The enigma of the personality cult is revealed in the grand spectacle of Joseph Stalin’s funeral.
Joseph Stalin’s dictatorship and legacy have been scrutinized and analyzed from every angle. Feared and worshiped, loved and loathed, the supreme commander committed atrocities on a gargantuan scale. He also arguably won the war (the big one). It’s that disparity, between pure evil and true patriot, that many a filmmaker has found fascinating, most tending to focus on the former description of the man. Russian documentarian Sergey Loznitsa takes on a different approach: instead of documenting the man, he documents his funeral, via rare archival footage, and with a scornful, condemning eye.
Stalin died from a stroke in the spring of 1953. He was 74 years old. His body was embalmed and interred in Lenin’s Mausoleum. Loznitsa quietly observes people gathered all over the U.S.S.R., listening to the news in shock. In a striking moment, everyone takes off their hats when the newscaster finally stops speaking. Some cry, some seem deeply contemplative. Stalin is mourned, referred to as a “genius.” “We are not embarrassed by our tears,” someone is heard saying. The leader’s painted face is seen in almost every shot. The enormity and extravagance of the whole thing are mind-blowing.
The footage — some black-and-white, some in vibrant color — is brilliantly restored and, especially if you’re a historian, riveting. Out of numerous breathtaking shots, the opening one may take the deepest breath: Stalin in his coffin, lying still, his presence hanging heavily, felt even through the celluloid (or pixels). There are plenty of memorable moments, such as his coffin being carried through the Red Square, the speeches delivered by his peers, the endless rows of flowers, and so on (oddly, Loznitsa never really focuses on the more than 100 trampled folks in the crowds desperate to catch a last glimpse of the man). If anyone had any doubts about Loznitsa’s stance on the subject, the end credits cement it… if you get to them, that is.
At well over two hours, with no narration or talking heads, “State Funeral” does become somewhat of an endurance test, especially for the uninitiated — an extremely-well-pieced-together collection of archival footage that speaks volumes about the perils of collective glorification and worship (“the enigma of the personality cult,” as the synopsis refers to it) but fails to provide perspective and lacks momentum. We get the point within the first 30 minutes, and then there’s 100 more to go. Perhaps it’s meant to make us reflect on Stalin’s legacy, how rapidly his “personality cult” wore off post-mortem. It’s in the title, really: “State Funeral” is an extended montage of a funeral, which just happens to be one of the biggest, most significant funerals in history.
Opens in Select Theaters Friday, May 7th
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