Ruscico's Hyperkino DVD Editions Restore Lev Kuleshov's Early Soviet Films with Scholarly Commentary

Ruscico has unveiled Hyperkino DVD editions of Lev Kuleshov's films: the 1918 'Engineer Prite's Project' and the 1933 'The Great Consoler,' thereby preserving the director's contributions to cinema. Kuleshov, who was born in 1899, is recognized as a forerunner in early Soviet filmmaking, yet his work has not received adequate scholarly attention. The DVD editions feature commentaries from Nikolai Izvolov and Natascha Drubek-Meyer for the first film, while Ekaterina Khokhlova provides insights for the latter. 'Engineer Prite's Project' delves into American themes, and 'The Great Consoler' merges O. Henry's biography with a silent adaptation of his narrative. Additionally, the release includes Semen Raitburt's 1969 documentary 'The Kuleshov Effect.' Kuleshov's influence waned following Stalinist critiques, and he continued to teach at VGIK until his passing in 1970.