Artists! Poets! Craftsmen!

Spent the morning translating an incredibly cool Soviet TASS newsreel circa early 1942-ish (we're not quite sure of the date) for the AIC. GREAT fun! It's more difficult than you'd imagine, since the text isn't written, and therefore you're kind of screwed if you don't know how to spell a certain word. Regardless, here's the result, which I'm pretty proud of, and am mostly putting it up here for record purposes so I don't have to keep sending myself emails that I never open. Also, Lollapalooza pictures and details coming soon!

Newsreel Translation

Key: Bolded words are written out on the screen; all other words are spoken.

0:00-0:03 “Artists of the Capital City-Red Army.” Cinematographer: B. Makaseiev*

*last letter is cut off, says “Makaseie” on screen but probably should be “Makaseiev” since Boris Makaseiev was a famous documentary cinematographer at that time

0:07-0:12 The Studio of Moscow Artists prepares new TASS Windows

0:20-0:25 The artist Sokolov-Skalia creates a poster about the two Battles of Borodino

0:37-0:44 The subject of artist Aivazian’s poster is the victory in Moscow’s surrounding area

0:55-1:02 The artists will take their new work to the Front as a present to Red Army soldiers

1:03-1:09: Smashing satire – on the enemy!

1:10-1:21 Following the example of Poet Vladimir Mayakovsky's infamous ROSTA Windows, the Moscow poets and artists of the Great Patriotic War create TASS Windows.

1:22-1:28 During the Civil War a new style was born of precise and crushing caricatures and formidable, apt poetry.

1:29-1:36 TASS Windows, falling into the category of war posters and pictures, are as sharp as bayonets.

1:37-1:41 (reading the Alphabet poster aloud) Shchorse** beat the Germans in the Ukraine, they won't be spared, not even now!

**last name of famous Red Army general from the Civil War

(end reading the posters aloud)

1:50-1:59 Yet another instalment: the artist Savitsky finishes up a painting representing the daring attack of the Red Soldier-Horsemen on the fascist hordes

2:00-2:06 The artist Goriaev threw his poster-bayonets to create a caricature of the bandit and cannibal- Hitler!

(Художник Горяев плакатнaми штыками набрoсал карикатуру на опера бандита и людоеда Гитлера!)

2:10-2:16 The talented group of friends, famous by the name Kukriniksy, the artists Kuprianov,

2:16-2:18 Krylov,

2:19-2:21 Sokolov

2:27-2:34 With the sharp sting of their caricatures, they are helping to annihilate the enemies of our motherland.

2:50-2:52 (reading the poster aloud) The Fuhrer is getting ready for a long journey

2:52-2:54 To pin a cross onto his chest

2:54-2:56 But only one is yet unseemly

2:57-3:00 He'll get a cross from us as well!

3:01-3:04 The fascist operations… with vodka

(end reading posters aloud)

3:05-3:12 The Soviet people have already begun to love the TASS Windows, which mirror their deadly hatred of fascism.

3:13 Artists! Poets! Craftsmen! Sharpen your battle weapons for the complete destruction and annihilation of the enemy!

(all text copyright Julia Alekseyeva 2010)