Evgeny V. Volkov South Ural State University, Russian and Foreign History Department, Chelyabinsk, Russia
Av. V.I. Lenin, 76 – 512a, 454080, Chelyabinsk, Russia
professor
Doctor of History
e-mail: evgeny-volkov@mail.ru
Images of Alexander V. Kolchak in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russian Feature FilmsAbstract: The article analyzes the ways of development and transformation of the images of Admiral Alexander V. Kolchak as one of the leaders of the White movement during the Civil War in the feature films and TV-series of the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. In the focus of consideration there are the films “October” (1927), “The Golden Echelon” (1959), “Storm across the Belaia” (1968), “Sevastopol” (1970), “Kochuyushchiy front” (1971), “Moonzund” (1988), “The White Horse” (1993), “Admiral” (2008). These films are considered as visual and verbal sources for analyzing the image of Kolchak as an important part of cultural memory. It is concluded that screen representations of Kolchak created in feature films and TV-series during different periods of the development of Soviet/Russian society contain various (and even contradictory) connotations. In the Soviet cinema before the “Perestroika” period the figure of admiral was unambiguously represented as enemy, with negative characteristics. By contrast, films about Kolchak created in the post-Soviet period represent him as hero of Russia. Significant influence on transformation of cinematic images of this historical figure was made by the official political discourse (which had been formed and conveyed within the framework of state ideology), as well as by general fiction, and research papers of professional historians. Personality of Kolchak is still interpreted and estimated in different ways, there are either the opponents and critics, and the supporters and apologists of this historical figure. It can be assumed that by means of contemporary films and TV-series about this personality, along with a large stream of literary and academic texts, the figure of Kolchak as a historical character has become more attractive for many Russians.
Key words: cultural memory, image, instrumentalization of memory, commemorative practices, feature films, White movement, Admiral A.V. Kolchak, visual and verbal sources, Soviet cinema, contemporary Russian cinema.
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For Citation: Volkov, E. (2020). Images of Alexander V. Kolchak in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russian Fiction Films. International Journal of Cultural Research, 4 (41), 81–93. DOI:10.52173/2079-1100_2020_4_81
DOI: 10.52173/2079-1100_2020_4_81
