Plagiarism in the Soviet cinema and music

We have recently published a study Maxim Mirovich dedicated to theft technology in the USSR. Continuing the theme - the story of plagiarism and borrowing, which afforded the Soviet filmmakers and musicians.

Where did come from plagiarism and why it has flourished in Soviet art? The Soviet Union has always been a closed country, 95% of the population have been cut off from the modern world culture and art. At the same time, Soviet filmmakers and composers often went to the overseas tour, where they had access to Western music and films, where do you get new ideas for creativity.

Borrowing in Soviet films

"Prisoner of the Caucasus", 1966 and "Song of a rogue", 1930

In 1966, on the screens of Soviet cinema out comedy directed by Leonid Gaidai "Prisoner of the Caucasus". Great movie, but here's a colorful trio, played Vitsin, Morgunov and Nikulin, very strongly resembles the heroes of American painting "Song of the fraudster."

Similarly, there was also the plot of the film - in the "Songs of a rogue" action takes place in the Caucasus in 1910, where the Russian Egor bandit falls in love with the Princess Vera and decides to kidnap her and his accomplices are the companions of Ali Beck and Beck-Murza. Together the trio falls into various comical situations and, just like Gaidai, singing songs.

However, this case should not be considered plagiarism and soft borrowing, which often happens in art. Gaidai clearly watched "Song fraudster" and took out several coups and images, creating a unique piece.

"Diamond Hand", 1968 and "Beat the first, Freddy", 1965

Another example of borrowing from Hyde - Danish film "Strike first, Freddy," which was filmed three years before "Brilliant hands". He talks about the fun adventures of the men came down from the boat and grasped the spy group, took him for a secret agent. In fact, the main character - the seller of toys, by which he makes a fool of spies.

Echoed many storylines: the ship, bandits, a simpleton, a thug named Colic (y Gaidai - Lelik), phrases in the style of "The chief will not be pleased," fun toys like a yo-the-box, fight in the garage at the end. Here, rather, it is not quite a rip-off - but the debt is already much more, even some of the scenes are similar.

"Heart of a Dog", 1975 and "Heart of a Dog" 1987

The second film in the title - all well-known work Bortko become film classics. Professor Preobrazhensky Quotes ball and known to all. But few know that in some places the film adaptation is very similar to the earlier movies - Italian-German adaptation of Bulgakov's novel, filmed in 1975.

Some staging Bortko practically copied from "Heart of a Dog" in 1975, it seems and color film. Bortkovskaya black and white sepia far removed from the brownish scales Italian-German film.

However, in an earlier film adaptation is full of mistakes, which makes the film somewhat ironic: in the style of make-up from the 1970 Communist twenties, model haircut from commissioners, Russian cook in a German national costume. Look at it without laughter is impossible.

Plagiarism in Soviet music

About movies you can always say that all affect each other, and the big question is, what can be considered plagiarism. But the music - is another matter. She recorded notes, and plagiarism in it, it can be said is verified mathematically. Here are a few examples of how to steal music in the USSR.

Isaac Dunaevskii, "Song of cheerful children" 1934, and the song of the Mexican revolutionaries, La Adelita, 1910-1917 years

Let's start with the earlier examples. Many familiar "Song of cheerful children" Isaac Dunaevsky, which begins with the words "It's easy on the heart of the song fun." By the way, originally it was a song about some bulls and cows, and for the final version of the film altered text that can be seen by the articulation of mismatched singing Utesova.

Now listen to a song Mexican revolutionaries that appeared twenty years earlier. Presumably, Dunaevskii heard a song on the album, brought by filmmakers Aleksandrov and Eisenstein from a trip to Mexico in 1930-31.

Alexander Pakhmutova, "Tenderness", 1965, and Benjamin Britten's "Simple Symphony" 1934

"Tenderness" Alexander Pakhmutova wrote in 1965 to the words of poets and Sergei Grebennikov Nikolay Dobronravov, and one of the first performers became Maya Kristalinskaya.

All anything, but my first solo line was too similar to "Simple Symphony" by the English composer Benjamin Britten, also known as "Sentimental Saraband". Almost one in one of the melody, and even rhythm like "empty without you land ..."

Yan Frenkel, "Waltz of separation", 1965 and "Agony of Love", Fritz Kreisler, 1905

A well-known song "Waltz of separation", which is usually referred to as just "waltz", was written by Jan Frenkel for the film "Women".

Compare with the work of the Austrian violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler, created 60 years earlier.

Edita, "City of Childhood" 1966, and the band The Brouthers Four, Greenfields, 1960

And for dessert. In 1966, Edita sang very beautiful and melodious song called "City of Childhood", which immediately fell in love with Soviet listeners. On the plate, it was stated that the author of music is unknown.