10 Soviet films to watch during the New Year holidays
Soviet cinema has long been an integral part of New Year's holidays: these films are loved and watched on a festive night, New Year's holidays, or in the background while cooking olivier. Watching Soviet films on New Year's Eve is already a ritual: Russians gather several generations at the screen and return to the atmosphere of childhood, when a miracle seemed like a natural part of winter holidays. This collection contains 15 paintings that help you get a taste of the real New Year: from lyrical melodramas and musical comedies to fairy tales and films about ordinary people celebrating the holiday in the Soviet way. All the details are in the Izvestia article.
"Irony of fate, or With a light steam!"
Why to watch: this film is worth watching at least once a year, because it has become the main New Year's ritual of the country: without the story of Zhenya Lukashin and Nadia Sheveleva, for many, the holiday simply does not come. The painting unites generations, and its lines and songs have long been quoted, creating a special feeling of a cozy Moscow‑Leningrad winter.
The plot of the melodrama is built around a ridiculous confusion: Lukashin, who has slightly overdone in the bathhouse, mistakenly flies not home, but to Leningrad and ends up in someone else's apartment, but absurdly similar to his own. There he meets Nadia, who has a fiance, and this accident turns the lives of all three of them over in one night, turning a typical city and a standard Khrushchev into a space of personal miracle.
Director and actors: the film was directed by Eldar Ryazanov, one of the main directors of the Soviet lyrical comedy. The film stars Andrey Myagkov, Barbara Brylska, Yuri Yakovlev, Alexander Shirvindt, Georgy Burkov and Lyubov Dobrzhanskaya.
"Carnival Night"
Why watch: this picture is worth watching for the feeling of a real Soviet holiday with an orchestra, confetti and sparkling humor that has not been outdated for decades. The film instantly lifts the mood, and the famous musical numbers are still perceived as the standard of a New Year's variety show.
The plot centers on the House of Culture, where young employees are preparing a fun New Year's concert, and the new director Ogurtsov dreams of replacing it with a boring educational program. The conflict between lively festive energy and edifying bureaucracy creates a lot of comical situations, and the final ball turns into a triumph of laughter, music and youth.
Director and actors: directed by Eldar Ryazanov, for whom "Carnival Night" was a breakthrough and the beginning of a great career in full meter. The audience was captivated by Lyudmila Gurchenko, Igor Ilyinsky, Yuri Belov, Georgy Kulikov and other artists, whose images became symbols of New Year's television classics.
"Gentlemen of Fortune"
Why to watch: this movie is definitely worth reviewing for its endlessly quoted humor and at the same time a very touching story of the re-education of "bad guys." Comedy is easy to watch with the whole family, and New Year's holidays are the perfect time to smile at the familiar scenes in the dorm and kindergarten again.
Movie Description: In the story, Evgeny Troshkin, the quiet head of a kindergarten, turns out to be a doppelganger of a dangerous criminal nicknamed the Associate Professor and is forced to play him in order to help the police recover a stolen museum helmet. Having broken into the world of repeat offenders, he gradually breaks through their cynicism, and the "gentlemen of fortune" themselves begin to change under the influence of a kind but persistent intellectual.
Director and actors: the comedy was directed by Alexander Sery, and the script was written by Georgy Danelia and Victoria Tokareva. The main roles starred Evgeny Leonov, Georgy Vitsin, Savely Kramarov, Radner Muratov and other actors who created a gallery of recognizable and humanly charming characters.
"Girls"
Why watch: This movie is worth watching for its amazing warmth, sense of humor, and optimism, which are especially appreciated on long winter evenings. The story of Tosi, the cook, and Ilya, the lumberjack, reminds us that love and character are more important than status and appearance, and the northern village easily becomes the center of the universe.
The action takes place in a taiga logging village, where a young cook, Tosya Kislitsyna, arrives. She quickly engages in a witty confrontation with the local ladies' man Ilya, but behind the light jokes and arguments, real feelings are born that change both characters.
Director and actors: the director of the film is Yuri Chulyukin, who managed to combine a romantic story with an almost documentary atmosphere of northern life. Starring Nadezhda Rumyantseva, Nikolai Rybnikov, Luciena Ovchinnikova, Svetlana Druzhinina and Inna Makarova, who created a lively and very truthful ensemble.
"Old New Year"
Why watch: the film should include a polyphonic picture of a big city, rare for Soviet cinema, where different people celebrate the same holiday in their own way. The tape helps you look at a familiar January evening from the angle of light irony to your own plans, crises and expectations.
