THE BODYGUARD (TELOKHRANITEL)
USSR, 1979, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ali Khamrayev.
The Bodyguard is an entertaining film, somewhat difficult to follow for an audience not familiar with aspects of Russian and Afghanistan history. The film gradually explains its characters and its plot as it unfolds.
The film is beautifully photographed and capitalises on the grandeur of scenery in Eastern Russia and Afghanistan. There is a range of seasons, a range of desert and mountain locations. The colour photography is superb. The period is exotic - the early twenties and the civil wars in the republics of Middle Asia. While the emphasis is on adventure, there is a strong propaganda vein throughout the film, especially at the end. The treatment is ultra-heroic - perhaps in the heroic styles of the setting of the film. However, it is very reminiscent of the heroic westerns with literal cliffhangers. This adds to the enjoyment although not to the plausibility of the film. It is certainly an example of a different kind of Russian film, from the adaptations of their classic literature or to contemporary stories.
1. Russian cinema and its various styles? History, regional interest? the heroic treatment? Ideological background? obtrusive or not?
2. The beauty of the colour photography, the sepia effects and the action sequences? The heroic score?
3. The historical perspectives? The Republics of Middle Asia? The Asian way of life and the influence of the Russians? Civil war, the Russian revolution, the armies? The ideological reaction to the Republics falling, and becoming the Soviet Union?
4. The background of the military situation, power struggles? A transition from 10th century Republics to the Soviet Union?
5. The Sultan and his daughter in themselves, guarded by the Red army, the transfer and its political intent, the power of the Sultan, his severe personality, his daughter and her devotion to him, the devoted cook and other members of the entourage? Fattobek and his power seeking, pressure from his wife, relentless pursuit? The bodyguard and his devotion to getting the Sultan to his destination? The Sultan and his participation in the adventures, his hostility, the physical demands of his illness, Fattobek taking his power from him, the struggle and final rescue? His stubbornness and finally giving in? His future in the Soviet Union?
6. The heroic body guard, his mountain background, his skills, helping the Sultan through so many adventures, capacity for endurance, the imprisonment, destruction of the snake, the final rescue of the Sultan especially across the cliff, the final fight with Fattobek? The ideological ending and his future?
7. Kova and his mountain background, the enthusiastic young guide, participation in the adventures? Loyalty to Larzo? The other members of the group? their trials on the mountains?
8. Fattobek and his power seeking, his wife as a sorceress, her capacity for prophecy? The iconic way in which she was presented? The relentless pursuit, the first failure? Fattobek's cruelty to his own group? The capture and imprisonment? The final pursuit and relentlessness? The fight to the death?
9. The pictures of the soldiers, common people? Action, suffering? The group rescuing the Sultan by masquerading as clowns? The sorcerer trying to heal the Sultan? A flavour of the Asian area of the action of the film?
10. The importance of the atmosphere, the terrain, the remote Republics, the traditions? The emphasis on the Asiatic? religious, superstitious, loyalties?
11. The basic framework of the journey and endurance? Courage?
12. The ultra-heroic presentation? the cliffhanging style? The parallel with the American Westerns? The action adventure, Russian style ?
