"The Barber of Siberia" is a masterpiece launched by the famous Russian film director Nikita Mikhalkov in 1998. The premiere was held in the parliamentary hall of the Moscow Kremlin. Among the invited participants were state leaders. There are celebrities in the literary and art circles, and it is the first time in Russia. However, the nationwide debate surrounding the film shortly after its premiere was rare on a scale. In just two months, various newspapers and magazines published more than 400 articles of various lengths of comments and criticism, most of which were not artistic analysis of the film, but criticism and accusation of the author. In the words of one critic: The scale of the struggle with the press far exceeds the actual need to criticize a specific director and his work.
One of the reasons for this situation, in the words of the deputy editor-in-chief of the Russian "Film Art" magazine, Lev Callahan, was the subconsciousness of the society at that time. In the case of social stress and stress, a "lightning rod" that is beyond the normal level and can absorb and gather negative energy is needed for slow release. Director Mikhalkov happens to act as this "lightning rod". Because from early 1998 when Mikhalkov was elected president of the Russian Film Association at the Third Congress of Filmmakers to the premiere of "The Barber of Siberia" held in the Kremlin's parliamentary hall in February 1999, within a year, Mikhalkov has Kharkov's popularity is higher than ever, and it is higher than anyone else, and naturally it has become the most attractive "lightning rod". Naturally, it became the target of its opponents. In the eyes of those people, the ever-winning general of the Russian film industry and the darling of fate is too lucky, and it seems that only his failures and misfortunes can make up for the misfortunes of the whole country. Naturally, "The Barber of Siberia" became the target of their attacks, and they all hoped irrationally that the film had better not win any awards at any film festival.
Another reason is that many people speculated that Mikhalkov himself wanted to be president because of Mikhalkov's role as the tsar in the film, and that his tour premiere was a presidential campaign. An opinion piece in Kommersant said: Mikhalkov's premiere tour was seen as a presidential campaign, whether he wanted it or not.
The third reason is the relationship between the director himself and the critics. As a world-class film master, Mikhalkov is usually respected by critics. This time, Mikhalkov took a negative attitude towards the critical analysis of the film by the critics. As a result, the contradiction between the two sides deepened, and there were attacks and slanders against the film and even Mikhalkov himself in the comments.
No matter how critics or some people in the society criticize Mikhalkov and his films, colleagues in the editorial department of Russia's "Film Art" magazine openly stated: Mikhalkov's shooting experience is successful and unique in Russia of. Mikhalkov has proven time and time again that he is the leader by being good at solving unsolvable problems. Making a Hollywood-style blockbuster in the midst of a complete collapse of the Russian economy is a testament to his courage and daring. There is no denying the solidarity of his crew, the steadfast purpose and Mikhalkov's ability to work, organize his talents and his immense fame.
Also, real theorists and critics have conducted serious analysis of the film and put forward different opinions and views.
Razlogov, a famous film theorist, summed up many comments and summarized them into two points: First, "The Barber of Siberia" is just a film, and there is no need to make wild thoughts about it. Second, The Barber of Siberia is not an artistic phenomenon, but a mass cultural phenomenon. The author is concerned here not only with Russian audiences, but also with audiences in many other countries of the world with different nationalities and traditions. The film gave him the impression that there is some internal conflict between the passionate creative passion and the structural laws. The confrontation between the West and Russia, as the driving force of all plot conflicts and plot development, does not fully reflect the emotions of individual plot paragraphs. The carefully crafted and reasonable emotional elements in the film are somewhat independent elements compared with the overall work.
The famous film theorist Bogomolov believes that Mikhalkov created a myth. This myth has all the characteristics of Mikhalkov's films: expressive imagery, sharp editing, logical plot construction, romantic love story, symbolic content, and the director's humor and moving scene. This myth is completely acceptable as a highly entertaining film, but as a real film it can still raise some questions, such as mistakes in the selection of actors, inadequacy of individual performances, blunt editing of plot changes, and The credibility and persuasion of artistic images, the use of different techniques, etc.
