tural context and make an attempt to find pos- film categorised in a genre from a genre film sible parallels in the rest of the world. proper, making some films ‘genre films’? A genre film is a film which communicates HOW TO UNDERSTAND to viewers its belonging in a certain genre. It A GENRE FILM? strongly suggests the fact that the film does not merely depict life but does it according to Actually we are dealing with two questions here. a specific set of generic rules. Naturally, the How, by using which key, should we interpret aforementioned does not claim to be an aca- the events happening on the screen in one or demic and all-inclusive definition; it is barely a another genre film? And secondly, what do we brief working thesis. Yet, hopefully, in this case, mean by the concept of ‘genre film’? Let me ad- dress the latter question first. 1 Concrete evidence of the exact number is miss- The term genre systematises cinemato- ing. A publication of the studio Tallinnfilm, Filmograafia “Tallinnfilm” 1973, lists 43, or rather 42, countries (West graphic landscape by combining films that share Berlin is mentioned separately from West Germany), yet a common set of characteristics under a partic- ends the list by adding ‘etc., more than 20 other countries’ (Tallinn, 1975, p. 49). The film’s foreign distribution rights ular genre. The above-mentioned similarity or belonged to Sovexportfilm in Moscow. Studios were aware closeness might result from the addressed topic; of the distribution of their films only as far as the scattered information from time to time somehow reached them. There for instance, curiously enough, a proper West- has even been talk according to which The Relic was sold ern is delineated even in terms of its chronologi- to foreign countries in a Soviet version with the songs per- formed by Georg Ots, an immensely popular Estonian singer cal and geographical setting (from the end of the and a celebrity all over the Soviet Union, accompanied by a American Civil War (1861−1865) up to the end great symphonic orchestra. In the original Estonian version, on the other hand, the songs (music by Uno and Tõnu Nais- of the 19th century, in the Western states of the soo, lyrics by Paul-Eerik Rummo) were performed by Peeter US; see Jackson 1998: 277). The similarity can Tooma in a much more contemporary style. 179 it is sufficient. The Last Relic is a historical ad- for deceptive freedom), involving more than venture film, and therefore a genre film. From a chronological and geographical setting, as in film like this, we expect an exciting plot, and by Westerns. ‘historical’ we mean it’s necessary that the film The limitations of genre films do not just have historical decor and not necessarily show involve restrictions; they can also act as path- the pursuit of historical truth. The criticism that ways to freedom that would be unthinkable in The Last Relic was subjected to at the time of realistic films. The well-known culturologist its release, accusing Grigori Kromanov of twist- Mikhail Yampolsky writes: ‘It is a general rule ing the historical truth and almost humiliatingly that, when compared to realistic films, a genre criticising his genre selection, has proved to be film exists in a much more closed linguistic rather inadequate (see, e.g., Link 1970). system.’ And he continues in connection with In general, rules denote restrictions, the more open system of realistic films: ‘From which lead to simplification. A man on the one angle, it enormously broadens the artist’s screen stumbles and falls. We—watching a formal possibilities (the openness of a system). comedy—know that, okay, that’s the place one Yet, from another angle, by cutting out the ab- should laugh, it is funny. In a gangster film, surd, the fantastic, music etc.—all the compo- while watching the same scene we assume that nents which do not fit into the basic system—it the falling is caused by the man being shot and harshly limits the field of these possibilities.’ killed and we therefore decipher the image ac- (Yampolsky 1991: 64−65.) cordingly (at the beginning of the 1930s, the first days of sound films, the scene would have LIGHT SPECTRUM OF KOORDI been accompanied by a loud noise of automatic fire, while with today’s Dolby SR just a click The Last Relic is an adventure film about a ‘free from a silencer is sufficient, a reflection of the man’ named Gabriel (Aleksandr Goloborodko). latest developments in audio-technology and His destiny brings him in contact with the ‘best weaponry). Yes, perhaps my example is an ex- horseback rider in Livonia’, Hans von Risbieter aggeration, but only up a certain extent. At the (Raivo Trass), and Agnes (Ingrīda Andriņa), same time, it points out the reception of specifi- who escapes from von Risbieter on horseback, city in genre films. and is therefore obviously a better rider than Realistic psychological drama can prob- Hans. In the name of long-desired happiness or, ably be considered the broadest of all genres, more precisely, for Agnes’s sake, Gabriel has to enjoying relative generic liberty. It is precisely in cross swords with a number of men during the comparison and contrast to this genre that the film. He also has to stand up to Brother Johan- simplified and limited depiction of life in genre nes (Rolan Bykov) who by marrying Agnes to films are usually discussed. Hans hopes to attain for the church secret relics It is no problem for a musical to make that were bequeathed to Hans by his father on people sing and dance on the streets, even in his deathbed—the episode that opens the film. the rain (Singin’ in the Rain, 1952). We would The film ends with a great celebration. suggest that it looks perfectly natural and be- Gabriel frees Agnes in the nick of time, just lievable, even true—within the rules and under before she is sent to a nunnery. A secondary the conditions of a chosen genre. It would be a couple of young lovers (the traditional varlet totally different matter if we attempted to adapt and chamber maid) have also found each other; such singing and dancing to a conventional in this film they are represented by the peasant drama.2 It becomes clear that a genre is not Siim (Uldis Vadziks) and the nun Ursula (Eve always as broad and relatively unrestrained as Kivi). Rebels destroy the holy relic, stating tri- it may appear, and—even more importantly— umphantly that their relic is their freedom. not in every aspect. To explicate: a realistic The finale is reminiscent of another cele- psychological drama, like any other film genre, bration, of another finale, of another film from has its own set of rules, although they are Estonian chrestomatic film history, which is much more complex and diversified (allowing totally different from The Relic.
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