Pithy Polemics
Monkish Memoranda
Ostrov
Andrei Rublev
Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible Part I
100
His letter accused the tsar of over-reaching his power, committing sacrilege, and failing to appreciate his generals.
Who is Prince Andrei Kurbsky?
100
The chronicles.
What are the records of each year's events as kept by various monasteries, our only record of Russian history written by Russians during the medieval period.
100
http://www.almanarah.net/images/film-ostrov%20(3).jpg The main character's choice to live in the boiler room may be motivated by its resemblance to this.
What is hell?
100
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lF2IVPtGMXw/S6fsYNjZOJI/AAAAAAAAAoA/XBtbeZKTq-k/s400/1y1jqh.jpg Early in the film, Andrei Rublev is captured by these fine folks in the middle of their spring festival. One of their woman has a significant conversation with Rublev about love before she frees him. As she and the others are attacked the next day, he makes no effort to save her.
Who are the pagans?
100
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/P32IflLKomI/0.jpg These two friends attend Ivan's coronation in the film, but begin to turn against him after his wedding.
Who are Kurbsky and Fyodor Kolychev (the guy who becomes a monk)?
200
This curious "Life" mixes the conventions of a typical saints life with extremely colloquial, even vulgar, language in order to turn people against the author's persecutors.
What is The Life of Archpriest Avvakum as Written by Himself?
200
Some scholars say this foundation myth has lead Russians to think of government as a foreign entity to which they have no personal connection, although in actuality it may just be a really blatant case of the victors writing the history books.
What is the Arrival of Riurik and the Foundation of the Russian State?
200
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pu_BlCb8unI/0.jpg This character is torn between his job as head of the monastery and his belief in Anatoly's holiness.
Who is Father Filaret?
200
https://auteursnotebook.s3.amazonaws.com/daily/012110tarkovsky718.jpg This character.
Who is Durochka, the holy fool.
200
http://filmsdefrance.com/img/Ivan_Terrible_One_1.jpg The event happening in this scene.
What is the Russian people's plea for Ivan's return?
300
Like most of the texts in this category, Ivan's response to Kurbsky uses the medieval literary convention of referring back to God to justify one's decision to speak out. But Ivan also uses his opening to justify his position based on this principle.
What is rulership by divine right?
300
This episode, even though it probably has no basis in fact, tries to show that, even though the Rus' were late comers to Christianity, their great cities and cultural traditions had some connection to early Christianity, and had received the blessing of someone who knew Christ.
Why does the Primary Chronicle say the Apostle Andrew visited Russia, gave his blessing to the founding of a city, and went to a bath house?
300
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5UbPXKvlJ_Q/0.jpg Father Anatoly burned boots and drowned a blanket in order to banish these from Father Filaret's life.
What are devils?
300
http://cdn.hometheaterforum.com/d/d0/d0cd390f_htf_imgcache_9970.jpeg This boy is important to the film for these reasons.
--Casting the bell-- art in the service of a higher purpose --Rublev recovering his sense of purpose and willingness to create. --the cost of art to the artist.
300
Ivan, Efrosinia, Anastasia, and Malyuta are costumed and choreographed in such a way as to evoke these symbolic animals. (guess at least two)
Eagle = Ivan, Efrosinia = snake, Anastasia = swan, Malyuta = dog
400
According to John of Damascus, the veneration and creation of icons cannot be wrong because God had created this.
What is the icon of flesh (Christ)?
400
The first text, although written long after the events and including several factual errors, reports on the battle with little ornamentation. The second text seems to be more familiar with the facts of the event, but relates the text in a stylized manner that refers to oral, pseudo-secular texts like the Lay of Igor's Campaign and the Byliny.
What is the difference between the style of Battle on the River Kalka and The Destruction of Riazan?
400
http://photoload.ru/data/6d/ae/88/6dae88b09afd46f9b092b80352752dd1.jpg This feeling shapes Father Anatoly and Father Iov's relationship. This was why Cain killed Abel.
What is jealousy?
400
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3473/3205920304_72f53e39a7.jpg This famous icon painter debates art, humanity, and the last judgement with Andrei Rublev. While they are colleagues and Andrei learns from him, they disagree in significant ways.
Who is Theofanes the Greek?
400
Eisenstein's use of space, shadows, strange body postures and costuming refers back to this experimental school of early cinema and this Russian sacred art form.
What are icons and German Expressionist cinema?
500
One is actually directed religious feeling and praise towards something. The other is a ritual directed at an object meant to express that religious feeling of praise. John of Damascus uses this distinction to justify the use icons.
What are worship and veneration?
500
This event marks the starting point for the calendar used in the chronicles. (Bonus points if you know WHY they start from this date)
What is the Great Flood (Noah)?
500
http://www.kinokultura.com/2007/stills/15/ostrov2.jpg Father Iov disapproved of Anatoly's final burial wishes for this reason.
What is hubris? Even Saints have coffins.
500
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O5gIbeIVSlw/Sg2hc6lvlhI/AAAAAAAAHF0/vu2y27s23cA/s400/8019704b.jpg This monk flees an attack by the joined forces of these two groups, who are responsible for much of the violence in the film.
Who are the Mongols and the Boyars and Princes who have sided with them.
500
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SPYL8UC1UCY/TCh9WRQ8jMI/AAAAAAAAC60/D0T4XaU9oE0/s1600/Ivan+the+Terrible,+Part+One+(1944).JPG This scene uses props and shadows to signify this.
What is Ivan the myth overshadowing both Ivan the man and the world (in the form of the globe)? Also, Ivan's growing potential as a threat against the boyars.
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