It certainly had one of the longest gestation periods, with bondarchuk spending seven years filming the. This paper is adapted from my forthcoming book, bondarchuk. Likewise, i found the 1954 movie war and peace very disappointing. It is easy enough to praise director sergei bondarchuk for his thundering battle scenes, or his delicate ballroom scenes, or the quality of his actors. Sergey bondarchuk, soviet film director and actor born sept.
This book, taking up bondarchuks masterpiece as a cold war film, an. The opening segment of sergey bondarchuks mammoth film series, war and peace, is set in 1805, and introduces the key characters of leo tolstoys epic novel. Truly epic in scale, this adaptation of tolstoys revered novel balances aweinspiring spectacle with emotionally charged character drama. In relating tolstoys complex tale of napoleons invasion of russia. For your viewing convenience, were offering war and peace in two parts. Find where to watch war and peace and many more fulllength movies from the best streaming services online.
Andrei bolkonsky directed by sergei bondarchuk 1966 soviet union. It certainly had one of the longest gestation periods, with bondarchuk spending seven years filming the project the actors noticeably age from scene to scene. What is extraordinary about war and peace is that bondarchuk was able to take the enormous bulk of leo tolstoys novel and somehow transform it into this. Natasha rostova and andrei bolkonskys waltz from sergei bondarchuks 1967 adaptation of war and peace by leo tolstoy. The splendid, epic film adaptation of leo tolstoys grand novel 1969 in film, literature june 2nd. In collaboration with the iowa city book festival, and in celebration of the 150th anniversary of leo tolstoys epic, filmscene presents a new digital restoration of sergei bondarchuks eighthour masterpiece.
The focus here is on natasha rostova lyudmila savelyeva, who is now old enough to enter society and attend her first ball. To read more articles like this, get your copy of weekend magazine, free this saturday with the guardian. War and peace 1967, directed by sergei bondarchuk film. The conflict spurred him on and he took two years to compose his original version. Because of the war he was evacuated to the caucasus where he also composed his second string quartet. Find the perfect bondarchuk war and peace stock photo. Cinematography anatoli petritsky, aleksandr shelenkov production designer mikhail bogdanov, gennadi myasnikov. At the height of the cold war, the soviet film industry set out to prove it could outdo hollywood with a production that would dazzle the world. This book, taking up bondarchuks masterpiece as a cold war film, an epic, a literary adaptation, a. Russian director sergei bondarchuks epic version of leo tolstoys war and peace voyna i mir was the most expensive european film ever made for many years. One is the love story of young countess natasha rostova and count pierre bezukhov, who is unhappy in his marriage. This paper is adapted from my forthcoming book, bondarchuks war and peace. Natasha rostova and andrei bolkonskys waltz from sergei bondarchuk s 1967 adaptation of war and peace by leo tolstoy.
Starring lyudmila savelyeva, vyacheslav tikhonov, and sergei bondarchuk. Sergey bondarchuk russian director and actor britannica. Saw the other war and peace with audrey hepburn that just could not compare to it. By using innovative camera techniques, director sergei bondarchuk takes us into the high societies of st. Sergei bondarchuk was one of the most important russian filmmakers, best known for directing an academy awardwinning film epic war and peace 1966, based on the book by leo tolstoy, in which he also starred as pierre bezukhov. For fans of the film, exciting news to be sure, but somewhat confusing to hear. While it probably isnt for american viewers who requires instant gratification, this film is a must see for those who, like me, love russian literature, and in particular, war and peace. A massive undertaking that took several years, war and peace is a remarkable achievement that matches epic scope with intimate detail. As the director and star of the russian version of war and peace, sergei bondarchuk. Winner of the 1969 oscar for best foreign language film, bondarchuks war and peace sets the changing fortunes of several aristocratic families against the backdrop of napoleons invasion of. War and peace by lyudmila savelyeva, vyacheslav tikhonov. Imagine if bondarchuk had been making this today what a wonderful creation it would have been in this age of technology. Bondarchuks western fame lies with his epic production of tolstoys war and peace, which.
