The Escape 'Murder' 1982

This is a blast from the past - from Bristol Archive Records - we (the Terraplanes when we had 2 drummers and singers) actually supported this band once - at the Bridgwater Arts Centre - around this time. Dave Massey reviewed it.

Interview with Cavan (Kev) Saunders

Here at Bristol Archive Records. CPS is playing the Piano Bar Frome on July 29th. Should be good.
If you are wondering what the set will be about here's what he says
My vocal style has been compared with Lou Reed , Jim Morrison and Johnny Cash.
Musically the song styles take in Folk, Alt Country,and Rhythm and Blues.
Some have likened what I do to Blue eyed soul/New wave artists such as Elvis Costello and Graham Parker. I play a set that mixes mostly original compositions with,cover versions of songs by people such
as Fred Neil, and Jerry Jeff Walker.

I am looking forward to it already

Your Future Our Clutter - The Fall

I don't get excited much these days (it's my age) but I am really looking forward to seeing the best rock and roll band in Britain in Frome on Saturday. It seems really weird the Fall playing Frome - it's like some alternate world where good bands play locally. It's not right. This looks like the set opener - see ya there?

Paul Robeson 'Anthem of the Soviet Union'

I love it when a couple of threads on this blog come together - and this is an example. My Dad is a big Paul Robeson fan and his political activism only made him even more of a hero to my old man. Robeson even made a film about the South Wales mining community The Proud Valley (no clips on Youtube sadly). I think his courage and intelligence deserves more respect - check this from his wiki

Paul LeRoy Bustill Robeson (April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an internationally renowned American bass-baritone concert singer, actor of film and stage, All-American and professional athlete, writer, multi-lingual orator, scholar and lawyer who was also noted for his wide-ranging social justice activism. A forerunner of the civil rights movement, Robeson was a trade unionist, peace activist, Phi Beta Kappa Society laureate, and a recipient of the Spingarn Medal and Stalin Peace Prize. Robeson achieved worldwide fame during his life for his artistic accomplishments, and his outspoken, radical beliefs which largely clashed with the Jim Crow climate of the pre-civil rights United States. He became a prime target of the right during the McCarthyist era.^[1][2][3][4] Despite his being one of the most internationally famous cultural figures of the 20th century, persecution by the US government and media virtually erased Robeson from mainstream US culture and subsequent interpretations of US history, including civil rights and black history.^[3]

Cab Calloway 'Reefer Man'

Another oldie from the era of the older generation this song kind of proves that great music never dates - this is staggeringly good with some amazing bass playing...some hiphop star ought to cover it.

Sam and Friends

If you're not interested in Russian military parades maybe you might be interested that today in 1955 was the debut of Kermit in a series called Sam and Friends..here's an episode from 1961.

Foreign contingents join victory parade in Moscow

Well I've been enjoying the footage of today's parade in Moscow - I thought you might want to see the Welsh Guards etc. But then you probably don't. Wiki on the 2010 Victory Parade

Foreign troops join Russia's Victory Day Parade

News article here about the 65th Victory Day in which troops from Britain, Poland, France and the US march. No major leader came from the UK however - Prince Charles' offer to go was turned down without reason. Anyone got any guesses as to why he might not be welcome?
You might also be interested in this BBC article about Lenin's London connections and the pub in Clerkenwell where supposedly he met Stalin in 1905.

'Lazy Bones' Hoagy Carmichael

I love Hoagy Carmichael - I have to thank my Dad for that. One the great songwriters of the 20th century. This song has a particular resonance with me for some reason - though I have to say I don't spend a lot of time sleeping. If you want to hear and see more - go here to see him playing Memphis in June to George Raft. Hoagy - real name Hoagland, named after a circus troupe the Hoaglands that stayed in his mother's house, acted in 14 motion pictures, including things like To Have and Have Not and an episode of the Flintstones.

Nathan Abshire 'Jolie Blon'

More Cajun magic from Nathan Abshire. Imagine this stuff in your local pub...would you ever leave?

Leonard Nimoy 'Bilbo Baggins'

OK I am lightening up. It's a good day - let's all sing along with this and be happy.

Bad Day - Carmel

I feel conflicted about today - it's my son's birthday so I won't moan about politics.

