The KION online cinema has released a multi-episode film “Union of Salvation.
Time for anger."
The work of directors Nikita Vysotsky and Ilya Lebedev is designed to tell the viewer in detail about the Decembrist uprising of 1825, that is, to fulfill the task that was originally assigned to the painting "Union of Salvation" by Andrei Kravchuk.
The new project is a much larger work, against which Kravchuk's feature film is nothing more than a teaser.
By the way, some frames from the 2019 tape were included in the series.
“The film “Union of Salvation” told about what happened, and the series about why,” says producer Anatoly Maksimov.
The events of the project affect several time periods.
The action begins in April 1814 in Paris, where the Russian army is celebrating the victory over Napoleon, and ends in the summer of 1826 in St. Petersburg.
The authors of the series meticulously approached the visualization of the era: natural views of St. Petersburg are complemented by computer graphics that recreate the city on the Neva in accordance with its appearance in the 1800s.
Historical documents were used in the development of the scene.
“This historical era is very beautiful, bewitching, and I must say that no one has ever seen such Petersburg, which we created in the series.
We filmed a lot on location — in palaces, historical buildings,” said Ilya Lebedev.
© Shot from the series “Union of Salvation.
Time of Anger"/kinopoisk.ru
The main roles in the series were played by the same artists who starred in the full-length "Union of Salvation", so the viewer will not have to get used to new faces in the images of already familiar characters.
But the increased timing made it possible to more widely reveal each hero and tell not only about historical events, but also about the people who took part in them.
Indeed, including for the weak disclosure of characters, many scolded the full-length "Union of Salvation".
Here, the authors fully took into account the claims.
“This is not just an attempt to tell about the characters that the viewer is already familiar with, but the introduction of many lines, new characters, events, conflicts.
As our teachers told us: “Heroes are the carriers of the idea of the picture,” said director Nikita Vysotsky.
Emperor Alexander I, performed by Vitaly Kishchenko, turned out to be both regal and humane so much that you believe his every word and gesture - “what is our sovereign ... Thunderer!”
- says Count Arakcheev (Roman Madyanov).
The Decembrists are also fully revealed.
The somewhat ingenuous, but sincere idealist Muravyov-Apostol (Leonid Bichevin) also became much more human in the series.
In the new tape, more attention is paid to his love line.
Muravyov-Apostol is revealed not only as a man of action, but also as a romantic hero.
Of course, this enriches the character, his image and story.
But his colleague Pestel, performed by Pavel Priluchny, is presented as a character more insidious, arrogant (this is especially evident in his attitude towards people of lower classes or ranks) and very principled in matters of revolution.
“He is a brave and ideological person who thinks a few steps ahead.
I can’t say that I created my character from scratch, as there are many testimonies and memories about him.
But his image is not so widely replicated, so I had the opportunity to endow him with some of my own character traits.
Come up with a hero that thousands could follow, ”said Priluchny.
Prince Volkonsky, performed by Sergei Bezrukov, looks flawless, and the already mentioned Roman Madyanov played Count Arakcheev so brilliantly that one literally wants to strangle the character from the first minutes of appearing on the screen.
© Shot from the series “Union of Salvation.
Time of Anger"/kinopoisk.ru
To understand the plot, it is not at all necessary to watch a full meter: the first episodes of the series introduce the viewer to the key characters, reveal in detail their motivation and development.
So, the young officer Muravyov-Apostol, intoxicated by the victory over Napoleon, gains courage and offers to drink champagne to the emperor himself, sincerely believing that the guardsman can get away with such familiarity (and it does).
Subsequently, the slightly matured officer is convinced that the autocrat is infallible and cannot make a decision to disband the rebellious Semyonovsky regiment, which "obeyed".
But the harsh reality changes the romantic and the idealist, forcing him to gradually reconsider his views and beliefs and turning him into one of the leaders of the Decembrists.
On the one hand, we can say that there will be no intrigue in the series - the historical basis will not allow any of the characters to be "saved", many of which will fall in love with the viewer.
One can only object to this that the authors of the series reliably unwind the lines of all the characters, it is really interesting to watch them, and there are more than enough curious twists and turns in the new Union of Salvation.
Here are secret societies (from Masonic lodges to peculiar hobby groups), and court intrigues, and the concept of honor, which for most characters is far from an empty phrase.
To some extent, the Union of Salvation.
Time of Wrath "can be compared with another domestic saga - a series of films" Midshipmen.
Both projects are rooted in real history, bringing emperors, nobles and ordinary people to life on the screens and interpreting events in their own way from the point of view of real or fictional characters.
The only difference is that the story of Alyoshka Korsak and his faithful friends, published between 1987 and 1992, due to time and budgets, cannot boast such a visual as in the Union of Salvation.
Time for anger."
Even if we assume that inaccuracies or errors have crept into some details of the costumes, most viewers will not notice this, but the history of the Decembrist movement will open up to a large audience.