Film Description: intellectual Peter Poluorlov became disillusioned with life. He understands that a new apartment and prosperity are not what it was worth living for. His neighbor, Peter Sebeykin, a representative of the working class, faced the same experiences. Fatigue from everyday life will unite the main characters, and together they will decide how to live on.
Director and actors: the film was created based on the play by Mikhail Roshchin, and experienced television directors participated in the work on it. The film stars Vyacheslav Nevinniy, Alexander Kalyagin, Ksenia Minina, Georgy Burkov, Pyotr Shcherbakov, Evgeny Evstigneev.
"Big New Year's Eve"
Why watch: this picture is worth watching for a rare example of romance in extreme conditions, where a sense of celebration is born literally in the middle of a blizzard and snow. The film reminds us that New Year's Eve is not necessarily about tangerines and a Christmas tree at home, but above all, a meeting of people who are ready to support each other.
The plot tells about three tourists who went on a winter hike to the Far North, despite warnings about bad weather. During a snowstorm, one of them gets lost, and the rest of the action turns into a dramatic but life-affirming story of searching, mutual help and rethinking their own values on the eve of the holiday.
Director and actors: the film was directed by Ada Neretnietse with an emphasis on the characters and atmosphere of the winter elements. The acting ensemble (Paul Butkiewicz, Janis Paukstello, Mara Zvaigzne) conveys both the romantic mood of the characters and their inner growth in the face of challenges, which makes the film an unusual, but very New Year's tape.
"Carnival"
Why to watch: The film is worth watching for its honest and sometimes painful look at a provincial girl's dreams of fame and success in the capital. On New Year's Eve, this story especially resonates with those who rethink their plans and promises to themselves.
The plot centers on Nina, who arrives in Moscow to enroll in a theater college and become an actress, but is faced with harsh reality. She has to go through disappointments, failures, betrayal, and laughter from others before gaining an understanding of her own strengths and true values.
Director and actors: Director Tatiana Lioznova has created a musical comedy with elements of drama that feels very modern today. Irina Muravyeva shines in the film, and she is accompanied by Alexander Abdulov and other famous artists who vividly embody the world of big and small hopes.
"Operation Y and other adventures of Shurik"
Why watch: This film is worth reviewing for its invincible sense of humor and short stories that have long become part of folk folklore. Although the painting is not strictly New Year's, it is traditionally shown during the holidays as an ideal cure for the winter blues.
The film consists of three stories about a student named Shurik, who constantly finds himself in absurd and ridiculous situations — at a construction site, on a tram, on an exam, and even in a confrontation with minor offenders. Each novel shows the conflict of a small but stubborn man with stupidity and rudeness, invariably ending in the victory of resourcefulness and kindness.
Director and actors: the film was directed by Leonid Gaidai, one of the main comediographers of the USSR. In addition to Alexander Demyanenko, Evgeny Morgunov, Georgy Vitsin, Natalia Selezneva and other actors starred in the roles, making "operation" and the adventures of Shurik an ageless classic.
"The Diamond Hand"
Why to watch: this picture is a must-see for its combination of adventurous plot, espionage intrigue and brilliant humor, understandable to both children and adults. On New Year's Eve, the film looks especially easy, reminding that a case can suddenly turn the life of any quiet man in the street upside down.
Movie description: In the story, a modest Soviet employee, Semyon Gorbunkov, mistakenly becomes a participant in a smuggling operation when he is given a plaster cast with jewelry at a resort. Returning home, he finds himself between bandits and law enforcement agencies, but remains true to his principles and eventually emerges victorious from all trials.
Director and actors: Leonid Gaidai, a master of eccentric comedy, became the director. The film stars Yuri Nikulin, Andrey Mironov, Anatoly Papanov, Nonna Mordyukova and Svetlana Svetlichnaya, whose images and lines have long been quoted.
The Caucasian Captive, or Shurik's New Adventures
Why to watch: the film should be included for the sunny summer atmosphere, which is especially attractive in winter, and for the signature Gaidai humor. This story reminds us that even in the most ridiculous circumstances, honor, friendship, and self-esteem can be preserved.
The plot tells about Shurik, who goes to collect folklore in the Caucasus and suddenly finds himself in the middle of a "bride kidnapping" organized by local businessmen. He, along with his new friend Nina and random associates, violates criminal plans, and the hero's entire journey is accompanied by songs, adventures and absurd situations.
Director and actors: the film was shot by Leonid Gaidai, continuing the story of Shurik in an even more eccentric way. Starring Alexander Demyanenko, Natalia Varley, Yuri Nikulin, Georgy Vitsin and Evgeny Morgunov, who created one of the most beloved ensembles of Soviet cinema.
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Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