Balfa Brothers

I am not sure when I first discovered this Cajun act - it may have been the movie Southern Comfort where they do a song or perhaps a compilation album of Zydeco stuff but anyway they are a firm favourite in this house where their tonality and je ne sais quoi cause us great joy. Give it a whirl - you might like it.

Election day in the UK

Always General Elections remind me of my childhood. My father John Mitchard used to stand for parliament back in the day for Labour - here we are in 64 I think when he stood in North Devon. I have pretty happy memories of these old style elections when they used to have debates in town halls and PA speakers on top of cars. I remember one time when my Dad and his crew went out meeting the people leaving me alone in the car - I got hold of the mic and did the Batman theme very loud which caused them to run back to the car in a panic. I also stuck my tongue out in a family portrait like this one and it got used in the local paper. Good times.

Swindon Railway school photo

I don't know whether this photo is of any interest to railway enthusiasts? Be interested if anyone knows more about it. It's a group photo of railwaymen (including my Granddad Harry Newman who was to become an S&D driver based around Radstock) on the occasion of their passing out. Can't tell you the date but he was born in 1900 so around 1920 I guess. (He's second from the left in a light suit).

Reds (1981)

As one of you has noticed - the Russian Revolution has pretty much been ignored by Hollywood - it's probably for the best - it would be shit and besides I expect the filmmakers are probably worried that they might be blacklisted in some future witch-hunt but there is one notable exception - Warren Beatty's John Reed biopic calleds Reds. Watch the trailer - it certainly looks more exciting than I remember it but it was a good film and if you like Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton get a copy. John Reed wrote the classic 'Ten Days that Shook the World'. We actually had a song called that in the old Animals and Men days - before this movie came out I hasten to add - didn't record it though - anyone remember it? (Sue just said she does remember it - but not the words)

Four Lions trailer

This new comedy from bete noir of British alternative comedy Chris Morris looks funny and worth seeing. Tells the story of 4 hapless British jihadists as they try to become home-grown terrorists.

Budenovka

You may be bored to death with my interest in this hat - certainly my family are but that's just the way it is. If you wanna be in my Red Sotnia you have to take the rough with the smooth. These images I like - the poster's text reads something like 'She was born under the red flag in 1918'.
Anyway according to the wiki on this cap

Budenovka (Russian language: Будёновка, budyonovka) is a distinctive type of hat and an essential part of the communist uniform of the Russian Civil War and later. Its official name was the "broadcloth helmet" (шлем суконный). Named after Semyon Budyonny, it was also known as the "frunzenka" after Mikhail Frunze. It is a soft, woolen hat that covers the ears and neck and that can be worn under a helmet. The cap has a beak and folded earflaps that can be buttoned under the chin.

The hat was created as part of a new uniform for the Russian army by Viktor Vasnetsov, a famous Russian painter, who was inspired by the Kiev Rus helmet. The original name was bogatyrka (богатырка) - hat of a bogatyr - and was intended to inspire Russian troops by connecting them with the legendary heroes of Russian folklore. Bogatyrkas were meant to be a part of a new uniform, so they had already been produced during World War I, but hadn't been officially adopted. Another version, quite popular in Russia, is that bogatyrkas were designed for a military parade as a part of a "historical" stylized uniform (which also included an overcoat with "designer" cross-pieces, which also were used in the Red Army to a limited extent). Some Russian historians even speculate the parade in question was a supposed victory parade in Berlin.

During the Russian civil war, communist troops, who had no obligation to comply with the uniform standards of the Imperial Russian army, used bogatyrkas, as they were abundant and distinctive. Bogatyrkas were commonly decorated with red star pins as a distinguishing mark. Such decorations were often makeshift, but later were standardized, and a bigger star badge of broadcloth was sewn to the front of the hat, typically red but in some cases blue (for cavalry) or black (for artillery). This allowed the communists to use the image of "Red bogatyrs" fighting the old and corrupt Russian system, thus employing the original idea by Vasnetsov. At this time the hat was renamed the Budenovka after Semyon Budyonny, the commander of the First Cavalry Army, as the hat was particularly popular with cavalry units.

