Kino: A History of the Russian and Soviet Film

by Jay Leyda

This history of the turbulent destiny of Kino (film in Russian) documents the artistic development of the Russian and Soviet cinema and traces its growth from 1896 to the death of Sergei Eisenstein in 1948. The new Postscript surveys the directions taken by Soviet cinema since the end of World War II. Beginning with the Lumiere filming of the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II, Jay Leyda links Russia's pre-Revolutionary past with its Communist present through the observation of a major cultural phenomenon: the evolution of the Soviet film as an artistic and political instrument. The book contains 150 drawings and photographs and five appendices, including a list of selected Russian and Soviet films from 1907 to the present.

Genres: Film, History, Russia, Nonfiction, Cultural

584 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Jay Leyda was an American avant-garde filmmaker and film historian, noted for his work on U.S, Soviet and Chinese Cinema. His The Melville Log (1951) was a day to day compilation of documents which he had painstakingly collected on the life of Herman Melville. He was a member of the Workers Film and Photo League in the early 1930s. He participated in the filming of Sergei Eisenstein's lost film Bezhin Meadow (1935–37).[1] In the 1940s he translated Eisenstein's writings.
He was awarded the Eastman Kodak Gold Medal Award in 1984.

Reviews

[Ethan Everhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has absolutely fascinating things to say from 1910 until 1930; after this it suffers for the author's inclusion of his own journals and interactions with Eisenstein. I understand why he did that: he had a very unique perspective on the "front lines," but his adoration of Eisenstein borders on hagiography.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this for a Russian Film class. It was very illuminating and I reccomend it for film lovers. It's out of print so you have to get it used (try abebooks.com).

[Sinan Öner]

Jay Leyda, one of the best historians of 20. Century Cinema, is one of the best witness of history of Soviet Cinema, we can see in his work: "Kino: A History of the Russian and Soviet Film, with a New Postscript and a Filmography Brought Up to the Present". Jay Leyda explains the history of Russian-Soviet Cinema completely with detailed documents, photographs, notes - to describe the sources, development, questions, solutions, technical tools of Russian-Soviet Cinema Industry in the 20. Century. Jay Leyda's "Kino" is the summary of Russian-Soviet Cinema since Lenin to Andropov who governed the Soviet Union. Jay Leyda shows the differences between Western Cinema and Soviet Cinema comparatively, objectively, without to see the technical, artistic, cinematographic powers of Soviet Cinema. Jay Leyda's "Kino" can help to students to comprehense all the picture of 20. Century Russian-Soviet Cinema - to produce the new films with the consciousness of past cinema work.

[Juniper Danielsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skipped ober a few sections/topics that i have already been abundantly familiarized with in film classes from the past, however out of the three Kino Pravda books ive read this was by far the most in depth and well written. I was rarely bored or confused and had a lot pieces of timelines come together that otherwise have felt a bit disconnected in my previous knowledge of this movement. Definitely will use as a reference for the rest of the forseeable future of Soviet film interest.

[Mary Billyou · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the index, there is an article by Maxim Gorky reviewing the first screening of the Lumiere Bros. movies in Russia.

[Al Capwned · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough, detailed and exceptionally well-written, this book is perfect for anyone who wants to know more about russian and especially soviet cinema.