A Stunt as a Plastic Metaphor in Epic Series “Liberation”

On the example of Yuri Ozerov's epic series ‘‘Liberation’’ (1968-1972), comprising five films: ‘‘The Fire Bulge’’ (1968), ‘‘Breakthrough’’ (1969), ‘‘Direction of the Main Blow’’ (1970), ‘‘Battle of Berlin’’ (1971) and ‘‘The Last Assault’’ (1971), the article explores the stunt as a spectacular plastic metaphor in the structure of the character’s cinematic image. A certain category of stunt performance in each film is considered in order to determine the characteristic traits shaping the image of a Soviet soldier. The selection of the stunts was based on a single identification feature, the main criterion being the stunt scenes of ‘‘shootings’’. Their example is used to analyze the transformation of a stunt action into a plastic metaphor capable of giving the plot-line additional psycho-emotional sensations. The techniques of stunt demonstration used by the film creators, headed by war veterans — the director, DOP, screenwriter, etc. — are studied. War stunts, which linger in the audience’s memory and the artistic imagery of which is fixed by the viewer's perception, do not only expand and complement the characterization of the screen character, but also makes it possible to look at past events through the eyes of eyewitnesses. Such cinematic experience and the technology used, require a detailed analyses, especially for modern young directors who are trying to recreate the authenticity and atmosphere of the past war. The metaphorical character of stunt performance in war films acquires completely different conceptual and semantic aspects, impregnated with cultural and historical retrospection, heroic and patriotic pathos, psycho-emotional impact and other categories that form an authentic artistic image of the war. It is here that stunt demonstration becomes one of the essential spectacular plastic means of cinematic expressiveness.