WTF? Trippy music video from the USSR.

June 28, 2009 11:53 AM

I'm not a fan of front-page posts that don't describe their link, but I seriously have no idea what this is.It's Russian. It's from the '60s. Now that I've watched it, I feel my life is complete, yet I somehow simultaneously want my eight minutes back (you've been warned). SLYT.
posted by grumblebee (66 comments total)

Crackerjack balalaika playing at 4:36!
posted by grumblebee at 11:57 AM on June 28

I guess that finally answers Sting's question: the Russians did love their children too.
posted by Flashman at 11:58 AM on June 28

Crackerjack balalaika playing at 4:36!

Looks like Billy Corgan.
posted by empath at 12:03 PM on June 28

and this was at the height of SOVIET russia?

wow.

am particularly disturbed by the knock-off (more than) Three Stooges; especially the one that looks like Ringo.

i mean ... WTF?!?!?!
posted by liza at 12:04 PM on June 28

When they started dancing, I totally thought Safari had locked up in a BIG WAY.
posted by tomierna at 12:05 PM on June 28 [7 favorites]

While watching this I was listening to this music.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 12:08 PM on June 28 [1 favorite]

Delightfully absurd, a kind of unintended, surreal Dada-esque performance art. Where else can you find water skiers with Tijuana Brass-ish music, Russian Beatles-styled performers, ragged, freakish people with bad disguises, a kid with a beard, and a solo balalaika player with dancing girls? I wish I knew what the hell any of this video is supposed to mean, but it's almost better that it's not in English. I enjoyed it, yet I don't quite know why. Thanks for posting.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 12:12 PM on June 28 [3 favorites]

That's really terrific for 1969 anywhere. I need some background infos, srsly.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:13 PM on June 28

Why do I have a feeling that I'd be just as clueless if I spoke Russian?
posted by grumblebee at 12:13 PM on June 28

mr gorbachef put back that wall!
posted by kitchenrat at 12:13 PM on June 28 [21 favorites]

Well, IMDb has the American and international titles at least: 13 PM (USA)
or In the Thirteenth Hour of the Night.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:17 PM on June 28

Auto-xlation: Episode with the foreign music from the new-year telecine film “in the thirteenth to the hour of night”, set by Larissa Shepitko

the first, colorful one did sound French to me
posted by @troy at 12:18 PM on June 28

What just happened.
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 12:18 PM on June 28 [2 favorites]

This is no stranger than if some Russian saw a clip of "The Munsters."
posted by ColdChef at 12:20 PM on June 28 [3 favorites]

It's a movie about Baba Yaga, a witch.

I believe one of the acts they watched in their kaleidoscope was Czerwone Gitary:

Czerwone Gitary (The Red Guitars) was one of the most popular rock bands in the history of Polish popular music. The band formed in 1965 and achieved its greatest success from 1965 to 1970. Often considered the Polish equivalent of the Beatles, many of their hits are now classics in Poland. The group toured extensively outside Poland (in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, USA, Germany and Soviet Union) but had mostly disappeared from the Polish scene by the 1980s. The band reformed in the 1990s.

posted by pracowity at 12:20 PM on June 28 [3 favorites]

all your balalaikas are belong to us
posted by pyramid termite at 12:21 PM on June 28

Why is it so important that the Child-Santa sit on hay?
posted by Dr. Zira at 12:22 PM on June 28 [3 favorites]

Plot

In the New Year's Eve in the timber house on chicken legs gathered evil, led by Baba-Yagi - Water, Leshy, Domovoi, Owiny, Mermaid and Anchutka waiting to greet the New 1970 «high foreign guest». Guest arrives, he is a little gnomes in red suit, speaking in a foreign language (in the role of translator supports Mermaid). The heroes sit down for the holiday table, singing and plyashut, but most of all they drew viewing entertainment on the Central Television. Finally, all the company magically moved to television, which quickly leads to orders.
Game scenes in the film are alternated with performances of well-known (and older) artists of the era - this Polish ensemble «Chervona Guitar», parodist Viktor Chistyakov, singer Gypsy romances Valentin Baglaenko, singer Irma Sokhadze, prestidigitator Harutyun Akopian, dancing groups, etc.
posted by empath at 12:44 PM on June 28 [2 favorites]

Wasn't this just one of the regular segments from the Krofft Supershow?
posted by ecurtz at 12:45 PM on June 28 [3 favorites]

