Master and Margarita

OK, first off, I'm really not trying to be pretentious here, choosing Pushkin, Bulgakov, and a massive tome on Chinese history. I'm not continuously reading daunting stuff like this. Secondly, I'm not really in the midst of reading this particular book. I only pulled it down off the shelf because I rented the television version of Master and Margarita directed by Vladimir Bortko. I also promise not to attempt any deep analyses of he work, not because I'm demonstrating any restraint, but just because I don't think I'm up to it.

The story is about a visit by the Devil to Stalinist-era Moscow. While Master and Margarita is filled with enough allusions to Russian literature, Soviet history, Russian Orthodox theology, and other references to encourage extensive analysis, it is still an entertaining book without having to stop every page and ponder its deeper meaning. (Unless you want to.) It contains any number of memorable passages, and evocative descriptions of the Moscow of the twenties and thirties.

Which brings me to the subject of the Russian TV series. I pulled down the book just to compare my memories of it to what I saw on the DVD. The television scenes were extremely faithful to Bulgakov's words. In fact, I was pleased that I was able to notice a minor change, replacing the bicycle act in the Varieté scene with a balancing act. The same scene added a detail, putting a poster exhorting "Complete the Five Year Plan in Four Years" behind the stage, something I don't believe is anywhere in the book.

Inevitably, even in over eight hours, some things were missing. While the music was effective, I heard none of the musical references made by Bulgakov. Also missing was the scene with the little boy during Margarita's flight over Moscow. I'm sure those who have read the book more often could cite other missing parts.

Despite that, the DVD is worth a look. One note, based on the comments of one person I know who already complained: The subtitles on the DVD are only available through your DVD player controls, and not through the title menu. It would certainly be difficult to follow for someone who doesn't speak Russian, otherwise.