Tote Saison

Myortvyy sezon, aka. Dead Season (1968) Soviet Union. Dir. Savva Kulish This fascinating Soviet spy noir drama is in a league of its own. If you have an interest in geo-politics and have followed closely what has taken place over the past few years, the chilling historical relevance of this classic film is extraordinary.

The story centers around the fictional western resort town of Dargate, where under the guise of a pharmaceutical center, the German war criminal Dr. Hass finishes work on a new psychochemical weapon of mass destruction - RH gas (RH). Soviet authorities are gravely concerned about this development, the sinister possibilities of the gas are such that in small doses it stimulates the intellectual potential of a person, in larger doses it turns a person into an obedient slave, satisfied with life, whatever that may be. Forced to work for one country, Hass, however, intends to transfer his secret developments to another country, West Germany...

The Dead Season is a suspenseful well-founded espionage thriller, the first Soviet film about the country's intelligence service during the Cold War. The script was based on material provided by the KGB, and the inspiration of the main hero was the famous Soviet spy, Konon Molody.

The film begins with a personal narration from Rudolf Abel, a former spy, senior colleague and friend of Konon Molody.

Abel addresses the audience, presenting startling facts about the bioweapons that are being developed at places such as Fort Derrick in the USA and Portland Downs in the UK... remember this is 1968.

In collaboration with Abel the film's director made sure that the production was based on actual events and has historical accuracy, particularly with its depiction of the covert work of the real intelligence service of the USSR. Highly Recommended !!