Bookvica

[SODOM AND GOMORRAH ON SCREEN: A SOVIET CRITIQUE OF HOLLYWOOD] Stolitsa Kinolandii [i.e. The Capital of Filmland]

Moor, L.

Item #2535

Leningrad: Teakinopechat’, 1928. 176 pp. 19,5x13 cm. In original publisher’s illustrated wrappers. Tears of the wrappers, but otherwise internally clean.

Scarce. First edition. 1 of 4,000 copies. Text in Russian.
A fascinating example of Soviet propaganda and a subtle critique of Hollywood, written by Soviet film director Leonid Moor (1889-1938) in 1928. The book came out at the close of the New Economic Policy, when Soviet authorities sought to curb the “Hollywood craze” and promote the domestic cinema.
The edition features a striking wrapper design, depicting a woman with bobbed hair standing before the American flag and an old-fashioned film camera. She holds an open Bible and gazes intently at the viewer, as if casting a spell.
The narrative vividly captures Hollywood’s “extraordinary” atmosphere and the workings of the American film industry - from arriving in the city and navigating casting calls to negotiating with directors. From the outset, Moor warns that “the city quickly and completely shatters dreams of sudden wealth.” The story follows several hopefuls seeking fame, including Ketty, likely the figure on the cover. A native of Pumpkin Town, she struggles to survive in a cramped room with others like her, falls victim to a deceitful agent, and is ultimately abandoned after spending a night with a director in pursuit of a role. Disillusioned, Ketty leaves the city, which Moor portrays as a modern “Sodom and Gomorrah,” offering a vivid cautionary tale about the illusions and perils of Hollywood life.
Leo Moor (Murashko) was a Soviet film director, screenwriter, and actor. Born in Vitebsk Governorate, he studied at a technical secondary school in Vilno and became involved in revolutionary activities, joining the Socialist-Revolutionary Party from 1904 to 1910. Arrested in 1907, he served four years of penal labor before emigrating to the United States in 1911, where he worked as an assistant director, actor, and administrator for various film companies. Returning to the USSR in 1923, he joined the First State Film Factory in Moscow as a director. In the 1930s, with the advent of sound cinema, he focused on writing screenplays, books, and articles on Soviet and American cinema.
No copies found in Worldcat.

Price: $950.00