Патината на времето в „Старинната монета” (1965)
The patina of age in The Ancient Coin (1965)

Summary/Abstract: Aimed at international markets, made in a significant time period (the mid-1960s), as well as being the earliest colour coproduction of Sofia Film Studios/Deutsche Film (DEFA, East Germany), this 82-minute movie was markedly entertaining and went well beyond the then prescriptive requirements for the national film industry. Notwithstanding all censorial regulations restricting creativity, it is the conditionality and attractiveness of the genre of musical comedy that allow us now to call into question the notions of institutionally protected Socialist Realism in Bulgarian film making and the rigidity of the cinematic canon established by the previous decade. Arguably, that was the reason why the BulgarianGerman crew addressed the world genre experience more boldly in an attempt to introduce new techniques as well as dramaturgical and stylistic characteristics to the Bulgarian musical, which not only encouraged its development, but also turned out subsequently to be the decisive criterion for including The Ancient Coin in the prestigious “Top Bulgarian Classics: The 1960s Films” TV programme. From such a vantage point the critical-interpretative analysis undoubtedly carries a problematic topical accent. As it is now well over five decades since the premiere of The Ancient Coin, I would, however, undertake to revisit some dismissive attitudes by rediscovering through the patina of age the actual worth of the film as a genre experience. The musical comedy coproduction was made with a cinematic knack and stage flair to bring out a truly entertaining onscreen experience, i.e. an adventurous plot with amusing misunderstandings and a fantasy ballet show with elements of a comic caper featuring ellipses, music hits, modern dance rhythms, sex appeal, the Black Sea coast (as a romantic topos), all of which crowned with a happy ending in colour. Owing to Peter Stupel‘s outstanding melodic style, Konstantin Dragnev’s masterly arrangements, and a more unconstrained treatment of jazz, The Ancient Coin achieved a great genre effect by using live improvisations of a Bulgarian pop star enjoying an international career, talented jazz performers (popular also on TV), professional cabaret dancers in variety shows and revues, as well as the typical entertaining styles of musical comedy films, which were interpretative novelties for the 1960s Bulgarian film.

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