For generations, sports has transcended all.
As citizens of the United States, sports are heavily appreciated and honored. Miracle on Ice told the story of the 1980 Olympic finals. America’s victory over the Soviet Russia was epic. History is said to be written by the victors, and that is undoubtedly so. However some of the best stories are told through the perspectives of those that have encountered a loss.
Gabe Polsky, the director of the documentary Red Army crosses over to Russia to hone in on the way hockey was viewed there, as well as how the culture affected their daily lives. The film consists of numerous little narratives intertwined throughout the premise, and is deeply witty, funny, and informative all in one.
Red Army is told through the perspective of Viacheslav Fetisov a renowned hockey player amongst countless others as it details the history of the USSR’s “Red Army” hockey team. It was also a prominent theme in Cold War era propaganda. The audience gets to see how the coach Anaroli Tarasav taught them to play, as well as his replacement in coaching by Victor Tikhonov, a KGB Sports Manager. The film shows how the team dealt with the radical change of coaching, how devastating losing the Olympics at Lake Placid in 1980 was, and how the core players of the team broke apart as the USSR came to an end.
Normally when we think of someone that is legendary we associate a sense of heroism and nobility, however off the bat we are in for a completely different view. We see that Fetisov seems uninterested in what is being asked while all his accomplishments show up on the screen, and not until he is in a sense begged he flips of the camera. It makes sense though. Living in the predicaments of Communist Russia, the brutality of Tikhonov and, how restricted the manifestations of their careers could be , it shows a sense of honesty.
The hockey team became like a prison during Cold War Russia. A strong bond formed called the “Russian five” between Fetisov, Alexei Kasatonov, Sergei Makarov, Igor Larionov, and Vladimir Krutov. Polsky’s “Red Army” is such a captivating film that goes beyond paying tribute. It goes to great lengths to tell the truth in a realistic and relatable way. It is one of the best films of this genre.
We had the opportunuty to see the film at a special event hosted by Judy and Rod Gilbert and Lindsay Moran at Landmark Sunshine. The screening was followed by a discussion with Lindsay Moran, director Gabe Polsky and Rod Gilbert. A supper party followed at Hotel Chantelle.
-Breanna Robinson
