Miscellaneous 2024, November

Even as a child, Charlie Chaplin was in awe at the sight of glamorous celebrities passing by his house. And he firmly decided to become an actor in order to be able to try on different images and roles. The Little Tramp's film career can be legendary. A native of London slums, he became the most sought-after and highly paid actor, as well as a desperate ladies' man, whose ability to conquer women's hearts was legendary. And yet there was one that became the main love of his whole life

It is generally accepted that a creative person is more susceptible to mental ailments than others due to a subtle mental make-up. Many highly regarded writers, artists and musicians have been cornered by various circumstances. Fears, pangs of conscience and personal demons pushed representatives of the talented intelligentsia to take radical steps, and historians argued for a long time and understood the causes of high-profile tragedies

Mesoamerican civilization has experienced the rise and fall of various cultures. And when it comes to speech, there are many topics for discussion, since it contains a huge amount of knowledge gained from the cultures that inhabited this mythical zone. And Mesoamerica also had its own identity, which was defined by a number of very specific characteristics, described below

November 21 was World Television Day, and November 26 marks the 80th anniversary of one of the most famous Soviet TV presenters, the legendary announcer of Central Television Anna Shatilova. The proximity of these dates does not seem accidental: her name is associated with an entire era in the history of television, she was called the face of Soviet TV. She still appears on screens and amazes with her magnificent appearance, high professionalism and self-esteem. In her 80s, Anna Shatilova regrets only one

The Second World War is the largest and possibly the last global conflict that all of humanity on planet Earth has ever faced. However, it was a historic moment that helped shape the modern world. Millions of lives have been lost, but history has come true

Collecting is a fun process. Sometimes a child's hobby leads to a really worthy collection. Often, professional collectors become very wealthy people. But for this you need to have things that really have great value. Today, schoolchildren collect toys from kinder surprises, figures from the Lego constructor, Barbie dolls and so on, since there is no shortage. Maybe in a hundred years, these copies will be incredibly expensive. But at C

For centuries it was customary to admire the legendary knights of the Middle Ages. The very word "knight" has become in some way a synonym for "standard". Their names were known even by those who did not read novels and ballads with their participation: the frantic Roland, King Richard the Lionheart, Ulrich von Lichtenstein, Emperor Barbarossa, Gottfried of Bouillon. But in our time, faced with them, hardly anyone wanted to sing them

Lovely hares, bears and hedgehogs have become an integral part of Soviet holidays. They were painted on the windows on New Year's Eve (and even they still do it), diligently copied, decorating wall newspapers or posters. The author of the whole world of funny animals was Vladimir Ivanovich Zarubin. Over 30 years of work, more than 1.5 billion postcards and envelopes with his drawings have been published, but the artist died practically in poverty

New Year and Christmas traditions, thanks to which Russia now rests from work for a whole week, appeared in our country not so long ago. In time immemorial, this holiday was celebrated in the spring, then, after the baptism of Rus, the Byzantine calendar came to us, the New Year was celebrated on September 1 according to it. Since 1700, by decree of Peter I, this holiday is celebrated in Russia, as in other European countries, on January 1. However, the tradition of putting a whole coniferous tree in the house and decorating it was brought to us by another member

These children of celebrities at one time managed to outshine even their stellar parents. No, they made everyone talk about themselves not in connection with creative achievements. Willingly or unwittingly, they found themselves at the epicenter of such scandals that the media and the public for a long time vigorously discussed every detail of the sensational stories. But, as they say, black PR is also PR. Thanks to him, now on the lips are not only the names of celebrities, but also their offspring, about which until recently no one knew

Perhaps no other phenomenon of the Soviet educational system is being restored with such enviable persistence as the pioneer, with its age levels. However, the whole essence of this phenomenon was in its mass character, and therefore individual associations cannot bring comparable results. Why did children and young people of all ages so willingly join the even ranks of Octobrists, pioneers and Komsomol members, and what did they swear to their comrades?

Nowadays, listening to the choir is an occupation, rather, for music lovers and lovers of academic or folk music. But in the 19th century, the choirs were not so much listening as they were walking with the choirs. Gypsy, Hungarian, Georgian, Russian - all this in relation to the choir speaks not of nationality, but of role

Graceful, daring and obstinate, even those who did not understand anything about ballet fell under her charm. Perhaps this was her strength. She was beautiful in everything, - Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya - the greatest Soviet and Russian ballerina, who even at the end of her life did not leave the stage and the devoted spectator

On August 29, King of Pop Michael Jackson could have turned 58 years old. Much has been written about the mysterious circumstances of his death, as well as about his records for world circulation of released albums and for the number of people who attended his concerts. Michael Jackson was called the most popular and successful artist of all time, his fabulous wealth was written in all the newspapers, and he hid from people, even from his own family, hated his reflection in the mirror and was terrified of aging. He could install

Even at the time when Joseph Stalin became the leader of the country, little was known about his mother, Ekaterina Geladze (married to Dzhugashvili). She was modest and laconic, but at the same time ready to protect her only surviving child from all adversity, bad weather and unkind people. How did the woman who raised and brought up such an ambiguous personality like Joseph Stalin lived, and was she really happy?

