Not just censorship, but looking at what happened with Tarkovsky, being exiled for simply not returning to the USSR. I know Hollywood did the same at the time regarding film ‘guidelines’, I’m just curious if there’s more context to the USSR’s rather strict attitude with film? Or is this just western propaganda I’m swallowing?
There was an ebb and flow to it, like everything. In the lead up to WWII as fascism was a growing existential threat to the Soviet Union, speech become constricted in an effort to prevent subversion. (Also, there was an ongoing cultural revolution against bourgeois influence) Even the USA enacted similar restrictions once they finally chose a side and joined the war, because in a time of existential total war governments typically suspend some speech rights for obvious reasons. But from the 50s onward, there were much fewer restrictions. George Lucas is even on record praising the degree of creative freedom Soviet directors had over their approved projects in the 70s.
If Blackshirts and Reds was anything to go by, they didn’t censor enough.
Oh how come?
Scholars and government officials were allowed to take a decidedly pro-American, pro-colonialist, pro-war, and pro-capitalist stance with what looked like zero repercussions in the run up to the collapse of the USSR.
