Reportage from Tuva:
By the Will of Genghis Khan Movie
Andrey Borisov in a hat |
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa |
Oleg Taktarov with warriors |
Thayan Khan's headquarters |
Captives' fate |
A warrior Ilya Struchkov |
Sakha Theater stuntmen |
By Kyuney Eremeeva.
GazetaYakutia.Ru
While people are waiting for the premiere of the first film of Andrey Borisov, another filmmaking period came to its end in Tuva. The Tuva steppe hasn’t seen such "invasion" of celebrities yet: the main Hollywood asian villain Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa ("Pearl Harbor", "Art of War", "Kickboxer 2"); the numerous champion of fights without rules Oleg Taktarov nicknamed in US as ‘a Russian bear’; the Mongolian actor and producer Orgil Mahaan, mostly known worldwide as “Genghis Khan” of the BBC’s TV show with the same title... The opposite side of the screen is presented by Moscow cameramen who worked for "Night Watch", a Russian blockbuster.
And Andrey Savvich Borisov in a strange hat looked like a pith helmet. Among bunchuks (helmets) with horses' tails, the hats of cameramen and the armor of metal and leather, Andrey Borisov's hat was the main reference point: the director's ‘helmet' showed us where the main events took place.
Dance of an eagle
Among the steppe grasses waved by wind there are darkened sticks left here in the place of an ancient Chaban camp. There is a stiffened as a sculpture eagle on one of these sticks. A sacred bird. Hotoy Ayii . Having seen our faces, the Tuva actors asked: “What happened?” And we explained in a low voice: "Every Yakut esteems an eagle, especially in Khangalassky region ". When Tuvinians find out that Andrey Borisov comes from that region they become serious too. Someone says in a low voice: "This eagle protects us..."
Before fighting duels Tuva men perform the ritual dance of eagle. They are uranghays . As well as we are. And of course this dance will be in the film.
There is the dense ring of soldiers in heavy armors standing up close to each other. The autumn sun, hiding in the clouds, dimly gleams on metal plates; horses' tails on helmets flutter from a wind. In the center of a circle we see frowned and strong Kuchuluk ( Oleg Taktarov's part). The gloomy person is impenetrable; the dressing gown is dumped, and we see his muscles move under the swarthy skin. White-faced Naiman beauties (Irina Engelis, Angelica Efremova ) look favorably on Kuchuluk , but the sight of a bogatyr beneath the heavy eyebrowes looks towards the opponent: having stretched hands in the dance of an eagle the brother and the envoy of his main enemy Genghis Khan Hasar (Stanislav Iril) goes towards him.
Hasar knows that he's not going to leave this place alive. Unfamiliar faces surround him. Death is the only desire in their burning eyes. His death. But he is a man, and he was born in steppe. Let's fight, Kuchuluk ! Hands are stretched like eagle's wings. This is the last time a steppe wind touches his face. After an instant the crunch of broken backbone disturbs the silence and the blood jet runs from his mouth. Thin lips of Kuchuluk stretch in smile, but cold lips of Hasar open up and the triumphing enemy hears his last words. They make him shudder: "By the Will of Genghis Khan". Oh, brother, I did everything I could. Forgive me and farewell...
The Birthday of Kuchuluk
Oleg Taktarov was the first to arrive from Hollywood . Having seen him from the windows of the bus before shootings, Sakha Theatre actors validly hooted: "Real Man!" And rapidly lop-sided on their bogatyr Turantaev : "But our Gena is not worse!" It's true…
And “Real Man” began to ride horses right after having arrived to the place of shootings. He chose his four-legged " partners" with attention to every detail. This is really important, because steppe never forgives mistakes. Besides he had to ride horses in heavy armor. The two mortals could lift it only together.
After the shootings he offered the female costume designers his help in "transportation" of the armor: "Where should I put them? Let me do it". The Real Man! The Real Knight!
And right after that he jumped in his saddle and rode to steppe. Sunburnt and topless at the twilight he looked like one of two hundred herdsmen involved.
The Hollywood star appeared surprisingly simple and grounded. No whims, just few requirements to work. "I don't need anything celebrities could need," he said.
The first day of shootings saw Oleg Taktarov being made-up for a long time: one moustache after another and that process showed up to never end. But he would stand still although he had that heavy armor on. Such strength and such patience! He would make his comments during it. Fitting another short moustache he said: “I look like my uncle. He used to have the moustache".
But he didn't look like his uncle too long. Make-up men refused the moustache and left the actor his natural look. They only made a few pigtails.
On shooting location he would remove his "civil" clothes and dress up the gown of nomad : "The warriors perceive me better in this costume". Herdsmen seemed to him as warriors.
In steppe he celebrated his birthday. He celebrated it in a saddle: he was involved in the battle scene. In the clouds of dust made by horses " Kuchuluk" was on his horse, looking like fantastic warrior. It seemed like he could touch the sky. He couldn't bend or turn in this armor. "The hand of the fighter is tired to cut..."
But only after the shootings he said:
- I have never had such a hard time on my birthday.
However, on question why he participated in the international film project " By the Will of Genghis Khan " Oleg Taktarov answered briefly:
- The accurateness and attention to the details of history. I see it in costumes.
Does it mean that he is not in the claim with the weight of his armor? Well, he is professional.
Naiman beauty is everyone's sweetheart
There was a long queue to take pictures with Taktarov .
And what a mess there was when Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa arrived! The work stopped. Someone of Moscow cameramen, observing this mess from his camera spot, made note: "Well, Andrey Savvich, you brought the stars, now see what followed it!"
A Yakutian actor Erken Egorov, correcting his helmet, peered at Tagava and got really surprised: "He is not that scary as in the films!" Well, he is not...
By the way, when Tagava arrived the scene with his participation had been already rehearsed. The director himself took a samurai sword in his hands. Who else would dare: during his study in Chepkinskoe school, he became the champion on fencing. He was going to participate in tournament in Poland . But let's return to shootings.
Dressed in kimono, armor and helmet Andrey Borisov was very impressive. The film crew was mostly impressed by a traditional Japanese bow of the master. If he entered a military circle without that ceremony, some would always say: «Andrey Savvich, you forgot to bow.» It means the crew liked it… After an instant, the sword dissected air with singing.
Two days later Tagava arrived and tested that sword with learned skill: he is fond of fighting from early childhood, - having started from kendo and karate , the actor has already had time to make his own system.
First of all Mr. Tagava tried to secure Lena Sergeeva-Rumyantseva ( Naiman tsarina) from his killing weapon: he asked to move an actress to the other side so she would not get hurt when he would snatch out a sword.
Girls' secret: who would dare to hurt such a beautiful actress? Naiman tsarina Gurbesu fascinated every man on set. A star of BBC's show Orgil Mahaan wished that all the women would start painting their faces the way the steppe sovereign did.
Oleg Taktarov heard her complaints concerning the inconvenient cap and softly replied: "But it looks beautiful!" It seems that after the release of the film there'll be a new fashion. Naiman fashion ! Why not?
*To be continued
// 01.09.2006
Translated by
Nurgun Novopriezhy,
a Yakutsk State University student
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