Officially, the head of the Land of Soviets, Joseph Stalin, was married twice. The first wife of Joseph Dzhugashvili was Kato Svanidze, the second - Nadezhda Alliluyeva. After the voluntary departure of his second wife, Joseph Stalin no longer tied the knot. However, rumors about his mistresses are still circulating today. Who were these women, whose names are persistently mentioned in connection with the name of the leader of the nations?

This charismatic, imposing actor has been the idol of women of all ages for many years. Mikhail Derzhavin was looking for his happiness for a long time. Three women, like three stars, were in his life. His morning star is Katenka, the daughter of the famous Arkady Raikin, the day star is Nina, the daughter of the legendary Semyon Budyonny. And his guiding star was Roxana Babayan, who led him through life for over 30 years

The handwritten collection of everyday laws "Domostroy", which appeared in Novgorod in the 15th century, was revered in Russian homes for a long time. Today, it is mistakenly believed that those rules severely limited the rights of women, while at the same time granting extensive privileges to men. But it is worth delving into the content of medieval manuscripts in order to reconsider the erroneous view. In "Domostroy" much more restrictions are addressed just to the strong half of humanity. It is on men, according to the authors of the book, that the responsibility lies

More than half a century ago, a color film "The Old Man Hottabych" was released on Soviet screens. Boys and girls were ready to stand for hours at the doors of cinemas to watch Volka and the genie on the flying carpet soar in the clouds. The protagonists' "flights" were far from the only special effects in the film that staggered the imagination of viewers in the late 1950s. Despite the fact that then there was no trace of computer graphics, "Old Man Hottabych" became an example of incredible ingenuity and skill

December 2020 will mark 45 years since the release of the magnificent musical fairy tale "New Year's Adventures of Masha and Viti". The two young actors who played the main roles in it became idols of the Soviet children for many years. Of course, everyone was sure that Masha and Vitya, when they grow up, will become artists and most likely get married. Today Natalya Simonova and Yuri Nakhratov are successful adults who recall their creative childhood with pleasure, but have nothing to do with cinema

Usually, the creators of feature films are known not only by their names, but also by sight, but not all animators could boast of fame. Ivan Ivanov-Vano was able to become famous not only in our country, but also abroad. He is called the creator of domestic animation; more than one generation of children has grown up on his cartoons. One of his masterpieces became a textbook for the Walt Disney studio, and animators studied from his textbook in the middle of the twentieth century

Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published in 1900 and immediately became one of the most beloved children's books in the United States. The Library of Congress has declared it "America's greatest and most beloved homebrew fairy tale." In 1902, this breathtaking tale was staged in the acclaimed Broadway musical, and the 1939 adaptation made a lasting impression on children around the world. But few people know how cruel this fairy tale is in fact

Love triangles are not uncommon in the cinematic environment. Moreover, creative people, accustomed to screen passions, often look for them in life. A vivid proof of this is the great passions that seethed in the backstage of Soviet cinema: whirlwind romances, marriages, divorces, betrayals and other equally interesting turns … These actors were rivals in real life, but still one of them turned out to be the third

Hundreds of love films are released annually, but not all of them are able to win the hearts of viewers. But there are such pictures about feelings that can be revisited countless times, rediscovering details, capturing shades of intonation and wondering how accurately the actors managed to convey the emotional excitement of their characters. These films, which have not lost their relevance over the years, are what we want to remember today

We have collected for you the most unexpected, but nevertheless true facts from the life of Soviet actors. Why did Oleg Anofriev almost single-handedly sing all the vocal parts in "The Bremen Town Musicians"? How neat Andrei Mironov got along in the same apartment with a pig? Why didn't Frunzik Mkrtchyan need a passport? This and much more will be discussed below

Films that can be watched by the whole family are usually kind, and the time spent at the TV screen and the subsequent discussion of the scenes you like are memorable for a long time and leave pleasant memories. And what could be better than getting everyone together in front of the screen on long winter evenings and enjoying wonderful new films for family viewing?

