The Death of Stalin (2017 Film)

[Laika]

Its rare you get explicitly Communist material in the mass media, so this maybe worth a share. The film "The Death of Stalin" is set in 1953 and based on a French graphic novel.

Its a comedy, so historical accuracy and thoughtful analysis are going straight out the window. Though, yes, they did consult doctors about treating Stalin who had been purged and put in prison in real life. But it may be a bit of fun to watch for an hour or two.

The film is expected to be released on 20th October 2017 in the UK. Here's a couple of reviews:
Film review: The Death of Stalin is absurdly funny
The Death of Stalin, a black comedy from the creator of Veep, turns politics into purgatory

Any thoughts Comrades?

**Please Note this is in the Communist Only Sub-forum**

 

[Rival]

Ahh it has Vasili Stalin and Svetlana and Beria and all of themmmm I'M IN LOVE.

 

[Laika]

Ahh it has Vasili Stalin and Svetlana and Beria and all of themmmm I'M IN LOVE.

you're new boyfriend is here.

 

[Rival]

you're new boyfriend is here.

New? Psshhh we've been together for over half a decade

 

[YmirGF]

Respectfully, given this is in the red foxhole, I would definitely watch this. It could be hilarious.


This reminds me of a biography I read about him that after his speeches, the ovation would go on and on and on and on and on and on.... because no one wanted to be seen as the one to stop clapping first.

 

[Tmac]

Its rare you get explicitly Communist material in the mass media, so this maybe worth a share. The film "The Death of Stalin" is set in 1953 and based on a French graphic novel.

Its a comedy, so historical accuracy and thoughtful analysis are going straight out the window. Though, yes, they did consult doctors about treating Stalin who had been purged and put in prison in real life. But it may be a bit of fun to watch for an hour or two.

The film is expected to be released on 20th October 2017 in the UK. Here's a couple of reviews:
Film review: The Death of Stalin is absurdly funny
The Death of Stalin, a black comedy from the creator of Veep, turns politics into purgatory

Any thoughts Comrades?

**Please Note this is in the Communist Only Sub-forum**

​

In my day is was, "Doctor Strangelove".

 

[Laika]

Respectfully, given this is in the red foxhole, I would definitely watch this. It could be hilarious.

Welcome to Paradise.

I could watch it when it comes out on DVD. If I take the jokes the wrong way, I might say things out loud in the cinema that may give it away I'm playing for the wrong team. Or I might get the more obscure inside jokes. Its just another part of living in a politically correct world.

This reminds me of a biography I read about him that after his speeches, the ovation would go on and on and on and on and on and on.... because no one wanted to be seen as the one to stop clapping first.

They had to install a bell to tell people when they could stop clapping. You can hear it at the end of the clip. Under Socialism even the length of applause must be planned.

 

[Laika]

In my day is was, "Doctor Strangelove".

Yeah. it is a good movie.

 

[Tmac]

Welcome to Paradise.

I could watch it when it comes out on DVD. If I take the jokes the wrong way, I might say things out loud in the cinema that may give it away I'm playing for the wrong team. Or I might get the more obscure inside jokes. Its just another part of living in a politically correct world.



They had to install a bell to tell people when they could stop clapping. You can hear it at the end of the clip. Under Socialism even the length of applause must be planned.

That's funny, I always can sympathize with the bad guy, especially if they make him/her real and some times I can see the ugliness/mindlessness of the good guy.

 

[Laika]

That's funny, I always can sympathize with the bad guy, especially if they make him/her real and some times I can see the ugliness/mindlessness of the good guy.

I think villains are often more interesting because its the combination of motivations at work. Outside of very abstract black-white thinking, heroes and villains are often hard to distinguish. The methods used by them are often very similar even if they have different goals in mind. So there is often more depth and thought going into coming up with villans than perhaps with heroes.

When you're dealing with Stalin, Mao etc, they clearly did things that are (ordinarily) regarded as wrong. Most of the time you get an almost "demonic" picture of them as pure evil. It doesn't hold up very well when you start to research them or think about it even if its very effective propaganda. Its the really weird (and down-right terrifying) combination of cynicism and utopianism that makes them fascinating figures to try and understand. Its something we don't come across very often (thankfully) and is very revealing about how good intentions can become so easily perverted.

 

[Laika]

Here's the BBC's Mark Kermode's review of the death of Stalin if anyone is interested...