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The idea of remaking the cult Soviet films "Morozko" and "The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors" has caused heated debate
Recently, the Cinema Fund published a list of future feature and animated films for children and young people that will receive state funding. A total of 31 titles. Among them: "My Dog Business", "Someone Else's Call", "Flowers of Seven Flowers", the cartoon "Cinderella", the new part of "Koschei", "Luntik Returns Home", the cartoon about Dr. Aibolit... But there are also familiar titles - "The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors" and "Morozko" - a screen adaptation of Vitaly Gubarev's novel "The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors" by Klim Shipenko (It Starts with a Good Director ("Slave", "Slave 2", "Challenge"...), but not Alexander Lowe, who created cult films for Soviet children.
And here the public is divided. Some write on social networks. Don't touch the "sacred", come up with your own and film another fairy tale. With all due respect to Klim Shipenko, there is no director like Alexander Rou, who created such magnificent films as "The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors" and "Morozko". That is why sculptures are called sculptures.
However, there are many people who are in favor of a remake. It would be wrong to ban new adaptations just out of respect for old films. The practice of remakes is widespread and widely used in Hollywood. And there is nothing. Everyone is alive and making good films. Despite the reverent attitude to the great classic Soviet films, for the new generation of viewers, both "Morozko" and "Tsarstvo..." are very outdated. "It did not exist for "20" and Alain Delon. Not to mention Marilyn Monroe." skeptics wrote in the comments. Why should "zoomers" be deprived of the opportunity to see good old stories adapted to modern popular cinematic language on the screen? It does not matter whether it will be another Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty.
But the fair arguments of the remake's supporters are met with general indignation. Most fans are "old-fashioned." We asked the famous film expert Vyacheslav Shmyrov why this is happening.
— Both Morozko and The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors are films from a past life. They are symbolic and truly beloved, — says Vyacheslav Shmyrov. — The older generation of viewers is not receptive to the idea of new adaptations. This is an attempt to protect yourself, your past and your ideals, which you feel will be trampled. People are ready to fight for their ideals. And they are partly right. After all, this is not just a film. This is a super film. Thanks to this, we learned about life and about ourselves.
- It is unlikely that the new film will be as successful as the one shot in 1963. This is not a problem with the actors who will appear in the remake, nor with the director. Today, audience success is fleeting and one-time. We watched it and forgot. A year and a half ago, everyone told us what a wonderful family comedy "Cheburashka" was. The film became the highest-grossing in the history of Russian film distribution. We recouped the budget in 3 days. It didn't work out. What's next? Who remembers it today? Where is the guarantee that it will be remembered decades from now? And "Morozko" and "The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors", shot 60 years ago, are still loved and well received. By the way, Soviet cult films also collected huge amounts of money at the box office.
— So you don’t do remakes at all?
- Why not? It is perfectly acceptable to make a new film based on the same plot, just as it is acceptable to make a new Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, no matter how talented the previous version was.
If "The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors" is not a repetition, but a new cinematic realization of Vitaly Gubarev's novel, then there is nothing reprehensible about it. Remember how many film adaptations of the novels "Anna Karenina" or "Quiet Flows the Don" exist.
The problem is not the remake. And the helplessness of modern Russian cinema, the lack of new, fresh ideas that would convey images of the future to the younger generation.
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