folklore on film

[Prof Steven P Hill]

Dear colleagues and Prof Kononenko:

In reply to Prof Kononenko's query (attached below),
I think the particular Soviet-era film which is MORE crammed 
with folklore elements than any other is probably Sergei 
Parajanov's [Sergo Paradzhanov's] "Shadows of Forgotten 
Ancestors" (1964).  That much-awarded film, now a classic, 
was loosely based on a Ukrainian book by Ivan Kotsiubyn'skyi 
[appx. transliteration from Ukr.; AKA "Kotsiubinskii" in Russ.],
and was produced by the Ukrainian Dovzhenko Studio. Some 
places in the West it was exhibited under the title "Wild Horses 
of Fire."   Go figure. 
  
"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" was jam-packed with folk 
realia and paraphernalia, costumes, settings, songs and chants,  
rituals, "dialect" speech, supernatural events, sorcery, a riot of 
color and emotion, the whole works.  (Some of which was 
allegedly invented by Parajanov himself, and not very authentic 
"folklore"...) 

I posted a much longer, more detailed reply, probably of interest 
mainly to film scholars, on the SLAVCIN list-server.  If anyone 
cares to go into great detail, on "Shadows" and similar folkloristic
films by Parajanov and his crew (Mykolaichuk and Il'enko), and by 
his possible mentor (Dovzhenko, an early master of film folklore), 
if you ask I'll be glad to refer you to the SLAVCIN address. 

Cheers,
Steven P Hill,
University of Illinois.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ 
          
Date: Sun, 7 May 2006 01:28:49 -0400
From:  <LISTSERV at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>  
Subject: Re: GETPOST SEELANGS 
To: Steven Hill <S-HILL4 at UIUC.EDU> 
Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 16:38:34 -0600
From: nataliek at UALBERTA.CA 
Subject: Query about film 

Dear Colleagues,
I would like some help and guidance.  I am writing a book on Slavic 
Folklore.  One of the chapters has to be on folklore in literature, 
art, film, music.  To help me write this chapter, one of the many 
things I need is a list (or lists) of films: Russian, other Slavic, 
East European.  If I can get a list that actually specifies attempts to 
use folklore elements, that would be wonderful.  If not, I will need to 
rely on my recollection of film content.  Still, having a list would 
get me a whole lot further than I am now.
Natalie Kononenko
Kule Chair of Ukrainian Ethnography
University of Alberta.
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