The film critic Braszsky has a negative attitude towards the opinion of some people that Mikhalkov made a film for foreigners, thinking: Mikhalkov made a film of his own, if it is said that " global" film, then "global" does not mean "unpatriotic". Under the current circumstances, such "global" films are most urgent in the widest range of time and space. He also said: Among the world's middle-aged film directors, only Mikhalkov has successfully combined traditional directing techniques with a "modern" outsider's point of view. In the festive attire and bravery of the film, in an idealized Russia, there is something much bigger, which can also be called Russia.
The film director Ashpay said in his comments: The power of The Barber of Siberia is that it recreates the imaginary space of Russian life. It is the free attitude towards historical reality that enables the author to observe life from unexpected angles, and combines epic, comedy, melodrama, etc. Action. The style of the film is further enhanced in a seemingly strange combination. The transition from one style to another in the film, whether gradual or abrupt, stems from the logic of the character and plot development.
The large-scale crowd scenes in the film are not only expressive, but also play a very important role in revealing the inner world of the characters and showing their hearts. For example, the general's drinking at the Feast of the Flesh is the embodiment of his real life. Due to his status, he usually has to hide and restrain himself. Only here can he be completely relaxed and displayed. A scene in which the train station sees off the exiles, the extremely accurate rhythm, rhythm, sound and editing make the scene a highly contagious artistic effect. If the meat festival is a comedy showing the character of the general, the farewell is the culmination of the moral blindness of Tolstoy, a non-commissioned officer.
The famous sociologist Zabsky believes that Mikhalkov made a unique experiment. For the first time in Russian cinema, what many believed to be impossible to combine - real art and broad mass, was successfully combined in a unified art system. Due to the lack of serious analysis and research on this aspect by the critics, the combination of individuality and pattern in the film's artistic structure has not received good attention and evaluation. He also pointed out that the general commentary only focuses on analyzing the film from the perspective of elite culture, ignoring its popular character.
Negative opinions on the film are mainly expressed in the articles of critic Moskvina. Moskvinna believed that Mikhalkov wanted to make a "Russian gift", but the finished film was too artistic as a work of art, and too artistic as a work of circumstance. It is believed that the author is still insufficient in learning from the predecessors, pursuing the epic scale of the film, and pursuing the grand style, but he has achieved success in the performance details and crowd scenes, and generally speaking, it does not constitute an epic.
Objections were also raised to the portrayal of the characters. I think the film is showing Russian officers, showing their love and loyalty to the motherland, showing their selfless spirit and heroism. However, the characters in the film are unconvincing. As the No. 1 protagonist of the film, a non-commissioned officer with the surname of Tolstoy, he is an unsuccessful person who has a mental barrier, cannot obey orders, is jealous of his own boss for a woman, and even dares to beat people and be exiled people. And the military academy principal, who swore to love and respect the non-commissioned officers, and was proud of their recuperation and education, was an idiot who was rambunctious and liked to drink. Also, geography teachers are vicious and terrifying, and the way to educate non-commissioned officers is either confinement or standing on one leg for a few hours...
It should be said that the critics' affirmation and criticism of the film are pertinent and credible. Whether "The Barber of Siberia" is an artistic phenomenon or a popular cultural phenomenon, it has been warmly welcomed by audiences. The film achieved the highest box office at the time when the Russian film market was extremely sluggish. And won the Russian National Literature and Art Award. And all this lies in the director's ability to combine art with publicity.
The film is based on a love triangle story, and takes the trial production of the logging machine "Siberian Barber" as the driving force for the development of the play. It expresses the contradictions and differences between Russia and the West, and combines epic, comedy, and The melodrama and other styles are combined together, and various elements of traditional culture, modern culture, elite culture, popular culture and religious culture are integrated together to form a multi-layered and multi-structural nature. To achieve the author's aesthetic pursuit, try to satisfy the author's aesthetic pursuit. The viewing needs of the broad audience. It can be said that the author combined the pursuit of art with commercial purposes to a certain extent, and made a film that is rich in national characteristics and caters to the tastes of foreign audiences.
