Ever dreamed of going to film school? Beginning today, your dreams may be realized, as the Harvard Film Archive brings a Russian film series to Boston.
Located in the Carpenter Center in Cambridge, the Harvard Film Archive hopes to deliver a "crash course" in Russian "film fantastika" in a series entitled "From the Tsars to the Stars: A Journey through Russian Fantastik Cinema." "Tsars to Stars" showcases 15 Russian fantastik favorites, as well as unique interviews with renowned film scholars and directors.
Just as there is an affinity for science fiction in the United States, so too is there a lasting, rich tradition of science fiction film in Russia, classified under a genre known as "film fanstastika" that explores elements of fantasy and horror, as well as sci-fi.
"We want to expose American audiences to some new - or new to us - and exciting films that they would not have an opportunity to see elsewhere," said Brooke Holgerson of publicity and outreach for the Harvard Film Archive.
According to the Harvard Film Archive's (HFA) Web site, great works of Russian science fiction film have actually made their way onto the silver screens of the West, but have done so by being "altered beyond recognition." U.S. film producers such as Roger Corman began to purchase such films during the Cold War to be used in American film projects. The Web site explains that directors such as Francis Ford Coppola actually "refashioned the films with newly shot footage to suit Western B-movie sensibilities."
The footage and plot of "The Heaven's Call," to be screened on Dec. 10, was actually used in Coppola and Corman's 1960 film project, "Battle Beyond the Sun."
Russian film fantastika is a film genre that is often cast aside, unrecognized or even misunderstood by outside film circles. Holgerson explained, "This series is an opportunity to screen rare, restored prints of Russian cult classics as well as a chance to introduce American audiences to some of the most popular Russian films of all time."
The 13-day-long series kicks off with its first film, Andrei Tarkovsky's "Stalker," a story in which two individuals hire a guide to travel to "the zone," a mysterious location that allows one's most secret desires to be realized. Infused with mystic and spiritual themes, the film screening will be preceded by an introduction BY John Gianvito, former HFA Curator and author of "Andrei Tarkovsky: Interviews." Gianvito will discuss the essence of Takovsky's work and how it fits into the larger theme of the series.
The series continues with films such as the 2004 horror flick "Night Watch," "Interplanetary Revolution" (1924), the beloved "The Amphibian Man" (1961), "Solaris" (1972) and "First on the Moon" (2005), to name several.
Prices for the program are very reasonable: $8 for general admission and $6 for students and senior citizens. If you plan on attending multiple screenings, the HFA offers multiple series passes. For students, a five-film pass is $25 while the 15-film pass is $75.
"We hope that people attend as many films in the series as they can, or that they see one and that makes them want to come back to see the rest, because we are really trying to give a sense of this genre and how the films all relate to one another," Holgerson said.
The HFA's designs its film series around a particular theme, such as an era, a director, or genre - in this case, the fantastical science-fiction genre. According to Holgerson, "Attending several films from a program can be like going to film school." Each film explores its own unique point of view, while still introducing the basic tenets of Russian fantastik film to the public.
"Tsars to the Stars" is a student-friendly event that offers Bostonians the opportunity to learn about and appreciate an influential international film genre. Whether you choose to attend all 15 screenings or merely view one film, the experience is nothing other than "fantastik."
Holgerson concluded, "We're very fortunate to have a passionate film community in Boston, and it's exciting to be part of that and bring unknown films to people who really respond to and are excited by them."
All screenings are at the Harvard Film Archive, and tickets go on sale at the HFA box office 45 minutes prior to screenings.
