Amphibian Man

In the 1960s, during the Khrushchev Thaw, Soviet filmmakers were given more creative freedom to explore stories beyond the typical Stalinist propaganda. This period saw a surge in sci-fi films, including the 1961 classic Amphibian Man, directed by Vladimir Chebotaryov and Gennadiy Kazanskiy. Based on the novel by Alexander Beliaev, the film tells the story of a man with surgically implanted shark gills who falls in love with a young woman, despite the disapproval of her capitalist suitor. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off a short return to our Soviet Sci-Fi series with a conversation about the 1961 film Amphibian Man.

In our discussion, we explore how Amphibian Man weaves together elements of science fiction, romance, and social commentary. The film’s protagonist, Ichtyandr, embodies the Soviet ideal of —Hold on there! This is currently only available for members. It’ll be available to everyone else soon, but why not become a member so you can listen to it now? We’d love it if you became a member to support our show, but you’d love it because of everything you get. We have monthly member bonus episodes that only members can access. You also get access to members-only Discord channels, and early ad-free releases for every episode. Plus, you get to vote on the movies we discuss in our members only episodes! What can we say? It pays to be a member. Learn more about supporting The Next Reel film podcast through your own membership — visit TruStory FM.