America from the Russian perspective

[Jeffrey A. Karlsen]

For the 1920s, you might want to show clips from Lev Kuleshov's film
_Neobyknovennye prikliucheniia Mistera Vesta v strane bol'shevikov_ and
read excerpts from Marietta Shaginian's (pseud. Dzhim Dollar) serial novel
_Miss Mend_.  For the debate on American influence on Soviet film, there's
Kuleshov's classic manifesto, "Amerikanshchina," translated in _Kuleshov on
Film_.  You might also find Jeffrey Brooks' article on images of America in
the press in the 20s-30s useful, in Fitzpatrick et al., ed., _Russia in the
era of NEP_ (Bloomington, 1991).  I'm not sure if Mayakovsky's writings on
the US are translated, but of course his poems (e.g. "Brooklyn Bridge")
are.

Jeff Karlsen
UC Berkeley

>I'm trying to put together a syllabus for an interdisciplinary course on
>"America Through Russian Eyes," focusing on the 20th century.  If anyone
>has suggestions for short stories, periodicals, anekdoty, songs, films,
>visual art, etc., etc. that exemplify Russian perspectives on life and
>culture in the U.S., I'd welcome them.
>
>Many thanks,
>
>Margarita Nafpaktitis
>University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
>
>mnafpakt at umich.edu
>ph:  313/213-2127