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>more like a theatre production than a feature-length film Because it was basically a "television play", a hybrid between a theater production and a higher bud
by nullifidian 6y ago
>more like a theatre production than a feature-length film
Because it was basically a "television play", a hybrid between a theater production and a higher budget TV series/film. Such things were common on Soviet TV.
One has to understand that Soviet Union was relatively poor when compared with the west, especially so during perestroika.
For example "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" is another Soviet tv play https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCutJ-7acvg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCutJ-7acvg
- chrisseaton 6y agoTV plays also used to be very common in the UK.
- blowski 6y agoThe best adaptations of Shakespeare were TV plays. A lot of CGI is now trying to mask the lack of good plot.
- chrisseaton 6y agoI also think many classic TV shows are effectively TV plays - such as Star Trek, the Twilight Zone, etc.
- blowski 6y agoYou're right, that's a really fascinating observation. I can see myself noticing that on future shows.
- jhgb 6y agoYou mean something like UK's "I, Claudius"?
- nullifidian 6y agoFrom what I've seen on youtube regarding British TV plays, they were much much higher budget, and much closer to just a normal TV series/film, maybe with a theatrical dramatic flare, while Soviet TV plays often had abstract "modern theatre" like decorations, fewer or no background characters, other cost cutting measures, much closer to theater in terms of production.
- bjelkeman-again 6y agoWhich, once you get over the low production values, is actually a very good series. Amazing actors, including Derek Jacobi. I once saw Derek Jacobi and Robert Lindsey in a play on stage, Becket, which had a few cloths and spotlights as props. These people can act. It was amazing.
- jhgb 6y agoI never considered it a bad series. We had it on TV even behind the Iron Curtain before 1989.
- DavidAdams 6y agoThe production values of this Soviet Lord of the Rings strike me as quite similar to I, Claudius. And it's worth noting that the televised low-budget stage play production values of I, Claudius notwithstanding, it's one of the best television shows ever made.
- jefurii 6y agoMany of the original Star Trek episodes look like a TV play too. Lots of backgrounds that are just colored lights where today you'd expect to see some setpiece. It's all about the story anyway.
- horsh1 6y agoSoviet TV play adaptation of Asimov's "The Naked Sun". Has the best looking robots. (See the beginning of part 3 for example) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQWLsZurF5U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQWLsZurF5U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YksNxkF2TQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YksNxkF2TQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPamQ-khmf8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPamQ-khmf8