Circus in the Circus

The glimpse into the exceptional performances of Soviet artists is inherently valuable. If this were a documentary film focused solely on capturing the circus performers without the interference of a clumsy script and forced humor, I would evaluate this piece differently. Unfortunately, the story falls short, and aside from the circus acts, the standout feature is the cast. While the cast is indeed noteworthy, one would prefer to see this old guard of actors in more compelling material. Overall impression: 25%. (06/20/2006)

Obviously a very expensive partnership for promoting the Russian circus, both the individual acts and groups and the new State Circus building, which from a technical point of view is still fascinating today. Obviously, what the story was going to be about was the last thing to be figured out. With Lipsky's circus films, I'd give a lot to know what the animals who have to dutifully endure it think of the clowning fools around them. I confess that I didn't realize the close relationship between the Bolsheviks and the circus until recently, but I'm glad I did, because I hate both quite intensely. (05/23/2022)