


Copyright 1995 ABC-CLIO. This review was taken from the ABC-CLIO Video Rating Guide for Libraries on CD-ROM, a 5-year compilation of over 8900 video titles and reviews, 1990-1994. For information regarding order VRGL CD-ROM, contact: ABC-CLIO, P.O. Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911; 805-968-1911
This following text has been included in the UCB Media Resources Center Web site with the kind permission of the publishers.

A definition of the word "faith" could be found in The Temple,
second in the Glasnost Film Festival series of 22 Soviet
documentaries. Narrated in Russian with English subtitles, The
Temple dramatically illustrates how a burned Russian Orthodox
monastery is rebuilt by a Zagorsk community. The importance of
the church in everyday life is shown from a variety of
perspectives. It is remarkable to note that this program could
not have been produced a few short years ago.
Before the Bolshevik Revolution, Orthodoxy was the honored
state religion. As a result, the clergy found it difficult to
deal with the new Soviet dominance. Many priests involved in
subversive activity were seen to be counterrevolutionaries by the
government. An 80-year-old priest named Nikolai describes that
early struggle. Life in a monastery is explored, with its
behind-the-scenes activities, such as icon painting. The
rebuilding of the monastery is shown to be an affirmation of
faith. Orthodox convents are also examined, and it is clear that
prayer is an important part of their activity. It is
thought-provoking to realize the hundreds of years of tradition
that go into their services.
While the photography is basically good, lighting is often
quite dark, particularly in the indoor shots. Natural sound
during services is excellent, and the pacing is brisk. Footage at
the outset is both grainy and filled with unnecessary movement.
Subtitles are large and easily readable.
The Temple is extraordinary in its unflinching look at the
role of religion in Soviet life. Their faith was one of the ties
that held people together when church and state became officially
separated.
An appropriate addition for college collections, this video
allows the viewer to see how other cultures have clung to
religious beliefs in order to deal with authoritarian
circumstances.
Glasnost Film Festival, No. 2

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