Media in category sergei bondarchuk the following 6 files are in this category, out of 6 total. Petersburg and moscow as well as giving us a birds eye view of the battles that play out as well. Sergei bondarchukswar and peace, one of the worlds greatest film epics, originated as a consequence of the cold war. Prokofiev was already considering making an opera from tolstoys war and peace when germany invaded russia on 22 june 1941. Bondarchuks war and peace youngblood, denise published by university press of kansas youngblood, denise. Another is the great patriotic war of 1812 against the invading napoleons armies. Street date june 3, 2003 starring lyudmila savelyeva, vyacheslav tikhonov, irina gubanova, antonina shuranova, sergei bondarchuk, oleg tabakov, n.
The second part of sergey bondarchuks epic film series based on tolstoys war and peace picks up in 1809. Directed by sergei bondarchuk this program is hailed as the definitive marriage between literature and cinema. In any serious, soberminded discussion about what could be selected to exemplify the farthest reaches of cinemas capabilities, war and peace sergei bondarchuk s. Tolstoy is not dead eighthour epic based on the eponymous book by leo tolstoy. Conceived as a response to king vidors war and peace, bondarchuks surpassed that film in every way, giving the ussr one small victory in the cultural cold war for hearts and minds. You have a picture of the scenes, locations and characters in your mind, and hardly ever a movie comes close to those images. Conceived as a response to king vidorswar and peace, bondarchuks surpassed that film in every way, giving the ussr one small victory in the cultural cold war for hearts and minds. The film, released in four installments throughout 1966 and 1967, starred bondarchuk in the leading role of pierre bezukhov, alongside vyacheslav tikhonov and ludmila savelyeva, who. But soviet director sergei bondarchuk somehow managed to pull it off. Literary classic to soviet cinematic epic university press of kansas, 2014.
Medal for the victory over germany in the great patriotic war 19411945 hero of socialist labour 1980 order of. The bbcs latest war and peace is available as a download, or on dvd or bluray. Leo tolstoys war and peace is a portrait of russia and her people, caught up in the swirling tides of history during the napoleonic era. Sergei bondarchuks war and peace, one of the worlds greatest film epics, originated as a consequence of the cold war. Nothing in film today can compare to those battle scenes. Until the end of the world the criterion collection.
Reviewing bondarchuks film back in 1969, a young roger ebert wrote. Sergei bondarchuk despite the opinion of the soviet cinematographers, sergei bondarchuk was not an obvious choice to direct such a politically important. He was born sergei fedorovich bondarchuk on september, 25, 1920, in the village of belozerka, kherson province, ukraine. We encourage patrons to buy their tickets for both parts in advance to guarantee seats. I was prepared for a similar experience before i saw the twopart movie by russian director sergei bondarchuk. Bondarkchuk himself plays protagonist pierre bezukhov, while vyacheslav tikhonov takes on the role of prince andrei bolkonsky, and lyudmila savelyeva plays the immortal natasha rostova. Last january 2019, janus films announced a us theatrical release of a new restoration of sergei bondarchuks film war and peace 19661967. Enjoy it in one eighthour marathon, or see sergey bondarchuks epic in multiple sittings your choice. Criterions twodisk bluray release of sergei bondarchuk s war and peace showcases a restoration of what may well be the most expensive film ever made. Voyna i mir is a 196567 soviet war drama film cowritten and directed by sergei bondarchuk and a film adaptation of leo tolstoys 1869 novel war and peace.
But spectacle apart, bondarchuks version of tolstoy falls into the category of respectable mediocrity, and matters arent helped by the loud american voices with. May 26, 2016 images from the soviet blockbuster war and peace film russian directed by sergei bondarchuk. Kira ivanovagolovko, sergei bondarchuk, lyudmila savelyeva, sergey bondarchuk, vyacheslav tikhonov, viktor stanitsyn, kira golovko, nikolay kodin. Criterions twodisk bluray release of sergei bondarchuks war and peace showcases a restoration of what may well be the most expensive film ever made. Leo tolstoys war and peace kultur international films. Bondarchuk had attended a theatre school before his studies were interrupted by world war ii. Only a russian, and possibly only bondarchuk, could both direct and star in this sweeping epic. But if you can ignore the technical shortfalls it is still the most brilliant version of war and peace ever made.
1238 851 499 247 18 1517 156 1414 70 1257 1111 654 250 542 1267 1157 1115 868 18 1387 1341 694 375 1460 106 468 631 1030 404 494 1548 465 450 425 180 228 1443 1082 714 1000 1369 1323 13 1170 279 1034 488 1273 1307 658