Against Adaptation? The Strange Case of (Pod) Poruchik Kizhe

Renfrew, Alastair

Abstract

The extent of the Russian Formalists' engagement with cinema has been obscured by their association with theories of the specificity of literature and a uniquely `poetic language'. The problematic history of the film adaptation of Iurii Tynianov's story `Podporuchik Kizhe' provides a compelling basis upon which to approach his film work as writer and administrator, and to relate this to his theoretical writing. This contextual examination of the genesis of the film provides in turn a basis upon which to return to the broad question of the specificity of various art forms, and to question the value of the vogue for approaching film from the perspective of adaptation.

Citation

Renfrew, A. (2007). Against Adaptation? The Strange Case of (Pod) Poruchik Kizhe. Modern Language Review, 102(1), 157-176

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2007-01
• Deposit Date: Aug 29, 2008
• Publicly Available Date: May 13, 2009
• Journal: Modern Language Review
• Print ISSN: 0026-7937
• Publisher: Modern Humanities Research Association (MHRA)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 102
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 157-176
• Keywords: Russian Formalists; cinema; Iurii Tynianov's story `Podporuchik Kizhe'; genesis of the film; perspective of adaptation.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1572149
• Publisher URL: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/mhra/mlr/2007/00000102/00000001/art00011