Reminder about Ukrainian horror film
Diana Howansky
dhh2 at COLUMBIA.EDU
Thu Oct 20 18:24:06 UTC 2005
NEXT WEEK:
After a year dominated by serious and art-house films, the Ukrainian
Film Club of Columbia will turn to the entertaining genre of horror
movies. The Club’s October 2005 event will feature:
“VIY,” or the Spirit of Evil,
a full-length feature film by director Kostiantyn Yershov (1967).
This classical picture, often billed as the first Soviet horror film, is
based on the eponymous short story by the Ukrainian-born and reared
19th-century writer Mykola Hohol who, later in life, came to be known
around the world as Nikolay Gogol.
Since its release in 1967, “Viy” the film has captivated the imagination
of millions, thanks to its combination of the best talent Soviet cinema
could offer and a wealth of cultural material – legends, myths, songs,
history and language that are unmistakably Ukrainian. Rarely did the
Soviet censors allow such a breathtaking departure from the strictures
of socialist realism, such an unabashed celebration of the spirit of
Ukraine – all largely due to the fact that the picture was produced not
in Ukraine, ever suspected of disloyalty for Moscow, but in Russia, at
the Mosfilm Studios.
Restored to its original color version, “Viy” features a constellation
of Soviet cinema stars: the tragicomic Leonid Kuravliov, the beautiful
Natalya Varley, and the legend of Ukrainian stage and screen Mykola
Yakovchenko.
“Viy” was directed by the Ukrainian film-maker and actor Kostiantyn
Yershov, who started his career in Kyiv, where he played in the Lesia
Ukrainka Russian Drama Theater. Later, he made a number of films at the
Mosfilm and Lenfilm Studios (Russia) and then, from 1968 until his death
in 1984, worked for the Dovzhenko Film Studios (Kyiv, Ukraine).
“Viy” will be shown in its original Russian language version with some
peppering of Ukrainian idiom, for verisimilitude, with English subtitles.
The film will be introduced by Yuri Shevchuk, the director of the
Ukrainian Film Club. Discussion will follow the screening.
This event is organized jointly with the Ukrainian Student Society of
Columbia University.
When: October 27, 2005, Thursday, 7:30 PM
Where: Room 717, Hamilton Hall, Columbia University
--
Diana Howansky
Staff Associate
Ukrainian Studies Program
Columbia University
Room 1209, MC3345
420 W. 118th Street
New York, NY 10027
(212) 854-4697
ukrainianstudies at columbia.edu
http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/ukrainianstudies/
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