Drugs are good, mmmmmkay?
posted by five fresh fish at 12:53 PM on June 28

Most of all they drew viewing entertainment on the Central Television.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:54 PM on June 28

Yay. I love how the initial kaleidoscope dance scene where everybody is dancing on Twister-like spots on the floor is so reminiscent of a combination of a really bad version of (a) James Brown's "I Feel Good" and (b) those godawful "hip" wanna-be Rowan and Martin dancing sequences in the late seasons of "The Andy Griffith Show."
posted by blucevalo at 12:59 PM on June 28

Besides the video title, the outfits, the hair, the music, and the kaleidoscope, what makes you think it's from the 60s?
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 1:07 PM on June 28 [1 favorite]

Oh, that was just the alternate ending version of 'Pulp Fiction' where they revealed what actually was in the briefcase. They couldn't figure a way of getting Bruce Willis to use the kaleidoscope as a weapon so they cut it out.
posted by digsrus at 1:09 PM on June 28 [1 favorite]

Besides the video title, the outfits, the hair, the music, and the kaleidoscope, what makes you think it's from the 60s?

Never mind. Figured it out. It's the dancing.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 1:14 PM on June 28

I'm not a fan of front-page posts that don't describe their link, but I seriously have no idea what this is.

Michael Jackson break your google?
posted by humannaire at 1:32 PM on June 28

This is complete, unmitigated awesome.
posted by dunkadunc at 1:36 PM on June 28

Why is it so important that the Child-Santa sit on hay?

Moisture control.
posted by pointilist at 1:40 PM on June 28

I just came.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:43 PM on June 28 [1 favorite]

This is fantastic. The licky man and the mermaid steal it for me. And Russian John Lennon guy.
Cheers for posting!
posted by freya_lamb at 1:47 PM on June 28

I just went.
posted by nola at 2:08 PM on June 28 [3 favorites]

My boyfriend informs me that the music that starts at 3:40 is Herb Alpert, from the album Whipped Cream And Other Delights

You can find multiple copies at any thrift store.
posted by apis mellifera at 2:13 PM on June 28

In Soviet Russia, sense makes you!!!
posted by lumpenprole at 2:13 PM on June 28 [3 favorites]

That was real horrorshow, droogies! Thanks.
posted by Herodios at 2:22 PM on June 28

Wow, the Internet is really showing me that the USSR was a lot less repressive than I was taught. I always thought Soviet life was all work 12 hour days, stand in line for toilet paper for 6 hours, attend the compulsory May Day parade, etc. I would have though everyone involved in this would have been "re-educated", but apparently not.
posted by DecemberBoy at 2:41 PM on June 28 [3 favorites]

That was all kinds of awesome. I love to draw viewing entertainment on the Central Television that is YouTube.
posted by oneirodynia at 2:55 PM on June 28

more! more!
posted by verb at 3:31 PM on June 28

21 seconds in reminds me of Beck's New Pollution video in both sound and vision.
posted by therubettes at 3:40 PM on June 28

A little googling says the name of the movie is V trinadtsatom chasu nochi which translates as 13PM or In the Thirteenth Hour of the Night, a Ukrainian comedy fairy tale. What I found odd was the first dance routine singer's lyrics were in French.
posted by nickyskye at 3:41 PM on June 28

Yay. I love how the initial kaleidoscope dance scene where everybody is dancing on Twister-like spots on the floor is so reminiscent of a combination of a really bad version of (a) James Brown's "I Feel Good" and (b) those godawful "hip" wanna-be Rowan and Martin dancing sequences in the late seasons of "The Andy Griffith Show."

Some of the comments on the link seem to imply that the kaleidoscope is supposed to be a "telescope" showing them scenes of "the decadent West," so in theory...that was supposed to be "a typical scene from the U.S.A."

I think.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:42 PM on June 28

...those godawful "hip" wanna-be Rowan and Martin dancing sequences in the late seasons of "The Andy Griffith Show."

Wait. What? Goober and Aunt Bee shakin' it down? How could I have missed this???
posted by squalor at 4:15 PM on June 28

Great. First I find out that their space program was better than ours. Now I find out they had better drugs, too. Thanks a lot capitalism!
posted by loquacious at 4:21 PM on June 28 [1 favorite]

Yay, Krustschev Thaw FTW. I thought I saw all good 60s soviet movies.

Re: Hay. Someone tells the dude that bony knees are probably not too comfy for the kid, & he puts the hay down. Other than that there isn't any meaningful dialogue going on, mostly interjections, yelps.
posted by rainy at 4:37 PM on June 28

While watching this I was listening to this music.

