Humanity is inherent in looking into its past with warm nostalgia. This is due to the fact that in the past of each of us are the best years of life, memories from childhood and adolescence.
Today, at the end of the second decade of the 21st century, we are all spectators of long-released films. Witnesses of past glory, and sometimes withering, movie stars: our beloved, wonderful actors of the 90s of the XX century.
Russian cinema of the 90s
As you know, the 90s were characterized for our country by an unprecedented crisis associated with the collapse of the USSR, new reforms and the transition to a market economy.
Russian cinema of that time was in decline. Due to the lack of any funding, films were practically not made. Most of the actors of the 90s were unemployed, in poverty and interrupted by casual earnings. To survive, many of them had to leave the profession altogether or emigrate from the country. However, it was during this period that the foundations of the cinema of new Russia were laid in the domestic cinema.
In art circles, it is generally accepted that the starting point of the new Russian cinema is the military drama "Go and See", directed by E. Klimov. The very fact of the appearance of such a film became possible only due to the weakening of censorship that had existed in the country until then. Now, to the forefront, instead of the idealization of cinematic images that prevailed before, came naturalness and realism, sometimes reaching truly terrifying proportions.
The same peculiar period of the “Chernukha” has come, which for the most part frightens away the viewers who are tired of the already hopeless reality.
That time was characterized by the release of such vivid and iconic paintings as “Repentance”, “Assa”, “Little Faith” and “Intergirl”, which predetermined all the simple genre diversity of Russian cinema. Soon, a great many professional and creative films were weak, mostly absurd militants and low-grade comedies that had sunk into oblivion along with the actors of the 90s.
At the same time, Russian cinema in that period began to gain quite a lot of popularity abroad and participate in many international festivals. It was then that the painting "Burnt by the Sun" by Nikita Mikhalkov received the Oscar for the best film in a foreign language. Such directors as Leonid Kanevsky and Pavel Lungin were also popular outside the country.
A new generation of talented directors and actors has appeared in Russia. Such outstanding films as The Barber of Siberia (N. Mikhalkov), The Prisoner of the Caucasus and Brother (Sergei Bodrov Sr.), The Muslim (A. Khotinenko) and Moloch (A. Sokurova) are still millions of viewers of the country remember and love.
Let us dwell in more detail on the most beloved domestic actors of the men of the 90s.
Sergey Bodrov Jr
This famous actor, director, producer and TV presenter does not need a special introduction. Sergey was and remains the most iconic and brightest idol of the 90s. Such paintings created by him and with his participation as “East-West”, “War”, “Brother”, “Brother 2”, “Prisoner of the Caucasus” and “Sisters” not only reflected the realities of the life of the country, but also became truly cult for viewers. Almost two decades have passed since their release, however, these films are still loved, in demand and in many ways relevant.
Unfortunately, Sergey’s life was short-lived. During the filming of Svyaznoy, which took place in the Karmadon gorge of Vladikavkaz, the entire crew, including Sergei Bodrov Jr. himself, died as a result of the Kolka glacier descending, which covered the entire gorge with a 60-meter layer of snow, ice and stones in a matter of minutes.
Andrey Sokolov
For most viewers, this actor was remembered for his participation in the film "Little Faith", which caused a rather mixed and violent reaction among the majority of viewers with its rigidity and frankness. However, Andrei himself, one of the most attractive domestic actors of the 90s, was not affected in any way. "Little Faith" brought him fame, popularity and love of a female audience.
In the 90s, Sokolov was a pretty sought-after actor who could be seen in such films as The Executioner, Crazy Woman, Strange Men by Semenova Ekaterina, Prediction, Horses Bring Me ..., and Waiting Room "
Dmitry Kharatyan
The popularity came to Dmitry in 1983 after the release of the famous painting "The Green Van". Four years later, when the television movie “Midshipmen, Forward!” Was presented to the audience, he became a real star and the main handsome blonde of Russian cinema.
Dmitry remained one of the most popular Russian actors in the 90s, taking part in the filming of such films as “Vivat, Midshipmen!”, “The weather is nice on Deribasovskaya, or it’s raining again on Brighton Beach”, “Hearts of Three”, “The Groom from Miami,” “Queen Margot,” and “Midlife Crisis.”
90s American cinema
Unlike Russian cinema, whose peculiarity was the internal content, frankness and personality of the director, American cinema of those years, like today, was focused mainly on the mass audience and a bright external shell, in connection with which it was full of entertainment, computer graphics and special effects.
The film industry of America, having arisen as early as the 1920s and reaching its final prosperity by the 1950s, by the early 1980s had come to a real cult of actors who by that time had moved away from the constant control of movie studios and, having received the status of stars, could already choose films on their own who would like to star in.
American actors of the 90s achieved such stardom and independence that they often began to dictate the style and trends of the further development of the film industry themselves. The mere presence of their surname in the credits could provide the film with popularity and box office success. At the same time, the 90s gave rise to a whole galaxy of cinema stars and many world-class masterpieces for American cinema.
Mickey Rourke
“Fighting Fish”, “9 ½ weeks”, “Departure Prayer”, “Hours of Despair”, “Wild Orchid”, “Francesca”, “Angel Heart” - who are unfamiliar with these wonderful films performed by the brilliant actor Mickey Rourke, whose peak of popularity and careers came in the 90s?
Rourke’s last star film was the film “Bullet”, in which he played a man from the criminal world who found himself in a situation where everything that was in his past became empty, and everything that is possible in the future would also be empty. This film became a landmark for the actor, who really found himself at that crossroads in that period. He left the movie and for about 10 years performed in a professional boxing ring. And when Rourke returned, he was no longer the charismatic actor, loved by millions of his fans. He has changed a lot, both externally and internally.
For a long time he was not taken on significant roles. However, the actor did not give up, and today he can already be seen again in popular Western blockbusters.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Who does not know Iron Arnie, the main idol of the boys of the 90s ?!
An outstanding bodybuilder who came to America from Austria, who was familiar to the audience primarily from the cult trilogy “The Terminator”, became one of the brightest heroes of fighters and fiction of those years.
By the end of the 90s, Schwarzenegger left the cinema and became the 38th governor of the state of California, having worked in this position for two terms.
Now he is back in the cinema. Despite the fact that he was already 70 years old, Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to be a sought-after actor, who can often be seen in modern popular films.
Keanu Reeves
The last foreign actor of the 90s, who would not want to ignore, was Keanu Reeves - an actor with a difficult fate and an extraordinary attitude to life and the people around him.
Keanu became extremely famous after the release of such cult movie masterpieces as The Matrix, On the Crest of a Wave and Speed, after which tragic events overtook him - in the early 2000s his wife and daughter died.
Reeves has been alone since then. Despite the huge fees earned earlier, he lives very modestly. You can easily see him on a street shop, chewing a burger, or riding the subway. Keanu has the status of the saddest movie star and leads the life of an absolutely ordinary person. According to him, he has already lost everything that was dear to him in life. And he doesn’t need anything else.
Sometimes the actor still pleases the audience with new movie roles.
Afterword
This article presents the names of only a few of the most popular Russian and American actors of the 90s, photos of which could be seen in this article. And how many more names are inscribed in the annals of world cinema of those years! Evgeny Evstigneev, Alexander Mikhailov, Mikhail Boyarsky, Nikolai Karachentsov, Jean Reno, Pierre Richard, Gerard Depardieu, Til Schweiger, Mithun Chakraborty and many other wonderful actors gave us a lot of childhood and youthful impressions that have remained in our hearts forever.