First of all, the film shows the traditional culture of Russia.
The story of the film takes place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This period is a period of cultural prosperity and decline. The first exhibition of Impressionist paintings has been held, and the film has just been invented. In this cultural conflict between the old and the new, the author obviously favors the classical culture. The non-commissioned officers' amateur performance of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro as the film's play construction method is obvious proof. Because the opera holds a special place in classical culture. It is not only an elegant culture for the upper class to watch, but also quite ornamental. Also, opera combines narrative and music, which can have a strong emotional impact on the audience. In the film, Russian style, Mozart, opera, costumes, and scenery are all symbols of classical culture.
The film focuses on classical culture in the construction of the play, but relies on the popular culture in the construction of the plot, which is also the popular content of the film now. The plot of the love triangle in the play is a specific feature of popular culture. The experienced prostitute from the United States fell in love with and eventually ruined the future of Tolstoy, a Russian sergeant, and also suffered and suffered. But she didn't stand the test. After the protagonist was exiled, she married her owner, engineer and inventor Robert, and returned to the United States. No matter how much she nostalgic about her feelings, the hurt she has done to Tolstoy is irreparable and unforgivable. Only the Tolstoy servant, Dunia, was deeply in love with his master. For her beloved master, she voluntarily came to Siberia, came to his side, and took care of him. In the film, Dunia embodies the traditional virtues of the Russian nation. And Tolstoy's final refusal to cherish his request to go to America also reflects Russian pride.
As Tolstoy's rival in love, General Radlov, who appeared in the film, plays an obvious role in foiling and promoting the development of the play. His presence is an indispensable source of violence in popular patterns. Without him, Tolstoy might not have misbehaved, and Jane would not have accomplished her mission. The film is more colorful and purposeful in showing Jane's relationship with a man than Tolstoy's relationship with a woman. Three men circled around Jane, and the result was that Tolstoy was buried by her, Radlov gave up voluntarily, and only the engineer picked a big deal. Of the three men, however, Jane's least favorite was engineer Robert.
Popular culture is also characterized by the only contact between the hero and heroine. Here, the author does not get out of the way. But before the hysterical intercourse of the two, the author employs indirect means of arousing emotion, which, in Razlogov's words, "is an oven for the audience's imagination and emotional outbursts." The heroine walks deep into the house, and the movements and sounds of undressing and dressing off-camera, as well as her silhouette on the curtain, not only sparks the emotions of the hero, but also heats the emotions of the audience. After the male owner fainted and fell to the ground, the two finally hugged each other, and their emotions exploded to the extreme.
Religious culture occupies a considerable place in the film. From the first time Tolstoy took Jane to the cathedral on Easter to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the image of the church appeared many times in the film. Especially at the end of the film, in remote Siberia, where the exiles lived, a church towered high on the mountain, so peaceful and majestic. It is the sustenance of people's spirit and the place where people's soul is purified. On Sundays, exiles and their families went to church, and Tolstoy was no exception. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, people regained their faith in religion. Mikhalkov, too, believes that religion is the true religion of Russia. The traditional culture of the Middle Eastern Orthodox Church in the film can better illustrate the director's beliefs. It was under the influence of this religion that Tolstoy was purified of his soul and made a decision different from ordinary people. He did not go to the United States or return to St. Petersburg, but stayed in Siberia to treat the poor.
There is no shortage of foreign cultures in the film, symbolized by the bulky, multi-armed "logging machines". This machine, designed on the other side of the Pacific and trial-produced with Russian funds, does not seem to be needed by anyone. While it is logging, it is also destroying the vast resources of Russia and the peaceful life of Siberia on a large scale. This big machine makes people naturally have a sense of fear. The machine in the film has multiple meanings: it is not only the embodiment of many iron things (such as mechanical dinosaurs), but also a symbol and invasion of industrial civilization, and it is also a destruction of ecological balance. It is used as a symbol in the film to represent the invasion of foreign cultures, however, it may not be able to defeat the native Russian culture. In the words of one reviewer, the logging machine "couldn't handle the hard Siberian hair". And it's actually a metaphor for American culture's invasion of Russia.
