Здравствуй.
One day I asked you to share some things with me you’d like to know a little more. In this letter I want to put the film “Сибирский цирюльник” (1998) [=The Barber of Siberia]1 in the picture.
The film is a masterpiece in the modern Russian cinematography that took about 10 years to be released in its all beauty: Eduard Artemiev (also known for the soundtracks to Andrei Tarkovsky’s films) made an incredible musical box for the film, listen to one of soundtracks here; also a film director made a thorough actor hunting to make it rather trustworthy in acting and and nature hunting for breathtaking views of the Russian nature.
Nikita Mikhalkov, producer, directed the film to foreign audiences (whether living in Russia or abroad) also as a reason for making it not only to nominate for Oscar but actors could speak both languages perfectly (half a cast are international actors) and play feeling their characters.
The actors playing junkers took a 3-month course at Kostroma military school according to the military regulations of 1885 year. They dealt with fencing, dances and learning to understand classical music; also they went to the art galleries and concerts, learnt marching songs, prayers and how to pray.
The paintings of Vasiliy Surikov inspired his grandson to catch the special vibe to film Maslenitsa [= the Butter week].
In the film over 200 actors and 3000 background actors were involved.
However in the USA and Russia were a plenty of people who critisized the film. How is it possible that the junker could truly fall in love with a foreign woman that behaves as a woman of pleasure? By the age of the main character (he’s 20 years old), he is supposed to be single-minded to what he wants in life, his future fiancée features, how he gets it all etc. Moreover, it is impossible to overstep the rules, neglect subordination and fight with his General (Just remember another film “the Union of Salvation” (2019). Sergey Muravyov-Apostol, lieutenant colonel, knows he can no longer follow his Major general and Sergey’s drunk comrades started not only using their hands but stabbing. Having received 14 wounds caused by bayonets, Gaustav Gebel, major general, could forgive them because he felt like their father, eventhough was utterly strict sometimes).
If you want to support my project, you can do it here financially.
It’s just one cup of good herbal tea.
Once again, to become junkers a man should be above 21 years old, so the main character is a part of social elite and knows what life is.
By the end of the film, you may notice that no bad guy was showed up. Everyone is charming and cheerful. And all this film is about a soul, not the country: filled with sentimentality, cheerfulness, irony, attachment to the native land, and reasons to love it all.