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Ok. A background thread for #HATMUK and tonight with @waitmanb. (1) Death of Stalin was controversial in Russia. In Jan 2018 the Culture Ministry withdrew its distribution licence In Russia. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/24/movies/death-of-stalin-banned-russia.html?smid=tw-share
(2) The portrayal of Marshall Zhukov was considered particularly incendiary. The film's release around the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad was cited as distasteful. Screenings at Moscow's Pioneer Cinema were raided https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/26/moscow-police-raid-cinema-the-death-of-stalin
(3) I mean no offense to anyone by tweeting about The Death of Stalin. I understand that many people will consider it distasteful to laugh at Stalinism. Yet Stalinist citizens laughed at their own predicament. Black humour served many functions in Stalinist society.
(4) If #twitterstorians want to learn more about the role of humour and laughter during Stalinism they should read @JonWaterlow 's "It's only a Joke Comrade! Humour, Trust and Everyday Life Under Stalin" https://www.jonwaterlow.com/only-a-joke-comrade
(5) I enjoyed The Death of Stalin not because of what it might reveal about the Stalinism, but for what it reveals about contemporary UK. When I watched it last, there were scenes which felt like a mirror (with plenty of distortions of course) was being held up to Britain.
(6) I'm less interested in the many and frequent distortions of the past (it's a film!), but the various hooks the film presents interesting opportunities for discussions about Soviet history.
(7) Finally rather than comparing against the past, the film also needs to be read against the graphic novel with the same name, created by designer Thierry Robin and writer Fabien Nury in 2010(?). Which I think was @Aiannucci 's inspiration.
