Help with a scene from Russian history

SpitfireIX

Philosopher
SpitfireIX
Joined
May 22, 2007
Messages
6,848
Location
Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
This is a video of the current Russian national anthem, with various scenes of Russian geography, culture, and history. The visuals and the music are outstanding; for those so inclined, I would recommend watching it in hi-def with a decent sound system.


My question is, what's going on in the scene that starts about the 1:00 mark (right before the scene of Napoleon retreating from Moscow), and who are the two guys whose names are written in Russian cursive? Also, anyone who wants to identify any of the other scenes or locations, feel free. (I'll post about a few I've identified later.)

As a side note, I was tempted to write in the comments that "It's sad that a country with such a rich culture and history has been, and continues to be, responsible for so much evil in the world," but I figured it would just get deleted, and possibly draw attention from Russian trolls. :rolleyes:
 
The man on the left is Dmitry Mikhaylovich Pozharsky, a Russian prince and military leader during the Polish–Muscovite War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Pozharsky

The man on the right is Kuzma Minich Zakhariev-Sukhoruky (usually known ans Kuzma Minin). He was Russian merchant and trader.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuzma_Minin

Together, Pozharsky and Minin organized a militia to expel the Poles from Moscow in 1612. They are considered heroes of Mother Russia.

The scene probably depicts that expulsion as it is what these two are most famous for.


ETA: Little doubt that is the best version of Gosudarstvennyy gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii (the Russian State National Anthem) I have ever heard.
 
Last edited:
Okay, at around the 2:30 mark, or so, it suddenly seems to switch to a scene from a movie, maybe? It shows a handful of people, in maybe late 19th century fancy garb, climbing an elaborate staircase, then a single young lady, who then begins to dance with a rather princely looking fellow. Very shortly afterward, it's back to the grand tour of the city and countryside.
What the heck was that brief recreated interlude intended to represent?
 
Last edited:
smartcooky said:
The man on the left is Dmitry Mikhaylovich Pozharsky, a Russian prince and military leader during the Polish–Muscovite War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Pozharsky

The man on the right is Kuzma Minich Zakhariev-Sukhoruky (usually known ans Kuzma Minin). He was Russian merchant and trader.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuzma_Minin

Together, Pozharsky and Minin organized a militia to expel the Poles from Moscow in 1612. They are considered heroes of Mother Russia.

The scene probably depicts that expulsion as it is what these two are most famous for.


ETA: Little doubt that is the best version of Gosudarstvennyy gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii (the Russian State National Anthem) I have ever heard.
Click to expand...


Thanks, SC. That's exactly the kind of answer I was hoping for. I don't know much about Russian history prior to the Napoleonic Wars.
 
Mike! said:
Okay, at around the 2:30 mark, or so, it suddenly seems to switch to a scene from a movie, maybe? It shows a handful of people, in maybe late 19th century fancy garb, climbing an elaborate staircase, then a single young lady, who then begins to dance with a rather princely looking fellow. Very shortly afterward, it's back to the grand tour of the city and countryside.
What the heck was that brief recreated interlude intended to represent?
Click to expand...


After a little YouTube investigation, I was able to determine that that's a scene from the Soviet 1960s film series War and Peace. From Wikipedia:

The film was produced by the Mosfilm studios between 1961 and 1967, with considerable support from the Soviet authorities and the Soviet Army which provided hundreds of horses and over ten thousand soldiers as extras. At a cost of 8.29 million Rbls – equal to US$ 9.21 million at 1967 rates, or $60–70 million in 2019, accounting for rouble inflation – it was the most expensive film made in the Soviet Union. Upon its release, it became a success with audiences, selling approximately 135 million tickets in the USSR. War and Peace also won the Grand Prix in the Moscow International Film Festival, the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Since its release, the film has often been considered the grandest epic film ever made, with many asserting its monumental production to be unrepeatable and unique in film history. [notes omitted]​
 
Mike! said:
Okay, at around the 2:30 mark, or so, it suddenly seems to switch to a scene from a movie, maybe? It shows a handful of people, in maybe late 19th century fancy garb, climbing an elaborate staircase, then a single young lady, who then begins to dance with a rather princely looking fellow. Very shortly afterward, it's back to the grand tour of the city and countryside.
What the heck was that brief recreated interlude intended to represent?
Click to expand...

