History /
Taras Bulba - the movie [115]
So what's the problem with a Russian/Ukraine/Polish war movie???
Because, first of all, it is not about a war time. Polish-Ukrainian civil war happened 100 years later, in hetman Hmelnitsky era. This original story of Hohol is about the time when Polish and Ukrainian elites lived in peace in one commonwealth and both were proud to be the szliahta. The division and conflict happened, again, about 100 years later, in Reformation time, when Polish elite decided that to be the nobles (shliahta) means to be a catholic and not orthodox Christian. Yes, there was uprising of different war lords and magnats each against others in 15th century, both Ukrainian and Polish mixed, but it was such time, not a civil war. Great writer Mykola (Nikolai) Hohol originally was attempting to express this life in his first version, but it was not accepted by czarist censorship (original story written in 19th century) and he re-wrote it making unnatural pro-Russian (again, it is time before Russian empire, north of Recz Pospolita there was Moskowia, Russia still not existed).
Yes, it is a bad timing. When you see movie about German Nazi time it is still actual, because hate, racism, xenophobia are still a reality. And now, new Ukrainian-Polish relations is just in beginning of new era of friendship. So, why now? Why you Russians doing it about Ukrainians and Poles?
Russian Mr. Bortko approached it in different way from Polish Mr. Hoffman with his With Sword And Fire. Both films on different stories written in 19th centuries, Polish With Sword and Fire is about 16th century and Russian story Taras Bulba is about 15th. Russian director has saturated the conflict, not time and not personalities unlike Polish Mr. Hoffman did. I respect second approach, this is a honest approach even many nationalists in Poland and Ukraine were expecting more harsh approach. And once Polish filmmaker is making it about Polish-Ukrainian matter it is again honest. But when Russian director makes it about Ukrainian-Polish matter...
Oh yes. Thank you for employing Ukrainian actor Mr. Stupka for main character in both movies :-) But it wont save the ridiculous hate movie.