Screening a literary work is a difficult job. Many films based on famous books provide an opportunity to get acquainted with literary works and, perhaps, will inspire, after watching, to read the originals. For those who have already managed to fall in love with this or that hero, the film adaptation is a way to look at the work from the other side. Our today's roundup features the best film adaptations from the 21st century

Many wonderful films from famous directors and their budding colleagues are released every year. But today we want to recall the films that are rightfully included in the golden fund of world cinema. They have been watched for many years, despite the fact that the plot has long been known, and viewers already know many of the phrases spoken by the characters on the screen by heart. Our today's selection includes both Soviet and foreign films that you want to watch again and again

At a time when the whole world is trying to comply with the quarantine or self-isolation regime, only good films can distract from the problems of reality for a couple of hours. Cinematography at any time can comfort the viewer, immersing him in an atmosphere of kindness and charm. The BBC recommends preparing a warm blanket for viewing, plenty of cookies or popcorn, and enjoy the best films that can give a sea of positive emotions

The surname of Vyacheslav Kotyonochkin can be found in the credits of almost 80 Soviet cartoons. It was his hand that painted "The Scarlet Flower" and "Golden Antelope", "Cat's House" and "Wild Swans", but he also entered the history of Russian animation as a director-producer of many animated films, including the beloved "Well, wait a minute!" Few know: the inspirer of all the dance scenes in his creations was the wife of Vyacheslav Kotyonochkin, the ballerina Tamara Vishneva, with whom he

The deafening success of "Slave of Izaura" made Russian (already) TV channels think about how the series are beneficial to television. And already in the nineties, own and long-term projects began to appear in Russia. The first, not yet familiar and therefore extremely popular

Modern cinema is simply impossible to imagine without vivid special effects, which invariably attract viewers no less than a fascinating plot and talented acting. Visual effects in cinematography are constantly being improved, and the best specialists in computer graphics are working on them. More than 70 films have won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, but our roundup today features ten of them

As you know, advertising primarily works for the film industry, and a lot depends on how successful it is. The main criterion for the attractiveness of a film for the common viewer is the box office. They are the main indicator of commercial success. Our today's roundup features the top-grossing U.S. box office films

2020 was not the best year for world cinema. Filming was postponed, premieres were postponed indefinitely, cinemas were idle, and film studios suffered colossal losses. At the same time, people's demand for high-quality films only increased. The British publishing house The Guardian has compiled a list of 50 films that have been successful in the UK. In our today's review, we get acquainted with the top ten of this list

Cinematography has long been an integral part of modern life. And what could be more pleasant than watching someone else's, most often fictional life, fantasizing about the future with the creators or trying to understand the secrets of the past. But the viewer is used to spectacular cinema with a lot of characters and special effects. And all the more surprising is the incredible popularity of films in which only one actor plays, and the viewer does not have the slightest desire to take his eyes off the screen at least for a moment

Sometimes it seems that all good films have been reviewed more than a dozen times and there will be no discoveries. We recommend that our readers turn to the classics of world cinema and watch unfairly forgotten films. They can rightfully be called Hollywood classics. These masterpieces are timeless and timeless. They were filmed in the last century, but they can impress even the most sophisticated viewers with a fascinating plot, the skill of the director and, of course, talented acting

This year, as never before, many expected premieres have gathered in the world cinema. This is mainly due to the fact that many of them have been postponed due to the pandemic since 2020. Since the situation with the coronavirus has not yet fully stabilized, there is no complete certainty that these novelties will not be carried over again. However, new dates have already been determined, and moviegoers are already looking forward to new films and sequels to their favorite films. All major premieres are listed below in order

Vasily Merkuriev played more than 70 roles in films, embodied many vivid images on the theater stage, the audience remembered the good-natured and weak-minded forester in the fairy tale "Cinderella". But the main achievement in his life was not even the work, which he loved very much and which he devoted himself to the very end. Together with his wife Irina Meyerhold, the actor saved six human lives. Vasily Merkuriev never considered it a feat, he just lived as his conscience told him

Many book lovers know for sure that Scandinavian thrillers are invariably exciting reading, in which a rather dark atmosphere and a very charismatic protagonist are necessarily present. At the same time, Scandinavian authors know how to surprise with unexpected plot twists and a deep study of the psychological characteristics of the central characters. You definitely need to get to know the works of this genre personally

The famous director, as a child, began to dream about how he would create his own films, and practiced shooting small videos with a camera donated by his father. His first achievement was the victory in the youth competition for a 40-minute film about the war "Escape to Nowhere." Steven Spielberg was then only 13 years old. He makes amazing films, but he also has his own list of film preferences, which, among others, includes two domestic films