The Death Ray (Lev Kuleshov, 1925)
Kuleshov’s science fiction thriller features a plot written by Vsevolod Pudovkin, and concerns the theft of a secret Soviet ray by a group of fascists. Kuleshov appropriated Hollywood tropes for his film, and is an example of Kuleshov’s methods of using elements from foreign films that were proven to be successful for contemporary audiences while infusing the narrative with socialist ideology.
Despite Kuleshov’s attempts, the style of the film was not looked upon favourably at this time.[1] As Kuleshov himself noted, the participants of this film were ‘persecuted… for its lack of a firm ideology, and for it experimentalism. The comrades lost sight of the fact that in this film we were pioneering a film-grammar…’ Nevertheless, The Death Ray received good profits from audiences.[2]
Director: Lev Kuleshov
Writer: Vsevolod Pudovkin, based on a novel by Aleksei Tolstoy
Cast: Porfiri Podobed, Vsevolod Pudovkin and Sergei Komarov
Year: 1925
Production Company: Goskino
Lev Kuleshov
Despite Kuleshov’s attempts, the style of the film was not looked upon favourably at this time.[1] As Kuleshov himself noted, the participants of this film were ‘persecuted… for its lack of a firm ideology, and for it experimentalism. The comrades lost sight of the fact that in this film we were pioneering a film-grammar…’ Nevertheless, The Death Ray received good profits from audiences.[2]
Director: Lev Kuleshov
Writer: Vsevolod Pudovkin, based on a novel by Aleksei Tolstoy
Cast: Porfiri Podobed, Vsevolod Pudovkin and Sergei Komarov
Year: 1925
Production Company: Goskino
Lev Kuleshov