The Pigs: Youthanasia + They Say:(Bristol 2009)

Bristol Archive Records have been doing a great job reissuing classic tracks from the punk era from this city - check out the catalogue on the blog (BRISTOL – THE PUNK EXPLOSION). Glad to see this brilliant Bristol band, the Pigs are one of the bands brought back into the spotlight. We loved their 'Youthanasia' ep and were seriously floored when the DJ at the OCCII played it back in March of this year. Now I see they have reformed and are playing live in selected venues - this video shows you that they have still got the skill and ability to play this material - I'd love to catch them live - here they are at the Thunderbolt. Also, on the vintage Bristol punk scene, Bristol Archive are releasing a Cortinas vinyl lp soon...

Rare As The Yeti - Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds

Newish song from Kid Congo - you may have enjoyed his 'Historia de mon amour' many years ago. This looks to be a similarly catchy toon. Nice one.

Adam Ant interview

So Adam has been doing some live shows - great! Here's a recent interview with him.

Smoking ban

I know you probably think I am an idiot for objecting to a wholesale smoking ban. Now I have a good reason for it - according to the wiki on Smoking Bans

The first modern, nationwide tobacco ban was imposed by the Nazi Party in every German university, post office, military hospital, and Nazi Party office, under the auspices of Karl Astel's Institute for Tobacco Hazards Research, created in 1941 under orders from Adolf Hitler.^[27] Major anti-tobacco campaigns were widely broadcast by the Nazis until the demise of the regime in 1945.<sup>[28]

NB My son on reading this thinks I have succumbed to this phenomenon</sup>

Reductio ad Hitlerum, also argumentum ad Hitlerum, (dog Latin for "reduction to Hitler" or "argument to Hitler," respectively) is an ad hominem or ad misericordiam argument, and is an informal fallacy. It is a fallacy of irrelevance where a conclusion is suggested based solely on something or someone's origin rather than its current meaning or context. This overlooks any difference to be found in the present situation, typically transferring the positive or negative esteem from the earlier context. Hence this fallacy fails to examine the claim on its merit.

Its name is a pun on reductio ad absurdum, and was coined by an academic ethicist, Leo Strauss, in 1953. Engaging in this fallacy is sometimes known as playing the Nazi card,^[1] by analogy to playing the race card.

The fallacy claims that a policy leads to—or is the same as—one advocated or implemented by Adolf Hitler or the Third Reich, and so "proves" that the original policy is undesirable. For example: "Hitler was a vegetarian, so vegetarianism is wrong." The tactic is often used to derail arguments, because such comparisons tend to distract and anger.^[1]

Iron Felix 1919

Never mind Iron Man 2 when are they gonna make a movie about Iron Felix?
Biography of the head of the CHEKA here

'Funnel of Love Wanda' Jackson ft Lux and Ivy

Hear WJ revisiting this song with the Cramps...hear the Fall version below. How's that for service?

The Fall 'Funnel of Love'

Most of the new Fall LP is now up on Youtube - search 'your future our clutter' - this one is a Wanda Jackson cover.

Red Cavalry

I found this image on the web yesterday.

Ken Loach online

Check out this Youtube page for the latest uploads from Britain's greatest director. There's some of his greatest films from the early days such as 'Kes' and 'Cathy Come Home' with the promise for more to come. We're very lucky round here as Ken is very active locally supporting Bath City football and also being a good friend to the Little Theatre in Bath as a venue for his films.

Ralph and Susan of Animals & Men 2010

We got our son to take this photo of us to go with a fanzine article. Unfortunately there wasn't space so we thought we might as well share it with you.

May Day

Well today is a big day for us (cough) workers and peasants - and also for neo pagans as the festival Beltane - read about it here. I suggest you combine both festivals - maybe have a parade or march but do it naked covered in the dew of the morning.

Leningrad siege: now and then

Interesting piece of photo journalism here showing scenes of the terrible siege of Leningrad during WW2 overlaid with scenes at the same location in modern-day St Petersburg. Check it out to see what I mean.

Red Dawn remake

If all this Red Army propaganda makes you nervous you will be happy to know the 1984 John Milius movie Red Dawn is being remade. Instead of depicting a Soviet takeover like the original with Patrick Swayze it now has the Chinese coming to invade the land of the free. Wiki here.
The original as far as I was concerned was a must-see piece of schlock with some great performances like Harry Dean Stanton 'Avenge me!' and Powers Booth - a kind of ultimate 80s trashfest - can the new one live up to that? My advice? Get hold of the original.

