THE EVE OF IVAN KUPALO
A film review by Thomas E. Billings
Copyright 1989 Thomas E. Billings
Synopsis: A poor peasant makes a pact with an evil spirit to gain possession of the beautiful daughter of a rich man. Although based on a folk tale, the film's treatment of the story is quite unusual, being a fast-paced sequence of surrealistic, imaginative, and often weird images. Very strange indeed!
U.S.S.R. (English subtitles), color, 1968, shelved by Soviet censors until 1988, when it was finally released; 71 minutes. Director/Writer: Yuri Ilyenko
This film is based on peasant mythology, but it is not like any folk tale. In particular, it is not corny, and there is very little singing or dancing in it. Instead, the film proceeds as a fast-paced sequence of events and images. The story is loose at times, and the action so fast (and symbology so obscure) that it is difficult to follow the story at times.
The images depicted include some that are surrealistic (indeed, some are self-consciously so), some that are very beautiful, and many that are just plain weird. Just a few of them include: a couple riding a large hog, to which they have attached a saddle; cows, painted light blue, in a field; crayfish crawling around with lighted candles on their backs. In one scene, the people are standing at a 45-degree angle; in another the young couple are floating in air, horizontally.
The plot is fairly simple, and is set in old (pre-revolution) Russia. A rich man agrees to give away (via marriage) his beautiful daughter to an friend of his. However, the girl and a young peasant are in love. Preparations for the wedding are underway, when the young man makes a pact with an evil spirit for the woman he loves.
The evil spirit will help him gain the woman he loves, by making him incredibly rich, provided the man performs a ritual sacrifice of a young child. Initially, the man resists the request. Finally, he performs the deed. However, when his sword strikes the child, the child is turned immediately into a tree bearing gold coins.
The remainder of the film deals with the subject of greed, both from a pagan and religious (Christian) viewpoint. There is extensive religious symbology in the film, and this may be the reason it was shelved by the Soviet censors. (Of course, they may have shelved it simply because it's so weird; I don't know their reasons. Besides, censorship for any reason is bad!)
The film does have some humor in it, mostly slapstick, reminiscent of the Three Stooges (but not as physical). The combination of slapstick humor with surrealism is very unusual.
Overall, this film is so strange that I would not recommend it for general audiences. However, the film is worth considering if you are into surrealism.
Distribution. Currently in limited distribution as part of "The Cutting Edge", a touring set of six films that have received international acclaim but are considered "too risky" for general commercial release. Presented by the International Film Circuit.
Reviewer: Thomas E. Billings, Department of Statistics University of California, Berkeley Reviewer contact: teb@stat.Berkeley.EDU
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