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Vladimir Vysotsky, Sergei Yesenin (in a circle)
On the occasion of the 85th anniversary of Vladimir Vysotsky in Moscow, and then in St. Petersburg, the premiere screenings of the documentary film “Vysotsky. Unknown pages… Odessa notebook. The 70-minute tape is a chronicle of the bard’s “journeys” into the world of the atmosphere of Odessa. The story is not only regarding the work of Vladimir Semenovich, but also regarding his personal life during this period. The viewer learns regarding his relationship with the legendary film actress Iya Savvina behind the scenes of the drama “Two Comrades Were Serving” and regarding his beloved wife Marina Vlady’s arrival in Odessa incognito.
The director of the tape was the composer Anatoly Balchev, who had worked closely with Vysotsky since the mid-70s.
“Balchev is the only composer to whom Vysotsky entrusted his poems for writing songs,” Alexei Antropov, founder of the Antropov Foundation, told us. – Vladimir Semenovich liked their joint work on creating a composition for “Meeting Point …” so much that he invited Anatoly to collaborate for the film “Green Van”, which the poet was supposed to shoot as a director, but did not have time. That is why our foundation supports this project with special sympathy not only in Russia, but also at all international festivals and forums.
“The father’s generation is rapidly leaving, and it seems that they are regarding to begin to forget him,” Nikita Vysotsky, the son of the legend, sighs. – But let’s see how it will be … The more valuable is the work of Anatoly Balchev, who knew his father personally. I met Anatoly in the last years of my father’s life in an apartment on Malaya Gruzinskaya, when they were recording the song “About the End of the War.” As for the theme of the film, Odessa occupied a special place in the heart of my father and in the hearts of many of his friends.
Inside the picture, rare viewers will see rare interviews of the late directors and colleagues of Vysotsky: Georgy Yungvald-Khilkevich, Kira Muratova, Samvel Gasparov, Gennady Poloka, Mikhail Zhvanetsky and others. In the frame, Mikhail Shemyakin, Pyotr Todorovsky, Alexei Shturmin also share their memories of Vladimir Semenovich … The source of one of the episodes of the film, Balchev admitted, was the song:
– In 1970, a cholera epidemic broke out in Odessa, Volodya reacted very vividly to this event: “Cholera mows down orderly ranks, but people once more close in lines,” Anatoly Markovich recalls. – In this song, Vysotsky ironically described the city with which he had the warmest feelings … His first major film role, in the film “Vertical” by Stanislav Govorukhin, and then “Short Meetings” and “Dangerous Tours”, “Intervention” and of course “Meeting place…” His friendship with the sea captains and love of ordinary people, and not only residents of Odessa, – noted Anatoly Markovich.
In general, the Odessa period is one of the key milestones in the life and work of the poet. Here he not only revealed himself as a film actor, but also declared himself as a poet and composer, writing dozens of songs for the films of the legendary Odessa film studio, which were included in the golden fund of national cinema.
Despite the fact that the documentary was completed a couple of years ago and, thanks to the Antropov Foundation, was shown many times in different cities of the world (including London, Paris and Los Angeles), the St. Petersburg premiere became a landmark. Not just because it was timed to the anniversary of Vysotsky.
– He loved St. Petersburg very much, – says Balchev. – Vladimir Semenovich had plans to make a picture on a military theme related to the blockade. The city was special to him.
By the way, it was in Leningrad that the first official shooting of the singing Vysotsky took place, which later millions of Soviet viewers might see on TV. Before that, Vladimir Semenovich tried to enter one of the theaters of the Northern capital. He often came to visit friends and starred at Lenfilm. The last time the poet visited St. Petersburg was a couple of months before his death. So it is symbolic that the St. Petersburg premiere of the film “Vysotsky. Unknown Pages… The Odessa Notebook” was held at the Angleterre Hotel, which the bard mentioned in the poem “About Fatal Dates and Figures”, dedicated to poets who have gone to another world. The partner of the premiere show was the same Antropov Foundation, to which many Vysotsky fans are grateful for their help in preserving the memory of the bard.
Photo source: Press service archive, © Viktor Gritsuk, Viktor Chernov/Globallookpress.com