Nigula blog: Back to USSR: July 1985

среда, 29 июля 2015 г.

Back to USSR: July 1985 – Month of Festivals

This is a third post about July 1985. This month will begin and finish with Festivals.

It begins with Moscow Film Festival

“Monday at XIV Moscow Film Festival started with exhibition of new epic war movie “Moscow battle” (i, 2.07.85)

Directed by Ozerov, this film became a visual image of 2WW for this and next generation of Russians. It carefully avoided some sensitive questions of soviet history and formed several new myths.

"Moscow battle"

Festival presents a new movie by Klimov “Go and see”(«Иди и смотри»).

“Go and see” is an impressing and shocking war drama about several days of life of belorussian boy under German occupation.

Most of newspapers responded and their critique was very positive.

- “This film became a part of my soul.”

- “Hearts get frozen at this movie.”

- “All ideas of this film are global, feelings are total.”

Spectators are impressed by the last scene, when boy shoots Hitler’s portrait.

Today the film is criticized for excessive scenes of violence.

“Go and see” – a big impression for soviet people in Summer 1985.

Boys and girls – some good news for you! From 17 of July there will be a British serial “Robin Hood” on central TV!!!

In actual fact, we were shown only 3 series of “Robin of Sherwood” with Michael Praed (1984-86). But it was enough to use all trees around for bows and arrows.

Robin Hood – is a face of the season!

But you will never see on soviet TV and cinemas the next person – Sylvester Stallone. This year he presents Rambo-2.

All central soviet newspapers open fire on American star.

“Pravda” calls its article “Rambo – superman-monster” (P, 17.07.85)

Besides that, “Pravda” boils over numerous souvenirs and branded good on Rambo. They stress that there are vitamins “Rambo”! What a shame!

“Izvestia” explains:

“What Rambo calls for?”

“The authors of this fake try to persuade that USA are the winner at Vietnam war.

This surrogate Hollywood production fulfills all American cinemas.” (И, 17.07.85)

«Komsomolka» confirms: “«Superman» stays at Pentagon service” (КП, 21.07.85)

In general, soviet newspapers made a great promotion for Stallone, and several years later soviet people will run to video-saloons to see first video-cassettes with Rambo.

Generally, life in USA is hard.

This month soviet people get to learn about AIDS.

“Komsomolka” tells about this foreign decease, the article tone is flat and neutral. But it mentions that this trouble comes to people of immoral style of life. Of course, it can’t exist in USSR.

The time for this subject has not come yet - in several years later AIDS will be on the first pages of yellow newspapers.

An actual subject – school computerization. It must start on 1 of September in all country.

All newspapers write much about it.

“All our words about “total computerization’ will be just words, without creating special equipment for schools” (i, 11.07.85)

Newspapers say there are no school computers, no educational programs, and no prepared teachers for this courses.

14 July there come good news from Paris – soviet pole vaulter S.Bubka cleared 6.00 metres (19 feet 8 inches) for the first time on 13 July 1985

Soviet car industry launches a new car – microcar Oka.

«We were waiting for this car so long.» - says “Izvestia” (i, 21.07.85)

This was a first modern soviet microcar in 1980-th, in 1990-th it costed appr. 2000 USD dollars.

foto autoreview.ru

Small, noisy, uncomfortable – it lost its chance to become a national brand.

«Youth of a planet on friendship march.»

On 27 July the XII World Youth Festival opens in Moscow.

The festival torch was carried through Moscow by Galina Gagarina and Sergei Ratnikov. Gorbachev opened the Festival.

But the Festival was not remembered for long – it was difficult to overcome the impression of Moscow Olympic Games 1980, and at same time a big number of foreigners was not impressing already.