The infamous "Gangster Petersburg": Why the actors prefer not to think about this series

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

18 years ago, the first two parts of the series "Gangster Petersburg" were released on the screens, and then 8 more parts were released over the course of 7 years. This crime saga about the dashing 90s was incredibly popular with viewers, but the actors who played in it are reluctant to talk about filming. Due to the fact that at that time some of them had misfortune, and many of them are no longer alive these days, the series has become infamous.

After a 10-year crisis in cinema, many actors took the offer to star in a crime film as their only chance to return to the set. Later, many of them complained about how it was possible to agree to play in such a "crap", but it was this series that became the finest hour for some - so, Alexander Domogarov, Dmitry Pevtsov and Olga Drozdova after that, as they say, "woke up famous" …

The voiceover was read by actor Valery Kukhareshin. When asked about the phenomenon of the show's popularity, he replied: "".

It was not only Lev Borisov that caused such a reaction from the audience. A lot of controversy flared up around the series. Some accused the actors of excessive romanticization of the underworld, others saw their merit in the fact that the unsightly reality was shown without embellishment, and called the film "a portrait of the era." After the release of the series, its creators were reprimanded for the fact that in their view the whole of St. Petersburg is a gangster. But the fact is that the film was shot based on the book of journalist Andrei Konstantinov, who for a long time worked in a criminal chronicle and did not really know another city at that time. And he himself became the prototype of the protagonist Andrei Seregin. However, the critics were, if not negatively disposed towards the series, then indifferent, and "Gangster Petersburg" did not receive a single prize.

The scandal flared up one after another. After the release of the first part entitled "Baron", where it was said that copies of famous paintings have been exhibited in the Hermitage for years, while the originals were stolen and taken away a long time ago, the director of the Hermitage accused the writer of libel and made a loud denial in the media. But Konstantinov claimed that his Baron had a real prototype - the thief in law Yuri Alekseev, who “specialized” in antiques and told him about the secrets of the Hermitage storerooms. Who initiated him into these secrets - history is silent. Oleg Efremov was supposed to play the baron, but he could not participate in the filming for health reasons, and the role went to Kirill Lavrov, who was personally familiar with the prototype of this hero.

Antibiotic - the hero of Lev Borisov - also had a real prototype. Konstantinov asserted: "". Borisov did not expect that this role would become the brightest in his biography, and that after the release of the series, ordinary viewers would hate him, and for the bandits he, like Kirill Lavrov, would become a real idol - they approached the actors on the streets, thanked, asked autographs and offered their services.

The approving reviews really came from where they were not expected - from the real representatives of the criminal world. During the filming, the authorities consulted the writers and actors, the bandits participated in episodes and extras, and after the series was released, they thanked its creators for "showing the truth."

The director of the first two (most popular) parts of the series, Vladimir Bortko, after years preferred to talk about any of his other famous works ("Heart of a Dog", "The Idiot", "The Master and Margarita"), but not about "Gangster Petersburg", although he admitted that he worked on it with no less dedication: "". At the same time, the director himself perceived this film primarily as a human story, a love story of heroes who were unlucky enough to live in this era.

The music for the series was written by the composer Igor Kornelyuk, and his song "The City That Doesn't Exist" became a real hit that does not lose popularity to this day. Probably, it could have sounded completely different if the director had not told the composer that this is not a TV series, but a "long movie", and that this is not a crime drama, but a melodrama.

There are bad rumors around some films and TV series - they say, there are roles that negatively affect the fate of the actors. Conversations about the "curse" also arose about the "Gangster Petersburg". The fact is that over the 18 years that have passed since the start of filming, more than 40 actors involved in it have passed away. Almost a third of the crew is really dead. Only from 2001 to 2011 passed away Vladimir Rozhin (played the decoy Fyodor), Nikolai Rudik (“right hand” of the Antibiotic, Skull), Antonina Shuranova (played the art critic Irina), Kirill Lavrov, who played the Baron, Andrei Tolubeev (corrupt colonel Vashanov), Lev Borisov - Antibiotic. But at the same time, Kirill Lavrov was already 75 years old at the time of filming. He continued to act until the last days of his life - at the age of 80 he played Pontius Pilate for the same Bortko in The Master and Margarita, and in 2007 he passed away. Lev Borisov was 66 years old at the time filming began, and 11 years later he passed away.

Andrei Tolubeev passed away a year after the release of the series, he was then only 63 years old. Alexey Devotchenko, who, in addition to “Gangster Petersburg”, also starred in the TV series “Streets of Broken Lanterns” and “Destructive Force”, was found dead in his apartment in 2014, and those responsible for his death were never found. In 2006, 48-year-old actor Andrei Krasko died as a result of heart failure. Vladimir Rozhin managed to star in only the first two parts of the series - in 2001, the 53-year-old actor passed away.

During and after the filming of the series, tragedies and misfortunes happened to many actors. Olga Drozdova left the third part of the series after she was bitten by a dog on the set. Alexander Domogarov and Dmitry Pevtsov lost their sons shortly after filming - both died in accidents at a young age. Domogarov's 23-year-old son was hit by a car, and Pevtsov's 22-year-old son fell out of his apartment window in an accident.

Of course, many of those actors who are no longer alive were at that time in adulthood, and these statistics could be explained by natural causes, if not for so many premature deaths. Skeptics about this put forward another counterargument: for 7 years in 10 parts of the series, so many actors have starred that these numbers are not indicative and do not indicate anything. Be that as it may - many of those who were involved in the series, these days prefer not to remember about it.

A similar story happened with another popular "gangster saga". Scandalous glory of "Brigade": Why the actors are reluctant to remember their participation in the series.