Igor Alejnikov & Gleb Alejnikov – Tractors and other shorts (1984

From an article by Natasha Drucbek-Meyer:

Quote:
Russian Parallel Cinema is a unique tradition. It appeared in the Soviet Union in the beginning of the 80s and existed as if there were no strong system of official film. It appeared when world experimental film had 50 years history, but never gave a glance at it.

In the end of the 80s, Parallel Cinema came into fashion, as a part of underground culture. The next decade started with strong desire to bury it, as a part of perestroika fashion. Today the third generation of Parallel Cinema is active. <…>

Social identification of the Parallel Cinema group of film and video makers started in underground and close to CINE FANTOM (historically incorrect name) magazine, the first and only Russian independent selfprinted magazine devoted to cinema. It was founded in Moscow in 1986 by Igor Aleinikov and existed until 1991.

In 1987 the first CINE FANTOM festival was held in Moscow. Since 1995 the CINE FANTOM club exists. If you type you”ll find the CINE FANTOM site. If you type in net search “Russian film”, you”ll find the CINE FANTOM site again.

A Revolutionary Sketch
07:36, USSR, 1987, by Igor und Gleb Aleinikov.
Language: Russian
Subtitles: English burned in.

Tractors
16 mm, 12:10, USSR 1987, by Igor und Gleb Aleinikov.
Language: Russian
Subtitles: None

In 1980 the power of the Soviet tractor engines amounted to 497 million horse power. Who is to be surprised that this industrial achievement induced the most important methaphor. The tractor is being associated with earth and people. “The myth that the drivers of tractors possess an extraordinary potency arises among female persons” (film text). What do female drivers of tractors think about it in the country of the functional emancipation?

The Cruel Illness Of Men
16 mm, 09:58, USSR 1987 by Igor und Gleb Aleinikov.
Language: None

The dance of technology, militarism, progress credibility and ideology is to be attributed to masculine authoritative thinking. Romantic abandoned industry aesthetics symbolize the civilisation decline and the human disdain. Being shown “Pictures of this world” a naive spectator falls a victim of a metaphoric homosexual rape.

Metastases
16 mm, 16;01, USSR 1984, by Igor und Gleb Aleinikov.
Language: None

The compiled documentary material from educational cultural and TV films shows a Soviet tradition and reveals its decadence and the ideology in every day life. A montage which reminds of the one of Eisenstein confronts the sequences with a sound collage which elevate the culture critical tenor to a derision.