An old Russian proverb says: "Do not renounce from the bag and from the prison." This folk wisdom reflected the traditional attention with which a simple person looks at what is happening on the other side of the grid or barbed wire. And modern Russian films about the zone and the prison, the list of which is quite extensive, to a large extent satisfy this curiosity.
What to watch and what to ignore
Not only in modern Russian, but throughout the world cinema, one of the most popular is the action genre, with the obligatory intrigue and dynamism of developing events. The most characteristic products of this genre are endless narratives about the adventures of police and thieves. And films that show the results of the work of the police and the police are their logical continuation. For, as was coined by the character of Vladimir Vysotsky, Gleb Zheglov, “A thief must be in prison!” Russian films about the zone and the prison may well satisfy the attention of a simple viewer to this topic. Their list is able to hit a variety. It also includes the fundamental works of the Russian classic Kalina Krasnaya by Vasily Shukshin and In the First Circle based on the novel of the same name by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. And quite passable production of television series. Here it is important not to make a mistake with the choice and determine for yourself what exactly you want to see. And also we should not forget that Russian films about the zone and the prison, the list of which is updated every year, are created mainly by those who themselves in their life saw this zone and the prison only on TV.
"Zone" on the screen
Of course, not everything is equally miserable in works on criminal and prison subjects. “Zone” is quite noteworthy - the series, which became widely known due to the fact that its broadcast on the NTV channel in prime time was interrupted in the eighth series due to protests from the outraged public. Later, viewers were able to watch the film. But he walked only late at night.
The project has its fans. Spectator attention was justified. "Zone" - a series that makes empathy with the main characters. And this is the most important component of the success of any artwork. The film has many storylines, both intersecting and completely autonomous. We must pay tribute to the authors of this work - they themselves were not convicted of criminal charges, but they studied the material in good faith. The series is marked by many bright acting work, this is manifested in the roles of both the first and second plan. Particularly textured, the film embodies a complex and multi-level intrigue in the relationship between convicts and the administration. Watching its development, the viewer has the right to ask the question: "On which side of the dividing line is a large concentration of crime?"
About love
One of the most striking works on the criminal theme was the full-length film "Prison Romance", which was released on large screens in 1993. It is based on the real story of the escape from the St. Petersburg prison "Crosses" of the investigated Maduev. He managed to break free with a pistol, which was given to him by the investigator in his case, Natalya Vorontsova.
At the time, this unusual love affair made a lot of noise and caused significant resonance in the media. The artistic arrangement of history on the screen has a very distant relation to it. But the audience “Prison Romance” was remembered first of all by the brilliant acting works of Alexander Abdulov, Marina Neyolova, Aristarkh Livanov and Yuri Kuznetsov.
At the turn of the eras
Russian cinema can be distinguished from Soviet at first glance. This is due to the fact that, along with the collapse of the Soviet Union, many bans for masters of cinema also disappeared. The 1990 film, nicknamed the Beast, released in 1990 is interesting in that the Soviet historical era in it ended several years earlier than it actually was. The protagonist of this story, a former Afghan warrior Savely Govorkov, is fighting alone against an entire gang. And he emerges victorious in this battle.
He sweeps away everything that gets in his way, including prison bars and barbed wire. The action takes place in full accordance with all the canons of the Hollywood Western. It is hard to believe that the film directed by Alexander Muratov, nicknamed the Beast, was shot back in the Soviet Union. The leading roles in it were noted by such stars as Dmitry Pevtsov, Boris Shcherbakov and Armen Dzhigarkhanyan.
"The escape". TV series by American standards
In world cinema, it is not exceptional that a film or an entire series is shot on the basis of an existing work. Sometimes this is done even without changing the name of the original source. Released on television in 2012, “Escape” is a series of exactly this format. It is an arrangement of the American television product of the same name. The plot is based on the story of two brothers, immigrants from the social lower classes. By the will of circumstances, they find themselves involved in a powerful whirlwind of criminal and political intrigue.
The maelstrom of events brings the heroes behind the barbed wire. The action of the film is quite dynamic and does not allow the viewer to relax. Everything corresponds to the laws of the genre, it's just hard to say - whose merit is in this. Authors of adaptation? Or an American source? This work is among the unfinished. Announced its continuation. It is possible that in the new season she will sparkle with new unexpected colors. The potential for this has not yet been exhausted.
Incomplete series
Viewers of the series "Special Purpose Prison", which was released in 2006, are still waiting for its continuation. Events are perceived as not quite completed. The action in the film takes place in the harsh northern region, within the walls of the former monastery. There is the only prison in Russia for pardoned killers. In conflict with the bandits planning to escape, the Orthodox priest, Father Paul, comes into contact with whom the monastic status does not allow taking up arms. And successfully copes with its superior evil powers many times over. In this the priest was helped by the combat experience acquired in his youth in Afghanistan.
Particularly vivid script or directorial decisions, as well as acting, this film is not marked. There is no information about its possible continuation.
Stamp set
The recently shown series "Citizen Boss" did not become a highlight. The film is based on the film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Faina Samoilova. His plot is just as pretentious, so simple.
A high school police teacher Irina learns that her lover has been arrested on false charges. Soon he was sentenced, and a brave woman, having quit her prestigious job in Moscow, rushed to rescue him from captivity. The events of the film do not give the impression of reliability, and the performers of the main roles, perhaps, themselves do not believe in what they portray. However, this is not unusual. The same can be said of most regular television series. The impression is made. that they are stamped on one conveyor by screenwriters, actors and directors who are not coming to consciousness.
Some conclusions about what you see on the screen
There is not the slightest opportunity to list all Russian films about the zone and the prison within the framework of one article. Their list is constantly growing. And not only in length, due to the appearance of new works in it, but also in breadth - the continuation of successful work has long been a good tradition. To this end, even special terms have been invented - "sequel" and "prequel." The latter means that the action of this film precedes the one that became famous. But if you make a list of the three best Russian films on prison subjects, then it will look like this:
- "In the first circle."
- "Zone".
- "The escape".
Of course, any such lists are very arbitrary and always subjective.