Stites, Chapter 1

Russian Popular Culture: Entertainment and Society Since 1900
By: Richard Stites
Chapter 1

1. In old Russia 1900-1917

Dominant new urban song: tsyganshchina or gypsy song, similar to "race music" in the states. The tango, cakewalk, one-step, and foxtrot were brought into Russia by foreign visitors. Estrada indicates a broad range of live entertainment from rural and traditional outdoor shows to modern nightclub venues. During this period, estrada included folk drama, circus, the people's house, and cabaret.

"The greed of the studios for profit was not greater than the insatiability of the public for more movies. There were never enough scenarios; a screen veteran recalls that producers 'would take any foreign adventure tale, change Pierre to Vladimir and Henritta to Larisa and the script would be ready'" (27).