10 films banned in the USSR

1. Bezhin meadow

• USSR, 1937.
• Short film, drama.
• Director: Sergei Eisenstein.
• Duration: 31 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.7.

In Turgenev's work "Bezhin Meadow" peasant children sit by the fire. The action of Eisenstein's painting takes place near this place. In the center of the story is Pavlik Morozov.

The tape received very harsh criticism: the draft version was rejected, and filming was stopped. Eisenstein spent about two years on the painting. The Cinematography Department explained its decision by the fact that Bezhin Meadow has no artistic value and is politically untenable. The great director tried for a long time to return the picture to work, but to no avail.

2. The lonely voice of a man

• USSR, 1978.
• Drama.
• Director: Alexander Sokurov.
• Duration: 87 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.9.

Nikita Firsov returned home after the end of the Civil War. However, life is hard, and the nightmares of the past do not allow him to exist normally. Hero falls in love into Lyuba, an ordinary girl, and decides to take care of her.

The film "The Lonely Voice of a Man" by Alexander Sokurov was filmed at the VGIK training studio. However, the picture was immediately sent to the shelf, and the director's reputation in the eyes of the censor was damaged. It is generally accepted that the tape did not like its gloomy theme and heavy mood. However, the painting was saved. On the big screens, The Lonely Voice of Man appeared only 10 years after its creation.

3. The story of Asya Klyachina, who loved, but did not marry

• USSR, 1967.
• Drama, melodrama.
• Director: Andrey Konchalovsky.
• Duration: 99 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.3.

Asya is in love with Stepan, who does not want to marry the girl. However, this does not stop her, and she decides to give birth from him. A man from the city comes to Asya, ready to take her as his wife, but the girl rejects him for the sake of her love.

The film was not released in wide release and went on the shelf. The reason is simple: the censors considered the picture immoral. However, in 1987 it was decided to show the tape on the big screen for the first time. Later, in 1989, Konchalovsky received the Nika Award for Best Director. The story of Asya did not end there, and in 1994 the author filmed a sequel to Ryaba the Hen.

4. Roadside check

• USSR, 1971.
• Drama, military.
• Director: Alexey German.
• Duration: 97 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.9.

Ivan Lokotkov in the past was an ordinary village policeman, and now he is the head of a partisan detachment in one of occupied fascists of the regions. Provisions are running out, and serious decisions need to be made. Lokotkov wants to capture the enemy’s food train, only Lazarev, a man whom the Germans know very well, volunteered to help him.

The film was rejected by Goskino. Officials decided that Herman was trying to dehumanize popular resistance and create a negative image of the Red Army. Nevertheless, "Traffic Check" still came out in 1986 and was marked by many awards.

5. Long farewell

• USSR, 1971.
• Drama.
• Director: Kira Muratova.
• Duration: 95 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.5.

A woman dedicated her life son. Now he has grown up, there is no need to take care of him, and she decides to let another man into her everyday life. The son goes to his father for the summer, and after returning, the behavior of the young man changes. It turns out that he wants to leave.

Filmed in 1971, the picture could not be released to the public, and it was removed “on the shelf”. The reason for the ban was the bourgeoisie and depravity of the heroes. The premiere took place already during perestroika, in 1987.

6. Ivan groznyj

• USSR, 1944.
• Drama, biography, history.
• Director: Sergei Eisenstein.
• Duration: 103 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.7.

Ivan groznyj made controversial and cruel decisions. For the sake of preserving statehood, he was ready to do anything. At the same time, he was not always confident in himself, and therefore sometimes did dubious things.

The first part of the film was released in 1945. The audience was delighted, including Stalin himself. The second part was immediately banned. It is generally accepted that the Generalissimo personally rejected it. He was sure that Eisenstein was trying to draw parallels between Ivan the Terrible and himself.

7. Subject

• USSR, 1979.
• Drama, melodrama, comedy.
• Director: Gleb Panfilov.
• Duration: 98 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.2.

The metropolitan writer lost motivation and inspiration. In search of new ideas, he goes to the provinces and realizes that completely different people live here with their own principles. The hero becomes a witness of true love and also wants to experience something similar.

After the first closed screening of the film, the Central Committee of the CPSU began to complain. The picture was scolded for ambiguous interpretations, some saw it as criticism of the Soviet regime. As a result, the tape was banned from showing. Viewers were able to see "Theme" only in 1986. A year later, the picture took the main prize at the Berlin Film Festival.

8. Intervention

• USSR, 1968.
• Drama, adventure, comedy, history.
• Director: Gennady Poloka.
• Duration: 101 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.7.

In 1919, in Odessa, the Bolsheviks are trying to agitate among the French. The most eloquent of them is Stepanov. People demand serious action from him. Zhenya, inspired by the speeches of the hero, dreams of becoming revolutionarybut betrays his teacher.

The film was not released to the general public. Goskino imposed a ban, explaining the decision by the fact that the director made many ideological miscalculations and mistakes. The tape was perceived as a mockery of Soviet values ​​and simply of the Bolsheviks. Shows began only in 1987. It is noteworthy that Vladimir Vysotsky played one of the main roles, but the tapes with his voice deteriorated during downtime, so in some scenes the musician was voiced by Alexei Buldakov.

9. Spring for the thirsty

• USSR, 1965.
• Drama.
• Director: Yuri Ilyenko.
• Duration: 72 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.3.

Lev Serdyuk was left completely alone. The wife and son are dead, and the other children do not want to visit their father. There was no life left in his native village, even the well was overgrown. Then Serdyuk decides to die.

Yuri Ilyenko got the opportunity to shoot this picture after his camera work on Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors. However, the authorities did not like the "Spring for the Thirsty" because surrealismand ordered to wash it off. However, Ilyenko managed to save the painting.

10. Agony

• USSR, 1981.
• Drama, biography, history.
• Director: Elem Klimov.
• Duration: 152 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.0.

Russia in 1916 was in a very precarious position. Nicholas II could not cope with his duties, and everyone felt that the current situation would soon come to an end. Then a man appears, acquiring power over the king, the elder Rasputin.

Elem Klimov for a long time could not agree on the final version of the script with the Soviet authorities. The Cinematography Committee was sure that the director was trying to show Rasputin as almost a hero. Even after the end of filming, Klimov could not achieve mass distribution and sold the picture to France. And the first rental in the USSR started in 1985.