The series "War and Peace" (2016), whose actors received positive reviews, this time was shot in the UK. For the television screen, the epic of Leo Tolstoy adapted Andrew Davis. She fit in 6 episodes. In Russia, the television series was shown on Channel One.
TV Shooting
The BBC television channel ordered the shooting of the series "War and Peace" (2016). Actors were selected carefully and scrupulously. Before starting work, they arranged numerous auditions.
The launch of the project was officially announced by Danny Cohen and Ben Stevenson, who are responsible for producing and producing drama series on the channel. The upcoming television series became known back in 2013.
Six episodes were shot for the BBC channel, each for an hour. The film was released in international rental in an 8-serial format. Each episode lasted 45 minutes.
It is noteworthy that some scenes were shot in Russia. For example, in St. Petersburg - in the Assumption Cathedral, the Great Gatchina Palace, the Yusupov Court on the Moika.
Basically, the filming process was organized in Latvia. The British worked at Rundale Castle. This choice was not accidental. The fact is that the architect of the castle was Rastrelli. The same architect who designed Peterhof and the Winter Palace. So the buildings were very similar in appearance.
The plot of the series
We admit that retelling the plot of the series "War and Peace" does not make any sense. Even those who have not read the novel have a general idea of the events that develop in it.
It should only be noted that the British approached the filming quite scrupulously. All main storylines have been retained. Events, like Tolstoy, takes place in Russia in the 19th century. The story tells about the fate of several noble families. These are the Bolkonskys, Rostovs, Bezukhovs, Kuragins and others. The events of the novel begin even before the Patriotic War of 1812, cover the battles of the Russian army against Napoleon, tell in detail about the confrontation of opponents near Moscow.
Cast
In the series "War and Peace" (2016) , the famous actors were involved. Therefore, viewers and critics were looking forward to this premiere.
One of the central roles was played by American actor Paul Dano. He played Pierre Bezukhov. Paul Dano is popular not only in his homeland, but also far beyond its borders. Nominated several times for BAFTA and Golden Globe awards. He fell in love with fans after filming the TV series The Sopranos, the dramatic comedy Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton's Little Miss Happiness, Paul Tom Anderson’s epic drama Oil, and Steve McQueen’s historical drama 12 Years a Slave.
The role of Natasha Rostova, the main female character, went to British Lily James. In the series "War and Peace" (2016), the actors and roles that they play are remembered by many viewers. Each candidate was approved only after numerous castings. Therefore, it was possible to achieve such a large number of successful hits in the image, critics say.
Lily James is well known primarily to the British public. On television, she made her debut in the drama and erotic series Secret Calling Girl Diary, and played in the serial drama The Downton Abbey.
Bolkonsky and agent Scully
Among the actors of the series "War and Peace" (2016), one must single out the Englishman James Norton. He got the image of Andrei Bolkonsky. Interestingly, Norton is not the first to play Russian characters. In 2013, he played the role of Onegin in the episode "Cold War" of the series "Doctor Who." True, this character had nothing to do with the Pushkin hero. The action takes place in 1983 on a Soviet atomic submarine, and the hero of Norton received such a name, most likely due to the fact that she was the only one that the screenwriter knew about Russian realities.
Among the actors of the series "War and Peace" there is one real star. The role of Anna Pavlovna Scherer was performed by the American Gillian Anderson. The role of agent Dana Scully in the X-Files series brought her fame.
Another attempt
It is noteworthy that this is not the first attempt to film the epic of Tolstoy. The series "War and Peace" (2016) became the eleventh experience of film producers.
This was first done back in 1913. The film was then shot by domestic director Pyotr Chardynin. Later, the British and Italians worked with fertile material. But most viewers remember two adaptations.
In 1956, the film of the same name was shot by American director King Widor. The main roles were then played by the legendary Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda.
And in 1965, the Soviet film director Sergei Bondarchuk shot the epic in four parts. This adaptation was remembered to the domestic audience thanks to Vyacheslav Tikhonov, who played Andrei Bolkonsky, and Lyudmila Savelyeva, who played the role of Natasha Rostova.
What is the film criticized for?
Immediately after the release of the screens, the British mini-series was subjected to fierce criticism. And not only from Russian, but also from English viewers.
Many did not like that in the picture a large number of revealing bed scenes. In addition, many accused Andrew Davis of being too loose on some storylines. Having preserved the main ups and downs of the novel, he did not hesitate to introduce events that Tolstoy did not even mention. Perhaps most of the viewers were outraged by the incest storyline. It talks about the connection between Anatole Kuragin and his own sister named Helen. For this interpretation of the classics, more than one portion of arrows from critics flew into the creators.
Responding to these allegations, Davis claimed to have found in the text the author's allusions to an intimate relationship between brother and sister. For him, they were more than obvious.
Viewers reviews
Series 1 of the series "War and Peace" was released on January 3, 2016. Immediately after that, numerous reviews began to arrive from viewers and critics.
Expectedly, everyone who watched the movie split into two camps. Some were delighted with this next film adaptation of the classics, others threw it, without even having finished watching the first episode. So much they didn’t like it.
The latter claimed that in the first episode there was a lasting impression that none of the creators of the series had ever read Tolstoy’s novel. In addition, there is no talk of an attempt to analyze it. They complained that everything was filmed too primitive, cliched and boring. Without understanding the meaning and essence of the picture.
But there is an opposite point of view. Some, on the contrary, liked the fact that the director decided to move away from the classic presentation of the narrative, which everyone was openly fed up with and painfully familiar with. A special success is the casting. All the characters exactly match their characters in age, appearance, temperament and character. At least in this regard, colossal work has been done.
Opinions of professionals
Professional film critics also reacted to the film ambiguously. At the same time, foreign media outlets mostly perceived the series positively. But the Russian press and the Internet community criticized him mercilessly.
Critics wrote that before them is an amazing epic love story, which the director seeks to tell as quickly as possible, does not dwell on the details, trying to fit large material into a minimum of screen time.
Even the spiteful critics noted that a lot of money was spent on costumes, everything looks luxurious and chic. Especially in the scenes at the ball. However, even here the creators were accused that this film adaptation, although expensive, but extremely soulless. A shortened and glossy version of a great novel.