''Of Freaks and Men'' (russian: Про уродов и людей, Pro urodov i lyudey) is a 1998
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
n historical comedy-drama film directed by
Aleksei Balabanov
Aleksei Oktyabrinovich Balabanov (russian: Алeксeй Oктябpинoвич Балабанoв; 25 February 1959 – 18 May 2013) was a Russian film director, screenwriter, and producer, a member of European Film Academy. He started from cre ...
.
Synopsis
In the beginning of the twentieth century, two seemingly prosperous families become associated with the mysterious Johann, the owner of a photo studio, in the basement of which a certain photographic theater honouring the Marquise de Sade was created. Photographic postcards are produced with the humbled nakedness of the human body, causing lust and gloating triumph of power. Johann has the look of a photographer who knows how to see angel curls and a sweet smile in a girl, and the same look that corrupts the body, the look of a pornographer. Over and over again, Johann destroys the well-being of families and turns ordinary people into freaks, seized with vice.
Premise
Filmed initially in black and white, then entirely in sepia tone, this film set in turn of the century Russia is centered on two families and their decline at the hands of one man, Johann, and his pornographic endeavours. Hailed by some as a masterpiece, the movie comments on the decline of Russian society as a result of the rise of capitalism.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack is taken from
Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, p ...
's ballet,
Romeo and Juliet; and
Mussorgsky
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky ( rus, link=no, Модест Петрович Мусоргский, Modest Petrovich Musorgsky , mɐˈdɛst pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ ˈmusərkskʲɪj, Ru-Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky version.ogg; – ) was a Russian compo ...
's
Pictures at an Exhibition
''Pictures at an Exhibition'', french: Tableaux d'une exposition, link=no is a suite of ten piano pieces, plus a recurring, varied Promenade theme, composed by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky in 1874. The piece is Mussorgsky's most famous pia ...
.
Awards
At the
1998 Russian Guild of Film Critics Awards the picture was awarded the prizes for ''Best Director'' (
Alexei Balabanov
Aleksei Oktyabrinovich Balabanov (russian: Алeксeй Oктябpинoвич Балабанoв; 25 February 1959 – 18 May 2013) was a Russian film director, screenwriter, and producer, a member of European Film Academy. He started from c ...
), ''Best Director of Photography'' (Sergei Astakhov), ''Best Art Direction'' (
Vera Zelinskaya), ''Best Male Actor'' (
Sergei Makovetsky
Sergei Vasilievich Makovetsky (russian: Серге́й Васи́льевич Макове́цкий, born 13 June 1958) is a Soviet and Ukrainian-born Russian film and stage actor.
Filmography Film
*1982: ''To take live!''
*1983: ''Ekipazh ma ...
) and ''Best Supporting Actor'' (
Maksim Sukhanov
Maksim Aleksandrovich Sukhanov ( Russian: Максим Александрович Суханов; born 10 November 1963) is a Soviet and Russian actor, producer, theatrical composer, and restaurateur. His film credits include '' The Goddess'', ' ...
).
At the
Nika Award
The Nika Award (sometimes styled NIKA Award) is the main annual national film award in Russia, presented by the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Science, and seen as the national equivalent of the Oscars.
History
The award was established i ...
s the film received the prizes for ''Best Film'' and ''Best Director'' (Alexei Balabanov).
See also
*
List of post-1960s films in black-and-white
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
*
Sadism and masochism in fiction
The role of sadism and masochism in fiction has attracted serious scholarly attention. Anthony Storr has commented that the volume of sadomasochist pornography shows that sadomasochistic interest is widespread in Western society; John Kucich has n ...
References
External links
*
''Of Freaks and Men''on
Kinopoisk
Kinopoisk (russian: Кинопоиск, a portmanteau of "cinema" and "search") is a Russian online database of information related to films, TV shows including cast, production team, biographies, plot summaries, ratings, and reviews. Since 2018 ...
*
Of Freaks and Men' on
Чапаев
Vasily Ivanovich Chapayev or Chapaev (russian: link=no, Василий Иванович Чапаев; 5 September 1919) was a Russian soldier and Red Army commander during the Russian Civil War.
Biography
Chapayev was born into a poor peasan ...
1998 films
Russian black-and-white films
Russian historical comedy-drama films
1990s historical comedy-drama films
BDSM in films
Films about child abuse
Films about pornography
Films set in the 1900s
Films set in the Russian Empire
Films set in Saint Petersburg
Films shot in Saint Petersburg
1990s Russian-language films
Films directed by Aleksei Balabanov
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