For most Ukrainians is a great actor Bohdan Stupka was born in 1971, with the advent on the film of Yuri Illienko “White bird with black mark”. I’ll never forget the final session in Kyiv cinema named after Dovzhenko: a huge screen, some especially winning folk music that lifts you up… And the strongest impression from Orestes-Mortar, which is mixed good and evil, passion of life and the twilight of death…
The existence of the generation of war children
Yes, the mortar is then struck by most, despite the fact that there is all the actors are wonderful. Well, first, he was the opening — up of the Lviv young actor knew only the theater. Second, he played ostensibly because the enemy, the enemy is the same kind of wonderful Soviet power (liberated Ukrainian lands), but of the enemy there was not an act played a man. And maybe that is what angered a large part of the then establishment — the enemy must focus on the enemy, the human should not be there by definition. And here is a white bird, albeit with a black mark.
In the film, Illienko (remember, the script was written by the Director along with Ivan Mykolaichuk, there’s a lot of autobiographical motifs) were examined and the existential construction. Brothers Zvonari long range against the beauty of This (Larisa Kadochnikova). Their single family soul can not fracture, to break, to shatter into separate pieces. Dominated by collectivist matrix, you live in a single family the body, to leave which is not just painful — scary!
And then life itself decides for the brothers. After that, any personal initiative is punishable. All grinds uncontrollable force of history. Everyone who dropped out of the total of the boat, and now in vain trying to tame the roar of the waters. The hero of the Mortar from time to time trying to rebel, and each time convinced of the futility of action. Gradually the noose tightens and finally, Orestes shoots himself in the head…
There was some despair this, despair is really existential: there was no choice. Or rather, whatever path you chose, it led into the abyss. The generation that is usually called “the sixties” was children of war. Mortar and mikolaichuk were born in the beginning of the war, in the 41st, Ilyenko earlier. The war just burn their souls, she nested in them. Bohdan Stupka told of the horror when he was a kid, remember how during the offensive of the red Army to them in the yard ran to the German soldiers and began to shoot. And then fell silent… death, Death reigned around, and not only in the form of lead bullets. Recalling that life is just a temporary decoration, a conventional house, which could fall at any moment.
“I thought you mortar…”
The sixties broke the mythological paradigm of the inevitability of progress. The only shelter from the apocalyptic breaks and violence against your will — you yourself, your inner space. It was in the “Shadows of forgotten ancestors”, where the hero feels comfortable only in the company of shadows of those who departed to a better world. So it was in the last picture (unfortunately not filmed) Parajanov’s “Confession”, where the lyrical hero was joined by a friendly staff disturbed family spirits. Mortar, in my opinion, gave his character in “White bird.” a special tragic mood, as reproduced by the complete absence of an exit from current situation. Nowhere to go — the entrance and exit even in himself immured. And there is no defence — no. The mother of Zvonar runs with the icon for the son, sounds of the fatal shot, the icon drops out of his hand and falls into the river, the water current stresses the transience of this moment.
Of course, the style of “White bird…” never envisioned the actor as a full-fledged Creator of the role of the image — much has been completed, agreed to install in the plastic frame. However, the identity of Mortars could not fail to hit his heavy blistering opinion read the story of a generation that dared to personal rebellion, not afraid to look at myself and confused by a sense of powerlessness to change something. Nothing, nothing did not dare own actions. And revived fears of a military childhood.
“Orestes — tell me about your character mortar, — is the embodiment of fear. He was afraid to die, afraid to lose the woman you love, your earth”. But us, the young audience of the early 1970s, already post-war children, it was perceived as a strong character as the hero. This was attracted in the first place.
Was during the filming of “White bird…” and funny moments. Filmed in Bukovina, lived in private houses. After the first shooting (for the Mortar first in his life) went with Ivan Mykolaychuk to celebrate an outstanding event. Was notochelys, “come back, he told me the mortar — home in the late evening. Loudly sing… And stumble on the Yuri Ilyenko. He looked at me and said sarcastically: “Bogdan, I thought you were wrong. So, you actually shot. Once again, I see that the bullet will fly out of here. Understood?!”
It was not to understand? Yes, and from the Director with the power of charisma: this is not a joke. “After the incident, continued mortar — I had never allowed himself anything like this. To relax a little, especially after a hard show or shoot is possible, but to get drunk? No, it’s already out of the profession.”
Yes, Bogdan Stupka has reached such a professional, creative heights not only because of talent, but discipline. Of course, here the special role belongs to the wife of the actor, Mrs Larissa. She was a dancer, and this profession does not tolerate laziness and unreliability. Therefore, it is extended to Bogdan Silvestrovich — in his environment, I’ve never seen people with specific tendencies to “drink.” That day when I was playing a big show, the mortar rested until mid-day and then evening came on stage. Although tired still.
Never forget, as he was shot in Lviv (it was 1998) episodes of the film “Bogdan Stupka. Lviv Chronicles”. Guest performance “King Lear”. Mortar-the lyre was carried to a stretcher backstage (for the role), he gets up, goes to the dressing room and almost falling on the couch. We followed him with the camera. Long lies, his eyes closed. Grey gaunt face. “Take it off!” — whisper to the operator. Shoots. Finally Bogdan silvestrovich opens his eyes and says (in the film, Yuri Tereshchenko this episode played entirely): “Like in the old days of the Lira played in 80 years. I here’s sixty yet, and no strength…”
“How to kill your son?”
“No strength…” It appears that acting labor and not labor at all, and so solid you game, fluttering in the vastness of life, the feasts for each other. And I have seen, coming to the Mortar in the dressing room after the show, as he was exhausted. Especially after the “Tevye Tevel of”… And that explains a lot in it. Talent, discipline, Yes! A more complete dedication to the scene, in front of a camera…
He often repeated the line Franco: “Pracovat, pracovat, and in Pratsi to scanat!” I commented on this: “something doesn’t seem Bogdan silvestrovich, what would you like to work…” After all, however, he was what is called Actor Alterovich — playful, fancy, impression — that some of the findings, observations immediately showed. Showing someone something, telling. Jokes in his performance turned into a luxury mini-performances.
As for me, life is Bogdan Stupka shortened the film by Vladimir Bortko “Taras Bulba”. First there was the theater Director and actor successfully repulsed. “I don’t know how, he explained to me, a good horse to ride. Fly to the earth, and the bones will not collect. And then the end of my acting”. And he didn’t know how to shoot his son: “Well, how would I could his Ostap of gun to shoot? Whatever he did — no, this is impossible”.
But then came Bortko. His father, a theater Director, the mortar was well known, even worked once (if not mistaken). In short, the Director pushed some personal buttons — and the actor has given up. And the role of Taras Bulba once in a lifetime offer. Alexander Dovzhenko was going to film of Gogol’s story, then Sergei Bondarchuk — and past. And then…
If you like to know that the film will be a bias in the other version of Gogol, in which a Russian Imperial motifs. Only Bortko told several other… And was filmed in the summer, in merciless heat, in suits in which on a frosty night it would be hot…
In a word, toast. Shortly after the set began health problems of the actor. Ended sadly. Over the path to the light. Where was already waiting for his friend and comrade, actress Les Serdyuk. With him, the mortar came together it was on the set of “Taras Bulba”. Even convinced him to join the troupe Frankivsk theater.
When buried Serdyuk (in 2010), the only time I saw crying Bohdan Stupka. Came to comfort. He, through tears: “Friends do not happen much. Les one I have a friend…”
Left. Left. To stay. Actor some extraordinary artistic and purely human power. Eternal memory. Timeless movies. The role that forever.