Белая Армия, черный Барон White Army, Black Baron

More fascinating animation of the heroic kind for the subject of Red Cavalry. I am guessing this is maybe 70s or 80s - I really like it. I think its a combination of several animations but it works well. With English subtitles. Where are the British seas?

Красная армия (Red Army)

Strap on your buds and enjoy this video from probably the 60s - looks like a similar hand to the Tachanka song posted a while back. This has subtitles so there's no excuse...

Первая Конная 1984

Just to give you an update on my relationship with this Soviet film about the First Horse Army - the Red Cavalry movie. I am hoping to make a Youtube video with all the good action bits set to music. The music - I am working on a punk version of the song 'We Are the Red Cavalry' but I am a little worried that when I post the clip people will say 'what's that crappy music' so my tiny ego might make me choose someone else but then I might get copyright problems. We'll see. Favourite choice for 'someone else's music' is 70 Gwen Party's 'Walkabout' - it's suitably apocalyptic but then maybe I ought to just make sure 'We are the Red Cavalry' is a great song. I'll keep you posted.

'Get Out of Denver'/Horseplay' Hot Rods with Lew Lewis

This is like the Holy Grail if you are a fan of 70s British r'n'b...the Hot Rods at their rocking best with the legendary Lew Lewis on harp. What a scorcher. 'You look just like a commie and you might just be a member baby'....oh this brings back great memories - we used to do these songs when I was in the Bad Detectives.

Down at the Doctors - Dr Feelgood

This is one of my favourite post-Wilko Feelgood tunes - there's a great Brilleaux harp solo in here and some great guitar work from Gypie Mayo. Something about this song that makes you go 'Oh yes' or something.

'Roxette' Dr Feelgood

I really enjoyed the Oil City Feelgood movie when I saw it the other night - one ommission we thought was this song - not really featured which is a shame as it was possibly their best song IMHO - I don't think the singles market was something serious bands bothered about then but it could have been a big hit methinks.

War Rhinos

According to this article it is a myth that Rhinos were used in warfare. Sad.

Ball tanks

Interesting article - strange tanks 2 which tells the tale of the rolling ball principle of tank design that didn't really take off.

Paper soldiers of the Red Army

These are amazing. Just the job. More here - may take a while to load but it's worth it. They date from around 1910-20 so I suppose some of these are Imperial Russians.
It might be that noone who reads this blog will enjoy this as much as me but there ya go.

New book on the early Red Army

Dayosh! (Give Me)! This great new book looks just what the Doctor ordered. Must get a copy. For fans of the Red Army. Buy it and details here.

Richard Cory Simon and Garfunkel

Great anti-capitalist folk song - not sure who wrote it - Them did a version, but it's not up on Youtube - Van Morrison probably spends all day online making sure nobody can listen to his music for free.

Charley Patton 'Troubled 'bout my Mother'

Well you can trust Papa Charlie to nail it - in this case aided by the fascinating Bertha Lee Pate.

Something Else

Eddie Cochran 50th anniversary

Today we are celebrating the life of Eddie Cochran - killed 50 years ago today just outside Bath.

South Bank Malcolm McLaren from 84

This documentary is a great time capsule that shows the man in 84 promoting his rap-opera crossover. With comments from people like Boy George and Adam Ant. Definitely worth the watch. He's very much in love with himself but its fun to watch. Bow wow wow in part 2.

Malcom McLaren 'Boys Chorus'

This song reminds me of my school days. Such a great artist. There was a South Bank show documentary on the making of this 'Fans' album if I remember rightly and they did a version of this. I thought it should have been a single.

Propaganda art blog

Got this poster from this blog which has some fascinating images.
1919 poster, "Mount your horses, workers and peasants! The Red Cavalry is the pledge of victory."

Red Cavalry - the movie

Первая Конная (1984) Pervaya konnaya 1984. I have now seen this Mosfilms epic. It is stunning. OK the talking bits being in Russian and no subtitles are a bit confusing and boring but the plot is basically the lives of several men and women of Budyenny's First Horse Army. It ends in a colossal battle with flying Cossacks, tachankas, everything - very large and what you expect from a Soviet era historical film and worth sitting through the dull bits for. You may wince at the amount of carnage meted out to the poor stuntmen and horses but this omelette was worth breaking a few eggs for. The music is strange - kind of 80s synth - like the sort of music you get in European horror movies but it does not jar too much. The cinematography is fiirst rate with the dusty columns, nurses bathing, and waves of Cossacks - all having a beautiful wistful look. The actor playing Budyenny Vadim Spiridonov has a striking moustache and persona fitting for a hero of the Revolution and the historical detail seems good to me though I'm not an expert in this field. All in all if you are a Red Cavalry fan - get this movie pronto.