One of the aims of The Barber of Siberia was to show Westerners the greatness and richness of Russia. This is also the theme of the film. However, there is some debate about what kind of Russia to show. Some comments wrote: The Russia in Mikhalkov's film is not the Russia that once existed and existed, but the Russia imagined by the author, which consists of the emperor with white horses, drinks with caviar, candies with bagels, thank you Russia with a meat festival and fireworks. Mikhalkov does not deny this in the slightest. He openly admitted: What he showed was a vibrant, beautiful Russia.
It is for this purpose that Mikhalkov used all resources and used all means to construct a Russia in his mind. At the beginning of the film, the vast wilderness of Siberia is highlighted through the eyes of the photographer with its unique character. The following features of Russia that appear in the film are: snowy winters, the Kremlin, Red Square, army parades, traditional festivals that are grand and joyous - the Festival of Meat, amateur opera by the sergeants, their balls, warriors The songs they sang, the white horses on which the tsars rode, the sleighs on which the soldiers rode, and the Moskva River, with its frost-covered branches, and, of course, the lavish balls... These scenes and scenes serve as symbols of the Russian state or Russia. The peculiarities of the nation, expressed expressively through the tender and keen eyes of the photographer, through the soft and beautiful music of the composer, and through the excellent work of the unity of the crew, constitute a beautiful Russian fairy tale, a beautiful Russian fairy tale. Vibrant, vibrant, beautiful and rich Russia, it is far from reality, but it is not lacking in reality. The famous film theorist Bogomolov said: The film is full of real national characteristics and real national characteristics when describing the land of Siberia. The two scenes of the parade and the fistfight are extremely important to the creation of the national mythology when embodying the characteristics of Russia.
"The Barber of Siberia", in the pursuit of epic scale, the pursuit of great style, and the author's consistent aesthetic thinking, mobilizes all means of expression, maintains a serious narrative, subtly arranges the plot, highlights the psychological motives of the characters' behavior, and pursues pictures. In addition to the beauty of composition and modeling, ironic and humorous techniques are used to increase narrative color and jokes to adapt to new audiences, that is, to adapt to the Russian audiences cultivated by American films and many foreign audiences (the films have foreign investment, and they must be sold abroad. release) flavors.
There are many personal jokes in the film, as well as jargon and slang that everyone understands. Such as "Where is Tolstoy?" "At Yasnaya Polyana" (referring to Tolstoy's estate) or "At Anna Karenina's place". There are also plot scenes with strong effect, such as a dance party on a floor that has just been waxed. Because the floor is too slippery, as soon as you stretch your feet, you will slip, and no one dares to jump, and the principal's wife can't hold back, so everyone has to jump. In the end, Tolstoy came up with a way to start the dance by smearing rosin on the soles of everyone's shoes.
Some outstanding scenes that express the characteristics of national culture, such as the meat festival, logging, binge drinking, etc., also make people laugh to varying degrees. Especially when the male protagonist accidentally saw the female protagonist betray him during the intermission, he couldn't hold himself back and ran into the street. The scene of "Tolstoy" not only made the audience laugh, but also made the onlookers of the scene on the screen bewildered and laughed secretly. Mikhalkov adds jokes to the rigorous narrative, making the film more enjoyable to watch. The multi-layered, multi-structured and obvious chaos makes the film fit for practical purposes while conforming to the laws of art.
Before filming "The Barber of Siberia", Mikhalkov set himself the task of telling the world about Russia, and the goal he set for himself: the film should go to the world. In accomplishing these tasks, the author used all the material resources and creative experience at his disposal to make a large-scale and highly entertaining film. In the words of one critic: "The first half of the film brought tears of laughter, and the second half was full of tears with a painful smile." Regrettably, the uproar surrounding the film was also caused by the film itself. For this reason, Mikhalkov did not dare to send the film to any international film festival.
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