1612 (film)
Encyclopedia
1612 is a 2007 Russian
historical fantasy film
about the Time of Troubles
and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth–Muscovite War (1605–1618). It was directed by Vladimir Khotinenko
and produced by Nikita Mikhalkov
. The film was released on November 1, 2007, to coincide with the celebrations of National Unity Day
on November 4 that marks the expulsion of Polish troops
from Moscow.
, a period of civil disorder, famine and foreign invasion that followed the fall of the Rurik dynasty
, which had ruled Russia in various capacities from 862 to 1598. The protagonist, Andrey, had been a servant at Tsar Boris Godunov
's court while he was a boy, where he became the sole witness to the murder of the tsar's family by the order of plotting boyars. Andrey is sold to slavery. Now, seven years later, he is bought by a Spanish mercenary, Alvaro Borja, who seeks to profit over this war by fighting for the Polish army. The company falls prey to a band of robbers and Alvaro is killed. Andrey and his friend Kostka know that serfs without a master are considered like runaways and will be hanged. Andrey disguises himself in his dead master's clothes and assumes his name, taking the guise of a "Spanish knight."
Andrey is hired by the Polish Lord Osina, who wants to capture Moscow and use Princess Xenia Godunova to raise himself to the Crown. As they approach a city, Andrey protects a Russian girl from the Polish soldiers. Andrey's true identity is discovered and he is arrested. Kostka however frees Andrey and steals Princess Xenia (she drank sleeping medicine) and with the help of his Russian girlfriend, they sneak over to the Russian garrison. Unfortunately the Russians tell them that Prince Dmitri Pozharsky had led most of the troops to Moscow with all the city cannons. Andrey then makes a cannon of leather. At dawn, the Polish army demands the city's surrender. Andrey fires a hot cannonball into the Polish ammunition storage. It explodes and kills most of the Polish army. The next day, more Polish arrive and they attack the city, but the Russians hold firm. Osina orders all the cannon on the gate breaking a way into the city. Meanwhile Andrey moves their cannon off the wall and to the gate. The Husaria begin to charge. Andrey loads a chain shot into the cannon and they fire as the enemy closes, decapitating the Polish Hussars. The gate collapses and the rest begin to flee. Osina calls Andrey to negotiations, saying that if Xenia does not come out herself, he will kill her daughter. Andrey himself leads her out of the city.
Soon Andrey joins the Russians at Moscow. The Battle for Moscow lasts for three days. The Polish flee in defeat. Osina is captured. Andrey calls him to a duel. They fight and Andrey kills Osina. The Russian nobles are angry at Xenia because she was with Osina. They send her to live in a monastery. Soon a new Czar is elected, Michael Romanov, whose dynasty rules Russia for the next 300 years.
s. According to the anti-Putin opposition coalition The Other Russia, "most of the history [in the film] has been diluted beyond recognition". The movie takes artistic licence with real events, e.g. contrary to historical fact, Polish troops are thrown back from Moscow, while they actualy held the city for 2 years. Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky
who were instrumental in organizing the popular uprising that led to the expulsion of Polish-Lithuanian forces, appear only briefly at the movie's conclusion.
. The director, Vladimir Khotinenko, claimed it was made for entertainment purposes as well as to raise awareness of the new holiday among the general public.
International as well as Russian critics suggest that the movie, which was commissioned by the Kremlin, showcases key political ideas pushed by the Kremlin in advance of the parliamentary elections of December 2007: the necessity of strong leadership, the treachery of foreigners, and the importance of patriotism
. The Time of Troubles, as portrayed in the film, represents the last decade of the 20th century, when Russia was a weak, anarchic and criminalised state heavily influenced by the United States. Khotinenko was quoted as saying, "It's important for me that the audience feel pride. That they didn't regard it as something that happened in ancient history but as a recent event. That they felt the link between what happened 400 years ago and today."
Cinema of Russia
The cinema of Russia began in the Russian Empire, widely developed under the Soviet and in the years following the fall of the Soviet system, the Russian film industry would remain internationally recognised...
historical fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
about the Time of Troubles
Time of Troubles
The Time of Troubles was a period of Russian history comprising the years of interregnum between the death of the last Russian Tsar of the Rurik Dynasty, Feodor Ivanovich, in 1598, and the establishment of the Romanov Dynasty in 1613. In 1601-1603, Russia suffered a famine that killed one-third...
and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth–Muscovite War (1605–1618). It was directed by Vladimir Khotinenko
Vladimir Khotinenko
Vladimir Ivanovich Khotinenko is a Russian actor, film director and designer.-Biography:In 1976, he received his diploma from the Institute of Architecture of Sverdlovsk, in what is now Ekaterinburg...
and produced by Nikita Mikhalkov
Nikita Mikhalkov
Nikita Sergeyevich Mikhalkov is a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, actor, and head of the Russian Cinematographers' Union.Mikhalkov was born in Moscow into the distinguished, artistic Mikhalkov family. His great grandfather was the imperial governor of Yaroslavl, whose mother was a Galitzine princess...