Amyl Nitrate 'Rule Britannia'

Great intro to this clip. How prophetic the words he says are.

Early Subway Sect footage

I don't think we have had this clip before. Be good to see more of this.

Animals & Men interview

Local legendary post-punks play hometown gig

Piece from the local paper from the end of last year.

Svoy sredi chuzhikh, chuzhoy sredi svoikh (1974)

If you want a version of this scene with English subtitles go here. A Soviet film from 74 - set in the Civil War era. English title "At Home Among Strangers, Stranger at Home". Apparently they were only given so much colour stock by Mosfilms so they had to film some scenes in black and white or sepia. Imdb here. Looks like a well shot film and worth tracking down in the search for Red Cavalry movies.

Zulus on a Timebomb - Malcolm McLaren

Sad to hear of the death of Malcolm McLaren. A man who pushed the musical envelope and was a real innovator. What a great musical legacy to choose from - here's one of my favourites.

The Fall 'I'm not from Bury'

So the Fall are playing the Frome Cheese and Grain May 15th? For other tour dates and other news go here. The new album 'Your Future Our Clutter' is getting rave reviews across the board so maybe we should make a hospital appointment for the tinnitis we're gonna get the next day and go soak up the noise. It's been a while since I saw a decent band.

Reenacting the Russian Civil War

You might think with all this about the RCW I would be wanting to reenact it - well we tried that a few years ago. There is/was a group up North called the 1914-21 Society (website not up at the moment) which was a great group that had RCW weekends - we went to one and thoroughly enjoyed it. But our interest kind of waned. In Russia apparently there's not a lot going on - there's some White groups who are overly political (politics and reenactment don't mix well) and that's about it. There is however a thriving WW1 scene as I have covered on this blog before and I hope that when the centennial of the Russian Revolution and the Civil War come along maybe some of them will get involved. Here are some images of such a group - a WW1 group doing a Civil war event. Looks good. More here and here

Red Army Fleet by Lebedev 1920

Wiki on the artist here

Soviet posters

From here
This one is excellent and the site tells us that it's

A. (Skif) Apsit: Long Live the Three-million Man Red Army! (1919)

Apsit's panoramic vision of c victorious Red Army streaming across the great plains of Russia was produced in late 1919, before he fled from a Moscow threatened by the White Army. Apsit lived to see his early Soviet posters denounced as stylistically bourgeois in their idealism and lock of socialist realism.

Mosin-Nagant

The Russian rifle for all of the major conflicts of the 20th century. Wiki here.

Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army of Ukraine

Aka The Black Army. Not sure if this footage is genuine - there is some tachanka footage at the end that looks staged but all in all its worth watching this film of the Anarchist Black Army.
Of course Makhno will always be associated with his invention, the Tachanka, this one is one used by Makhno on display in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. The slogan reads: "Death to the black robber baron Vrangel!"

Singing Guitars - 'Tachanka'

Yes - I think this is the same song as in the brilliant 1936 animation. A Russian beatgroup from 1969 singing a song about a machine gun cart - blogging doesn't get much better than this,,,(a joke)

Maxim Gun documentary

Russian language film about this gun from 1910 up to the end of the Second World War.Incidentally you can buy a deactivated one for about 500 quid if you have a cart and want to have your own tachanka.

The Nine Lives of Nestor Makhno" - trailer

Interesting looking film about the famous anarchist - watch out for the Tachanka bits!
Promo trailer for the Russian mini series "The Nine Lives of Nestor Makhno", which tells about the leader of the Ukrainian anarchist "Black Army" during the Russian Revolution and Civil War. Subtitles for this trailer are on the Youtube page.

Jaybee Wasden - 'De Castrow' (1959)

This is a strange song we heard on Ichiban. What is it? Anti-Cuban Rebel sentiment? It's not very often you get stuff about 'cutting your throat from ear to ear' in a song.

Armoured trains

We should mention these as they were part of the warfare of this era. Armoured train list wiki.

