In recent years, quite often in the Russian Federation they began to shoot adapted versions of popular foreign TV shows. The project “Without a trace” (2011-2012) is one of them. Let's find out more about this series and leading actors.
The series "Without a trace": the plot
“Without a Trail” is a story about an experimental special department engaged in tracing missing people. As you know, usually law enforcement bodies accept applications for disappearance only on the third day.
However, according to statistics, a person who really got into trouble on fresh tracks can actually be found only within the first 48 hours. Further traces are lost.
The special department appearing in the series is the only one that immediately searches for missing people, without waiting for the deadline set by law. That is why they almost always manage to find the disappeared.
American original
Without a Trace is an adapted copy of the television series Without a Trace, which aired in the United States in 2002. It talks about the work of the FBI special department to search for missing people. This story turned out to be so entertaining that the project lasted on air for 7 seasons.
As a rule, each series of the project is a separate investigation, carried out by the team of the department.
They are led by Jack Malone (actor Anthony Lapaglia). Vivian Johnson (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is an experienced analyst. Active agents include Samantha Spade (Poppy Montgomery), Danny Taylor (Enrique Murciano) and white-collar Martin Fitzgerald (Eric Close). In subsequent seasons, Elena Delgado (Rosalyn Sanchez) joined the team .
Features of Russian adapted series on the example of “Without a trace”
When acquiring the rights to create adaptation, as a rule, the creators of Russian projects are faced with the need to overcome cultural differences. In other words, it is necessary not only to change the names of the main characters to more familiar ones, but also to transfer actions to modern Russian realities. So it happened with the television series "Without a trace."
However, a successful project in the USA in the Russian Federation lasted only 1 season on air (23 episodes). Why is it so, because it was shot at the proper level, and the investigations were very interesting?
It turned out that the scriptwriters did not take into account the difference in the average standard of living of viewers in the Russian Federation and the USA. So, by American standards, most of the missing are ordinary ordinary citizens: a middle manager, a private school student, a girl from an ordinary village, a wife beaten by her husband, a doctor, etc. Therefore, viewers perceived them as their own kind and sympathized with them.
However, all these heroes, adapted to Russian reality, seemed to some people to be rich and their problems remained unclear for many, and therefore uninteresting.
For example, the story of a missing girl from an elite village (episode 9). In the original, everything happened in an ordinary American small town. However, under Russian realities, such events could not fully develop in an ordinary suburb, so it was decided to transfer the action to an elite village near Moscow.
Such a decision, of course, negatively set the audience (most of which for their whole life did not make money on such a house) against the main characters, whom they had to sympathize with. And after several more episodes, the audience began to get a strong impression that the special department was only looking for wealthy missing people or those who had influential relatives and friends.
Another reason for the cold attitude of the audience to the Russian project “Without a Trail” was the excessive copying of the original. Instead of completely reworking the plot and diluting the stories from the original with their own, the content of the series was almost completely copied. As a result, those who watched Without a Trace were not interested in watching the same story in Russian.
The main characters
Having considered the plot and features of the Russian version, it is worth learning about the characters of the project.
The head of the department, Jack Malone in Russia, turned into Colonel of the Investigative Committee Igor Nefedov. He is smart, resourceful and has tremendous experience, which allows him to understand well the people he has to deal with. Because of his work, he has constant troubles with his wife. As a result, he has an affair with a work colleague, Svetlana Voronkova.
Russian Vivian Johnson is a lieutenant colonel Maria Pozolyanskaya. More often works in the office, but if necessary, leaves for the scene. Almost as smart as Nefedov, but excessive emotionality sometimes prevents her from sensibly assessing the situation. On the other hand, this is its strong point, as it allows Pozolyanskaya to find a common language with especially complex “clients”.
Captain Svetlana Voronkova (analogue to Samantha Spade) is a very beautiful and well-groomed girl. That is why many often do not take it seriously. Despite this, Svetlana is an excellent operative. As for the affair with Nefedov, then, apparently, the girl has a sparking feelings for him, at the same time realizing that he is unlikely to leave his family for her.
Captain Denis Ermolov (Enrique Mursiano) is a bit rustic and quick-tempered. At the same time, he is an excellent operative. The tragedy of the past has left a lot on his character.
Senior Lieutenant Philip Rybakov (Eric Close) is the son of the FSB chief. Not stupid and not bad guy in general. However, in order to be accepted as a team, he has to make a lot of efforts, since everyone else at first considers him a “golden boy”. Despite all its advantages, Philip for a long time could not learn to think outside the standards. And because of this, it became an involuntary cause of the death of an innocent person.
The series "Without a trace": actors and roles of men
Having learned the features of the characters of the Russian version of the project, it is worth moving on to the main question. Namely, to the actors of the series "Without a Trail."
The role of Colonel Nefedov was played by an artist of Belarusian origin Igor Stanislavovich Chernevich.
Due to his unusual appearance, he became famous for the roles of ministers of law and order and politicians. At the moment, there are 63 works in his filmography.
The most famous projects with Igor Chernevich’s participation are Koktebel, Golden Bullet Agency, Men Don't Cry, We Are From the Future, Gingerbread Men, The White Guard, Vasilisa, The Dark World, “When I quit drinking” and others.
The performer of the role of Philip Rybakov - Konstantin Kryukov, like his hero, in life is a "golden boy". On the maternal side, he is a descendant of the famous acting dynasty Bondarchukov (Kryukov - the name of his father). Despite the origin, Kryukov was seriously interested in painting, and in the future even received a law degree. But genes took their toll and the artist began to act in films.
His most famous roles are in the films "9 Companies", "Mother Daughters", "Classmates", "On the Hook!", "Happy New Year, Moms!", "Second Spartacus Uprising", "Spiral", "Champions" and others.
The performer of the role of Denis Ermolov - Eugene Miller, is probably the only one of the actors of the series “Without a Trace” who got the role in it thanks to his appearance. The fact is that the artist is just insanely similar to Anthony Lapalle, who plays the main character in the American version.
However, starring in the project, Miller proved that he is an excellent actor, especially since to date he managed to star in 42 works. Like Igor Chernevich, the heroes of this artist are also mostly law enforcement officers and the military. Among his most famous projects are Yalta-45, Ahead of the Shot, Autumn Leaf, Three Comrades, Kuprin, Kill Stalin, Umeltsy, Our Happy Tomorrow and others.
Actresses and roles
Having examined the actors of the series “Without a Trace”, it is worth paying attention to their wonderful colleagues.
The role of the beauty and clever Svetlana Voronkova was played by Maria Beresneva. Despite the fact that there are not many roles in her filmography, she managed to appear in many famous projects: “Mother Daughters”, “Margosha”, “Family Detective”, “On March Eighth, Men!”, “Major and Magic” and others .
The second of two main female roles (Pozolyanskaya) was played in the series Without a Trace by Irina Rozanova. This actress in itself is already a legend, because her track record has more than 140 roles. Her most famous works are Petersburg Secrets, Interdevochka, Ankor, More Ankor, Alphonse, When Everybody Has Their Own, Voroshilovsky Shooter, Kamenskaya-2, Russian Amazons, Lines of Fate ”,“ Gloss ”,“ Palm Sunday ”,“ Furtseva ”,“ Happy New Year, mothers! ” and others.