What’s the deal with these padded doors in Russian movies? Here’s the door of the Director’s office in Sluzhebnyiy Roman (Office Romance) a 1977 movie.
And here’s a door to an apartment, in “Moskva slezam ne verit”, a 1979 film. And there are many others to be found. I have questions, assuming these types of doors were found in real life and not just in the movies.
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When did that style of door get started?
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What materials are used?
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Why have padded doors at all?
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Is that still a common style? If not, when did it end?
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Is/was it just a Russian thing, or were those found in other countries as well?
I suppose I could answer some of those questions myself by paying closer attention to the dates of movies I’m watching.
Reticulator
I am reading Robert Ludlum’s “Tristan Betrayal.” He mentions these doors. Says they were to prevent ease dropping by security police and informers. It won’t be long and we will be using them here. Schools, I have heard, want children to inform on their parents.
When I was younger (during the 70′s) I was in a doctor’s office that had orange padding on the door much the same as the padding shown in the screen captures above. I’m guessing it was for privacy and sound-proofing. I’ve never seen any doors since with padding. In a modern office they would be useless anyway since sound now drifts through drop ceilings from room to room anyway. Just to add I live in Canada – since the OP asked if these doors were used only in Russia or in other countries.