Timur Bekmambetov filmed major American book »Ben-Hur» and told us why this philosophical parable - that should be the generation of the Internet.
In Los Angeles, the second hour of the day, summer,forty-degree dry heat. Malmo and billboards on Santa Monica Boulevard in the hot air a little twitch, as if melted. In the cinematic world on the streets of the capital advertise mainly blockbusters - posters of the new »Star Trek» interspersed with posters of the new »Cherenashek ninja.» In August, they will be replaced by new posters »Bei-Hur» - the film, which took off from the most successful Russian film directors in Hollywood Timur Bekmambetov.
Epic about Judah Ben-Hur citizen caught indisgrace among the Romans, who had lost family and become a witness of Christ's crucifixion - the key to American national identity history. Lew Wallace's book of the same name published in 1880 and reprinted to this day. Its film adaptation in 1959 won eleven »Oscars» and is considered one of the most important films of world cinema.
For Timur Bekmambetov, who is finishing now inLos Angeles installation of the new »Ben-Gura», reshuffled by the order of Paramount Pictures and MGM, this is the main challenge in his career. Cast starring Morgan Freeman, rising star Jack Huston and? Odigo Santoro (King Xerxes of the »300 Spartans») - the latter plays no less than Jesus. No Russian filmmaker has ever taken on a Hollywood movie of such importance and scale.
Timur was difficult to catch in Moscow, it is difficultcatch and Los Angeles. We were supposed to meet at the Paramount studios, but at the last minute plans changed and I come to eFilm office on the Las Palmas. This company has been manufacturing trailers for blockbusters, the selection of locations, installation, and other things, of which the movie is eighty percent. At the entrance to smoke concentration young man with a walkie-talkie (although smoking in Los Angeles have not accepted). Inside, the portraits of the golden age of film directors, posters and cartoons Pixar studio atmosphere is not, but rather, a successful Internet startup.
In these walls Bekmambetov looks like the sameOrganically, as in the office of his company »Bazelevs» on Pudovkin Street in Moscow. If he is stressed about Ben-Góra, it is impossible to guess about it. ? The director speaks slowly and calmly, as if we are continuing a long-begun conversation. »Something in this material makes every new generation come back to him, some magic. But the 1959 film has a huge drawback - it's not about what the book is about. You know what's going on there? »
Timur tells about the author of the novel - Gen.Northerners Lew Wallace, after the Civil War in the United States remove from the world and experienced a deep spiritual crisis: Wallace blamed himself for the death of thousands of soldiers who fought under him. »In fact, this book is not about patriotism and the thirst for revenge and forgiveness. The very idea of forgiveness for just experienced the country's civil war was extremely urgent, and so the book has become so popular. »
