THE SHOOTING PARTY

USSR, 1978, 105 minutes, Colour.
Galina Belyayeva, Oleg Yankovsky.
Directed by Emile Loteanu.

The Shooting Party is one of several films made by the Russians from stories by Anton Chekhov. Another film in the same vein of the late '70s was Unfinished Piece For A Player Piano. There have been Russian and international versions of Chekhov's plays - Sidney Lumet's The Seagull - 1969, Laurence Olivier's The Three Sisters - 1970. Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard have also been made. This film is based on a period novel by Chekhov. The Russian style is to re-create the atmosphere in excellent visuals, introduce the characters, make them interact in intense ways. The themes then emerge with emotional and dramatic impact. This film is a picture of human relationships of love and hate, violence, guilt and expiation. It is a very interesting example of Russian film-making of the '70s.

1. The appeal of the film for a Russian audience, international audience? Russian style, quality? The contrast with versions of Chekhov from American and British film makers?

2. The popularity of Chekhov- his view of human nature, of Russia? His period, manners of the time, a way and style of life? Chekhov and his powers of observation, insight into human nature? Why filmed by Russians in the '70s?

3. The quality of the acting, colour photography, use of locations, sets and decor - period? Music?

4. The adaptation of Chekhov's novels and stories to the screen? As different from adaptations of his plays? How well does Chekhov adapt to the screen?

5, The significance of the title? The focus on the group - the solidarity of friends, hunting, the violence in shooting? The original story was called A Hunting Accident. The differing focuses of the titles?

6. The structure of the film: the story being taken to the printer, questions of publication, the reading of the story and the unfolding of the plot, the revelation of the guilt? The memory aspects of the screenplay, its observation of characters and situations, aid to audience understanding the characters and motives, evil and guilt, love and hate, expiation? The audience's emotional response to the story and to the revelation?

7. The focus on Olenka - an attractive girl, her situation, life in the forest, her father? The count's household and the possibility of escape? The attentions of the various meen? Olenka's decision to marry - to escape, the motivation of love? Jealousies around her, her playing with situations and exploiting her suitors? Her affairs? How inevitable was her death? How responsible was she for her own death? Was the audience attracted to her as much as the three men - in order to understand their motivation?

8. The count and his household - the observation of manners of the period, the behaviour of the aristocrats, wealth, parties, drinking, entertainment? Hunting? A situation for such violence?

9. The three men and their attitudes - their occupations, prestige? The differentiation of the three men - the count, the keeper of the count's estate, the magistrate? The irony of the guilt of the magistrate? Olenka and her playing with these men - the drunken count and his presumption, her husband and his love and yet his being blamed, the magistrate and his deception?

10. The supporting characters and their illustrating the way of life, the women in the household, the various daily incidents?

11. The banquets, the dancing sequences, the outdoors, the lake sequences?

12. The build-up to the shooting party, the hunting, the death of Olenka - the hunting as an occasion for the violence to Olenka? The symbolism of the hunt?

13. The aftermath of her death - the blaming of her husband? The repercussions on the count? The magistrate and his silence? His decision to write the story?

14. The universal values in this story of human nature and interaction? The insight given by the Russian setting?