Sergei Bezrukov remembered Vysotsky in the series “Bison: the case of a fashion model”

When in one project a song is sung by Vysotsky and an actor plays who previously played the role of the legendary bard in films, viewers probably have reason to doubt the randomness of such coincidences. Moreover, in one of the episodes there is an episode with a Vysotsky concert, and Bezrukov put not only his acting efforts into this scene.

“In general, the image of Vladimir Semenovich is constantly present in my life: I later played Vlad Vertikalov in the film “Mysterious Passion”, annually participate in “My Track”, staged a play about Vysotsky at my Gubernsky Theater,” said Sergei Bezrukov, responding to questions from journalists before the premiere of “Bison”. — The series will feature an episode with Vysotsky’s performance at a concert. By the way, I suggested filming this scene. And nothing more, not counting the small pieces of advice he gave to the actor who played Vysotsky and sang his song. However, I brought my guitar to the shooting, a designer guitar. It was made to order – it is an exact copy of Vysotsky’s seven-string guitar. It was very important to me that Vladimir Semenovich in “Bison” would be represented not only by song.”

The hero of Sergei Bezrukov, investigator Bessonov nicknamed Bison, is investigating the murder of a fashion model, and as the case becomes more detailed, it turns out that the famous Soviet Model House on Kuznetsky Most is not only a place where beauty lives, but also an arena of serious passions: from intra-shop intrigues to the swindling of deficits brought from abroad, from the influential patronage of beauties to spy games with the participation of the KGB.

Ambitious series inevitably spark discussions about how good the stars are in new roles and where the writers and production designers went wrong in recreating Soviet life. In this case, quibbles about the layout of apartments and the style of jeans may seem, if not far-fetched, then a little petty. Still, the main thing here is the detective story, and this part of the plot is not without a certain scale.

A murder in such a specific place for Soviet foundations as the Fashion House unexpectedly covers a very wide range of people and interests. Investigator Bessonov suddenly discovers behind the doors of an institution that deals with clothing and its displays, a real looking glass. And in it, Soviet morality is bursting at all the seams. Instead of labor shock workers, there are underground guild workers, dissident writers, Beatlemaniacs, who have “your Lenin and our Lennon,” an underground gay community, and that’s not counting thieves and swindlers.

In the process of visualizing such Soviet glamor, Valery Todorovsky, under whose production the series was created, and the entire project team, probably made various inaccuracies and a superficial look at the lifestyle characteristic of the seventies. Like many retro detective stories on a federal scale, “Bison” is filled with sketchy characters, and the drama of the heroes sometimes looks too formulaic. But the dynamics with which the plot unfolds quite often distract from both.

If you delve into the authenticity of the ashtrays and curtains, it is quite difficult to draw an unambiguous conclusion. Various screenwriters and producers have trampled a fair amount of the seventies and have achieved considerable heights in recreating the images of that time, so it is becoming increasingly difficult to be surprised. Perhaps Sergei Bezrukov received the most emotions from retro when he got behind the wheel of a Zhiguli “kopek”.

“When I was a child, my parents didn’t have a car, but my uncle had a Soviet “kopek”,” recalls the actor. “He put me behind the wheel, and I couldn’t reach the pedals with my feet, but then even the fantasy of driving made me happy. Essentially, a dream that is almost realized, but still not fully realized. And we remember big dreams from childhood all our lives. Even the smell of that car remained in the subcortex. So, in “Buffalo Hunt” my hero drives a “penny”! And although today I already have an impressive driving record, before the film I had never driven a “penny” car, I only dreamed about it. And then I just sat down and went straight away. No understudies or crash courses were needed. Dreams do come true, even if they are funny in some ways.”

In tandem with investigator Bessonov and his assistant junior lieutenant Zuev (Daniil Vershinin), many, of course, saw Zheglov and Sharapov. It’s not a fact that the authors of “Bison” were puzzled by such analogies, but in almost all films of this genre, these textbook types of Soviet detectives appear in one way or another. An investigator who can be either an incredibly fair and kind person or a real scoundrel, plus a partner whose inexperience and youthful charm complement the seasonedness of his older comrade.

In Bison, Bezrukov’s hero is a classic complex character. Post-war childhood in an orphanage, the death of his wife at the hands of bandits, a very specific idea of ​​​​investigation methods, and finally, a leather jacket of a tough guy. Without a doubt, another bright character has appeared in the glorious company of Gleb Zheglov’s film heirs.

CINEMA HEIRS OF GLEB ZHEGLOV

David Gotsman (“Liquidation”)

The role of Colonel Gotsman can hardly be called a breakthrough for Vladimir Mashkov, but “Liquidation” became one of the projects that restored faith in television to many in the early 2000s. What the series “Liquidation” has in common with the legendary “The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed” is, first of all, the fact that both films instantly became quotable. “Well, don’t bother the cat with all the details,” says Gotsman with the face of a man from whom you should expect trouble every minute. And the leather coat certainly suits the colonel.

Ivan Cherkasov (Mosgaz)

People in uniform have been win-win images for Andrei Smolyakov for many years. Investigator Cherkasov wears a hat no less convincingly than a cap, and, probably, in any form, makes an indelible impression on both women and villains of various types. Misanthropy combined with absolute unreliability as a life partner are the basic traits of many Soviet investigators. In the case of Cherkasov, both are sometimes served with a charming smile.

Major Shumeiko (“An Hour Before Dawn”)

In the acting arsenal of Konstantin Khabensky there are quivering romantics, inveterate scoundrels, and real heroes. Major Shumeiko, nicknamed “Satan,” achieves results using methods that fully justify his nickname. But this is where Zheglov’s flair ends, because it rests on the film language, which has nothing in common with the Soviet classics of the genre. “An Hour Before Dawn” is more of a comic book and a parody of a detective story. But even with such introductions, the image of an investigator with playboy manners is clearly not superfluous.

Rodion Stotsky (“City”, “Gurzuf”)

It would be more correct to call the character of Pyotr Fedorov young Zheglov, which does not prevent him from using the methods of a tough investigator. Stotsky doesn’t see much difference between semi-legal diplomacy and showdowns if, as a result, the lives of ordinary citizens become calmer. Add to this a complicated personal life – and you get a well-known investigator with an inquisitive gaze and the ability to remain dramatically silent. Pyotr Fedorov is remembered for a variety of projects – from melodramas to science fiction – but recently he has found himself in great demand in TV series that reference the aesthetics of Soviet cinema. With the skill to act in such films, you won’t be left without work here.