I agree that this needs some mood music. I watched while listening to Angel & Risingson by Massive Attack and the clip took on a very sinister, Twin-Peaksian quality.
posted by dogmom at 5:01 PM on June 28

the Herb Albert song is "Bittersweet Samba". Just double checked with Shazam and it agrees. (shazam is incredible by the way)
posted by bhnyc at 5:13 PM on June 28

Where is nasreddin when you need him? The twister song is definitely in French, so I wonder if it was some way of showcasing foreign artists (considering the aforementioned Polish number). Really great find, in any event, thanks!
posted by nonmerci at 6:44 PM on June 28

If we all close our eyes will Baba Yaga show up in this thread?
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:50 PM on June 28

This post was totally awesome...thanks!!!
posted by GavinR at 7:08 PM on June 28

No Dr. Zira, but if we aren't careful Metafilter might get up on its scrawny chicken legs and kick our asses.
posted by localroger at 7:11 PM on June 28

I think it's Linsk Minyk at 1:15.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:49 PM on June 28

Really not too hard to figure out that this is ostensibly a satire of Western culture, with the final bit something authentically Socialist that you can see on your locally provided State Television. Why it's presented by clowns, that I'm not sure. Translation might help, but then again, it might not.
posted by dhartung at 8:26 PM on June 28

MetaFilter: ostensibly a satire of Western culture
posted by hippybear at 9:13 PM on June 28

I don't think it's possible to do satire of Western culture circa 1967-1973. It was satire in and of itself. Fluorescent paisley is a send-up of good taste. Hippies are a send-up of human culture.

Music was pretty good sometimes, though. It really didn't hit the level of satire until the late 1970s disco era.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:17 PM on June 28

I have had a great day today. But this -- what a spectacular thing. It's completely berserk. I'm so happy to have seen it. I like especially the mope playing the wacky little triangle mandolin, and all the broads dancing around him wearing 1960s kitchen drapes -- how often I've wished for that very thing in my own life! What guy does not dream of that?

The whole thing is a howl. Thanx so much for posting.
posted by dancestoblue at 9:24 PM on June 28

I like especially the mope playing the wacky little triangle mandolin, and all the broads dancing around him wearing 1960s kitchen drapes -- how often I've wished for that very thing in my own life!

Right:
Let me hear your wacky little triangle mandolins ringing out,
Come and keep your little mope warm
We're back in the USSR. . .
posted by Herodios at 9:53 PM on June 28

Where is nasreddin when you need him?

No doubt he's off somewhere conducting equestrian voice lessons.
posted by Herodios at 9:57 PM on June 28

Pure awesomeness. Thanks for posting the link.
posted by zia at 1:39 AM on June 29

Confirming pracowity regarding the second act. It's Czerwone gitary performing Nikt na swiecie nie wie. Anime verision is first hit on youtube, oddly enough: Nikt na swiecie nienime
posted by monocultured at 2:57 AM on June 29

In Russia Kaleidoscopes YOU!

My head hurts now... I wasted 8 minutes of my life.... can I go take a nap?
posted by Mastercheddaar at 5:18 AM on June 29

My brother turned me onto this. He's seen the whole movie. According to him, the YouTube clip is tame compared to other parts of the film. He told me that at one point, the Fellini-esque troupe starts doing an impersonation of Louis Armstrong singing "Hello, Dolly" -- but they only use the words "hello" and "dolly" as the lyrics.
posted by grumblebee at 6:15 AM on June 29

Why is it so important that the Child-Santa sit on hay?

Moisture control.

The Russian guy in the office next to me, after he picked up his jaw from the floor, says it's for cushioning, because the boy is sitting on a wooden leg. He had never seen this, and considers it inappropriate for children (he's in his mid 20's), saying "they must've been really drunk before they did this".
posted by nomisxid at 9:48 AM on June 29

Where's Marshall McLuhan when you need him?
posted by fcummins at 3:01 PM on June 29

Probably on his way to Moscow to defect.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 4:28 PM on June 29

I happen to have Marshall McLuhan right here.
posted by grumblebee at 4:32 PM on June 29

Q: Why did they have to shovel the hay under the bearded babies ass?

A: Why not?
posted by FatherDagon at 9:09 PM on June 29

This is what happens when I don't preview.
posted by FatherDagon at 9:09 PM on June 29