Real heroes behind the scenes: The most famous stuntmen of Soviet cinema

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

January 23 marks 71 years of the famous stuntman, actor, producer Alexander Inshakov. He not only staged tricks in many Soviet films, but he himself often appeared in the frame (for example, in "Crusader" and in "Brigade"), so his face is familiar to many viewers. But this is rather an exception to the rule. Most of the stuntmen who dub actors in dangerous episodes remain in the shadows and become unknown heroes of films. About who actually fought, fell, burned and drowned instead of Soviet movie stars - further in the review.

Alexander Inshakov came to cinema from sports - he was the first Moscow karate champion. As a stuntman and stunt director, Inshakov took part in the filming of the films "Man from Boulevard des Capucines", "Tehran-43", "Assa", "Plumbum, or Dangerous Game", "Cold Summer of 53" and others. He had to duplicate Alexander Abdulov, Leonid Yarmolnik, Goyko Mitich. Inshakov was the producer of the acclaimed TV series "Brigade", became an actor and stunt director in the films "The Crusader" and "The Maltese Cross". In 1991, Inshakov created and headed the Association of Stuntmen of Russia.

One of his favorite films, the stuntman calls "The Man from Boulevard des Capuchins." Thanks to the work of Inshakov and a whole group of his colleagues, the film received the prize "For the best fight between Soviet actors", and film critics called it the most spectacular film. Inshakov recalls: "". For fights, bottles were cast from resin - they looked natural, and fought very easily, without causing harm, and also ordered a balsa tree from Africa - it was fragile and easily broken.

The stuntman admits that even professionals do not always succeed in tricks, and injuries on the set are not uncommon: "".

Experienced fencer Vladimir Balon became the director of battles in many Soviet films: "The Devil's Dozen", "Step from the Roof", "Beware of the Car". But popularity was brought to him by "D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers" and "Midshipmen, forward!", Where he starred as an actor - he played de Jussac and the servant of Chevalier de Brilli Jacques. The stuntman said: "".

The master of sports and vice-champion of the USSR in sambo Nikolai Vashchilin was the stunt director in the "Musketeers". He has also worked on the films Sibiriada, Treasure Island and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. He was the head of the stunt training course for LGITMiK actors and trained dozens of stuntmen at Lenfilm. Vaschilin admits: "". The stuntman had a chance to burn in the frame instead of Nikita Mikhalkov and jump from one pine tree to another instead of Vitaly Solomin.

Alexander Mikulin was involved in staging tricks using auto and motor vehicles. He was involved in the filming of over 70 films in the 1960s and 1980s. "".

In the USSR, the profession of "stuntman" did not officially exist, and at first the actors themselves had to participate in the filming of dangerous episodes. Because of this, tragedies often happened: 3 Soviet actors who died while performing stunts.