. The film was released on November 1, 2007, to coincide with the celebrations of National Unity Day
Unity Day (Russia)
Unity Day, Day of People’s Unity or National Unity Day was celebrated in the Russian Empire until 1917 and in Russia from 2005. Held on November 4 , it commemorates the popular uprising which expelled the Polish-Lithuanian occupation force from Moscow in November 1612, and more generally the end...
on November 4 that marks the expulsion of Polish troops
Polish Hussars
The Polish Hussars were the main type of cavalry of the first Polish Army, later also introduced into the Army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, between the 16th and 18th centuries...
from Moscow.
Plot
The film is set in Russia during the Time of TroublesTime of Troubles
The Time of Troubles was a period of Russian history comprising the years of interregnum between the death of the last Russian Tsar of the Rurik Dynasty, Feodor Ivanovich, in 1598, and the establishment of the Romanov Dynasty in 1613. In 1601-1603, Russia suffered a famine that killed one-third...
, a period of civil disorder, famine and foreign invasion that followed the fall of the Rurik dynasty
Rurik Dynasty
The Rurik dynasty or Rurikids was a dynasty founded by the Varangian prince Rurik, who established himself in Novgorod around the year 862 AD...
, which had ruled Russia in various capacities from 862 to 1598. The protagonist, Andrey, had been a servant at Tsar Boris Godunov
Boris Godunov
Boris Fyodorovich Godunov was de facto regent of Russia from c. 1585 to 1598 and then the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. The end of his reign saw Russia descend into the Time of Troubles.-Early years:...
's court while he was a boy, where he became the sole witness to the murder of the tsar's family by the order of plotting boyars. Andrey is sold to slavery. Now, seven years later, he is bought by a Spanish mercenary, Alvaro Borja, who seeks to profit over this war by fighting for the Polish army. The company falls prey to a band of robbers and Alvaro is killed. Andrey and his friend Kostka know that serfs without a master are considered like runaways and will be hanged. Andrey disguises himself in his dead master's clothes and assumes his name, taking the guise of a "Spanish knight."
Andrey is hired by the Polish Lord Osina, who wants to capture Moscow and use Princess Xenia Godunova to raise himself to the Crown. As they approach a city, Andrey protects a Russian girl from the Polish soldiers. Andrey's true identity is discovered and he is arrested. Kostka however frees Andrey and steals Princess Xenia (she drank sleeping medicine) and with the help of his Russian girlfriend, they sneak over to the Russian garrison. Unfortunately the Russians tell them that Prince Dmitri Pozharsky had led most of the troops to Moscow with all the city cannons. Andrey then makes a cannon of leather. At dawn, the Polish army demands the city's surrender. Andrey fires a hot cannonball into the Polish ammunition storage. It explodes and kills most of the Polish army. The next day, more Polish arrive and they attack the city, but the Russians hold firm. Osina orders all the cannon on the gate breaking a way into the city. Meanwhile Andrey moves their cannon off the wall and to the gate. The Husaria begin to charge. Andrey loads a chain shot into the cannon and they fire as the enemy closes, decapitating the Polish Hussars. The gate collapses and the rest begin to flee. Osina calls Andrey to negotiations, saying that if Xenia does not come out herself, he will kill her daughter. Andrey himself leads her out of the city.
Soon Andrey joins the Russians at Moscow. The Battle for Moscow lasts for three days. The Polish flee in defeat. Osina is captured. Andrey calls him to a duel. They fight and Andrey kills Osina. The Russian nobles are angry at Xenia because she was with Osina. They send her to live in a monastery. Soon a new Czar is elected, Michael Romanov, whose dynasty rules Russia for the next 300 years.
Historical accuracy
The film is based on historical events and includes some fictional elements, like unicornUnicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
s. According to the anti-Putin opposition coalition The Other Russia, "most of the history [in the film] has been diluted beyond recognition". The movie takes artistic licence with real events, e.g. contrary to historical fact, Polish troops are thrown back from Moscow, while they actualy held the city for 2 years. Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky
Dmitry Pozharsky
For the ship of the same name, see Sverdlov class cruiserDmitry Mikhaylovich Pozharsky was a Rurikid prince, who led Russia's struggle for independence against Polish-Lithuanian invasion known as the Time of Troubles...
who were instrumental in organizing the popular uprising that led to the expulsion of Polish-Lithuanian forces, appear only briefly at the movie's conclusion.
Controversy
Critics of the Kremlin have compared it to Soviet propaganda. Questions were raised about the alleged anti-Polonism of the movie, but the film's director, interviewed in the Polish as well as Russian press, stressed that the movie was in no way intended to defame PolesPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
. The director, Vladimir Khotinenko, claimed it was made for entertainment purposes as well as to raise awareness of the new holiday among the general public.
International as well as Russian critics suggest that the movie, which was commissioned by the Kremlin, showcases key political ideas pushed by the Kremlin in advance of the parliamentary elections of December 2007: the necessity of strong leadership, the treachery of foreigners, and the importance of patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
. The Time of Troubles, as portrayed in the film, represents the last decade of the 20th century, when Russia was a weak, anarchic and criminalised state heavily influenced by the United States. Khotinenko was quoted as saying, "It's important for me that the audience feel pride. That they didn't regard it as something that happened in ancient history but as a recent event. That they felt the link between what happened 400 years ago and today."