Editor's Top Picks Following the Footsteps of Rasskaz o semi poveshennykh: Cult Guide

Dir: Pyotr Chardynin

The story and doings of several people belonging to different strata of society and unrelated family - household relationships.

Dir: Pyotr Chardynin

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Potop perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Pyotr Chardynin

Newsreel of the funeral of Russian silent film actress Vera Kholodnaya (1893-1919).

Dir: Pyotr Chardynin

The waiter Antosha is in love with his owner's daughter. This distracts Antosha from work and the owner is going to fire him. The notary appears and informs the owner that Antosha is receiving a large inheritance. He offers the owner to conclude a three-year contract with Antosha. In the event of its early termination, the owner receives a large amount. Something will get, of course, and the notary. Drunk Antosha signs a contract, and the next day he becomes rich. Antosha wants to quit right away, but after getting acquainted with the contract, he remains to work. At night, he leads the luxurious life of a rich man. The owner of the restaurant is trying this way and that to fire Antosha. But he manages not only to avoid being fired, but also to marry his daughter.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Pohorony Very Kholodnoi perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Pyotr Chardynin

The young ballerina Lolla performs in small town. Honorable man Brückk fall in love, and the girl, under pressure from her mother, agrees to marry him. But her boring family life oppresses her, and her dreams of returning to the stage.

Dir: Pyotr Chardynin

A semi-historical drama by Gabriele D'Annunzio.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Drakonovskiy kontrakt perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Pyotr Chardynin

The drama of a young woman - the victim of high-society gossip. The plot is borrowed from the novel by Sergei Fonvizin 'Gossip'.

Dir: William Parke

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Lyubov statskogo sovetnika perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Pyotr Chardynin

Based on the novel of the same name by Ivan Goncharov. The film has been preserved without subtitles.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.