Santa Esperansa
Original Russian Poster
Santa Esperansa is a 1980 Soviet drama film directed by Sebastián Alarcón . The film, set in Pinochet's Chile, depicts the story of a group of political prisoners in a concentration camp in the abandoned desert settlement of Santa Esperansa (this name would be correctly spelled in Spanish Santa Esperanza , meaning "Saint Hope").
The following weapons were used in the film Santa Esperansa :
Pistols M1911A1 M1911A1 pistols are service sidearms of the Chilean officers and NCOs. They are mostly carried in US Army M1916 holsters. Carlos (Vladimir Lomizov) disarms the Captain (Aleksandr Pashutin ) in an attempt of the prison break and holds his pistol.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pre-War Colt M1911A1 - Commercial Model known as the "Colt Government Model" - .45 ACP. This has a deep Colt factory blued finish, common for commercial variants before and after the war. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Captain (at the left) carries his pistol in M1916 holster. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Sergeant (Islam Kaziyev ) carries a holstered pistol. The holster seems to be a revolver pattern but Sergeant's gun is a pistol (see below). Error creating thumbnail: File missing Carlos disarms the Captain. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Carlos takes the Captain and the commandant (Grigoriy Lyampe ) as hostages. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The pistol in hands of Carlos. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The commandant carries a pistol in M1916 holster. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An officer, gunned down by Felisindo in the final scene, holds an M1911 pistol. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Sergeant holds a pistol that also seems to be an M1911. Browning Hi-Power In the final scene Padre (Ramaz Chkhikvadze) and one of the officers are armed with Browning Hi-Power pistols.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Browning Hi-Power "Type 73" - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing Padre holds his pistol. Judging by the hammer spur, this is a Hi-Power "Type 73". Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another view of Padre's pistol. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An officer with a pistol. Submachine Guns Thompson M1928A1 Chilean soldiers on guard of the Santa Esperansa are armed with Thompson M1928A1 submachine guns. Many of the Thompsons are fitted with magazines of MP40 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1928A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45ACP Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1928A1 Thompson converted to use MP40 magazines with 7.62x25mm blank cartridges Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier carries a Thompson. Error creating thumbnail: File missing When the soldiers surrender their weapons, most guns in the pile are Thompsons. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The soldiers leave their guns while playing soccer. Note that the Thompson at the right is fitted with an MP40 magazine. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Thompson with an MP40 magazine is seen at the foreground. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier carries a Thompson, fitted with an MP40 magazine. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier at the right carries a Thompson. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier with a Thompson in the final scene. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Three soldiers at the background hold Thompsons. Rifles and Assault Rifles Sturmgewehr 44 (visually modified as AR-10/AR-15) Chilean soldiers on guard of the Santa Esperansa are mostly armed with Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifles, visually modified to resemble AR-10 or early versions of AR-15 . In the final scene the rioting prisoners, notably Felisindo (Laimonas Noreika ) and Pablo Kanepi (Vladimir Tikhonov ), use these rifles, captured from the guards. The real weapon of the Chilean military at that time was a SIG SG 510-4 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sturmgewehr 44, modified to resemble early AR-15 - 7.62x39 blank Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier with a visually modified StG 44. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A close-up of a visually modified StG 44. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Carlos (Vladimir Lomizov) with the Captain's M1911A1 and the soldier's StG 44. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The soldiers leave their guns while playing soccer. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Soldiers with visually modified StG 44 rifles. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier convoys Miguel Angel. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Felisindo fires a captured StG 44. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pablo holds an StG 44. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An NCO and a soldier with StG 44 rifles in the final scene. SVT-40 Several SVT-40 rifles can be seen in a pile of guns, surrendered by the guards during Carlos' riot. They may be used as a stand-in for M1 Garand or M14 rifles.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Tokarev SVT-40 - 7.62x54mmR Error creating thumbnail: File missing Several SVT-40 rifles are seen in the pile of guns. M1 Carbine Several M1 Carbines are also seen in the same scene.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing World War II Era M1 Carbine, with Dark Walnut Stock, 'L' peep sight and no bayonet lug - .30 Carbine Error creating thumbnail: File missing At least three M1 Carbines are seen in the pile of guns. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An M1 Carbine is seen in hands of a soldier at the right in the final scene. Machine Guns PK (visually modified as MG34) PK machine guns, visually modified to resemble MG34 , are used by the guards. The real machine guns of Chilean military of that time were MG3 and M60 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG34 (top) and PK modified to resemble an MG34 (bottom). Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier in the jeep holds a visually modified PK. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The machine gun on the guard tower. Error creating thumbnail: File missing In the final scene a soldier fires a machine gun, mounted on a BTR-40 APC. Other Weapons Hand Grenade In the final scene a soldier throws a "pineapple" hand grenade. It is seen only in distance.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier prepares to throw a grenade. Trivia The guards use two BTR-40 APCs. They may be used as a stand-in for M3 Scout Cars that were still in use in Latin American countries in 1970s.
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