The scene is from the 1966 Russian Film of Tolstoy's "War and Peace" .The scene is the first formal Ball for Natasha Rostov; a famous secne. It's is well worth watching, the Criterion COllection has a really good DVD of it.
Btw the Prince in the clip is a actual Prince. Andrei Bolkonski, one of the three Main charecters in the novel.
I guess it was included as a tribute to Russia's greatest writer. Of course the Irony is that Tolstoy would have many nasty things to say about the current Russian Regime.
 
Last edited:
SpitfireIX said:
After a little YouTube investigation, I was able to determine that that's a scene from the Soviet 1960s film series War and Peace. From Wikipedia:

The film was produced by the Mosfilm studios between 1961 and 1967, with considerable support from the Soviet authorities and the Soviet Army which provided hundreds of horses and over ten thousand soldiers as extras. At a cost of 8.29 million Rbls – equal to US$ 9.21 million at 1967 rates, or $60–70 million in 2019, accounting for rouble inflation – it was the most expensive film made in the Soviet Union. Upon its release, it became a success with audiences, selling approximately 135 million tickets in the USSR. War and Peace also won the Grand Prix in the Moscow International Film Festival, the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Since its release, the film has often been considered the grandest epic film ever made, with many asserting its monumental production to be unrepeatable and unique in film history. [notes omitted]​
Click to expand...

The film is really worth watching. The battle scenes are just incredible.
 
Last edited:
SpitfireIX said:
This is a video of the current Russian national anthem, with various scenes of Russian geography, culture, and history. The visuals and the music are outstanding; for those so inclined, I would recommend watching it in hi-def with a decent sound system.


My question is, what's going on in the scene that starts about the 1:00 mark (right before the scene of Napoleon retreating from Moscow), and who are the two guys whose names are written in Russian cursive? Also, anyone who wants to identify any of the other scenes or locations, feel free. (I'll post about a few I've identified later.)

As a side note, I was tempted to write in the comments that "It's sad that a country with such a rich culture and history has been, and continues to be, responsible for so much evil in the world," but I figured it would just get deleted, and possibly draw attention from Russian trolls. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I could not agree more, It is tragic that a counrr with so rich in culture and so beautiful in scenary just cannot learn to mind it;s one business, and let it's culture speak for iitself.
As for the video, they seem to spend a lot of time on the RUssian Ice Breakers.
Hate to say it, it is not that different then a lot of similar videos I have seen to the US National Anthem.
The Anthem itself is the old 'Hymn Of The Soviet Union" with new lyrics.
 
smartcooky said:
The man on the left is Dmitry Mikhaylovich Pozharsky, a Russian prince and military leader during the Polish–Muscovite War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Pozharsky

The man on the right is Kuzma Minich Zakhariev-Sukhoruky (usually known ans Kuzma Minin). He was Russian merchant and trader.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuzma_Minin

Together, Pozharsky and Minin organized a militia to expel the Poles from Moscow in 1612. They are considered heroes of Mother Russia.

The scene probably depicts that expulsion as it is what these two are most famous for.


ETA: Little doubt that is the best version of Gosudarstvennyy gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii (the Russian State National Anthem) I have ever heard.
Click to expand...

Surprised they did not work in Alexander Nevsky.
And the Russian Revolution is conspricous by it's abscence.
But the whole video is very well done.
 
SpitfireIX said:
It's available free on YouTube, with English subtitles. Part of me wants to read the book before I watch the movie; another part says, "Come on, you know you're never going to read it." :(
Click to expand...

Actually, as sort an introduction, the 1956 US version is not terrible.
Point is the specific scene in the video. Natasha Rostov's first formal ball, is one of most famous scenes in the novel, and one of those that even Russian who have never read the novel kinw about through cultural omosis and it's inclusion was meant as a tribute to Leo Tolstoy, Russia's greatest writer.
I have the Criterion Collection edition of the Russian Film.
BBC , aalso did a mini seriest in the mid 70's, with Anthony Hopkins are Pierre Buzukhov, the main Male charecter in the novel. First time it was cast correactly, both Henry Fonda in the US verssion and Sergei Bondarchuk in the Russian version are not well cast..of course Bondarchuk also produced and directed the Russian version. Both are way too old for one thing, and Sergai's skills behind the camera are alot greater then those in front of it. Hopkins was the first to really nail the charecter.
 
Last edited:
Here is another version of the Russian National Anthem much,much more political then the version here. And you might want to vomit at a few points.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUlilKSs6wU

I am not sure but I think some of the final footage is from the attack on Ukraine.
The one in the OP is trying not to be political as much as possible, bu this one if pro Putin no bones about it. I also note all the foorage of the Czars , which is again conspiciouly absent from the version here.
The comments are truly scary.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom