Cinematic Interpretation and “Philological Montage” in Mikhail Bulgakov’s Doctor’s Cycle: Dr. Poliakov vs. Dr. Bulgakov

Abstract

The Russian Formalists (Eichenbaum, Tynianov, Shklovsky) wrote about the relationship between literature and cinema in their film theory of the 1920s. Shklovsky criticised cinema for its inadequacy as a medium for literary adaptations, which he referred to as pageants. This paper will emphasise the necessity of interpretation in cinematic adaptation. Adaptation without interpretation is merely a transposition (Wagner) of literary material, which can be defined as a “dead tradition” (P. Ricoeur). Taking this into account, this article will analyse the Russian film Morphine by A. Balabanov and the British TV programme A Young Doctorʼs Notebook as commentary and analogy (Wagner)—i.e., new reading and transmutation (Nehoroshev). The “philological montage” and new interpretation of the main character in these adaptations will revitalise the tradition of Mikhail Bulgakovʼs doctorʼs cycle.