Russia 1985–1999: TraumaZone
| Russia 1985–1999: TraumaZone | |
|---|---|
| File:Russia 1985-1999 TraumaZone title card screenshot.jpg Title card from episode 1 | |
| Also known as | Russia 1985–1999: TraumaZone: What It Felt Like to Live Through The Collapse of Communism and Democracy |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Created by | Adam Curtis |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Rose Garnett |
| Producer | Sandra Gorel |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company | BBC Film |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC iPlayer |
| Original release | 13 October 2022 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Can't Get You Out of My Head (TV series) (2021) |
Russia 1985–1999: TraumaZone (subtitled in promotional media as What It Felt Like to Live Through The Collapse of Communism and Democracy) is a seven-part BBC documentary television series created by Adam Curtis. It was released on BBC iPlayer on 13 October 2022.
Background
Previously unutilised archival footage of Russian and the Soviet Union from the BBC's Moscow bureau was unearthed and digitised by a BBC employee. Adam Curtis appeared to be the only person within the BBC interested in using the footage.[1] In a departure from his usual style, Curtis opted not to use voiceovers or non-diegetic music.[2][1] Curtis, in a piece in The Guardian, explained this choice was because the footage was "so strong that I didn’t want to intrude pointlessly, but rather let viewers simply experience what was happening".[3]
Premise
Using stock footage shot by the BBC, the series chronicles the collapse of the Soviet Union, the rise of capitalist Russia and its oligarchs, and the effects of this on Russian people of all levels of society, leading to the rise to power of Vladimir Putin. Unusually for Curtis, the series employs no voiceover narration or music, with the only commentary made via on-screen captions.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Part One: 1985–1989" | 60 min | |
| Perestroika. The dream of saving communism. But no-one believes in anything any longer. The managers loot the system. Soldiers return defeated in the war to liberate Afghanistan. Includes footage from the AvtoVAZ factory in Togliatti, the funeral of Kim Philby and the April 9 tragedy anti-Soviet demonstrations in Tbilisi. | |||
| 2 | "Part Two: 1989–1991" | 60 min | |
| There are no potatoes in Moscow. Things get worse. Then they get much worse as the rational Communist plan runs out of control everywhere. But McDonald’s opens in Moscow. | |||
| 3 | "Part Three: 1991" | 60 min | |
| The empire strikes back. Hardliners attempt a coup. Power slips through their shaking hands. Oligarchs publish a manifesto. Money will replace all ideology. Yeltsin seizes power. | |||
| 4 | "Part Four: 1992–1994" | 60 min | |
| Russia goes through the mirror into a chaotic dream world where nothing is stable any more. Dream visions of Russia's imperial past start to rise up. People cannot afford food. | |||
| 5 | "Part Five: 1993–1996" | 60 min | |
| Russian society implodes. Millions of people fall into the abyss. Many live underground or in forests. The president attacks parliament with tanks saying he is saving democracy. | |||
| 6 | "Part Six: 1994–1998" | 60 min | |
| Yeltsin believes a war in Chechnya will save him. The oligarchs seize control of practically everything. In the upside down world gangsters become heroes for defending democracy. | |||
| 7 | "Part Seven: 1995–1999" | 60 min | |
| Suddenly the western bankers leave. Oligarchs take control and search for a new president to be their puppet. They choose Putin. Russians turn against “the curse of democracy". | |||
Critical reception
The series received critical acclaim. The Guardian gave the series five stars, calling it "ingenious, essential viewing".[4] Writing for the Financial Times, Dan Einav said "Russia 1985–1999 TraumaZone is unmistakably an Adam Curtis documentary. And an exceptional one at that."[5]
References
- ^ a b Gray, John (18 October 2022). "Adam Curtis's magic lantern through Russia". New Statesman. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- ^ Whyman, Tom (14 October 2022). "Adam Curtis's 'TraumaZone' Needs More Adam Curtis". artreview.com. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- ^ Curtis, Adam (12 October 2022). "'They are stealing Russia': Adam Curtis on how hyper-capitalism wrecked a nation – and why Liz Truss must take heed". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- ^ Jeffries, Stuart (13 October 2022). "Russia 1985–1999: TraumaZone review – ingenious, essential viewing from Adam Curtis". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- ^ Einav, Dan (10 October 2022). "Russia 1985–1999 TraumaZone — Adam Curtis's exceptional collage of conflict and collapse". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 October 2022.