This fun holiday film, first released on television on the eve of the new 1983, has long been popular. He is happy to watch and old and young. You pick up the New Year’s program - and you will certainly find in it the film “Wizards”. The actors involved in it, tried their best. The genre of home-made fairy tales based on the story of the Strugatsky brothers (Boris and Arkady) "Monday begins on Saturday" was enriched by the witty and funny creation of director K. L. Bromberg.
The idea of the New Year musical by Konstantin Bromberg
With the light hand of Konstantin Leonidovich as a modern fairy tale love story of Alyonushka and Ivanushka, the film "Wizards" was shot. The actors tried to make him a good musical. Songs for the picture were created by the creative tandem of composer Leonid Derbenev and poet Yevgeny Krylatov. The musical was a success! Sang and Michael Svetin, and Emanuel Vitorgan, and Alexander Abdulov.
Actresses were more modest, they only imitated singing. Behind the scenes were professional singers and singers: Irina Otieva, Larisa Dolina, Zhanna and Olga Rozhdestvensky, Leonid Serebrennikov, the ensemble “Good fellows”.
Story work
The musical genre itself presupposes a special creative atmosphere on the set.
Indeed, a lot of their own was brought by the creative team into the script of the film "Wizards". Actors and the director combined several literary images into one. But nevertheless, everyone was circumvented by the creative Semyon Farad, who as a whole, from A to Z, created a vivid and memorable character personally himself. Imperturbably impudent guest from the south absorbed his personal phrase, said once, when its author did not find his film crew in Ostankino: "Well, who builds that!".
Location
Almost the entire action of the picture takes place within the walls of a fabulous provincial research institute for the study of magic services (organizationally reminiscent of a typical Soviet institution with a parody, similar to the existing abbreviation: "NUINU.")
The director tried to create the illusion of his vast inner space. And he succeeded! The audience does not even suspect that in reality the actors of the film “Wizards” were shot in completely different rooms: the banquet hall of the Suzdal hotel and tourist complex, the lobby of the ZIL recreation center, the corridors of the Ostankino television center, and the winter garden of the Ostankino shopping center.
The facade of NUINU was shot from the Moscow Soyuz Hotel. The magnificent run of the three Oryol trotters, accompanied by the singing of Larisa Dolina, is captured in the Bitsevsky forest park.
The transformation of literary images in film roles
Significant changes were made by the director himself in the resulting film script, which distinguishes the latter from the literary source. Almost all the names of literary heroes in the film “Wizards” were changed to one degree or another. Actors also received quite freely interpreted roles within the framework of the work. Konstantin Leonidovich did not fit the initial script of recognized masters of science fiction. After all, he had to turn literature into film production. He asked the authors to rewrite the script, specifying the necessary changes with them.
Who are they: actors of the film “Wizards”, whose faces are invariably pleasant for us to see on the screens of our TVs on New Year and Christmas days? What book characters from the Strugatsky brothers did they play?
Couple No. 2: Director and First Deputy (Office Romance in Bromberg Style)
The director of the NUINU Institute, a magician of the highest category, Kira Anatolyevna Shemakhanskaya was played by Ekaterina Vasilyeva. The Strugatsky have no such image at all. It is somewhat similar to the character of Kalugina Lyudmila Prokofievna from the film "Office Romance" by Eldar Ryazanov.
The first deputy director Ivan Stepanovich Kivrin is represented by actor Valery Zolotukhin (in the story he has a slightly different name: Fedor Simeonovich Kivrin). Kivrin and Shemakhanskaya are in love with each other.
Careerist and Satan deceiver
The banal intrigues so characteristic of institutions are also included in the fairy tale plot of the film. There is an unscrupulous careerist in the film “Sorcerers”. The actors and roles of the film (to say nothing!) Are perfectly balanced. The negative and comedic plot-forming character Apollon Mitrofanovich Sataneyev (in the story - Professor Vybegallo) is brilliantly played by Valentin Gaft.
He initially dreams of becoming the first deputy of Shemakhanskaya. Then his appetites increase, and the gossip already marks in its place. But in addition, this science official is trying to build his happiness on someone else's misfortune. He seeks to separate the main characters of the film: Alyonushka and Ivanushka. Sataneyev has his own interest. He wants to marry Alena Igorevna. The first deputy easily deceives Shemakhansky, blinded by jealousy, that Ivan Kivrin and Alyonushka secretly love each other.
