In Russian prisons, a man's entire life is written on his body. Without tattoos he does not exist. Most Russian criminals carry a collection complex symbols which involve a great deal of detailed information giving full disclosure of their family life and past criminal activities. The placement of these marks on the body hold just as much significance as the symbols themselves.
Similar to other members of organized crime, the Russian Mafia uses tattoos to identify it's members and their ranking status. Boasting of unearned tattoos is a punishable offense leading to involuntarily removal of painful acid procedures. Forceable tattoos to the forehead is a common source of punishment to publicly humiliate and clearly identify those who have broke the "criminal code".
The gritty reality of these marks in the criminal underworld are brought to light in the movie Eastern Promises. The story begins with the heartbreaking journey from the diary of a pregnant Russian teenage prostitute who dies during childbirth. After discovering the journal, a determined mid-wife follows the clues that lead to revealing the girls rape, drug use and involvement with the Russian Mafia.
Viggo Mortensen portrays a Russian gangster using his body as a criminal storybook. Each tattoo on his body represents the details of his background and imprisonments that eventual achieve a new ranking in the mob family. This on-screen tattoo process was one of the most authentic I have seen in a film.
