30 years after the collapse of the USSR, the most popular Soviet film among Russians remains “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears”, the top song is still “Katyusha”, and the most favourite book is “How the Steel Was Tempered”, which follows from a survey conducted by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Centre as part of a joint special project with RBC “30 Years Without the USSR”.
According to the survey results, the majority of Russians have a favourite Soviet film (82 per cent). Of the 8 per cent of those who do not have such a film, 23 per cent were young people aged 18-24. Russians named the films “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears” (6 per cent), “The Girls” (5 per cent), “Only ‘Old Men’ are Going to Battle”, “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”, “Operation ‘Y’ and Shurik’s Other Adventures” (4 per cent each) as the best Soviet-era films.
In addition, more than half of the Russians surveyed (61 per cent) have a favourite song from the Soviet era. So, 4 per cent each named the song “Katyusha” and the Anthem of the Soviet Union as the best ones from the Soviet times. The other 3 per cent preferred the song “Victory Day”.
Besides, more than half of Russians (55 per cent) said that they have a favourite book of the Soviet period. Most often, Russians called the book “How the Steel Was Tempered” by Nikolai Ostrovsky (5 per cent) the best one of those times. The second place took “And Quiet Flows the Don” by Mikhail Sholokhov (4 per cent) and the third place occupied “The Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov (3 per cent).
Moreover, according to another study of the same centre, more than half of Russians (56 per cent) prefer to watch Soviet films during the New Year holidays, while 17 per cent choose foreign ones.
Specialists found out that most often, Russians associate with New Year’s holidays such films as “Irony of Fate, or With a Light Steam!” (55 per cent), “Home Alone” (18 per cent), “Operation ‘Y’ and Shurik’s Other Adventures” (12 per cent), “Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession” (“Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future”) (10 per cent), as well as “Christmas Trees” and “Carnival Night” (9 per cent each).
Finally, favourite New Year’s films of Russians are “Irony of Fate, or With a Light Steam!” (33 per cent), “Home Alone” (12 per cent), “Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession”, “Operation ‘Y’ and Shurik’s Other Adventures”, as well as “Christmas Trees” (8 per cent each).
Ru-Main, 14.12.2021
Source: VTsIOM