The main couple of the film: Alyonushka and Ivanushka
Alena Igorevna Sanina, the head of the laboratory of absolute surprises, a young but already skilled witch, was played by Alexander Yakovleva. In the story of the Strugatsky brothers, this film image corresponds to the book character of the witch Stella.
The actress plays the role of contrast. At first, she was sweet, friendly, in love with her Ivanushka, joyfully expecting a speedy marriage. Her kindness is respected and loved by colleagues at the institute - sorcerers.
Actors and their roles are successful when reincarnation succeeds. Alexandra Yakovleva managed to organically play her heroine with a personality completely changed by the witchcraft of the jealous Shemakhanskaya (she cast the spell “icy heart” on her.) Now Ivanushka is completely forgotten by her, she is driven by a pragmatic calculation: to tighten up the promising and in love with her Sataneyev. What for? Here are the points of the prenuptial agreement they signed:
- Safari trip with the possibility of hunting for exotic animals.
- Tourist trips to the world fashion capitals: Rome, Paris, Tokyo.
- Position of Deputy Director for Science.
- Getting a five-room apartment.
- Cottage in the country.
- Personal car.
- Moscow registration.
- Getting a second youth.
Ivanushka (Ivan Sergeyevich Pukhov, who works at the musical instrument factory) and his teenage sister Nina represent non-magical characters. They are objectively necessary to humanize the film “Wizards”. Actors and the roles of the film, in general, realize one main idea of the script: love is stronger than any witchcraft.
Judge for yourself, the desire of Ivanushka (actor Alexander Abdulov) to conjure his bride Alyonushka gives him strength and ability to pass through walls.
Upon learning that the beloved will be bewitched, if she kisses him, he shows remarkable persistence and ingenuity. In the end, it turns out that what Shemakhanskaya failed to do was destroy the magic. Sister Nina (Anya Ashimova) strongly supports her brother in his noble desire to return love destroyed by magic.
Bryl and Carpet
Original, creatively rethought by the director, secondary characters strikingly decorate the film “Wizards”.
The actors and roles played by them, as they say, “get to the point”, because they creatively beat the types familiar to the viewer. We are talking about Viktor Kovrov (Emanuel Vitorgan) and Thomas Ostapovich Bryl (Mikhail Svetin). Employees like them are not uncommon in institutions. Both characters are goodies. They were friends with Alena and are very worried that witchcraft replaced her soul with a "fierce winter." It was Bryl and Kovrov who called Ivanushka to the rescue of his bride. It is characteristic that these colleagues are completely different from each other. Let us consider these images in more detail.
The role of Victor Kovrov, who works as a master of magic wood, is combined from two literary images of the story: Masters Oira - Oira and Victor Korneev. This character is ironic. Kovrov is a “workhorse”. More cunning employees successfully transfer their responsibilities to him. He is constantly doing something, is always in tension, is preoccupied with some problems. Because of this load, he is often mistaken in spells.
Thomas Bryl performed by Mikhail Svetin is a kind and charming character, but with a tricky one. He is too lazy to conjure on his own, now and then persuading Kovrov to “conjure” for him.
For many viewers, the favorite episode of the film was the one when these sorcerers sewed a white suit for Ivanushka. The actors (the photos are presented in our article) so cleverly convinced Ivan Pukhov and, most importantly, the audience: “The main thing is that the costume is sitting!” That after the first premiere of the film, this boring phrase was on everyone’s lips! A very successful and memorable directorial move was also the appearance of Bryl in the image of a wagon, and his lullaby to the bewitched bridegroom invariably evokes smiles. These two good characters for Ivanushka became the main advisers and assistants.
Other characters: supply manager Kameneedov talking cat
The delivery manager Julius Caesarevich Kamneedov (Roman Filippov), who is servile to the authorities, is comical. This is a large textured man without his opinion and without his thoughts. And voiced the talking cat - who would you think? George Vitsin himself.
You yourself see how famous and original the actors were chosen by the director Konstantin Bromberg in the movie “Wizards”. Could this have contributed to the fact that the people immediately accepted the picture and fell in love?
Instead of a conclusion
According to the opinions of the audience, they watch “Wizards” with pleasure. The storyline that combines the irony of real life and the fabulous elements is attractive to them. Remember only the self-assembled tablecloth serving Vanya and Nina before and after the wizard Kovrov shouted at her. After all, this is in its purest form the unobtrusive service of Soviet catering! Could such an irony not be liked?
The actors of the film “Wizards” (1982), without a doubt, made up a single creative ensemble. And this was the main reason for the long-term non-decreasing success of the film among the audience. Indeed, both adults and children so want to believe in a fairy tale on New Year's Eve!