The debate about Lenin was shown on TV again

And then suddenly, without a declaration of war, without preconditions, without annexation and indemnities, a discussion flew onto the airwaves of the First. And it’s a good reason: 100 years since Lenin’s death. Vyacheslav Nikonov, presenter and deputy, propagandist and Americanist, and also, of course, the grandson of the iron People’s Commissar Molotov, challenged Gennady Zyuganov, the country’s first communist, to a duel.

For two hours these two discussed Vladimir Ilyich from all sides. I don’t know whether he was turning over in his grave in his Mausoleum during a heated argument, or maybe he was listening to himself, his beloved, with great interest, but the program turned out to be memorable.

Nikonov represented the official point of view on the leader of the working people, on the most humane person. And also the point of view of Comrade Stalin, for his grandfather was, of course, the most die-hard Stalinist falcon, an irreplaceable comrade-in-arms of Usatii. It was not for nothing that they said then: Stalin is Lenin today. It is also known that Joseph Vissarionovich quietly destroyed the entire Leninist guard, from Bukharin to Trotsky.

Well, Gennady Andreevich could not say anything on TV at all, but simply sing: “And Lenin is so young, and young October is ahead…” – and we would understand him.

Yes, here on OTR they again gave their favorite section “Five evenings with…”. This time films with the magnificent Alla Demidova. And here is “The Sixth of July” according to Shatrov, where Demidova is Maria Spiridonova, the leader of the left Socialist Revolutionaries who rebelled against the Bolsheviks after they signed the “obscene” Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty with the Germans. Lenin is played by Yuri Kayurov. What kind of Lenin is that? Miracle Lenin! The most intelligent, understanding, friend, comrade and brother. This definitely makes you want to drink for brotherhood.

But this is all lyrics. You may ask: who won the debate? I answer in our own way, in Lenin’s way, with all Bolshevik directness: of course, Comrade Zyuganov.

Molotov’s grandson wagged: both ours and yours. Yes, Lenin is great, but Popov ordered to shoot as many as possible. He took away everyone’s property and lost the world war, turning it into a civil war, going against Russia. Mr. Nikonov represented the government here, which has still not made up its mind in relation to Lenin. On the one hand, he founded today’s Ukraine, giving it the original Russian lands, and on the other, “the indestructible union of free republics…”, the great and mighty founding father. And in general: to take it out or not to take it out (from the Mausoleum) – that is the question. And the holiday was taken away from everyone, “November 7th is a red day of the calendar,” just so that the communists could put a pin in it.

While Vyacheslav Nikonov wavered like this along with the party line, Zyuganov stood like a rock, was firm, self-possessed and convinced of his rightness, as well as of the historical rightness of Ulyanov-Lenin. “But this could be our president,” I thought, looking at this powerful old man. If he had not agreed to compromise with Yeltsin. Maybe history would have developed differently then?

And Nikonov lost because he was no longer accustomed to real discussions. When everyone agrees with you, blowing the same tune, you look uncertain, unconvincing, as soon as you allow an argument on a permitted topic.

BAD GOOD MAN

Enter the water again, the same river. How many times already? Is it necessary, but is it worth it? For what?

The “Closed Show” program is back on the air, all evening in the arena. Now Saturday is dedicated to the “Closed Show”. Do we need it?

This was once my favorite program. Of course, I watched our new Russian cinema, but I waited for the discussion. What a pleasure it was to listen to all this “disgrace” until two o’clock in the morning, think, figure things out, and then call friends and call them again! A feast of the spirit, no less.

But now… Gordon, the presenter, is not the same at all. A “fish” was already forming in my critical head: Gordon was there, but he was all gone. From a free POC (the party of public cynicism that he invented), the man turned into a petty demon, became close to the authorities, and began to carry out their special delicate instructions. I started running errands for her and singing backup for Pyotr Tolstoy, the future deputy, who was also on his program.

Then “Male/Female” with Arshavin’s ex-wife. Gordon and the life of the deep people: a man drinks, beats, a woman (or woman?) abandoned her children, walks, lives with everyone he meets. And it’s all? Should Sasha Gordon have been born to lead something like this? Yes, there should be anyone else in his place, but not Gordon. If you get drunk, you will.

What an intellectual, free, and what he has become. So they left him to deal with the deep people (and even in such a way as to look down on these people) – and a hand to the empty head: I obey, comrade commander, I understood the order. You never know what the immortal soul asks for. I sold my soul, I sold it.

That’s what I thought as I sat down to watch the TV. And I saw… No, I was not seduced by Larisa Sadilova’s film “The Vegetable Garden”, even though my love, Valentina Telichkina, played there. But the conversation, the discussion… Oh, it was a wonderful miracle. Gordon in his repertoire. How he conducted the “orchestra”, how he directed, provoked. How he answered the questions, delved into the essence, into the meaning. Yes, I take back all the derogatory words about Gordon. You can’t drink your mastery away, and no deep people will take it away from you if you don’t give in.

Or rather, no, everything is more complicated. The words remain, both of them. The person is just broad, I would narrow it down. Gordon showed class, the pass worked. But how about a bad good person in your favorite movie? That’s why it’s interesting.

Once upon a time there lived an artist

And this is a whole action of the First – for the 100th anniversary of Sergei Parajanov, we were shown not just a documentary about him, but four of his best films: “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors”, “The Color of Pomegranates”, “The Legend of the Suram Fortress” and “Ashik-Kerib” .

From a television perspective, this is a risk. In terms of reputation – valor. The first took a risk, but made an action that was not ordinary, not trivial. Showed the artist in all his glory. There is no other one like this and there never will be.

Parajanov’s cinema is called poetic. It doesn’t look like anything else, it’s not easy to watch. The drawing comes to life, any object becomes spiritual. Just a glance, a gesture of a person – and a story immediately appears.

It is not without reason that “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors” in Ukraine is considered the best film that, like no other, showed the soul of this people.

And “The Color of Pomegranates” is generally high painting, so bright, where color lives its own life and has meaning.

An Armenian born in Tbilisi, so brilliant, so sensual, who expressed the essence, depth, beauty of any nation, no matter where he was or filmed.

Well done to the first!