Stalinist Cinema and the Production of History

“This is a major study of the place of Soviet film within the Soviet cultural system. Specialists in the history of Russian film and culture will find it an indispensable resource.”—Jeff Brooks, The Johns Hopkins University

~Jeff Brooks

“This is essential reading for all those interested in Soviet film. Dobrenko with his fresh approach and non-standard mix of examples confounds many of the clichés about the subject.”—Katerina Clark, Yale University

~Katerina Clark

“Professor Dobrenko's absorbing new study of Stalin period cinema shows how films set in the past, from historical epics to versions of literary classics to narratives of the Revolutionary struggle were required to adapt 'history' to the evolving political demands of the present. Witty and nuanced, drawing on a broad range of sources, the book combines unprecedented attention to hitherto neglected films with exciting new insights into classics of Soviet cinema.”—Julian Graffy, University College London

~Julian Graffy

"Dobrenko’s study further serves as a cautionary tale about the uses and abuses of history . . . historians from other fields engaged in questions of how cinema influences the historical record should take note of this book."—Anne Eakin Moss, Journal of Modern History

~Anne Eakin Moss, Journal of Modern History