9 Soviet films that are loved abroad

1. Moscow does not believe in tears

USSR, 1979.
Drama, comedy.
Duration: 150 minutes.
IMDb: 8, 1.

“Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears” is a story about three girls from the provinces who came to Moscow in search of happiness. The film conquered foreign critics and ordinary viewers with its vitality: the problems and experiences of the heroines were familiar and understandable, despite the difference between the USSR and the West.

The scriptwriter of the film, Valentin Chernykh, was repeatedly asked to work on a remake of the film. But he constantly refused, because he did not believe in a successful result.

Probably, the first wave of popularity for the tape of Vladimir Menshov was brought by the Oscar for the best foreign film, which the picture received in 1981. A new stream of viewers came in 1985 thanks to the "advertisement" from Ronald Reagan: the president said that before meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev he had watched the film eight times. So he wanted to understand the mysterious Russian soul, but he failed.

2. White sun of the desert

USSR, 1969.
Action, drama.
Duration: 84 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 9.

The main character of the film, the Red Army soldier Fyodor Sukhov, walks home through the desert and accidentally meets commander Rakhimov. He asks Sukhov to guard the wives of the bandit Abdullah. The hero enters into a confrontation with the Basmachi.

"White Sun of the Desert" did not hit the wide screen in the West, while there they still know about it. The tape by Vladimir Motyl is primarily known for its genre. "White Sun of the Desert" - Eastern: this is the name of films from Eastern Europe, filmed according to the canons of Westerns.

"White sun of the desert" can also be called "borsch-western" - this is an Eastern that tells about the events of the civil war.

Also, many foreigners are familiar with catch phrases from the film, including "The east is a delicate matter".

3. Kin-dza-dza

USSR, 1986.
Science fiction, comedy.
Duration: 135 minutes.
IMDb: 8, 1.

"Mad Max meets Monty Python with a touch of Tarkovsky." So "Kin-dza-dza!" described in 2016 in the British online publication Little White Lies.

Georgy Danelia's fantastic comedy about two earthlings who unexpectedly found themselves on the planet Plyuk attracted Western audiences with its dystopian nature. In reviews on the IMDb website, foreigners write about a wonderful acting game and a fascinating plot, call the film a smart comedy and even compare it "Kin-dza-dza!" with Star Wars.

4. Cranes are flying

USSR, 1957.
Military, melodrama.
Duration: 95 minutes.
IMDb: 8, 3.

Shot from the movie "The Cranes Are Flying"

The Cranes Are Flying is the only Soviet film to feature The Golden Palm. The film managed to win the jury of the Cannes Film Festival primarily due to the dramatic plot and atypical main character.

The film tells about a young couple - Boris and Veronica. They dreamed of getting married, but the plans were interrupted by the war. Boris went to the front, and Veronica first lived with her parents, and then after their tragic death she moved to the house of her fiancé. After the letters from Boris stopped coming, Veronica married his cousin.

The award in Cannes was also received by the actress Tatyana Samoilova, who played the brave and daring Veronica. After her role in "The Cranes Are Flying," she was offered a job in Hollywood - she was invited to play Anna Karenina, but she was not released from the USSR. Also "The Cranes Are Flying" is famous for its innovative camera work.

5. Solaris

USSR, 1972.
Science fiction, drama.
Duration: 169 minutes.
IMDb: 8, 1.

This list can safely include not only Solaris, but all other films by Andrei Tarkovsky. He can be called one of the most recognizable and most cited Soviet directors: references to the master's works can be found in Lars von Trier, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu and others. In 2018, the Oxford Dictionary even added the word "tarkovskian", that is, "in the spirit of Tarkovskiy."

"Solaris" is a screen version of the science fiction novel of the same name by Stanislav Lem about astronauts who cannot cope with the mystery of a mysterious planet. In 1972, the film won the Grand Prix of the Cannes Film Festival and a Palme d'Or nomination. Also, Tarkovsky's work took 68th place in the "Top-100 Best Films of World Cinema" according to Empire magazine. And in 2002, a remake of the film was directed by Steven Soderbergh.

6. Stalker

USSR, 1979.
Science fiction, drama.
Duration: 163 minutes.
IMDb: 8, 2.

Another cult film by Andrei Tarkovsky, based on the story of the Strugatsky brothers "Roadside Picnic". "Stalker" combines a fantasy script and philosophical reflections. In the Forbidden Zone, there is a secret room that can fulfill any desire. The main character Stalker knows how to get to it: he leads to the place of the Writer and the Professor.

Stalker was ranked 29th in the British Film Institute's Top 100 Best Films of All Time. It also has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Movie references can be heard in songs, movies, TV shows and music videos such as The Prodigy's "Breath" video.

7. Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath

USSR, 1975.
Melodrama, comedy.
Duration: 184 minutes.
IMDb: 8, 1.

Still from the film "The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!"

"Harry Potter", "Rambo", "The Terminator" and the main New Year comedy of the USSR have their own Bollywood remake. In the Indian version of Eldar Ryazanov's film, the main character also confuses cities and instead of New Delhi flies to New York.

In The Irony of Fate, foreign and domestic viewers see either a light romantic film or a comedy with a social connotation. Many people think that Ryazanov, in his film, covertly criticized the same type of Soviet development.

8. Ballad of a soldier

USSR, 1959.
Drama, military.
Duration: 89 minutes.
IMDb: 8, 2.

Soviet Films Abroad: "The Ballad of a Soldier"

The Ballad of a Soldier hit Western cinemas in 1960, during the thaw. The film conquered the audience with its strong plot and powerful technical part. Laudatory reviews were written on the tape of Grigory Chukhrai, including in The New York Times: they especially noted the cinematography and plot development, as well as the acting work of Vladimir Ivashov and Zhanna Prokhorenko.

The Ballad of the Soldier has earned not only the love of the audience, but also nominations for the most prestigious film awards, including Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars and Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. But the tape received only one prize - "Best Film" at the BAFTA in 1962: it is noteworthy that the film was generally recognized as the best, not the best among foreign ones.

9. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson

USSR, 1979-1986.
Detective, crime.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 8, 9.

Soviet films abroad: "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson"

There are many well-known English-language adaptations of the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, and, accordingly, of his Holmes, abroad. But the Soviet mini-series is also loved abroad, especially in Great Britain. The performer of the role of Sherlock Vasily Livanov has an Order of the British Empire, and his wax figure is also in the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London.

Also in 2017, New Zealand minted collectible silver coins for the 120th anniversary of the publication of the first work about Sherlock Holmes. They are engraved with images of Livanov, Solomin and other actors from the Soviet series.

All films from our selection can be found in the MegaFon TV online cinema. And if you want more, the service will offer 1,250 exciting TV series and 6,000 films for every taste.