Trotsky's Red Sotnia

One of the many outlandishly attired units in the Russian Revolution period this was the armoured train guard for Leon Trotsky dressed head to toe in red leather getting the jump on the New York Dolls for a few decades. Sotnia means 'Hundred' - it's an old Cossack designation. Makhno, the Anarchist leader (who invented the tachanka incidentally) had a Black Sotnia.

Early Red Army

This page seems to have some useful info - you'll have to translate it but it seems worth it from what I've read. It's quite frustrating really my lack of knowledge on the Russian language...

'Who Do You Love?' Official trailer

What's this? Another movie about Leonard Chess? The movie Doppleganger effect strikes again! You wait for ages for a movie and then two come along. This one though has Bo Diddley going for it - check out 1:30 in for some music.

Black leather 'bud' on ebay

Now you know I don't lust after objects...much... but there's something on ebay I want - trouble is starting bid is over 500 dollars. It's a 1920 budenovka - hammer and plough badge - oh well maybe I could get someone to make a repro.
Read the wiki on the hat and its usage.

Françoise Hardy - Catch a falling star (1964)

This is brilliant - I have it on a vinyl ep bought from a Charity Shop. Long wanted to do a cover of this but we aren't really a covers band (shame) but the thought is there ok? Without the best version of this song I've heard.

Austin armoured cars

Of course the Soviets in the 20s were still using the family of Austin armoured cars. You can see some in the movies below. Presumably there are some working replicas somewhere? This one at the Kubinka museum was built in the 50s though I presume it doesn't run any more. Wiki

Reconstructing a Ford FT-B

The Ford FT-B was a Polish armoured car built on a Model T-Ford chassis. It was a successful design that saw action in the Soviet-Polish war. This page will take you through the process of creating a replica as done by a group of enthusiasts using a Model T-Ford chassis. Excellent stuff.

Cantinières and Vivandières of the French Army

This is a first so I am putting this on this website as well as on my Warfare in the Age of Steam blog... a new book and website dedicated to the Cantinières and Vivandières of the French Army.
Excellent and groundbreaking stuff.

Battle of Komarów

This battle in 1920 is not well known in Britain but it is a milestone in that it was the last significant cavalry battle - and the largest cavalry action since 1813 to boot. Images (of presumably a Polish tachanka or taczanka) plus others from a Polish reenactment here

Первая конная/ Pervaja konnaja (1941) 01/10

I am not sure if this film is the original of the below film - probably - this is set in the war between the Soviets and Poland in 1920. There are some interesting things going on in this first clip.

Первая Конная (1984)

Pervaya konnaya 1984. Can't find an English translation so might I dub it 'First Horse Army'? This looks like an interesting film set in the Russian Civil War or perhaps in the war between the Polish and the Soviets. I think it's a remake. Watch this clip and see what you think - looks good to me. Very spectacular. Budyonny is one of the main characters and it was made by Mosfilms. Can't find any clips other than this though there are plenty of torrents. I suppose I will have to download it but if any of you can find anything about this movie - plot etc let me know... Imdb here

Tachanka (Тачанка)

Song from 1936 about the legendary machine gun carts. Great animation to go with it. Also includes subtitles. Great stuff.

We Are From Kronstadt (1936)

This is one I have seen - in fact I bought it on VHS. If I remember rightly this was premiered in Spain during the Civil War there. 'Where's your Dad?' 'Turned him over to the Cheka'. Good man.

"Чапаев" (1934)

"Chapaev" wiki here - considered to be one of the 100 great films of history - deal with the Russian Civil War - and we haven't heard of it before. Looks great from this.

The Red and the White 1967

One film I do know of is this acclaimed film. Held by many as the greatest war film ever made. Not about the Red Cavalry as such but the Russian Civil War.

Red Cavalry

When I started this blog many years ago we were into the Russian Civil War and I was particularly fascinated by the Red Cavalry and read Izaak Babel's Red Cavalry stories etc. I wonder if there are any movies about this subject that might be out there?

Juke Boy Bonner 'Mojo Hand' 1975

1/144 scale tanks

Maybe I will do this period in 1/144 scale. This is a fast growing scale with lots of Far Eastern made tanks - ready painted and assembled and 'collectable'. It's quite a craze with obviously lots of US and German tanks - not so many Russians. Started off as a scale for aeroplanes but now there's plenty of armour. Check out this wikipedia list of manufacturers. Figures are approximately 10mm... But of course they are priced accordingly - you can get cheaper lead or resin models you paint yourself -Pendraken do a pretty good range. They also do Spanish Civil War. Check out this 1/144 blog to see the micro or mini world up close. Also check out WGS for an expanding range. Pegasus hobbies do a lot of things for the period Ukrainian houses, tanks and even infantry like these painted Russians.

Soviet Military Parade 1941

One good thing about having a blog like this that few people read is that I can post what I like...and I choose to post this sequence - it's quite a contrast to the parade in 1945 - lots of cavalry, tachankas (horse drawn machine gun carts pictured at the same parade in 41), some very old-fashioned looking artillery and lots of KV-1s by the look of it. Fascinating. To me.

BT tank

This fast tank was produced in the 30s and saw some service in the Spanish Civil War and the Winter War. The forerunner of the T-34. It was based on an American design that was smuggled out in some secrecy...see the Wiki. Watching the footage below which is from a 1939 movie. Watch part one of this movie 'Tractor Drivers' here.
I can't help thinking the tank drivers would have lost their teeth performing some of these stunts.

The Molotov Cocktail

With the rise of the tank came the need for an equaliser - and this was solved by a simple solution - a brave man and a bottle of petrol. First used in the Spanish Civil War by Franco's forces against enthusiastic Republican T-26 tanks it didn't get its name 'Molotov cocktail' until the Winter War between the Soviets and Finland when the Finnish troops used the name sardonically against the Russian foreign minister Molotov. Read more about the history of the Molotov Cocktail and it's triumphs here - notably the destruction of some 400 tanks in the Hungarian uprising and how the petrol driven tanks of the war period were particularly vulnerable to this attack. Here's a clip from a Finnish movie showing the T-26 under attack.

В бой идут одни старики (1973) 1/9

V boi idut odni stariki (Only 'oldmen' go fighting)- Imdb here - A film about pilots and the orchestra they form.

Torpedonostsy 1983 (Torpedo Bombers)

Imdb here someone on there states
The film describes actions of the soviet torpedo bombers over the Barents Sea. You'll feel ruthless horror of war and cold of the Northern seas. You'll see why torpedo bomber usually made only three battle flights. It is hard to beleive, but one of the last scenes of the film - fire in the cockpit - is ABSOLUTELY realistic. However, excellent use of the original chronicle film and air film shooting.

На всю оставшуюся жизнь (1975) - 1/27

"Na vsyu ostavshuyusya zhizn''' (Translated title would be "For the rest/remainder of our lives...")
An antidote to the epic action films already featured. It is about a medical train - no action at all, they only learn about the war from the wounded they treat and from letters from home. The Chief doctor of the train returns home to Leningrad and finds his home bombed and family killed. A touching and poignant movie.

Eugene, Little Eugene and Katyusha (1967) - 1/8

Back by popular demand, our Russian film season continues with this romantic comedy set in a mortar battery during the last days of WW2. Apparently this film was banned for a number of years.

Bobby Freeman 'C'mon and Swim' (1964)

This song we first heard on WFMU's Ichiban Rock and Soul stream which we love - it's a great song with a perfect dance - I mean who hasn't emulated swimming when you dance?

PPSh-41

One of the stars of the movies below is this famous submachine gun. Made in huge numbers (around 6 million) it was adopted by the Germans and used in large numbers. The below film is a good history of this war winning weapon. I think the Hungarians during the uprising called it the 'guitar' because of its round drum.

Russian WW2 Film Festival

Well in response to all the hype about the HBO 'Pacific' season I thought I'd try and find some decent Russian films about WW2. The eagle-eyed among you will probably detect I had some help halfway through when the quality picks up and for that I am most grateful. So enjoy, damn you and don't mention 'Enemy at the Gates'.

В августе 44-го (2001) 11/11

"In August 1944". Final scene of a drama about a SMERSH squad investigating Nazi spies in the Soviet army.

Zvezda (2002)

A film, which is a remake of a 1947 movie of the same name, about a reconaissance part behind enemy lines whose radio is not working - this is the final nail biting scene. Wiki

Мы из будущего (2008) : 10/12

"My iz buduschego" (We are from the future)- this film tells the story of youngsters transported from the present back to the time of 1942. A well constructed battle sequence and watch out for this famous image reconstructed.